Business Communication

1. Barriers to Communication
By Prof.
Kamlesh Joshi

2. Barriers to Communication
 Means ‘noise’ or we may refer
it as ‘barrier’.
 During the process of
communication, there may be
some faults which prevent
message from reaching. Some
of these defects are in
medium, tools which we use
for communi., language, nature
of person.
 Barriers to communication can
be of many kinds.

3. Barriers to Communication
 It can be at three levels
At the level of transmitter.
At the level of medium.
At the level of receiver.

4. Classification of barriers
1. Semantic barriers
2. Physical and mechanical barriers
3. Organizational barriers
4. Socio-psychological barriers
5. Sender oriented barriers
6. Receiver oriented barriers
7. Culture barriers

5. ( 1.) Semantic barriers
 Refers study of meaning of words and
signs.
 People interpret the same word differently
due to economic social cultural and
educational backgrounds.
 Miscommunication of meanings due to
problems in language are called semantic
Barriers. Three ways of semantic barriers
1. Interpretation of words
2. Technical terms
3. Idioms & Phrases

6. ( 1.) Semantic barriers
Interpretation of words:
 It is quite possible that receiver of
message does not interpret the
same message of word used by
sender.
 Spring means Season or to jump
 Check means to examine or to control
 The word ‘run’ has 110 meanings in
dictionary (71 as a verb, 35 as a noun, 4 as
an adjective.)

7. ( 1.) Semantic barriers
Technical Terms:
Such terms are used by limited
group of persons who work
together. But they have other
meanings in day to day
spoken language.
“bull, bear, forward trading, primary
market, secondary market” etc. in
stock exchange.

8. ( 1.) Semantic barriers
Idioms and phrases:
Sentences can convey entirely
different meanings on how they are
spoken
“A red and a blue carpet” signifies
two carpets while “a red and blue
carpet” signifies one carpet in two
colours.

9. The reasons of semantic barriers
Different interpretation of the same
words
Poor expression
Faulty translations
Denotation and
connotation of the words
Unclarrified assumption

10. How to minimize semantic barriers
Use familiar words
Clarify the meaning of words
Use the words with positive
connotations
Express words properly
Translate words correctly

11. 2. Physical and Mechanical Barriers
Noise (traffic, human sound,
machine sound, Companies
install A.C. for sound proof rooms)
Time gap (workers in different
shifts, faulty seating arrangements
can block eye contact)
Physical distance (unavailability
of phone or telex facilities,
break down in phone, postal services)

12. 2. Physical and Mechanical Barriers
• Defects in the mechanical devices:
(phone, public-address system, fax,
computer, internet, courier)
• Information overload:

13. • Defects in organization
(messages have to be
passed through too many
levels, likely to be
distorted (loss of meaning
of the message in handling.)
in upward communication
juniors don’t give all information
to seniors)
2. Physical and Mechanical Barriers

14. • HOW TO MINIMIZE PHYSICAL &
MECHANICAL BARRIERS:
1. Being brief and precise
2. A little care
2. Physical and Mechanical Barriers

15. ( 3.) Organizational Barriers
Long chain of command
Poor spatial arrangements
Unsuitable medium
Poor organizational culture
Status and relationships
Inadequate facilities.
inadequate opportunities of
growth and improvement

16. ( 3.) Organizational Barriers
 HOW TO MINIMIZE ORGANIZATIONAL
BARRIERS
 Shortening the chain of command.
 Proper spatial arrangements.
 Selecting suitable medium of
communication.

17. ( 4.) Social-Psychological Barriers
 Attitudes & opinions
 Emotions
 Status consciousness
 Closed mind
 Inattentiveness
 Distrust
 Premature evaluation
 Poor retention
 Perceptual distortion
 Resistance to change

18. How to minimize these barriers
Keep an open mind
Express candidly
Encourage subordinates to express
Pay complete attention
Listen patiently

19. ( 5.) Sender oriented barriers
Irregularly expressed
message
Loss of transmission
Self centered attitude
Over/under communication

20. ( 5.) Sender oriented barriers
Irregularly expressed message:
To be sent in a simple, easy to
understand.
Channel or medium for message to be
chosen carefully.
Information which is unknown should
not to be given to the receiver.

21. ( 5.) Sender oriented barriers
Loss of transmission:
The message by sender may
not reach to receiver at its
original form.
Long resolution of board of directors
should be translated in a simple language.
Important to take feedback upon all
communication.

22. ( 5.) Sender oriented barriers
Self centered attitude:
The message which matches opinion
and view point of a person then, will
tend to pay more attention to it.
Self interest prevent the person from
seeing the view point of others.
The sender will transmit the message
only to those who will agree with
himself.

23. ( 5.) Sender oriented barriers
Over/Under communication:
Speaking too little of any matter will
get the impression that it is not
important.
Speaking too much of any matter will
create irritation and confused in
receiver.
Talking too little gives impression
that speaker does not know much.

24. How to overcome these barriers
Plan and clarify ideas.
Solicit feedback.
Create a climate of trust and
confidence.

25. ( 6.) Receiver oriented barriers
Lack of attention.

26. ( 6.) Receiver oriented barriers
 Difference of status.
 Subordinates are afraid of conveying
unpleasant information to seniors.
 Too conscious of their inferior status.
 Seniors think that to consult a junior
means to compromise their dignity and
position.
 Seniors think that they know everything.

27. ( 6.) Receiver oriented barriers
Over load of information.

28. How to overcome these barriers
Note down the points.
Improve the concentration.
Provide feedback to the sender for
verification of the message.
Encourage juniors to come up with
new ideas.

29. ( 7.) Cultural barriers
Introduction
Contextual differences
Legal & ethical differences
Social differences
Non-verbal differences

30. ( 7.) Cultural barriers
Introduction:
 Culture can be described
as a shared symbols,
beliefs,attitudes, value,
expectations and norms for
behavior.
 Culture that we share with
all the people living in our
country.

31. • Each of us belongs to
an ethic group, a religious
group and a profession
that has own special
language and custom.
• Sometimes specific
directions are given about
acceptable norms of
behaviour.
( 7.) Cultural barriers

32. Cultural differences
Visible
Communication styles
Attitudes towards conflict
Decision making styles
Approaching to knowing
Invisible
Beliefs
Values
Expectation
Attitudes

33. Why Cross Culture is important ?
• Globalization.
• Business opportunities.
• Job opportunities.
• Sharing of views and
ideas.
• Talent improvisation.

34. ( 7.) Cultural barriers
 When we communicate with a person from
a different culture, we encode message in
relation to our own cultural practices. But
the receiver may decode it according to
his/her cultural assumptions.
Communication in a culture diverse
world:
Some examples:

35. ( 7.) Cultural barriers
 ( 1.) Japanese auto manufacturer
Mazda opened a plant in the U.S..
Its officers gave baseball caps and
told U.S. employees to wear caps at
work with other uniforms. The
employees understood that the caps
were voluntary accessory so they
did not wear it. Japanese managers
were upset and regarded as
disrespect .

36. ( 7.) Cultural barriers
 ( 2.) Exhibitors at a trade show could not
understand why Chinese visitors were not
visiting their booth. They were wearing
green hats and also giving to all visitors as
promotional item. Later they discovered
that Chinese believe green hats as a
symbol of infidelity they believed “ he
wears green hat indicate that man’s wife is
cheating him. As they replaced green cap
with red T-shirt, all started to visit booth.

37. ( 7.) Cultural barriers
Contextual differences:
 We understand the meaning of a message by
our culture. This reference to culture in order
to understand a message is known as
cultural context.
 Cultural context can be divided into “high
context culture” and “low context culture”.
 In a high context culture such as south Korea
or Taiwan, people rely less on verbal
communication and more on the context of
non verbal actions. they are not professional
in manners.

38. ( 7.) Cultural barriers
 In a low context culture like in U.K., U.S.A. or
Germany, people are more professional and less
personal and rely more on verbal and written
communication.
 When people of these different cultures are
communicating for business purpose,
misunderstandings can happen. Contextual
differences can be of three types:
 Decision making practices:
In low- context cultures, business people try to
reach decisions as quickly as possible, while in
high context this would be unsuitable.

39. ( 7.) Cultural barriers
Problem solving techniques:
Cultures differ in tolerance for
disagreements.
U.S. business people debate and
confront while finalizing deal but
Japanese and Chinese business man
avoid such and for them back down
from a proposal means losing a face
and highly insulting.

40. ( 7.) Cultural barriers
Negotiating styles:
low context culture see their goal in
economic terms only.
High context Japanese business man
prefer a more sociable negotiation on
the basis of trust , for them immediate
economic gain is secondary.

41. ( 7.) Cultural barriers
Legal and ethical differences:
 Low context culture value written words.
They consider written agreements as binding
which must be followed at any cost, while
high context culture put less emphasis on
written word and consider personal contact
more important. They see law with flexibility.
 In U.K. an accused is innocent until proved
guilty, while in Turkey, Mexico an accused is
guilty until proved innocent

42. ( 7.) Cultural barriers
Social differences:
 Social differences can become barriers to
communication. They are like
Roles and status:
In some countries, women don’t play a
prominent role in business. In U.S. people
call top managers by Mr. Arther, Ms Sampras
They have large office, while in China
business people are called by the titles like
“President, Manager” They sit in the middle
of his staff.

43. ( 7.) Cultural barriers
Use of Manners:
What is polite in one culture may be rude in
another culture. Examples:
” How was your weekend?” is common way
of talking in U.S., while in the middle east
countries it is impolite. In Arab countries it
is impolite to give a gift to a man’s wife but
it is acceptable to give the gift to the
children.

44. ( 7.) Cultural barriers
Concept of Time:
U.S., German and British business
men will plan their days as efficiently
as possible for any particular task,
while in Asia and Latin America, the
business men view the time as a
flexible unit. They take it very easy.

45. ( 7.) Cultural barriers
Non-verbal differences:
Non-verbal communication is
extremely reliable to understand
meaning in general way when the
communicators belong to the same
culture. So interpreting non-verbal
elements according to your own
culture can be dangerous.

46. ( 7.) Cultural barriers
Concept of personal space:
 Positioning oneself while carrying on a
conversation plays a very important role to
build up a business relation ship.
Example:
 People in Canada or U.S.A., maintain the
distance of approximately five feet during
the conversation. But for Germans and
Japanese, this distance is uncomfortably
close, whereas for Arabs, it is
uncomfortably far off.

47. ( 7.) Cultural barriers
 Use of Body language:
 Differences in body language can be a
major source of misunderstanding during
the intercultural communication.
Examples:
 “No” is conveyed in different body
gestures in different cultures.
 people in Canada shake their heads from
left to right.
 Bulgarians nod up and down.
 Japanese move their right hand.
 In Sicily, people raise their chin.

48. Eye in different culture
• In some cultures, looking people in the eyes is assumed
to indicate honesty and straight forwardness , in others it
is seen as challenging and rude .
• In Arab culture too little eye contact is regarded as
disrespectful .
• In English culture certain amount of eye contact is
necessary but too much makes people uncomfortable
• In South- Asian countries direct eye contact is
regarded aggressive & rude .

49. Hand Gestures in Different Cultures
U.S. = O.K. JAPAN = MONEY
RUSSIA = ZERO BRAZIL = INSULT

50. However, the goingHowever, the going
good sign translatesgood sign translates
into a rude andinto a rude and
offensive gesture inoffensive gesture in
Islamic and AsianIslamic and Asian
countries. In Australia,countries. In Australia,
it means OK, but if youit means OK, but if you
move it up and down, itmove it up and down, it
is considered as a graveis considered as a grave
insult.insult.
Thumbs up sign in different cultures

51. The cross may have or
-iginated from Pagan
symbols that means to
ward off evil. Many tim
-es people cross their
fingers before telling a
lie, as it is believed to
countervail the evil that
comes of the lie. It is a
positive and negative
symbol as it interprets
both luck or lies.
Fingers Crossed HandFingers Crossed Hand

52. How to overcome cross-cultural com.
1.1. Slow down
2. Separate question
3. Use easy words
4. Write it down
5. Be supportive
6. Check meaning

53. Remember…..
When We hear,When We hear,
We forget.We forget.
When We see,When We see,
We remember.We remember.
When We do,When We do,
We understand.We understand.