General Theories of Organisational Communication at Marks & Spencer

This report delves into the intricacies of organizational communication, specifically focusing on Marks and Spencer (M&S). It begins by defining communication in a business context and highlights the challenges M&S faces, such as communication barriers. The report explores different forms of organizational communication, including formal, informal, oral, and written methods, and outlines their purposes and principles. It then applies these principles to enhance communication practices within M&S, emphasizing clarity, attention, feedback, and timeliness. A comparison with Zara's communication strategies is provided, followed by an analysis of how various communication principles and theories, like the Adaptive Concept of Thought theory and Cross-Cultural Communication, can benefit M&S. The report concludes with recommendations for improving communication and employee engagement, emphasizing the importance of feedback and timeliness to overcome communication barriers. The report uses the provided references to support its arguments.

General Theories of
Organisation Communication
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Abstract
Document has gathered the information related to communication process and the
barriers faced by Marks and Spencer. It has also showed that considering a range of theories like
cross culture theory and ACT Theory, M&S could effectively improvise communication among
staff. Including this, with the help of principles of communication, M&S can develop
interactions among staff and with customers as well.
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Table of Contents
Abstract............................................................................................................................................2
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Literature Review.............................................................................................................................4
Purpose and principles behind different forms of organisational communication.....................4
Application of principles of effective communication to enhance practice................................5
Evaluation of the communication practices of company and others...........................................6
Analysis and discussion of question................................................................................................6
Recommendations............................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................8
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Introduction
In business world, communication can be defined as an act of transferring meanings or
the information from one individual to another or a particular group. Basically, this is mainly
done with the help of different symbols, signs, semiotic rules and so on (Hargie, 2016). Under
this report, the organisation that has been taken into consideration is Marks and Spencer, where
company was dealing with communication barriers. This impacted negatively upon their
performance level as well. Including this, report is going to be enclosed with purpose and
principles various organisational communication. Lastly, report will deliver both discussion and
recommendations on communication towards betterment of company.
Literature Review
According to Seidl, (2016), communication consists of two different forms (oral and
written), which could help a company to transfer information from one individual to another.
But, over the years, business organisations like Marks and Spencer (M&S) and so on are dealing
with a number of challenges and barriers of communication. The reason that came in front was
rigidity of individuals, diversified cultural and so on.
Purpose and principles behind different forms of organisational communication
As mentioned by Merkl-Davies and Brennan, (2017), business organisations in any
industry uses three different types of communications and these are: formal & informal, oral &
written communication, which helps them in performing actions of conveying meaning.
Basically, Marks and Spencer's staff also consider all these forms to communication when it
comes to transfer information from one individual to another. Different purposes and principles
behind these forms of communication are presented underneath:
Formal & informal communication:
Purpose: Basic purpose that came in front of formal communication is to develop
positive culture within Marks and Spencer. On the other side, informal communication consists
with a purpose to attain a short goal in an uncertain environment.
Principles: Flexibility, Attention and Clarity in ideas are said to be the three basic
principles that are considered under this type of communication, which would lead Marks and
Spencer to improvise the engagement of staff towards company's goals and to remove the
barriers as well.
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Oral and written communication:
Purpose: Vital reason (Purpose) behind utilising oral and written communication is that
Marks and Spencer could effectively deliver a message, information and other data through
communicating orally or with the help of written document.
Principles: Principle of Adequacy, Principle of Consistency, Principle of Attention
and more are said to be some of the crucial ones, that are communicated adequately to
employees in order to remove all the barriers of communication and would lead individuals to
communicate with customers.
Application of principles of effective communication to enhance practice
According to Golob and et. al., (2017), Principles of communication that can be taken
into consideration of enhancing the practice within Marks and Spencer are presented underneath: Principle of Clarity: Applying this principle within the communication process followed
by Marks and Spencer, individuals (staff members and employers) would easily evoke
the same response from others and clients. Principle of Attention: Within M&S, it is needed to draw receiver’s attention (customer
or the other staff) while communicating messages. Principle of Feedback: Within communication process of M&S, considering this
principle, feedback information from recipient will effectively be received. Principle of Informality: M&S's senior management enhanced informally convey certain
decisions to staff members. Principle of Consistency: Application of message & communication are said to be some
of the elements that would help M&S in reducing conflicts that are linked with policies
and programmes. Principle of Timeliness: Considering this approach, any sort of delays within
communication may not serve any purpose rather decisions become of historical
importance only.
 Principle of Adequacy: Communication within M&S, will become adequate and
complete as well.
Evaluation of the communication practices of company and others
If the communication practice that has been followed by Marks and Spencer is compared
with Zara then the key communication strategy, which is followed by Zara allows them to inform
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customers and staff immediately with the new ideas, products or information offered by them.
With the help of immediate spreading of the knowledge and detailed information, company gets
effective response in a short period of time. In the same way, it will be required by Marks and
Spencer to considering this type of communication practice, which would lead firm to spread
information faster than the existing speed of transferring information, data and other elements
with both staff and customers as well (Chen, 2017).
Analysis and discussion of question
While focusing upon above information, it is analysed that clarity, attention, feedback,
informality, Consistency, Timeliness and some other principles of effective communication
could help Marks and Spencer in meeting their ultimate goal i.e. effective transferring of detailed
information in relation to goals, objectives and more. Away with this, it is also analysed that for
Marks and Spencer, it will be required to consider both directional and formal & informal
communication as per their requirements to improvise communication process at workplace.
Including this, analysing communication practice utilised by another company, which is
meeting it's targets regularly would lead Marks and Spencer to meet their desired goals and
objectives in specified time frame.
Adaptive Concept of Thought theory: This is being considered as one of the crucial
theory of communication which consists of cognitive architecture. Basically, this theory would
directly lead staff of Marks and Spencer to understand and acquire knowledge and information
through thought, experiences and other senses of other individuals that are performing tasks and
jobs at different workstations (Communication Theory, 2017).
Cross Cultural Communication: Considering this theory, communication between
people of Marks and Spencer that consists of a number of differences like: age, styles of
working, ethnicity, nationality, gender, race, sexual orientation and so on, would lead to improve
the performance in specified time frame. Basically, this theory has attempted and implemented
different elements like mediate cultural differences, exchange, negotiation and so on. Through
this, all the barriers to communication will be reduced to minimal.
Recommendations
Considering the information which has been presented above, there are a number of
recommendations given to Marks and Spencer and these are given underneath:
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 Utilising Adaptive Concept of Thought theory, Marks and Spencer would easily raise
ample number of benefits for themselves like employee engagement, reduction in
conflicts and so on.
 Focusing on principle of feedback, timeliness and adequacy, Marks and Spencer would
easily reach to the place where, management could see reduction among different barriers
to communication (Fuchs, 2016).
Conclusion
With the help of above mentioned report, it is being concluded that considering all the
different principles of communication, a company could effectively reduce all the barriers to
transferring information. Including this, focusing on Adaptive Concept of Thought theory, a
business organisation could easily start hitting their desired targets as it will develop employee
engagement. Away with this, performing an analysis over communication practices used by
different companies, it would lead firm to make modifications as per the requirements to bring
effectiveness.
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References
Books and Journals
Hargie, O., 2016. Skilled interpersonal communication: Research, theory and practice.
Routledge.
Seidl, D., 2016. Organisational identity and self-transformation: An autopoietic perspective.
Routledge.
Merkl-Davies, D. M. and Brennan, N. M., 2017. A theoretical framework of external accounting
communication. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal.
Golob, U. and et. al., 2017. The communicative stance of CSR: reflections on the value of CSR
communication. Corporate Communications: An International Journal.
Chen, L. ed., 2017. Intercultural communication (Vol. 9). Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG.
Fuchs, C., 2016. Critical theory of communication. University of Westminster Press.
Online
Communication Theory. 2017. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.communicationtheory.org/act-theory-of-communication/>.
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