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2.4 Internal and External Communication

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17 views

2.4 Internal and External Communication

Uploaded by

Black arab Galadima
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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2.

4 Internal and external


communication
Objectives

• A01 Understand what is meant by effective communication


• A02 Be able to determine how barriers to effective communication
may arise
• A03 Be able to evaluate how communication barriers can be
reduced or removed.
Key terms

• Effective communication
• Communication barriers
• Internal communication
• External communication
What is communication?

• Communication is about passing messages between people or


organisations. Messages between a sender and receiver take place
using a medium such as email or phone.
• One-way communication is when the receiver cannot respond to
a message. Two-way communication is when the receiver can
respond to a message. This allows confirmation the message has
been both received and understood.
What types of communication can you think
of?
There are a number of technical terms you need to learn:
• internal communications happen within the business
• external communications take place between the business and outside individuals or
organisations
• vertical communications are messages sent between staff belonging to different levels of the
organisation hierarchy
• horizontal communications are messages sent between staff on the same level of the
organisation hierarchy
• formal communications are official messages sent by an organisation, eg a company memo, fax
or report
• informal communications are unofficial messages not formally approved by the business, eg
everyday conversation or gossip between staff
• a channel of communication is the path taken by a message
How does a firm communicate internally?

• It links together all the different activities involved in a business.


It also aims to ensure that all employees are working towards the
same goal and know exactly what they should be doing and by
when.
Internal communication

Examples of internal communication include:


• Formal meetings and briefings
• E-mail
• Intranets
• Wikis, blogs, podcasts, internal social media tools
• Informal meetings where employees can meet with senior management
• Conference calls & webinars
• Internal newsletters, brochures, and other printed materials
• Team briefing sessions
• Message boards
• Training packs (e.g. induction materials)
How does a firm communicate externally?

• Where the business communicates with people & organisations


outside of the business. This is closely linked with the idea of
"stakeholders" – i.e. those who have an interest in the activities
and results of the business
External communication

Examples of external communication include:


• Press releases
• Social media feeds
• Online videos and webinars
• Marketing materials (e.g. adverts, brochures, direct mailings)
• Published financial information (e.g. accounts)
• Letters, emails and telephone conversations with customers and
suppliers
• Reports to government and other agencies
What is effective communication?
What makes for effective communication?

Communication makes a big impact on business efficiency.


Effective communication means:
• customers enjoy a good relationship with the business, eg
complaints are dealt with quickly and effectively
• staff understand their roles and responsibilities, eg tasks and
deadlines are understood and met
• staff motivation improves when, for instance, managers listen and
respond to suggestions
Effective communication
What barriers to communication can you
think of?
Barriers to communication

• Communications fail when a message is unclear or the receiver


does not understand technical jargon. Selecting the right medium
is important. Messages may never be received if they are sent at
the wrong time or to a junk email folder.
• The result is inefficiency and higher costs, as more resources are
needed to achieve the same result.
• Training staff to select an appropriate medium and send clear,
accurate, thorough messages will improve the quality of
communications, especially if there is an opportunity for
feedback.
What impact has ICT had on communication?
ICT

• Advances in ICT and telecommunications mean it has never been easier


or cheaper to send messages by email or text. Senders can check that a
message has been received and understood. The danger is that this will
lead to information overload and staff will have to spend hours reading
hundreds of electronic messages.
• Staff training that emphasises the need to limit communications can help
avoid the inefficiencies associated with information overload.
• E-commerce opens up international markets to firms as overseas
customers can view products for sale online.
• A business can develop links with customers through email newsletters.
Key terms

• Effective communication
• Communication barriers
• Internal communication
• External communication
Objectives

• A01 Understand what is meant by effective communication


• A02 Be able to determine how barriers to effective communication
may arise
• A03 Be able to evaluate how communication barriers can be
reduced or removed.

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