Chapter 42- Communication

Question 1

Why does communication need to be effective?

Answer 1

• Vital for a business to operate in an efficient manner.
• Information needs to be clearly understood and accurate.

Question 2

What are the reasons communication is important to a business?

Answer 2

• number of mistakes made within a business is reduced
• decision making process will be enhanced if communication can take place quickly.
• Employees will feel a sense of belonging (maslow theory) and involvement (mayos theory)

Question 3

What does communication involve?

Answer 3

• The information (the message)
• Transmitter (who sends the message)
• Transmission (method of signal)
• Receiver

Question 4

What are the types of communication?

Answer 4

• One-way communication
• Two-way communication
• Open communication
• Closed communication
• Vertical communication
• Horizontal communication

Question 5

What is one-way communication?

Answer 5

• Simplest form of communication
• Usually in the form of an order
• Receiver has no right of reply

Question 6

Advantages of one-way communication

Answer 6

• Easy to use
• Cheaper than two-way
• No pressure on the sender to justify what is being communicated.

Question 7

Disadvantages of one-way communication

Answer 7

• May cause frustration to the receiver
• Less reliable as there is no way to check message

Question 8

What is two-way communication?

Answer 8

• involves both a sender and a receiver of information

Question 9

Advantages of two-way communication?

Answer 9

• More effective/ reliable because the receiver is able to gain clarification
• Receiver feels more involved because they’re able to receive clarification

Question 10

Disadvantages of two-way communication?

Answer 10

• Takes more time
• More expensive
• Puts the sender of the information under pressure to justify the information being sent

Question 11

What is formal communication?

Answer 11

• Involves rules and procedures
• Formality may refer to the type of language used
• memorandum of association, supplier contracts (formalised)

Question 12

What is informal communication?

Answer 12

• Has little or no established rules for how communication takes place
• Usually takes place outside of a work environment
• Language and type of info passed on is unique to people involved
• It’s passed on verbally (in most cases)

Question 13

What is open communication?

Answer 13

• Involves the use of language that will be understood by the vast majority of the population
• Good for business as it intends to reach a large audience
• Used to communicate with stakeholders outside of a business

Question 14

What is closed communication ?

Answer 14

• Business may have its own language for internal communication
• So language will be understood by those within the business but those outside won’t.
• May also include formal language relating to the business

Question 15

What is vertical communication?

Answer 15

• Normally associated with
  communication from the management
  being pass
  down to the employees
  -Communication between layers (even in an upwards direction)
• Communicating with different levels provides an opportunity for employees to feel involved (Mayos theory)
• Helps get rid of frustration in work environment

Question 16

What is horizontal communication?

Answer 16

• Involves communication between people on the same level
• Can be within the same department

Question 17

What are the reasons a channel or network will vary?

Answer 17

• type of leader
• size of the business
• experience of the employees
• type of organisational structure

Question 18

What structure is more likely to use either a wheel or chain network?

Answer 18

Centralised structure

Question 19

What is a chain?

Answer 19

• network is normally associated with a formal and vertical hierarchy
• information can be communicated up and down the hierarchy
• more likely that much of the communication will be sent down the hierarchical structure
• a large organisation would use it
• likely to be a lack of opportunity for those employees at the lower end of the hierarchy to feel involved or to be able to communicate with higher levels of the hierarchy directly
• possibility of information becoming distorted as it travels through several layers of the hierarchy

Question 20

What would be likely to happen if communication is two-way?

Answer 20

• problems with the length of time it takes
• it will take time so it’s costly

Question 21

What is a wheel?

Answer 21

• it has the leader at the centre
• all communication goes through the leader (centralised structure)
• enables the leader to keep in touch with everything that’s taking place within the business
• may discourage employee initiative and responsibility as the leader is involved with all the communication
• not associated with delegation

Question 22

What is a circle?

Answer 22

• restricted network for communication
• can take place between employees usually within a department or on the same level of hierarchy
• it will be time- consuming as communication takes place between two people so it’s therefore expensive

Question 23

What is all networks?

Answer 23

• has no set route and allows communication between anyone within the business
• informal network
• communication may be quicker
• more appropriate for a smaller business

Question 24

What does communication media mean?

Answer 24

• Refers to how the message is sent to the receiver
• E.g. TV, letter, email, telephone
• The use of information communication technology has speeded up the process of communication evem if set up costs are high
• NHS hasn’t seen the benefits

Question 25

Barriers to effective communication (shannon and weavers theory)

Answer 25

3 main barriers to effective communication - Technical - Semantic - Effectiveness

Question 26

Technical

Answer 26

- This barrier is concerned with the ability of the receiver to receive the information being communicated. - E.g if there is too much noise the information will not be heard.

Question 27

Semantic

Answer 27

- Receiver cannot understand the received message - E.g slang may have beem used

Question 28

Effectiveness

Answer 28

- Has the message commnicated been acted upon

Question 29

Barriers to effective communication

Answer 29

- Skill of the sender of the message (may be inexperienced or not using the right words) - Ability of the receiver (not able to read) - Body language (must match the message) - Inappropriate medium used - Cultural differences (words used may not be received by the receiver in the same way as the sender intended) - Size of business - Amount of information

Question 30

What are group norms?

Answer 30

- They're a set of rules within a group - Rules will vary depending on the type of group, setting, people involved - They relate to the behaviour of the group

Question 31

What can the norms be either?

Answer 31

- Implicit - Explicit

Question 32

What is the implicit norm?

Answer 32

- An assumption to a set way to behave, operate, interact with member of the group

Question 33

What is the explicit norm?

Answer 33

- A written set of rules of how to behave (corporate way to do things) - E.g. how to answer phone

Question 34

What is a formal group?

Answer 34

- A group of people put together for a reason at work to achieve objectives

Question 35

What is a informal group?

Answer 35

- Group of friends get together outside of work

Question 36

What will depend upon how a person behaves in a group?

Answer 36

- Whether there is a shared view in the group - Individual needs of group - Purpose of group - Formality of group (Formal work group will have a heavier influence)

Question 37

R Bales (group observations) suggested:

Answer 37

- Over time, formal leaders are disliked whereas informal leaders are liked by the group - Size of the group influences the level of contributions ( smaller group= higher contributions) - Those who contribute a lot will initiate ideas

Question 38

Tannenbaum and Schmidt considered:

Answer 38

- Groups have power over their members as conformity is important - As members want to stay in the group they will conform - Individual objectives will take second place to group objectives - E.g. Trade unions where group objectives override individual objectives.