Chapter 6

Engineering Management
▪ What Communication is
▪ Functions of Communication
▪ The Communication Process
▪ Forms of Communication
▪ The Barriers of Communication
▪ Overcoming Barriers to Communication
▪ Techniques for Communicating in
Organizations
▪ Management Information System
At the end of this presentation the participants are
expected:
▪ To understand the importance and meaning of
communication;
▪ To know the functions of communications;
▪ To recognize the communication process and its
forms;
▪ To identify and overcome different barriers to
communication;
▪ To familiarize the various techniques in
communicating;
▪ To discern management information system.
“Communication is a process of sharing information through
symbols, including words and message.”
-Morris Philip Wolf and Shirley Kuiper
▪ It may happen between superior and
subordinate, peers, manager and a client,
employee and government representative
▪ It may be done through face-to-face, printed
materials, electronic devices
▪ In management, communication must be made
for a purpose and because it has a cost
attached to it, it must be used effectively
▪ Information function - information provided through
communication may be used for decision-making at
various work levels in the organization.
▪ Motivation function - communication is also used as
means to motivate employees to commit themselves
to the organization.
▪ Control function - when properly communicated,
reports, policies, and plans define roles, clarify
duties, authorities and responsibilities.
▪ Emotive function - when feelings are repressed in
the organization, employees are affected by anxiety,
which, in turn, affects performance.
▪ The Communication Process consisting of eight steps.
SENDER
RECEIVER
1.) Develops Idea 8.) Provides Feedback

7.) Uses the

Information

6.)
2.) Encodes Accepts
or
Rejects

5.) Decodes

4.) Receives the

3.) Transmits the message
Message
 (SENDER SIDE)
Develop an Idea
The most important step in effective communication
is developing an idea. It is important that the idea to be
conveyed must be useful or some of value.
Encode
The next step is to encoding the idea into words,
illustrations, figures, and other symbols suitable for
transmission.
Transmit
After encoding, the message is now ready for
transmission through the use of an appropriate
communication channel.
 (RECEIVER SIDE)
Receive
The next step in the communication process is the
actual receiving of the message by the intended receiver.
Decode
The next step, decoding, means translating the
message from the sender into a form that will have
meaning to the recipient.
Accept/Reject
The next step is for the receiver to accept or reject
the message. Sometimes, acceptance (or rejection) is
partial.
 (RECEIVER SIDE)
Use
The next step is for the receiver to use the
information. If the message provides information of
importance to a relevant activity, then the receiver
could store it then retrieve it when required.
Provide Feedback
The last step is for the receiver to give feedback to
the sender. Depending on the perception of the
receiver, however, this important step may not be
made.
VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Verbal communication is those transmitted through
hearing or sight. These modes of transmission
categorize verbal communication into two classes:
• Oral Communication
Oral communication mostly involves hearing the words of the
sender, although sometimes, opportunities are provided for
seeing the sender’s body movements, facial expression,
gestures, and eye contact.
• Written Communication
It is where the sender seeks to communicate through written
word. The written communication is sometimes preferred over
the oral communication because of time and cost constraints.
Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal communication is a means of
conveying message through body language,
as well as the use as time, space, touch,
clothing, appearance, and aesthetic
elements.
Nonverbal communication conveys many
shades of meaning and it is to the
advantages of the communicator to
understand what messages are relayed.
 Various factors may impede the efficient flow of communication.
Any, or all, of these factors may, at any point, derail the process. Even
if the message is transmitted by the channel, the timing and the
meaning of the messages may be affected by the factors.

The Barriers to Communication may be classified

generally as:
▪ Personal Barriers
▪ Physical Barriers
▪ Semantic Barriers
Personal Barriers
Personal barriers are hindrances to
effective communication arising from a
communicator’s characteristic as a
person, such as emotions, values, poor
listening habits, sex, age, race,
socioeconomic status, religion, education,
etc.
Physical Barriers
Physical barriers refer to interferences
to effective communication occurring in the
environment where the communication is
undertaken.
A communication channel that is
overloaded may also prevent important
information to reach the intended user.
Semantic Barriers
Semantics is the study of meaning expressed in
symbols such as words, pictures, or actions that
suggest certain meanings.
A semantic barrier may be defined as an
“interference with the reception of a message that
occurs when the message is misunderstood even
though it is received exactly as transmitted.”
 When barriers to communication affects the
effectiveness of performance, certain
measures must be applied to eliminate them.
Some ways to eliminate problems due to
communication barriers:

▪ Use feedback to facilitate understanding

and increase the potential for appropriate
action.
▪ Repeat messages in order to provide
assurance that they are properly received.

▪ Use multiple channels so that the accuracy

of the information may be enhanced.

▪ Use simplified language that is easily

understandable, and which eliminates the
possibility of people getting mixed-up with
meanings.
 Communication can be classified as to the
type of flow of the message. There are three
types of message flow:

1. Downward Communication
2. Upward Communication
3. Horizontal Communication
Downward Communication
Downward communication refers to message
flows from higher levels of authority to lower
levels. Among the purposes of downward
communication are:
▪ To give instructions;
▪ To provide information about policies and
procedures;
▪ To give feedback about performance;
▪ To indoctrinate or motivate.
Techniques used in Downward Communication:

Letters - appropriate when directiveness are complex and precise

actions are required.
Meetings and Telephone – personal interchange like this is appropriate
when orders are simple but the result depends largely on employee
morale.
Manuals – useful sources of information regarding company policy,
procedures, and organization. Unlike using persons as sources of
information, this is always available.
Techniques used in Downward Communication:

Handbooks – provide more specific information about the duties and

privileges of individual worker. It has also the advantage of being
available whenever needed.
Newsletters – provides a mixture of personal, social, and work-related
information.
Downward Communication concerns:

▪ Implementation of goals, strategies, and objectives;

▪ Job instructions and rational;
▪ Procedures and practices;
▪ Performance feedback;
▪ Indoctrination.
Upward Communication
It refers messages from persons in lower-
level positions in higher positions. The
messages sent usually provide information on
work progress, problems encountered,
suggestions for improving output, and personal
feelings about work and non-work activities.
Techniques used in Upward Communication:

Formal Grievance Procedures – grievances are part of normally

operating organization. To effectively deal with them, organizations
provide a system for employees to air their grievances.
Employee Attitude and Opinion Surveys – finding out what employee
think about the company is very important. The exercise, however,
requires expertise and the company may not be prepared to do it.
Suggestion Systems – suggestions from employees are important
source of cost-saving and production enhancing ideas.
Techniques used in Upward Communication:

Open-Door Policy – even on a limited basis, provides the management

with an opportunity to act on difficulties before they become full-blown
problems.
Informal Gripe Sessions – can be used positively if management knows
how to handle them. When employee feel free to talk and they are
assured of not being penalized for doing so, then management will be
spared with lots of efforts determining the real causes of problems in
the company.
Techniques used in Upward Communication:

Task Forces – when a specific problem or issue arises, a task force

may be created and assigned to deal with the problem or issue.
Exit Interviews – when employee leave an organization for any reason,
it is to the advantage of management to know the real reason.
Upper Communication concerns:

▪ Problems and exceptions;

▪ Suggestion for improvement;
▪ Performance reports ;
▪ Grievance and disputes;
▪ Financial and accounting information.
Horizontal Communication
Horizontal communication refers to message
sent to individuals or groups from another of the
same organizational level or position.
The purpose of horizontal communications are:
▪ to coordinate activities between departments;
▪ to persuade others at the same level of
organization;
▪ to pass on information about activities or
feelings;
Horizontal Communication concerns:

▪ interdepartmental coordination;
▪ intradepartmental problem-solving;
▪ staff advice to the departments.
 Management Information System is an
organized method of providing past, present, and
projected information on internal operations and
external intelligence for use in decision making.
It was used by corporate firms consists of
written-based and electronically based systems
for sending reports, memos, bulletins, and the
like. The system allows managers of the
different departments within the firm to
communicate with each other.
The MIS and Its Relationship with the Different Departments of
the Organization
Manufacturing Marketing

Management
Finance Information Personnel
System
Research and
Engineering
Development
▪ To provide a basis for the analysis of the early warning signals
that can originate both externally and internally.
▪ To automate routine clerical operations like pay-roll ad
inventory reports.
▪ To assist managers in making routine decisions
like scheduling orders, assigning orders to
machines, and reordering supplies.
▪ To provide the information necessary for
management to make strategic or non-
programmed decisions.
▪ Communication is a vital function of the engineer manager.
Organizations cannot function properly without effective
communication.

▪ Communication is used to serve the information function, motivational

function, control function, and emotive function.

▪ The communication process is consists of various steps, namely,

development of idea, encode, transmit, receive, decode, accept, use,
and provide feedback.

▪ The forms of communication are verbal and nonverbal.

▪ The barriers to communication may be classified as personal, physical,
or semantic. These may be eliminated or minimized by using feedback,
repeating the messages, using multiple channels, and using simple
language.

▪ Communication flows are either downward, upward, or horizontal.

▪ Management information system are useful means of communication.