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9: Internal and external communication
Figure 9.3 Communication methods
KEY TERM Oral communication
This is communication using the spoken word, for example meetings and telephone
Two-way communication: the calls. It allows for two-way communication between the sender and receiver and
receiver is allowed to respond
provides the opportunity for feedback so that the sender can check that the message
to the message and the sender 125
listens to the response. has been understood.
Oral communication can take place between two people; for example when
you speak to your teacher about a topic you don’t understand, you are using oral
communication. When you call your friends on your mobile phone, this is also oral
communication.
Some oral communication is between groups of people, for example a business
meeting to discuss a new advertising campaign.
Oral communication is most appropriate to use when something needs to be
discussed between two or more people. It helps to hear the ideas of other people so
that any decision made considers all the different options. If a worker has a problem
at work it is usually best for this to be discussed with their manager face-to-face.
In some businesses, for example Nissan Cars, workers meet on a regular basis to
discuss issues related to quality.
ACTIVITY 9.2
Make a list of the ways you could communicate with someone using the spoken word.
Written communication
Written forms of communication provide a permanent record of a message and can
be looked at more than once to check understanding. The main forms of written
communication used by businesses include:
■ Letter – this is used for formal communication between the business and its
stakeholders, such as employees and customers, for example informing employees
about a pay rise or replying to a customer complaint.
