Communications in organizations contain all means, both formal and informal, by which information is passed up, down and across the network of managers and employees in an organization. These various modes of communication may be used to spreading official information between employees and management to exchange hearsay and rumors or anything in between. According to Drenth et al. (1998), sending and receiving of information or messages by means of symbols and in that context organizations communication is a key elements of organizational climate. Perhaps the importance of good communication is best understood by considering what things would be like in its absence. Besides that, communication in organization should be easy and understandable. …show more content…
Thus, there is no organizations without communication. To ensure the communication going smoothly in an organizations, the organizations should provide communication in three directions which is downward, upward and horizontal (Lunenburg & Ornstein, 2008). These three directions establish the frame work within which communication in an organization take place. However downward communication is seems much more prevalent compared to horizontal and upward communication especially.
Directions of communication consist of three directions which is upward, downward and horizontal. The first direct communication is upward communication. Upward communication is one of the consistent findings that employee satisfaction with upward communications tend to be lower than their satisfaction with downward communication. (Gibson 1985; Gibson and Hodgetts 1991:221-22). Larkin and Larkin (1994) found that low levels of satisfaction with all strategies commonly used to enhance upward communication including employee surveys, suggestions programs and employee participation programs such as quality
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This is because in the process of downward communication, messages of the top managerial level reach to the lower levels moving through the chain of hierarchy. In the following, some quotations on downward communication are cited. In the option of Weihrch and Koontz, “Downward communication flows from people at higher levels to those at lower levels in the organizational hierarchy.” According to Ricky W. Griffin, “Downward communication occurs when information occurs when information flows down the hierarchy from to superiors to subordinates.” It can be said that downward communication occurs when messages flow from upper level of lower levels by following the organizational hierarchy. Thus, the messages will be delivered smoothly by the top management to the lower level. Downward communication aim is to carry organizational objectives, plans, policies, and procedures from higher level to lower levels of the organization. Besides that, both written and oral methods are used in transmitting messages of downward communication. In fact, section of media depending on the nature, urgency and importance of the message to be communicated. Downward communication have three methods. The first one is, oral media or method. Downward communication is mainly done by means of oral media or method. Usually, the supervisors give instructions to their subordinates
In the past, communications primarily consisted of phone calls or typed messages put onto a bulletin board. Meetings were held in conference rooms with information and ideas being exchanged by conversation and on whiteboards or flip charts on easels (Burg, 2013). Phone calls were generally a one-to-one way to exchange ideas and information with some organizations using conference calls, where multiple people could talk and listen during one call. These ideas and communications were then spread throughout the organization by memos and word of mouth. In some cases, members of an organization never received the intended messages. When using these methods of communication, information was spread at a slower and sporadic pace in an organization.
The first types of formal communication is upward this takes place every day without many of us taking it in to consideration it is when someone in a lower position talks to someone in a higher position. Much like when a team member is talking to a team leader this is known as upward communication. Downward communication is when a higher position person talks to a lower position person such as the boss talking to his employees.
On a daily basis, leaders are expected to communication on both a business and professional level. As stated by Solaja, Idowu, and James (2016) “today’s leaders must acquire effective communication skills for public speaking, listening and critical thinking in order to promotes organizational performance and cordial relationship between the organization and the external public” (p. 100). At the same time, internal communication with upper management, peers, and subordinates require the same level of information exchange.
There are vast communication differences between males and females, which makes it difficult for the two sexes to maintain stable and functional relationships with each other. Areas in which these problems occur include children’s development, friendships, romantic relationships, and work environments. If these communication problems continue to persist in heterosexual relationships, our nations heterosexual divorce rates may rise well over 50% in the next few decades.
Kroger’s formal communication structure or flow utilized within the chain of command defined by the organizations CEO uses the three formal channels and types of information that is conveyed in a downward, upward, and horizontal communication style. This is used by the top CEO, Rodney McMullen, in a downward style through the numerous chains of command, finally reaching all the way to the various store brands and store level management. Downward communication, comes from the top CEO level and is communicated down through the chains of command. An example of how culture has influenced Kroger’s downward communication can be seen in the use of videos posted by Kroger’s CEO. Upward communication is when messages come from the subordinate levels to higher in the organization’s management pyramid (Daft, 2012, p.579-580). An example of an upward and downward communication tool can also be seen on Kroger’s intranet in the form of a company blog.
“By Failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” The great mind of Benjamin Franklin said that and it connects with many aspects of every day life. One that it connects to greatly is communication. Right now my future plans are to become a certified public accountant. “In this job with how global it is becoming you are constantly communicating.” Which was said by Miss Lauren Kolarik. “Communication is very important,” she continues, “in this job you use every type of communication.” There is conversational communication when you are working with your team in auditing a company, there is professional communication when talking with a partner and there is written communication when writing emails to clients and overseas workers. All of these types are important because they all accomplish a different but equally significant aspect of the job. Through the course of the interview, one idea remained constant in every answer, be prepared. In the field of accounting you will be communicating in a conversational, professional and written form. It is crucial you know which type of communication to use and how to vitalize its
Communication is the process of conveying information to each another using words, actions, or by writing the information down to be read by another person. Communication is something that most people do at some point each day, and is an important part of life especially in a working environment. “The concept of communication is an essential part of every profession, and it is required to foster and maintain healthy relationships”( Jasmine, 2009, para. 1).
Promote communication within an organization vertically and horizontally while balancing various management and operational elements;
Communication is an integral part of working in the business environment. Individuals communicate various pieces of information to internal and external business stakeholders.The design of an organization should provide for communication in four in distinct directions: downward, upward, horizontal, and diagonal. But we have only discuss about downward communication and upward communication, where downward communication is more prevalent than upward communication in organization. Communication can flow vertically or laterally. The vertical dimension can be further divided into downward and upward direction. Downward communication is more prevalent because in this type of communication, we have to give orders and instructions to our sub-ordinates. So we have to explain each and every step that is going to help in work. But in upward communication they sub-ordinates do not have to give instructions their head.
Organizations depend on communication for very nearly every part of their operation. From directing touchy discussions between two people to immediately scattering discriminating data over a mass crowd and actually enlisting new clients, various built and rising channels permit organizations to help. Communication tools in modern technological era are the first need of business organizations. Being the part of business, these tools are leaving an immense effect on workplace environment. Business activities have become very convenient and easy with introduction of modern communication tools. Business communication has become child’s play with the inventions of electronic tools for exchanging ideas. These sorts of electronic specialized systems for descending correspondence or upward and sideways correspondence beat the impediments of routines for correspondence 50 years back. They give strategies for worldwide correspondence that are moment wi...
Organisational communication’s primary goal is to research and understand the process of communication within organisations and then develop ways to improve the mechanics of the same. To this end various communication researchers have focused themselves on understanding the barriers that are posed in front of effective communication in the organisations. Some of the main barriers that are identified are interpersonal barriers or personal barriers one that come from individual differences and characteristics and the others are systemic barriers or barriers that result as a consequence of organisational structure, systems and
Communication which flows from the superiors to subordinates is known as downward communication means a process of starting communication process from upper level to lower level. Group leaders and managers use it to assign goal, provide jod instruction, explain policies and offer other feedback about performance. Managers can do this in various ways such as via speeches, messages in newsletter, e-mails, leaflets, bulletin boards, memos and others. When the managers of the organization assign goals to their employees, they are using downward communication. The downward communication occurs when information and messages flow down through an organization's formal chain of command or hierarchical structure. In other words, messages and orders start at the upper levels of the organizational hierarchy and move down toward the bottom levels. Responses to downward communications move up along the same path.In an organization structure, the superiors utilize their abilities to attain the desired targets which mean that they may be engaged in issuing commands, directions and policy directives to the persons working under them at lower levels. When engaging in downward communication, managers must explain the reason why a decision was made. One study found employees were twice as likely to be committed to changes when the reasons behind them were fully explained. Although this may seem like common sense, many managers feel they are too busy to explain things or that explanations will “open up a big can of worms.” Downward communication is to provide relevant information, orders, instruction to subordinates. Downward communication is called as instruction type communication system.
Sir Isaac Newton, a famously intelligent scientist, mathematician, and philosopher, once uttered the words that became the widely studied statement know as Newton’s Third Law of Motion: “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Newton was referring to scientific principles, but his declaration can apply to many other various areas of life. For every decision an individual makes, he or she will be faced with an appropriate consequence, intended or unintended. Social promotion defies this logic; it concludes that if standards are not met, there should still be no repercussions.
As in all aspects of personal and professional life, having effective communication is a key element of success. Effective communication can benefit your relationships with people. By conveying your message and integrating them as a member of the team and not just a subordinate leads to better production. By effectively communicating you can clearly define job responsibilities and expectations. The better you are able to communicate the less likely organizational turnover of personnel will occur. Supervisors and leaders in the professional workplace find that the most important factor in advancement and retain ability is effective communication. Senior level executives and human resources managers are stressing the importance of communication and providing more training for mid-level management. Emphasis is placed on communication being clear by being transmitted strongly.
There are many types of communication. The first one I would like to communicate is vertical communication. The definition of vertical communication is the flow of information both downward and upward through the organizational chain of command. Some also refer to it as formal communication. Downward communication kind of speaks for itself; top-level management produces decisions that are communicated down to tell employees how to perform their job.