Business Communication Project: Theories, Barriers, and Solutions

This report delves into the critical role of communication in business, emphasizing its importance for effective management and organizational success. It discusses general theories of organizational communication, including Bureaucratic Theory, General System Theory, and the Functional Approach of Organizational Culture. The report evaluates the barriers preventing students from returning to campus post-pandemic, such as physical, financial, emotional, listening, and experiential challenges. Furthermore, it outlines the strategies implemented by the Imperial College of London to overcome these barriers, including a hybrid system, adherence to COVID-19 guidelines, sanitization protocols, medical facilities, and alternate class schedules. The report concludes that effective communication is vital for sharing information, fostering development, and enabling organizational growth.

Business
Communication project
2 Individual Report

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................2
ASSESMENT 2...............................................................................................................................3
Discuss some general theories of organisational communication. .................................................3
Evaluate the barriers preventing students from returning to campus..............................................4
Outline the strategies your University has implemented to overcome these barriers......................5
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Communication pertains to mutual transmission or exchange of information between two
living persons wherein, one is a conveyor and other is a receiver. In context of business,
communication must be effective and clear to the point for better functioning of management.
The key functions of business management such as, planning, coordinating, managing faculties,
guiding. controlling and organising can only be managed by communication. In an organisation
there is constant flow of information which play a major role in functioning the integral part of a
business (Holbeche2018). The transmission of information in the form of communication
connects the entire organisation having different levels of hierarchy. Therefore, there should be a
clear and effective communication among the superiors and their subordinates. Communication
is one of the essential factor which helps an organisation to meet its targets and goals. This report
will cover the impact of effective business communication in an organisation and discussion will
be made on general theories of organisational communication.
ASSESMENT 2
Discuss some general theories of organisational communication.
Communication plays vital role in business. In a business, communication is a constant practice
which makes a business vital and active. A business is goal oriented, to attain the goals a
company needs to communicate to people inside and outside the organisation. Communication
comprised of 7C's which enables clear transmission of an information and reflects clear
intention. There are certain theorise on communication developed with the change of time to
contemplate organisational communication (Kazemi and Grant2022). Theories of organisational
communication emphasis on overall organisation's operations and structure, it examines
organisational performance and plan of action, relationships and coordinating with different
organisation's units. Following are some theories which helps in making effective organisational
communication:
Bureaucratic theory: Apply on the concept of hierarchy, its application made in the
forms of different levels. According to this theory, transmission of communication is move from
top level management to the bottom level. Superiors are the supreme authority within an
organisation which passes orders and directions which neds to be executed by the subordinates
accordingly. This theory prevents direct communication with the superiors and it also protects

the workers from the top authorities (Vosse and Aliyu2018). The father of this theory was Max
weber who followed the classical school and develop the idea of maintaining the strict channels
of command towards workers with the view to maintain work efficiency and to promote and
implement professional interaction within an organisation.
General System Theory: According to Ludwig, the constitution and structure of an
organisation are bifurcated in different units which are co-related to each other and to maintain
the coordination between several units on organisation communication is required. The
functionality of an organisation depends on the collective performance in an organisation by
maintaining effective and healthy communication culture. Gaps in communication leads to
disrupt the management system. Communication is the strong medium to identify the
weaknesses and strength of an organisation.
Functional approach of organisational culture: According to this theory, importance is
given on corporate culture which is an important facets of the organisation. The term corporate
culture signifies an environment where all the cooperative functions and operations and other
relevant essentials focus on building strong competitive environment in an organisation. It
directs all the business faculties to develop spirit and creativity to attain desired goals of the
organisation (Kingsley Westerman Reno and Heuett2018).
Evaluate the barriers preventing students from returning to campus.
Lockdown during Covid crisis had turned down the entire world. Education sector was no
exception, as it affected badly during pandemic. All the academics institutions were forced to
turn down. Subsequently, the period extended and it took almost two years to set thing right.
During lockdown an option of online education was provided to the students which at present
has overruled the traditional way of teaching. Online education system has benefited many
students who live at remote areas. Undoubtedly, during lockdown, online education approach has
proved its productivity (Ratnasari Hamdan and Julia 2019). Even after the pandemic, the
universities and schools continue to provide services of online classes because the students were
demanding to continue their courses online. The barriers which prevented students from,
returning to campus are mentioned below:
 Physical barriers: It is the most common barrier which has prevented students from
returning to campus. It took days to reach the university which cost lot of time and
money of students. Students taking class from online affecting their co-curriculum

activities as they cannot take part in college events or functions. However, online system
has opened the window for those who cannot take pursue higher education due to long
distance.
 Financial barriers: it is another barrier which has stopped students to follow the
traditional method of education. Online system has reduced the financial burden of the
students. Students can complete their course at home at low cost. In offline system
students required pay for accommodation, food and other expenses which was not
possible for many students to afford this much. Now, with the online system more
students who were deprived of education due to poor financial condition can afford
easily.
 Emotional barriers: Mostly, the students who are pursuing their education prefer to opt
for a job in their free time. In offline system students were not allowed to do jobs because
the they need to take the classes. But online system has provided lots of opportunities to
the students along with their studies.
 Listening barriers: Most students in lecture do not take serious attention, as they tend to
disturb the class by creating mischiefs and due this, professors failed to deliver lecture
effectively. In online system, the students can take lecture when they feel like, students
can download lecture video and can study peacefully.
 Lack of common experience: university is a space where students from different
background comes to attain wisdom and knowledge. Most students come from different
backgrounds and places and sometimes it becomes little hard for such students to get
comfortable with new place. Such students mostly prefer to go along with the online
option. (Murphy and et.al2021).
Outline the strategies your University has implemented to overcome these
barriers.
Due to long extension of lockdown. The students become habitual of taking online class and now
the students are not favouring the concept of offline class. Due to this, the university campus has
become less crowded. The Imperial college of London facing the similar issues and trying to
bring back the campus vitality by formulating strategies and plans to overcome the barriers.
 Hybrid System: Imperial college of London has implemented a hybrid system which
offers students an option either to take offline class or online. This approach has attracted

the students. The university has formed groups of students who can alternatively take the
benefits of hybrid system.
 Proper maintenance of distance: COVID fear has kept the people remain inside their
homes. The government has issued certain guidelines which needs to be followed strictly
at gatherings. The university in order to prevent the infections required to follow the
Covid guidelines. Masks and distance needs to be maintained.
 Proper Sanitization: The Imperial college of London with the view to restart offline
classes after lockdown has sanitized its entire building to make infectious free.
Considering the nature of Covid infection. It is necessary to sanitize the building to
prevent any infection. The students are feared to return in class because COVID virus is
communicable infection and any infected individual can infect the whole group. To
decline the possibility of spreading infection university is adopting strict measures of
proper sanitization.
 Medical Facilities: Imperial college of London has setup medical facilities in the
premises. Medical coverage to the students is good step from the college fraternity. This
step has brought confidence and safeguard in the minds of the students. Free check-ups
and vaccines doses is the best measures to overcome the barriers.
 Alternate class: The imperial college of London has given an options to students and
faculties to attend class alternately. This step will help in reducing the gathering and there
will be less change to expose with virus. This measure Wil also provide students to
occupy themselves in part-time job.
CONCLUSION
The above report is evident to conclude that communication is very important for sharing
information, opinions. Communication is the medium which makes the human a social animal
and it has played significant role in reforms and development. In context of organisation,
communication is inevitable for the growth of business. The above report has outlined the
strategies which the Imperial college of London has implemented to overcome the barriers.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Holbeche, L.S., 2018. Organisational effectiveness and agility. Journal of Organizational
Effectiveness: People and Performance.
Kazemian, S. and Grant, S.B., 2022. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on knowledge
sharing in UK higher education. VINE Journal of Information and Knowledge
Management Systems.
Kingsley Westerman, C. Y., Reno, K. M. and Heuett, K. B., 2018. Delivering feedback:
Supervisors’ source credibility and communication competence. International Journal of
Business Communication, 55(4), pp.526-546.
Murphy, C. and et.al., 2021. Wound hygiene survey: Awareness, implementation, barriers and
outcomes. Journal of Wound Care, 30(7), pp.582-590.
Ratnasari, A., Hamdan, Y. and Julia, A., 2019. Word Of Mouth Communication as Online
Business Promotion. MIMBAR: Jurnal Sosial dan Pembangunan, 35(1), pp.211-220.
Vosse, B.J.F. and Aliyu, O.A., 2018. Determinants of employee trust during organisational
change in higher institutions. Journal of Organizational Change Management.