Analyzing Communication Systems and Barriers at Marks and Spencer

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of communication within Marks and Spencer (M&S), a leading UK retailer. It examines communication systems used to disseminate key information to stakeholders, including employees, customers, and suppliers. The report identifies potential barriers to effective workplace communication, such as background noise and lack of concentration, and explores the influence of values, cultural factors, and technology on the communication process. It also delves into the impact of policies and procedures on communication flow. Furthermore, the report includes a self-assessment of the author's communication skills as a leader, incorporating feedback from employees and outlining a personal development plan to enhance these skills. The report concludes with an evaluation of the success of communication improvement plans.

Managing
Communication

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Task 1 ..............................................................................................................................................3
1.1.................................................................................................................................................3
1.2.................................................................................................................................................4
1.3.................................................................................................................................................4
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................5
2.1.................................................................................................................................................5
2.2.................................................................................................................................................5
2.3.................................................................................................................................................6
Task 3...............................................................................................................................................7
3.1.................................................................................................................................................7
3.2.................................................................................................................................................7
3.3.................................................................................................................................................8
3.4.................................................................................................................................................9
Task 4...............................................................................................................................................9
4.1.................................................................................................................................................9
4.2...............................................................................................................................................11
4.2...............................................................................................................................................12
4.3...............................................................................................................................................12
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................14
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INTRODUCTION
Communication is very important in an organizations as to perform the basic function of
management. Effective communication helps mangers to perform their jobs and responsibilities
in the company. Present report is based on Marks and Spencer, it is one of the leading retailer of
UK. It entered int a market for long term relationship with other manufacturers. In the present
report there have been explained the system used for communicating key information and
knowledge to stakeholder. Along with that, analyses the potential barriers to Effective workplace
communication, Apart from that, it have been identified measures to evaluate the success of the
plan to improve workplace communication.
TASK 1
1.1
There are different stakeholder of Marks and Spencer and they all need information
related to their organization for their needs. Different stakeholders are as follow
 Employees: At Marks and Spencer employee need regular communication related to
information of customers need. Employee manufacture product so they need data which
type of product they need produce and in which quantity (Beresford, 2010, ). For
managing the employee in company manager of company need to use different
communicative system. Employee need information about company goals and objective,
employment plan, appraisal method etc.
 Customers: Customer need information regarding the quality of product and services
which Marks and Spencer is providing to them. If customers are not get detail
information of products they may lose their customer.
 Supplier: Supplier want information about product demand, expected quality and
delivery date. It is important for Marks and Spencer to make relationship with supplier
through regular contacts to maintain the profits of company (Fisher, 2010). If there is no
effective communication with supplier organization can lost its supplier to competitor
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1.2
There are different methods used to communicate with different stakeholder related to
key information of Marks and Spencer are as follow
Communication system for employees are
 Meeting: It is the most common way of communication. Through this manager of
company can give information to all its employee in meeting. Gathering all the workers
in a meeting and and take their attention (Harmsworth and Turpin, 2010,). In meeting
involve staff members so that it become two way process.
 Face to face: At Marks and Spencer if manager wants to share some information to
individual. Then it can communicate face to face with employee and share all information
verbally. Manager can talk to one to one basis with individual by making proper eye
contact with them.
Communication system for customers:
 Email: At Marks and Spencer manager can send information regarding the products
information to customers. Customers who are subscribed for their opt out newsletter were
send information automatically by company. It is easy way to communicate with
customers. Customers can also reply if they need any information related to their
products and services.
 Phone call: By making phone call manager of company can easily talk to customers an
can take feedback regarding their service and products (Lunenburg, 2010). Through this
verbal communication customer get all the information of products easily.
1.3
There are many potential barriers to effective communication at Marks and Spencer. This
barriers are as follow:
 Background noise: At the time of communicating at phone one of the barrier is noise.
Marks and Spencer need to make a separate office where any one can talk with facing
any disturbance from background noise.
 Lack of concentration: At Marks and Spencer when two parties such as manager and
clients are communicating verbally or in written form then barrier is lack of concentration
from one or both the parties. For example if any Clients need a quick reply of email by
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asking some question regarding the products and services from manager of Marks and
Spencer. Then manager responding to the mail and forget to answer few question due to
lack of concentration (Steurer, Langer, Konrad and Martinuzzi, 2015). It lead to the break
down in communication and it seemed that there is lack of interest in continuing the good
communication.
 Unenthusiastic audiences: At the the time of meeting in meeting, presentation or on
telephone one of the barrier is unenthusiastic audiences. In this At M&S employees when
not shown interest in listing to manager in meeting it makes communication hard.
TASK 2
2.1
Communication is influenced by values and cultural factors at Marks and Spencer. The
organization wants to create a high value for the customers for making high profit. Values and
attitudes have great impact on communication across cultures. Each person in company have
different norms and practices which may clash with those co workers. Another impact on
communication is that intercultural communication gender (Wang, Morlang and Katz, 2001,). It
is affected because different societies people have different view of men and women in Marks
and Spencer. Individual identity is another this is also a factor that impact the communication.
For communication with employees of different culture require to understand the language of
others. positive work culture in organization influence the productivity of organization. Effective
communication helps in running the internal process smoothly ans help to create a positive
relation with people in inside the organization
2.2
Technology can be used to benefits as well as Hinder the communication process. There
are many modern technologies which make the communication process easy for Marks and
Spencer.
 Phone calls: It is a technology which makes easy for Marks and Spencer to communicate
with all employee or clients directly. If manger is not present in company, then employee
can easily make calls for any urgent need. Some issues such as disciplinary issues
condolences and confidential issues can be handle with a personal phone call in company
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 Text messaging services: At Marks and Spencer manager can easily text a message to
their clients in a absence they are not responding to their call. Through text any
information can be send to others.
 Use of emails: through social networking many important information cannot be shared.
It is replaced with email such as Yahoo, Gmail, Hot mail etc which make easy for
communication for Marks and Spencer. lack of face to face communication can create
misunderstanding between in team. Hence, it is improved by the video conferencing team
is enable to interact face to face (Ruff and Aziz, 2012). It helps in sending multiple copies
of message to different people at same time.
 Video conferencing: Importance of video conferencing that it reduce the travel cost. It
gives ability to work far from the company and communicate with other employee
through video conference. It helps in doing fact to face interaction with other clients,
customers and suppliers.
2.3
Policies and procedures can impact the communication process in many ways at Marks and
Spencer. According tot he company Policy there is different process which has a great impact on
communication are as follow
 Downward flow of communication: At Marks and Spencer communication flows from
higher level to the lower level it is a downward communication. In this manger transmit
work related information to employees at lower level. It is used for providing feedback
on employee performance. Employee get all information through their manager they
cannot share directly their problem to managers in company.
 Upward flow of communication: In this type of communication it flow to higher level
in an Marks and Spencer. It give feedback on the overall performance of organization.
Through this flow of communication employees to convey problems to subordinates
(Bell, and Smith, 2010). It is also used for employee to share their views and ideas.
Employee in company can easily share their problem directly without any restriction.
Hence, their is open flow of communication employee are free to communicate at any
level.
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TASK 3
3.1
At Marks and Spencer I am working as leader position. My own effective communication
skill in company are as follow
I used the impression that is enthusiastic about while communicating with other. In this I
Make them feel that I like to talking to them and I care about my employees. It make them feel
better about themselves. As result, employee like to communicate with me more on their
problems and they feel easy with me. Another communication skill of mine is that I adapt their
body language and feelings.
It usually pay attention to their nonverbal communication by watching their body
language and posture, it is important to match the body language and voice tone that is observed.
By doing this I make them feel a deep subconscious connection with others (Lunenburg, 2010,).
Moreover, I listen to them attentively whatever other person speak. I don't focus on what I will
speak instead of this I listen to employee and then respond to them back after they finish to
speak. It feel them that I am interested in listening to them. It also helps in feeling any answer
inconvenient break in communication. Along with this, I also make a proper eye contact with
employees at the time of communication. It not only shows that I am interested in talking to them
but it also show that I am a trustworthy. Result of this is that I pay attention on their
communication. Hence this all skills are very much effective for me at the time of
communication with others
3.2
Theories of interpersonal skills on oneself is that it is began with when ideas and thought
are exchanged with others. It is kind of communication in which one person share their ideas,
feeling and emotions face to face with others. In interpersonal skills there is not only one speak
to other it includes other facial expression, body language used etc.
Reduction of uncertainty: In this theory employer speaks with me and other employee that we
both will work on particular project for the six month. We bot look each others with surprising
face for a movement. By thinking the same thing about each other is that other one will work
seriously or have knowledge of project or not (Harmsworth and Turpin, 2010). At the time of
communication with other employee it is not necessary that reply will be positive from other
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side. Uncertainty is unpleasant and it is motivational it reduces with the communication. It
follow the pattern for the reduction of development stage.
3.3
As a team leader of Marks and Spencer I request a feedback from the employees on my
own interpersonal skills. For which I conduct a survey and asked few question related to my
communication skills that are as follow:
1. When I write email, or other document, I give all background information and detail so
that message is understood by all.
a.) not at all
b.) rarely
c.) sometimes
d.)often
2. When employee talk to me I try to see their perspective
a.)not at all
b.) rarely
c.)sometimes
d.)often
3. I pay attention to their body at the time of talking to employee
a.)not at all
b.) rarely
c.)sometimes
d.)often
4. At the time of talking to someone t think about what I will speak next to make sure that I
get my point across correctly.
a.)not at all
b.) rarely
c.)sometimes
d.)often
5. i consider cultural barriers when planning mu communication
a.)not at all
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b.) rarely
c.)sometimes
d.)often
I prepared this feedback question and make it feel with subordinates, manager and with
all employees who work under me. A marks and Spencer I got many positive and some negative
feedback from my employee and subordinates (Fisher, 2010). There are some communication
skills which is missing in me for that in need to improve.
3.4
I prepared a personal development plan based on feedback to improve my own
communication skills are as follow
Communication skills I need to
develop
Methods to develop skills Time duration
Improve verbal communication I will read more books and novels,
think about the words before
speaking, listen more and talking
less and try to understand the
listener
From 2 to 3 weeks
Improving body posture while
communicating
It can be done by continuously
practicing in front to mirror
In 1 month
Improve comprehending ability It can be done by listening to audio
records and then by writing a short
synopsis.
In 2 month
Communicate with more
confidences
It can be done by giving positive
expression at the time of
communication.
In a week
TASK 4
4.1
There are many steps to carry out the communication audit are as follow
Determine key areas to be audited: in this it is important to look both internal and
external communication. It is necessary to analyze websites and other online marketing
materials. It includes everything business cards logo and signage to promotional material.
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Choose research method: for conducting audit is required to select new method from
among the various numerous research method. It includes focus group or one to ne interviews or
online survey etc.
Collect and evaluate past commutation: it is done by spreading communication process
of last years internal and external. Ask in conferences room such question
 how to inform he public about the business? How it works
 what will be our key message to all?
 Who will be our key audiences?
 Did we research our audiences with the right message?
 Which media coverage is effective? Which media opportunities did we miss?
Take a time to analyze each communication pieces (Harmsworth and Turpin, 2010). Then
create a written list of worked and survey a few trusted staff and clients.
Look outward: query your customers: In this step choose a neutral researcher to query
our consumers. In this electronic survey, telephonic interview and other for techniques included.
For the survey purpose require to select a few question for analyzing the communication from
the customer point of view. Question are of such type what is the impression of company
employee communication? What they think of our graphic identity pieces, ask about our
websites and other marketing materials.
Look outward: query your community: what all community want and understand
about a organization. Look out the impact of company communication . Then again ask the
question to know the public perception. It can also conduct formal or informal survey in
community members.
look inward Query your staff and volunteers: in this don't forget to include the
internal audiences. And collect opinion about communication process. And ask about reaction in
communication in past years. It was Effective or not etc. to oversees coverage contract being
promoted and to know which media opportunity is missed.
Think like a communication consultant: it is based on finding about what is
recommend for future communication. Then select a team to analyze the audit results and future
actions.
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Put together a plan for future communications: Try to use research at starting point and
then plan internally and hire a employee to design and implement the plan.
4.2
Control Organization theory of communication: it is formulated for the purpose of setting
a timetable an to monitor and evaluate the fundamental operation. This theory defines a deep
rooted expressive pursuit by carrying manual and spoken effort. The control of organization is
moderated with popular leverage. This theory configured through determination and personal
aspiration is the driving force system. It is a ability of coming across one's straight forward and
mechanized potentiality are three key pint to take note of (Wang, Morlang, and Katz, 2001,).
That is number one is in order to to fully grasp and comprehend the myriad range of what this
particular resilience. Number two is to analyze for the open outlying of various intellectuals by
understanding the given scheme.
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4.2
Management of the organization can make a effective plan for managing communication
at work place in an effective manner. It is essential that a systematic process should be adopted
for developing the action plan. The processes used under it are as follows :
Setting objectives : a proper analysis of internal business environment needs to be done
for setting objective. The main aim is to manage communication channel at the work place.
Suggestions from staff members can be taken for making necessary changes in the existing
process.
Formulating the plan : management of the enterprise should develop a effective plan for
achieving the desired objectives. Use of innovative technology can be taken for making
improvement in communication process. Computers, E-mails, fax machines and other electronic
devices can be used for faster delivery of messages and information. A training session can be
arranged for employees for providing them necessary skills and competence.
Implementing the plan : all the staff members should be communicated about the training
session. A notice can be posted on the common notice board of the organization. Trainer can be
appointed for providing necessary training to the workers for making use of E-mails, computers
and Fax-machines. It is also required that proper monitoring of overall process should be done
for ensuring successful implementation of the plan.
4.3
By applying the plan in company which is discussed above is very Effective for the
Marks and Spencer. Setting objective is important for analyzing the plan in organization. Fr
company it is required that there is proper communication process is used in organization.
Formal communication process is adopted in company and employee can easily share their views
and ideas with the manager (Fisher, 2010). There is also a open communication with manger so
that employee can easily share their problem with subordinates. This plan after implementing is
very Effective in the organization.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that effective communication is very important at
Marks and Spencer. There are many barriers can take place at the time of communication such as
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noise barriers etc. there are many new technologies are used by the company for communication
thee employees and different stakeholder. Further, it can be concluded for improving my
communication skills I need to prepare a personal development plan and it very effective for
improving my communication skills.
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REFERENCES
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Thomas, p.6
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Harmsworth, S. and Turpin, S. 2010, Creating an Effective Dissemination Strategy, Milton
Keynes. TQEF National Co-ordination Team, p.33
Lunenburg, F.C. 2010, Communication: The Process, Barriers, And Improving Effectiveness,
SCHOOLING, Vol. 1, No 01, p.11
Kangas , K., 2003. Business Strategies for Information Technology Management. Idea Group Inc
(IGI)
Steurer, R., Langer, M.E., Konrad, A. and Martinuzzi, A. 2015, Corporations, Stakeholders
and Sustainable Development I: A Theoretical Exploration of Business–Society
Relations, Journal of Business Ethics, p. 263–281
Wang, H.J., Morlang, A., and Katz, R.H. 2001, A Service Creation Model for Integrated
Communication Systems on the Internet, INFOCOM 2001, p.11
Xu, J., and Quaddus, M. 2013, Managing Information Systems: Ten Essential Topics, Beijing:
Atlantantic Press, p.165
Ruff, P. and Aziz, K., 2012. Managing Communications in a Crisis. Gower Publishing, Ltd.
Bell, H. A. and Smith, M. D., 2010. Management Communication. John Wiley and Sons.
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