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Written Communication - Meaning, Advantages and DisadvantagesWritten communication has great significance in today’s business world. It is an innovative activity of the mind. Effective written communication is essential for preparing worthy promotional materials for business development. Speech came before writing. But writing is more unique and formal than speech. Effective writing involves careful choice of words, their organization in correct order in sentences formation as well as cohesive composition of sentences. Also, writing is more valid and reliable than speech. But while speech is spontaneous, writing causes delay and takes time as feedback is not immediate.The communication which is performed through any written document is called?written communication. When messages or information is exchanged or communicated in written form is called written communication. It is a word based communication system. Memos, letters, reports, notes, email etc. Is used to transmit meaning in written communication. The important definitions of written communication are as follows:According to?Bovee and others, “Written communication is the expression of ideas through words that are meant to be read.”According to?C.B.?Mamoria, “A written communication process is always put into writing and generally used when the audience is at a distance or when a permanency of record is required.According to?Ricky W. Griffin, “Written communication is the message that is encoded and transmitted in written form.”According to?R. Pal and J.S.?Korlahlli, “Everything that has to be written and transmitted in the written form falls in the area of written communication.”So, written communication is the process of communication in which messages or information is exchanged or communicated within sender and receiver through written form.Characteristics of a good written communication are discussed below:Easy language: Easy language should be used in written communication. The sentences of written communication must be understandable to the reader.Structure: Definite structure must be followed in drafting any written document. Every written form has its own structure.Accurate and precise: A well written document must be accurate and precise. Written communication insists on greater accuracy and precision.Direct speech: Direct speech should be used in written communication. Indirect and passive sentences must be avoided.Paragraph design: A good written communication bears a paragraph design. Paragraphing is also important to clear communication.Error-less: A well written document must be free from error in both grammar and language.You-attitude: There must be your attitude in written communication. The reader can be impressed for this.Personal and organizational images: A good written communication bears the personal image of the writer. It also increases the organizational image as a whole.Advantages of Written CommunicationWritten communication helps in laying down apparent principles, policies and rules for running of an organizationIt is a permanent means of communication. Thus, it is useful where record maintenance is required.It assists in proper delegation of responsibilities. While in case of oral communication, it is impossible to fix and delegate responsibilities on the grounds of speech as it can be taken back by the speaker or he may refuse to acknowledgeWritten communication is more precise and explicitEffective written communication develops and enhances an organization’s image.It provides ready records and references.Legal defenses can depend upon written communication as it provides valid records.Easy to preserve:?The documents of written communication?are easy to preserve. Oral and non-verbal communication cannot be preserved. If it is needed, important information can be collected from the preserved documents.Easy presentation of complex matter:?Written communication is the best way to represent any complex matter easily and attractively.Permanent record:?The documents of written communication act as a permanent record. When it is needed, important information can be easily collected from the preserved documents.Prevention of wastage of time and money:?Written communication prevents the waste of money and time. Without meeting with each other the communicator and communicate can exchange their views.Accurate presentation:?Through the documents of the written communication top executive can present the information more accurately and clearly. As it is a legal document everybody takes much care does draft it.Use as a reference:?If it is needed, written communication can be used as future reference.Delegation of authority:?Written communication can help the authority to delegate the power and authority to the subordinate. It is quite impossible to delegate power without a written document.Longevity:?Written document can be preserved for a long time easily. That is why; all the important issues of an organization should be back and white.Effective communication:?Written communication helps to make communication effective. It is more dependable and effective than those of other forms of communication.Maintaining image:?Written communication helps to maintain the images of both the person and the organization. It also protects the images of the company or organization.Proper information:?It is a proper and complete communication system. There is no opportunity to include any unnecessary information in a written document.Less distortion possibility:?In this communication system information is recorded permanently. So, there is less possibility of distortion and alteration of the information.No opportunity to misinterpret:?there is any opportunity to misinterpret the information or messages of written communication.Controlling tool:?Written communication can help to control the organizational activity. The written document may be used as a tool for controlling.Easy to verify:?The information and messages that are preserved can be verified easily. If there arises any misunderstanding any party can easily verify the information.Others:?Clear understanding, Legal document, Acceptability, Reduction of risk, Creating confidence, Easy circulation, Wide access or coverage etc.Disadvantages of Written CommunicationExpensive:?Written communication is comparatively expensive. For this communication paper, pen, ink, typewriter, computer and a large number of employees are needed.Time consuming:?Written communication takes time to communicate with others. It is a time consuming media. It costs the valuable time of both the writer and the reader.Red-Taoism:?Red-Taoism is one of the most disadvantages of written communication. It means to take time for approval of a project.Useless for illiterate person:?It messages receiver is illiterate, written communication is quite impossible. This is major disadvantage written communication.Difficult to maintain secrecy:?It is an unexpected medium to keep business secrecy. Secrecy is not always possible to maintain through written communication. Because here needs to discuss everything in black and white.Lack of flexibility:?Since writing documents cannot be changed easily at any time. Lack of flexibility is one of the most important limitations of written communication.Delay in response:?It takes much time to get a response from the message receiver; prompt response is not possible in case of written communication that is possible in oral communication.Delay in decision making:?Written communication takes much time to communicate with all the parties concerned. So the decision maker cannot take decisions quickly.Cost in record keeping:?It is very difficult and expensive to keep all the records in written plex words:?Sometimes the writer uses complex words in writing a message. It becomes difficult to meaning out to the reader. So the objectives of the communication may lose.Lack of direct relation:?If there is no direct relation between the writer and the reader, writer communication cannot help to establish a direct relation between them.Other:?Prompt feedback is impossible, Slowness, Bureaucratic attitude, Understanding problem between boos and subordinates, lack in quick clarification and correction, formality problem, lack of personal intimacy, etc.Written communication does not save upon the costs. It costs huge in terms of stationery and the manpower employed in writing/typing and delivering letters.Also, if the receivers of the written message are separated by distance and if they need to clear their doubts, the response is not spontaneous.Written communication is time-consuming as the feedback is not immediate. The encoding and sending of message takes time.Effective written communication requires great skills and competencies in language and vocabulary use. Poor writing skills and quality have a negative impact on organization’s reputation.Too much paper work and e-mails burden is involved.Forms of Written CommunicationThe different forms of written communication and their methods of delivery generally used by a department are described below. Each form has a use and, in some cases, a phraseology of its own. Only black or blue ink will be used in communications. A small margin of about one inch will be left on all sides (left, right, top and bottom) of each page of communications to ensure better preservations of records as at times the paper gets torn from the edges, making reading of the documents difficult.?Letter - This form is used for corresponding with Foreign Governments, State Governments, the Union Public Service Commission and other constitutional bodies, heads of attached and subordinate offices, public enterprises, statutory authorities, public bodies and members of the public generally. A letter begins with the salutation Sir/Madam as may be appropriate.Demi-official letter -This form is generally used in correspondence between Government officers for an inter-change or communication of opinion or information without the formality of the prescribed procedures. It may also be used when it is desired that the matter should receive personal attention of the individual addressed. Since demi-official letter is written in the first person in a personal and friendly tone, it should be addressed by an officer in a Ministry/Department who is ordinarily not more than one or two levels below the officer to whom such communication is addressed.Note: For the purpose of determination of level, Secretary/Additional Secretary and Director/Deputy Secretary will be considered as one munications to non-officials can also take the form of a demi-official letter.Office Memorandum - This form is generally used for corresponding with other departments or in calling for information from or conveying information to its employees. It may also be used in corresponding with attached and subordinate offices. It is written in the third person and bears no salutation or supersession except the name and designation of the officer signing it.Inter-departmental note -This form is generally employed for obtaining the advice, views, concurrence or comments of other departments on a proposal or in seeking clarification of the existing rules, instructions etc. It may also be used by a department when consulting its attached and?subordinate offices and?vice versa.The inter-departmental note may either be recorded on a file referred to another department or may take the form of an independent self-contained note. The subject need not be mentioned when recorded on the file.Telegram -This form is used for communicating with out-station parties in matters demanding prompt attention. The text of the telegram should be as brief as possible.Telegrams are of two kinds viz. enclair telegrams and cypher code telegrams. The former are worded in plain language. The latter are expressed in secret language (code or cypher or both) but a combination in the same telegram of figures and letters having a secret meaning is not permitted. In editing, numbering and issuing of cypher/code telegrams, the instructions issued by the Ministry of External Affairs in respect of external telegrams and by the Ministry of Home Affairs in the case of internal telegrams, should be carefully observed.There are?four gradings of urgency authorised for use in State telegrams, viz `SVH', `Most Immediate', `Operation Immediate' and `Immediate'. The use of these gradings is regulated by the rules issued by the Department of Posts. Relevant extracts from these rules are contained in?Appendix 10.Telegrams, other than cypher and code telegrams, should normally be followed by post copies.Fax facility - In urgent and important matters (including legal and financial messages), departments may use fax facilities to send messages, wherever available.Offices not connected through fax but having telex facilities, may send urgent and important messages through telex instead of a telegram in communicating with out-station offices.Registered Post/ Registered AD - This method of delivery is used in communicating with offices to ensure receipt of the communication and in the case of Registered AD an acknowledgement of the delivery is also received by the issuing office.Speed Post - This method of delivery is used to ensure quick receipt of messages warranting urgent attention at the receiving end and an acknowledgement of the delivery is also received by the issuing office.Office order - This form is normally used for issuing instructions meant for internal administration, e.g., grant of regular leave, distribution of work among officers and sections, appointments and transfers, etc.Order - This form is generally used for issuing certain types of financial sanctions and for communicating government orders in disciplinary cases, etc., to the officials concerned.Notification - This form is mostly used in notifying the promulgation of statutory rules and orders, appointments and promotions of gazetted officers, etc. through publications in the Gazette of India. The composition of the gazette, the types of matters to be published in each part and section thereof, the instructions for sending the matter for publication therein and for sending copies thereof are indicated inAppendix 11.Resolution - This form of communication is used for making public announcement of decisions of government in important matters of policy, e.g., the policy of industrial licensing, appointment of committees or commissions of enquiry. Resolutions are also published in the Gazette of India.Press communique/note - This form is used when it is proposed to give wide publicity to a decision of government. A press communique is more formal in character than a press note and is expected to be reproduced intact by the press. A press note, on the other hand, is intended to serve as a hand-out to the press which may edit, compress or enlarge it, as deemed fit.Endorsement - This form is used when a paper has to be returned in original to the sender, or the paper in original or its copy is sent to another department or office, for information or action. It is also used when a copy of a communication is proposed to be forwarded to parties other than the one to which it is addressed. Normally this form will not be used in communicating copies to state governments. The appropriate form for such communication should be a letter.Circular - This form is used when important and urgent external communications received or important and urgent decisions taken internally have to be circulated within a department for information and compliance by a large number of employees.?Advertisement - This form is used for communicating with the general public to create awareness and may take the form of audio-visual or written communication.E-mail - This is a paperless form of communication to be used by department having computer facilities supported by internet or intranet connectivity and can be widely used for subjects where legal or financial implications are not involved. ................
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