INTRODUCTION TO

COMMUNICATION
ORGANISATIONS

UNIT-1
INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
The business environment refers to the sum of all external and internal factors that
influence a business’s operations, performance, and decision-making. It includes
economic, social, political, technological, legal, and cultural forces.
Types of Business Environment
• Internal Environment – Factors within the business (employees, management, company culture,
resources).
• External Environment – Factors outside the business:
• Micro Environment – Customers, suppliers, competitors, intermediaries, public.
• Macro Environment – Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental
INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION
Communication refers to the process of
exchanging information and ideas between
individuals or groups. It is an essential
element of human interaction that can occur
through various modes such as spoken or
written language, nonverbal cues, and digital
media. Effective communication involves the
successful transmission of messages in a
way that the intended meaning is
accurately understood by the recipient.
TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
Verbal Communication
This includes spoken words, either face-to-face or over the phone. It’s immediate and
allows for instant feedback.
Nonverbal Communication
This involves conveying messages without the use of words, such as through body
language, facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice.
Written Communication
Messages conveyed through written words, including emails, letters, memos, reports,
and text messages.
Visual Communication
Communication through visual aids such as charts, graphs, diagrams, maps, symbols,
and videos.
 TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
Interpersonal Communication
Direct communication between individuals, often in a one-on-one or small group setting.

Group Communication
Communication that occurs within a group setting, involving multiple individuals interacting with each
other.

Mass Communication
Communication to a large audience through mediums such as television, radio, newspapers, magazines,
websites, and social media.

Formal Communication
Structured and official communication within an organization, such as company policy
and announcements.
TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

Informal Communication
Unstructured communication that occurs spontaneously within social settings or through unofficial
channels, such as gossip or casual conversations.

Digital Communication
Communication facilitated through digital platforms and technologies, including emails, instant
messaging, social media, and video conferencing.
7c’s of COMMUNICATION
1. Clarity
The message should be clear in meaning.
Avoid jargon and ambiguity.
Example: Instead of "We'll meet soon", say "We will meet on Monday at 10 AM.”

2. Conciseness
Keep the message brief and to the point.
Eliminate unnecessary words.
Example: "Please send the report by Friday" instead of "It would be appreciated if you could possibly
send the report by the end of this week.”

3. Concreteness
Use specific facts, figures, and examples instead of vague statements.
Example: "Sales increased by 15% in Q2" instead of
"Sales improved a lot."
7c’s of COMMUNICATION
4. Correctness
Ensure the message is grammatically correct and factually accurate.
Example: Wrong date or spelling can create confusion.

5. Consideration
Show empathy by understanding the receiver’s perspective, needs, and feelings.
Example: When denying a request, use a polite tone and suggest alternatives.

6. Completeness
Provide all necessary information so the receiver can fully understand and act.
Example: In an invitation, include date, time, venue, and purpose.

7. Courtesy
Maintain politeness, respect, and a positive tone.
Avoid harsh words even in disagreement.
Example: Use "We value your feedback" instead of
"Your complaint has been noted."
FORMAL COMMUNICATION INFORMAL COMMUNICATION
Formal Communication is the Informal Communication is the
structured exchange of information spontaneous, casual exchange of
within an organization, adhering to information without adhering to formal
established protocols, channels, and protocols or structures. It occurs
formats. It typically follows a naturally in workplaces and social
hierarchical chain of command and settings, typically involving
includes official documents like conversations, instant messages, and
reports, memos, and emails. This social media interactions. This type of
type of communication ensures communication is more relaxed, using
clarity, consistency, and colloquial language and often taking
accountability, facilitating effective place between peers or across
coordination and decision-making. different levels of an organization.
 FORMAL COMMUNICATION- FEATURES
Structured and Hierarchical:
Follows a set chain of command and organizational structure, ensuring information flows through
designated channels.

Official and Documented:

Involves written documentation, such as reports, memos, and official emails, which serve as records
for future reference.

Clear and Precise:

Uses formal language, avoiding slang or colloquialisms, to ensure messages are clear, professional

and unambiguous.
 FORMAL COMMUNICATION- FEATURES
Regulated and Standardized:
Adheres to established rules, procedures, and policies within the organization, ensuring consistency
and uniformity in communication.

Objective and Impersonal:

Focuses on the subject matter rather than personal feelings or opinions, maintaining a professional
tone.

Purposeful and Goal-Oriented:

Aims to achieve specific organizational objectives, such as decision-making, coordination, and
compliance.
Time-Bound and Systematic:
Often follows a planned schedule and systematic process, ensuring timely and organized
dissemination of information.

Restricted Accessibility:
Access to information is often limited to relevant personnel, maintaining confidentiality and security
within the organization.
INFORMAL COMMUNICATION-FEATURES
Spontaneous and Unstructured:
Occurs naturally without predefined channels or protocols, often arising in casual or impromptu
interactions.

Flexible and Dynamic:

Adapts quickly to changing circumstances, allowing for rapid information exchange and response.

Personal and Relational:

Focuses on personal relationships and social interactions, using colloquial language and a
conversational tone.
INFORMAL COMMUNICATION-FEATURES
Unofficial and Unrecorded:
Typically lacks formal documentation, relying on verbal exchanges, casual emails, and instant
messaging.

Inclusive and Wide-Ranging:

Can occur across all levels of an organization, breaking down hierarchical barriers and fostering
open communication.

Rapid and Efficient:

Facilitates quick dissemination of information, often leading to faster problem-solving and decision-
making.
Emotional and Subjective:
Allows for the expression of personal feelings, opinions, and feedback, enhancing interpersonal
understanding.

Supportive and Cohesive:

Strengthens team bonds, builds camaraderie, and creates a supportive work environment by
encouraging informal networks and peer support.
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FORMAL & INFORMAL COMMUNICATION

Aspect Formal Communication Informal Communication

Structure Structured Unstructured

Language Formal Casual

Channels Official Unofficial

Documentation Documented Undocumented

Speed Slower Faster

Flexibility Inflexible Flexible

Hierarchy Hierarchical Non-hierarchical

Tone Impersonal Personal

Purpose Organizational goals Social interaction

Accessibility Restricted Wide-ranging

Adaptability Rigid Dynamic

Confidentiality Controlled Open

COMMUNICATION
PROCESS
Elements of the Communication Process:

Sender:
The sender initiates the communication process by formulating and encoding a message. The
message represents the information or ideas that the sender intends to communicate to the receiver.
The sender’s goal is to convey the message clearly and effectively to achieve specific objectives.

Message:
The message is the content or information being transmitted by the sender. It can be verbal (spoken
or written words), nonverbal (gestures, facial expressions, body language), visual (images, graphs,
symbols), or auditory (sounds, tones). The message is structured and framed by the sender to ensure
it is comprehensible and relevant to the receiver.
Encoding:
Encoding is the process of translating thoughts, ideas, or feelings into a symbolic form (words, gestures,
symbols) that can be understood by the receiver. It involves selecting appropriate words, organizing information,
and applying cultural and contextual considerations to effectively convey the intended message.

Channel:
The channel is the medium through which the encoded message is transmitted from the sender to the receiver.
Channels can be verbal (face-to-face conversations, phone calls), written (letters, emails), visual (charts,
presentations), or digital (social media, video conferencing). The choice of channel influences how the message
is perceived, interpreted, and responded to by the receiver.

Receiver:
The receiver is the individual or group for whom the message is intended. They decode the message by
interpreting its content, meaning, and context based on their knowledge, experiences, attitudes, and cultural
background. Effective communication requires that the receiver accurately understands the sender’s intended
message.
Decoding:
Decoding is the process by which the receiver interprets and assigns meaning to the message received from
the sender. It involves extracting information, making sense of the message, and relating it to one’s own
knowledge and understanding. Decoding is influenced by the receiver’s perceptions, biases, emotions, and
previous experiences.

Feedback:
Feedback is the response or reaction of the receiver to the message sent by the sender. It completes the
communication loop by providing information about how the message was received, understood, and
interpreted. Feedback can be verbal (spoken or written responses) or nonverbal (gestures, facial expressions),
and it helps ensure mutual understanding and effective communication.

Noise:
Noise refers to any interference or barriers that distort or disrupt the communication process. It can be physical
(background noise, poor audio quality), psychological (prejudices, emotions), semantic (misinterpretation of
words), or cultural (differences in values and norms). Minimizing noise is crucial for enhancing

clarity, accuracy, and effectiveness in communication.

COMMUNICATION
BARRIERS
 LINGUISTIC BARRIERS
Linguistic barriers arise from differences
in language, vocabulary, or dialect
between the sender and receiver. When
people speak different languages or use
technical jargon, slang, or complex
terms, it can lead to confusion or
misinterpretation of the message. Even
within the same language, variations in
accents or regional expressions can
create misunderstandings.
 PYSCHOLOGICAL BARRIERS
Psychological barriers are internal
factors that affect the mental state of
the sender or receiver, influencing how
the message is sent or perceived.
These can include emotions like anger,
fear, or anxiety, which may cause a
person to misinterpret the message or
become defensive. Stress, low self-
esteem, or preconceived notions can
also distort communication, leading to
ineffective exchanges.
 INTERPERSONAL BARRIERS
Interpersonal barriers stem from the
dynamics between individuals. These can
include personality differences, power
imbalances, lack of trust, or poor listening
skills. When people have conflicting
communication styles or negative attitudes
toward each other, it can lead to
breakdowns in communication. Effective
interpersonal communication requires
mutual respect and understanding.
 CULTURAL BARRIERS
Cultural barriers arise from differences in
cultural backgrounds, beliefs, values, and
practices. Cultural norms influence how
people communicate, including their
gestures, tone, and context.
Misunderstandings can occur when
individuals from different cultures have
different interpretations of behavior or
language, leading to communication gaps.
PHYSICAL BARRIERS
Physical barriers are environmental factors
that obstruct the communication process.
These include distance, noise, poor
lighting, or faulty communication
equipment. For example, a conversation in
a noisy room or a phone call with a bad
connection can make it difficult for the
message to be clearly understood.
 ORGANISATIONAL BARRIERS
Organizational barriers are structural
obstacles within an organization that impede
communication. These can include complex
hierarchies, rigid procedures, or inadequate
information channels. In organizations with
multiple layers of management or a lack of
open communication, messages may get
distorted or delayed as they pass through
various levels, leading to inefficiency and
confusion.
LISTENING
SKILLS
 LISTENING
• Listening is the most important communication skill
• We spend more time listening than using any other
skill
• Listening requires practice like any other skill
• Real listening is an active process
• Listening demands focused attention.
 EFFECTIVE LISTENING
Effective learning is the process of analysing
sounds, organising them into recognizable patterns,
interpreting the pattern and understanding the
message by inferring the meaning.
Many of the problems we experience with people in
our daily lives are primarily attributable to ineffective
listening or lack of listening.
 LISTENING COMES FIRST
Listening is the first and most important communication skill we learn in
our lives is nothing but ‘LISTENING’
DIFFERENCE B/W LISTENING & HEARING

LISTENING HEARING
• Listening is an action where • Hearing is simply the act of
you choose to actively perceiving sound by the
concentrate on what you hear. ear.
• In listening your brain • Hearing occurs with or
processes the information into without your consent.
knowledge.
IMPORTANCE OF LISTENING SKILLS
• Listening enhances speaker's communication.
• Good listeners gain deeper understanding.
• Good listeners identify biases and assumptions.
• Effective communication requires active listening.
• Good listener learn to detect prejudices, assumption and
attitudes.
• Good listener learns more than an indifferent listener.
TYPES OF LISTENING
• DISCRIMINATIVE LISTENING

• COMPREHENSIVE LISTENING

• SUPERFICIAL/CASUAL LISTENING

• APPRECIATIVE LISTENING

• FOCUSED LISTENING

• ATTENTIVE LISTENING

• EMPATHETIC AND SYMPATHETIC LISTENING

• THERAPEUTIC LISTENING

• DIALOGIC LISTENING

• REALATIONSHIP LISTENING
• Discriminative listening: As the name itself suggests, discriminative listening
is the most basic type of listening, whereby the difference between the sounds
is identified. If you cannot hear differences, then you cannot grasp the
meaning that is expressed by such differences.
• Comprehensive listening: When the listener comprehends the message in
order to understand the full meaning, it falls into the category of
comprehensive or evaluative listening. This type of listening results in to
selection of the needed information out of the total information.
• Superficial/Casual Listening: When the listener pays no attention on the
content of the message , it becomes superficial listening. The uninterested
listener can concentrate on the theme of the conveyed message.
• Appreciative Listening: When the listener listens something for enjoyment
and pleasure such as songs, jokes, anecdotes, stories, it becomes
appreciative listening.
• Focused Listening: When the listener listens something in the form of
information, it becomes focused listening as the listener pays full attention to
the content.
• Focused Listening: When the listener listens something in the form of
information, it becomes focused listening as the listener pays full attention to
the content.
• Attentive Listening: In this type of listening, the listener's complete attention
is must especially in situations such as interview, meeting, group discussion.
• Empathetic Listening: This type of listening leads the listener not only to
understand the physical message but also to peep into the listener's state of
mind, feelings and emotions.
• Therapeutic listening: In therapeutic listening, the listener has a purpose of
not only empathizing with the speaker but also to use this deep connection in
order to help the speaker understand, change or develop in some way.
• Dialogic listening: The word dialogue stems from the Greek words ‘dia’
meaning ‘through’ and ‘logos’ meaning ‘words’. Thus dialogic listening means
learning through conversation. Dialogic listening is also known as ‘relational
listening’ because with the help of exchange of ideas while listening, we also
indirectly creates a relation.
• Relationship listening: Sometimes the most important factor in listening is
in order to develop or sustain a relationship. Relationship listening is also
important in areas such as negotiation and sales, where it is helpful if the
other person likes you and trusts you.
 BASIC TYPES OF LISTENING
ACTIVE LISTENING PASSIVE LISTENING
• Is reacting while listening in order to • Is listening without reacting or responding.
emphasize understanding.
• Does not involve feedback and questions.
• Involve feedback and questions.
• Listener’s mind may move to other topics.
• Concentrates, understand, responds and
then remembers what was said • May not involve these

• Involves natural non-verbal cues like • Listening to music, listening to news, etc
nodding and making eye contact are examples.

• Used in counselling or solving disputes

EMPATHETIC
LISTENING
 EMPATHETIC
‘Empathetic’ is an adjective of empathy which means an
ability to imagine and share another person's feelings,
experience, problems etc. These feelings are nothing but a
state of mind and one can be an empathetic listener only
when he / she listens someone very actively. This type of
listening leads the listener not only to understand the
message in the physical form but also to peep in to the
listener's state of mind, feelings and emotions.
Important Elements of Empathetic Listening
• Build the trust
• Be attentive while listening
• Do not hurt the speaker‟s feeling.
• Allow disputants to express their emotions
• Reduce tension
• Provide problem solving environment
• Understand emotion and feeling of speaker
TRAITS & TECHNIQUES OF GOOD LISTENER
• Being Non Evaluative: If you are an active listener your verbal and non-
verbal behavior should suggest the speaker that he is being properly heard
and understood. It should not indicate what you think about a person.
• Paraphrasing (summarize): If you wish to clarify a point, you can simply
summarize what the speaker has said and enquire the speaker whether you
have heard it accurately or not.
• Reflecting Implications (suggestions): In order to per sue the speaker ( to
motivate the speaker) to extend his ideas, the listener has to reflect eagerness
and willingness to learn more by using expressions like nodding or through
verbal means, thereby giving positive feedback.
• Reflecting Hidden Feelings: Sometimes the listener have to go beyond the
general feeling and contents of what is being said to unravel the underlying
feeling, intentions, beliefs that may influence the speaker’s words.
• Inviting Further Contribution: In a situation where listener haven’t heard
or understood enough. The listener can respond with empathy and
understanding, prompt the speaker to give more information.
• Responding Non-Verbally: Listener can portray his image as that of a active
listener by adopting certain postures, and sending non-verbal signal which
communicates the listeners interest in what the speaker is saying. This may
include eye contact, Leaning forward towards the listener, head nodding.
• Improve Your Listening Span: Listeners should get training for enhancing
their span of active listening. Many a times, we have to listen to speeches or
lectures for long duration.
• Speaker’s use of Appropriate Body Language: Speaker should use positive
body language. Otherwise, listeners will be observing these body movements
and thereby neglect ideas and expressions of the speaker.
• Voice Modulation: The speaker should modulate his voice and use different
tones while speaking. It creates interesting atmosphere in the audience and
they pay more attention to the speaker. It creates an environment for effective
listening
• Use Simple Style: Speaker should use simple expressions that can be
understood easily by the listeners. The speaker should keep one thing
in mind that he should speak to express and not impress.
• Do not Interrupt: Listeners should not interrupt the speaker unnecessarily. Many
listeners have tendency to make remarks or comments during speech. Moreover,
many listeners repeat the words and expression of the speaker loudly
• Motivate Yourself: to listen Listeners should motivate their mind to listen to the
speaker carefully. They should prepare themselves to listen to others willingly.
Listening can not be forced or imposed on the persons.
• Respect the Speaker: Listeners should have respect for the speaker . They
should not underestimate the speaker’s ideas and thoughts. Even if, the listener
disagrees with some of the ideas of the speaker, they should show their
disagreement positively.
• Remove Horn Effect: Do not underestimate a person because he has couple of
flaws in his behavior. Many people are like rough diamonds. They need to be
understood carefully. The speaker ideas can be rejected or doubted by the
listeners.
• Positive Body Language Listener should maintain positive body language like
nod of head, leaning forward, maintain erect postures, during communication. More
over listener should not create any type of distractions by using unnecessary body
language.
BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE LISTENING
• Environmental Condition: Environmental condition like humidity,
temperature, atmospheres limits the listeners span of listening. Cloudy
atmosphere may cause the listener to sleep.
• Space Distance: Distance between the speaker and the listener from long
distance may affect the listening process. If the speaker is speaking from long
distance, the listener may struggle to grasp what the speaker is speaking.
• Omniscient attitude of the listener: Many people considered themselves as
know all men. They think that they have perfect knowledge of everything in the
world. According to them listening to others is pure waste of time.
• Infrastructure: Poor Infrastructure may affect listening process. Lack of
proper ventilation, light, acoustics can act as a barrier to listening.
• Speed of the speaker: Speed of the speaker can act as a barrier to listening.
If the speaker is speaking too speedily, the listeners have no other alternative
left than watching speaker.
• Speakers' Non-verbal communication: Speaker’s no use of facial
expression, gestures, body language, eye contact and other factors can create
barriers to listening.
• Voice and tone of the speaker: The listener will feel bored and fade up to
listen to monotones speech. If the speaker’s voice is not audible, the listener
may not listen to it attentively. On the contrary, many speakers maintain a
monotonous tone which irritates the listener.
• Lack of Factual Information: Many time listener do nor listen attentively and
carefully because he does not find any factual information in the speech.
• Language of the speaker: If the speaker is using high technical jargon and
difficult words, the listener will be clueless about the meaning of those words.
They will try to find meaning of those words instead of listening to the
speaker .
• Horn Effect in the Listener : The horn effect is tendency to underestimate a
person as bad in all the fields because he is bad in one of the field. The
listeners reject and nullify the speaker’s chance to speak for more amount of
time because listeners dislike the speaker.
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM
COMMUNICATION
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM
Communication on social media platforms refers to the
process of sharing information, ideas, opinions, and
messages through digital networking sites and applications
such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X), LinkedIn,
YouTube, WhatsApp, Snapchat, etc. It allows individuals,
groups, and organizations to interact in real time across
geographical boundaries.
 FEATURES

• Interactive Nature – Unlike newspapers or TV, social media allows two-way

communication (comments, likes, shares).
• Instant & Real-time – Information can be shared and responded to immediately.
• Global Reach – Messages are not limited to one region; they can spread worldwide.
• Variety of Content – Supports text, audio, video, images, live streams, polls, and
reels.
• User-generated – Everyone can create and share content, not just professionals.
• Community Building – Helps connect people with similar interests and goals.
 Techniques of Communication on Social Media

• Posts and Status Updates – Sharing text, photos, or short updates.

• Stories and Reels – Short, engaging content for quick communication.
• Direct Messaging (DMs/Chats) – Private one-to-one or group conversations.
• Live Streaming – Real-time interaction with an audience.
• Hashtags and Tags – To increase visibility and connect with larger audiences.
• Discussion Forums/Groups – For professional or interest-based conversations.
ASSIGNMENT
• Explain the 7Cs of effective communication with suitable examples. (10
Marks)
• Select a famous brand (e.g., Coca-Cola, Zomato, TATA). Analyze how it uses
social media communication to connect with customers. (10 Marks)
• Case Study: A company notices that despite having advanced
communication tools, employees are still misinformed about project
deadlines. Identify possible communication barriers and how they can
overcome those barriers. (10 Marks)
Aristotle’s Persuasion Model: The Business
Communication
model produced by Greek Philosopher Aristotle is popularly known as
the “Aristotle’s Persuasion Model”. According to him, “When any
political leader or a teacher delivers his speech in gathering and in
class-room respectively, their style of speech is included in persuasion
model”. The model is shown below: In this model, three elements of
Business Communication Process have been detected. There is no
scope of responding by the receiver and his role is neglected here.
This model is considered as a one sided Business Communication
Model
Newcomb’s Inter-Personal Communication Model: This is one of the simplest
models of Business Communication. In this model, there are three parties to
effective the Communication Process. According to Newcomb, “There might be a
third party between the sender and the receiver and that third party can
manipulate the Communication Process. In the figure, there are three parties X,
Y and Z and if any two parties want to communicate with each other, they must
depend on the third party and the third party can influence the Business
Communication Process. This communication Model does not present all the
elements of Business Communication Process, even the sender and the receiver
are not identified here. .”
Hoveland’s Persuasion Model

This model is almost same as the Aristotle’s Persuasion Model

but this basic deference between them is that in this model
the audience stays in a certain place and hears the speech
and the feedback of the audience’s response is returned to the
speaker. The model is shown below:
Shanon and Weaver’s Information Theory Model: This model shows that the
communication process begins from the brain of the sender. The sender melds his
thought, concept or ideas into message and sends to the receiver. Then the
message goes to the receiver through certain media and his brain receives it.
After the message being perceived, the reaction of the receiver is sent back to the
source of the message (Sender). The model also includes a transmitter that converts
the message info perceivable signal. The whole process can be interrupted by
noise.
Circular Model of Communication: In real sense Business
Communication is a Two Way Process where the sender sends the message to the
receiver and after receiving the message, the receiver sends feedback to the sender.
The success of Business Communication Process largely depends on the reaction or
response or feedback of the receiver. The circular model of communication
emphasizes on the feedback system of communication. The circular model of
Business Communication is an important communication model where greater
importance has been given on the feedback of the receiver which is vitally important
for effective Two Way Communication.
Interactional Model of Communication: Tubbs and Moss have
developed the interactional model of Business Communication. This model
shows the communication process as an exchange process of message between
the parties. The figure shows that person X (Sender) sends a message to person Y
(Receiver). Y becomes the sender when he sends response to X, who becomes
the receiver this time. This process will be continued until the desired result of
the parties is achieved. This is Two Way Business Communication Model.
Berlo’s S-M-C-R Model: The S-M-C-R model of Business Communication
was developed by David K. Berlo in 1960. Where S stands for source, M for
message, C for Channel and R for receiver. The model shows that the source
(Sender) transmits the message to the receiver through some channel. It also
indicates that both the sender (Source) and the receiver are influenced by their
own culture, social system, knowledge, attitudes, communication skills and other
factors. Though this model doesn’t emphasize on feedback, it is a comprehensive
model, because it shows how the sender and the receiver can be influenced by
various factors that may also act as the sources of noise.