Driving Changes in Management Communication [Archives:2003/629/Education]

Lakshmi Devi, P. K
MBA Student in Total Quality Management
American World University (USA)
International Studies Academy – Sana'a
[email protected]
Management communication is defined as 'the inter-personal and inter-organizational interchange of integral information'. The ability to communicate effectively has enabled human beings to build organizations, societies, and other social groupings that make for survival and better living. By Management Communication we mean the flow of information, perception, and understanding between various parts and members of an organization. It also includes all aspects of communication like media, channel networks, organization structure, interpersonal communication etc.
The need for improved Management Communication strategies is being driven by the fast demands of business, globalization, and the technology revolution, as well as leadership challenges that require improved Management Communication strategies and skills at company, team, or group, and individual levels. But Management Communication is nowadays struggling for perfection. This may be due to filtering, individual bias and selective perception, fear and other emotional overtones, language, overloading of information, lack of trust, status differences, non-verbal cues, time pressures etc. In order to overcome these barriers and for making the Management Communication more powerful and effective some of the following ways may be taken into account: to regulate the flow of information, feedback, simplifying the use of language, listening carefully, watching non-verbal cues etc.
A number of management communication trends have been emerging in business communication. E-mail is now a staple technology in the present world. Individuals, teams and companies need to address and continually reassess the extent to which they use the Internet (world wide web) for advertising, marketing, research, and document sharing. Beyond the Internet, intranets is also a key Management Communication decision. Thus individuals, teams, and companies experience greater efficiencies by putting databases, inventory control (JIT, etc), advertising, marketing, customer service, benefits from information, personnel manuals, newsletters, and management announcement/bulletins on an intranet.
Changes in strategy need to be viewed from three perspectives: company wide, group or team, and individual contributors. Options available are both constrained and enhanced by decisions made at each of those levels.
These initiatives have forced a new and improved kind of communication and leadership, as evidenced in the:
– ISO 9000 standards (www.iso.ch)
– The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awards in the United States (www.quality.nist.gov)
– The growing use of standards and benchmarks throughout industry and in other areas.
Technology has placed new demands on us to order and make sense of data, making effective Management Communication as a top priority.
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