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• Module overview
• 1.Introduction to communication
  • 1.1 Overview of communication
  • 1.2 Forms & types of communication
  • 1.3 Communication models and theories
    • 1.3.1 The transmission model
    • 1.3.2 The process models
    • 1.3.3 More recent models and theories
  • 1.4 The role of perception in the communication process
  • 1.5 Communication barriers
  • 1.6 Communication in the workplace

• 2. Written communication: Business writing

  • 2.1 Overview of written communication
  • 2.2 Planning
  • 2.3 The components of a plain english writing style
    • 2.3.1 Language
    • 2.3.2 Sentence structure
    • 2.3.3 Paragraph structure
    • 2.3.4 Rhythm
  • 2.4 Evaluating your writing
  • 2.5 Letters, memoranda and reports
    • 2.5.1 Letters
    • 2.5.2 Memoranda
    • 2.5.3 Reports
  • 2.6 Applying written communication to business writing
    • 2.6.1 Good news letter/memo - eg granting a request
    • 2.6.2 Bad news letters/memos - eg declining a credit application
    • 2.6.3 Structure for persuasive messages eg sales letters
    • 2.6.4 Online writing

• 3. Written communication: research and academic writing

  • 3.1 Overview of academic writing
    • 3.1.1 The research process
    • 3.1.2 Notations
    • 3.1.3 Strategies for sorting information
  • 3.2 Clear and logical thinking in academic writing
  • 3.3 Structure and content of academic writing
  • 3.4 Writing techniques

• 4. Intercultural communication

  • 4.1 Overview of culture
  • 4.2 Intercultural, cross-cultural and intracultural communication
  • 4.3 Enculturation, acculturation, ethnocentrism and cultural relativism
  • 4.4 Globalisation and intercultural business communication
  • 4.5 Cultural variables
  • 4.6 Barriers to effective intercultural communication
  • 4.7 Intercultural communication competence

• 5. Interpersonal communication

  • 5.1 Overview of interpersonal communication
  • 5.2 Creating a positive communication climate
    • 5.2.1 Empathy
    • 5.2.2 Judgmental behaviour and stereotyping
    • 5.2.3 Self disclosure
    • 5.2.4 Interpersonal effectiveness
  • 5.3 Self-concept
    • 5.3.1 Developing a positive self-concept
  • 5.4 Techniques for effective communication
    • 5.4.1 Assertive behaviour
    • 5.4.2 'I' Statements
    • 5.4.3 Feedback
    • 5.4.4 Feedfoward
    • 5.4.5 Networking
    • 5.4.6 Delegating

• 6. Non-verbal communication

  • 6.1 Overview of non-verbal communication
  • 6.2 Types of non-verbal communication
  • 6.3 Aspects of non-verbal behaviour
    • 6.3.1 Kinesics
    • 6.3.2 Touch
    • 6.3.3 Paralanguage
    • 6.3.4 Proxemics
    • 6.3.5 Time
    • 6.3.6 Type
  • 6.4 The role of non-verbal communication
  • 6.5 Conflict between verbal and non-verbal

• 7. Listening

  • 7.1 Overview of listening
  • 7.2 The listening process
  • 7.3 Approaches to listening
    • 7.3.1 Active listening
    • 7.3.2 Informational listening
    • 7.3.3 Evaluative listening
    • 7.3.4 Conversational listening
  • 7.4 Barriers to listening
    • 7.4.1 Becoming an effective listener

• 8. Public presentations and visual aids

  • 8.1 Overview of public presentations
  • 8.2 Planning and delivering the presentation
    • 8.2.1 Planning
    • 8.2.2 Delivery
  • 8.3 Visual aids and technology in presentations
    • 8.3.1 Selecting the right visual aid
    • 8.3.2 Types of visual aids
    • 8.3.3 Modes of delivery

• 9. Conflict and negotiation skills

  • 9.1 Overview of conflict: types, approaches and levels
  • 9.2 Types of conflict
  • 9.3 How to deal with conflict
  • 9.4 The twelve skills of conflict resolution
  • 9.5 Overview of negotiation
  • 9.6 Negotiation styles and strategies
  • 9.7 Personal styles in negotiation
  • 9.8 Principled negotiation

• 10. Organisational communication

  • 10.1 Overview of organisational communication
  • 10.2 Formal communication channels and networks
    • 10.2.1 Formal communication: problems and solutions
  • 10.3 Informal communication
  • 10.4 Improving organisational communication
  • 10.5 Meetings
    • 10.5.1 The purpose of a meeting
    • 10.5.2 The stages of a meeting
    • 10.5.3 Communication skill for effective meetings
  • 10.6 Interviews
    • 10.6.1 The purposes of an interview
    • 10.6.1 The purposes of an interview

• 11. Groups and teams in organisations

  • 11.1 Overview of groups and teams
  • 11.2 The nature of groups
  • 11.3 Group development
  • 11.4 The advantages and disadvantages of groups
  • 11.5 Improving group performance
  • 11.6 Decision making in groups
  • 11.7 Communication in groups

• 12. Customer service and public relations

  • 12.1 Overview of customer service
  • 12.2 Developing a working relationship with clients
  • 12.3 Customer relations and communication skills
    • 12.3.1 Communication barriers in customer relations
    • 12.3.2 Your role in customer relations
  • 12.4 Handling difficult situations
  • 12.5 Public Relations

Overview of chapter 10

I'm on a committee

Oh! give us some pity, we're on a committee
Which means that from morning till night
We attend; and amend; and contend; and defend
Without a conclusion in sight

We confer and concur; we defer and demur
And reiterate all of our thoughts.
We revise the agenda with frequent addenda
And consider a load of reports.

We compose and propose; we suppose and oppose
And the points of procedure are fun!
But - though various notions are brought up as motions
There's terribly little gets done.

We resolve and absolve, but we never dissolve,
Since it's out of the question for us.
What a shattering pity to end our committee - for
Where else could we make such a fuss?!

(Author unknown)
To start you thinking

Provide ten problems in an organisation that may inhibit effective communication.

Effective communication is costly to business but the cost to business of ineffective communication is even greater. The cost of a single letter to a business organisation in 1994, including planning, dictation, writing, materials and postage ranged from US$12.64 to US$19.13 depending on the method used to produce it (Lahiff & Penrose 1997). If, however, that letter contained a serious error or offended a customer the cost would be much higher. Poor organisational communication can also result in non-monetary costs such as decreased motivation and labour turnover. Competent organisational communication between all levels of the organisation and with the external environment is crucial to organisational effectiveness and efficiency. (Refer to Table 10.1 for examples of the different forms of organisational communication.) This chapter is concerned with communication within the organisation and chapter 12 covers external communication in terms of customer service and public relations.

Table 10.1 Different forms of organisational communication

Internal	External
Formal memos meetings bulletin boards pay envelope stuffers Informal chance meetings grapevine social meetings telephone	Planned advertising brochures television annual reports public speeches   Unplanned Employee representatives

 

Learning objectives

On completion of this chapter you should be able to:

• identify the main purposes of communication in an organisation
• distinguish between formal and informal communication
• promote communication skills within the workplace
• determine the meeting's purpose
• distinguish between formal and informal meetings
• identify the roles of the chairperson, secretary and members
• analyse communication skills required for meetings
• determine the purpose of interviews
• conduct an interview
• identify different types of interviews.

Topics

• 10.1 Overview of organisational communication
• 10.2 Formal communication channels and networks
• 10.3 Informal communication
• 10.4 Improving organisational communication
• 10.5 Meetings
• 10.6 Interviews

In your text

Read Chapters 9, 12 and 13 (pages 362-374) in your text by Dwyer, J. 2005, Communication in Business: Strategies and Skills, 3 rd edn, Pearson Education Australia, Frenchs Forest , Australia .

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