Chapter 7 (Week 7)

Question 1

Communication Process

Answer 1

Steps between a source and a receiver that result in the transfer and understanding of meaning

1. The Sender
2. Encoding
3. The Message
4. The Channel
5. Decoding
6. The Receiver
7. Noise
8. Feedback

Question 2

Formal vs Informal Channels

Answer 2

Formal channels are established by an organization to transmit messages related to the professional activities of its members.

Informal channels are created spontaneously and emerge as responses to individual choices.

Question 3

Channel Richness

Answer 3

Amount of information that can be transmitted during a communication episode

Question 4

Barriers to Effective Communication

Answer 4

• Filtering (sender’s manipulation of information so that it will be seen more favourably by the receiver)
• Selective Perception (receivers selectively see and hear based on their needs, motivations, experience, background, and other personal characteristics)
• Information overload (a condition in which information inflow exceeds an individual’s processing capacity)
• Emotions (messages are interpreted differently depending on recipient’s current emotional state)
• Language (words mean different things to different people)
• Silence (shouldn’t be ignored as silence can be its own message, communicating non-interest or inability to deal with the topic)
• Lying (misrepresentation of information)

Question 5

Direction of Communication

Answer 5

• Downward (communication that flows from one level of a group or organization to a lower level; used to assign goals, provide job instructions, inform employees of policies and procedures, identify problems that need attention, and offer feedback)
• Upward (communication flows to a higher level in the group or organization; used to provide feedback to higher-ups, inform them of progress toward goals and relay current problems)
• Lateral (communication among members of the same work group, members at the same level, or among any horizontally equivalent employees)
• Small group networks (chain, wheel or all-channel communication networks that stem from the larger, formal communication network
• Grapevine (most common informal communication network—communications that flow along social and relational lines)

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Question 6

Modes of Communication

Answer 6

Oral - advantages are speed, feedback and exchange; disadvantages are when messages must pass through more people; includes meetings, video and conference calling, telephone

Written - includes letters, email, instant messaging, organizational periodicals, and any other method that conveys written words or symbols; content is more memorable when written by hand; PPT has advantage of combining words with visual elements to help explain complex ideas; disadvantages of email and messaging are volume and tone

Nonverbal - conveyed through body movements, facial expressions, and the physical distance between sender and receiver (proxemics); often believed more than verbal messages

Question 7

Cultural Barriers to Communication

Answer 7

• semantics (words mean different things to different people and sometimes words don’t translate well because there’s no real equivalent)
• word connotations (e.g. “hai” is yes in Japanese but could mean “yes, I’m listening” rather than “yes, I agree”
• tone differences (personal/informal where formal is expected or vice versa)
• differences in tolerance for conflict / methods used for resolving conflict

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