Business Communication: Learning Styles, Theories and Role

This report provides a comprehensive overview of business communication, starting with an introduction to the concept and its importance within organizations. It delves into various learning styles, including visual, physical, aural, verbal, logical, social, and solitary, and discusses factors that influence communication and learning, such as cultural diversity, message misunderstanding, emotional and educational differences. The report then explores several communication theories, including Cognitive Dissonance Theory, Communication Accommodation Theory, Coordinated Management of Meaning, Cultivation Analysis, Cultural Approach to Organization, Symbolic Interaction Theory, Expectancy Violation Theory, and Face-Negotiation Theory. It emphasizes the crucial role of effective communication in management, highlighting its impact on employee performance, motivation, decision-making, and information flow. The report concludes with a reflective statement, summarizing the author's experiences and insights gained from applying these concepts in a practical setting, including observations on learning styles, communication barriers, and the importance of effective communication skills for managers and employees, especially in sales and marketing.

BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS

INTRODUCTION :
Business Communication is a type of sharing data between persons outside and within an organization which is
done for business purpose of the organization. It covers customer and public relations, consumer behavior, engagement of
community, interpersonal communication, marketing, brand management etc. Administration, management and employees
communicate in such a way so that they can achieve organizational goals which are also termed as Business Communication
There are several ways of Business Communication like video conferencing, web-based communication, reports which
includes documents of various activities and presentations. Business communication should be able to accomplish clear
hierarchy, manage conflicts then cultural issues should be considered.
1) Range of Learning Styles and factors that affect communication
Each person refers different kind of technique and learning styles. Some have dominant style while some have
mixture of learning styles. There is no perfect mixture of style. Nor anybody’s style is fixed. It is preferred to possess a style
which is less dominant. Quality of learning can be improved through recognizing. Different range of learning styles is as
follows:
Visual: Colors, diagrams, pictures are used in this form f learning.
Physical: In these style persons use physical objects, play roles or draw diagrams for their learning. They use the strategy
‘learn by doing’ in which perhaps there is use of body to develop learning skills.
Aural: People take the help of music, rhymes, recordings and other sounds to learn.
Verbal: In this style words are used in writing as well as in speech.
Logical: Here focus is on reasons hidden behind learning.
Social: These are people who learn in segments or in groups and get their work completed with other people.
Solitary: This type of learner studies alone by his/her owns self without taking anybody’s help.
All persons fall in each category of learning style. People also use online learning like audio exercises, videos, reading and
many more ways.
Factors that affect communication and learning are as follows:
1. Cultural diversity: The chances of wrong interpretation and misunderstanding increases when persons from different
background communicate.
2. Message misunderstanding: Business sometimes through communication when different meanings of the same words are
assigned . This can be done intentionally and like this misunderstanding of message happens in the company.
3. Emotional Difference: Communications involve feelings and emotions of parties significantly.
4. Past Experience: The effectiveness of past communication between the receiver and the sender is determined by the
experience. If their earlier experience has been harsh then future communication won’t be good at all.
5. Educational and Intellectual Difference: If the educational qualification of both the parties is same then communication
between them would be noteworthy and perceptive else difference in qualification level would definitely affect their
communication.
2) Theories of Communication:
There are different types Business Communication Theories:
1) Cognitive Dissonance Theory: According to this theory people do not prefer dissonance or conflict because it is
unacceptable from their side. For them, the ideas of other people are arguable as they avoid other’s emotions without
listening anybody.
2) Communication Accommodation Theory: It explains communicational styles and promotes motivational aspects between
two parties. People convey through two ways i.e. divergence and convergence. People who try to underline their strong
ethnic background communicate through divergence. While people who require social assistance communicate through
convergence.
3) Coordinated Management if Meaning: Coherence is created when stories are told and these are in a living form when
coordination is there. Thus, it was concluded that a tough relationship exists between society and a person.

4) Cultivation Analysis: According to this theory television is an important part of communication. It emphasized on this
mediating factor. Direct source was not considered by people in large scale as modern culture was used by people for
information. Though, it has some bad side effect like it may create violence.
5) Cultural Approach to Organization: This involves different symbols which are used for communication purpose in an
organization. It focuses on significance of culture. This is highlighted by stories and rituals.
6) Symbolic Interaction Theory: In this theory people communicate by making symbols and give particular meanings to those
symbols. This theory emerged from American pragmatism.
7) Expectancy Violation Theory: In this theory Non verbal messages are developed. Whenever the communication rules get
violated, unfavorable or favorable situation can be analyzed according to the situation. This situation can also be viewed by
determining the idea has been shaped and in which way the receiver has recognized the situation.
8) Face-Negotiation Theory: In this theory conflicts are faced on a collective level or by a single person. It access cultures of
face or manage face conflicts. Self face and other face are two types of conflict negotiation with different culture.
4) Role of effective communication within management :
Every aspect of a business is founded by Communication. Effective Communication is backbone or a building block o
a firm. It helps employers in improving their performance and enhances the motivation skill among them. It also helps in
decision making process of the various departments and act as a source of information for parties, employers and
employees. Alternative actions can be easily identified through strong communication. There are various forms of
communications like journals, attending meetings, reading magazines etc. and through all these ways persons keep their
knowledge up to date. This is a way of building attitude and a well-read person will always have better attitude than a low
informed person. Communication is used for socializing which is very important in present scenario. Other than this effective
communication helps in knowing the grievances of employees and controls the complete process of management. It helps
the subordinated to know objectives, policies of organization. Through this, morale of employees becomes high and people
put forward their feedbacks through non-verbal or verbal communication. It is a significant feature of management as it is
important at all levels in an organization. All the deadlines and details of sales should be clear to employees and this could be
done through mails rather than explaining them verbally.
REFLECTIVE STATEMENT
I have realized by working in an organization that business communication is very much important in terms of
supporting the firm in building good image. I have experienced that effective communication helps management in
attracting the more numbers of employees as well as customers. I have identified that there are several platforms or
methods which can be used for facilitating the communication with internal as well as external parties. The several
modes of communication which I have observed are video conferencing, web based communication etc. I have also
learned to use these methods of communication. As I believe that this type of knowledge will assist me in improving
communication abilities.
I have also analyzed that there are different learning styles which can be used by an individual for gaining or
increasing their knowledge. The different learning which I have observed are pragmatics, activists, reflectors and
theorists. I have analyzed that an individual with the activities learning style learn things by executing several activities
with them. I have also observed that theorists make their decision by analyzing as well as developing the
understanding about different theories, concepts and hypothesis. I have found that reflectors encounter things from
the various points of view. I have analyzed that people with pragmatists learning style have focus on identifying the
way to put their knowledge or learning gained in routine practices. I have also observed that reflectors are the people
who learn things by observing this surrounding them. I perceive that people choose the learning style based on their
method of learning, interest and knowledge gaining capacity. I have analyzed that the different learning style have
great as well as significant impact on the communication. I had analyzed that there are several factor which can have
effect on the person ability to communicate effectively. The factors or constituent which has effect on communication
are cultural diversity, message content, educational qualification etc. I have analyzed that cultural difference, unique
values and believes can create barriers in communication. I had experienced that ineffective communication can give
rise to misunderstanding and some time can lead to confusion or misunderstanding. I have analyzed that an individual

selected the learning style which best suits their personality. I have decided that I will use activist learning style, as it
suits my personality. I perceive that this learning pattern will help me in gaining practical experience. I also expect
that this learning style will assist me in retaining knowledge for long time. I think that a person should change the
learning style as per the learning needs and demand of situation.
I have learned about the different theories related to the communication these are cognitive dissonance ,
communication accommodation , cultural approach etc. I believe that effective communication is very important in an
organization in terms of eliminating misunderstanding as well as conflectual situation.
I have also gained knowledge about the different theories related to communication these are Cognitive
Dissonance Theory, cultivation analysis, cultural approach, communication accommodation, expectancy theory, I
have also experience that effective flow of information is very important in terms of eliminating the
misunderstanding as well as overlapping of activities. I perceive that manager in an enterprise should have
effective communication skills. As I perceive that these abilities would assist them in developing as well as
maintain strong relationship with other people. I also believe that effective communication abilities will
support manager in influencing people to work for the benefit of a company. I think that manager in an
organization should provide open communication channel to employees. As I perceive that this strategy will
support management in identifying the innovative solution to different business problems. I have experience
that effective communication allows an individual to increase their knowledge about particular field. I
perceive that this type of abilities also provides a person an opportunity to share their knowledge, values and
belief with other people. It also provides individual a chance to improve their performance at work place and
enables a person to increase their participation in decision making procedure by an organization. I have
realized that effective communication skills are very much important to be developed by employees working
in sales or marketing department in an enterprise. As effective communication abilities posses by sales person
have positive influence on the behavior of customers. I have experienced that the method of communication
adopted by the salesperson or marketing manager have direct impact on the reputation of firm.