Chapter 1 Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning Understanding Business Communication.

Chapter 1

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Communication

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Components of

Communication

Communication

Barriers

Communication Media Choices

Legal and Ethical

Communication

Understanding Business Communication

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Components of

Communication

Communication

Barriers


Legal and Ethical

Communication


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Communication Model

Components | Barriers | Media | Ethics

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Directions of Formal Communication

Downward CommunicationFlow of information from managers to their employees (people who report to them)

Upward CommunicationFlow of information from lower-level employees to upper-level employees or managers

Lateral (or Horizontal) CommunicationFlow of information among peers within an organization


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The Informal Communication Network


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The Grapevine

● Why do you think this may be true?

● As a manager, you can never stop the grapevine, but how can you manage it and learn from it?

“I’ve discovered that the less I say, the more rumors I start.”

- Bobby Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers hockey player


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Components of

Communication

Communication

Barriers


Legal and Ethical

Communication


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Verbal Communication Barriers

Inadequate Knowledge or

Vocabulary

Differences in Interpretation

Language Differences

Inappropriate Use of

Expressions

Overabstraction and Ambiguity Polarization


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Do You Know These Terms?

• Search Engine Optimization: improving the visibility of websites in search engines

SEO

• Joint Photographic Experts Group: a compression technique for color imagesJPEG

• Sending tweets that others wrote on TwitterRetweet

• Voice over Internet Protocol: used for making Internet phone callsVoIP

• A quick fix for a programming defectPatch

DefinitionTerm


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Nonverbal Communication Barriers

Inappropriate or Conflicting

Signals

Differences in Perception

Inappropriate Emotions Distractions


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Components of

Communication

Communication

Barriers


Legal and Ethical

Communication


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Traditional Communication Channels

Written Communication Examples● Colorful brochures● Financial statements● Solicitation letters● Complex reports● Periodicals (magazines, journals,

newspapers)

Oral Communication Examples● One-on-one meetings● Team meetings● Conferences


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Technology-Based Communication Channels

Email, Phone, Voice Mail

Instant and Text

Messaging

Social Media


BRIANAJACKSON/ISTOCKPHOTO.COMPIUS LEE/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM DAVID J. GREEN - LIFESTYLE THEMES/ALAMY LIMITED

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Social Media Examples


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RICH LEAN

Face-to-Face Meeting

Videoconferencing

TeleconferencingPhone CallVoice Message

BlogMicroblog

BrochureNewsletterFlier

IM

In-Person Oral Presentation

Online Meeting VideoVlog

Report EmailText Message


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Choosing Communication Media

Relationship Considerations

• New or existing relationship? • Good news or bad? • Feedback needed?• Audience level and

preference?• Likely audience reaction?• Confidential message?• Documentation needed?

Logistical Considerations

• Length and complexity of the message?

• Number and location of recipients?

• Urgency of the message? • Probability of audience

understanding?• Access to technology?

How do these factors affect the medium you choose for your message?


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Components of

Communication

Communication

Barriers


Legal and Ethical

Communication


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Avoid Legal Consequences

● Avoid writing or saying anything that you would not like to become public.

● Read your company’s social media policy carefully.

If you delete an email, isn’t it gone

forever?


© STOCKLITE/SHUTTERSTOCK

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Types of Ethics

Professional Ethics

Defined by an organization

Social Ethics

Defined by society

Individual Ethics

Defined by a person


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Lawyers’ Email Exchange

Did the lawyers behave professionally and ethically?

Who should have ended the conversation? When?

Connect to the email exchange via the blog.


ALBERTO ZORNETTA/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

http://www.bizcominthenews.com/bizcom_in_the_news/company-examples-for-chapter-1-understanding-business-communication.html




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Ethical Decision Making

1. Is the action legal?

2. Does the action comply with your company’s policies and guidelines?

3. Who will be affected by your decision and how?

4. Does the action comply with company values?

5. How will you feel after the decision is known?


Chapter 1 Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning Understanding Business Communication.

Documents

confidential message

audience level

lowerlevel employees

upperlevel employees

employees people

probability of audience

likely audience reaction

existing relationship