1. BY Mrs. Rand Omran Alastal 011-0

2. Kelli J. Schutte William Jewell College Robbins & Judge Organizational Behavior 14th Edition Communication 11-1

3. 1.Identify the main functions of communication. 2.Describe the communication process and distinguish between formal and informal communication. 3.Contrast downward, upward, and lateral communication with examples. 4.Contrast oral, written, and nonverbal communication. 5. Contrast formal communication networks and the grapevine. 6.Analyze the advantages and challenges of electronic communication. 7.Show how channel richness underlies the choice of communication channel. 8.Identify common barriers to effective communication. 9.Show how to overcome the potential problems in cross- cultural communication. After studying this chapter you should be able to: 11-2

4. content  1.functions of communication  2. the communication process  3. direction of communication  4. interpersonal communication  5. organizational communication  6. choice of communication channel  7. persuasive communication  8. barriers to effective communication  9. global implications  10. Summary and implications for managers 1-3

5. 1. Functions of Communication  Define the communication? What are the main functions of communication?  Communication The transference and understanding of meaning  Communication Functions 1.Control member behavior 2.Foster motivation for what is to be done 3.Provide a release for emotional expression 4.Provide information needed to make decisions 11-4

6. 2. The Communication Process  Communication Process The steps between a source and a receiver that result in the transference and understanding of meaning 11-5

7. What are the Key Parts of Communication Process? 1.The Sender – initiates message 2.Encoding – translating thought to message 3.The Message – what is communicated 4.The Channel – the medium the message travels through 5.Decoding – the receiver’s action in making sense of the message 6.The Receiver – person who gets the message 7.Noise – things that interfere with the message 8.Feedback – a return message regarding the initial communication 11-6

8. What is channel? What are the types of Communication Channels?  Channel The medium selected by the sender through which the message travels to the receiver  Types of Channels 1. Formal Channels: Are established by the organization and transmit messages that are related to the professional activities of members 2. Informal Channels: Used to transmit personal or social messages in the organization. These informal channels are spontaneous and emerge as a response to individual choices 11-7

9. 3. Direction of Communication CEOVPMgr VPMgr 11-8 LATERAL

10. 4. Interpersonal Communication  1. Oral Communication – Advantages: Speed and feedback – Disadvantage: Distortion of the message  2. Written Communication – Advantages: Tangible and verifiable – Disadvantages: Time consuming and lacks feedback  3. Nonverbal Communication – Advantages: Supports other communications and provides observable expression of emotions and feelings – Disadvantage: Misperception of body language or gestures can influence receiver’s interpretation of message 11-9

11. Forms of Nonverbal Communication  Body Movement Unconscious motions that provide meaning Shows extent of interest in another and relative perceived status differences  Intonations and Voice Emphasis The way something is said can change meaning  Facial Expressions Show emotion  Physical Distance between Sender and Receiver Depends on cultural norms Can express interest or status 11-10

12. 5. Three Common Formal Small-Group Networks  1. Chain: Rigidly follows the chain of command  2. Wheel: Relies on a central figure to act as the conduit for all communication Team with a strong leader  3. All Channel: mix All group members communicate actively with each other Self-managed teams 11-11

13. Small Group Network Effectiveness  Small group effectiveness depends on the desired outcome variable  Definition of Grapevine  An organization’s informal communication network. 11-12 TYPES OF NETWORKS Criteria Chain Wheel All Channel Speed Moderate Fast Fast Accuracy High High Moderate Emergence of a leader Moderate High None Member satisfaction Moderate Low High

14. The Grapevine  Three Main Grapevine Characteristics 1. Informal, not controlled by management 2. Perceived by most employees as being more believable and reliable than formal communications 3. Largely used to serve the self-interests of those who use it  Results from: – Desire for information about important situations – Ambiguous conditions – Conditions that cause anxiety  Insightful to managers  Serves employee’s social needs 11-13

15. Reducing Rumors 1. Announce timetables for making important decisions 2. Explain decisions and behaviors that may appear inconsistent or secretive 3. Emphasize the downside, as well as the upside, of current decisions and future plans 4. Openly discuss worst-case possibilities—they are almost never as anxiety-provoking as the unspoken fantasy 11-14

16. Electronic communications 1.E-mail 2.Instant messaging and text messaging 3.Social networking 4.Blog 5.Twitter (tweets) 6.Video conferencing 11-15

17. E-mail  E-mail: use internet to transmit and receive computer generated text and documents.  Advantages: quickly written, sent, and stored; low cost for distribution  Disadvantages: 1.Messages are easily and commonly misinterpreted 2.Not appropriate for sending negative messages 3.Overused and overloading readers 4.Removes inhibitions and can cause emotional responses and flaming 5.Difficult to “get” emotional state understood – emoticons 6.Non-private: e-mail is often monitored and may be forwarded to anyone 11-16

18. Instant/Text Messaging  Forms of “real time” communication of short messages that often use portable communication devices. 1.Explosive growth in business use 2.Fast and inexpensive means of communication 3.Can be intrusive and distracting 4.Easily “hacked” with weak security 5.Can be seen as too informal  Instant Messaging Immediate e-mail sent to receiver’s desktop or device  Text Messages Short messages typically sent to cell phones or other handheld devices 11-17

19. Social Networking Software  Linked systems organically spread throughout the nation and world that can be accessed by a PC  Includes: – Social networks like MySpace, linkedin and Facebook – Professional networks like Zoominfo and Ziggs – Corporate networks such as IBM’s BluePages  Key Points: – These are public spaces – anyone can see what you post – Can be used for job application screening – Avoid “overstimulation” your contacts 11-18

20. Electronic Comms: Blogs and Videoconferencing  Blogs: Web sites about a single person (or entity) that are typically updated daily A popular, but potentially dangerous activity: – Employees may post harmful information – Such comments may be cause for dismissal – No First Amendment rights protection – Can be against company policy to post in a blog during company time and on company equipment/connections  Videoconferencing: uses live audio and video Internet streaming to create virtual meetings Now uses inexpensive webcams and laptops in place of formal videoconferencing rooms 11-19

21. 6. Choice of Communication Channel  The model of “media richness” helps explain an individual’s choice of communication channel – Channels vary in their capacity to convey information  A “rich” channel is one that can: – 1. Handle multiple cues simultaneously – 2. Facilitate rapid feedback – 3. Be very personal  Choice depends on whether the message is routine  High-performing managers tend to be very media- sensitive 11-20

22. Information richness and communication channels 11-21 Low channel richnessHigh channel richness

23. 7. Persuasive communication 1.Automatic and controlled processing 2.Interest level 3.Prior knowledge 4.Personality 5.Message characteristics 11-22

24. 8. The main Barriers to Effective Communication(8)  1. Filtering – A sender’s manipulation of information so that it will be seen more favorably by the receiver  2. Selective Perception – People selectively interpret what they see on the basis of their interests, background, experience, and attitudes  3. Information Overload – A condition in which information inflow exceeds an individual’s processing capacity  4. Emotions – How a receiver feels at the time a message is received will influence how the message is interpreted 11-23

25. Cont.  5. Language – Words have different meanings to different people  7. silence  8. Communication Apprehension – Undue tension and anxiety about oral communication, written communication, or both  9. lying  10. Gender Differences – Men tend to talk to emphasize status while women talk to create connections 11-24

26. 9.Global Implications  Cross-cultural factors increase communication difficulties  Cultural Barriers: – Semantics: some words aren’t translatable – Word Connotations: some words imply multiple meanings beyond their definitions – Tone Differences: the acceptable level of formality of language – Perception Differences: language affects worldview  Cultural Context: – The importance of social context to meaning – Low-context cultures (like the U.S.) rely on words for meaning – High-context cultures gain meaning from the whole situation 11-25

27. Body Language Issues 11-26 All of these common U.S. hand signs are offensive somewhere in the world.

28. A Cultural Guide  To reduce your chance of making a faux pas in another culture, err on the side of caution by: 1.Assuming differences until similarity is proven 2.Emphasizing description rather than interpretation or evaluation 3.Practicing empathy in communication 4.Treating your interpretations as a working hypothesis 11-27

29. 10.Summary and Managerial Implications  The less employees are uncertain, the greater their satisfaction; good communication reduces uncertainty!  Communication is improved by: – Choosing the correct channel – Being a good listener – Using feedback  Potential for misunderstanding in electronic communication is higher than for traditional modes  There are many barriers to international communication that must be overcome 11-28

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