Report onBusiness Communication in an organization

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Objective of this project is to study on the Business Communication within an

Organization.How the communication should be done in an organization keeping in
mind various stakeholders who come from different backgrounds and different regions.
Report started off with the Introduction of Communication,types of Communication, their
advantages and disadvantages in Business terms and finally importance of Business

Communication and types of Communication flow which happens in an

Organization.Further Scope, Objective and complete framework of the study is
discussed.
The foremost important pillar of any report which is Methodology adopted while carrying
the research is explained.This section brief about the Universe and Locale of the study
and how the sampling and data collection was carried upon is briefed.The target
segment is IT/ITES employee because of its comprehensive growth and number of
employees.
Questionnaire is divided into 4 broad domains namely Internal Communication, External
Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Cross-Culture Communication.Hence
each domain is analyzed separately and findings are discussed in detail in the report.
It was founded that people are pleased within the organization when their ideas and
views are taken sincerely and when employees were given opportunity to interact
directly with their clients.The employees felt a necessity to express their views among
the peers effectively and stressed upon training or workshops to be provided by the
company.
Finally, came to a conclusion that the Communication is a diversified field with lots of
new technology rolling over with the advent of globalization and world is becoming
narrower.Hence its mandatory for any organization to look onto every aspect of
communication be it Internal,External,Interpersonal and Cross Cultural. A company
could improve upon all the factor discussed by themselves except Interpersonal
communication and here does the need of training, workshop and updated literature is
required.

Contents
Acknowledgement...................................................................................................... v
Letter Of Transmittal.................................................................................................. vi
1.Introduction............................................................................................................. 7
Importance of communication in an organization...................................................9
1.1 Purpose of this Study...................................................................................... 10
1.2 Objectives of this Study...................................................................................10
1.3 Theoretical Framework.................................................................................... 10

1.4 Keywords Of the Study.................................................................................... 11

1.5 Brief Outline of Chapters................................................................................. 11
2.Methodology.......................................................................................................... 12
2.1 Universe of the Study...................................................................................... 12
2.2 Locale of the Study.......................................................................................... 12
2.3 Sample............................................................................................................ 12
2.4 Data Collection................................................................................................ 12
2.5 Acknowledgement........................................................................................... 12
3.Literature Review.................................................................................................. 13
3.1Introduction to review literature on Communication........................................13
3.2 History of Infosys Ltd....................................................................................... 15
4.Analysis................................................................................................................. 16
Communication Flow in an Organization...............................................................16
5. Conclusion............................................................................................................ 19
5.1 Findings........................................................................................................... 19
5.2 Suggestions..................................................................................................... 19
5.3Limitations........................................................................................................ 20
5.4 FURTHER SCOPE OF THE STUDY......................................................................20
Appendixes.............................................................................................................. XXI
Appendix A.......................................................................................................... XXII
Appendix B......................................................................................................... XXIII
Appendix C....................................................................................................... XXIIIV
Appendix D......................................................................................................... XXV

Acknowledgement
I would like to extend my sincere & heartfelt obligation towards all the personages who
have helped me in this endeavor. Without their active guidance, help, cooperation &
encouragement, I would not have made headway in the project.
I take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and deep regards to my
professor Dr. Anita Tripathi Lal for her exemplary guidance, monitoring and constant

encouragement throughout the course. The blessing, help and guidance given by her
time to time shall carry me a long way in the journey of life.
I am obliged to FORE School of Management for providing me opportunity to work upon
this report which will help enhance my soft skills and see things in different perspective.
I also acknowledge with a deep sense of reverence, my gratitude towards my parents
and member of my family, who has always supported me morally as well as
economically.
At last but not least gratitude goes to all of my friends who directly or indirectly helped
me to complete this report.
Any omission in this brief acknowledgement does not mean lack of gratitude.

Thank you

1.Introduction
Introductory paragraph
Communication is neither transmission of message nor message itself. It is the mutual
exchange of understanding, originating with the reciever. Communication needs to be
effective in business. Communication is essence of management. The basic functions
of management cannot be performed well without effective communication. Business
communication involves constant flow of information. Organizations these days are
verly large. It involves number of people. There are various levels of hierarchy in an
organization. Greater the number of levels, the more difficult is the job of managing the
organization. Communication here plays a very important role in process of directing

and controlling the people in the oragnization. Immediate feedback can be obtained and
misunderstandings if any can be avoided. There should be effective communication
between superiors and subordinated in an organization, between organization and
society at large(for example between management and trade unions). It is essential for
success and growth of an organization. Communication gaps should not occur in any
organization.
Business Communication is goal oriented. The rules, regulations and policies of a
company have to be communicated to people within and outside the organization.
Business Communication is regulated by certain rules and norms. In early times,
business communication was limited to paper-work, telephone calls etc. But now with
advent of technology, we have cell phones, video conferencing, emails, satellite
communication to support business communication. Effective business communication
helps in building goodwill of an organization.
Business Communication can be of two types:
1. Oral Communication - An oral communication can be formal or informal.
Generally business communication is a formal means of communication, like :
meetings, interviews, group discussion, speeches etc. An example of Informal
business communication would be - Grapevine.
2. Written Communication - Written means of business communication includes agenda, reports, manuals etc.
Oral communication implies communication through mouth. It includes individuals
conversing with each other, be it direct conversation or telephonic conversation.
Speeches, presentations, discussions are all forms of oral communication. Oral
communication is generally recommended when the communication matter is of
temporary kind or where a direct interaction is required. Face to face communication
(meetings, lectures, conferences, interviews, etc.) is significant so as to build a rapport
and trust.
Advantages of Oral Communication

There is high level of understanding and transparency in oral communication as it

is interpersonal.

There is no element of rigidity in oral communication. There is flexibility for

allowing changes in the decisions previously taken.

The feedback is spontaneous in case of oral communication. Thus, decisions can

be made quickly without any delay.

Oral communication is not only time saving, but it also saves upon money and
efforts.

Oral communication is best in case of problem resolution. The conflicts, disputes

and many issues/differences can be put to an end by talking them over.

Oral communication can be best used to transfer private and confidential

information/matter.

Disadvantages/Limitations of Oral Communication

Relying only on oral communication may not be sufficient as business

communication is formal and very organized.

Oral communication is less authentic than written communication as they are

informal and not as organized as written communication.

Oral communication is time-saving as far as daily interactions are concerned, but

in case of meetings, long speeches consume lot of time and are unproductive at
times.

Oral communications are not easy to maintain and thus they are unsteady.

There may be misunderstandings as the information is not complete and may

lack essentials

Written communication has great significance in todays business world. It is an

innovative activity of the mind. Effective written communication is essential for preparing
worthy promotional materials for business development. Speech came before writing.
But writing is more unique and formal than speech. Effective writing involves careful
choice of words, their organization in correct order in sentences formation as well as
cohesive composition of sentences. Also, writing is more valid and reliable than speech.
But while speech is spontaneous, writing causes delay and takes time as feedback is
not immediate.

Advantages of Written Communication

Written communication helps in laying down apparent principles, policies and

rules for running of an organization.
It is a permanent means of communication. Thus, it is useful where record
maintenance is required.
It assists in proper delegation of responsibilities. While in case of oral
communication, it is impossible to fix and delegate responsibilities on the
grounds of speech as it can be taken back by the speaker or he may refuse to
acknowledge.
Written communication is more precise and explicit.
It provides ready records and references.

Disadvantages of Written Communication

Written communication does not save upon the costs. It costs huge in terms of
stationery and the manpower employed in writing/typing and delivering letters.
Also, if the receivers of the written message are separated by distance and if
they need to clear their doubts, the response is not spontaneous.
Written communication is time-consuming as the feedback is not immediate. The
encoding and sending of message takes time.
Effective written communication requires great skills and competencies in
language and vocabulary use. Poor writing skills and quality have a negative
impact on organizations reputation.
Too much paper work and e-mails burden is involved.

Importance of communication in an organization

1. Communication promotes motivation by informing and clarifying the employees
about the task to be done, the manner they are performing the task, and how to
improve their performance if it is not up to the mark.
2. Communication is a source of information to the organizational members for
decision-making process as it helps identifying and assessing alternative course
of actions.
3. Communication also plays a crucial role in altering individuals attitudes, i.e., a
well informed individual will have better attitude than a less-informed individual.
Organizational magazines, journals, meetings and various other forms of oral
and written communication help in moulding employees attitudes.

4. Communication also helps in socializing. In todays life the only presence of

another individual fosters communication. It is also said that one cannot survive
without communication.
5. Communication also assists in controlling process. It helps controlling
organizational members behaviour in various ways. There are various levels of
hierarchy and certain principles and guidelines that employees must follow in an
organization. They must comply with organizational policies, perform their job
role efficiently and communicate any work problem and grievance to their
superiors. Thus, communication helps in controlling function of management.

1.1 Purpose of this Study

The purpose of this report is to:
1)Assess the importance of Business Communication in an Organization
2)Effect of effective Business Communication in an Organization

1.2 Objectives of this Study

The main objective behind this report is to:
1)Derive upon a conclusion through research methodology about the major role a
Business Communication play in an Organization
2)Find out if an environment of growth and harmony within the Organization could be
created through effective Business Communication.

1.3 Theoretical Framework

This report demonstrates the idea and importance behind the Business Communication
within an Organization through step by step follow of well defined process. The report
starts with the Introduction part wherein analysis and importance of Business
Communication is discussed. Following which description of the methodology adopted
i.e. Secondary research in the form of Questionnaires and Interviews and analysis is
carried upon on the basis of data collected which leads us to the conclusion for the
report.
Communication theory framework is explained through the following viewpoints:

Mechanistic - The mechanistic view point says that communication is simply the
transmission of information from the first party to the second party. The first party
being the sender and the second party being the receiver.

Psychological - According to the psychological view point, communication is

simply not the flow of information from the sender to the receiver but actually the
thoughts, feelings of the sender which he tries to share with the recepients. It

also includes the reactions, feelings of the receiver after he decodes the
information.

Social - The social view point considers communication as a result of interaction

between the sender and the receiver. It simply says that communication is
directly dependent on the content of the speech. How one communicates is the
basis of the social view point.

Systemic - The systemic view point says that communication is actually a new
and a different message which is created when various individuals interpret it in
their own way and then reinterpret it and draw their own conclusion.

Critical - The critical view point says that communication is simply a way with the
help of which an individual expresses his power and authority among other
individuals.

To summarize the communication theory proposes that to survive, every living entity,
needs to communicate with others and also among themselves. Communication is a
dire need of survival.

1.4 Keywords Of the Study

Communication: is a purposeful activity of exchanging information
and meaning across space and time using various technical or natural means,
whichever is available or preferred.
Informal and Formal Communication: Informal communications are those that are
not based upon any set measures. And Formal communications are those that
take place through well-known channels.
Workplace Communication: is the process of exchanging information, both verbal
and non-verbal, within an organization.
Face-to-Face: social interaction carried out without any mediating technology.
Communities of Practice (CoPs): a group of people who share a craft and/or a
profession.

1.5 Brief Outline of Chapters

Chapter 1 introduces about the Business Communication,types, its importance and
effectiveness in an Organization.It briefs about the purpose and Objective of the study
conducted
and
gives
an
outline/framework
of
the
study.
Chapter 2 describes the Methodology adopted for conducting of study.It talks about
scope of study and method adopted for sampling and data collection. It consist the
sequence of steps which are to be followed from starting till the end (gathering of
primary and secondary data till the analysis of data and finally coming to a conclusion or
solution).
Chapter 3 provides the Literature review, the purpose of it and briefs of the History of

the company. It will take into account developments by past research in this research
area and explains the gaps found in between those researches.
Chapter 4,5 analyzes the data collected and based upn the analysis done proposes a
final conclusion. It will give the findings from the research. Last part of the report will
include the supplementary parts, i.e. references and bibliography, of research.

2.Methodology
It was decided to use the primary as well as secondary research, mainly the internet to
source for more information and reaching out to people with questionnaire either
approaching them directly with hard copy or through soft copy in the form of google
docs.

2.1 Universe of the Study

The study was conducted on IT/ITES employees in India as the industry is one of the
fastest growing and comprehensive industry with high employability rate

2.2 Locale of the Study

Study conducted on the Infosys Ltd. Employees based out of pune Development centre.

2.3 Sample
The sampling method adopted was random sampling method wherein no any definite
sequence was adopted or classification was done based upon any segmentation by
age/gender/position.

2.4 Data Collection

In order to get accurate results, primary research was conducted. According to the list of
opinions and concerns, survey and interview questions were created. A total of 20
persons were surveyed, and 5 persons were interviewed. Closed ended questionnaire
was formed and was circulated within the employees.
The questionnaire was broadly classified into various domains as such:
Internal Communication, External Communication, Interpersonal Communication,
Cross-Culture Communication, Business Meetings Outcomes.
(Refer Appendix A to know about the individual from whom data has been collected)
(Refer Appendix B for the survey for the primary data collection)
Secondary data is collected from companys official website: www.infosys.com

2.5 Acknowledgement
The data collection task was quite a difficult as for the perfect report everything depends
upon the quality of data received.Hence to make sure genuine data is being received,

the contact person has played an important role in ensuring the data received is
genuine and accurate.I would like to thank him for quality of data received.

3.Literature Review
3.1Introduction to review literature on Communication
Communication is needed for exchanging information,opinions,making plans and
proposals,reaching agreement, executing decisions, sending and orders
(Blackk,2005;Kotler,2006). Effective communication occurs when the intended meaning
of the source and the perceived meaning of the receiver are virtually the same
(Schermerhorn et al. 2002). Efficient communication occurs at minimum cost in terms of
resources expended. Time,
for example, is an important resource (Alamry and Alghalby, 2007). On the other hand, if
a companys employees lack communication skills, not onlycould teams not coordinate
their efforts and individuals seek feedback from and communicate their successes to
their managers, but also customers would have a pretty tough time placing orders, and
services would have a pretty tough time being delivered.
When this happens, the company will falter and ultimately fail (Nelson and Economy
2005). Managers and companies that do not develop and encourage the use of
communication process give up potential competitive advantages and may underutilize
company strengths (Vicker and Hein 1999).
The structure of the communication changes with the situation as such
Internal,External,Cross Cultural,Interpersonal.Cross cultural communication is a recent
necessity to be acknowledged in current Globalisation.This literature review will include
opinions regarding cross cultural communication and its importance within an
organization.It will discuss upon influence of culture on communication in cross-cultural
settings including (a) conceptualizing communication and (b) conceptualizing culture.
Conceptualizing Communication
Generally, communication can be defined as all messages disseminated within a
context and a situation (Communication, n.d.; Coggins, 2010). More specifically,
communication is a process that involves a sender, a receiver and a message whereby
a person or group (the sender) attempts to convey information (the message) to another
person or group (the receiver) through both verbal and nonverbal cues (Harris, Moran,
& Moran, 2004; Klopf, 1991). (Harris et al,2003) observed and emphasized that crosscultural communication (a) occurs within a context; (b) is at the heart of all

organizational operations and international relations; and (c) is a process whereby

individuals from different cultural backgrounds attempt to share meanings.
Conceptualizing Culture
Seedam (2009); Grunlan and Mayers (2004); and Linton (1947) each seemed to
recognize the culture of a society as the way of life of its members; the collection of
ideas and habits which they learn, share and transmit from generation to generation..
House et al (2004) defined culture as shared motives, values, beliefs, identities, and
interpretations or meanings of significant events that result from common experiences
of members of collectives and are transmitted across age generations. Fisher (1988)
conceptualized culture as the mindset of a collective that works as a lens through which
members of that collective tend to see, hear, and interpret everything around them and
act accordingly.
Hofstede and cultural dimensions
Hofstede eventually identified five dimensions of national culture that influenced
communication within global organizations including
1. Power distance,
2. Uncertainty avoidance,
3. Individualism-Collectivism,
4. Masculinity-Feminity.
5. Long-term orientation
There is evidence that communication between two persons from different backgrounds
could be misled.It is said that culture basis defines the adopted behavior with other
human and does modify attitude towards other people in organization
(Meed,1990:13).In international business,managers treat culture as a success factor for
employers whose capability includes fitting into new societies.It is not acceptable to
expect that members of different culture values will capture the point of message and
either the message communicated to us (Mead,1990:13)
The companies are relocating operations into new countries in pursuit of new business
oppurtunities and hence it becomes important to establish synergy between business
culture and Managerial values which could start once individual start sharing
perceptions, beliefs, attitudes and knowledge about something or someone
(Mead,1990:39)
Hence, now-a-days communication is considered vital as international business is
developing in amajor scale and organization perceive the necessity to go cross

border.So,it becomes important to do cross comparison between two countries in order

to observe the differences within dimensions and making plans accordingly for overall
growth.

3.2 History of Infosys Ltd.

Infosys Ltd (formerly Infosys Technologies Limited) is an Indian multinational
corporation that provides business consulting, information technology, software
engineering and outsourcing services. It is headquartered in Bangalore, Karnataka
Infosys was co-founded in 1981 by Narayan Murthy, Nandan Nilekani, N. S. Raghavan,
S. Gopalakrishnan, S. D. Shibulal, K. Dinesh and Ashok Arora after they resigned from
Patni Computer Systems. The company was incorporated as "Infosys Consultants Pvt
Ltd." with a capital of Rs. 10,000 (roughly $250) in Model Colony, Pune as the
registered office. It signed its first client, Data Basics Corporation, in New York. In 1983,
the company's corporate headquarters was relocated from Pune to Bangalore.
Change in name: It changed its name to "Infosys Technologies Private Limited" in April
1992 and to "Infosys Technologies Limited" when it became a public limited company in
June 1992. It was later renamed to "Infosys Limited" in June 2011.

Milestones
2014
Dr. Vishal Sikka takes over as the CEO and MD from S.D. Shibulal
2013
Infosys Board appoints N. R. Narayana Murthy as Executive Chairman of the Board
Infosys begins trading on NYSE Euronext London and Paris markets
2012
Listed on the NYSE market
Infosys acquires Lodestone Holding AG, a leading management consultancy based in
Switzerland
2011
N. R. Narayana Murthy hands over chairmanship to K.V. Kamath
S.D. Shibulal, COO, takes over as the CEO and MD from Kris Gopalakrishnan

2010
Infosys crosses the US$ 5 billion revenue mark

4.Analysis
Communication Flow in an Organization
In an organization, communication flows in 5 main directionsDownward
Upward
Lateral
Diagonal
External
Downward Flow of Communication: Communication that flows from a higher level in
an organization to a lower level is a downward communication. In other words,
communication from superiors to subordinates in a chain of command is a downward
communication. This communication flow is used by the managers to transmit workrelated information to the employees at lower levels. Employees require this information
for performing their jobs and for meeting the expectations of their managers.
Downward communication is used by the managers for the following purposes

Providing feedback on employees performance

Giving job instructions
Providing a complete understanding of the employees job as well as to
communicate them how their job is related to other jobs in the organization.
Communicating the organizations mission and vision to the employees.
Highlighting the areas of attention.

Organizational publications, circulars, letter to employees, group meetings etc are all
examples of downward communication. In order to have effective and error-free
downward communication, managers must:

Specify communication objective

Ensure that the message is accurate, specific and unambiguous.
Utilize the best communication technique to convey the message to the receiver
in right form

Upward Flow of Communication: Communication that flows to a higher level in an

organization is called upward communication. It provides feedback on how well the

organization is functioning. The subordinates use upward communication to convey

their problems and performances to their superiors.
The subordinates also use upward communication to tell how well they have understood
the downward communication. It can also be used by the employees to share their
views and ideas and to participate in the decision-making process.
Upward communication leads to a more committed and loyal workforce in an
organization because the employees are given a chance to raise and speak
dissatisfaction issues to the higher levels. The managers get to know about the
employees feelings towards their jobs, peers, supervisor and organization in general.
Managers can thus accordingly take actions for improving things.
Grievance Redressal System, Complaint and Suggestion Box, Job Satisfaction surveys
etc all help in improving upward communication. Other examples of Upward
Communication are -performance reports made by low level management for reviewing
by higher level management, employee attitude surveys, letters from employees,
employee-manager discussions etc.
Lateral / Horizontal Communication: Communication that takes place at same levels
of hierarchy in an organization is called lateral communication, i.e., communication
between peers, between managers at same levels or between any horizontally
equivalent organizational member
Diagonal Communication: Communication that takes place between a manager and
employees of other workgroups is called diagonal communication. It generally does not
appear on organizational chart. For instance - To design a training module a training
manager interacts with an Operations personnel to enquire about the way they perform
their task.
External Communication: Communication that takes place between a manager and
external groups such as - suppliers, vendors, banks, financial institutes etc. For instance
- To raise capital the Managing director would interact with the Bank Manager.
The analysis has been done based on the data received from total 25 respondents. All 5
options were given equal weightage and based upon the option having highest weigh
from all the respondents was finally considered.
As the questionnaire is divided into 4 broad domains namely Internal Communication,
External Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Cross-Culture
Communication.Hence each domain was analyzed separately.
From the analysis of Internal communication it was depicted that people there are quite
pleased with the organization as their ideas and views are taken sincerely by their

managers as well as higher management too.There is a free flow of communication

within the organization be it Horizontal/Vertical/Upward/Downward.
Another domain which is important is External Communication were also employees
were given opportunity to interact directly with their clients and a free flow of
communication between employee and clients shows how much company rely on their
employee without discriminating upon the level of the employee.
Next domain which was considered in study is Interpersonal communication.The
employees felt a necessity to express their views among the peers effectively and
stressed upon some more training or workshops to be provided by the company for their
future growth and development.
The last and not the least domain considered was cross cultural domain.The company
is huge and employees 1.6 lakh employee with development centre across India and
hence cross cultural communication played an important role in strengthening the bond
within the company of which the employees seems quite satisfied.
Complaints and feedbacks form an integral part of the communication system. The
complaints / feedbacks against the supervisors can also be shared anonymously with
the HR by sending in printed letter in an envelope. The envelopes are clearly marked
confidential for such content. Downward communication is used mainly to communicate
messages from the higher levels of the organization to the lower levels and is perhaps
the most common form of communication in organizations. Letters, memos, reports,
minutes are all sent as attachments via e-mails. Phone calls are also often used to send
and receive information immediately but as theres no written proof of the same,
important messages are communicated via mails. Memos are meant to give directions
or instructions to the sub ordinates and are sent to a specific audience only. Notices on
the other hand are more general in nature. They are meant for the entire workforce and
are generally printed and displayed at certain central places for easy access to
information.
To enhance effective communication the company has an open door policy that
encourages exchange of ideas views and information amongst employees of the
company.

5. Conclusion
5.1 Findings

A)Introduction
The first chapter talked about the introduction on Business communication.It covered
purpose of the study,objective of study,Theoretical framework and outline of
chapters.Communication is life blood of a business organization. No organization can
succeed or progress, build up reputation, and win friends and customers without
effective communication skills. It results in clear understanding, good production,
healthy climate within the organization willing cooperation among the various levels, if
businessman can communicate effectively and successfully. Effective communication
enables a company to inform and build relationships with its stakeholders
Enterprise uses a multi-channel approach to its communication strategies to increase
awareness of its key messages. Its internal communications strategies ensure the
company values and culture are maintained. Its onboarding programme and The Hub
intranet encourage employee engagement, knowledge and increases motivation.

B)Methodology
In Methodology we carried out the Universe of study,locale of study,sampling,data
collection and acknowledgement.It was decided to use the primary as well as secondary
research, mainly the internet to source for more information and reaching out to people
with questionnaire either approaching them directly with hard copy or through soft copy
in the form of google doc.It has been observed that primary data is more effective than
secondary data as its more reliable and comes from authentic sources monitored by self

C)Literature review
In this we have taken the 10 research papers on business communication and depicted
that there is a strikingly similar correlation between the literature and the findings from
current study.

D)Analysis
From the analysis, it could be derived that employees takes each and every aspect of
communication very seriously as they are aware of the fact that effective communication
is a ladder to their future growth at higher level of roles and responisibilities.They are
concerned of their Interpersonal skills which needs to be developed by themselves
while they are pleased with the Internal,External and Cross cultural communication
prevailing within the company.

5.2 Suggestions
.The company needs to further improve their employees skills by conducting various
trainings and workshops and integrating latest books in corporate libraries to help them

updated.Hence company should be credited with the existing Communication

environment being followed and should be determined to remain focus in adapting latest
communication medium coming into being with the advent of new technology for the
betterment of the employee and for the organization as a whole.

5.3Limitations
Time If more time would have been available, greater depths could have been
explored.
Accessibility The organization premises being in Delhi NCR, most of the conversation
could happen only through phone calls or emails.
Sample Size Only one person is taken under study and in depth study has done only
according to view points of him. Results may not match with views of other employees
of the organization.

5.4 FURTHER SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Sample size of people from different IT/ITES companies to be taken so that data is not
skewed based upon the practice adopted by one company.

Appendixes
Appendix A
Details about the individual from whom the primary data has been collected:
Mr. Vivek R.Srivastava Senior Systems Engineer, Infosys Ltd.
Contact details:
Phone no: +917042987xxx
Mail ID: [email protected]
The mail which was dropped to the employees was as such
Hi,
I am doing a research project on Effective Business Communication.It would be really
helpful if you kindly spare a few moment to fill the survey.This would be utilized to set a
trend in various organization for their growth and development.
Attached is the questionnaire.
Thanks in anticipation.
Sincerely,
Abhijeet Agarwal
FORE School of Management
[email protected]
Mob no-7042714325
C:\Abhijeet\a_FSM\Term-3\ATL\Long report\[email protected]

Appendix B
Q. NAME OF RESPONDENT: Mr./Ms_________________________________
Q. Age Group:

a.
b.
c.
d.

18-25
25-35
35-50
50-65

Q. Gender
a. Male
b. Female
Q. Contact Number: #_____________
Q. Marital Status
a.
b.
c.
d.

Unmarried
Married
Widowed
Divorced

Q. Education
Kindly mark the highest degree completed
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.

Schooling not completed

Schooling completed
1 or more years of college, no degree
Bachelor's degree (for example: BA, Bcom)
Master's degree (for example: MBA, MSc)
Professional degree (for example: LLB, MD)
Doctorate degree (for example: PhD)

Q. Duration of working in this company

a. 1-2 yrs
b. 3-5 yrs
c. 5+
Q. Employer Type
Please describe your work.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.

Employee of a for-profit company or business or of an individual

Employee of a not-for-profit or charitable organization
Government employee
Self-employed in own not-incorporated business
Self-employed in own incorporated business, professional practice
Others. Please Specify____________________

Q. What is your Family Income?

a.
b.
c.
d.

Less than Rs.2,50,000

2,50,000-5,00,000
5,00,000-10,00,000
More than 10,00,000

1. Most of the information I receive on a daily basis comes from my manager.

a.) Strongly Agree

b.) Agree

c.) Neutral

d.) Disagree

e.) Strongly

Disagree
2. In this organization, my ideas are frequently passed on to top-management.
a.)Strongly Agree

b.) Agree

c.) Neutral

d.) Disagree

e.) Strongly Disagree

3. Most of the information I receive on a daily basis come from my co-workers.

a.)Strongly Agree

b.) Agree

c.) Neutral

d.) Disagree

e.) Strongly Disagree

4. I feel comfortable sharing ideas directly with members of top-management.

a.)Strongly Agree

b.) Agree

c.) Neutral

d.) Disagree

e.) Strongly Disagree

d.) Disagree

e.) Strongly Disagree

d.) Disagree

e.) Strongly Disagree

d.) Disagree

e.) Strongly Disagree

5. There is free-flow upward communication

a.) Strongly Agree

b.) Agree

c.) Neutral

6. There is free-flow downward communication

a.) Strongly Agree

b.) Agree

c.) Neutral

7. There is free-flow horizontal communication

a.) Strongly Agree

b.) Agree

c.) Neutral

8. I make important decisions based on:

a. how I picture it working
b. how I feel about the person
c. which answer sounds most convincing

d. a detailed analysis of all the issues.

9. I most easily demonstrate my state of mind by:
a. stating my feelings
b. the colors and clothes I wear
c. the words I choose
d. my tone of voice
10. How do you handle conflicts?
a. I try to dominate the other party
b. I have a pre determined solution to the outcome
c. I listen with an open mind to alternative options
d. I try to reach on a mutual resolution so that it is a win-win for both the parties
11. Which one of the following communication method do you use most frequently for
routine exchanges of information with your colleagues?
a. Electronic messaging (E-mail, instant messaging, text messages)
b. In-person meetings or discussion
c. Telephonic conversations
12. My organization encourages cultural diversity and celebrates all the regional
festivals
Yes
No
13. Does your manager show biasness towards a person who belongs to his /her
cultural background?
Always
Frequently
Sometimes Rarely
Never
14. Effectiveness of communication of the team falls sometimes when people from
different countries are working in the team
Strongly Agree Agree

Indifferent

Disagree

Strongly disagree

15. If I dont like someones cultural norms, I start avoiding or disliking the person
Always

Frequently

Sometime Rarely

Never

16.How often business meetings are conducted in the organization?

a. Weekly
b. Monthly

b. Fortnightly
d. Once in a quarter

17. The purpose of a meeting is met

a. Always
b. Most often
b. Sometimes
d. Never
18. Each and every person contributes to the agenda of the meeting while conducting a
meeting
a. Always
c. Most often
b. Sometimes
d. Nevers
19. How does the organization communicate vacancies for a position?
a.
b.
c.
d.

Advertisements in Print media

Official website
Job Portals such as Monster, Naukri.com
Any other mode

20.How would you evaluate the present orientation programme for the new recruits?
a.
b.
c.
d.

Very Helpful
Satisfactory
Cant Say
Needs Improvement

21. What kind of mechanism does your organization have for reporting employee
grievances?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Employee Helpline
Immediate supervisor
Approaching unions
Reporting to HR department
Any other

Appendix C

References
Chapter 1

EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATION; Asha Kaul 2004, PHI Learning

Carolyn M. Anderson and Matthew M. Martin, Journal of Business

Communication 1995
Keri K. Stephens, Patty Callish Malone and Christine M. Bailey, Journal of
Business Communication 2005
Beverly Mallett-Hamer, COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE WORKPLACE, 2005
Conchie and Burns, 2008

http://www.managementstudyguide.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Business Communication, Kity O Locker and Stephen Kyo Kaczmarek, 2004

Chapter 2

Richmond, McCroskey, & McCroskey (2005). THE NATURE OF

COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATIONS
Writing Self-Efficacy and Written Communication Skills; International journal of
business communication

Chapter 3

Tian Guang and Dan Trotter from Shantou University, Shantou City, Guangdong
Province, Southern China (2012) Key issues in cross-cultural business communication:
Anthropological approaches to international business; African Journal of Business
Management Vol.6 (22), pp. 6456-6464, 6 June, 2012
Jacqueline Mayfield and Milton Mayfield, Texas A&M International
University The Role of Leader Motivating Language in Employee
Absenteeism; International journal of business communication
Business Communication, Kity O Locker and Stephen Kyo Kaczmarek, 2004
Model Business Letters, E-mails & Other Business Documents (sixth edition),
Shirley
Taylor
(Shockley-Zalabak, 1999)

Appendix D

Bibliography
1) Mathew W.Seager;Timothy L.Sellnow;Robert R.Ulmer(2003),Communication and
Organizational Crisis.
2) Michael
W.Kramer(2004)
Managing
Uncertainity
in
Organizational
Communication
3) Dennis
Tourish;Owen
Hargie(2004)
Key
issues
in
Organizational
Communication.
4) Udegebe, Seholatica Ebarefimia (2012) Impact of business communication on
Organizational Performance

5) Ziad Rafia El-Shikhdeeb(2008)The role of business communication in decision

making process.
6) EFFECTIVE BUSINESS COMMUNICATION; Asha Kaul 2004, PHI Learning
7) Richmond, McCroskey, & McCroskey (2005). THE NATURE OF
COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATIONS
8) Writing Self-Efficacy and Written Communication Skills; International journal of
business communication
9) International journal on business communication ,Business Communication
Strategies
10)Ieeexplore, Bridging the gap of international business communication
11) Richmond, McCroskey, & McCroskey (2005). THE NATURE OF COMMUNICATION
IN ORGANIZATIONS
12) Jacqueline Mayfield and Milton Mayfield, Texas A&M International University The
Role of Leader Motivating Language in Employee Absenteeism; International journal of
business communication
13) Virginia W. Kupritz The University of Tennessee, Eva Cowell The University of
Tennessee Productive Management Communication Online and Face-to-Face;
international journal of business communication
14) JD Schramm ( 2010) article Effective communication begins with a first impression in
HBR
15) Sebastian Kernbach (University of Lugano, Lugano, Switzerland), Martin J. Eppler,
Sabrina Bresciani (University of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland) The Use of
Visualization in the Communication of Business Strategies International journal of
business communication
16) Tian Guang and Dan Trotter from Shantou University, Shantou City, Guangdong
Province, Southern China (2012) Key issues in cross-cultural business communication:
Anthropological approaches to international business; African Journal of Business
Management Vol.6 (22), pp. 6456-6464, 6 June, 2012
17) Akinyele Adesola Patrick THE ROLES OF COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS
ORGANIZATIONS Journal of Business Communication
18) Helio Fred Garcia (2012) The Power of Communication: Skills to Build Trust, Inspire
Loyalty, and Lead Effectively