CORPORATE COMMUNICATION

Course – MBA

Subject – English Communication and Life Skills

UNIT: 3

Introduction:

• In order to understand corporatecommunication, it becomes imperative tounderstand the nature of communication andits functions in the corporate world.

• As far as the scope of communication isconcerned, communication has been aninstrument of our survival and leads to ouroverall progress and advancement.

Nature of Communication

• An organization is often representedas a communication system.

• It is a formal process to accomplishthe desired common goals. It is anexchange of information betweenindividuals, groups, departments, etc.

• Communication transmitsinformation and data to the sub-systems as well as to the total system.

• The management information systemoperates effectively through communication.It involves:

• Information gathering• Storage, processing• Monitoring• Communication includes both present and

past information. It is a tool and vital aspectof the management process.

• As a matter of fact the superior- subordinaterelationship can exist only with effective andmeaningful communication.

• There must be two parties in the process ofcommunication -

• The communicator or sender or transmitter ofthe message constitutes one party.

• The receiver or recipient or listener or readerconstitutes the other party.

• The purpose of communication is to makeothers understand.

• Communication is effective when the messageis shared and understood. There can be nocommunication if the information is notunderstood by the receiver in the same sense asit was intended by the communicator.

What is Corporate Communication?

• Corporate communication is thepractice of enabling information anddata exchanges between internal andkey external groups that have a directrelationship with an enterprise.

• This practice allows the communicationto be provided from the standpoint of itwith the employees, suppliers, investorsand partners.

Examples include:

• Enterprises use annual reports as corporatecommunications tools to convey informationrelated to results, processes and relationshipsof the enterprise. Typically, thesecommunications occur on a yearly basis.

• Corporations use electronic and printnewsletters to share corporate diversity hiringpractices and information on new hires.

• Corporate communication is the practice ofdeveloping, cultivating and maintaining acorporate identity or brand image. Everybusiness--big or small--invests in corporatecommunication initiatives to mold its image,communicate with internal and externalaudiences and sustain a long-term positivereputation.

• Corporate communication is defined as theactivities set in place to manage all internaland external communications of acorporation.

Role of Corporate Communication

• Corporate Communication is themethod by which large and medium sizecompanies communicate withcustomers, stakeholders andemployees.

• The reputation of a company and itsproducts are built through the messagesdisseminated by the company toemployees, customers and the public.

• Corporate communication makes the companyvisible and gives its products an image andreputation a customer can identify with.Customers and employees also get to know -and feel good - about the company they areworking for and doing business with.

• Customers need to know about the company;its management; its method of manufacture; itsmode of functioning, and the company’sphilosophy and values. They need to know itsproducts and services so that they can trustwhat the company stands for and confidentlybuy, consume and use their products.

Scope of Corporate Communication

• The scope of communication is wide andcomprehensive. It is a two-way process involving bothtransmission as well as reception.

• It is a continuous process of exchange of facts, ideas,feelings, attitudes, opinions, figures, and interactionswith other. In the process, it uses a set of symbols;which may be words, actions, pictures and figures.

• Internal communication flows in different directionsviz. Upward, horizontal, downward, etc. Internalcommunication may be formal and informal.

• It can take various forms such as team briefing,interviewing, employee or works councils, meetings,memos, an intranet, newsletters, and reports.

• Communication within an organization is called"Internal Communication". – Definition.

• Under Internal Business Communication types therecome;

• a) Upward Communicationb) Downward Communicationc) Horizontal/Literal communication

• Upward communication is the flow of information fromsubordinates to superiors, or from employees tomanagement. – Definition.

• Upward Communication is a mean for staff to:• Exchange information• Offer ideas• Express enthusiasm• Achieve job satisfaction• Provide feedback

• Information flowing from the top of theorganizational management hierarchy andtelling people in the organization what isimportant (mission) and what is valued(policies).

• Downward communication generally providesenabling information - which allows asubordinate to do something.

• Example: Instructions on how to do a task.• Definition: Communication from higher

members of the organization (i.e., managers,vice-presidents) to members lower in theorganizational hierarchy is defined asDownward Communication.

• This type of communication is needed in an organization to:

• Transmit vital information• Give instructions• Encourage 2-way discussion• Announce decisions• Seek cooperation• Provide motivation• Boost morale• Increase efficiency• Obtain feedback• Both Downward & Upward Communications are

collectively called "Vertical Communication“.

• Horizontal communication normally involvescoordinating information, and allows people with thesame or similar rank in an organization to cooperate orcollaborate. Communication among employees at thesame level is crucial for the accomplishment of work.Horizontal Communication is essential for:

• Solving problems• Accomplishing tasks• Improving teamwork• Building goodwill• Boosting efficiency• Horizontal communication is an informal method of

exchanging information between people in like groupsor organizations. The primary goal of horizontalcommunication is to promote teamwork and functionalcoordinating within a group setting.

• The communication between thepeers is called horizontalcommunication .

• It is defined as the formal/ informalexchange of ideas between differentindividuals/departments at thesame level of hierarchy in theorganization.

• External communication is concernedwith transmission of messages outsidethe organization with the government,its departments, customers, dealers,inter-corporate bodies, general publicinvestors, etc.

• External communication promotesgoodwill with the public. Internalcommunication helps in percolatingmanagerial functions like planning,direction, coordination, motivations intointernal communication system.

• The goals of external communication are to facilitatecooperation with groups such as suppliers, investors,and shareholders, and to present a favorable image ofan organization and its products or services topotential and actual customers and to society at large.

• A variety of channels may be used for externalcommunication, including face-to-face meetings, printor broadcast media, and electronic communicationtechnologies such as the Internet.

• External communication includes the fields of PR,media relations, advertising, and marketingmanagement.

• Written media consist of instructions, orders, letters,memos, house journals, posters, bulletins, boards,information racks, handbooks, manuals, annualreports, union publications, etc.

• Verbal media may consist of face-to-face conversation, lectures,conferences, meetings, interviews,counseling, public address system,telephone, grapevine, etc. Recently, anumber of sophisticatedcommunication technologies haveemerged, both in oral and writtencommunication on account oftechnological advancement.

Purpose of Corporate Communication

• According to communication expert Lee O. Thayer, thepurpose of communication in an organization can beclassified into five broad activities:

1) Becoming informed or informing others: This is thebasic purpose of routine, day-to-day communication.

• Communication provides a means of affirming the jointpurpose of organizational members, that is, all themembers will work towards complementary goals.When decisions have been made, they will have to beimplemented and reflected in organization operationsonly after members involved have been informed.

2) Evaluating one’s own Input and another’s output orsome Ideological scheme: The dynamic nature offunction needs constant evaluation of activitiesproceeding towards the desired objectives. Thus, thecomplete communication process is necessary, withfeedback too. Feedback tells us the effect of acommunication or action3) Directing others or being directed or instructed: Themanager’s function of directing the combinations ofpersons and materials towards goals requires thatcommunication occurs between the manager and thehuman and physical resources within her/his authority.Job training depends upon communication; delegationof authority cannot occur without communication.

4) Influencing others or being influenced:Motivation is an important elemental force. Anymotivational forces, not inherent, are provided toan individual and then stimulated throughcommunication. The balance between efficiencyand inefficiency lies with the ability to persuade orinfluence.5) Several incidentals, neutral functions: Manycommunications within the organizational contexthave no direct connection with the accomplishmentof the objectives of the organization. However, anauxiliary or contributing communication maycontribute indirectly to organizational objectivesand directly to the satisfaction of individual needsthat are compatible with organizational goals.

Principles for Effective Corporate Communication

• The following are principles for effective corporate communication:

a) There must be a clear line of authorityrunning from the top to the bottom of theorganization.

b) No one in the organization should report tomore than one line of authority. Everyone inthe organization should know whom heshould report to.

c) The responsibility and authority of eachdepartment should be clearly defined, ifnecessary in writing.

d) Work should be delegated as far down the line aspossible.

e) The number of levels of authority should be keptat the minimum.

f) The work of every person in the organizationshould be confined as far as possible to theperformance of a single leading function.

g) Whenever possible, the line function should beseparated from the staff-functions, and adequateemphasis should be placed on important staffobjectives.

h) There is a limit to the number of positions thatcan be co-ordinated by a single executive.

i) The organization should be flexible so that itcan be adjusted by changing conditions.

j) The organization should be kept as simple aspossible.

Non-verbal Communication

• We have discussed the communication processand about Corporate Communication. We havealso focused upon the ‘verbal’ and ‘written’aspect of communication. We also communicate‘non-verbally’ without using words.

• Non - Verbal signals are unconscious parts of ourbehavior which is a deeply rooted part in ourentire makeup. In fact, it is the most basic part ofour personality.

Communicating with appearance

• Appearance conveys non-verbal impression thataffects receivers’ attitudes towards the verbalmessage even before they read or hear them.

• Whether someone is speaking to one personface-to-face or to a group in a meeting, personalappearance and the appearance of yoursurroundings convey nonverbal stimuli thataffect attitudes towards the speaker’s spokenwords.

Communicating with Body Language

• Facial Expressions

• The eyes and face are especially helpful means tocommunicate non-verbally. They can reveal hidden emotion,including anger, confusion, enthusiasm, fear, joy, surprise,uncertainty and others.

• They can also contradict verbal statements. For example, onhis first day in a new job an employee may feel embarrassedand answer “yes” to something. But an intelligent senior willnotice the employee’s bewildered expression and hesitantvoice and will guess that the answer is actually a “no”.

• In formal situations, direct eye contact is considered desirablewhen two people converse. The person whose eyes droops orshift away from the listener is thought to be either shy ordishonest and untrustworthy.

• Gestures, Postures, and Movements• In some occupations, actions speak louder than

words. Traffic Police who directs traffic in crowdedstreets communicates by pointing arms or fingers.Deaf people communicate with a languageprimarily composed of hands, fingers, and eyemovements

• Gestures and movements are culture-specific.Continual gestures and movement such as pacingback and forth may signal nervousness and may bedistracting to listeners.

• Posture and movement can convey self-confidence,status or interest. A confident executive may have arelaxed posture, and yet may stand more erectthan a timid subordinate.

• Smell and Touch

• Various odors and fragrances sometimesconvey the emotions of the sender andsometimes affect the reactions of thereceiver, especially if the receiver issensitive to scents.

• Touching people can communicatefriendship, love, approval, hatred, anger,or other feelings. A kiss on the cheek, paton the shoulder, or slap on the back isprompted by various emotions.

• Sound

• Your voice quality and the extra sounds you make while speaking are also apart of non-verbal communication called Paralanguage.

• Paralanguage includes voice, volume, rate, articulation, pitch, and the othersounds you may make, such as throat clearing and sighing.

• The words “You did a great job on this project!” could be a compliment. Butif the tone of voice is sarcastic and said in the context of criticism, the truemeaning is anger.

• A loud voice often communicates urgency while a soft one is calming.Speaking fast may suggest nervousness or haste

• A lazy articulation, slurring sounds or skipping over syllables or words, mayreduce credibility. A lack of pitch variation becomes a monotone, while toomuch variation can sound artificial or overly dramatic. Throat cleaning candistract from the words.

• Emphasizing certain words in a sentence can purposely indicate your feelingabout what is important.

Seven C’s of effective Communication

• For effective written and oral communication one mustfollow certain communication principles.

• These principles called the seven C’s provide guidelines tochoice content, style and meet the purpose of message.

1) Completeness:• A message is “complete” when it contains all the facts the

reader or listener needs to know.• Complete messages bring desired results and benefit

numerously.• Complete message conveys the thoughts more clearly and

avoid any kind of misunderstanding.• To achieve completeness follow the guidelines given

below:

• Provide All the Necessary Information

• It is necessary that you provide all the information needed by thereceiver for accurate understanding.

• To check that your message is complete it must answer all the“W” questions like who, what, when, where, why and how.

• The message must be clear of what you want, when you want andto whom and where it is to be sent.

• Answer All Questions Asked

• When a message is sent as a reply to any enquiry it must answerall the questions stated and implied.

• If you are not able to answer any question or lack in informationmake it clear in the reply.

• If you need any information from the enquirers list it clearly for aprecise answer to be replied.

• Give Something Extra

• Sometimes it is necessary that youanswer a specific query more thanwhat it has asked for.

• The sender of the message may notknow what they need or theirquestion may be inadequate.

2) Conciseness:

• Conciseness is conveying message in fewestpossible words without losing any information.

• Conciseness is a prerequisite to effectivecommunication.

• A message is concise when unnecessary wordsare avoided and important information isstressed on.

• To achieve conciseness one must follow certainrules:

• Eliminate Wordy Expressions

• Wordy: Please be advised that your admission statement wasreceived‚‚

• Concise: Your admission statement has been received.

• Include Only Relevant Material

• For effective concise message you must not only omit unnecessarywords but also irrelevant statements.

• Observe the following suggestions to include relevant facts:

• Stick to the purpose of the message‚‚.

• Delete irrelevant sentences and tedious sentences‚‚.

• Omit information which is known to the receiver. Do not repeat thingswhich are already discussed and‚‚transmitted to the receiver‚‚.

• Avoid the use of unnecessary explanations, excessive adjectives andprepositions.

3) Consideration

• Consideration means preparing everymessage with the message received inmind.

• Put yourself in the place of receiverand frame a message as desired.

• This thoughtful consideration is alsocalled “you-attitude”, empathy, thehuman touch and understanding ofhuman nature.

4) Concreteness

• Concrete way of communicating is beingspecific, definite and vivid rather than vagueand general.

• In professionals aspects concrete facts andfigures need to declare because the receiverknows exactly what is desired.

5) Clarity

• Clarity means communicating withoutany uncertainty.

• The receiver without taking any extraeffect must understand the message.

• By maintaining a balance betweenprecise and familiar words clarity can beachieved.

• A correct sentence is the core of clarity.• Use of short sentences is preferred over

lengthy sentences.

6) Courtesy

• True courtesy involves being awarenot only of the perspective of othersbut also their feelings.

• Writers who send cordial, courteousmessages to deserving parties helpbuild goodwill.

• Be sincerely tactful, thoughtful andappreciative with your words.

7) Correctness

• The correctness of communication mainlyconcerns grammar, punctuation and spelling.

• The term correctness also implies:

• Use of right level of language.

• Accuracy in figures, facts and words.

Communication as a Management Tool

• Communication is a tool for management.

• Communication acts as a transferor of messages forthe smooth running of any organisation.

• With the advancement of technology communicationis much easier and sophisticated.

• To carry out the managerial functions like planning,co-ordination, direction and motivation, themanagement must communicate with managers andoperating personnel.

• Advertisement is a part of sales which can only becarried out by communication tool.

• Management Function as a Communication Process:

• Functions like control, direction, motivation arecalled management functions which act as thefunctions of communication process.

• Following are some of the management functions:• Planning:• Planning for future is basically a mental and

creative process.• It helps in setting long and short term goals to be

achieved by the organisation.• Planning involves interviews, discussions, exchange

of ideas and finalizing a plan.• A good system of information exchange is essential

for successful formulation of a plan.

• Organisation:

• People come together and organizemen, material and machine.

• In the process of organisationdifferent methods of communicationare used.

• For example: formal, downward,upward, horizontal, internal andexternal communication.

• Control:• The control function of management is to see that

things are going as per the schedule.• Control is an examination of actual performance which

includes explanations and reasons for betterperformance.

• Any management task depends completely on thesuccess or failure of communication.

• Direction:• The direction function also applies to communication.• Direction involves issuing orders to the staffs,

communicating rules, objectives, following proceduresand guidelines, motivating and supervising them.

• The success of a manager lies in building up effectivecommunication with the subordinates.

• Co-ordination:

• The co-ordination function of managementrequires communication between varioussections and groups of an organisation.

• A large number of people work in anorganisation at different levels with acommon objective.

• Co-ordination with the help ofcommunication makes it possible toaccomplish the common goal.

References/Sources

1)shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in:8080/jspui/bitstream/.../1

4_chapter%204.pdf

2)https://books.google.co.in/books?isbn=0070187754

3) ww.mu.ac.in/myweb_test/syllFybscit/PCS.pdf

4) www.institutik.cz/.../Communication-and-

Organizational-Knowledge.pdf