COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH – UNIT – 1 Communication

COMMUNICATIVE ENGLISH – BHMT (BACHELOR OF HOTEL MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY) OSMANIA UNIVERSITY

UNIT – 1 COMMUNICATION

Communication is a natural instinct of all living creatures. It is the basic need of all human beings. It plays all the more significant role in the present day organizations which are complex, dynamic and socially oriented. Effective communication keeps the organization vibrant, vital and smooth.

Meaning:

• The act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or  behaviours to  express or exchange information or to  express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc.,  to someone else.
• A message that is given to someone: a letter, telephone call, etc.
• The ways of sending information to people by using technology.

DEFINITION:

                   “Communication is the process by which information is transmitted between individuals and/or organizations so that an understanding response results”.

According to Newman and Summer,

                     “It is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons”.

  OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION:

• To give and receive information.
• Conveying the Right Message.
• Coordination of Effort.
• Good Industrial Relations.
• Development of Managerial Skills.
• Effectiveness of Policies.
• To Provide Advice.
• To Receive Suggestions.
• To Persuade People.
• To Motivate People.

SCOPE OF COMMUNICATION:

The scope of communication includes

•  Information Sharing: The main purpose of communication is to transfer information from a source to target individuals or groups. Various types of information are transmitted in organization.
• Feedback: There is a need to give feedback to the employees on their achievements, on their performance and to the higher management on the fulfillment of goals and difficulties encountered in the communication.
• Influence People: On purpose of communication is to influence people. The manager communicates to create a good working environment, right attitudes, and congenial working relationships.
• Problem-solving: In many cases, communications aims at solving problems. Communication between the management and the unions on some issues is aimed at finding a solution.
•  Facilitating Change: The effectiveness of a change introduced in an organization depends on the clarity and spontaneity of communication.

BASIC ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION:

The communication process is made-up of five key components.

• SENDER
• MESSAGE
• MEDIUM / CHANNEL
• RECEIVER / DECODER / LISTENER

• SENDER – The entire burden of communication rests upon the sender or encoder. His choice of images and words and the combination of the two is what drives the receiver to listen carefully. In this process, a number of factors come into play, primary among them being an understanding of the recipient and his needs.
• MESSAGE – Message is the encoded idea transmitted by the sender. The message is what the sender attempts to transmit to his specified receivers. Every message has at least two major aspects: Treatment of the message.
• MEDIUM / CHANNEL – Another important element of communication is medium or channel. It would be oral, written or non-verbal. Prior to the composition of the message, the medium or channel should be decided. Each medium follows its own rules and regulations. To begin transmitting the message the sender uses some kind of channel. The channel is the means used to convey the message. Most channels are either oral or written but currently visual channels are becoming more common as technology expands. Common channels include telephone and a variety of written forms such as memos, letters and reports. The effectiveness of various channels fluctuates, depending on the characteristics of communication.
• RECEIVER/DECODER/LISTENER – After appropriate channel or channels are selected, the message enters the decoding stage of the communication process. Decoding is conducted by the receiver. The receiver is the person receiving the message that derives the meaning or understands and translates it into meaning. Once the message is received and examined, the stimulus is sent into the brain for interpreting, in order to assign some type of meaning to it. The receiver interprets the symbols sent by the sender, translates the message to their own set of experiences in order to make the symbols meaningful. Successful; communication takes place when the receiver correctly interprets the senders message.       

FEATURES OF COMMUNICATION

• UNIVERSAL:  Communication is universal phenomenon. All the living creatures communicate through their own symbols and signs.
• COMMUNICATION IS UNAVOIDABLE: Communication is always an existing and un avoidable phenomenon. Not only facial expressions, positive gestures and other

Behavioral ways, even silence also conveys a lot about the person’s attitude.

• CONTINUOUS PROCESS: Communication is not an art event of time rather; it is a continuous process incorporating various events and activities that are interrelated and interdependent.
• TWO-WAY TRAFFIC: Communication is not complete unless, the receiver understands the message .To ensure that the receiver has understood the message, there should be some sort of feedback.
• SHORT-LIVED PROCESS: The process of communication is not complete as soon as the message is received and understood by the receiver in the right perspective; hence, it is short lived process.
• NEEDS PROPER UNDERSTANDING: There may be a numerous media of communication but the main purpose of conveying the message is a proper understanding of the message by the other party.
• DISPELS MISUNDERSTANDINGS: In this sense, it provides clear understanding between persons and thus, builds a bridge of companionship among people.

7 C’S/PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION:

1. completeness
2. conciseness
3. consideration
4. concreteness
5. clarity
6. courtesy
7. correctness

• CONCISENESS: In business communications, you should be brief and be able to say whatever you have to say is fewest possible words without sacrificing the other C qualities; a concise message is complete without being wordy. Conciseness is desired because of following reasons

1. A concise message saves time and expense for both sender and receiver.
2. Conciseness contributes to emphasis; by eliminating unnecessary words. You let important ideas standout.
3. When combined with a “you-view”, concise messages are inherently more interesting to recipients as they avoid unnecessary information.

• CORRECTNESS: The term ‘correctness’ as applied to business messages right level of language, accuracy of facts, figures and words . If the information is not correctly conveyed, the sender will lose credibility. Transmission of incorrect information to superiors will vitiate decision making process. Transmission of incorrect information to the outsider will spoil the public image of the firm. To convey correct messages, grammatical errors should also be avoided.
• CONCRETENESS: Concreteness of message is an essential requirement of effective communication. It means being specific, definite and vivid rather than vague and general. In oral communication, we can’t draw tables, diagrams, or graphs to make our statements vivid, but we can choose precise words to convey the correct message and support it by relevant facts and figures. If the message is specific, there would be increased likelihood that the message’s is interpreted by the receiver as intended by the sender.
• CLARITY: The principle of clarity implies both clarity of thought and clarity of expression .The process of communication begins with the generation of a thought in the mind of communicator .The idea or the message to be transmitted should be clearly worded so that it may be interpreted by the receiver in the same sense in the same sense in which it is communicated.
• COMPLETENESS: the message must be complete. it should convey all the facts required by the audience. the sender of the message must take into consideration the receiver and should communicate all the facts and figures related to the message.
• CONSIDERATION: consideration implies “stepping into the shoes of others” Effective communication must take the audience into consideration, i.e, the audience’s view points, background, mind-set, education level, etc. Make an attempt to envisage your audience, their requirements, emotions as well as problems. ensure that the self-respect of the audience is maintained and their emotions are not at harm.

TYPES OF COMMUNICATION:

Communication is widely divided into Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication.

Verbal Communication:

Verbal communication entails the use of words in delivering the intended message. The two major forms of verbal communication include written and oral communication.

Written Communication:
Written communication includes traditional pen and paper letters and documents, typed electronic documents, e-mails, text chats, SMS and anything else conveyed through written symbols such as language. This type of communication is indispensable for formal business communications and issuing legal instructions.

Communication forms that predominantly use written communication include handbooks, brochures, contracts, memos, press releases, formal business proposals, and the like. The effectiveness of written communication depends on the writing style, grammar, vocabulary, and clarity.

Oral Communication:
The other form of verbal communication is the spoken word, either face-to-face or through phone, voice chat, video conferencing or any other medium. Various forms of informal communications such as the grapevine or informal rumor mill, and formal communications such as lectures, conferences are forms of oral communication. Oral communication finds use in discussions and causal and informal conversations. The effectiveness of oral conversations depends on the clarity of speech, voice modulation, pitch, volume, speed, and even non-verbal communications such as body language and visual cues.

Verbal communication makes the process of conveying thoughts easier and faster, and it remains the most successful form of communication. Yet, this makes up only seven percent of all human communication!

Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication entails communicating by sending and receiving wordless messages. These messages usually reinforce verbal communication, but they can also convey thoughts and feelings on their own.

Types of Non-Verbal Communication:

A. Facial Expressions

Facial expressions are responsible for a huge proportion of nonverbal communication. Consider how much information can be conveyed with a smile or a frown. The look on a person’s face is often the first thing we see, even before we hear what they have to say.

While nonverbal communication and behavior can vary dramatically between cultures, the facial expressions for happiness, sadness, anger, and fear are similar throughout the world.

B.  Gestures

Deliberate movements and signals are an important way to communicate meaning without words. Common gestures include waving, pointing, and using fingers to indicate numeric amounts. Other gestures are arbitrary and related to culture.

C. Paralinguistic

Paralinguistic refers to vocal communication that is separate from actual language. This includes factors such as tone of voice, loudness, inflection and pitch. Consider the powerful effect that tone of voice can have on the meaning of a sentence. When said in a strong tone of voice, listeners might interpret approval and enthusiasm. The same words said in a hesitant tone of voice might convey disapproval and a lack of interest.

Consider all the different ways simply changing your tone of voice might change the meaning of a sentence. A friend might ask you how you are doing, and you might respond with the standard “I’m fine,” but how you actually say those words might reveal a tremendous amount of how you are really feeling.

A cold tone of voice might suggest that you are actually not fine, but you don’t wish to discuss it. A bright, happy tone of voice will reveal that you are actually doing quite well. A somber, downcast tone would indicate that you are the opposite of fine and that perhaps your friend should inquire further.

D.  Body Language and Posture

Posture and movement can also convey a great deal on information. Research on body language has grown significantly since the 1970’s, but popular media have focused on the over-interpretation of defensive postures, arm-crossing, and leg-crossing. While these nonverbal behaviors can indicate feelings and attitudes, research suggests that body language is far more subtle and less definitive that previously believed.

E. Proxemics

People often refer to their need for “personal space,” which is also an important type of nonverbal communication. The amount of distance we need and the amount of space we perceive as belonging to us is influenced by a number of factors including social norms, cultural expectations, situational factors, personality characteristics, and level of familiarity. For example, the amount of personal space needed when having a casual conversation with another person usually varies between 18 inches to four feet. On the other hand, the personal distance needed when speaking to a crowd of people is around 10 to 12 feet.

F. Eye Gaze

The eyes play an important role in nonverbal communication and such things as looking, staring and blinking are important nonverbal behaviors. When people encounter people or things that they like, the rate of blinking increases and pupils dilate. Looking at another person can indicate a range of emotions including hostility, interest, and attraction.

People also utilize eye gaze a means to determine if someone is being honest. Normal, steady eye contact is often taken as a sign that a person is telling the truth and is trustworthy. Shifty eyes and an inability to maintain eye contact, on the other hand, is frequently seen as an indicator that someone is lying or being deceptive.

 

G. Haptics

Communicating through touch is another important nonverbal behavior. There has been a substantial amount of research on the importance of touch in infancy and early childhood. Researchers have found that high-status individuals tend to invade other people’s personal space with greater frequency and intensity than lower-status individuals. Sex differences also play a role in how people utilize touch to communicate meaning. Women tend to use touch to convey care, concern, and nurturance. Men, on the other hand, are more likely to use touch to assert power or control over others.

H. Appearance

Our choice of color, clothing, hairstyles, and other factors affecting appearance are also considered a means of nonverbal communication. Research on psychology has demonstrated that different colors can evoke different moods. Appearance can also alter physiological reactions, judgments, and interpretations. Just think of all the subtle judgments you quickly make about someone based on his or her appearance. These first impressions are important, which is why experts suggest that job seekers dress appropriately for interviews with potential employers.

Researchers have found that appearance can play a role in how people are perceived and even how much they earn. One 1996 study found that attorneys who were rated as more attractive than their peers earned nearly 15 percent more than those ranked as less attractive. Culture is an important influence on how appearances are judged. While thinness tends to be valued in Western cultures, some African cultures relate full-figured bodies to better health, wealth, and social status.

I. Silence

Silence, or the lack of sound, is a form of nonverbal communication as well. Silence can communicate a lack of understanding or even hard feelings in a face-to-face discussion.

LEVELS OF COMMUNICATION:

• INTRAPERSONAL COMMUNICATION.
• INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION.
• EXTRAPERSONAL COMMUNICATION.
• ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION.
• MASS COMMUNICATION.

INTRAPERSONAL COMMUNICATION: This communication occurs within the individuals brain in the form of internal dialogue, as one cannot stop communicating with himself. Intrapersonal communication is the intrapsychic dialogue that often takes place in our heads.  The content or text of intrapersonal communication consists of thoughts. The medium or channel of this kind of communication is neurological chemical apparatus through which talks are proceed in the brain.

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION: This level of communication includes ideas or information’s shared by people. This can assume in the form of face to face conversation, video conference, and telephonic talk and soon. It takes place in our day to day life. This level of communication is beneficiary as doubts can be clarified instantly and immediate feedback is possible. Interpersonal communication depends on the chemistry between two parties involved. The environment and cultural context also play their vital role. Besides it can be formal and informal .Interpersonal communication takes place between a person and someone else or some others in a relatively small collection of people. Sometimes the communicators are acquainted, as at a dinner party, and sometimes they are not, as when strangers speak on the street, on a bus, or in a supermarket.

EXTRAPERSONAL COMMUNICATION: Extrapersonal communication occurs between human beings and non human beings in whom sign language is used to transmit information or to respond.  Extrapersonal communication is communication with the non human. It includes communication with animals and with intelligent machines. It also covers communication in occult areas of experience like telepathy and spiritualism, as well as attempts to send single to extra terrestrial beings.

ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION: Communication between members of an organization is organizational communication. It may be upward, downward, diagonal and grapevine. This type of communication is extremely necessary for the smooth running of organization. The organization level of

MASS COMMUNICATION: In this level of communication, information’s are transmitted to the public at large through media such as television, radio, internet, books, journals and newspapers.

Mass communication is defined by four important characteristics:

1. It is communication to a large, anonymous and heterogeneous audience.
2. It is primarily one-way communication, meaning that feedback from the audience is restricted.
3. It is transmitted through different channels that work fast.
4. The sender is usually a big organization rather than individuals.

METHODS/TYPES OF COMMUNICATION:

The process of managing organization communication has a number of elements. Thus, pattern of communication may be grouped in the following

ON THE BASIS OF DIRECTION:

Within an organization, communication may flow inter-scalar or intra-scalar.

Inter-scalar communication means when it flows between two persons at different managerial levels. It may be further classified as downward when it flows from higher level to lower level, i.e., from superior to sub ordinate or upward when it flows from lower level to higher level, i.e., from subordinate to superior.

• VERTICAL COMMUNICATION.
• HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION.
• DIAGONALCOMMUNICATION.

ON THE BASIS OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE:

Communication in an organization carries innumerable kinds of messages which may be difficult to map out; but it may be possible to classify communication in regard to how to transmit, or who communicates to whom, or what kinds of relationships communication develops.

• FORMAL COMMUNICATION.
• IN FORMAL COMMUNICATION.

FORMAL COMMUNICATION:

Communication through the chain of command is known as formal communication. Formal communication is closely associated with a formal organizational structure. The communication flows through formal channels, i.e., officially recognized positions along the line in the organization.

INFORMAL /GRAPEVINE COMMUNICATION:

Informal communication is not planned or deliberately created channel of communication. It is free from all formalities. No formal, organizational chart is followed. It runs in all directions, i.e., horizontal, vertical, diagonal. 

ON THE BASIS OF WAY OF COMMUNICATION:

On the basis of way of expression communication can be classified into three different types

• Written Communication.
• Oral Communication.
• Gesture Communication.

BARRIERS OF COMMUNICATION:
Barriers means hurdles that we face during conversation .There are different reasons behind these hurdles. Few of them are mentioned below

PHYSICAL BARRIERS:

Some physical barriers are mentioned below

• NOISE
• IMPROPER TIME OF CONVERSATION
• DISTANCE

ORGANIZATIONAL BARRIERS:

The barriers, which are related to the functioning of organization are known as Organizational Barriers. Major barriers are listed below

• Organizational  Policy.
• Organizational Rules and Regulations.
• Status Relationship in the Organizational.
• Structure of the Organization.
• Lack of OrganizationalFacilities.
• Wrong Choice of Channel.

TECHNOLOGICAL BARRIERS:
Technology can either facilitate the communication or act as a barrier. Sometimes it can do both at the same time.

• Use of Technology which is not Updated
• Lack of Technological Knowledge
• Technical Noise
• Barriers at Decoding Stage

OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION:

In order to remove the barriers of communication an open door communication policy should be prepared and adopted by the managers at all levels. The superiors in the organization must create an atmosphere of confidence and trust in the organization..

BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION:

It’s important to remember that there are differences between talking and communicating. When we talk, we tend to erect barriers that hinder our ability to communicate. Some of the communication barriers during conversation include:

• The use of jargon. Over-complicated, unfamiliar and/or technical terms.
• Lack of attention, interest, distractions, or irrelevance to the receiver.
• Differences in perception and viewpoint.
• Physical disabilities such as hearing problems or speech difficulties.
• Language differences and the difficulty in understanding unfamiliar accents.
• People often hear what they expect to hear rather than what is actually said and jump to incorrect conclusions.

TYPES OF BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION:

A. Physical Barriers:
Physical barriers are easy to spot – doors that are closed, walls that are erected, and distance between people all work against the goal of effective communication. While most agree that people need their own personal areas in the workplace, setting up an office to remove physical barriers is the first step towards opening communication.

B. Cultural Barriers:
Cultural barriers are a result of living in an ever shrinking world. Different cultures, whether they be a societal culture of a race or simply the work culture of a company, can hinder developed communication if two different cultures clash. In these cases, it is important to find a common ground to work from. In work situations, identifying a problem and coming up with a highly efficient way to solve it can quickly topple any cultural or institutional barriers.

C. Language Barriers:
Language barriers seem pretty self-inherent, but there are often hidden language barriers that we aren’t always aware of. If you work in an industry that is heavy in jargon or technical language, care should be taken to avoid these words when speaking with someone from outside the industry. Without being patronizing, imagine explaining a situation in your industry to a child. How would you convey these concepts without relying on jargon? A clear, direct narrative is preferable to an incomprehensible slew of specialty terms.

D. Perceptual Barriers:
Perceptual barriers are internal. If you go into a situation thinking that the person you are talking to isn’t going to understand or be interested in what you have to say, you may end up subconsciously sabotaging your effort to make your point. You will employ language that is sarcastic, dismissive, or even obtuse, thereby alienating your conversational partner.

E. Interpersonal Barriers:
Interpersonal barriers are what ultimately keep us from reaching out to each other and opening ourselves up, not just to be heard, but to hear others. Oddly enough, this can be the most difficult area to change. Some people spend their entire lives attempting to overcome a poor self-image or a series of deeply rooted prejudices about their place in the world. They are unable to form genuine connections with people because they have too many false perceptions blocking the way.

F. Gender Barriers:
Gender barriers have become less of an issue in recent years, but there is still the possibility for a man to misconstrue the words of a woman, or vice versa.
Even in a workplace where women and men share equal stature, knowledge and experience, differing communication styles may prevent them from working together effectively. Gender barriers can be inherent or may be related to gender stereotypes and the ways in which men and women are taught to behave as children.

G. Emotional Barriers:
Emotional barriers can be tough to overcome, but are important to put aside to engage in conversations. We are often taught to fear the words coming out of our own mouths, as in the phrase “anything you say can and will be used against you.” Overcoming this fear is difficult, but necessary. The trick is to have full confidence in what you are saying and your qualifications in saying it. People often pick up on insecurity. By believing in yourself and what you have to say, you will be able to communicate clearly without becoming overly involved in your emotions.

IMPORTANT MEASURE TO OVERCOME BARRIERS OF COMMUNICATION:

1. Clarify Ideas before Communication:

The person sending the communication should be very clear in his mind about what he wants to say. He should know the objective of his message and, therefore, he should arrange his thoughts in a proper order.

• Communicate According to the Need of the Receiver:

The sender of the communication should prepare the structure of the message not according to his own level or ability but he should keep in mind the level, understanding or the environment of the receiver.

•  Consult Others before Communication:

At the time of planning the communication, suggestions should be invited from all the persons concerned. Its main advantage will be that all those people who are consulted at the time of preparing the communication plan will contribute to the success of the communication system.

• Be Aware of Language, Tone and Content of Message:

The sender should take care of the fact that the message should be framed in clear and beautiful language. The tone of the message should not injure the feelings of the receiver. As far as possible the contents of the message should be brief and excessive use of technical words should be avoided.

• Convey Things of Help and Value to the Listener:

The subject matter of the message should be helpful to the receiver. The need and interest of the receiver should specially be kept in mind. Communication is more effective in such a situation.

• Ensure Proper Feedback:

The purpose of feedback is to find out whether the receiver has properly understood the meaning of the information received. In the face-to- face communication, the reaction on the face of the receiver can be understood.

But in case of written communication or some other sort of communications some proper method of feedback should be adopted by the sender.