Oral
communication
Oral communication means
communication through words spoken i.e. by speech: - In oral Communication, Both
the parties to the process, i.e. sender and receiver, exchange their ideas
through oral words either in face to face communication or through any
mechanical or electrical device, such as telephone etc. in this system person
can exchange their feelings fully and clarification regarding any doubt or
ambiguity may be sought. Oral communication is preferred by rank and file
employees as well as supervisors and managers, as they enjoy the opportunity to
ask questions and to participate.
Advantage:
1. Economical: Oral
communication is relatively less expensive. It saves the money spent on
stationary in an organization.
2. Time sever: Oral
communication is fast. It saves the time involved in writing the message.
3. Flexible: Oral
communication is very flexible in sense it provides an opportunity to the
speaker to correct himself and make himself clear by changing his voice, pitch,
tone etc.
4. Quick response: Oral
communication is also helpful in getting quicker response from the receiver.
The speaker gets immediate response from the receiver. It thus provides
immediate feedback to both sender and receiver.
5. Personal touch: Oral
communication is personal in nature. It is this nature that brings superiors
and subordinates closer. It is also an effective tool of persuasion.
6. Maintains secrecy: Oral
communication has an added advantage of maintaining secrecy. Oral messages can
be more easily kept confidential than written messages.
7. Group
communication: Oral communication is an effective tool for communicating
with the groups at large. Group reactions can also be interpreted immediately
to arrive at reasonable conclusions.
Disadvantages/Limitation:
1. Time
Consuming: Oral communication may not be time saver always. Many a times it
is seen that meetings continue for a long time without arriving at any
satisfactory conclusion.
2. Poor
retention: Oral communication is more likely to be forgotten. The listener
cannot always retain oral messages in his memory for long. Sometimes even the
speaker may not remember what he actually said.
3. Not
suitable for lengthy messages: Very often oral communication gets
distorted. This is more so in case of lengthy messages when communicated
through various level of hierarchy.
4. No
Record: No permanent record is kept in case of oral communication. In the
absence of record, oral messages have no legal validity.
5. Misunderstood: In
oral communication, much depends upon the tone, pitch, voice etc. the speaker,
due to his poor vocal expression, may not be able to make himself clear and the
listener may also be in attentive. Thus the message may be misunderstood.
6. Not precise: Oral
communication is not precise and to the point. People are more precise when
they write rather when they speak. Very often, the exact message to be conveyed
is lost in a mass of words.
Written
communication
Written communication
means communication through words written. In written
communication, both the parties
to the process, i.e. sender and receiver, exchange their ideas through written
words, graphs, diagrams, pictographs, etc. It transmits messages through letters,
memos, notices, circular notes, manuals etc. While
oral communication is
spontaneous and natural, written communication requires conscious efforts. Written communication depends on language as a means up of
sentences into clauses and of matter into paragraph etc is very important.
Characteristics of
Written communication
1. Written communication
is a one cycle even because it does not get immediate response from the
receiver.
2. Written communication
is specific when it is meant for specific persons. It can also be general when
it is meant for public at large.
3. Written communication
is a creative activity. It requires a lot of imagination and continuous
efforts.
4. Written communication
is however not spontaneous. It requires a meticulous planning on the part of
the writer.
5. Written communication
is time taking. The message has to be planned, drafted and finally encoded
(written) before sending.
Importance of Written
Communication
1. Written communication
is indispensable to an organization. Just as it is impossible to think of
social life without oral communication, it is impossible to think of business
or an organization without written communication. It is the backbone of the
business communication.
2. Written communication
is used more in an organization because face to face communication is not
always possible, due to employees being spread over widely located geographical
distance.
3. Written communication
assigns responsibility. In an organization employees have to function within
defined limits of authority and responsibility. In the absence of written
communication it is not easy to determine responsibility.
4. Written communication,
through its media of letters and menus to its creditors, shareholders can boost
up the image of the organization.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Written Communication
Advantages:
1. Permanent Record: Written
communication provides a permanent record for future reference and serves as a
good guide for decision making and planning in future.
2. Precise and
Accurate: The writer tries to organize his ideas logically before penning
them down. As a result written communication tends to be more accurate, precise
and reliable.
3. Legal evidence: Written
messages provide a permanent record and as such are used as legal evidence in a
court of law. Written records are more reliable and acceptance as documentary
proof.
4. Wide coverage: Written
communication has the widest possible coverage. It is perhaps the only means of
communication when the sender and the receiver are separated by long distance.
5. Easy to understand:
Written messages can be read and re-read again and again. Thus it is likely
to be understood better.
6. Suitable for
lengthy message: Lengthy messages lose their authenticity in oral
communication. Written communication is thus very suitable for transmitting
lengthy messages.
7. Aids control: Written
communication encourages deliberation, permits editing and review, helps to
prevent distortion and consequent misunderstandings.
Disadvantages:
1. Time consuming: Written
communication is not suitable when the message is to be sent immediately. It is
time consuming event which requires time in not only sending it but also in
putting the message in writing.
2. Rigid: Written
communication is rigid and lacks flexibility. The doubts and queries cannot be
clarified immediately.
3. Costly: Written
communication is a bit more expensive than oral communication. It costs a lot
in terms of stationary, postage and typing costs.
4. Lack of secrecy: It
is difficult to maintain secrecy in written communication.
5. Delayed feedback: Written
communication is mostly handicapped by its inability to get immediate feedback.
The sender of the message is not able to judge the response of the receiver
from his facial expression.
6. Increase the
workload: Written communication creates mountains of paper cluttered around
the premises of the organization. The staff has a tough time in managing it
very often valuable papers are lost. Therefore staff/managers have to be extra
careful about the papers.
Difference between oral and written communication
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