Downwards, Upwards and Horizontal Organizational Communication - Essay Example

Define and give examples of downwards, upwards and horizontal organizational communication. The formal system of communication in the corporation is depicted by the directional flow of information through channels: downward, upward, and horizontal. Information is defined as knowledge that contains an aspect of surprise. A channel is the means through which the message travels from the source to the destination. A superior communicates with his subordinates in downward communication. Channels for downward communication are typically numerous and opportunities for using them limitless because it is through them that the leaders of the organization tell others whatever it is felt they require to know about the organization. Downward communication is the most studied form of communication in the business organization. As Downward communication is the most widespread form in organizations as those at the top have the facilities and status for instigating communication. They also have a greater require doing so and are definitely less inhibited about taking such action. Messages expand as they move down the management chain. A preliminary idea of the president or vice-president grows because lower-level executives add the means to attain an assignment, for example. at times written messages are issued by top executives to all levels of the organization. though this presents the kind of deformation that takes place when oral messages are sent down the line, employees are conditioned to believe that communications must come through their immediate supervisors. while they don't, employees quickly instigate to lose respect for the supervisors (Jeanette W. Gilsdorf; 1998). The primary problem with downward communication is their one-way nature, which could be overcome with a comparably strong upward communication system. James Ferrell, general manager of Hewlett-Packard Company's Manufacturing Division, said this about downward communication in a letter to a student: The major difficulties encountered in downward communication are utilizing the various layers under you. There is the risk that the message may never reach the lower level. If you choose to communicate directly, there is the problem assuring that you do not alienate the layers between yourself and the person you are communicating with. You must also be careful of what you say so as not to countermand or cause confusion from what more immediate supervisors have said (Ferrell, March 10, 1998). Several writers, like Marshall McLuhan in The Medium Is the Massage, have explained how media influence the receiver's perceptions of the message. Douglas Brush asserts, "A ten-minute videotape of a chief executive officer announcing a new corporate policy imparts hundreds of times more information than an audiotape of that same message, which contains hundreds of times more information than a printed text of the message." (Brush, pp. 10-11). Downward communication moves from superior to subordinate, whether from the chairman to all employees of the company or from one superior to one subordinate. It is the main form of communication in corporations. More media carry more messages down the management chart than take them upward or horizontally combined. That is not to say that formal communications in the business organization are typically downward or even vertical. Most are horizontal. However most formal ones are downward, as one writer notes: "It is obvious that the bulk of communication in most organizations is downward--directing, instructing, explaining, and the like. The passing on of orders, policies, and plans is the backbone of managerial communication." (Jose R. Goris, Bobby C. Vaught, John D. Pettit Jr, 2000) Katz and Kahn list five purposes of downward communication: 1. Specific task directive: job instructions. 2. Information designed to produce understanding of the task and its relations to other organizational tasks: job rationale. 3. Information about organizational procedures and practices. 4. Feedback to the subordinate about his performance. 5. Information of an ideological character to inculcate a sense of mission: indoctrination of goals (Katz, D., & Kahn, R. L. 1966). In upward communication, the members of the organization communicate with their leaders; it provides feedback to management of work being done in the firm. Channels for upward communication are usually fewer than those for downward communication. Apparently there is less need to hear what members of the organization have to say than to say things to them. Upward communication is the transmission of information from subordinate to superior, not necessarily one's immediate supervisor. Oral reporting of performance to a supervisor is the most common form of upward communication. The importance of upward communication is that it provides management with information that is unavailable otherwise, as users of quality circles have discovered. The impressions of the persons "on the front line" and data on their experiences are important to management planning and decision making. Most managers have only recently begun to realize this. An employee communication effectiveness survey conducted by the International Association of Business Communicators and Towers, Perrin, Forster and Crosby, Inc., polled 45,000 employees in 40 U.S. and Canadian companies. It found that of the top five major sources of information preferred by employees, four involve face-to-face communication with the immediate supervisor in small group meetings, with top executives and in orientation programs. Lacking in most organizations, according to the survey results, are "formal upward communication programs. Only 55 percent of the survey respondents said their firm's management both talks and listens. As a major current source of information, upward communication programs were ranked last among fifteen possible choices."( "Meetings Are Versatile Communication Tools," p. 7). The effectiveness of upward communication is directly dependent on the effectiveness of downward communication. Employees today want more than directions in downward communication. They want information on products, services, benefits, competition, and the future of this company whose existence is intertwined with their own. As the amount of information employees receives increases, they tend to want more. The effectiveness of upward communication varies directly with the effectiveness of downward communication. Drucker regards upward communication as more important than the downward flow of information: Downward communications cannot work and do not work. They come after upward communications have successfully been established. They are reaction rather than action, response rather than initiative. . . . The upward communication must first be focused on something that both recipient and emitter can perceive, focused on something that is common to both of them. (Drucker Peter F. 1981: 83-90). William Scholz states: Probably the greatest single contribution to improving the atmosphere for good upward communication is the existence of consistent, articulate, and forthright downward communication. Unless the downward communication in an organization sets the tone and establishes the permissive atmosphere, it is absolutely unrealistic to expect that any significant degree of helpful upward communication will take place (Scholz William, 1992). "Permissive atmosphere" refers to a receptivity and accessibility to higher management by their subordinates (Bridget H. Mueller, Jaesub Lee; 2002) Conversely, it is important for management to realize that adequate downward and horizontal communication depends on good upward communication. Only if the circuit is complete can the organization function properly. "To encourage horizontal communication," states Richard W. Hall, "the department head must play no favorites, demand no special recognition for him. He must keep the information flowing circularly through his department and vertically from his own to higher sources. He must genuinely want his people to know, respect, and communicate with each other."( Hall Richard W. 1991: 47-48). Pigors explains the importance of upward communication to the whole organization: "Only if free communication is invited from every level within the enterprise, as well as from the union, can there be expression of meaning as a whole by all who are in a position to contribute to organizational efficiency."( Pigors Paul, 1999). Scholz further reported that the proper atmosphere for upward communication is more than the statement by higher management that it is desirable or welcome. What is needed is evidence that opportunities for upward communication exist and will be improved, that upward communication will be paid attention to, that the skills of all involved in upward communication will be sharpened to eliminate distortion and speed transmission, and that employees' ideas are important factors in the success of the business. (Scholz William, 1992) Even more important than the right atmosphere is a conscientious effort by managers to encourage upward communications. Ernest Dale explains: It is sometimes said that communication is a major part of a manager's job, and so it is. . . . If he cannot get them [subordinates] to talk freely to him, he may be kept in ignorance of some of the things he should know about--to say nothing of the possibility that he may miss hearing some good ideas. But achieving good communication is clearly part of the directing function, in which the manager attempts to ensure that each of his subordinates contributes as much as he is able to the success of the whole corporation (Dale Ernest, 1993). Upward communication, then, is important in the two-way flow of communication of corporate information that is similar to an electrical circuit. Says Davis: The message of the sender is taken by the receiver, who makes a response which is transmitted back to the sender. If the circuit is broken by a poor upward flow, then management loses the following benefits: 1. Stimulation of employee interest and participation. 2. Receipt and use of valuable employee ideas. 3. Reevaluation of how downward communication is accepted. 4. Encouragement to management to understand employee problems and views. 5. More and better information for better evaluation and decision making. (Davis Keith. 1981). Scholz lists five functions of upward communication of which only number five above is repeated. The others are: 1. It helps employees relieve the pressures and frustrations of the work situation. 2. It enhances employees' sense of participation in the enterprise. 3. It serves as a measure of the effectiveness of downward communication. 4. As a bonus, it suggests more rewarding uses of downward communication for the future. (Scholz William, 1992). Finally, lateral or horizontal communication is that between persons of the same level in the organization. Least attention is paid to this type of communication, even though indications are that more communicating is done horizontally in a business organization than in either the downward or upward direction. Horizontal communication, usually for the purpose of coordinating work between lateral units in the organization, has few channels: personal contact, memos, and meetings. The major advantage of horizontal style pointed by Katz and Kahn "the importance of horizontal communication in relation to management style. In an authoritarian system, information becomes the property of select groups and can be used to control people at lower levels. In this system there is little horizontal communication between groups. The division executive, for example, knows about his department heads and their respective areas, but each of them knows little or nothing about one another's areas. That leaves the division executive in a powerful position to manipulate and control them as he wishes". The structure of the company must be such that it encourages good downward, horizontal, and upward communication. A large measure of this is an intangible. "Somehow an 'atmosphere of approval' for communication must be created, to such a degree that the parties will mutually accept criticism, welcome suggestions, and admit to problems," says Hoslett, "meeting these situations without trading on their formal positions of authority and responsibility. For unless this kind of relationship can be developed, effective communication cannot take place" (Hoslett Schuyler Dean. 1995). Each successive level of management should be made responsible and held accountable for effective two-way communication. This includes motivating each manager to accept and discharge his responsibility for upward communication by encouraging him to use these techniques. Good upward communication is becoming the sine qua non of effective management as corporate size increases, business technology expands, and more and more companies adopt the quality circle. It is a mutually reinforcing process: good upward communication improves management, and effective management provides channels for good upward communication. W. H. Weiss quotes Rensis Likert, director of the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research: "It is significant that when we look at organizations today, we find that the greater the group loyalty, the better the supervisor is informed about the attitude, point of view, and situation of his subordinates. Upward communication as well as downward communication is performed significantly better." Work Cited "Meetings Are Versatile Communication Tools." Communication World 1 ( September 1982): 7. Bennis, W., & Goldsmith, J. (1997). Learning to lead: A workbook on becoming a leader. Reading, MA: Perseus. Bridget H. Mueller, Jaesub Lee; Leader-Member Exchange and Organizational Communication Satisfaction in Multiple Contexts, The Journal of Business Communication, Vol. 39, 2002 Brush Douglas P. "Internal Communications and the New Technology." Public Relations Journal 37 ( February 1991): 10-13. Dale Ernest. Management Theory and Practice. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1993. Davis Keith. Human Behavior at Work. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1981. Drucker Peter F. "Behind Japan's Success." Harvard Business Review 59 ( JanuaryFebruary 1981): 83-90. Ferrell James, General Manager, Manufacturing Division, Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, California. Letter to former student, dated March 10, 1998. Hall Richard W. "When a Champ Is a Loser." Nation's Business 59 ( November 1991): 47-48. Hoslett Schuyler Dean. "Overcoming the Barriers of Communication." In Management and Its People. New York: American Management Association, 1995. Jeanette W. Gilsdorf; Organizational Rules on Communicating: How Employees Are - and Are Not - Learning the Ropes, The Journal of Business Communication, Vol. 35, 1998 Jose R. Goris, Bobby C. Vaught, John D. Pettit Jr.; Effects of Communication Direction on Job Performance and Satisfaction: A Moderated Regression Analysis, The Journal of Business Communication, Vol. 37, 2000 Katz, D., & Kahn, R. L. (1966). The social psychology of organizations. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Pigors Paul. Effective Communication in Industry. New York: National Association of Manufacturers, 1999. Scholz William. Communication in the Business Organization. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1992. Weiss W. H. "Breaking the Fear Barrier." Nation's Business 59 ( July 1981): 6465. Read More