LECTURE # 14

Chapter # 11: Barriers in Communication

≡ Barriers in Communication: Meaning

 Barriers of Communication are the difficulties involved in the process of communication which distort the
message being properly understand by receiver.
 Barriers prevent the communication from being effective.
 No matter how good the communication system in an organization is, unfortunately barriers can and do
often occur

≡ Types of Barriers in Communication

1) Physical Barriers
2) Physiological Barriers
3) Emotional / Psychological Barriers
4) Semantic Barriers (Language)
5) Organizational Structure Barriers
6) Cross-cultural Barriers
7) Personal Barriers
8) Barriers in Superiors (Attitudinal)
9) Perceptual Barriers
10) Mechanical Barriers

1) Physical Barriers
Physical barriers are often due to the nature of environment. Examples-
1.A] Faulty Organization
> Large working area
> Closed office doors
> If separate staffs are located in different buildings or different sites
> If exits different prohibited / forbidden / disagreeable area
1.B] Poor and outdated equipment
1.C] Defects in media (letters, couriers, fax)
1.D] Noise
1.E] Time and Distance
1.F] Information overload

2) Physiological Barriers
These may result from individual’s personal discomfort, for example-
> By ill health > Poor eye sight > Hearing difficulties etc.

3) Emotional / Psychological Barriers

Psychological barriers can be described as the cause of distorted communication because of human
psychology problems.
3.1] Self-centered attitude 3.2] Group identification
3.3] Self image 3.4] Selective perception
 3.5] Defensiveness 3.6] Filtering
3.7] Status block 3.8] Resistance to change
3.9] Closed mind 3.10] Poor communication skill
3.11] Communication overload 3.12] Fear, Anxiety, Jealousy, Anger etc.
Some other emotional / psychological barriers are-
> Premature mindset
> Inattention of the receiver / Lack of interest
> Loss of transmission & poor retention
> Undue reliance on the written words
> Distrust of communicator / Self limiting belief
> Poor pronunciation
> Over confidence

4) Semantic Barriers [Language Barriers]

Semantic or code noise occurs when the meaning of a message to the sender differs from its meaning to the
recipient

4.1] Different language

4.2] Improper words
4.3] Not understandable pictures
4.4] Indirect actions
4.5] Poor vocabulary
4.6] Symbols with different meaning
4.7] Badly expressed messages
4.8] Faulty translation
4.9] Unclassified assumption
4.10] Specialist’s language

5) Organizational Structure Barriers

These barriers arise when duties and line of authority are not defined. Various types of organizational
barriers are-
1) Status relationship in organization [power & position]
2) Organizational policy
3) Organizational structure [complexity in organization]
4) Organizational rules & regulations
5) One way flow
6) Distance barriers
7) Physical barriers
8) Mechanical barriers
9) Wrong choice of channel
10) Filtering of information;
 11) Message not read completely or not understood correctly
12) Information gap if upper level does not know the true state of affairs;
13) Authoritarian attitude of management;
14) Poorly defined authority and responsibility;
15) Insufficient communication training

6) Cross Cultural Barriers

> Different cultures (and sub-cultures) may have different rules and norms.
> Understanding the other’s culture facilitates cross-cultural communication.
> A person acts according to his culture & values
> Different pronunciation and usage of words creates cultural conflicts.
> Cultural conflicts creates misunderstanding and leads to discriminations

7) Personal Barriers
Attitudes of superiors Fear of challenge to authority
Underestimation of their subordinates Lack of confidence in subordinates
Ignoring the junior Insistence on the following
Insistence of proper channel Unwillingness to communicate
Lack of proper incentives Poor listening
Ignoring communication Filtering of information
Message overload Egotism, emotions, selective perceptions etc.
Unwillingness to say things differently

8) Barriers in Superiors (Attitudinal)

> Unwillingness to relate to others differently
> Unwillingness to learn new approaches
> Lack of self-confidence
> Lack of enthusiasm
> Voice quality

9) Perceptual barriers:
Different people perceive differently, they find different meanings & results from the same message,
situation, picture and data.

10) Mechanical Barriers

A mechanical barrier of communication is caused by a flaw in the machinery or instruments used to convey
the message.
Mechanical communication obstacles include:
> Non-availability of proper machine > Presence of defective machine
> Loud communication machines or instruments, > A lack of communication instruments,
> Transmission interruption, > Power failure,
> Interruption
≡ Ways to Overcome Barriers to Communication
 Constant organizational efforts is need to overcome the barriers
 Delivering message skillfully
 Focusing on the receiver
 Ensuring appropriate feedback
 Be aware of sender’s own state of mind / emotion / attitude etc.
 Overcome some physical barriers such as Appropriate seating arrangement, environmental comfort,
minimize visual & oral destructions etc.
 Use simple words and understandable language
 Use some symbols, charts, graphs, table etc.
 Calling attention and motivation
 Understanding the tradition and customs
 Rules & Regulations such as compulsory vacation

Communication Network
Communication Network / Channel: Meaning

 Communication network means the channels by which information flows.

 There are mainly two types of communication network-
A) Formal Network
B) Informal Network / Grapevine
A] FORMAL NETWORK
 Formal network are used for task-related communications.
 These are generally vertical type and flow the authority chain. Widely used formal networks are-
A.1) Chain network : The formal chain of command strictly followed in this type of communication
A.2) Wheel network: Here, leader plays the key role. Other members depend on the leader for group
communication.
A.3) All channel network : This network allows all group members to communicate with each other
freely

B] INFORMAL NETWORK / GRAPEVINE

 When an organization does not follow any prescribed or official rules or procedures of the organization
is called informal communication.
 Besides the organized formal channel of communication, there is a secondary channel of personal,
informal communication in every organization- which is known as grapevine.
 Grapevine has no definite pattern or direction though it is largely horizontal in nature. It can be effective
horizontally, vertically and even diagonally.
 Grapevine takes place when the people of an organization, especially of same level or rank gather or
meet together and discuss informally.
  So, grapevine is an informal, unofficial and personal communication channel or system that takes place
within the organization as a result of rumor and gossip.
 Sometimes, the management can use grapevine to supplement the formal channels of communication

≡ Grapevine: Features / Characteristics

Unofficial channel of communication Not controlled by management

More reliable information Flexibility
Oral way Rapidness
Distortion of meaning Influential
Free from accountability Spontaneous
Multidirectional Incomplete message
Penetration capacity No record

≡ Grapevine: Advantages / Significance

Informal explanation Alternate system
Improved relationship Flexibility
Rapidness Free flow of information
Remove mental distance Evaluation of employees
Enhance mutual trust Supplement to other channel
Helps management to know the thinking of subornments Greater impact

≡ Grapevine: Disadvantages / Limitations

Distortion of information /meaning False information
Incomplete information Not possible to maintain secrecy
No legal basis Destroy the image of the organization
Spread rumor Scope of misunderstanding
May develops non-cooperation No documentary evidence

Informal networks do not follow authority chain. Here, information can move to any direction freely.
There are four informal networks-
1) Single Strand Chain
2) Gossip Chain
3) Probability Chain
4) Cluster Chain
1) Single Strand Chain
> In this pattern, each tells one another and it continues until the information has reached to the
ultimate receiver.
> In the above 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.

2) Gossip Chain
In this gossip chain, one person seeks and tells the information to everyone. This chain / network is just
like the wheel where one person stays at the centre and information passes along the spokes of the
wheel to others stationed on the rim.

3) 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 the same message others tell still others in a similar
way. This chain / network may be called random process.

4) 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. This process continues in the same way. Most of the
informal communication follows this chain.