1. Channels of Communication
Gokhale Education Society’s
S.M.R.K. B.K. A.K Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Nasik-5.
Department of English
CC English (LL)
S.Y.B.Com. Sem III
Unit 1
Ms. Geetanjali Gitay
Assistant Professor
Dept. of English
2. Channels of Communication
• Channels of communication refer to the direction of the flow of communication.
• Communication can be formal or informal depending on a situation. However, in a business
environment, the communication is mostly formal. Depending on whether a person is
communicating formally or informally , TWO channels of communication are made :
1. Formal 2. Informal
• While communicating formally in a business environment, a person may communicate
with people inside his or her organisation as well as from other organisations. Depending on this,
TWO channels of communication are formed ,namely :1. Internal
2.External
• Internal Communication is further divided into 2 subtypes : 1. Horizontal
2. Vertical -1. Upward
2. Downward
• When a person communicates with other organisations it is called diagonal communication.
• Shorter the channel of communication, the more effective is the communication.
4. Formal Channels of Communication
1. Internal
It deals with transmitting information, ideas, orders within the
organisation.
2. External
It refers to information being transmitted outside an organisation.
5. Internal Channels of Communication
Internal channels of communication are divided into 1. Horizontal
2. Vertical
1. Horizontal Communication
Communication between persons of equal rank or status is known as Horizontal Communication
e.g. clerk to clerk, manager to manager, supervisor to supervisor., worker to worker. In every
organisation, routine matters are dealt with by employees who communicate with other
employees without troubling their seniors.
6. Internal Channels of Communication
2. Vertical Communication
Communication between persons of diferent rank or status is known as Vertical Communication.
It is essential in every organisation so that management can give directives and send information
across the employees. Vericle Communication is further divided into two types:
a. Upward Communication
When a subordinate communicates with a superior it
is called upward communication. e.g. A manager
communicating with a C.E.O.
b. Downward Communication
When a superior communicates with a subordinate it
is called downward communication. e.g. A C.E.O.
communicating with a manager. Orders, instructions and
information can be communicated through this
channel of communication.
7. External Channels of Communication
• When an organisation communicates with other organisations or external agencies, it is called
External Communication. The flow of external communication can be : 1. Outward
2. Inward
1.Outward Communication
A business organisation has to communicate with numerous people and parties that are
outside , like customers, banks, government officials, municipal officials , suppliers,
other business persons, employees of other organisations. This is called Outward Communication
Letters, e-mails, fax, telephone calls, presentations ,meetings are some forms of outward
communication.
2. Inward Communication
Inward External Communication is said to take place when organisation receives letters, e-mails,
phone calls and visits from people of other organisations. Inward communication is
basically the feedback received by an organisation about what it has been doing or saying.
8. External Channels of Communication
• Diagonal Communication
When people from one organisation communicate with people of same or different rank of
other organisations, it is called diagonal communication.
9. Informal Communication
• In addition to the organisational structure, members of an organisation that work together
construct their own communication networks. These networks are used to communicate
with each other and many times are used to remove the obstructions, delay in time taken
by formal channels of communication. Grapevine Communication is an important form of
informal communication.
• GRAPEVINE
Grapevine is an informal channel of personal, unofficial
communication which exists in every organisation.
It has no definite pattern or direction but is largely
horizontal.It is a complex web of oral communication flow.
This channel is used to communicate facts, gossip and
half-truths.The success of a management depends on how
successfully it handles the growth of the grapevine and does
not allow it to hamper its image.
10. Text Content Source :
1. Business Communication, Doctor Aspi & Doctor Rhoda, Sheth Publishers, Mumbai.(Fifth Edition).
2. Business Communication, Rai Urmila & Rai S.M. ,Himalaya Publications, Mumbai .(Fourth Edition).
