COMMUNICATION SKILLS III
(LDC32101)
J.G.Sitima
Agriculture Education and Development Language Dept
Faculty of Development Studies
Organizational Communication
Organizational Communication
• Communication in organizations is defined as giving and receiving information, opinions,
ideas within or outside the organization through writing and oral means so that the material
communicated is clearly understood by everyone concerned.
• Efficiency, productivity and profitability of organization is heavily dependent upon its
ability to communicate effectively both internally and externally.
• For example: through advertising an organization may be able to get good contracts,
communication may reduce organizational conflicts and breed more rewarding relationships,
communication also facilitates global business interactions as time and space is greatly
reduced.
• Improvements in Information Technology have greatly improved internal and external
communications with internet, mobile phones, cameras, and other latest channels.
Information Needs of Organization
• Examples: Business: data, market information for
strategy and planning; research: data, literature and
research methodology; administrative: tax information,
employment guidelines, recruitment procedures,
registration documents.
• Employees need adequate, accurate and timely
information that comes through the correct channels. This
helps to build confidence and trust among employees.
• Medium and channel of communication ie Means of
communication and means of transmission respectively
enable employees achieve their information needs.
Channels of Organization Communication
1. Internal Communication
Oral: Telephone, Intercom, meeting/conference, presentation,
face-to-face discussion, messenger, etc.
Written: Internal email through Outlook, Gmail, fax, notice,
agenda. minutes, staff newsletter, memo, report,
form/questionnaire, etc.
2. External Communication
Oral: Meeting, conference/seminar, teleconference, telephone,
video conference, conversations, etc.
Written: Email, fax, notice, minutes, customer newsletter, memo,
report, advertisement, press release, letters, advertisement and
leaflets/brochures, etc.
Oral Communication
Advantages Disadvantages
• Saves time; money can lead to misconceptions because the
information is sometimes incomplete (lack
of detail etc.)
• Quick feedback
No legal validity, as oral promises do not
• Complete understanding lend any where
Absence of permanent record;
• Powerful means for Not open for everyone; a problem for
distance people
persuasion and control
Emotion
• More reliable Distortion of meaning
Written Communication
Advantages Disadvantages
• Authoritative • Slow and time consuming
document/legal • Lacks personal touch
• Permanent record • Unsuitable for illiterate
• Less possibility of people and those with poor
distortion reading culture
• Delegation of authority • Lacks confidentiality
Choosing Means/Channels of Communication
The following are the factors to consider when choosing channels/ means of
communication.
a) Cost
Weigh the communication cost against the results expected. Are email,
fax, DHL/express mail/ registered mail/ courier service i.e. pony justified?
Can the message be hand written or is a printed copy important?
b) Confidentiality
confidentiality desired-fax/telephone; internal memo enclosed in an
envelope
c) Safety and security
Consider use of special postage service e.g. registered mail or courier
d) Influence: If you would want to convey a certain impression,
would a congratulatory message in the newspaper or invitation be
suitable?
You may choose to use multi-colored letterheads on high quality
paper if you want to convey a good image of company.
e) Urgency: Consider the time available. Eg express mail cost
because of its speed.
f) Distance: Is the communication within the building, in the same
town or the other side of the world?
g)Time of the day: This is particularly important when
h) Resources: Consider equipment and staff available for both
sender and recipient. Does the recipient have a computer? Fax?
Internet?
i) Written record: Written record carry more authority and are
proof of a transaction (as written communications are filed)
j) Recipient/Sender
Consider the abilities of the sender and receiver of the
message.
Personal contact may be appropriate on certain occasions.
Verbal communication will not be appropriate where complex
information or bad news is concerned.
Formal Communication
• Formal Communication refers to the communication taking place through official
channels prescribed by the organisation. Such type of communication takes place
between managers or employees of same cadre or between superior and
subordinate and vice versa.
• It may be oral or written but complete record of such communication is maintained
in an organisation.
• Formal communication direction/network patterns are further classified as vertical,
horizontal and diagonal communication.
Communication Network Patterns in Formal Com.
1. Vertical Communication (between levels)
Vertical Communication involves the flow of information & ideas between
the persons of same and / or different departments holding different
positions. For e.g, subordinates and supervisors/managers. It prevents
delay in work. Under this, the flow of information is either upwards or
downwards through normal channels
a. Downward communication
• This is where information flows from supervisors/managers to their
subordinates/staff below them. This include orders, instructions,
directions and circulars. Communications like memos, notices, in-house
newsletters, company handbooks, procedure manual, etc.
• Ideally, downward communication from managers should include things
such as job instructions, job rationale, policy and procedures and
employees’ performance appraisal.
Advantage is that information flows fast as juniors are always in the
habit of listening to superiors; its brings satisfaction as workers get
information on perform their tasks.
b. Upward communication
• Here communications are directed upwards from the subordinates
to the managers/supervisors in the form of suggestions, opinions,
grievances, reports, applications for leave etc.
• This form of communication is gaining importance as the
subordinates prefer to involve themselves in the decision making
process.
• This also uses memos, reports, meetings etc. Here information
flows slowly as subordinates are hesitant as they mostly feel that
superiors would ignore them.
2. Horizontal Communication
• This occurs between people of the same rank e.g. sales staff,
departmental heads, directors, supervisors. As well as memos
and reports, horizontal communication could include
committee meetings, seminars and conferences. Horizontal
communication is important for coordinating tasks (with
employee for departments), solving problems, sharing
information and resolving conflicts.
3. Diagonal Communication
• Tasks frequently arise that involve more than one department
and there is often no obvious line of authority. Diagonal
communication often relies largely on cooperation, goodwill
and respect between the parties concerned.
Informal communication
• Informal communication takes place in an organisation without
following the formal lines of communication.
• Informal communications may be used as a means of meeting
unanticipated communication needs, managing crisis, dealing
with complex problems, sharing information, or exchanging
information more rapidly.
• Grapevine network: This is informal communication whose
network branches spread throughout the organisation and in all
directions without considering the levels of authority etc. Origin
of this type of communication is not known. Most messages flow
through this informal network due to limitations of formal
• Grapevine is described an unofficial communication
system that distorts the truth through rumors and
gossip. An active grapevine can cause much damage
to an organization by spreading incomplete, false or
exaggerated information. It results in low morale,
cynicism/suspicion, fear and an unsettled workforce.
• Although the grapevine may never be completely
eradicated, management should take steps to reduce
its influence by considering carefully ways in which
the information is communicated, particularly in
times of uncertainty within the organization.
Despite that many people consider the grapevine as
unimportant and dangerous to an organization, recent
research suggests the opposite:
a. Grapevine indicates the health of the organization. If
the organization’s managers are open with the
employees and send all necessary information through
formal channels, the grapevine usually carries only
personal interest items or gossip. However, when the
formal communication channels fail to do the job, the
grapevine begins to carry information about the
organization.
b. Information carried by the grapevine is 75 to 95
percent accurate. Grapevine messages are often more
c. Information carried by the grapevine travels fast/spontaneous. It is not
uncommon for top management, who reached an important decision late at night,
to arrive at work early the next morning to find that the decision is common
knowledge. Good news travels fast, bad news travels faster and embarrassing
news travels at warp speed. Use of WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram has caused
grapevine news to travel even faster, yet without the nonverbal and paralanguage
codes (tone, pitch or manner of speaking)- to be even more difficult to interpret
correctly.
d. Free environment: Informal communication is done in a free environment in
that there is no pressure on any officer. It can flow to any direction and degree.
e. Supplements formal communication: Effective managers use the grapevine
to learn about employees’ concerns and problems. Some managers actually leak
new ideas or proposals to the grapevine to test worker response. If an idea is
greeted with hostility, they drop it or revise it. If the idea is received positively,
they introduce it through official channels.
Demerits of informal communication
1. No Responsibility: In formal communication
responsibility for misleading facts can be pinpointed
but it is not so in case of informal communication.
2. Unreliable Information:
Most of the information received through this
communication in undependable & no important
decision can be taken on the basis of this alone.
3. Leakage of Information:
It may lead to the leakage of important information
which can prove to be harmful for the organization.
Barriers to Organizational Communication
• What a recipient understands by a message may not always be the message that
the sender intended. Several communication barriers exist between the sender
and the recipient.
• Non-Verbal Signals
• Body language can provide valuable feedback where verbal or oral
communication is concerned. Signals include facial expressions, movement,
nodding the head gestures, eye contact, etc. Lack of it can hinder effective
communication.
• Language
• Choice of words is vital to the effectiveness of any communication. Many words
have different meanings. Our backgrounds knowledge and experience affect our
understanding. Foreign language, dialects, regional accents and the use of
technical/ specialist language should always be considered.
• Prejudgment
• What is understood is often conditioned by what we already know and by
our background knowledge and experience. Often we hear what we want
to hear or what we think we have heard and instead of what has actually
been said.
• Relationships
• The effectiveness of any communication may depend on our relationship
with the person giving the message. If the relationship is not good
communication may fail to be effective or may break down completely.
• Emotional Response
• Communication cannot succeed if a person is highly emotional about the
topic concerned. Problems may arise from insecurity, fear anger etc. If
emotions were high on the part of the sender or recipient, then it would be
better to wait for a while before trying to put the message across.
Communication Systems
In any organization there should be prescribed
procedures for getting messages to the people
who need them. Without such systems there can
be no effective communication.
Listening
Effective listening is a skill. Careful
concentration, feedback, asking questions,
taking notes, is demanded if a communication is
to be understood. Success at gaining attention
may depend on the words used, the way the
communication is expressed, our interest in the
