Read the following extract and then answer the question below.
Critically discuss the purpose of communication in an organisation and explain how
communication has so far assisted your organisation to achieve its goals. (Use an organisation of
your choice to illustrate your answer.)
The purpose of communication in an organization is to facilitate the flow of information, ideas, and decisions among individuals or groups within the organization. It serves as a means for coordination, collaboration, and dissemination of knowledge. Effective communication ensures that everyone in the organization is aware of the organization's goals, objectives, and strategies, and helps in aligning individual efforts towards achieving these goals.
As an example, let's consider a multinational technology company, Apple Inc. Communication plays a critical role in Apple's success. Firstly, communication within the organization ensures that everyone understands Apple's vision, mission, and key objectives. This clarity of purpose enables employees to make informed decisions that align with the company's overall goals. For instance, when designing a new product, engineers and designers collaborate closely, exchanging ideas and information through various communication channels, such as meetings, emails, and virtual platforms. This enables them to work towards creating innovative and user-friendly products that meet customer needs.
Furthermore, effective communication within Apple promotes cross-functional collaboration. Different departments, such as marketing, research and development, and production, need to coordinate their efforts to ensure the successful launch of a product. Regular communication among these departments helps in sharing vital information, resolving conflicts, and making timely decisions. For example, the marketing team needs to communicate product features and benefits to the production team, ensuring that the product is manufactured according to the desired specifications.
Communication also plays a pivotal role in disseminating knowledge and creating a learning organization culture at Apple. Through effective communication channels, such as training sessions, internal newsletters, and team meetings, employees at Apple are continuously updated on the latest industry trends, technological advancements, and best practices. This enables them to stay ahead in the highly competitive technology market and contribute to the achievement of organizational goals.
In summary, the purpose of communication in an organization is to facilitate information flow, coordination, collaboration, and dissemination of knowledge. In the case of Apple Inc., effective communication has enabled the company to align individual efforts towards organizational goals, promote cross-functional collaboration, and create a learning organization culture.
The purpose of communication in an organization is to facilitate the flow of information and ideas among employees, departments, and stakeholders. It serves multiple functions, including informing, instructing, persuading, and influencing. Effective communication helps in building relationships, fostering teamwork, enhancing decision-making, implementing strategies, and achieving organizational goals.
To illustrate how communication has assisted an organization in achieving its goals, let's consider the example of a technology company called XYZ Tech.
Communication plays a crucial role in XYZ Tech's success. Through regular internal communication channels such as team meetings, email updates, and company-wide announcements, the organization ensures that employees are well-informed about the company's goals, objectives, and progress. This enables everyone to have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities, aligning their efforts towards the same objectives.
Moreover, effective communication promotes collaboration and innovation within XYZ Tech. By encouraging employees to share their ideas and perspectives through open forums and brainstorming sessions, the organization benefits from a diverse range of insights. Ideas are evaluated, refined, and implemented, leading to continuous improvement and achievement of organizational goals.
In addition, communication assists XYZ Tech in building strong relationships with external stakeholders such as clients, suppliers, and investors. Regular communication with clients helps in understanding their needs and expectations, leading to the development of tailored solutions and long-term partnerships. Transparent communication with suppliers ensures a smooth supply chain, while effective communication with investors builds trust and confidence.
Furthermore, communication is vital in implementing strategies and managing change within XYZ Tech. Clear communication of strategic objectives, milestones, and progress updates ensures that everyone is on the same page and working towards a common goal. During times of change, such as mergers, acquisitions, or reorganizations, effective communication helps alleviate uncertainty and resistance, facilitating a smooth transition.
In summary, communication is a fundamental aspect of organizational functioning, serving various purposes. In the case of XYZ Tech, communication has assisted in achieving organizational goals by fostering information sharing, collaboration, innovation, relationship building, and effective strategy implementation.
To answer this question, first, let's understand the purpose of communication in an organization. Communication plays a crucial role in an organization as it facilitates the exchange of information, ideas, and knowledge among its members. It serves several purposes:
1. Transmission of information: Communication ensures that relevant information reaches the intended individuals or groups. It helps in disseminating instructions, policies, and guidelines across the organization.
2. Coordination and collaboration: Effective communication enables different teams and departments to coordinate their efforts and work collaboratively towards achieving organizational goals. It allows for the smooth flow of information and fosters teamwork.
3. Decision making: Communication provides a platform for sharing ideas, opinions, and feedback. It helps leaders gather input from various stakeholders, leading to informed decision making.
4. Building relationships: Communication strengthens relationships among employees, managers, and stakeholders. It creates a sense of belonging, trust, and cooperation, enhancing employee engagement and job satisfaction.
Now, let's explain how communication has assisted your organization (Organisation X) in achieving its goals:
1. Internal communication: Organisation X has implemented effective channels of internal communication, such as regular team meetings, intranet portals, and instant messaging platforms. These tools have facilitated seamless communication within the organization, ensuring that all employees are informed about the company's objectives, strategies, and progress towards goals.
2. Leadership communication: The leaders in Organisation X prioritize open and transparent communication. They regularly communicate with the employees, sharing updates, addressing concerns, and seeking their input. This approach has fostered a culture of trust and collaboration, enabling employees to align their efforts with the organization's goals.
3. Cross-functional communication: Organisation X recognizes the importance of collaboration across different teams and departments. They have established communication channels and platforms that promote effective information sharing and collaboration. Regular meetings, project management tools, and shared resources enable the organization to leverage the collective knowledge and expertise of its employees, leading to more effective goal attainment.
4. External communication: Organisation X effectively communicates with its external stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, and partners. Clear and consistent communication helps build strong relationships, ensure customer satisfaction, and foster healthy business collaborations.
In summary, communication serves the purpose of transmitting information, facilitating coordination, supporting decision making, and building relationships within an organization. In the case of Organisation X, their emphasis on effective internal, leadership, cross-functional, and external communication has contributed to the achievement of their organizational goals.