Language and Communication - Research Paper Example

Introduction Man has been capable of developing more than 6800 languages over the time period of thousands of years. The ability of man to communicate with his fellow beings has been developed to the extent that today communication and languages have become areas of detailed research and development and involve thousands of specialists and researchers. The communication process involving sending messages, transmission, reception and feedback from the receiver has become a complex and systematic process in today’s world. The communication process though apparently is studied and developed continuously with specialists devising new methods and procedures to make the entire process efficient and reliable. Modern day organizations also require reliable and efficient methods of communication to maintain productivity and effectiveness of the organization. The organizations of all kinds depend on effective communication for productive and efficient results whether they are businesses, NGOs, governments or any other organization functioning to attain a specific goal. The communication process in the organizations has to be continuously checked and maintained if the management desires to keep up with the volatile world. There is much literature published related to the communication process, languages, communication at the work place and barriers to communication. This research paper deals with the topic of communication at workplace. The paper discusses the importance of communication, the barriers to effective communication and solutions to the problems faced by organizations in communication. The paper also discusses issues related to language and the possible solutions to those problems. The objective of any language is to communicate. Communication is a multifaceted practice that is all about conveying messages. In the modern world, the word ‘communication’ is used in wider aspect such as a company’s communication with the targeted audience. Communication should be clear and easy to understand as the core objection of any language is to deliver a message and it further leads to educating people. However, communication is not just one-way delivery of a message. One way message delivery is a speech, but cannot be considered communication.  Therefore, the feedback ensures that the message has been understood by the receiver. From a company’s perspective, selection of the right audience is the most important element. It is of certain importance to understand what exactly the target market needs and responding in accordance by meeting its need is the key to success for all businesses. Objectives This paper aims to find out the importance of communication and languages in order to meet organizational goals. With the help of reviewing the available literature, it will become easier to find out the areas that can be improved to evaluate the actual need of the target audience and to respond by coming up with a product or service that is needed by the target audience. What is communication? Managers of many organizations are interested in developing communication systems in the organization in many ways (Harrub et al., 2003). Some opt for the electronic equipment such as fax, email, video conferencing or telephones. Others opt for software, books, presentations and videos. These managers try to help the people working in the organization to effectively communicate with colleagues or customers or superiors. This endeavor is undertaken only in the organization’s best interests. Communication is essential for all kinds of organizations. It has been recently acknowledged as a conceptual term by the managements of all kinds of businesses or organizations. The term ‘communication’ was not paid much attention by the managers as late as 1950s as till then the significance of the term had not been realized. As the organizations adopted modern ways of working and became accustomed with the changing environment the managers of those organizations realized the impact of communication on employees, customers, competitors and all the other stakeholders. Researchers, like Fielden, proposed that the capability of communicating well should be considered most important among the traits of managers and the criteria for deciding the eligibility of managers for promotions. Other researchers, including Hybels and Weaver, explained communication as the process which allowed people to share ideas or information. Communication may either be in a written form or verbal, but it must not be forgotten that body language, manners and style make significant contributions to the communication process overall. According to Megginson, communication is the process through which meaning can be transmitted from a person to another. Other researchers like Snell attach much importance to body language. Expressions and bodily gestures influence the meaning of the transmitted message understood by the receiver of the message. According to Rue and Byars, effective communication is necessary for managers in organizations because they must be capable of giving directions and guidance to the employees. Motivation is one of the duties of managers which cannot be performed unless the manager is proficient at communication skills. In addition to the points mentioned above the managers need to be good at receiving messages from different kinds of people and understanding them. In commercial activities, business managers and employees need good communication skills to communicate effectively with customers and competition. The ability of the sales staff, for example, to persuade people into buying the product they are promoting is the key to success in their career. All of the above mentioned points clearly define communication and its need to the organizations. The communication process must be effective enough in an organization to prevent mismanagement and misunderstandings (Ojo & Umera-Okeke, 2009). Communication process The communication process is comprised of a sender of a message, a receiver and the means used to transmit the message. The process starts when the sender sends the message using a medium to the receiver. Upon reception, the receiver confirms the message or provides feedback to the sender. The communication process must be effective. Feedback is essential to the process as the sender must be informed of the meaning or the intent of the message grasped by the receiver. An effective feedback has to be descriptive. Long details are irrelevant if not asked for in the feedback. Reactions to a particular message may also be communicated through body language or other gestures if not verbally. Above all, the feedback must be specific. The feedback must consider the requirements of the sender and the receiver of the message. Also, the timing of the feedback is essential. The feedback must be checked and corrected if there are distortions in it (Wertheim, n.d.). Methodology The data and information for this paper was collected from different websites offering articles, books and advice on the topic. The nature of the topic makes it a long and detailed to study. It is more or less impractical to accommodate all the aspects of the topic into a single piece of work and present it in a way understandable to everyone. Before a question can be raised regarding the methodology employed and the preference given to secondary research ignoring primary data collection, it would not be inappropriate to inform the readers about the vast scope of the topic and the impracticality of conducting primary research on the topic. Experiments, surveys, interviews and other similar primary data collection methods could not be undertaken due to the limitations imposed by time and absence of resources. The information collected from websites gives a comprehensive detail of the topic and also provides latest updates from the researchers and practitioners involved in the field of communication. Communication in organization Organizations, today, take communication more seriously than ever before. It has been well recognized that ineffective communication leads to inefficient performance and loss no matter how specialized and efficient the workers of the organization may be. Organizations today develop procedures to help all the stakeholders communicate with the organization. Lack of trust found in employees working in some organization is majorly due to the lack of appropriate communication which either the management or the employees don’t attach much importance to. The need to have effective communication between managers and employees has already been discussed and will be further discussed in the following pages. It shall be useful to consider other areas where communication is essential in an organization. The public relations department of an organization requires people with excellent communication capabilities to keep relations with all the stakeholders healthy (Bake, 2002). In modern world, the strength of mass media and electronic means of communication can be disastrous for an organization if it fails to convey its messages to the stakeholders using appropriate methods (World Bank, n.d.). Formal and Informal communication In organizations, the communication can be put under two categories. The communication can either be formal or informal. Formal communication is the communication which must satisfy the criteria set by the managers of the organization for formal communication. It may occur between people of the same rank or between people belonging to different areas or ranks within the organization. Instructions, orders, guidelines and appraisals are included in the category of formal communication. The management of the organization is to set the procedures and channels for formal communication to take place smoothly and uninterruptedly. Informal communication takes place usually between people belonging to the same levels or ranks within an organization. In some cases, it may also take place between a superior and his or her subordinate. Informal communication is not subject to the formal procedures or channels used for communicating formally rather it stems from friendship and association with colleagues or co workers. Though there can be no limitation placed to informal communication, it still needs to be checked. Office politics, rumors, lobbying and discrimination are usually planned or and spread through informal communication within an organization. Communication styles People working in an organization may belong to different backgrounds and may have different styles of communication. Researchers in the field of communication and organizational behavior have ascribed some categories of people who have a particular style of communicating. Open communicators are more in favor and comfortable in communicating informally. People, with social skills and friendly nature, are found in this category. Reserved communicators are possessive and want to keep their privacy. Such people are uncomfortable with letting other people know much about them. They rather tend to keep information about themselves as much private or secretive as possible. Such people usually do not indulge in social activities and prefer desk jobs over jobs requiring more interaction with people. Indirect communicators take more time to communicate than others. They are more concerned about facts and detailed information avoiding useless communication as much as possible. Direct communicators are people who are aggressive in communicating with others. Their style of communication is rapid and often to the point. Such communicators also are in the limelight at workplace. These styles of communication obviously impact the overall quality of communication in organization. If managements are more aware and actively participate problem solving, they must analyze people in the organization first. The styles of communication of people often exhibit their personalities and character which must not be ignored by the organization’s management while making strategic decisions and assigning tasks. In a nutshell, it is essential for the organizations to carefully analyze the individuals working in it and work for their development only for the benefit of the organization itself. Importance of communication in organizations Communication is an integral function of the management of any organization. The importance of communication in an organization does not need much emphasis as it has been mentioned in the previous pages. The process of sending and receiving information or ideas between two or more people, known as communication, is a basic need of life for everyone and so for organizations of all kinds. Organizations are made up of people and people work through coordination and relationships in an organization. The absence of effective communication in an organization leads to unhealthy relationships, mismanagement and inefficient work. Effective communication is required at all levels of an organization, from the lowest to the highest, irrespective of the designation of the people at different levels. Employees need effective communication at the workplace to carry on their work in a systematic order. Inefficiency at work results in serious consequences for the employees including layoffs and pay cuts. Employees working in an organization need to communicate well with their superiors, as well as their colleagues, to ensure work gets done well. Organizations are increasingly dependent on efficient and speedy communication since electronic means have become available for communicating. The managers of organizations need to set procedures of communication for all the people working in them. Distortion, noise, delays and absence of feedback lead to misunderstanding and inefficient performance. The procedures set by the managements thus need to be noise or distortion free to ensure that the correct messages are transmitted, and appropriate feedback is received. Managers and employees of an organization build and work through relationships and coordination. Managers communicate information to employees on a regular basis and demand feedback from the employees concerning the execution of orders and performance. Effective communication is essential for the managers as they need to transmit messages to the employees with the least amount of distortion so in order to let the employee understand the message well and perform accordingly. There arise innumerable problems due to ineffective communication at work place. Managers, today, are required to be proficient at communication and interaction with the employees. This trait had not been given much attention a few decades ago, but changes in norms and environment over time have led managers to acknowledge the dire need for effectiveness in communication. Managers are also motivators for the employees. Motivation today is not just related to pecuniary benefits. It has become a vast field of research and development (Buzzle.com, n.d.). Managers acquire skills which help them to become good motivational speakers at work. The skills of the managers in communication are essential for them to help them keep their subordinates motivated and high spirited as otherwise a low morale workforce is doomed to destroy the organization it is working for (ArticleBase, 2007). Motivation and effective communication lead to increase in productivity of employees. Thus, effective communication is the key to increase in productivity and overall success of an organization (Griffin & Moorhead, 2009, p.278). Problems and barriers to effective communication Effective communication in organizations is often hampered by several barriers and problems. Physical barriers include marked territories in which outsiders or people not belonging to the area or department are not allowed. Often people of different designations or status discriminate others who either do not share the same status or belong to the lower levels in the organization. These barriers create distance between members of an organization and thus results in ineffective communication which further leads to decline in productivity of the organization. Perceptual barriers are the barriers to effective communication which arise due to the one’s perception of some other person. The world is full of people from different backgrounds, cultures, races, color and mentalities. It can be difficult to coordinate with all of them at a time but with proper skills and communication efficiency this problem can be tackled. The problem arises due to perceptions of people. This barrier leads to discrimination and misunderstandings in the workplace. Emotional barriers are another problem hindering effective communication. Fear, lack of trust, hate or suspicion often results in misunderstandings. Such barriers must be tackled by the managers. Cultural barriers also play a major role in obstructing efficient communication process. People from different cultures find it hard to adjust with people coming from cultures different from theirs (Garner, n.d.). Language barriers are another hindrance in the way of effective communication. People speaking different languages usually find it difficult to communicate with each other unless they can use a language spoken worldwide like English or French (Buzzle.com, n.d.). Language and the organization Businesses are becoming increasingly global as the world is connected through mass media, communication and trade. There are arising more opportunities for businesses to increase their interaction with people from different areas, cultures and nationalities. English has become a global language used by people speaking other languages to communicate with people not speaking their native languages. There are some issues of languages when it comes to organizations and multiculturalism. The difference between languages is an important issue yet to be dealt with. Languages tell about the people who use a particular language. Their vocabulary, accent, outlook and response tell a lot about their cultures and nationalities. The differences in languages which point to differences in cultures and attitudes give rise to the need to surmount the barriers to effective communication. The organizations of today need to communicate with different people speaking different languages. These differences must be seen and judged objectively. The language, its style and expressions tell about the perception of someone about someone else. This awareness must me raised among the people working in an organization in order to help them communicate well with their counterparts. This entire process leads to intercultural communication and better management within the organization (Swallow, 2009). Possible solutions for surmounting language barriers Language barriers are a significant issue to deal with. There some possible solutions to the language problems encountered by the organizations in the modern world. Learning other languages is a good option but not an easy one considering the limitations of time. But time shortage does not by any means rule out the possibility and practicality of learning new languages by employees or managers of an organization. People working in organizations need to be specific and clear while communicating with people not able to speak a particular language easily (Buzzle.com, n.d.). Regular feedbacks must be asked for to ensure correct messages are transmitted and received. Other than the methods mentioned above there can be other measures taken such as choosing the appropriate means for communication, providing information using several channels or methods and avoiding terms or jargon which are unknown to the person addressed (Berard, 2007). Recommendations The research discussed the issues related to communication and language in organizations proposing a few possible solutions which seem practical to the researcher. The field of communication, as mentioned earlier, has become an area of well detailed research which requires further literature and research work in order to develop the field of study. It would not be unwise to make a few recommendations after going through such research work. Firstly, most of the literature published on the topic happens to be more general in nature. The advice, research papers, guides, theories and definitions usually available are enough to satisfy researchers who aim to cover general aspects of communication and not the detailed analysis. Secondly, there is much repetition in the published literature. There remains room for much research to be done concerning issues related to communication in different types of industries and environments. The workplaces differ from region to region and so does the work environment. The focus should be not only on raising awareness among mangers but employees as well. The field of communication is more open to problem ‘solvers’ rather than problem ‘identifiers’ (Buzzle.com, n.d.). Conclusion Communication has developed into a complex process and network in modern world but as big as it gets more problems arise due to slow pace of development in research. The people becoming aware of the need to communicate appropriately are increasing in number and they require appropriate material to study from and to enhance their skills and efficiency. This research is a mere contribution to the world of published literature on the topic offering general information related to the topic and identifying areas which require further research and development. Such endeavors should not be halted at the beginning for being general in nature rather such pieces of work be accepted and corrected only to allow future researchers to gain access to information related to the field of communication. References ArticleBase, 2007. Importance of Communication in an Organization. [Online] Available at: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/importance-of-communication-in-an-organization-97064.html [Accessed 6 December 2011]. Bake, K.A, 2002. Chapter 13: Organizational Communication. [Online] Available at: http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/doe/benchmark/ch13.pdf [Accessed 5 December 2011]. Berard, K., 2007. 10 Strategies for Overcoming Language Barriers. [Online] Available at: http://www.culturosity.com/pdfs/10%20Strategies%20for%20Overcoming%20Language%20Barriers.pdf [Accessed 6 December 2011]. Buzzle.com, n.d. Different Forms of Communication in the Workplace. [Online] Available at: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/different-forms-of-communication-in-the-workplace.html [Accessed 6 December 2011]. Buzzle.com, n.d. How Communication Motivates People in the Workplace. [Online] Available at: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/how-communication-motivates-people-in-the-workplace.html [Accessed 6 December 2011]. Buzzle.com, n.d. Workplace Communication Problems. [Online] Available at: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/workplace-communication-problems.html [Accessed 6 December 2011]. Garner, E, n.d. Seven Barriers to Great Communication. [Online] Available at: http://www.hodu.com/barriers.shtml [Accessed 6 December 2011]. Griffin, R.W. & Moorhead, G, 2009. Organizational Behavior: Managing People and Organizations. 9th ed. Cengage Learning. Harrub, B, Thompson, B. & Miller, D, 2003. The Origin of Language and Communication. [Online] Available at: http://www.trueorigin.org/language01.asp [Accessed 6 December 2011]. Ojo, B.J. & Umera-Okeke, N, 2009. Effective Communication: Towards a successful Organizational Management. [Online] Available at: http://www.unilorin.edu.ng/ejournals/index.php/jci/article/viewFile/144/21 [Accessed 6 December 2011]. Swallow, D, 2009. Overcoming language barriers in communication. [Online] Available at: http://www.diversitytrainingtoday.com/overcoming-language-barriers-in-communication.html [Accessed 6 December 2011]. Wertheim, E.G, n.d. The Importance of Effective Communication. [Online] Available at: http://windward.hawaii.edu/facstaff/dagrossa-p/ssci193v/articles/EffectiveCommunication.pdf [Accessed 6 December 2011]. World Bank, n.d. Organizational Communication. [Online] Available at: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTGOVACC/Resources/OrganizationalCommweb.pdf [Accessed 6 December 2011]. Read More