Unit 2.6 — Communication
Learning outcomes (from the 9587 syllabus). This note is complete when every bullet below is covered.
Learning outcomes
- The communication process: sender, message and receiver; encoding and decoding; the medium; feedback; noise
- Communication channels: formal (vertical, horizontal, external) and informal (grapevine, management by walking around)
- Barriers to effective communication: physical, semantic, personal; methods to overcome barriers and improve communication effectiveness
Running example: Swift Logistics must keep 60 couriers, depot managers and customers informed accurately.
Big picture
In plain English: communication is the passing of information and understanding from one person to another. If the message is misunderstood, work goes wrong — so good communication is essential for a business to run smoothly.
Analogy: communication is like a delivery service itself. A message is a parcel: the sender packs it (encoding), the courier carries it (medium), the receiver unpacks it (decoding), and a signature confirms arrival (feedback). “Noise” is anything that damages the parcel along the way.
Core content
1. The communication process
- Sender — the person with information to pass on.
- Encoding — turning the idea into words/symbols.
- Message — the information itself.
- Medium — how it is sent (speech, email, notice, phone).
- Decoding — the receiver interpreting the message.
- Receiver — the person who gets the message.
- Feedback — the receiver’s response, confirming understanding.
- Noise — anything that distorts the message (background sound, poor connection, unclear writing).
Mr Lim (sender) wants couriers to start work at 7am. He encodes this into a WhatsApp message (message) sent by phone (medium). A courier (receiver) decodes it as “start at 7am”, but a loud lorry outside (noise) made him mishear it as “7.30am”. His reply “OK, 7.30” (feedback) reveals the error, so Mr Lim corrects it.
2. Communication channels
Formal channels follow the official structure:
- Vertical communication — up and down the hierarchy (manager → worker, worker → manager).
- Horizontal communication — between people at the same level (depot manager ↔︎ depot manager).
- External communication — with people outside the business (customers, suppliers).
Informal channels are unofficial:
- Grapevine — informal word-of-mouth rumours that spread through the workplace.
- Management by walking around (MBWA) — managers walk the workplace and talk informally to staff.
Swift Logistics uses vertical communication (Mr Lim’s instructions down; couriers’ complaints up), horizontal communication (depot managers sharing delivery tips), and external communication (customer tracking updates). The grapevine spreads news that a new depot may open, and Mr Lim’s habit of walking around the depot lets him hear real problems directly.
3. Barriers to effective communication
| Barrier type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Physical | Noise, distance, broken equipment, poor phone signal |
| Semantic | Language differences, jargon, unclear wording, different interpretations of words |
| Personal | Emotions, attitudes, distrust, poor listening, selective hearing |
Methods to overcome barriers and improve communication:
- Use clear, simple language and avoid jargon.
- Choose the right medium for the message (complex → written; urgent → face-to-face).
- Encourage feedback to check understanding.
- Train staff in communication and listening.
- Build an open, trusting culture so people speak up.
Swift Logistics’ couriers speak different languages, so Mr Lim uses simple English and pictures in notices (overcoming semantic barriers), gives important changes face-to-face (overcoming noise), and asks couriers to repeat the instruction back (feedback) to confirm understanding.
Analysis & evaluation points (AO3/AO4)
- Communication failure is costly — a misunderstood order causes mistakes, waste, late deliveries and lost customers.
- Formal vs informal channels: formal is official and recordable but slow; informal (grapevine) is fast but can spread inaccurate rumours.
- The grapevine can be positive or negative — it spreads news quickly and builds belonging, but rumours can harm morale.
- One-way vs two-way: two-way communication (with feedback) is more accurate but slower; one-way is faster but error-prone.
- The medium matters — an email cannot convey tone; a face-to-face meeting is richer but slower.
Language bank: however · on balance · it depends on · trade-off ·
Worked examples (PEEL)
PEEL = Point → Explain → Example → Link. Use this structure for every written answer.
Worked example 1 — “Explain” (6 marks)
Question: Explain two barriers to effective communication in a business.
- P (Point): One barrier is semantic — language and jargon.
- E (Explain): If workers speak different languages or the message uses technical jargon, the receiver misunderstands the meaning.
- E (Example): A manager using logistics jargon (“LIFO”, “FIFO”) confuses new Swift couriers who interpret the instruction wrongly.
- L (Link): This causes errors and wasted effort.
- P (Point): A second barrier is personal — distrust or poor listening.
- E (Explain): If employees do not trust the manager or are stressed, they may not listen or may ignore the message.
- E (Example): Couriers who distrust management may dismiss a new safety briefing as unimportant.
- L (Link): So the message fails to change behaviour, and accidents may follow.
Worked example 2 — “Evaluate” (10 marks)
Question: Evaluate whether a business should rely on informal communication channels.
- P (Point): Informal channels (grapevine, MBWA) are fast and build relationships.
- E (Explain): Information spreads quickly without waiting for formal meetings, and managers hear honest feedback by walking around.
- E (Example): Mr Lim learns of a courier’s family problem through casual chat and arranges a flexible shift, improving loyalty.
- L (Link): This strengthens morale and responsiveness.
- Evaluate (AO4): However, the grapevine can spread inaccurate rumours and cannot be relied on for official decisions that need a record. On balance, a business should combine both — formal channels for official, recordable messages and informal channels to build trust and speed.
Application bank (Singapore quick reference)
| Idea | Singapore example |
|---|---|
| Multilingual workforce | Singapore workplaces use English plus mother tongues — clear simple English matters |
| External communication | Grab/Deliveroo updating customers via app notifications |
| MBWA | Many SME bosses managing by walking around their shop floor |
| Formal records | Companies using email and HR systems for official records |
Exam technique
- How it appears: a case study describes a communication breakdown and asks you to identify barriers and suggest improvements.
- Model skeleton for “improve communication”: identify the barrier (physical/semantic/personal) → choose a method to overcome it → explain how it helps.
- Common pitfalls: describing the process elements without applying them; suggesting only “communicate more” without a concrete method.
Self-test checklist
Essay practice: “Evaluate the view that poor communication is the main cause of business failure.” (25 marks)