POM 12: Summary of Key Learning Outcomes in Organizational Communication môn Principles of Management | Trường Đại học Quốc tế, Đại học Quốc gia Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh

SUMMARY OF LEARNING OUTCOMES AND KEY POINTS
12-1. Describe the interpersonal nature of organizations.
• Communication is the process of transmitting information from one person to another.
• Effective communication is the process of sending a message in such a way that the messag
received is as close in meaning as possible to the message intended.
12-2. Describe the role and importance of communication in the manager’s job.
• Communication is a pervasive and important part of the manager’s world.
• The communication process consists of a sender’s encoding meaning and transmitting it to on
or more receivers, who receive the message and decode it into meaning.
• In two-way communication, the process continues with the roles reversed.
• Noise can disrupt any part of the overall process.
12-3. Identify the basic forms of communication in organizations.
• Several forms of organizational communication exist. Interpersonal communication focuses on
communication among a small number of people.
• Two important forms of interpersonal communication, oral and written, both offer unique advantages and disadvantages.
• The manager should weigh the pros and cons of each when choosing a medium for communication.
• Nonverbal communication includes facial expressions, body movement, physical contact,
gestures, and inflection and tone.
• Communication networks are recurring patterns of communication among members of a group or work team.
• Vertical communication between superiors and subordinates may flow upward or downward.
• Horizontal communication involves peers and colleagues at the same level in the organization.
• Organizations also use information systems to manage communication.
• Electronic communication is having a profound effect on managerial and organizational communication.
12-4. Discuss informal communication, including its various forms and types.
• There is also a great deal of informal communication in organizations.
• The grapevine is the informal communication network among people in an organization.
• Management by wandering around is also a popular informal method of communication.
12-5. Describe how the communication process can be managed to recognize and overcome barriers.
• Managing the communication process necessitates recognizing the barriers to effective
communication and understanding how to overcome them.
• Barriers can be identified at both the individual and the organizational levels.
• Both individual and organizational skills can be used to overcome these barriers.
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW
1. Describe the difference between communication and effective communication. How can a
sender verify that a communication was effective? How can a receiver verify that a
communication was effective?
Communication is simply the process of transmitting information from a sender to a receiver.
Effective communication occurs when the receiver fully understands the message as the sender intended.
How the sender verifies effectiveness:
The sender can check feedback, ask follow-up questions, request repetition/paraphrasing,
or observe whether the receiver performs the expected action.
How the receiver verifies effectiveness:
The receiver can restate the message in their own words, ask for clarification, and
compare the message with available written or contextual information to ensure correct understanding.
2. Which form of interpersonal communication is best for long-term retention? Why?
Which form is best for getting across subtle nuances of meaning? Why?
Best for long-term retention: Written communication.
Written messages are permanent, easy to reread, easy to store, and reduce memory loss—
making them superior for long-term retention.
Best for subtle nuances: Oral communication.
Vocal tone, pacing, emphasis, and nonverbal cues help convey emotional meaning and
subtle ideas that cannot be captured fully in written form.
3. What are the similarities and differences of oral and written communication? What
kinds of situations call for the use of oral methods? What situations call for written communication?
Similarities: Both aim to transmit information, require a sender/receiver, and depend on clarity
and feedback for effectiveness. Differences:
Oral communication is fast, rich in nonverbal cues, but lacks permanence and can be easily misunderstood.
Written communication is slow, formal, permanent, and better for complex or sensitive information.
Use oral when: quick feedback is needed, the issue is sensitive, or discussion/negotiation is required.
Use written when: documentation is needed, the message is complex, or the audience is large dispersed.
4. Describe the individual and organizational barriers to effective communication. For each
barrier, describe one action that a manager could take to reduce the problems caused by that barrier. - Individual barriers:
Perception differences → manager can ask for paraphrasing.
Language/semantics → use simple, consistent terms.
Credibility issues → build trust through transparency.
Listening problems → train employees in active listening. - Organizational barriers:
Information overload → simplify reporting systems.
Status differences → encourage open-door communication.
Physical distance → use reliable digital tools.
Noise in environment → provide quiet workspaces or better equipment.
QUESTIONS FOR ANALYSIS
1. How did the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic impact how you communicate? What have been
the most positive changes you’ve made or have observed others making as a result of the pandemic?
COVID-19 accelerated the shift to digital communication, making video calls, messaging apps,
and online platforms central to everyday work and learning.
Positive changes include improved digital literacy, more flexible communication, increased use
of written documentation, and clearer scheduling of meetings instead of spontaneous interruptions.
2. At what points in the communication process can problems occur? Give examples of how
noise can interfere with the communication process. What can managers do to reduce problems and noise?
Problems can occur at any stage: encoding, transmitting, decoding, receiving feedback. - Examples of noise: Physical noise (loud office), semantic noise (jargon),
psychological noise (stress, bias),
technical noise (poor internet connection)
- Managers can reduce problems by:
using simple language, confirming understanding, improving communication tools, reducing
distractions, and encouraging two-way feedback.
3. In what ways does communication differ when it occurs in the digital format? What are the
drawbacks of digital communication? What are some of the benefits of digital communication?
Digital communication is faster, more asynchronous, and easier to store, but lacks nonverbal cues and can create overload. Drawbacks:
Misinterpretation of tone, distractions, excessive messages, reduced personal connection. Benefits:
Convenience, low cost, easy documentation, ability to reach many people quickly, and flexible timing.
QUESTIONS FOR APPLICATION
1. What forms of communication have you experienced today? What form of communication is
involved in a face-to-face conversation with a friend? A telephone call from a customer? A tra
light or crossing signal? A picture of a cigarette in a circle with a slash across it? An area
machinery defined by a yellow line painted on the floor?
Face-to-face conversation: oral + nonverbal communication.
Telephone call: oral communication only.
Traffic light/crossing signal: nonverbal, symbolic communication.
No-smoking symbol (cigarette with slash): visual symbolic communication.
Yellow line on factory floor: visual communication used for safety.
2. Keep track of your own activities over the course of a few hours of leisure time to
determine what forms of communication you encounter. Which forms were most common?
If you had been tracking your communications while at work, how would the list be
different? Explain why the differences occur.
During leisure time, people typically encounter digital messages, social media posts, casual
conversations, pictures, and signs.
At work, the list would include more formal emails, instructions, meetings, and reports.
Differences occur because leisure time emphasizes informal, social communication, while work
requires formal, task-oriented, and documented communication.
3. For each of the following situations, tell which form of communication you would use.
Then ask the same question of someone who has been in the workforce for at least 10 years.
For any differences that occur, ask the worker to explain why his or her choice is better
than yours. Do you agree with his or her assessment? Why or why not?
• Describing complex changes in how health care benefits are calculated and administered
to every employee of a large firm
• Asking your boss a quick question about how she wants something done
• Telling customers that a new two-for-one promotion is available at your store
• Reprimanding an employee for excessive absences on the job
• Reminding workers that no smoking is allowed in your facility
Complex changes in benefits: written communication (e.g., email + handbook) because
employees need detail and a permanent record.
Quick question for boss: oral communication for fast feedback.
Telling customers about a promotion: verbal announcement + signage for broad visibility.
Reprimanding an employee: private face-to-face oral communication to handle emotions and clarify expectations.
Reminding workers of no-smoking policy: written notices, signs, and posted symbols for consistency.
4. How could the overuse of oral communication delay managers in the completion of their assignments?
Overusing oral communication can slow managers down because talking takes more time than
necessary, creates interruptions, and often lacks a clear written record. This forces managers to
repeat information, clarify misunderstandings, and follow up more often—delaying the
completion of their actual work.
✅ Answer 1 (New idea: lack of prioritization)
Overusing oral communication can delay managers because spoken conversations often occur
spontaneously, pulling them into unplanned discussions. These interruptions disrupt managers’
ability to prioritize tasks, causing them to spend time talking instead of progressing on their assigned work.
✅ Answer 2 (New idea: difficulty tracking commitments)
When managers rely too heavily on oral communication, promises, deadlines, and instructions
are often given verbally without a written record. Without documentation, managers must spend
extra time retrieving forgotten details, confirming agreements, or correcting overlooked
responsibilities, delaying the completion of tasks.
✅ Answer 3 (New idea: inefficient information sharing)
Oral communication becomes inefficient when managers must deliver the same message to
multiple individuals. Repeating verbal instructions several times consumes unnecessary time,
slowing their ability to move forward with their own assignments.
✅ Answer 4 (New idea: increases emotional and relational work)
Heavy use of oral communication requires managers to handle emotional cues, interpersonal
reactions, and relational dynamics in real time. This emotional labor prolongs conversations and
reduces the time available for focused task execution, delaying project completion.
✅ Answer 6 (New idea: lack of clarity in complex instructions)
Spoken messages are less effective for complex or technical information. When managers try to
communicate complicated instructions orally, employees may become confused, forcing
managers to repeat, clarify, or correct work later. This extra time slows overall task completion
✅ Answer 7 (New idea: promotes unnecessary meetings)
Overreliance on oral communication often leads managers to hold meetings for issues that could
have been handled more efficiently through written updates. These unnecessary meetings extend
work hours and reduce the time left for completing important managerial tasks.