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Bateman
Snell
Management
Competing
in the
New Era
5th
Edition
Copyright © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Part Four
Chapter 15 - Communication
Chapter Outline
Interpersonal Communication
Improving Communication Skills
Organizational Communication
Copyright © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Learning Objectives
After
studying Chapter 15, you will know:
 the
important advantages of two-way communication
 communication problems to avoid
 when and how to use the various communication channels
 ways to become a better “sender” and “receiver of
information
 how to improve downward, upward, and horizontal
communications
 how to work with the company grapevine
 the advantages and characteristics of the boundaryless
organization
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Introduction
Discussion
 discourse
in which each person attempts to win a debate by
having her/his view accepted by the group
Dialogue
 members
explore complex issues from many viewpoints in
order to come to a common, deeper understanding
 every organization should have both discussion and dialogue
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Interpersonal Communication
Communication
 the
transmission of information and meaning from one party
to another through the use of shared symbols
 sender - initiates the process by conveying information
has
a meaning s/he wishes to communicate
encodes the meaning into symbols
transmits the message through some channel
 receiver
- person for whom the message is intended
decodes
the messages
attempts to interpret the sender’s meaning
may provide feedback by encoding a message in response
 noise-
interference in the system that blocks understanding
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A Model Of The Communication
Process
Person A
Sender
1. Intended meaning
2. Encoding
10. Intended meaning
9. Decoding
(receiver)
One-way
communication
Person B
Receiver
3. Communication
4. Decoding
channel
5. Perceived meaning
Sender
8. Communication
6. Intended meaning
channel
7. Encoding
Two-way
communication
if B sends
feedback to A
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Interpersonal Communication
(cont.)
One-way
 process
no
communication
in which information flows in only one direction
feedback from the receiver
 faster
and easier for sender
Two-way
 process
communication
in which information flows in two directions
receiver
provides feedback
 basis
for constructive exchanges
 more difficult and time consuming
 more accurate
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Interpersonal Communication
(cont.)
Communication
pitfalls
 errors
can occur in all stages of the communication process
 perceptual and filtering processes create misinterpretation
perception
- process of receiving and interpreting information
filtering - process of withholding, ignoring, or distorting
information
cannot assume the other person means what you think s/he
means or understands the intended meanings

e.g., problems arise because men and women differ in
communication style
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Interpersonal Communication
(cont.)
Mixed
signals and misperception
 people
do not attend to everything going on around them
 people inadvertently send mixed signals
 can avoid these problems by taking the time to:
ensure
that the receiver attends to the message
consider the receiver’s frame of reference and convey the
message from that perceptual viewpoint
take concrete steps to minimize perceptual errors and improper
signals
send consistent messages
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Interpersonal Communication
(cont.)
Oral
channel
 advantages
- questions can be asked and answered
feedback
is immediate and direct
receiver can sense the sender’s sincerity
more persuasive
 disadvantages
can
lead to spontaneous, ill-considered statements
there is no permanent record of the communication
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Interpersonal Communication
(cont.)
Written
channel
 advantages
- message can be revised
provides
a permanent record
message stays the same when sent to several receivers
receiver has more time to analyze the message
 disadvantages
- sender has no control over where, when, or if
the message is read
sender
does not receive immediate feedback
receiver may not understand parts of the message
message must be longer to answer anticipated questions
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Interpersonal Communication
(cont.)
Electronic
media
 computers
‘talk’ with others electronically
 teleconferencing - groups of people in different locations
interact
audioconferencing
- using telephone lines
videoconferencing - see one another on television monitors
 advantages
- sharing of more information
speed
and efficiency in delivering routine messages
inexpensive
 disadvantages
- difficulty in solving complex problems
e-mail
most appropriate for routine messages
unsuitable for confidential information
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Interpersonal Communication
(cont.)
Virtual
office
a
mobile office in which people can work anywhere, as long
as they have the tools to communicate with customers and
colleagues
 many benefits in the short run
 questions remain about long-term effect on productivity and
morale
 Managing the electronic load - sheer volume of
communication can be overwhelming
reliance
on teams promotes increased communication
must separate important messages from the routine
discourage people from sending too many e-mail messages
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Interpersonal Communication
(cont.)
Communication
networks
 volume
of communication received depends on position in
the decision-making structure
independent,
decentralized decision makers have the lowest
communication needs
centralized decision makers need and are exposed to greater
volumes of communication
some decentralized decision makers are so interconnected that
they require even more information than centralized ones
interorganizational collaborations complicate communication
networks even further
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Three Communication Networks
Independent,
decentralized
decision makers
(cowboys)
Centralized
decision makers
(commanders)
Connected,
decentralized
decision makers
(cyber-cowboys)
= places where actions are taken and information is generated
= centralized decision maker
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6
Complexity In Technology
Collaboration And Networks
Internal network
Single partner collaboration
Internal network and multiple external collaborators
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Interpersonal Communication
(cont.)
Media
richness
 degree
to which a communication channel conveys
information
 the richest media:
are
more personal than technological
provide quick feedback
allow lots of descriptive language
send different types of cues
Efficiency
and effectiveness
 rely
on multiple channels when necessary
 people must know how to use each channel properly
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Improving Communication Skills
Improving
sender skills
 Presentation
and persuasion skills
redundancy
- state your viewpoint in a variety of ways
powerful messages are simple and informative
 Writing
skills - require clear, logical thinking
strive
for clarity, organization, readability, and brevity
first draft rarely is as good as it could be
be critical of your own writing
 Language
- word choice can enhance or interfere with
communications
consider
the receiver’s background and adjust your language
learn something about foreign language for overseas business
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Improving Communication Skills
(cont.)
Nonverbal
skills
 signals
other than those that are spoken or written
 can support or undermine the stated message
 nonverbal cues may make a greater impact than other signals
 can send a positive message with nonverbal signals by:
using
time wisely
arranging the office to foster open communication
body language
facial expression and tone of voice
Nonverbal
 need
signals in different countries
to correctly interpret the nonverbal signals of others
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Improving Communication Skills
(cont.)
Improving
receiver skills
 Listening
- good listening is difficult and not nearly as
common as needed
reflection
- process by which a person states what s/he believes
the other person is saying
listening begins with personal contact
good listening leads to development of trust
 Reading
- reading mistakes are common and costly
read
memos as soon as possible
note important points for later referral
read materials outside of your immediate concerns
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Ten Keys To Effective Listening
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Find an area of interest
Judge content, not delivery
Hold your fire
Listen for ideas
Be flexible
Resist distraction
Exercise your mind
Keep your mind open
Capitalize on thought speed
Work at listening
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Improving Communication Skills
(cont.)
Improving
receiver skills (cont.)
 Observing
effective
communicators able to observe and interpret nonverbal
signals
personally visiting plants and other locations to get a first-hand
view of operations
must accurately interpret what is observed
 Effective
supervision
communicate
more information
prefer asking and persuading to telling and demanding
are sensitive to people’s feelings and needs
are willing, empathic listeners
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Organizational Communication
Downward
communication
 information
that flows from higher to lower levels in the
organization’s hierarchy
 problems:
information
overload
lack of openness - withhold information even if sharing is
important
filtering - some information is left out
message can be distorted by adding personal interpretation
 the fewer the number of authority levels through which
communication must pass, the less information will be lost or
distorted

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Information Loss In Downward
Communication
100%
Board
63%
Vice presidents
56%
General managers
40%
Plant managers
30%
Supervisors
20%
Workers
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Organizational Communication
(cont.)
Downward
 Coaching
communication (cont.)
- important form of downward communication
dialogue
with a goal of helping another be more effective and
achieve her/his full potential on the job
used to deal with performance problems or to help person
change behavior
coaches for executives sometimes hired from outside the firm
often incumbent on managers to coach themselves
 Downward
communication in difficult times
communication
important during mergers and acquisitions
full communication helps employees deal with anxiety
signals care and concern for employees
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Organizational Communication
(cont.)
Downward
communication (cont.)
 Open-book
management
practice
of sharing with employees at all levels of the
organization vital information previously meant for
management’s eyes only
practice is controversial
done properly, complete communications system makes sense to
people on the shop floor just as it does to the top executives
potentially impacts motivation and care for business results
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Organizational Communication
(cont.)
Upward
communication
 information
that flows from lower to higher levels in the
organization hierarchy
 important for several reasons
managers
learn what’s going on
employees gain from the opportunity to communicate upward
facilitates downward communication
 problems
similar to those for downward communication
 Managing upward communication
managers
should facilitate upward communication
managers must motivate people to provide valid information
upward communication can use informal channels
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Organizational Communication
(cont.)
Horizontal
communication
 information
sharing among people on the same hierarchical
level
 has several important functions
 Managing horizontal communication
direct
contact among managers
integrative roles, task forces, and project teams
management information systems
create a culture of openness, honesty, trust, and mutual
obligation
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Organizational Communication
(cont.)
Formal
and informal communication
 formal
communication - official, organization-sanctioned
episodes of information transmission
 informal communication - more unofficial
grapevine
- the social network of informal communications
helps people to interpret the organization
 conveys information that the formal system leaves unsaid

 Managing
informal communication
managers
need to work with the grapevine
talk to the key people
prevent rumors from starting
neutralize rumors once they have started
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Organizational Communication
(cont.)
Boundarylessness
 boundaryless
organization - organization in which there are
no barriers to information flow
ideas
and information move to where they are most needed
concept promoted and implemented by General Electric
Copyright © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.