Types of communication

Communication may be classified broadly into two major types

Internal communication
External communication

Internal communication

Refers to exchange of information/messages between persons and departments

of the same organization.

NB Write notes on importance of Internal communication. From business

communication by saleemi

EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION
External communication is the transmission of information between a
business and another person or entity in the company's external
environment. Examples of these people and entities include customers,
potential customers, suppliers, investors, shareholders, and society at
large.
Communication can further be classified in various lines of
communication based on;

The direction of flow of the communication

The relationship of the parties involved in the communication
The media that is used

The direction of flow of the communication

Vertical communication

Vertical communication occurs within the formal organizational hierarchical

structure. A message may start at the top and be transmitted down at each
level of the hierarchy until it reaches the bottom level. Responses are
communicated back up the chain of command in reverse order until it
reaches the top level. For example, a corporation's president announces a
new personal leave policy and sends a memo to each divisional vice
president who passes the memo along to their respective department
heads. The department heads send the memo down to their unit
supervisors who send it to their team leaders who then distribute it to their
team members. It can be either upward or downward communication
Downward Communication
It involves information or messages from the senior members of staff to their
subordinates or junior members of staff. E.g head of department giving
information or instructions to the staff working under his department.

Importance/Advantages of downward communication

1. Delegating authority and responsibility: Delegation means entrusting the

subordinates with some responsibilities along with due authority. It is
essential to make the subordinates capable in performing their jobs. Since
downward communication starts form higher level, it helps mangers in
delegating authority and responsibility to the right persons.
2. Marinating discipline: Downward communication occurs in conformity with
officially recognized rules and regulations. So it helps in establishing official
discipline in the organization.
3. Increasing efficiency: Downward communication provides necessary
guidance, orders, instructions and explanations of various complex issues to
the subordinates that ultimately increase the efficiency of the employees.
4. Informing organizational plans and procedures: In an organization, the
top-level executives develop the plans, policies, strategies, procedures etc.
downward communication plays a significant role in communicating those
plans, policies, strategies’ and procedures to the lower levels of the
organization.
5. Explaining the complex issues: Sometimes subordinates need explanation
of organizational policies and procedures. In such situations, managers rely
on downward communication to provide necessary explanations and
analysis.
6. Issuing orders and instructions: Downward communication is the only
means to circulate various orders, instructions, guidance, and advices to the
 subordinates. Without downward communication, organization is like a
boat without boatman.
7. Avoiding by-passing of hierarchy: Downward communication takes place
by following the established chain of command of the organization. Thus, it
reduces the chance of sending message to someone through by-passing the
immediate subordinate.
8. Maintaining good labor-management relationship: Downward
communication helps to create and maintain good labor-management
relationships in the organization. When top-level executives communicate
with their subordinates sincerely and courteously, it develops good
interpersonal and inter-group relationships between management and
works. In turn, this will motivate the employees and ensure good labor-
management relation in the organization.
In conclusion we can say that Downward communication ties together the entire
organization and ensures the achievement of organizational goals.

Disadvantages or demerits of downward communication

Though downward communication provides many advantages to the
organization, it is not free limitations. Its main limitations or disadvantages are
discussed below:
1. Time-consuming: Downward communication is a delayed process. In this
communication, information flows through different levels of hierarchy. As
a result, when information reaches to the lower level workers, it may have
lost its significance or utility.
2. Distortion of information: Downward communication also suffers form
problem of distortion of message. People have a tendency to modify or
manipulate information. Therefore, information is passed from one
individual to another or form one level to another, authenticity of
information is lost.
3. Lack of explanation: In most cases, downward communication contains
messages without necessary explanation and clarification. For this reason,
subordinates fail to understand the message accurately.
 4. Deterioration of relationship: Heavy reliance on downward communication
also deteriorates the labor-management relationships. Because it does not
provide any scope of direct communication between them.
5. Lack of feedback: Absence of feedback is another major drawback of
downward communication. The top-level executives usually place little or
no importance to the messages received from subordinates. Superiors
hardly seek feedback from the subordinates. Due to negligence of the
superiors, subordinates also seldom send feedback. As a result,
communication becomes ineffective.
6. Lack of enthusiasm: Managers send orders instructions and advices to the
subordinates through downward communication. This form of
communication energizes and activates the employees. Therefore, delay in
the downward flow of information adversely affects the enthusiasm of the
employees.
7. Creation of frustration: Downward communication is directive in nature.
This type of communication hardly allows the subordinates to discuss any
matter with their superiors. Moreover, the subordinates are compelled to
follow the orders and instructions of the superiors. Such coercion creates
frustration in the mind of the employees.

Upward communication

Involves movement of information or messages from junior staff to the head of

section who in turn will pass the same to the head of department.

METHODS OF UPWARD COMMUNICATION

Report: Report is one of the most important a widely used media
of upward communication. Subordinates prepare reposts
periodically or regularly on various routine issues. They also
prepare a special report when need arises. Reports are then
submitted to the higher authority for supplying necessary
information.

Suggestion and complaint boxes: Some organizations install

suggestions and complaint boxes at some convenient places in the
office or factory through a suggestion box, management invites the
employees to submit their suggestions for improving the efficiency
of organizational operations. On the other hand, complaint box is
placed to submit any complaint of the employees regarding any
aspect of their employment.
Direct letters: Subordinates can write letters directly to their
superiors at their superiors at their own initiation or they may be
asked by their superiors write about any directed matter.
Questionnaire: Sometimes managers encourage upward
communication by asking questions to their subordinates. For this
purpose, they distribute questionnaires to the employees. Through
questionnaires, management can know the attitudes, feelings and
complaints of the employees.
Grievance procedure: Grievance is the employee dissatisfaction
over any aspect of their employment. The grievance procedure
provides the employees with a formal channel of appeal to their
superiors. In modern organizations, there is a well-established
procedure for handing employee grievances that acts as a mode of
upward communication.
Joint setting of objectives: In participative organizations,
superiors and subordinates sit together for setting objectives. In
this case, the superiors seek information and suggestions from the
bottom-level managers and employees.
Employer-employee meeting: Meeting between employer and
employees is a very useful medium of upward communication. In
the meeting, the superior can raise problems and seek information,
guidelines or suggestions from the subordinates.
Open-door-policy: Open-door-policy of management inspires the
employees to feel that the manger’s doors are always open to them.
Whenever they want they can enter into the manager’s room and
talk everything to the superiors without any fear or hesitation.

Advantages of upward
communication
1. Development of plan: The information received from
subordinate plays important role to help development of
planning of the organization.

2. Providing suggestions and opinions: By upward

communication system, subordinate takes necessary
suggestions and opinions from superiors about the work-
related issues of the organization.

3. Motivating to employees: Upward communication system

allows lower level staff to express their attitude or opinion to
upper-level staff. As a result, sub-ordinates are influenced to
work more towards fulfillment to target.

4. Providing constructive suggestion: All employees are

supplied with constructive and important messages that can
help to implement the goals or objectives.

5. Good labor-management
relationship: Upward communication I participative in
 nature. Here, information is invited from lower level
executives and employees and on the basis of this information
top executive makes a decision. So, good relation between
subordinates and bosses should create for the betterment of
the organization.

6. Providing feedback: The subordinate’s reaction is returned

to the superior in this communication system. So, top level
management can decide what to do and what not do clearly
understand and followed.

7. Creating favorable environment: Upward communication

helps to develop a favorable working situation in an

organization by creating a good relation among all employees.

8. Promote harmony: Upward communication creates a friendly

environment in the organization which leads to a peaceful and

harmonious relationship among the subordinates and
superiors.

9. Decision making: Top level executives or superiors needed

much information before taking a decision on a particular
issue. Subordinates supply this information through the help
of upward communication.

10. Developing creative and innovative ideas: Upward

communication facilitates easy excess of the employees or
subordinate to the superiors in providing necessary
 constructive suggestions and opinions about the work-related
issues of the organization.

11. Facilitating collective decision: Since upward

communication is participative in nature. It communication
allows the subordinates to convey their feelings, constructive
suggestions and opinions and the work-related in the decision
making process.

Disadvantages of upward
communication
In spite of having many advantages upward communication, it is
not free from limitations of disadvantages. The main disadvantages
of upward communication are as follows:

1. Changes of information: In upward communication

subordinates may change their accurate information. So, the

top executive cannot take an accurate decision.

2. Unwillingness: Sometimes subordinates don’t send the

information to their superior willingly. So, the
communication system may be disrupted.

3. Fear of inefficiency: The main problem of upward

communication is fair to superiors. Generally, superiors make
a question about the employees work position and efficiency.
 Many employees fear to communicate and share their ideas,
constructive suggestions and opinions with the superiors.

4. Indiscipline: Sometimes employees communicate directly to

superior by avoiding proper channel or chain of command.
Here disciplines are not properly maintained.

5. Bypassing: In the process of upward communication,

sometimes workers directly approach the topmost authority
with their suggestions or bypassing their immediate boss. This
is harmful to any organization.

6. Flattery: In order to convince the superior bosses,

subordinates can take the help of flattery and for this reason,
subordinates may conceal the true and provide incomplete
information to top level.

7. Lake of initiative: Generally subordinate is reluctant to take

the initiative to upward communication for a different reason.

8. Risk of distortion of messages: In upward communication,

subordinates willingly distort the message because they fear if
they tell the original fact to their bosses, they may face some
problems.

9. Delay: It is an important limitation of upward communication

is the long and slow movement of information to the higher
authority.
 10. Supervisor’s negligence: Sometimes top-level
executives discourage the upward flow of information and
neglect the constructive suggestions and opinions about the
work-related issues of the organization.

Horizontal Communication: Definition

Horizontal communication is the transmission of information between
people, divisions, departments or units within the same level of
organizational hierarchy.
Advantages
Horizontal communication presents some distinct advantages. It
decreases misunderstanding between departments working on the same
project, thereby increasing efficiency and productivity.
It may result in better implementation of top-level decisions because
employees on lower levels are permitted to coordinate directly with each
other in the implementation of the decision made at the top.
Horizontal communication facilitates teamwork if a project requires tasks
from different people or departments.
It may also increase job satisfaction and motivation by creating more
employee empowerment in communication.
Disadvantages
Horizontal communication does come with some disadvantages.
Management may have a greater problem maintaining control as horizontal
communication increases. This is, in part, because management can derive
much control and power if it controls the flow of information.
Horizontal communication can also create conflict between employees
exposed to each other through the communication process.
It is also more time-consuming if vertical communication is required to ratify
decisions made during horizontal communication or to confirm information
received through horizontal communication.
Finally, it may create a lack of discipline if strict procedural rules of
communications are not imposed and followed.

b) Lines of communication based on relationship of the

parties

Formal Communication
Formal communication refers to interchange of information
officially. The flow of communication is controlled and is a
deliberate effort. This makes it possible for the information
to reach the desired place without any hindrance, at a little
cost and in a proper way.
It is official and documented. It should go through the channels laid down by the
organization to communicate important issues.

Informal Communication
Definition: The Informal Communication is the casual and unofficial form of
communication wherein the information is exchanged spontaneously between two
or more persons without conforming the prescribed official rules, processes,
system, formalities and chain of communication. It is also known as grapevine
communication. Grapevine is a form of informal communication,
operates both in internal and external informal channels
which can contribute to and benefit the organization.

Therefore, it is found in all organizations. It does not follow any

prescribed or predetermined rule and spreads any information
quickly.

Sources of grapevine communication

1.) Pure assumptions and imaginations of what could be

happening in the organization by disgruntled employees.
2.) Idle talk or careless talk by management personal in
entertainment forums.
3.) Jealousy if one employee is promoted then the other staff
may engage in gossip
4.) Loud discussions coming from behind closed doors
5.) Carelessly placed confidential documents on tables or
trays
ADVANTAGES OF GRAPEVINE COMMUNICATION

1. It is one of the fastest means of communication.

2. It helps the management know what the staff is thinking
3. It makes the managers make fast decision
4. It brings solidarity and unity among the workers
5. Helps the staff to know what the mangers are up to.

DISSAVANTAGES

1. The information may lead to strike or unrest within the

organization.
2. It brings discontent and hatred in the work place where the
victims may recent or dislike being in the company.
3. Can hinder proper communication within the company.
4. Grapevine leads to waste of the production time.

c.) Based on the media being used

Oral Communication
Written Communication
Audio-visual Communication
Visual Communication
Non-verbal Communication