Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
CE 216 – Engineering Management
Chapter 6
Communicating
Introduction
In achieving an engineering organization’s desired performance, its elements, human and
non-human, should be working accordingly and correctly with the program designated to them.
Standards programming methods have already been adapted by technologists for most machines
and equipment.
However, the programming approach consisting elements is different and requires
different method. As employees perform according to what is dictated to their minds, the
management must reach to them through a more powerful means of persuasion with an effective
communication under the right atmosphere.
The issue now will be “is management using the communication option effectively” the
answer must be “yes”, for if not, trouble may be forthcoming, if it has not yet, arrived.
Learning Outcome
1. Know about the communication function, its process and forms.
2. Learn about the barriers affecting communication and the solutions to these barriers.
3. Understand the MIS.
Learning Content
Morris Philip Wolf and Shirley Kuiper define communication as “a process of sharing
information through symbols, including words and message”. It is the process of exchanging
ideas, information, thoughts, and feelings between individuals or group of people. It is both a
transmission and reception of messages.
Communication may happen between superior and subordinate, between peers, between
a manager and a client or customer, between an employee and a government representative, etc.
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Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
CE 216 – Engineering Management
it may be done face-to-face, or through printed materials, or through an electronics device like the
telephone, etc. as its primary purpose is to convey meaning and understanding.
In management, communication must be made for a purpose and because it has a cost
attached to it, it must be used effectively
FUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATION
Communication may be used to serve any of the following functions:
1. Information function - information provided through communication may be used for
decision-making at various work levels in the organization. A construction worker, for
instance, may be given instruction on the proper use of certain equipment. This will later
provide him with a guide deciding which equipment to use in particular circumstances.
Another Concern is the manager who wants to make sure that his decision to promote an
employee to a higher position is correct. Through communication, the information provided
will minimize if not eliminate the risk.
2. Motivation function- Communication is also oftentimes used as a means to motivate
employees to commit themselves to the organization's objectives.
3. Control function- when properly communicated, reports, policies, and plans define roles,
clarify duties, authorities, and responsibilities, effective control is, when facilitated.
4. Emotive function-when feelings are repressed in the organization, employees are
affected by anxiety, which, in turn, affects performance. Whatever types of emotions are
involved,
whether
their
satisfaction,
dissatisfaction,
happiness
or
bitterness,
communication provides a mean to decrease the internal pressure affecting the
individuals.
COMMUNICATION PROCESS
The communication process consists of eight steps which are as follows: develop an idea,
encode, transmit, receive, decode, accept, use, and provide feedback.
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Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
CE 216 – Engineering Management
Develop and Idea. The most important step in effective communication is developing an idea. It
is important that the idea to be conveyed must be useful or of some value. An example of a useful
idea is how to prevent accidents in workplaces,
Encode. The next step is to encode the idea into words, illustrations, figures, or other symbols
suitable for transmission. The method of transmission should be determined in advance so that
the idea may be encoded to conform with the specific requirements of the identified method.
Transmit. After encoding, the message is now ready for transmission through the use of an
appropriate communication channel. Among the various channels used include the spoken word,
body movements, the written word, television telephone, radio, an artist’s paints, electronic mails,
etc. Proper transmission is very important so the message sent will reach and hold the attention
of the receiver. To achieve this, the communication channel must be free of barriers, or
interference (sometimes referred to as noise).
Receive. The next step is the communication process is actual receiving of the message by the
intended receiver. The requirement is for the receiver to be ready to receive at the precise moment
the message relayed by the sender. The message may be initially received by machine or by a
person, in any case, communication stops when the machine is not turned or tuned on to receive
the message, or the person assigned to receive the message does not listen or pay attention
properly.
Decode. The next step, decoding, means translating the message from the sender into a form
that will have meaning to the recipient. If the receiver knows that language and terminology used
in the message, successful decoding mat be achieved, example, if various terms are decided. If
the receiver understands the purpose and the background situation of the sender, decoding will
be greatly improved. In legal practice, for instance, the declarations of a dying person have more
weight.
Accept. The next step is for the receiver to accept or reject the message. Sometimes acceptance
(or rejection) is partial. An example is provided as follows:
A newly hired employee was sent to a supervisor with a note from his superior directing
the supervisor to accept the employee into his unit and to provide the necessary training and
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Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
CE 216 – Engineering Management
guidance. As a supervisor feels that he was not consulted in the hiring process, he thinks that his
only obligation is to accept the employee in his unit and nothing more.
The factors that will affects the acceptance or rejection of a message are as follows;
1. The accuracy of the message
2. Whether or not the sender has the authority to send the message and/or required action;
and
3. The behavioral implication for the receiver.
Use. The next step is for the receiver to use the information. If the message provides information
of importance to a relevant activity, then the receiver could store it and retrieve it when required.
If the message requires a certain action to be made, then he may do so, otherwise, he discards
it as soon as it is received, all of the above-mentioned options will depend on his perception of
the message.
Provide Feedback. The last step in the communication process is for the receiver to provide
feedback to the sender. Depending on the perception of the receiver, however, these important
steps may not be made. Even if feedback is relayed. It may not reach the original senders of the
message. This may be attributed to the effects of say of the communication barriers.
FORMS OF COMMUNICATION
Communication consists of two major forms:
1. Verbal and;
2. Non-verbal
Verbal Communication
Verbal communication are those transmitted through hearing or sight. These modes of
transmission categorize verbal communication into classes: oral and written.
Oral communication mostly involves hearing the words of the sender, although
sometimes, opportunities are provided for seeing the sender’s body movements, facial
expression, gestures, and eye contact. Sometimes, feeling, smelling, tasting, and touching are
involved.
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Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
CE 216 – Engineering Management
An alternative to oral communication is written communication where the sender seeks to
communicate through the written word. The written communication is, sometimes, preferred over
the oral communication because of time and cost constraints. When a sender for instance, cannot
personally meet the receiver due to some reason, a written letter or memo is prepared and sent
to the receiver.
The written communication, however, has limitations and to remedy these, some means
are devised. Perfume advertisers, for instance, lace their written message with the smell of their
products. In the same light, the now popular musical Christmas card is an attempt to enhance the
effect of the written note.
Non-verbal Communication
Non-verbal communication is a means of conveying messages through body language,
as well as the use of time, space, touch, clothing, appearance, and aesthetic elements. Body
language consists of gestures, bodily movement, posture, facial expression, and mannerism of
all kinds.
Nonverbal expressions convey many shades of meaning and it is to the advantage of the
communicator to understand what messages are relayed.
THE BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
Various factors may impede the efficient flow of communication any, or all of these factors
may, at any point, derail the process. Even if the message is transmitted by the channel, the
timing and the meaning of the message is transmitted by the channel, the timing and the meaning
of the message may be affected by the factors. The barriers to communication may be classified
generally as:
1. Personal barriers
2. Physical barriers
3. Semantic barriers
Personal barriers. Personal barriers are hindrances to effective communication arising from a
communicator’s characteristics a s a person, such as emotions, values, poor listening habits, sex,
age, race, socioeconomics, status, religion, education, etc. Emotions cloud the communicator’s
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Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
CE 216 – Engineering Management
ability to judge correctly the real meaning of messages received. People with different values will
find it hard to communicate with each other. Poor listening habits of a receiver frustrate the
communication efforts of a sender.
Physical Barriers. Physical barriers refer to interferences to effective communication occurring
in the environment, where the communication is undertaken. The very loud sound produced by a
passing jet temporarily drowns out the voice of a guest delivering a speech. Such distraction does
not allow full understanding of the meaning of the entire message and is an example of a physical
barrier.
Physical barriers include distances between people, walls, a noisy jukebox near a
telephone, etc. an office that is too tidy may sometimes inhibit a person from meeting the
occupants of the office face-to-face. A menacing pet dog (or secretary) posted near the door may
also prevent a person from directly communicating with the object persons behind the door.
A communication channel that is overloaded may prevent important information from
reaching the intended use. Another physical barrier to communication is the wrong timing. For
instance, how may one expect a person who has just lost a loved one to act on a inquiry from a
fellow employee?
Semantic Barriers. Semantic is the study of meaning as expressed in symbols, words, pictures,
or actions are symbols that suggest certain meanings. When the wrong meaning has been chosen
by the receiver, misunderstanding occurs. Such errors constitute communication. A semantic
barrier may be defined as a “interference with the reception of a message that occurs when the
message is misunderstood even though it is received exactly as transmitted”. For example, the
words “wise” and “salvage” will have different meaning to an English speaking foreigner than to
an ordinary Filipino.
OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
When communication barriers threaten effective performance, certain measures must be
instituted to eliminate them. To eliminate problems due to noise, selective perception, and
distraction, the following are recommended;
1. Use feedback to facilitate understanding and increase the potential for appropriate action.
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Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
CE 216 – Engineering Management
2. Repeat messages in order to provide assurance that they are properly received.
3. Use multiple channels so that the accuracy of the information may be enhanced.
4. Use simplified language that is easily understandable and which eliminates the possibility
of people getting mixed-up with meanings
TECHNIQUES FOR COMMUNICATING IN ORGANIZATIONS
Communication may be classified as to the types of flow of the message which are as
follows; downward, upward, or horizontal. Each of the types of the message flow has its own
purposes and techniques.
Downward Communication. Downward communication refers to message flows from higher
levels of authority to lower levels. Among the purposes of downward communication are:
1. To give instructions
2. To provide information about policies and procedures
3. To give feedback about performance
4. To indoctrinate or motivate
Among the techniques used in downward communication are as follows; letters, meetings,
telephones, manuals, handbooks, and newsletters.
Letters are appropriate when directives are complex and precise actions are required.
When orders are simple but the result depends largely on employee morale, techniques that
provide personal interchange like meetings and the telephone, are appropriate. Modern
technology has made it possible for people to hold meetings even if they are thousands of
kilometers apart from each other.
Manuals are useful sources of information regarding company policy, procedures, and
organization. Unlike using persons as sources of information, annuals are available whenever it
is needed.
Handbooks provide more specific information about the duties and privileges of the individual
workers. It has also the advantage of being available whenever needed.
Newsletters provide a mixture of personal, social, and work-related information. Articles about
new hirings, promotions, birthdays of employees, questions and answer about work related issues
are presented
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Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
CE 216 – Engineering Management
Upward Communication. There is a need for management to provide employees with all the
necessary material and non-material support it can give. The first requirement, however, is for
management to know the specific needs of the employees. This is the primary reason for upward
communication. Upward communication refers to messages from persons in lower level positions
to persons in higher positions. The messages sent usually provide information on work progress,
problems encountered, suggestions for improving output, and personal feelings about work and
non-work activities.
Among the techniques used in upward communication are; formal grievance procedures,
employee attitude and opinion surveys, suggestion systems, open door policy, informal gripe
sessions, task forces, and exit interviews.
Formal Grievance Procedures. Grievances are part of a normally operating organization to
effectively deal with them, organizations provide a system for employees to air their grievances.
Holley and Jennings define grievance as “any employee’s concern over a perceived violation of
the labor agreement that is submitted to the grievance procedure for eventual resolution.
Grievances represent an open, upward communication channel whereby employees can offer
suggestions to management.
Depending on the size and nature of the company, the grievance procedure may consist of a
single step or a number of steps. Companies with a collective bargaining agreement with its union
must refer to the grievance procedure spelled out in the law on labor relations.
Employee Attitude and Opinion Surveys. Finding out what the employee thinks about the
company is very important. The exercise, however, requires expertise and the company may not
be prepared to do it. If the organization's operation is large enough to justify such activity then it
must be done. If the assistance of an outside research firm is considered, a benefit cost analysis
must be used as deciding factors
Suggestion Systems. Suggestions from employees are important sources of cost saving and
production enhancing ideas. Even if the majority of acknowledging them contributes to employee
morale.
Open Door Policy. An open-door policy, even on a limited basis, provides the management with
an opportunity to action difficulties before they become full blown problems,
Informal Gripe Sessions. Informal gripe sessions can be used positively if management knows
how to handle them. When employees feel free to tank and they are assured of not being
penalized for doing so, then management will be spared with lots of effort determining the real
causes of problems in the company.
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Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
CE 216 – Engineering Management
Task Forces. When a specific problem or issue arises, a task force may be created and assigned
to deal with the problem or issue. Since membership of task forces consists of management and
non-management personnel, integration and teamwork are fostered, creativity is enhanced and
interpersonal skills are developed.
Exit Interviews. When employees leave an organization for any reason, it is to the advantage of
management to know the real reason. If there are negative developments in the organization that
management is not aware of, exit interviews may provide some of the answers.
Horizontal Communication. Horizontal communication refers to messages sent to individuals or
groups from another of the same organizational level or position.
The purposes of horizontal communication are;
1. To coordinate activities between departments.
2. To persuade others at the same level of organization.
3. To pass on information about activities or feelings.
Among the techniques appropriate for horizontal communication are: memos, meetings,
telephones, picnics, dinners, and other social affairs.
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM
It was mentioned at the beginning of this chapter that communication may be used to
serve the information function. This means that a way must be devised to allow the organization
to absorb information necessary for effective decision making. In regards to this, companies of
various sizes have organized systems to gather information.
Management information system is defined by Boone and Kurts as “an organized method
of providing past present and projected information on internal operations and external
intelligence for use of decision making”.
The MIS currently used by corporate firms consists of “written and electronically based
systems for sending reports, memos, bulletins, and the like”. The system allows the manager of
the different departments within the firm to communicate with each other.
The purpose of MIS
The MIS was established for various reasons. Wheelen and Hunger enumerate them as follows:
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Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
CE 216 – Engineering Management
1. To provide a basis for the analysis of early warning signals that can originate both
externally and internally
2. To automate routine clerical operations like roll and inventory reports.
3. Assist managers in making1 routine decisions like scheduling orders, assigning orders to
machines, and reordering supplies.
4. To provide the information necessary for management to make strategic or
nonprogrammed decisions.
Summary
Communicating is a crucial part of the engineering function. Without effective
communication, an organization can never function well.
Communication is used to serve as an information function, motivation function, control
function, and emotive function. Its process consists of various steps namely develop an idea,
encode, transmit, receive, decode, accept, use, and provide feedback.
The communication is classified into two forms: verbal and non-verbal.
The barriers to communication maybe classified as personal, physical, or semantic. These
may be eliminated or lessened by using feedback, repeating messages, using multiple channels,
and using simplified language. Communication flows may either be downward, upward, or
horizontal.
The Management Information System (MIS) is a useful means of communication
especially to an organization.
Teaching and Learning Activities
1. How does an effective communication affect the success and overall performance of an
engineering organization and its people?
2. How would you apply the MIS in your time today as a future engineer manager?
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