Business Communication

Foundations

Chapter 1

Business Communication

The process of establishing a common understanding between or among people within a business environment.

• Getting jobs you want• Gaining promotions• Providing leadership• Being productive on the job• Relating positively to others• Assuring success of your

organization

The Importance of Communicating Effectively

Internal and External Communication

• Internal– Day-to-day exchange among

employees

• External– Flows between an organization and

the entities with which it interacts

Business Communication is Transactional

Give-and-take relationship between sender and receiver in order to establish a common understanding

Goals of Business Communication

1. Receiver understanding

2. Receiver response

3. Favorable relationship

4. Organizational goodwill

Internal Communication Patterns

• Vertical

• Horizontal

• Network

Formal Communication

• Is business related• May be written or oral• Is planned by the organization• Flows in all directions• Is essential for effective

operation of the business

Informal Communication

• Referred to as “the Grapevine”• May be either business or personal • Is not planned by the organization• Flows in all directions• Develops and maintains positive

human relationships

Serial Communication

• Chain of three or more people• Messages usually changed as

passed• Receivers should

– Take notes– Repeat the message

Office Politics

The competitive environment that exists within the corporate culture

Communication Process Model

© Krizan, Merrier, Logan, Schneiter, Business Communication, 7ed., Southwestern

Sender’s Role

• Selecting the type of message• Analyzing the receiver• Using the you-viewpoint• Encouraging feedback• Removing communication

barriers

Receiver’s Role

• Listening or reading carefully• Being open to different types of

senders and to new ideas• Making notes when necessary• Providing appropriate feedback

to the sender• Asking questions to clarify the

message

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication

• Verbal – uses words

• Nonverbal - does not use words

Message Channels

• Written

• Oral

• Nonverbal

The You-Viewpoint

The sender gives primary consideration to the receiver’s point of view when composing and sending messages.

Analyzing the Receiver

• Knowledge

• Interests

• Attitudes

• Emotional Reaction

Feedback

• The sender’s role includes providing for feedback– Ask directly or indirectly for a

response– Assist the receiver in giving the

response

Communication Barriers

Any factors that interfere with the success of the communication process

Communication Barriers in Word Choice

• Denotative versus connotative meaning

• Idioms

• Implications and inferences

More Communication Barriers

• Grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling

• Type of message• Appearance of the message• Appearance of the sender

More Communication Barriers

• Environmental factors• Receiver’s capability• Ineffective listening skills• Other barriers