English Language English Language Business CommunicationBusiness Communication

Deny A. KwaryDeny A. Kwary

www.kwary.netwww.kwary.net

Today’s TopicsToday’s Topics

1.1. The importance of effective The importance of effective communication to organisationscommunication to organisations

2.2. Challenges to effective organisation Challenges to effective organisation communicationcommunication

3.3. A simple model of communication processA simple model of communication process

4.4. Key dimensions of organisational Key dimensions of organisational communicationcommunication

5.5. Different perspectives on communicationDifferent perspectives on communication

Why is effective communication Why is effective communication important to organisations?important to organisations?

Helps an organisation to achieve:Helps an organisation to achieve: satisfied repeat customers;satisfied repeat customers; well-motivated employees;well-motivated employees; a positive reputation in the wider a positive reputation in the wider

community;community; innovative and creative strategies.innovative and creative strategies.

iRobot, Inc., is an engineering contractor based in Massachusetts. Founded in the late 1980s, iRobot's mission statement is to build "cool stuff" while making money and changing the world for the better. The founders were accustomed to the academic environment of MIT's Artificial Intelligence Lab. They worked for large companies or governments that wanted them "to do something they [the clients] found interesting but only wanted one of.... It was like being an artist working on commission. One of the projects was a crab-walking minesweeper for the Department of Defense. In the mid-1990s, iRobot pitched an idea for a storytelling machine to toy maker Hasbro, Inc. The machine, a plastic-molded tableau with little characters surrounding a child's book, could actually act out the story, with dialogue and gestures. It was "unbelievably cool."

Consider the following story:

Had the company (iRobot, Inc.) practiced effective communication?

Did Hasbro, Inc. agree to finance the project?

Unfortunately, it was also unbelievably costly – total direct materials alone cost $3,000. Clearly, this toy was not destined for Toys "R" Us with a $19.95 price point. Hasbro turned thumbs down on the project.

The story continues…

Source: Leigh Buchanan, "Death to Cool: How an R&D Boutique that Made Only Elite, Sexy Products Became a Big-Time Mass Marketer of the Mundane," Inc. (July 2003)

Challenges to effective Challenges to effective organisation communicationorganisation communication

Formal organisation structures;Formal organisation structures; Cultural diversity;Cultural diversity; Intense political, financial and Intense political, financial and

time pressures;time pressures; Etc.Etc.

To be discussed further in Week 37To be discussed further in Week 37

Figure 1.1 A simple linear model of the communication processSource: Adapted from Shannon and Weaver (1995)

A simple linear model of the A simple linear model of the communication processcommunication process

Figure 1.2 The linear model of the communication with feedback

The linear model of the The linear model of the communication with feedbackcommunication with feedback

Key DimensionsKey Dimensions

Verbal and non-verbal communicationVerbal and non-verbal communication

One-way and two-way communicationOne-way and two-way communication

Inter-personal and mass communication Inter-personal and mass communication (to be discussed in Weeks 40 and 41)(to be discussed in Weeks 40 and 41)

Internal and external communication Internal and external communication (to be discussed in Weeks 45 and 46)(to be discussed in Weeks 45 and 46)

Verbal and non-verbal Verbal and non-verbal communicationcommunication

Verbal: coded in the form of wordsVerbal: coded in the form of words• Spoken, Written, New hybridsSpoken, Written, New hybrids• Diction, Translation (cf. Diction, Translation (cf. ResultatopgørelseResultatopgørelse))

Non-verbal:Non-verbal:• Kinesics (body language)Kinesics (body language)• Proxemics (physical distance between Proxemics (physical distance between

people)people)• Visual media (pictures and signs)Visual media (pictures and signs)

(to be discussed in Week 39)(to be discussed in Week 39)

KinesicsKinesics Kinesics Kinesics oror body language body language is the language of is the language of

gestures, expressions, and postures.   gestures, expressions, and postures.   The meaning of some gestures, such as a smile, The meaning of some gestures, such as a smile,

may be the same throughout the world. However, may be the same throughout the world. However, the meaning of others may be different. the meaning of others may be different.

For example, what does “spitting on another For example, what does “spitting on another person” mean? person” mean? • a sign of utmost contempt in North Americaa sign of utmost contempt in North America• an affectionate blessing if done in a certain way an affectionate blessing if done in a certain way

among the Masai of Kenya.among the Masai of Kenya.

ProxemicsProxemicsThe study of interaction The study of interaction distances and other culturally distances and other culturally defined uses of space that defined uses of space that affect communication. affect communication.

Consider an extract from the study by Remland, Jones and Brinkman (1991) on the Means of Distance Between Heads in Inches (M-DHI)

The multiple dimensions of The multiple dimensions of organisational communicationorganisational communication

What are the dimensions of a Website?

(Two-way)

Different Perspectives on Different Perspectives on CommunicationCommunication

Modern perspectivesModern perspectives

Interpretive perspectivesInterpretive perspectives

Critical perspectivesCritical perspectives

Post-modern perspectivesPost-modern perspectives

Modern perspectives Modern perspectives

Decision-making underpinned by Decision-making underpinned by rational calculationsrational calculations

Sees communication practices as Sees communication practices as accessible to researchersaccessible to researchers

Communication practice changeable Communication practice changeable through managerial controlthrough managerial control

Favours collection of quantitative Favours collection of quantitative datadata

Interpretive perspectivesInterpretive perspectives

Less interested in generalisable Less interested in generalisable theorytheory

Ethnographic studies collect Ethnographic studies collect qualitative dataqualitative data

Findings in the form of an Findings in the form of an individual’s narrativeindividual’s narrative

‘‘The double hermeneutic’ (i.e. The double hermeneutic’ (i.e. double interpretation)double interpretation)

Critical perspectivesCritical perspectives Interested in ways that communication Interested in ways that communication

practices and channels are used to practices and channels are used to exercise power over employees and exercise power over employees and communities etc. under industrial communities etc. under industrial capitalism (Alvesson and Willmott capitalism (Alvesson and Willmott 1996)1996)

Explores role that language (e.g. the Explores role that language (e.g. the use of euphemism) can play in use of euphemism) can play in persuasion (Knights and Willmott 2000)persuasion (Knights and Willmott 2000)

Postmodern perspectivesPostmodern perspectives Challenge the assumptions of modern Challenge the assumptions of modern

perspectivesperspectives Argue that contemporary trends Argue that contemporary trends

(globalisation and Internet) mean that (globalisation and Internet) mean that people have increasingly multiple and people have increasingly multiple and fragmented identitiesfragmented identities – impossible to – impossible to generalisegeneralise

Take critical approach to established Take critical approach to established communication practicescommunication practices

Hatch, M.J. 1997. Organisation Theory: Modern, Symbolic and Postmodern Perspectives. Oxford: OUP

The Brain Teaser The Brain Teaser

1. If there are 7 months that have 31 1. If there are 7 months that have 31 days in them and 11 months that days in them and 11 months that have 30 days in them, how many have 30 days in them, how many months have 28 days in them?months have 28 days in them?1212

2. Do they have a 4th of July in England? 2. Do they have a 4th of July in England? Yes. It comes after the 3rd of July.Yes. It comes after the 3rd of July.

3. If there are 3 apples and you take 3. If there are 3 apples and you take away 2, how many do you have?away 2, how many do you have?2 (you took 2)2 (you took 2)

The Brain Teaser (2)The Brain Teaser (2)

4. A woman gives a beggar 50 cents; the woman is 4. A woman gives a beggar 50 cents; the woman is the beggar's sister, but the beggar is not the the beggar's sister, but the beggar is not the woman's brother. How come?woman's brother. How come?The beggar is her sister.The beggar is her sister.

5. If you have only one match and you walked into a 5. If you have only one match and you walked into a room where there was an oil burner, a kerosene room where there was an oil burner, a kerosene lamp, and a wood burning stove, which one would lamp, and a wood burning stove, which one would you light first? you light first? The match.The match.

6. Divide 30 by 1/2 and add 10. What is the answer?6. Divide 30 by 1/2 and add 10. What is the answer?7070

SummarySummary

(1) Practising effective communication in different (1) Practising effective communication in different organisational settings requires an organisational settings requires an open mindopen mind, , which means a willingness to take on new ideas which means a willingness to take on new ideas and explore new perspectives.and explore new perspectives.

(2) Communication in organisations is particularly (2) Communication in organisations is particularly challengingchallenging due to due to factorsfactors such as formal such as formal structures, cultural diversity, political, financial & structures, cultural diversity, political, financial & time pressures, etc.time pressures, etc.

(3) Therefore, (3) Therefore, effectiveeffective strategies are needed to strategies are needed to improve communication practices in order to improve communication practices in order to make a real difference to performance.make a real difference to performance.

Summary (continued)Summary (continued)

(4) (4) The communication processThe communication process: Messages are : Messages are encoded by senders, transmitted and then encoded by senders, transmitted and then decoded by receivers; they are also subject to decoded by receivers; they are also subject to distortion, or ‘noise’.distortion, or ‘noise’.

(5) (5) Message contentMessage content, including a mixture of raw , including a mixture of raw data, facts, ideas, opinions, beliefs and data, facts, ideas, opinions, beliefs and emotions, can be conveyed through various emotions, can be conveyed through various channels, such as e-mail, interviews and channels, such as e-mail, interviews and video-conferences.video-conferences.

Summary (continued)Summary (continued)

(6) A (6) A holistic viewholistic view of communication seeks to of communication seeks to integrate conventional dimensions, such as: integrate conventional dimensions, such as: verbal and non-verbal, one- and two-way, verbal and non-verbal, one- and two-way, interpersonal and mass, internal and external.interpersonal and mass, internal and external.

(7) It also balances an emphasis on practical skills (7) It also balances an emphasis on practical skills development with deeper reflection on development with deeper reflection on communication practices in today’s communication practices in today’s organisations. This is achieved by drawing on organisations. This is achieved by drawing on different perspectivesdifferent perspectives――modern, interpretive, modern, interpretive, critical and postmodern.critical and postmodern.