BUSINESS COMMUNICATION (COMM 212)

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION (COMM 212)
Introduction Course Outline Discussion Group Exercise General Overview of Communication in Business

What trends are influencing the way we communicate in Business today?
Question: What trends are influencing the way we communicate in Business today?

Communicating for a Changing Workplace
Communication technologies The knowledge economy Flatter organizations Global business - Diversity Team work environments Focus – Risk, Sustainability Communicating for a Changing Workplace Communication Defined and as a Field of Study Communication is a transactional and relational process involving the meaningful exchange of information. Communication theory is a system of ideas for explaining communication.

Communicating for Results
Chapter 1: Getting the Message Across

Importance of Effective Business Communications
Communication is a vital skill linked to effective leadership Poor communications loses corporations billions of dollars Employability Skills Conference Board of Canada Report 2000

Progress in the business world depends on the ability to: read and understand information manage and organize information speak and write to promote understanding; gain attention listen and appreciate various points of view share information – through different media use different skills to clarify ideas (e.g., research) apply knowledge and skills from different disciplines

Progress in the business world depends on the ability to: read and understand information manage and organize information speak and write to promote understanding; gain attention listen and appreciate various points of view share information – through different media use different skills to clarify ideas (e.g., research) apply knowledge and skills from different disciplines These skills contribute to enhanced problem-solving and decision-making; increased efficiency, workflow and productivity and improved professional image, business relationships and group dynamics.

Communications Research
Communication – Latin Root Word meaning “common” “Having something in common through the transmission of ideas, emotions and skills – through sharing knowledge and exchanging information.” (p.6)

Communications Research
Is this enough? Different theoretical frameworks to understand effective communication rhetoric – the practical art of discourse - language semantics – the way our behavior is influenced by words and symbols semiotics – how meaning is assigned and understood cybernetics – how info is processed and communication systems function

The Communication Process
Situated Embedded in a particular environment or socio-cultural context Relational Involves the ability to interact effectively and ethically, according to what is needed at a given moment Transactional A cooperative activity in which people adapt to one another

Transactional Communication Model
Message Oral, written, or non-verbal communication that is transmitted by a sender to an audience Sender Participant in a transaction who has an idea and communicates it by encoding it in a message Encoding Converting ideas into code in order to convey a written, oral, or non-verbal message Channel Communication pathway or medium over which a message travels Receiver Person for whom a message is intended, who decides the message by extracting meaning from it Decoding Act of extracting meaning from spoken, written, and non-verbal communication Feedback Receiver’s response to a message that confirms if the original message was received or understood

Communication Contexts
Interpersonal communication Between two people Face-to-face or through mediated forms Small-group communication Between three or more people Common goal Organized communication Within a hierarchical social system Interdependent groups Common goals Intercultural communication Management of messages between different cultures Mass communication send message to a large, anonymous audience

Communication in Organizations
Internal communication Communication through the channels of an organization External communication Communication with audiences who are part of an external environment

Informal and Formal Channels of Communication
Formal communications network System of communication sanctioned by organizational management Informal oral communication network Unofficial internal communication pathways that carry gossip Sometimes accurate, sometimes not

The Flow of Information
Formal communication channels Facilitate the flow of information through the hierarchy of an organization Upward communication flow Channels information from subordinates to superiors Downward communication flow Channels information from superiors to subordinates Horizontal communication flow Channels information between individuals at the same organizational level

Verbal and Non-Verbal Forms
Using Words - Speaking & Listening Reading & Writing Language is one of the defining characteristics of culture Language refers to the spoken and unspoken means of communication Wendy Keller Sept. 2012

Sending Receiving 45% 30% 16% 9% Wendy Keller Sept. 2012

Using Words - What are some of the different forms in which we use words to communicate? Wendy Keller Sept. 2012

Using Words - Oral Written Conversation Letter Phone Calls , Fax Meeting Memo, Report Interview Resume Conference Newsletter *Multi-dimensional literacy* Wendy Keller Sept. 2012

Oral Written Advantage Immediate Feedback Permanent Record Non-verbal clues Convenience Human Contact Economy Personal Impact Easy Distribution Disadvantage Time Consuming Permanent Record Distractions Impersonal? Emotional Content Broad Distribution Language is one of the defining characteristics of culture Language refers to the spoken and unspoken means of communication Wendy Keller Sept. 2012

7% of the meaning is in the words that are spoken 38% - “paralinguistic” – voice quality 55% - non-verbal expression Language is one of the defining characteristics of culture Language refers to the spoken and unspoken means of communication Wendy Keller Sept. 2012

1. Eye Contact – Brief versus long - understand cultural implications 2. Facial Expressions – 250,000 different expressions Do you have a “poker face”? 3. Gesture and Posture (Body Language) Communication that does not use words but takes place through gestures, eye contact, and facial expressions. Roles Repetition Contradiction Regulation Substitution Accenting and complementing Wendy Keller Sept. 2012

1. Eye Contact – Brief versus long - understand cultural implications 2. Facial Expressions – 250,000 different expressions Do you have a “poker face”? 3. Non-verbal vocal qualities of communication – “Vocalics” - paralanguage - intonation, pitch, emotion, pauses 4. Gesture and Posture (Body Language – “Kinesics” 5. Time – whether you are on time or how time is used – “Chronemics” 6. Space – choice of surroundings - “Proxemics” Territory – social interaction (e.g. Touch) – distance 7. Appearance of … People…Documents - “Image” Proxemics Use and perception of space Chronemics Time in non-verbal communication Paralanguage (vocalics) Non-verbal vocal qualities of communication Body language (kinesics) Non-verbal communication conveyed by gestures, eye contact, posture, and facial expressions Wendy Keller Sept. 2012

Impact of Non-Verbal communication on Verbal Communication: Repetition clarify, reinforce Contradiction Conflict – Can lead to 4. Substitution the non-verbal cue sends the message 3. Regulation Sets the tone; start, finish communication, control style given different settings 5. Accenting and Complementing - confirms Encoding and Decoding – Sending and Receiving non-verbal cues. Proxemics Use and perception of space Chronemics Time in non-verbal communication Paralanguage (vocalics) Non-verbal vocal qualities of communication Body language (kinesics) Non-verbal communication conveyed by gestures, eye contact, posture, and facial expressions

“What gets in the way of or hinders successful communication?”
Barriers to Communication “What gets in the way of or hinders successful communication?” Wendy Keller Sept. 2012

Barriers to Communication
Interpretation of Symbols – Words Misunderstanding of Non-Verbal Clues Different Frames of Reference …experience, culture - education, values, beliefs, etc. Language Skill …vocabulary, skill in written and/or oral expression Poor Listening Distractions …noise, poor connections, print issues, etc. If you’ve ever visited a foreign country, you probably noticed some differences in how people dressed, the food they ate, or their choice of transportation. Perhaps a particular religion influenced how society worked, or a different language was spoken. All of these things are part of culture Just as you’d adapt for differences at home, when doing business in foreign countries, you’ll need to adapt as well. We say that managers need cross-cultural literacy, or an understanding of how cultural differences across and within nations can affect the way in which business is practiced. Managers must be sensitive to trends in the evolution of a culture in order to maintain their effectiveness in the workplace. It’s also important to consider how culture might affect the cost of doing business in a particular location. Wendy Keller Sept. 2012

Barriers to Effective Communication
Noise Any form of physical or psychological interference that distorts the meaning of a message Communication barriers Problems that can affect the communication transaction, leading to confusion or misunderstanding Channel overload Inability of a channel to carry all transmitted messages Information overload Receiver cannot process all messages due to their increasing number Emotional interference Psychological factor that creates problems with communication transaction

Barriers cont’d. Semantic interference
Ambiguity, jargon, language, or dialect differences Different ways of assigning meaning Bypassing Misunderstanding: receiver infers a different meaning from a message based on various meanings of the words used Physical and technical interference External to sender or receiver Environmental interference Interference resulting from preconceptions and differing frames of reference Mixed messages Conflicting perceptions of a signal or message that may result in miscommunication

Overcoming Barriers to Communication
Build Language Skills - Oral and Written Be purposeful Be a careful reader Be a good “listener” Be context sensitive Be proactive Be timely and time-sensitive, purposeful, a good listener and a careful reader, context-sensitive, and Proactive Reading Active listening Listening that demands close attention to both the literal and emotional meaning of a message Level of responsiveness that shows the speaker was both heard and understood Cognitive dissonance Rejecting a message based on personal value systems Wendy Keller Sept. 2012

Build Language Skills - Oral and Written Understand your own Communication Style Improve Interviewing Skills Create Audience-Centered Messages Develop a Reputation of Professionalism Wendy Keller Sept. 2012

3. Improve Interviewing Skills Understand Background Frames of Reference Wendy Keller Sept. 2012

Understanding Frame of Reference = Cultural Literacy
Culture = A shared set of values, beliefs, customs, rules, and institutions held by a specific group of people Cultural literacy Detailed knowledge of a culture that enables a person to function effectively within it √ Ethnocentricity Belief that one’s own ethnic group or culture is superior to that of others > Based on limited experience. X Culture is a system of values and norms that are shared among a group of people and that when taken together constitute a design for living--where values are abstract ideas about what a group believes is good, right, and desirable, and norms are the social rules and guidelines that prescribe appropriate behavior in particular situations. You may not think, now that people in so many countries wear blue jeans, drink Coke and Starbucks coffee, eat Big Macs, and listen to MTV, that cultural differences are still important. But you’d be wrong! Long-standing cultural differences still influence how business is being done. Also, keep in mind that culture is dynamic, it is always changing. Just think for a moment of how cell phones have changed our culture and those of many others as an example. While culture is a characteristic of society as a whole, it shapes individual behavior by identifying appropriate and inappropriate forms of human interaction. In a sense culture is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one human group from another. What determines culture? The values and norms of a culture evolve over time and are a function of a number of factors at work in a society including religion, political and economic philosophies, education, language, and social structure. How does culture change? Culture is evolutionary, and change can often be slow and painful. For example, economic advancement is often accompanied by a shift away from collectivism towards individualism The social rules that govern people’s actions toward one another are called norms. You can think of norms as being either folkways or mores. Folkways are the routine conventions of everyday life like dress codes, social manners, and neighborly behavior. They generally have little moral significance. Examples would be dress, eating habits, and social graces. An outsider can easily be forgiven for being ignorant of a folkway. Example: Timeliness - One way to reinforce the understanding of this concept is to ask the class what time they would choose to arrive at a party if the party invitation specified that the party starts at 8pm. What is the “right” time to arrive for an 8pm party. Or German – French dinner party story. Mores are the norms that are central to the functioning of a society and to its social life. They are serious standards of behavior and may actually become laws and violating them usually brings serious retribution. E.g. We have laws against theft. The term comes from the Latin mos (customs), and although mores are fewer in number than folkways, they are more coercive. Negative mores are taboos, usually supported by religious or philosophical sanctions. Whereas folkways guide human conduct in the more mundane areas of life, mores tend to control those aspects connected with sex, the family, or religion. Mores can vary greatly between countries: what in one country may be viewed as an innocent flirt in another may constitute a serious affront to someone's dignity or even harassment. Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Personal communication
Components of Culture Physical environments Education Personal communication Religion Social structure Manners & customs Values & attitudes Aesthetics Culture Mores are the norms that are central to the functioning of a society and to its social life. They are serious standards of behavior and may actually become laws and violating them usually brings serious retribution. E.g. We have laws against theft. The term comes from the Latin mos (customs), and although mores are fewer in number than folkways, they are more coercive. Negative mores are taboos, usually supported by religious or philosophical sanctions. Whereas folkways guide human conduct in the more mundane areas of life, mores tend to control those aspects connected with sex, the family, or religion. Mores can vary greatly between countries: what in one country may be viewed as an innocent flirt in another may constitute a serious affront to someone's dignity or even harassment. Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

Physical and Material Culture
Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall Physical and Material Culture Topography Physical features characterizing the surface of a geographic region Climate Weather conditions of a geographic region Material Culture Technology used to manufacture goods and provide services How can these influence a culture? Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall

High- and Low-context Communication Styles
Low-context cultures Favour direct communication Depend on explicit verbal and written messages, excusive of content High-context cultures Communication depends on explicit wording of a message as well as it’s surrounding context

Culture And The Workplace
" Culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy. Cultural differences are a nuisance at best and often a disaster." Prof. Geert Hofstede, Emeritus Professor, Maastricht University. Management processes and practices must be adapted to culturally-determined work-related values Culture And The Workplace

The Impact of Culture…. Hofstede’s dimensions of culture
Power distance - how a society deals with the fact that people are unequal in physical and intellectual capabilities Uncertainty avoidance - the extent to which different cultures socialize their members into accepting ambiguous situations and tolerating ambiguity Individualism versus collectivism - the relationship between the individual and his fellows Masculinity versus femininity -the relationship between gender and work roles Long Term Orientation) which captures attitudes toward time, persistence, ordering by status, protection of face, respect for tradition, and reciprocation of gifts and favors It is important for companies to understand how a society’s culture affects workplace values Management processes and practices must be adapted to culturally-determined work-related values How does a society’s culture affect workplace values? One of the most extensive studies exploring this was done from 1967 to 1973 by an IBM psychologist called Geert Hofstede. Hofstede identified four dimensions of culture: power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism versus collectivism, and masculinity versus femininity. Let’s look at each more closely. Power distance focused on how a society deals with the fact that people are unequal in physical and intellectual capabilities. A culture would rank high on this dimension if it allowed these inequalities to grow over time into inequalities in wealth and power, while cultures that ranked low on power distance played down the inequalities. Uncertainty avoidance measured the extent to which different cultures socialized their members into accepting ambiguous situations and tolerating uncertainty. So, in a culture that ranked high on uncertainty avoidance, people placed a premium on job security, retirement benefits, and so on, while in a low uncertainty culture, people were more willing to take risks, and were less resistant to change. Individualism versus collectivism focused on the relationship between the individual and her fellows. You already know that in individualistic societies, individual achievement and freedom are valued, and that in collectivist societies the ties between individuals are stronger. Masculinity versus femininity looked at the relationship between gender and work roles. In cultures that were identified as masculine, there was a sharp distinction between sex roles, and traditional masculine values influenced cultural ideals, while in a more feminine culture, there was little differentiation between men and women in the same job. He later added a 5th which is called Confucian dynamism to captures attitudes toward time, persistence, ordering by status, protection of face, respect for tradition, and reciprocation of gifts and favors.

Keys to Intercultural Communication
Show respect. Develop awareness. Avoid negative judgments. Cultivate a work environment that values diversity. Ask questions. Prepare to be flexible and seek a common ground. Tolerate ambiguity and uncertainty. Listen to others, not your own ethnocentrism. Bridge cultural gaps. Encourage your employer to commit to a harassment- and discrimination-free workplace.

Individualism vs. Collectivism
Power Distance & Individualism vs. Collectivism Masculinity versus femininity looked at the relationship between gender and work roles. In cultures that were identified as masculine, there was a sharp distinction between sex roles, and traditional masculine values influenced cultural ideals, while in a more feminine culture, there was little differentiation between men and women in the same job. He later added a 5th which is called Confucian dynamism to captures attitudes toward time, persistence, ordering by status, protection of face, respect for tradition, and reciprocation of gifts and favors.

Uncertainty Avoidance
Power Distance & Uncertainty Avoidance

Was Hofstede Right? Hofstede’s work has been criticized because
He made the assumption there is a one-to-one relationship between culture and the nation-state He used IBM as sole source of information culture is not static – it evolves But, it is a starting point for understanding how cultures differ, and the implications of those differences for business people It’s important to note though, that while Hofstede’s study gave us many important insights to cultural differences, his study was flawed in that he made the assumption that there’s a one-to-one relationship between culture and the nation-state, the research was culturally bound since it was conducted only by Europeans and Americans, and the study may have been biased since it took place within a single company, IBM! Was Hofstede Right?

Overcoming Barriers Cont’d
3. Improve Interviewing Skills Understand Background Frames of Reference Improve Questioning & Listening Skills Eliminate Distractions Stay in the Present Develop an awareness of cognitive dissonance Set a positive tone Send signals that you are interested Wendy Keller Sept. 2012

Effective Interviewing
Effective Questioning & Listening Preparation Questioning skills Listening skills Building rapport & trust Diffusing conflict Wendy Keller Sept. 2012

Effective Interviewing: Questioning & Listening
A. Decide on the purpose of the communication (interview) B. Review what you already know C. Prepare your questions/strategy D. Set the stage E. Prepare to listen. Wendy Keller Sept. 2012

Building Trust Breaking Trust
1. Similarity –membership 2. Contact - visibility 3. Positive Attitude towards the relationship 4. Physical presence 5. Reciprocity – build on indebtedness 6. Reliable & Responsible 7. Humbleness & Sharing 8. Respectful behavior 9. Complimentary Social Comparison – “I am better than you.” Limited contact 3. Negative Presence 5. Breaches of trust 6. Egocentrism –”I only told a little white lie...,you deceived me.” 7. Breaking the “rules” Negative perceived reputation Disrespectful behavior Wendy Keller Sept. 2012

Ethical Communication
Avoid Ethical Lapses by: Telling the truth. Avoid language that attempts to evade responsibility. Don’t suppress or de-emphasize important information. Business ethics The socially accepted moral principles and rules of business conduct Ethical lapses: rationalizations happen because: Safety in numbers Head in the sand Between a rock and a hard place “It’s no big deal.” Entitlement Team player Business ethics Socially accepted moral principles and rules of business conduct May be based on code of ethics Be aware of how your communications affect others Business documents are often legally binding

Privacy in the Workplace
Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) Organizations must provide accountability identify reason for collecting information gain consent collect only necessary information use information for intended purpose maintain accuracy provide safeguards tell people how information will be used give people access to their own information develop straightforward complaints procedures

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION (COMM 212)

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