Effective Business Communication: Features, Elements, and Importance

Posted on Jun 9, 2024 in Law & Jurisprudence

1.2.2 Features of Communication

After understanding the meaning and definition of communication, we are going to study various features of communication.

(1) Communication Involves a Two-Way Process

It is not only important to give information, but it is also important to receive expected feedback from the other person after giving information to them. From this, we can find two activities in communication. The first activity is to give information, and the other is to get expected feedback. Therefore we can say that communication is a two-way process. Detailed information about the two-way process is found in the communication process. We are going to study it in the future.

(2) Communication Is an Ongoing/Continuous Process

As man is living in society, he continuously comes into contact with other persons. Therefore, it is found that communication is taking place continuously. Along with that, the communication process is taking place continuously in business organizations as many people are in touch with each other.
The process of communication is ever-changing as continuous change is taking place in the environment and in the persons taking part in communication. Different elements of communication are connected to each other. A psychological relationship is established amongst the persons taking part in communication. If some change takes place in the communicating person, there can be a change in the other person also, as an effect of it.

(3) Communication Requires at Least Two Persons

No one can have intrapersonal communication, i.e., one cannot have communication with oneself. For communication to occur, at least two persons are required, in which one person should be the message sender and the other, the receiver. Thus we can say that, for communication, at least two persons are required.

1.2.4 Elements of Communication

Up till now, we have studied how the communication process takes place and how its cycle gets completed. Now we are going to study what the various elements are that are taking an active part in the process of communication and how their existence is important in the process of communication.
Following are the various elements in communication:

(1) Communicator/Sender

The person/organization who sends a message to another person/organization is known as the communicator or sender.

(2) Communicatee/Receiver

The person/organization to whom the sender sends the message is known as the communicatee or receiver. The receiver, after receiving the message, interprets it and then, according to the message, gives a response. The receiver also selects the appropriate message and medium to send the response; at this point, the receiver becomes the sender.

(3) Message

In the process of communication, the information, ideas, or feelings transmitted by the sender to the receiver are known as the message. The message is very important in the process of communication.

Advantages of Written Communication

Following are the advantages of the written communication medium:

Permanent Record: It is a permanent record. It has perpetual value. It has been known since ages for its feature of permanence, in comparison with other media. Where records are very important, the use of this method is made. From written records, detailed information can be obtained for reference. Various written records are used differently according to their nature. For example, while handling legal matters, agreements, price lists, invoices, and letters become important. However, in day-to-day life, notes, reminders, instruction letters, notifications, informative liners/brochures, budgets, and salary bills are very important. On the other hand, to establish and maintain good relationships with external agencies such as government officials, social organizations, customers, well-wishers, etc., the correspondence made with them becomes very important. Such correspondence is preserved for future reference.
Avoidance of Personal Meetings/Visits: Personal meetings/visits are avoided due to written communication. It is very essential for some delicate issues.
Detailed Information: Complex, lengthy, and detailed information can be given through written communication.

2.2.2 Scope of Communication

The scope of communication changes according to the nature of the business. If the size of the business is limited, the scope of communication is limited. As the business progresses, the scope of communication also progresses according to the business. Thus, the scope of communication can be told as follows:

(1) One-Way Communication

At the initial stage of business, as the field, size, and volume of business are limited, the communication also happens to be one-way. In such a type of communication, the sender (senior officer, manager, owner) gives orders to their juniors, and they have to obey the order without raising any voice. In this communication, we find that there is a role only for the sender.

(2) Two-Way Communication

The scope of two-way communication is wider than one-way communication. As the business progresses, the need for two-way communication is felt. Under two-way communication, both the communicator and communicatee interact with each other and carry out the communication. Due to that, feedback is received easily.

(3) Horizontal Communication

In the modern world, when large-scale businesses are started, different departments/sections are established by taking into account the functions/activities of such organizations. To manage the business, communication has to be done with each departmental head. Not only that, but these departmental heads also interact with each other and exchange messages.

2.2.1 Principles of Communication

The manager continuously tries to make communication in management more successful. For this, the manager tries to make their own communication more effective. The prime function of the manager is to make necessary improvements in the communication system. Proper and logical arrangement/construction of communication means effective management.
To make communication more effective, the following principles are considered:

(1) Principle of Clarity

Each and every communication should be clear. It means that the meaning of the message (communication) of the sender should be understood clearly by the receiver. If the message is not clear, the communication will not be understood by the receiver, and we will not get the expected feedback from them. If the expected feedback is not received, then it can be said that our communication is unsuccessful. Therefore, it is very essential to have clarity in communication. The principle stating the necessity of clarity in communication is the principle of clarity.
There is clarity in communication about two factors. They are:

Clarity of thoughts
Clarity in arranging/explaining thoughts

(2) Principle of Alertness

Alertness is as important as clarity in communication. Alertness means the attention of both parties, i.e., the communicator and communicatee, to the communication. The communication becomes unsuccessful even if anyone neglects/does not pay attention to it.

3.2.4 Methods of Non-Verbal Communication

Following are some methods of non-verbal communication that are used frequently:

Signs or Symbols: Sometimes the message is given by making some typical movements that are known to others. For example, the language used by deaf people.
Messages Giving Explanation: Giving stress/emphasis on some words, making the shape of a particular thing with the hands, showing a particular thing with the hand, etc.—such actions help in giving more explanation about the concerned message.
Controlling Messages: Communication takes place with discipline and effectively if a person is listening carefully, looking with full concentration, nodding their head, and watching carefully.
Messages Exposing Feelings/Emotions: Acts such as eyes full of tears, big eyes with surprise/startle, an angered face, an angered look, shaking/shivering due to fear, etc., expose the feelings/emotions or status of the mind of the sender at the time of communication.

(7) Radio Broadcasting

It is the most common audio type of communication, which is known to all. First of all, radio signals were sent by the great scientist Marconi. He got the first message on his coral radio station, located at Newfoundland, in the year 1901. In 1922, the first radio broadcasting began through the BBC. Two years earlier than this, it was started in America. How and when can one broadcast the message?

At the time of an election, the approved/registered political party can express the party’s views/manifesto on the radio at a particular time.
The government or social organizations can give messages related to health, safety, the environment, etc.
Musicians, singers, instrumental players, etc., can perform their art on the radio.
Radio stations prepare their own programs through which social awareness can be created and also entertain people.
The most important broadcasting is the “news.” The radio station broadcasts news at/after a particular time, be it at the local, state, national, or international level. By broadcasting such news, the intention of communicating the latest happenings to the listener is achieved.

5.2.2 Types of Written Communication

Written communication is used for passing information within an organization and from one organization to another. Written communication can be in manuscript, typewritten, duplicated, or printed form. We propose to study different types of written communication so that the right type may be used for the right occasion. There are many types of written communication. We will study the following out of those:

Letters
Telegrams
Drafts
Notes
Speeches

(1) Letters

The concept of letter writing is not new to us. We have been using letters as a means of conveying information since historical times. Even in modern times, we use letters as a means of exchanging information in professional, official, and commercial fields.

(2) Telegrams

A telegram is a very quick means of written communication. When a short message needs to be sent urgently, we use a telegram. Telegrams, types of telegrams, telegram forms, and other details have already been discussed in Unit 4.

(3) Drafts

Before writing a letter, a primary sketch is first made. This rough or sketch is called a draft. For effective letter writing, it is essential to first prepare a draft. In an organization, the job of preparing a draft is assigned to an official of the lower cadre.

(4) Notes

In routine office systems, a letter is sent as per the approved draft. However, at times, the information in the letter contains important policy matters. If a definite policy has not been laid down, a junior officer may not be able to draft a letter.

(5) Speeches

Officers at the highest level in an organization are required to make speeches on various occasions.

Letters of Enquiry

A transaction begins with purchasing certain goods. The manufacturer buys raw material necessary for production, while the merchant buys and sells ready-made goods. To survive in this competitive market today, every trader has to get the right goods at the right price within the expected time frame. These days, there are many distributors of the same product. The businessperson has to choose the right distributor to suit the needs of their consumers. To do this, the businessperson needs to have information regarding all the manufacturers, their distributors, the quality, the price of their goods, the concessions offered, etc. The letters a businessperson writes to the manufacturer or distributor to get this information are called letters of enquiry.
Definition: A professional letter written by a businessperson making an enquiry regarding the availability of goods, price, concessions, and terms of payment, etc., is known as a letter of enquiry.

Points Necessary in a Letter of Enquiry

Short introduction of the organization
Basis of enquiry
Information regarding goods
Objectives of purchase
Quantity of purchase
Terms and conditions of sale
Credit and trade references
Desire to place an order and expectation of an early reply

5.2.2 Preparing a Report

Preparing a report is a matter of skill. The more accurate and clear a report is, the more useful it is. A report goes through the following stages in its formation:

Finalizing the Subject of a Report, Its Terms, and Reference: The writer must first and foremost have a clear concept of the subject matter of the report.
Preparation of a Primary Layout: The report writer must keep the objectives of the report at the forefront.
Collection of Information: After the primary layout is ready, the writer starts collecting information. There are two main sources of information.
Classification & Statement of Information: After all the necessary information is collected, it should be stated in proper form in writing. This information should be classified.
Rough Draft of the Report: After finalizing the order in which to put down the assembled matter, a rough draft of the report should be prepared. All information and statistics should be properly divided into paragraphs. Information should be made clear with the help of charts, graphs, tables, symbols, pictures, etc., as applicable. See that the paragraphs follow a logical sequence.

Factors Influencing the Style of Communication

Length of a Sentence in Communication: The length of a sentence has an effect on the style of communication. There are no rules regarding the length of a sentence, but if a sentence is too long, it is not easily understood.
Brevity: A message becomes brief when precise, definite, and chosen words are used. A brief message is very effective, and it gets an immediate response. Repetition of points made and unwanted information must be omitted to make a message brief.
Use of Right Words: A message can be made accurate by choosing the exact words. To make a message accurate, the communicator can use references, correct language, statistics, symbols, and units. Accurate messages get an immediate response.
Use of Easy Words: Communication is more effective when it is done using very simple and easy-to-follow words. The use of difficult words makes communication less effective.

(C) Psychological/Emotional Barriers

Barriers to communication may be developed due to the position of the communicator and receiver in the business organization. Emotional factors may also lead to barriers. Basically, the communication process takes place at the mental/psychological level. It is possible to show how water flows in a pipeline, but it is not possible to display how a message is transmitted. Communication is an intangible process, and mutual understanding between the communicator and receiver is the base of it. For effective communication, conscious efforts are necessary to overcome the psychological and emotional barriers on the part of the communicator and receiver. Sometimes, the wrong interpretation of the message takes place due to psychological barriers. Even doubt is raised regarding the intention of the communicator. As a result, an emotional gap is developed among the employees.
Psychological barriers may be of various types, such as a lack of concentration, prejudices, background and previous experiences, resistance to change, emotional constraints, feelings of class discrimination, premature evaluation, etc.

Types of Groups

Mainly, there are the following types of groups:

Natural and Artificial Groups: Family or persons in the same age group are naturally existing groups, while sports clubs, musical orchestra groups, etc., are artificial groups deliberately created to achieve certain objectives.
Fixed and Flexible Groups: Few groups exist for a very small period, e.g., fellow travelers on a journey, people helping at the time of an accident, etc. On the other hand, few groups last for a longer period, e.g., people living in a region, people speaking a particular language, etc.
Primary and Secondary Groups: From the viewpoint of mutual relations between individuals, primary groups are very important because individuals have direct contact with each other. Frequent togetherness and intimacy between individuals are observed. Mutual emotions are respected. During the communication process, the eccentric behavior of each other, habits, and mentalities are understood and accepted. On the contrary, members of a secondary group may not have continuous and direct contact with each other.

10.2.2 Importance of Communication in Managerial Efficiency

Communication is extremely important in managerial efficiency. This importance becomes clear while understanding the nature of managerial work. Hence, let us collect some more details about the same.
Planning done by managers includes consideration of various aspects, such as determining objectives, forecasting, framing policies, and accordingly deciding the program. In this sense, managers have to continuously take various types of decisions. For quick and correct decision-making, all relevant and complete information must be available. Hence, there exists a need for clear and correct communication.

(1) Planning

Planning is one of the important functions of management. To take correct and fair managerial decisions, a scientific thinking process is adopted that is based on facts, experiences, observations, and experiments. This process is referred to as planning. Before production activity is started, the whole work is divided into smaller processes, and then a comprehensive plan is imagined regarding how each production process will be done, when, how, and with which machine it will be done, etc. If there exists an efficient communication system, it is possible to clearly inform every worker, supervisor, and officer about what, when, and where the work is to be done. In this manner, by using a suitable channel, it is possible to communicate the information about production planning to all concerned persons. With this, it is possible to have the proper implementation of production planning.

(2) Organizing

The organizing function is of a decisive nature. Predetermining the requirements of various resources, such as machinery, materials, capital, human beings, etc., to achieve the objectives decided earlier and then supplying these resources accordingly are the two activities included in this function.