DEFINITION

Communication is the process of exchanging

information, usually through a com-
Communication is the wide variety of forms-from two people having
mon system of symbols. It takes a
process of exchanging to messages sent over the global tele-
face-to-face conversation to hand signals
information. a

communication networks.
The process of
communication facilitates interaction
 Business Communication

among people; without it, we would be unable

to share our knowledge or expericnces with any-
body clsc. Common forms of communication
include speaking, writing, gesturing, and broad-
casting (Image 1.1).
The term 'communication comes from the
Latin word communicare that entered the English
language in the fourteenth and fiftecnth centuries
It is, however, difhiculte to define communication.
The Latin root word communicare has three pos-
sible meanings, which are as follows:

Image . Communication is the process of 1. 'to make common', which is probably derived
exchanging information from meaning number 2 or 3 below
2. cum +munus, that is, havinggifts to share in a mutual donation
3. cum +munire, that is, building together a defence, like the walls of a city
Therefore, in essence, communication entails the act of spreading information. When a person
communicates, he/she establishes a common ground of understanding. In the organizational context,
it brings about unity of purpose, interest, and effort. Communication can also be defined in the fol-
lowing ways:
.The process by which information and felings shared by people through an exchange ofverbal
and non-verbal messages
.The successful transmission of information through a common system ofsymbols, signs, behav-
iour, speech, wricing, or signals
.The creation of shared understanding through interaction among two or more agents
Communication depends on the interpretation ofa message by the receiver. Shared understand-
ing evolves through detection and correction of misunderstandings (as opposed to a one-way trans
mission of data). The understanding created through one communication cycle can never be absolute
or complete. It is an interactive and ongoing process in which common ground, that is, assumed
murual beliefs and murual knowledge. is accumulated and updated (Clark & Brennar

THE MEHRABIAN MODEL

Albert
Mehrabian, Professor Emeritus
of Psychology, UCLA, is pioneer in the field of understanding
a

communications. Mchrabian established the following statistics (Fig. 1.1), which have now becom
classic, for the effectiveness of spoken communication:

. 7 per
***********'******.
cent of meaning is in the words that are spoken.
2. 38 per cent of
The Mehrabian model meaning is paralinguistic (the manner in which words aresaid)
stresses the importance 5. 55 per cent of meaning is conveyed through facial expressions.
of non-verbal factors in
This model, though widely referenced in communications, should not be
communication.
*********** oversimplified or used indiscriminately to cover all manner of situations. Whie
 Nature and Scope of Communication5

7% it serves to
underline the importance of non-verbal
(Spokenwords) factors in a
communication situation, it is
55%
tant to consider the impor
(Facial context of the
communication
38% when
expressions)

(Paralinguistic) applying this model. Mehrabian's research

concluded that 93 per cent of the
Dy the people in the
meaning inferred
experiment could indeed be
accounted for by factors such as style of speaking
tone, facial
expression, and body language. However,
this is nota hard-and-fast
rule that can be applied
across board any form of communication.
to
Fig. I. The Mehrabian model For example, the conclusions of this model
would
be unreliable in the case of written or
communications, where without visual clues, the chances for telephonic
then,
miscommunication
greater. are A tair
way apply this model to modern communications where visual
to

email, memos, etc.), is to infer that in the absence inputs absent (telephone
are

of visual signs, even

greater care needs to be cxercised
while communicating,
With the Mehrabian model as a reference understand why
point, one can
very short emails or memos can sometimes cause offence or result in a lack
of understanding. However, this does that all written communica
not mean

tions, due lack of visual inputs, are inevitably ineffective. For instance,
to
legal
documents, written contracts, and public notices when well written convey
their meaning in no uncertain terms. Also, signs such as 'NO ENTRY' or
VISITORS ONLY' convey their meaning perfectly well (Fig. 1.2).
In a telephonic communication, words and tone of voice are conveyed,
but facial expressions are missing.'Therefore, ifa telephonic discussion is ofa
No entry sensitive or emotional nature, according to Mehrabian's model, this commu-
nication is not an effective one, as without facial expressions only 45 per cent
of the meaning can be conveyed successfully. However, this conclusion can-
not be extended to all such communications. For example, if one is calling
Fig.1.2 A 'No entry' sign home to ask for the address ofa friend, telephonic communication is pertecty
drive all the way back home ask
adequate. It is also far more efficient and cost effective than to just to

the question directly and receive an answer face-to-tace.

Thus, it is more than clear that the Mehrabian model gives us tremendous insight into the nature
of human communications and helps explain the importance of caretul and correct communication.
lhe basic principles can be used as a guide and an example. However, it should not be blindly applied
to every communication situation.

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
constitutcd to achieve certain specihc objectives.
The achieve-
organizarion is a group of persons
coordination and integration ofhuman cfort
nt of these objectives largely depends upon
proper
their activities arc also inter-
in an organization. People working in an organization are interrelated;
"
DD
 Business activities

Internal
External
Improving employee morale Sale and
purchase of
goods and services
Policy changes
Information dissemination to Information dissemination
various to various stakeholders
employees and the top
management and governments

Fig. 1.3 Business activities

8 Business Communication

Communication
Importance of Business
Better Communication is the most vital ingredient of an
quality of Enhanced
documents professional organization. In fact, an organization cannot be
Lesser
image run without an effective communication system
misunder-
in place. It is widely known that the achievement
standing Increased
Increased productivity of organizational objectives largely depends upon
proper coordination and integration of human
awareness Effective
effort in an organization.
among communication
employees Stronger Effective communication is an essential com
decision- ponent of organizational success whether it is at
Improved making the interpersonal, inter-group, intra-group,
orga-
customer
nizational, or external level. Communication is
relations Healthier Quicker
the essence of organizational effectiveness and
problem
business acts as a social glue that
solving keeps an
organization
relationships together. In short, the ability of the executives to
communicate effectively increases not only their
Fig. 1.5 Benefits of effective communicationn own
productivity but also the
productivity of
their
organization.. Communication effectiveness
also fetches several other benefits
organization (Fig. 1.5).
to an

Effective communication A manager's job is varied and

perform the duties and activities associated with his/her complex.
A manager needs certain
skills to
manager should possess
a
jobThe three essential skills or
competencies
technical, human, and
are
conceptual.
of these skills varies according to manager's level within an
a
Of course, the relative
importance
organization.
ability to work well with other people, individually as well as in a
Human skill refers to the
group. This skill is crucial, and is as
important at the top levels of management as it is at the lower levels, since
people. Managers with good human skills-skils to managers deal directly with
communicate, motivate, lead, and
ger the best out of their people. inspire-can
Therefore, communication is intricately linked to
managerial performance. Almost everything
manager does involves communication. He/she cannot make a decision without
a

tion, and to obtain this information he/she necds to communicate. Once a

adequate informa
decision is made, it needs
to be communicated. The finest
plan, the best idea, or the most creative suggestion cannot take shape
without communication.
 Nature and Scope of Communication 9

FUNCTIONSOF cOMMUNICATION
Civen the importance of communication in
80 per
organizations, it is not surprising that managers spend
mch as cent of their time
communicating, such as giving press interviews, reading reports,
listening to employees grievances, preparing proposals, etc. It will not be that the
to
wrong
say
and success of any organization can be gauged by the quantity and quality of information growth
that fows
through its personnel
Communication serves four major functions in an organization-information, control, motiva-
tion, and emotional expression..

Information
Information refers to the role ot communication in facilitating decision-making and problem solving
Managers, by means of adequate and effective communication, receive and transmit information that
enables them to solve problems and make decisions. For instance, in case of a strike in an organization,
it is the duty ot the manager to call workers for interaction-listen to them,
explain the organization's
stand, etc. These communication activities enable managers to solve a problem in a better manner.
Likewise, when managers have to take any decision, say, whether a particular location is suitable or
not for setting up a branch of their company, they need to go through the field reports and related
documents before arriving at a final decision.

Control
In the organizational context, control refers to the power to infuence people's behaviour. When the
employees are required to comply with company policies and procedures, adhere to their job descrip-
tion, or first communicate their job-related grievances to their immediate boss, communication per-
forms the control function. Similarly, when two managers do extraordinarily well in whatever project
they take up and if some other manager teases them in an informal manner, and if it affects their
behaviour in some way, the latter is not only communicating with the two managers but also control-
ling their behaviour.

Motivation
Motivation refers to the fostering of motivational spirit among the employees. Effective communica-
tion is needed in setting and deining clear goals.giving feedback on the progress
made in achieving these goals, and reinforcing the desired behaviour. Consider
Communication serves
four major functions the function of the vice president of a company in motivating his/her junior
in an organization: executives to accomplish a project related to setting up ot a training division
information, control, in the company. The vice president should define the goal clearly at the first
motivation, and instance. Once some work is completed, along with giving feedback on the prog
emotional expression. ress made, he/she should specify the steps for implementation. In all these rasks,
An employee's
an extremely significant role.
Communication
skills acquire utmost
communication plays
importance in this Emotional Expression
changing business the function
of communication in
scenario. Finally, emotional expression relates to
and emotions of employees under various
expressing or letting out the feelings
 Manager's roles

Decisional
Interpersonal Informational

Monitor Entrepreneur
Figurehead Disturbance handleer
Leader Disseminator
Resource allocator
Liaison person Spokesperson
Negotiator

Fig. 1.6 Amanager's roles

 Communication
Nature and Scope of

Message
Response Message
Step 6
Step

Step 5
Step 2 Channel

Message Message
Step 4
Step 3

Message
Fig. 1.7 Steps in the communication process
 12 Business Communital

COMMUNICATION BASICS communication

and its process.
about
the basic facts
we will discuss
In this section,

Process difterently and have, therefore d

the c o m m u n i c a t i o n process
scholars have viewed ofcommte
Different
different models.
However, there is
no disparity
as tar as the essential components
c o m m u n i c a t i o n procesS
is carried out
mmunicaion
in a
are concerned. The
ematic
or its functions and
nature

manner, as
and as shown in Fig. 1.7.
follows,
of communication.
Sender conceives an idea depending on the purpose
Step1
encodes the idea, and formulates the message
Step 2 Sender chooses appropriarte symbols,
Sender sends the message through a suitable channel (oral or written).
Step 3
Step4 Receiver receives the message.

Step 5 Receiver decodes the symbols, and comprehends, and interprets the message.

Step 6 Receiver sends response that is observed by the sender.

The entire communication process takes place within a communication environment, which is also
called communication context or frame of reference. Table 1.1 gives us the components and fun-
ctions of communication.
Both the sender and the receiver should be familiar with the
context. If even one of them is
not
aware of the context, communication
may suffer, and hence, lead to ineffectiveness. For example,
when the managing director of a
company gives press
a interview on TV, he/she is the
sender and the
TV viewers are the receivers,
though implicit
the receiver is the person who interviews.
At the time of
elecasting, the interviewer must initially provide a briet
company to prepare the viewers for the interview. If thisbackground
of the
managing director and the
context is not
find it dificult to
comprehend what is being said in the interview. established, the viewers may
When a sender (A) selects a channel
and sends a
world of the receiver (B) from where message through it, it first enters the
he/she
cannot
it
gather all the information that exists in the world picks up through his/her senses. However, B'ssensory
senses
gather depends on various factors such as the around him/her. How
much he/she can
and touch-mental
alertness, his/her cultural
ability of his/her
senses-sight,
unique mental make up is formed from background, and his/her will. In hearing, smell, taste,
his/her experiences, other words, his/het
Table I.I knowledge, prejudices, emotions, cultural
Components and functions of communication background, etc.
Components Functions/Nature
The mental make
up of
Sender (encoder) the
a
receiver
influences
Selects, composes message and filters it. Besides the
Message the receiver's
sensory world
message
Channel Verbal/non-verbal/combination
Oral/written
nal noises, may contain exter
movements of objects, the
Receiver (decoder) signals perceived, etc. In fact, the non-verbal
ldentifies, comprehends, interprets tal filter receiver's men
Response and feedback continually picks up such
Verbal/non-verbal/combination the world
around him/her. Hence, thingsis fro
there po a
sibility that these things affect
may the messa
Upward Communication

Uoward communication reters to the flow of information from lower levels to higher levels within
an organization, such as messages containing information, proposals, and feedback
requests, reports,

ggestions/recommendations). When a marketing manager submits the results of a recently con-

to communicate.
ducted survey to the vice president, marketing, he/she is using the upward channel
the continued absence
Likewise, personnel ofticer of a company conveying the information regarding
the same way, when an
of certain employees to his/her manager communicates vertically upwards. In
to his/her immediate
employee in the production division of an industry expresses his/her grievances
superior, communication fHows upwards.
Although we consider upward communication the logical opposite of downward communi-
as

differences arise because of the

cation, there are some important differences between them. These
between upward and
difference in status of the communicating parties. Some significant differences
downward flow of communication are as follows:

downward communication. Forr

1. Upward communication occurs far less frequently than
and his/her supervisor occurs less than
example, communication between a shop-floor worker
once a month.
their conversations tend be far shorter than the one-
to
2. When people communicate upward,
they have with others at their own level. This is mainly because of the difference in their status
communication generally is inaccurat-
3. The information transmitted in the upward How of
because usually employees are interested in presenting their best when communicating wit
their bosses. Hence, they have a tendency to highlight their accomplishments and downpla
 municatcd is bound to sulter

Downward Communication
communicationrefers to the flow of information
from the supcriors to subordinates
Downward
communication channcls comprisc information
In general, messages that flow through downward subordinates what thcy should be
nstructions, directions, and orders, that is, messagcs instructing
downward direction. When a
doing. You may also find fecdback on past performance flowing in a
company introduces a new policy or proccdure, it sends the information using the downward chan
hcl. A Sales manager, atter going through market surveys, may tell members of his/her sales force what
products they should be promoting. A production managcr may instruct his/her subordinatcs about
the operational details of a new
production process.
When kormal information slowly trickles down from levelone organization to the next low.
of an
est levelthrough adownward communication channel, it becomes less accurate. This is more so when
the information assumes a
spoken form. In such cases, it is not unusual for at least part of the message
to get distorted and/or
omitted as it works its way down from one
person to the ncxt lowest-ranking
person. When the message passes down several lines of hierarchy, therc is a possibility of
tortion, as shown in Table 1.2. message dis-
There may be various for this
reasons distortion, which will be discusscd at
length in the section
on communication barriers.

Horizontal Communication
In case of horizontal
communication, messages How not only up and down the organizational
but also sideways. When communication takes place among charr.
among members of work groups at the same level, the members of the same work oroa
among mana8ers at the same level, or u ,
laterally equivalent personnel, we describe it as lateral or amona any
a
horizontal
Table 1.2 Extent of message distortion type are communieffortscation-MMessages of this
characterized by
at
attempts to work
together. coordination or
For
Message Amount of Message ing department of an example,
organization
the market-
Passed (%) its efforts with has
people in other coordinate to
Written by board of directors 00
launching advertising campaigndepartments while
an
Received by vice president 63 uct. This necessitates the for a

Received by general manager 56 coordination of infor

with experts from manufac
new
prod-
Received by plant manager 40 acturing and ation
Received by team leader 30
see when the product will be
production
available) as well as (to
from research and development
(to see
Received by workeer 20
people really want). what those
features
atures
 Communication
17
Nature and Scope of

at different orga-
fows among
the parties
same level.
communication
while vertical
the
o r i z o n t a l c o m m u n i c a t i o n

communication
involves people at
nizational levels, horizontal casual in tone and
role
friendlier. It also is more

Theretore, it tends to be casier and

significant

Says a
organizations where
fewer barriers between
parties. This
the
Occurs m o r e frequently as
there are
without its potential pittalls.
nctions are decentralized.

c o m m u n i c a t i o n is
does not mean that horizontal other
sometimes feel that they are competing
against each
in difterent departments another. When
Indeed. people them show resentment towards one
resources, leading to
sufter.
for valued organizational cooperative one, work
is bound to

antagonistic, competitive
orientation replaces friendly,
a
communication save
an
horizontal channels of organizational
Nevertheless, messages Howing through beneficial since strict
adherence to
is more
cooperation. Lateral
communication
and facilitate transter
time
communications can impede
the efficient and a c c u r a t e
vertical s t r u c t u r e for all
the formal conflicts when the formal
channels are over-
it create dysfunctional
of information. However,
can
or when bosses
find out
around their superiors to get things done,
above or
looked, when members go
their knowledge. Horizontal communica
actions have been taken or decisions made without as there are
that functions are decentralized,
role in organizations where the
tion plays a more significant
various divisions.
in communication among the
increased possibilities of the gaps

Communication
Spiral or Diagonal horizontal directions, communication also
downwards-and
Apart from the vertical-upwardsand Ifthe management circulates the copy ofa
n e w bonus

flows in a circular or diagonal direction (Fig.1.9). communication. Some-

scheme all employees, it is circular, diagonal, or spiral
and incentive among
communication flows berween persons
who belong to different levels of hierarchy
times, however,

Vice president Vice president

Horizontal Vice president
(strategy) (marketing)
communication (new product)

Research and
development
manager

Product Regional
manager (sales)
managers

Market Diagonal
researchers communication

Vertical
communication

Fig. 1.9 Vertical, horizontal, and diagonal communicatior

 When anyone can tell anyone elkéanything informally, the result is a rapid low of information
long what is commonly called the
grapevine. This refers to the pathways along which unofficial intor-
ation travels. In contrast to tormal
mati
organizational messages, which may take several
days to reachh
heir destination, information travelling along the organizational
In fact, it is not unusual for some
grapevine tends to ffow rapidly.
messages to reach everyone in a large organization in a matter of
hours. This happens because informal communication crosses
organizational boundaries and is open
ro everyone. There is another reason as well-informal
information is generally communicated orally,
aand oral messages
reach not only more people but also more quickly than written messages. However,
oral messages run the risk of becoming inaccurate as they flow between people. Because of the pos
sible contusion grapevines can cause, sometimes it is advisable to avoid them. However, grapevines
are not necessarily bad. In tact, informal communication makes work
groups more cohesive, and may
also provide excellent opportunities to make social contacts that make lite at
Unofficial work more enjoyable. Recall how some kings used to go around their kingdom
communication channels
to gather intormation through informal means. However, always remember to
in an organization
supplement information collected through the grapevine with information col-
are referred to as
lected through formal channels, as certain inaccuracies may creep into informal
grapevines.
Rumours are usualy messages.
baseless and unverifiable Regardless of whether it is helpful or harmful, grapevine is an inevitable fact
information.
of an organizational life. Although the information communicated along the

grapevine may be accurate in some respects, it may be inaccurate in others. In

extreme cases, the information transmitted through this channcl may be baseless and unverihable.
Such messages are known Typically, rumours are based on speculation, someone's overac-
a_rumours.
tive imagination, or wishful thinking, rather than on facts.
Rumours spread like wildfire through organizations because the information they contain is usually
from one
sensational and vague. This ambiguity leaves messages open to embellishment as they pass orally
almost everyone in the organization has heard the rumour, and its
person to another. Before you know it,
inaccurate message comes to be regarded as fact.
rouhlace
1.
20 Business Communication

Table I.3 Grapevine communication-benefits, limitations, and guidelines

Benefits Limitations Guidelines
1. Less expensive than formal I. Fast spreading nature can cause 1. To be used
channels
as a
supplementary
damage to the organization channel only
2. May give some information that 2. If unverified, may cause troubles 2 Information to be verified for facts
you may find otherwise difficult to and also the source
collect through formal channels
3. An outlet for employees to share 3. May lead to misunderstanding if 3. Should not be ignored
their anxieties, worries, and incomplete
frustrations
4. Used voluntarily by many 4. May not be reliable as it is oral, 4. Employees using this channel should
employees and also nobody owns the not be threatened or encouraged
responsibility for the information too much
5. Fastest means of spreading
information
.
 Media richness relates Incorrect Choice of Medium
to the importance of
a medium in a given
Choosing an inappropriate communication medium can distort the
messan.
communication situation.
and block the intended meaning. One should select a medium that suitssage thahe
nature of the
message and the intended recipient(s). Media richness relates t
the value or importance of a medium in a
determined by a communication sIEuation.It
given
mediums ability to convey amessage using more than one informational
verbal, or vocal to facilitate feedback and establish personal focus. For example, video (visual
cue

is aricher communication medium than a

a
conference
phone call as it displays visual cues such as body language.
Face-to-face communication is the richest medium because it is
transmits information from both verbal and personal, provides immediate feedback
non-verbal cues, and conveys the emotion
message. Telephones and ocher interactive electronic media are not as behind the
effective. Although
immediate fecdback, they do not
and body movements. Written
provide visual non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, eyethey allow
media can be personalized contact
immediate feedback is through memos, letters, and reports, bur
missing along with the visual and vocal non-verbal cues that contribute
meaning of the message. The leanest media are to the
generally impersonal written such
fliers, and standard reports.
They lack the ability to transmit non-verbal cues messages bulletins,
as

also eliminate any and to give feedback.

personal focus. Table 1.4 summarizes the discussion on media richness. They
The barriers that arise out of an
inappropriate choice of media can be overcome by
choosing the richest media for non-routine,
using rich media to extend and to humanize complex messages,
your presence to promote the
ment to
organizational goals, and employees commit
using leaner media to communicate simple, routine
messages.
Information Overload
At times,
people load their messages with too much information.
mation is bad as too little because it
as Remember that infor
too much
reduces the audience's
important part of the message. The ability to concentrate
on the
some of the
recipients facing information overload sometimes tend to most
messages, delay responses to messages they deem ignore
messages, react only superficially to all
or unimportant, answer only parts some
of
failures lead to ineffective or messages. All these consequences of information
poor communication. overload

Table 1.4 Choice and quality of medium of communication

Nature of Message TYpe of Media Cues
Personal (oral) Nature of Feedback Media Quality
Face-to-face Verbal and non-verbal Immediate
Personal (oral) Richest
Telephone, Verbal and vocal Close to immediate Rich
computers, etc.
Personal and impersonal
Letters, memos, Verbal and visual
(written)/addressed reports, etc.
Delayed/no Leaner
documents
Impersonal/unaddressed Circulars, fliers, etc. Verbal and visual Almost nil
documents Leanest
 Commitment to Ethical Communication u
any
or a group
a person
ethics' refers the principles of conduct that govern
h e term business to
impartial. They respect the
ethical people are trustworthy, fair, and
Dusiness enterprise. In general, actions on society. On the other
hand
and concerned about the impact of their to achieve an
of others
whatever it takes
are
gnts
and unscrupulous; they say o r do
people are essentially selfish make
unethi
people sometimes
uncthical
business
Under the infucnce of competition and job
pressure,
end. has risen over the last few
of ethical awareness

cal choices. Despite all the negative publicity, the level the company
is familiar with
Hewlett-Packard are making s u r e that every employee
years. Firms like ethics broadd game to solve
trains itsemployees using an
standards for business conduct. Citicorp software that answers
to interactive
quandaries. General Electric employees have access
hypothetical column on ethics through an
ethics. Texas Instruments employees get weekly
a
their questions on

international electronic news service. Raytheon

employees make s o m e 100 calls
to log complaints
and ask about questionable behav
I n a multicultural a month to a hotline set-up

environment, managers iour.

have to overcome the Language itself is made up of
crucial role in communication.
Ethics play a
communication barriers or words eftectively, man-
words that carry values. So, by using certain expression
arising out of various of their message, and can, thus, shape expecta
differences in language,
agers infuence others' perception
itselt internaly,
culture, or business tions andbehaviour. Eikewise, when an organization expresses
it infuences the values of its employees; when it communicates externally, t
practices.
Business ethics refers to shapes the way outsiders perceive it. Ethical communication includes all rele
the principles of conduct vant information, is true in every sense, and is not deceptive in any way.
that govern a person or Ethics affect every aspect of business communication. When sending an eti
a group in any business ical message, managers are accurate andsincere. They avoid language thatman
enterprise. pulates, discriminates, or exaggerates. They do not hide negative information
 tried-and-testcd tech
several
In the following paragraphs, communication will be
niques for improving organizational
discussed.

Encourage Open Feedback

In theory, cncouraging open

feedback is simple (lmage 1.3).
eftective communica-
It accurate information is the key to

feedback. After
tion, then organizations should encourage

of information. However,
we
all, feedback is a prime source

be afraid of
because it is natural for workers to
say 'in theory'
when being extremely open
the repercussions they may face
1.3 Open feedback encourages officials may be
Image with their superiors. Likewise, high-ranking
communication what is really on their
somewhat apprehensive about hearing
give and receive tecd-
in organizations may be reluctant
to
workers' minds. In other words, people
communication.
back-a situation that can wrcak havoc on organizational
in which top othcials openly
These problems would be unlikcly to occur in an organizational climate
thcir mind with impunity.
and honestly scek fecdback and lower-level workers believe they can speak
tor opening
several successful techniques
How can this be accomplished? Although this is not casy,
are some of the techniques:
feedback channels have becn uscd by organizations. The following
levels give feedback to others
360-degrec feedback Thesc are formal systecms in which people at all
customers and sup-
at different levels and receive feccdback from them as well as outsiders-including
Hewlett-Packard, Motorola, and 3M.
techniquc is uscd in companics such
as
plicrs. This

employccs to submit ideas about how

systems Thesc arc programmes that invite
Suggestion implementcd.
generally rewarded when their idcas are

something may be improved. Employccs are

which is com-
film boxes onto cards that hang from display stands,
For example, the idea of mounting
came from a Kodak employec.
mon today, originally

Thesc are telephone lines staffcd by corporate officials ready to answer ques-
orporate hotlines

tions and listen to comments. These are particularly

usetulduring times of change when employees are
AT&T used hotlines in the early 1980s during the period
likely to be full of questions. For example,
of its anti-trust divestiture.

****'**** ******

360-degree feedback. Use Simple Language

Suggestion systems, and No matter what field you are in, chances are that it has its own special language-
corporate hotlines may communication within specialize
be used as successful itsjargon. Although jargon may greatly help
intertere with communication among the uninitiated.
feedback channels. groups, it can severely
to know your audience. If the individu
Avoid jargon The trick to using jargon wisely is
understand the jargon, using it ca
Communicators should als with whom you are communicating
speak the language of However, when addressing an audience who
their audience. help facilitate communication.
members are unfamiliar with the specialized language, simple, straightforwa
*****"