Effective Business Communication - Research Paper Example

? Effective Business Communication Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 4 1.Context Review 4 2.Background of Study 4 1.3.Objectives of the Study 5 1.4.Significance of the Study 5 2.Literature Review 6 2.1.Theoretical Review 6 2.2.Context Review 7 2.3.Integrative Review 7 2.4.Delivery of Business Communication 9 3.Methodology 10 3.1.Research Design and Instrument 10 3.2.Procedure and Time Frame 10 3.3.Scope and Limitations 11 4.Results and Discussion 11 5.Conclusion 11 6.Recommendations 12 7.Reference List 13 Abstract The paper addresses some of the deep rooted issues in the art of business communication as is relevant to organizations. The article identifies the importance of effective business communications and the challenges that organizations go through in their efforts to realize and facilitate effective communication in the workplace. The paper, therefore, performs a literature review on the theoretical development of business communication and some of the barriers that have been identified to impair the delivery of effective business communication. Lastly, the paper includes some of the channels that can be used to deliver business information in the workplace and their effectiveness. In order to articulate the process of communication, the researchers performed primary research using the qualitative and quantitative methods of interview and questionnaires in order to determine the problems facing various organizations in the UAE regarding effective communication. The paper then provides a brief discussion of the findings and offers recommendations for further research on the same. 1. Introduction 1.1. Context Review The process of communication entails a number of activities, which cannot be taken for granted. Effective communication requires that the speaker and receiver of the communication message being communicate play a role in making the process as effective and appropriate as possible. There are requirements that have to be fulfilled for a communication process to be effective. The first requirement is that of effective listening. A communication process cannot be complete if the message being communicated is not well understood and its meaning deduced effectively by the listener. The listener must work to make the speaker feel understood and create an environment in which the speaker will be free to express his views and put his message across in the most appropriate ways possible. Another requirement for effective communication is that both the speaker and the listener understand the importance and sue of non verbal communication skills. The speaker must be able to uses these cues to reinforce the message he intends to say, and the listener must be able to observe the cues and interpret them as effectively as possible. 1.2. Background of Study The process of communication is often hampered by barriers to achieving effective communication. As such, organizations are constantly seeking ways that they can reduce and eliminate these barriers in order to achieve highly effective communication process. One way that managers can overcome this problem is to draft and disseminate messages that are clear enough to be understood by those they are intended for. Such messages should contain clear information or instructions, and the language used should be simple enough to be understood and free from ambiguity. Workplace grapevine is a common barrier to effective communication as employees engage in informal and unsubstantiated gossip. In order to avoid this problem, managers should pass on relevant information to employees through official means to offer any clarity that may be needed so that they can prevent employees from constant speculation, which leads to the grapevine. 1.3. Objectives of the Study This study shall seek to explain the communication process in a business setting and identify some of the problems that those involved in the communication process incur. The study will then seek solutions to these problems in order to determine the factors that make communication in business an effective and successful event. In a summary, these objectives shall include: The explain the communication process in business To identify factors that hamper effective communication in business To identify factors and processes in which the factors above can be dealt with To identify factors that can make communication in business more effective 1.4. Significance of the Study Communication is an important requirement in the operations of all organizations, large and small. It is important that companies identify and define a communication structure that bears in mind their size and the range of activities that the company engages in. Effective communication in business serves to increase the level of efficiency in the organization as workers and management become adequately informed of the processes of the organization and of the activities that they are required to perform. This study will, therefore, be of significant importance to the business industry, as it will enable management and other members of business organization to understand the importance of effective communication and ways that they can structure their communication events and processes in order to achieve effective communication. This will have the overall effect of improving and increasing the efficiency of work, reduce the incidence of conflict, and improve the overall profitability of the organization. 2. Literature Review 2.1. Theoretical Review The study of the art and practice of communication has led to the formulation of a number of theories that seek to explain the method. The earliest theories of communication were designed in the 1950s and were referred to as the normative theories. These theories did not take effort to study the art of communication in contemporary context, but rather prescribed how the communication process ought to be done (Guo & Sanchez, 2005). It was, therefore, dictatorial in its approach and did not bear in mind the dynamics that were involved in the communication process. These were replaced by more empirical theories that sought to understand the communication process in various contexts and as such, give directions on how effective information could be passed across in an organization (Rees & Christensen, 2002). The structural and functional theory believes that social structures are definite structures that can be observed and studied in the patterns that they operate to define the communication process best suitable for them. This theory, therefore, proposes that different forms of communication are used for different social structures. The interactionist theory proposes that communication be used as a tool of social interaction as social life is composed of interaction among people. The interpretive theory states that the communication process should be based on the experiences of people, as they will use this interpretation to ascribe meaning to various events (Guffey, 2008). The critical theory states that conflict is an eminent factor in the interaction of people as people seek to protect their interests. Communication, therefore, should be aimed at solving these conflicts that rule the order of interaction (Spaho, 2011). 2.2. Context Review The traditional media of communication remain to the television, the radio, the telephone (including a wide range of mobile phones in use today), posters, and communication by word of mouth. Despite the fact that they are referred as traditional methods, they remain to be highly effective as many people relay on them for passing and getting information. The most widely used media of communication is the email, which managers use to pass information among them and to employees and among employees (Grimes & Orlando, 2003). Another media is the memo, which is quite synonymous with organizations. The memo is used to communicate to employees on various internal issues pertaining to the organization. The social media is used by some organizations as to pass communicate with their customers through customized pages, through which they are able to interact with the customers (Sharif & Nahas, 2013). Face to face meetings are still an effective tool of communication in the corporate world, especially when management needs to discuss crucial issues among them or with employees. The internet has enabled teleconferencing, so that members of a communication circle are able to hold conversations over the internet like would be on a face to face basis (Hooker, 2008). Lastly, letters continue to play an important role in business communication to represent official and highly formal communication processes like promotions, layoffs, and other forms of communication that need permanent documentation. 2.3. Integrative Review The process of communication is often hampered by barriers to achieving effective communication. As such, organizations are constantly seeking ways that they can reduce and eliminate these barriers in order to achieve highly effective communication process. One way that managers can overcome this problem is to draft and disseminate messages that are clear enough to be understood by those they are intended for. Such messages should contain clear information or instructions, and the language used should be simple enough to be understood and free from ambiguity. Workplace grapevine is a common barrier to effective communication as employees engage in informal and unsubstantiated gossip. In order to avoid this problem, managers should pass on relevant information to employees through official means to offer any clarity that may be needed so that they can prevent employees from constant speculation, which leads to the grapevine (Matthias et al…, 2009). In developing communication messages, managers should bear in mind the cultural diversity and differences among the employees so that the messages crafted can be understood clearly by every member. The organization should define a definite channel of communication through which messages should flow to create accountability in the communication process. This will also create credibility in the messages communicated to ensure that they are true and original to the purpose for which they are intended. Organizations should establish a two-way form and channel of communication, which will enable the flow of information from employees to management as well as from management to the employees through hassle free means. This will encourage employees to freely voice their opinions and views as well as make various enquiries regarding the operations of the company (Newberry, 2011). Conflict is a major barrier to the communication process as it serves to severe relationships among the communicating parties in the organization. Management should, therefore enact effective strategies that will address issues of conflict in the workplace so that employees can easily and freely engage in the communication process (The Economist Intelligence Unit, 2012). 2.4. Delivery of Business Communication There are a number of ways that various messages can be delivered in a professional and formal manner. Formal messages can be delivered using oral reports. These reports are made by persons through a presentation format, where they report the findings of the report to the audience (Udegbe et al…, 2009). Through the oral report, the presenter is able to explain details of the report to the audience to facilitate better understanding. Another format is using written reports (Bennett, 2003). This resembles an oral report only that this time, it is only presented to the receiving personnel in a written format, and they contain detailed explanation of the content of the findings. Memos are used by organizations to deliver formal notices to employees and as such, they are written in a professional manner using formal language (Martin & Chaney, 2009). PowerPoint presentations are used to deliver formal information through an oral mediated channel. Using the slide shows, the presenter presents the information he intends to while explaining the content in the slides to the audience. The slides have to be done in a professional way because the information they contain is formal and for professional purposes (Slovenia, 2005). Discussions are used to deliver information among groups, especially in horizontal forms of communication. A department manager can hold a discussion with his department employees to pass to them information pertaining to their duties and get feedback on the information passed. Sometimes, managers can be called upon to report to their superiors on certain aspects in the organization. This may take place in the form of a face-to-face report and the two may engage in some form of discussion as the superior party asks the reporting party questions to which he responds. Organizations use most of these forms on various occasions depending on the nature of the information being solicited and the available means of presenting the information (Agarwal & Chintranshi, 2009). 3. Methodology 3.1. Research Design and Instrument The study shall use both the qualitative and quantitative methods of study. The qualitative method will be used to guide the interview process, while the quantitative method will be used to guide the questionnaire response process. The study will select ten companies within the UAE from whom they will get select their respondents. The companies will be chosen purposively, depending on their acceptance to have their employees take part in the study. From the ten companies, the study will select a total of 50 employees as the respondents, and ten management officials for the interview respondents. The employee respondents will be chosen randomly with measures to ensure that they represent the features of sex, age, and level of education. These will be served with questionnaires, which they will be required to fill regarding the ways that their organizations may improve the effectiveness of communication. The top management representative from these organizations will be interviewed using a standardized questionnaire for the ten of them to ease the process of analysis and interpretation of the data. The interview information will be recorded using electronic recording device. 3.2. Procedure and Time Frame Activity/Time Jan. Feb. March April May June Drafting interview questionnaire Drafting employee questionnaire Scheduling for interviews Issuing questionnaires Interviewing process Data analysis Data presentation 3.3. Scope and Limitations The scope of this study shall be to capture the views of the employees and management regarding factors that derail the process of communication in the workplace as well as factors that they feel should be implemented in order to improve the art of communication. The limitations of the study, however, include the small number of respondents because of the limited time frame available for the research. This will limit the number of responses attained and as such, limit the effectiveness of the study in achieving vast information for the study. 4. Results and Discussion The results of the research study above indicated that most of the organizations that participated in the study lacked effective communication strategies. 6 out of the 10 organizations had their employees and management complain of the lack of effective communication. The most popular reasons identified for the lack of such effectiveness were one way communications structure, lack of frequent updates on the organizational activities and status, increased grapevine, and victimization of employees for various communication messages. In order to improve the process and effectiveness of communication in these and the other organizations, it would be important that organizations adopt a two-way communication structure, which allows the free flow of information up and downward in the organization so that both the employees and management are adequately informed of the activities of the organization. This will serve to clear any forms of uncertainties among the employees and as such, reduce the amount of grapevine in the organization. 5. Conclusion In order for organizations to achieve effective communication, they must put measures in place to enable free flow of information. Employees need to be adequately informed of relevant functions and activities that may affect their work and that they need know to avoid and reduce speculation among them. Employees must also put efforts to seek appropriate information from the relevant persons so that they can keep them informed and improve their functioning. Management should seek appropriate ways through which they can communicate the messages to employees using the various professional communication tools identified above. 6. Recommendations In order to further inform the topic, it would be appropriate that the research be crafted further to include more organizations from diverse industries so that the researcher can make effective comparison on the communication strategies used and their success at achieving effective communication. 7. Reference List Agarwal, S, and Chintranshi, J. (2009). “Faculty Perceptions of Business Communication Skills and Needs of Management Students” Electronic Journal of Knowledge Management Volume 7 Issue 3, (pp297 - 312), Bennett, J. (2003). Executive Priorities for Effective Communication in an Information Society. The Journal of Business Communication, 23(2). Grimes, D. & Orlando, R. (2003). Could Communication Form Impact: Organizations’ Experience with Diversity. Journal of Business Communication, 40(1): 8-21. Guffey, M. (2008). Business Communication: Process and product. NJ:Pearson Guo, K. & Sanchez, Y. (2005). Workplace Communication. 47688_CH04_077_110.qxd 3/9/05. Hooker, J. (2008). Cultural Differences in Business Communication. Carnegie Mellon University Press. Matthias, O., Jens, A., AssumptaAneas, M. & Busch, D. (2009). Editorial: Qualitative Research and Intercultural Communication. Otten, Volume 10, No. 1, Art. 34. Martin, J. & Chaney, L. (2009). Communication Skills Needed For Successful Interactions With America’s Largest Trading Partners. Proceedings of the 74th Annual Convention of the Association for Business Communication November 4-7, 2009 – Portsmouth, Virginia Newberry, R. (2011). Business Communication Skills: Attitudes of Human Resource Managers versus Business Educators. American Communication Journal, Volume 13, Issue 1. Rees, D. & Christensen, D. (2002). an analysis of the business communication skills needed by entry-level accountants. Mountain Plain Journal of Management and Economics. Sharif, T. & Nahas, R. (2013). Team Effectiveness: A Case Study of a Fast-Growing Private Educational Organization in the UAE. Journal of Education and Practice, Vol.4, No.22, 2013 Spaho, K. (2011). Organizational communication as an important factor of company success: case study of bosnia and Herzegovina. Business Intelligence Journal, Vol.4 No.2 Slovenia, B. (2005). Internet Communication in the Development of Business Relationships. Finland: Hanken - Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration. The Economist Intelligence Unit. (2012). Competing Across Borders: How Cultural and Communication Barriers Affect Business. The Economist. Udegbe, M., Ogundipe, K., Akintola, O. & Kareem, R. (2009). Impact of business communication on organizational performance in Nigerian companies. Lagos: Lagos State University. Read More