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1. INTRODUCTION Communications is the transfer and understanding of meaning. It involves the process of gathering, processing and distributing information, which not only touches but is also a vital activity in any place of work and all of the organization’s functions. “ In any exhaustive theory of organization, communication would occupy a central place.” - Chester I. Bernard Communication is a social process in the functioning of any group, organization or community. It influences the decisions of an individual and later the decisions of the organization. Organization, defined as a stable system or structure of individuals who work together to achieve, through a hierarchy of ranks, common goals. This structure influences the way we communicate in terms of the method, amount of information, channels etc. The main reason for studying and understanding organizational communication is that it is highly structured. Through communication, individuals understand their roles and functions in the organization. This behavior in application within the organization also affects how the organization reacts to and with the outside world. For the purpose of this paper , we will see and analyze the communication within the organization registered as IPSH Gasmaster Sdn Bhd, a trading company in the sales and service of gas detection, gas analysis, industrial hygiene, sound level monitoring and thermal stress equipment for the industries dealing with Health, Safety and Environmental issues. IPSH Sdn Bhd, a trading company representing many types of instrumentation and analysis systems for many fields in industry. Started out from a small organization in 1986 with 6 staff, now it has grown to a workforce of 35 in the year 2002. Main business had come from the sewerage treatment and water treatment plants, semiconductor factories and food industries. Among the types of equipment represented are Herose – Cryogenic Valves Gemu - Plastic & Metal Valves GLI - pH. ORP, DO, Turbidity, Chlorine Analysers Mann – Process Control Nohken – Float, Paddle, Capacitance, Level Switches, Transmitters Seojin – Float, Paddle, Capacitance, Level Switches, Transmitters Hawk – Microwave, Ultrasonic Level, Flow Controller GMI – Gas Measurement Instrumentation Crowcon – Fixed / Portable Gas Detection Mesin - Car Park Emission Monitors Kane May – Portable Gas Analysis Signal – Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems, Air Quality Monitoring, Automotive Exhaust Analysis Quest – Sound Level Monitors, Noise Dosimeters, Indoor Air Quality Monitors, Thermal/Heat Stress Monitors, Gas Detection, Audiometric Calibration systems In 1997, the company had taken steps to diversify into the fields of gas detection and gas analysis. Thus the subsidiary, IPSH Gasmaster Sdn Bhd was born. It had also created a new subsidiary in Penang called IPSH (Penang) Sdn Bhd to cater for the Northern region of Malaysia. Communication has been a vital tool in the development and expansion of all the three companies either between the companies or within each of the companies themselves. 2. COMMUNICATION PROCESS The communication process is divided into several elements, which are the communication source, the message, encoding, the channel, decoding, the receiver and feedback. Encoding Noise Decoding Feedback Communication Source Usually the source of information would be in the direction from one to one individual or one to many. In IPSH Gasmaster, the communication sources come from all of the staff and are directed in all directions. Examples are from the sales manager to his sales executive(s) or service engineer(s) either individually one to one or one to many. Message Message normally conveyed in IPSH Gasmaster would normally be for the update or status of current / outstanding jobs, projects or leads. It would be to enquire of how firm the job award would be, how much is expected within the month or quarter, how much margin is available, when delivery is expected, when completion of works and when the collection of the payment would be due. Sales Manager would ask for the above or colleagues would be following up on the others so that a job that has been shared together for example a tender document for TNB Generation for supply of Continuous Emissions Monitoring in Serdang or Kapar. Encoding Encoding would be the conversion of the message into symbols or any other simplified version. The encoding would only be effective should both the sender and the receiver are having the common mode or channel of communication. Most of the staff have similar backgrounds in their studies and experience with the instrumentation so the encoding and decoding of info is important to enable the message not to be misinterpreted. Channel Channels of conveying information would in the form of verbal when both sender and receiver are in the same time and place. Other than these instances, since mostly business is carried out away from the office, at customer’s place or at site, information to be communicated would be through mobile phone where all staff have an account with Maxis for domestic calls and account with Weblink Communications for calls that are to be made overseas. Mobile phones are used when requiring immediate response, by memo placed on board or respective desks or via individual e-mail addresses. Decoding This is the process of retranslating the sender’s message. The more the receiver’s decoding is matching the intended message, the more effective the communication has been. The same is applied as in the encoding process just that it is in reverse. Receiver The intended receiver would have access to the tools required to enable him to decode the message sent from the sender. The manager realizes that for a more seasoned executive he can use more advanced system of codes due to the receiver’s past experience, personal interpretation, expectation and mutuality of meaning between the two parties.
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