EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATION

WHAT IS COMMUNICATION ?

Communication is a process of passing information and understanding from one person to

another. Communication is generally defined as the activity of conveying information.
Communication has been derived from the Latinword "communis", meaning to share.

WHAT IS EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATION ?

Business includes those organizations, which are engaged in the production and distribution 2
of goods and services to earn profit. Therefore Business communication means, ―Flow of
information, perception etc. either within a business organization or outside the organization
among different parties.

WHY COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT AT WORKPLACE AND BUSINESS?

1. Communication is a source of information to the organizational members for decision-making

process as it helps identifying and assessing alternative course of actions.

2. Communication also plays a crucial role in altering individual’s attitudes, i.e., a well informed
individual will have better attitude than a less-informed individual. Organizational magazines,
journals, meetings and various other forms of oral and written communication help in moulding
employee‘s attitudes.

3. Communication also helps in socializing. In todays life the only presence of another individual
fosters communication. It is also said that one cannot survive without communication.

4. Communication assists in controlling process. It helps controlling organizational member‘s

behaviour in various ways.

There are various levels of hierarchy and certain principles and guidelines that employees must
follow in an organization. They must comply with organizational policies, perform their job role
efficiently and communicate any work problem and grievance to their superiors. Thus,
communication helps in controlling function of management.

WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES OF EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATION ?

1. Stronger Decision Making: Your ability to communicate effectively increases productivity ,

both yours and your organization.

2. Increased Productivity: With good communication skills , you can anticipate problems ,
make decisions , co-ordinate work flow , supervise others , develop relationships and promote
products and services.
3. Steadier Work Flow: Communication acts as tool for the effective work related flow of
information.

4. Strong Business Relationships & Enhanced Professional Image: You can shape the
impressions you and your company make on colleagues , employees ,supervisors ,
investors ,and customers in addition to perceiving and responding to the needs of these
stakeholders(the various group you interact with ) without effective communication , people
misunderstand each other and misinterpret information. Ideas misfire or fail to gain attention and
people and companies flounder.

5. Clearer Promotional Materials: Your organizations need for effective reach of company
name and public promotions are based on effective promotional material such as
advertisements , bill boards , online add , posters etc are all communicated for effective
message delivery and meaning.

6. Provide Advice: Giving advice is based on individual-oriented and work-oriented ,advice

should not given to the person for pinpointing his mistakes rather it should be helpful for his
improvement. Effective advice promotes understanding and it can be a two way process if the
subordinate staff given freedom.

7. Provide Order: Order is an authoritative communication pattern and it is directive to

somebody always a subordinate to do something. Orders will be written and oral orders ,
general and specific orders ,procedural and operational orders , mandatory and discretionary
order. Order should be clear and complete ,execution should be possible and given in a friendly
way.

8. Suggestion: Suggestion is supposed to be very mild and subtle form of communication.

Suggestions are welcomed for it is not obligatory to accept them , it can be voluntary and
anonymous and submitted through suggestion boxes.

9. Persuasion: Persuasion may be defined as an effort to influence the attitudes , feelings ,or
beliefs of others , or to influence actions based on those attitudes , feelings , or beliefs.
Persuasion can be done to others if you are convinced , you do not impose , you are not rigid
are prepared to meet half-way and you can look at the situation from the other person‘s angle
also.

10. Education: Education is a very conscious process of communication ,it involves both
teaching and learning by which organizations provide to their employees in the form of training.
Education is given for management employees and outside public.

11. Warning: If the employees do not abide by the norms of the organization warning is a power
communication tool and it can be general and specific. Specific warning should be administered
in private and after thorough investigation. The aim of the warning should be the organization
betterment.

12. Raising Morale and Motivation: Morale stands for mental health and it is a sum of several
qualities like courage , resolution , confidence .High morale and effective performance go hand
to hand. Motivation is a process that account for an individual intensity, direction , and
persistence of effort towards attaining a goal.

13. To Give and Receive Information: Communication‘s main idea is to give and receive
information because managers need complete , accurate and precise information to plan and
organize employee need it to translate planning in to reality. Information will cover all aspects of
the business.

14. To Provide Counselling: Counseling is given to solve employees mental stress and
improve the employees productivity.

15. To Improve Discipline: Finally discipline is the foremost part of any business
communication. The various disciplinary codes are effectively communicated to employees
through disciplinary codes.

WHAT ARE THE FEATURES OF COMMUNICATION ?

1. Two-way process: Communication is a two-way process of understanding between two or

more persons – sender and receiver. A person cannot communicate with himself.

2. Continuous process: Exchange of ideas and opinion amongst people is an ongoing process
in business and non-business organizations. Continuous interaction promotes understanding
and exchange of information relevant for decision-making.

3. Dynamic process: Communication between sender and receiver takes different forms and
medium depending upon their moods and behaviour. It is, thus, a dynamic process that keeps
changing in different situations.

4. Pervasive: Communication is a pervasive activity. It takes place at all levels (top, middle,
low) in all functional areas (production, finance, personnel, sales) of a business organization.

5. Two people: A minimum of two persons — sender and receiver — must be present for
communication to take place. It may be between superiors, subordinates and peer group, intra
or inter se.

6. Exchange: Communication involves exchange of ideas and opinions. People interact and
develop understanding for each other.

7. Means of unifying organizational activities: Communication unifies internal organizational

environment with its external environment. It also integrates the human and physical resources
and converts them into organizational output.
EXPLAIN THE PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION ?

1. Sender: Someone who is sending the message to someone else. For example,
in ad the brand being advertised is Pantaloons‘. Naturally, the maker of this
brand is the sender of the advertising message.
2. Encoding: When we address someone, we use language, visuals, body
gestures, etc. to communicate. All these are called symbols. The process of
putting our thought into symbolic forms is called encoding. In a following Ad, you
see a face full of wrinkles. Then you read the headlines which simply say:
―Wrinkle free. This process of communication is called encoding.
3. Message: The symbols themselves constitute the message. Hence, the visuals,
headlines body copy, tag line, brand name, logo, etc., are all parts of the
message. If you have already heard the name of Pantaloons‘, then the message
being given to you is that are dealing with a known company.
4. Media: The channels used for sending the message across to the receiver
(customer) is called medium (or media; note that media is also singular). This Ad
has appeared in the print media (just for the sake of knowledge, TV is an audio-
visual medium, radio is an audio medium, etc. You will learn more about media in
the second year). An individual member of the medium is called a vehicle. Here,
India Today is the vehicle. A vehicle is the carrier of the message.
5. Decoding: Once we receive the message, we start interpreting it. For example,
when you look at the wrinkled face shown in the Ad, you realize how bad it looks.
The implication is that your clothes will also look as bad if they were not wrinkle
free. Likewise, there are visuals of a shirt and a pair of trouser. These immediately
give you the message that the Ad is perhaps for readymade clothes. At the
bottom, the message given is that the brand is available at various cities and
Pantaloon Shoppes
 6. Receiver: A receiver is one who reads/listen hears the message of the
communicator. For example, any reader of India Today who is likely to see this
Ad, is the receiver of the message. It may be noted, however, that the
communicator (in our example, the manufacturer of Pantaloons) is not interested
in just any receiver (i.e. any reader of India Today) but only those who would be
interested in using his product. Thus, if never wear trousers, then the company
will not be interested in me.
7. Response: After having read the ad, I will react to the message. My reaction
(alternatively known as response) could be objective (if I accept what the sender
of the message is saying) or negative (If I don‘t accept the message). For
example, the body copy in the Ad says: ―Pantaloons presents T 2000… I may
get impressed by the fact that the range has T 2000 choices available! But I may
also reject the claims made in the body copy in case I find them unbelievable.
8. Feedback: Every communicator waits to know whether the message (a) has
reached the target audience or not, and (b0 whether it has been accepted or not.
In other words, one waits for feedback from the audience. The most desirable
form of feedback from the marketer‘s point of view, of course, would be the
purchase of the product by the customers. Thus, after this Ad is released in the
media, if the sale of such trousers goes up significantly, the feedback is said to
be positive. Similarly, if the company conducts a surveys and questions about the
intention to buy; and customers say that they will buy the brand, again, the
feedback is positive.

EXPLAIN IN DETAIL THE BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION ?

1. Mechanical Barriers: A communication is a two-way process, distance between the sender

and the receiver of the message is an important barrier to communication. Noise and
environmental factors also block communication.

2. Personal Barriers: Personal factors like difference in judgment, social values, inferiority
complex, bias, attitude, pressure of time, inability to communicate, etc. widen the psychological
distance between the communicator and the communicate. Credibility gap i.e., inconsistency
between what one says and what one does, also, acts as a barrier to communication.

3. Semantic or Language Barriers: Semantic is the science of meaning. The same words and
symbols carry different meanings to different people. Difficulties in communication arise when
the sender and the receiver of the message use words or symbols in different senses. The
meaning intended by the sender may be quite different from the meaning followed by the
receiver. People interpret the message in terms of their own behavior and experience.
Sometimes, the language used by the sender may not at all be followed by the receiver.
4. Status Barriers (Superior-Subordinate Relationship): Status or position in the hierarchy of
an organization is one of the fundamental barriers that obstruct free flow of information. A
superior may give only selected information to his subordinates so as to maintain status
differences. Subordinates, usually, tend to convey only those things which the superiors would
appreciate. This creates distortion in upward communication. Such selective communication is
also known as filtering. Sometimes, ―the superior feels that he cannot fully admit to his
subordinates those problems, conditions or results which may affect adversely on his ability and
judgment. To do so would undermine his position as a superior being in the formal
organization.This causes distortion in downward communication. A subordinate may also feel
reluctant to report his shortcomings or may not seek clarification on instructions which are
subject to different interpretations for fear of loss of prestige in the eyes of the superior.

5. Organizational Structure Barriers: Effective communication largely depends upon sound

organizational structure. If the structure is complex involving several layers of management, the
breakdown or distortion in communication wall arise. It is an established fact that every layer
cuts off a bit of information. In the words of W.C. Bennis, ―Communication gets distorted
particularly as it goes up the hierarchy. Moreover, information travelling through formal structure
introduces rigidity and causes-delay because of long lines of communication. Similarly, lack of
instructions for further conveying information to the subordinates and heavy pressure of work at
certain levels of authority also act as barriers to effective communication.

6. Barriers Due to Inadequate Attention: Inadequate attention to the message makes

communication less effective and the message is likely to be misunderstood. Inattention may
arise because of over business of the communicate or because of the message being contrary
to his expectations and beliefs. The simple failure to read notices, minutes and reports is also a
common feature. Whatever be the reason, communication remains only a one-way process and
there is no understanding of the message, if the receiver pays little attention to the message. In
the words of Joseph Dooher. ―Listening is the most neglected skill of communication. Half
listening is like racing your engine with the gears in neutral. You use gasoline, but you get
nowhere.

7. Premature Evaluation: Some people have the tendency to form a judgment before listening
to the entire message. This is known as premature evaluation. As discussed in the previous
point, half-listening is like racing your engine with the gears in neutral. You use gasoline but you
get nowhere. Premature evaluation distorts understanding and acts as a barrier to effective
communication.

8. Emotional Attitude: Barriers may also arise due to emotional attitude because when
emotions are strong, it is difficult to know the frame of mind of another person or group.
Emotional attitudes of both, the communicator as well as the communicate, obstruct free flow of
transmission and understanding of messages.

9. Resistance to Change: It is a general tendency of human beings to stick to old and

customary patterns of life. They may resist change to maintain status quo. Thus, when new
ideas are being communicated to introduce a change, it is likely to be overlooked or even
opposed. This resistance to change creates an important obstacle to effective communication.
10. Barriers Due to Lack of Mutual Trust: Communication means sharing of ideas in common.
―When we communicate, we are trying to establish commonness. Thus, one will freely transfer
information and understanding with another only when there is mutual trust between the two.
When there is a lack of mutual trust between the communicator and the communicate, the
message is not followed. Credibility gaps, i.e., inconsistency in saying and doing, also cause
lack of mutual trust which acts as a basic obstacle to effective communication.

11. Other Barriers: There may be many other barriers, such as un-clarified assumptions, lack
of ability to communicate, mirage of too much knowledge of closed minds, communication
overload, shortage of time, etc., which cause distortion or obstruction in the free flow of
communication and thus make it ineffective. Failure to retain or store information for future use
becomes a barrier to communication when the information is needed in future.

The use of jargon- Over-complicated, unfamiliar and/or technical terms.

Taboos Some people may find it difficult to express their emotions and some topics may
be completely 'off-limits' or taboo. Taboo or difficult topics may include, but are not
limited to, politics, religion, disabilities (mental and physical), sexuality and sex, racism
and any opinion that may be seen as unpopular.

Physical barriers to non-verbal communication - Not being able to see the non-verbal cues,
gestures, posture and general body language can make communication less effective. Phone
calls, text messages and other communication methods that rely on technology are often less
effective than face-to-face communication.

Expectations and prejudices - which may lead to false assumptions or stereotyping. People
often hear what they expect to hear rather than what is actually said and jump to incorrect
conclusions.

Cultural differences - The norms of social interaction vary greatly in different cultures, as do
the way in which emotions are expressed. For example, the concept of personal space varies
between cultures and between different social settings.

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.
WHAT RAE THE 7 C’S OF COMMUNICATION TO OVERCOME BARRIERS ?

1. Consideration: consideration states that every message should be prepared keeping in mind
the person who will be the receiver of the message. Receiver's interest should be kept in mind
while drafting the message.

2. Clarity: Clarity is most important characteristic of communication especially in case or oral

Communication/Presentation. Clarity in words, language of expression is very important to
ensure proper presentation of ideas, message one wantsto communicate during conversation.

3. Completeness: Complete message is very important to communicate the main idea or

information behind the message. Oral presentations should be as far as possible planned on
restructured and all the information related to message should be properly communicated.

4. Conciseness: Conciseness is the essential requirement of oral communication. Concise

message saves time on expense for both sender on receiver concise means brief, short on
informative message which is able to explain the idea of message with minimum words. Words
in message should not be repetitive in nature & only relevant information should be
communicated in message.

5. Correctness: In oral communication grammatical errors should be avoided. Right level of

language should be used both in formal & informal communication. Use of accurate words and
spellings should be considered.

6. Concreteness: it means specific, definite on valid use of information than vague or general.
Concrete facts on figures should be used to make the receivers know exactly what is required or
desired. Concrete languageon information helps in interpreting the message in same way as
communicate intend to communicate the message.

7. Courtesy: A proper decorum of speaking should be maintained while making oral

communication/ presentation. One should say things with force of assertive without being rude.
Polite or humble language shall be used which should not be insulting, against the religious,
social as personal values of listener.Discriminatory language based, on gender, race, age,
colour, cost creed, religion etc should be avoided.

EXPLAIN IN DETAIL THE TYPES OF COMMUNICATION ?

Verbal communication
Non – verbal communication
 1. Verbal communication:

When messages or information is exchanged or communicated through words is called verbal

communication. Verbal communication may be two types: written and oral communication.
Verbal communication takes place through face-to-face conversations, group discussions,
counseling, interview, radio, television, calls, memos, letters, reports, notes, email etc.

a) ORAL COMMUNICATION

Refers to communication through mouth. It includes individuals conversing with each other, be it
direct conversation or telephonic conversation. Speeches, presentations, discussions are all
forms of oral communication. Oral communication is generally recommended when the
communication matter is of temporary kind or where a direct interaction is required. Face to face
communication (meetings, lectures, conferences, interviews, etc.) is significant so as to build a
rapport and trust.

b) WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

Means the sending of messages, orders or instructions in writing through letters, circulars,
manuals, reports, telegrams, office memos, bulletins, etc. It is a formal method of
communication and is less flexible. A written document preserved properly becomes a
permanent record for future reference. It can also be used as legal evidence. It is
timeconsuming, costly and unsuitable for confidential and emergent communication. Written
communication, to be effective, should be clear, complete, concise, correct, and courteous.

2. NON – VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Behavior and elements of speech aside from the words themselves that transmit meaning.
Nonverbal communication includes pitch, speed, tone and volume of voice, gestures and facial
expressions, body posture, stance, and proximity to the listener, eye movements and contact,
and dress and appearance. Research suggests that only 5 percent effect is produced by the
spoken word, 45 percent by the tone, inflexion, and other elements of voice, and 50 percent by
body language, movements, eye contact,etc.,.

A.BODY LANGUAGE

Some parts of our body can express many indications without any sound. Message can be
transmitted with the help of our body movements which is called body language. Body language
is a form of non-verbal communication, which consists of posture, gestures, facial expressions,
eye movements etc.

1. Facial expression: A facial expression is one or more motions or positions of the muscles in
the skin of face. These movements convey the emotional state of the individual to observers.
Facial expressions for happiness, sadness, anger and fear are similar throughout the world.A
proverb say,”Face is the index of mind” Example: By waving our hands we express “good-bye”
by shaking our head from side to side we express ―we do not know.
2. Gestures: Gestures refers to visible bodily actions communicate particular messages which
include movement of the hands, face, eyes, head or other parts of the body. Common gestures
include waving, pointing, and using fingers to indicate numeric amounts. Culture-specific
gestures that can be used as replacement for words, such as the hand wave used in western
cultures for ―hello and ―goodbye.

3. Posture: Posture indicates the position in which we hold the body when standing or sitting. It
can help to communicate non-verbally. Consider the following actions and note cultural
differences:

Bowing not done criticized or affected in US; shows rank in Japan.

Slouching rude in most Northern European areas.
Hands in pocket-disrespectful in Turkey.
Sitting with legs crossed-offensive in Ghana, Turkey.
Showing soles of feet-offensive in Thailand, Saudi Arabia.

4. Eye Gaze or Eye contact: Eye contact indicates looking, staring and blinking etc. which is
important in nonverbal behaviors. Looking at another person can indicate a range of emotions,
including hostility, attention, interest, and attraction, defines power and status and has a central
role in managing impressions of others.

5. Appearance and dress: External appearances also play a vital role to communicate others.
Our clothes dress provide a good visual signal to our interest, age, personality, taste, and sex.
Our choice of color, clothing, hairstyles and other factors affecting appearance are also
considered a means of nonverbal can evoke different moods. Consider differing cultural
standards on what is attractive in dress and on what constitutes modesty. For example, seeing
the dress of army officers, we can easily determine the job status.

6. Touch: Touch is culturally determined. But each culture has a clear concept of what parts of
the body one may not touch. Basic message of touch is to affect or control-protect, support and
disapprove (i.e. hug, kiss, hit, kick)

USA-Handshake is common (even for strangers), hugs and kisses for those of opposite
gender or of family (usually) on an increasingly more intimate basis.
Islamic and Hindu- Typically don‘t touch with the left hand. Left hand is for toilet
functions.
Islamic cultures generally don‘t approve of any touching to opposite genders (even
handshakes). But consider such touching (including hand holding, hugs) between same
sexes to be appropriate.

7. Silence: Silence is another form of non-verbal communication which expresses the positive
or negative meanings of particular messages. In a classroom, silence indicates that students
are listening carefully and attentively.
B. SPACE OR PROXIMITY

People often refer to their need for ―personal space‖, which are also important types of
nonverbal communication. The physical distance between you and others signals your level of
intimacy and comfort. If someone you don‘t know stand too close or touches too often, you will
probably begin to feel uncomfortable.

C. TIME

Another type of non-verbal communication involves time. Thant is how we give meaning to time
communicates to other. For example, begin late in work everybody a worker can be considered
as a man of carelessness but if a manager does it; we say it is a symbol of power. We know,
time can play a vital role to reduce tension, conflict among groups. It is said that- ―Kill the time
to delay the justice.

D. PARALINGUISTIC (TONE AND VOLUME OF VOICE)

Paralinguistic refers to vocal communication that is separate from actual language.

Paralanguage also include s such vocal characteristics as rate (speed of speaking), pitch
(highness or lowness of tone), inflection, volume (loudness) and quality (pleasing or unpleasant
sound).

Vocal characterizers (laugh, cry, yell, moan, whine, belch and yawn). These send different
message in different cultures (Japan- giggling indicates embarrassment; India- belch indicates
satisfaction).

Vocal qualifiers (volume, pitch, rhythm, tempo, and tone). Loudness indicates strength in
Arabic cultures and softness indicates weakness; indicates confidence and authority to the
Germans; indicates impoliteness to the Thai; indicates loss of control to the Japanese.
(Generally, one learns not to ―shout‖ in Asia for nearly any reason). Gender-based as well
women tend to speak higher and more softly than men.

Vocal segregates/ Fillers (UN-huh, shh, uh, ooh, mmmh, hummm, eh mah, lah). Segretates
indicate formality, acceptance, assent, uncertainty.

E. VISUAL COMMUNICATION

When communication takes place by means of any visual aid, it is known as visual
communication. Such as facial expression, gesture, eye contact, signals, map, chart, poster,
slide, sign etc. for example, to indicate ‘danger‘, we use red sign, to indicate ‘no smoking‘, we
use an image showing a lighted cigarette with across mark on it etc.
Advantages and Disadvantages of oral & written communication ?

ORAL COMMUNICATION

Advantage:

1. There is high level of understanding and transparency in oral communication as it is

interpersonal.
2. There is no element of rigidity in oral communication. There is flexibility for allowing
changes in the decisions previously taken.
3. The feedback is spontaneous in case of oral communication. Thus, decisions can be
made quickly without any delay.
4. Oral communication is not only time saving, but it also saves upon money and efforts.
5. Oral communication is best in case of problem resolution. The conflicts, disputes and
many issues/differences can be put to an end by talking them over.
6. Oral communication is an essential for teamwork and group energy.
7. Oral communication promotes a receptive and encouraging morale among
organizational employees.
8. Oral communication can be best used to transfer private and confidential
information/matter.

Disadvantage:

1. Relying only on oral communication may not be sufficient as business communication is

formal and very organized.
2. Oral communication is less authentic than written communication as they are informal
and not as organized as written communication.
3. Oral communication is time-saving as far as daily interactions are concerned, but in case
of meetings, long speeches consume lot of time and are unproductive at times.
4. Oral communications are not easy to maintain and thus they are unsteady.
5. There may be misunderstandings as the information is not complete and may lack
essentials
6. It requires attentiveness and great receptivity on part of the receivers/audience.
7. Oral communication (such as speeches) is not frequently used as legal records except in
investigation work .
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION

ADVANTAGES:

1. Easy to preserve: The documents of written communication are easy to preserve. Oral
and non-verbal communication cannot be preserved. If it is needed, important
information can be collected from the preserved documents.
2. Easy presentation of complex matter: Written communication is the best way to
represent any complex matter easily and attractively
3. Permanent record: The documents of written communication act as a permanent
record. When it is needed, important information can be easily collected from the
preserved documents.
4. Prevention of wastage of time and money: Written communication prevents the waste
of money and time. Without meeting with each other the communicator and
communicate can exchange their views.
5. Accurate presentation: Through the documents of the written communication top
executive can present the information more accurately and clearly. As it is a legal
document everybody takes much care does draft it.
6. Use as a reference: If it is needed, written communication can be used as future
reference.
7. Delegation of authority: Written communication can help the authority to delegate the
power and authority to the subordinate. It is quite impossible to delegate power without a
written document.
8. Longevity: Written document can be preserved for a long time easily. That is why; all
the important issues of an organization should be back and white.
9. Effective communication: Written communication helps to make communication
effective. It is more dependable and effective than those of other forms of
communication.
10. Maintaining image: Written communication helps to maintain the images of both the
person and the organization. It also protects the images of the company or organization
11. Proper information: It is a proper and complete communication system. There is no
opportunity to include any unnecessary information in a written document.
12. Less distortion possibility: In this communication system information is recorded
permanently. So, there is less possibility of distortion and alteration of the information
13. No opportunity to misinterpret: there is any opportunity to misinterpret the information
or messages of written communication
14. Controlling tool: Written communication can help to control the organizational activity.
The written document may be used as a tool for controlling.
15. Easy to verify: The information and messages that are preserved can be verified easily.
If there arises any misunderstanding any party can easily verify the information.
16. Others: Clear understanding, Legal document, Acceptability, Reduction of risk, Creating
confidence, Easy circulation, Wide access or coverage etc.
DISADVANTAGES:

Expensive: Written communication is comparatively expensive. For this communication paper,

pen, ink, typewriter, computer and a large number of employees are needed.

Time consuming: Written communication takes time to communicate with others. It is a time
consuming media. It costs the valuable time of both the writer and the reader.

Red-Taoism: Red-Taoism is one of the most disadvantages of written communication. It means

to take time for approval of a project.

Useless for illiterate person: It messages receiver is illiterate, written communication is quite
impossible. This is major disadvantage written communication.

Difficult to maintain secrecy: It is an unexpected medium to keep business secrecy. Secrecy

is not always possible to maintain through written communication. Because here needs to
discuss everything in black and white.

Lack of flexibility: Since writing documents cannot be changed easily at any time. Lack of
flexibility is one of the most important limitations of written communication.

Delay in response: It takes much time to get a response from the message receiver; prompt
response is not possible in case of written communication that is possible in oral
communication.

Delay in decision making: Written communication takes much time to communicate with all
the parties concerned. So the decision maker cannot take decisions quickly.

Cost in record keeping: It is very difficult and expensive to keep all the records in written
communication

Complex words: Sometimes the writer uses complex words in writing a message. It becomes
difficult to meaning out to the reader. So the objectives of the communication may lose.

Lack of direct relation: If there is no direct relation between the writer and the reader, writer
communication cannot help to establish a direct relation between them.

Other: Prompt feedback is impossible, Slowness, Bureaucratic attitude, Understanding problem

between boos and subordinates, lack in quick clarification and correction, formality problem,
lack of personal intimacy, etc
what you mean by Formal & Informal communication ?

Formal communication: If refers to interchange of information officially. The flow of

communication is controlled and is a deliberate effort. This makes it possible for the information
to reach the desired place without any hindrance, at a little cost and in a proper way.

Example: Requests, commands, orders, reports etc.

Informal communication: The communication which does not follow any pre-defined channel
for the transmission of information is known as informal communication. This type of
communication moves freely in all directions, and thus, it is very quick and rapid. In any
organization, this type of communication is very natural as people interact with each other about
their professional life, personal life, and other matter.

Example: Sharing of feelings, casual discussion, gossips, etc.

Explain the types of Formal Communication ?

1. UPWARD COMMUNICATION: Upward Communication is the process of information

flowing from the lower levels of a hierarchy to the upper levels. This type of
communication is becoming more popular in organizations as traditional forms of
communication are becoming less popular. The more traditional organization types such
as a hierarchy, places people into separate ranks. Upward communication helps
employees to express their requirements, ideas, and feelings. For the top management,
upward communication is an important source of information for business decisions. It
helps in alerting top management about the requirement of changes in an organisations.
Upward contribution is the core contributor of business process re-engineering in many
organisations.

2. DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION: Downward communication is that communication in

which information flows form superior to subordinates. Through downward
communication, managers communicate organizational goals, policies, procedures,
orders, instructions, decisions etc. to their subordinates. In the process of downward
communication, messages of the top executive reach to the lower levels moving through
the chain of hierarchy. Downward communication can be of written or oral. Written forms
of downward communication are manuals, handbook, notices, electronic news displays
etc. whereas, face-to-face conversation, telephonic conversations, speeches, meetings
etc. are the oral media of downward communication.
 3. HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION: The term lateral communication can be used
interchangeably as horizontal communication. Horizontal communication is a
communication among people at the parallel or same level, position, rank or statues
people of the organization. Horizontal communication is the communication that flows
laterally within the organization, involves persons at the same level of the organization.
Horizontal communication normally involves coordinating information and allows people
with the same or similar rank in an organization to cooperate or collaborate.

4. DIAGONAL COMMUNICATION: Diagonal Communication is the communication held

between different structures of a business firm. It is the communication between the
higher and lower sectors of a business firm. It is also known as cross-functional
communication.

Explain Grapevine Communication and its types ?

GRAPEVINE COMMUNICATION: If communication is done without maintaining the formalities

prescribed by the organization, it is called informal communication. The basis of informal
communication is personal or informal relationship between the members of a group. It is also
known as grapevine that takes place when the people of an organization or group, especially of
same level or rank gather or meet tighter and discuss informally. It has no definite pattern or
direction though it is largely horizontal in nature. It is a complex web of oral information flow
linking all the members of the organization.

Types:

a) Single Strand Chain: The single strand chain involves the passing of information
through a line of persons to the ultimate recipient. In the figure, the person A tells B, who
tells C, who tells D, and so on, till the information has reached most of the persons
involved or concerned.

b) Gossip Chain: In the gossip chain, one person seeks and tells the information to
everyone. This chain is just like the wheel where one person stays at the centre and the
 information passes along the spokes of the wheel to others stationed on the rim. In the
following figure, A is at the center and passes the information to others staying on the
rim of the wheel.

c) Probability Chain: The probability chain is a random process in which someone

transmits the information to others in accordance with the laws of probability and then
these others tell still others in a similar way. This chain may also be called random
process.

A grapevine pattern or probability chain is just a way of showing how different events are
connected and how likely they are to happen in a sequence of steps. It helps us understand the
likelihood of success or failure in a series of actions. A grapevine pattern or probability chain is
just a way to figure out how likely it is for everything to go smoothly in a series of steps to
achieve a goal.

The Chinese whisper game, also known as the telephone game, is not a typical example of a
probability chain. The Chinese whisper game is more about communication and how
information can change as it's passed from one person to another. It demonstrates how
misunderstandings or mistakes can occur in a chain of communication.

In the Chinese whisper game, a message is whispered from one person to another in a chain,
and each person whispers what they heard to the next person. The final message is often quite
different from the original, showing how information can be distorted as it passes through
multiple individuals.

A probability chain, on the other hand, typically involves a sequence of events where each event
has a certain probability of occurring, leading to a final outcome. It's more about the likelihood of
events happening in a specific order.

So, while both concepts involve a series of steps or actions, they focus on different aspects. The
Chinese whisper game is about communication and how messages change, while a probability
chain is about the likelihood of events occurring in a particular sequence.
d) Cluster Chain: In the cluster chain, a person tells the information to the selected
persons who may in turn relay (pass) the information to other selected persons. Most of
the information communication follows this chain. Cluster chain is shown in the following
figure