Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
God’s creation encompasses all means of getting together, like speaking, laughing, sign going, listening, twinkling of eyes, body movement seasons, weather, cock-crows, sunrise and sun set which are indicators of the time and many others. As a result of this, God’s creation, communication is as old as God’s creation. When God made every living creature on earth, He created then with the possible means of understanding themselves according to their various classes.
In the first instance, the natural ability of understanding and using signs to communicate among human beings was as old as man’s creation. A good example of this is the dumb and deaf means of communication (signs/symbols) this on its entirety does not involve any formal education in developing the charisma or potential of different ways of sending message and as well decoding the encoded message which feedback is the proof of message well communicated.
It is not only the above, smoke was and is still a means of communication, the early man invention of fire and its used dies not and there rather extended and is still a means of communication. When fore is made, a smoke comes out, signifying to a person standing at a distance that a fire has been made of that somewhere is burning. The burning instrument might either be building, bush, cut-out grasses that was sent on fire, a cooking place where fire was made for cooking. This system of relating among people was in vague in the age. That was a period in the ancient times when the meaning of making fire through stone. This conveys to the early men that food is under preparation of the hunting is going on and so on.
Communication is indispensable in all sphere of human and business endeavours. It is the life wire and the key to success of all business organizations. Communication involves everybody, it is the pivot upon which the existence of human and business organizations revolves, and based on this, the issue of communication has developed into a major area of study and formidable social force.
Niger gas (organizations) cannot operate without communication. Communication is the life source of every industry, because industries involve people. People cannot interact with each other without communication. In the absence of communication, everything would grind to a halt.
According to James et’al (2009), communication is a means by which a thought is transferred from one person to another. It is also the process by which the person (group) share and impact information to another or group clearly understand by one person and another.
Velenguela (2002), opines communication as any act by which one person gives to or receives from another person’s information about that person’s needs, desire, perceptions, knowledge or effective states. Communication may be intentional or unintentional, may involve conventional or unconventional signals, may take linguistic or non-linguistic forms and may occur through spoken or other modes.
Wikipedia (2009) defines communication as a process of transferring information from one entity to another. Communication processes are sign mediated interactions between at least two agents which share a repertoire of signs and semiotic rules “Communication is commonly defined as the impacting or interchange of thoughts”, opinions, or information by speech, writing or signs”. Communication can be perceived as a two-way process in which there is an exchange and progression of thoughts, feelings or ideas towards a mutually accepted goal or direction.
He further explains communication as a process by which information is enclosed in a package and is distracted and imported by the sender to a receiver via a channel/medium. The receiver then decodes the message and gives the sender a feedback. Communication requires that all parties have an area of communication community.
According to Webster (2009), defines communication as an act or instance of transmitting information assign and convey meaning in an attempt to create and share understanding. This process requires a vast repertoire of skills in interpersonal processing, listening, observing, speaking, questioning, analyzing and cooperation occur.
Communication can take various forms, but all forms involve the transfer of information from one party to the other. In order for the transfer of information to be qualify as a communication, the recipient must understand the meaning of the information transferred. If the recipient does not understand the meaning of the information conveyed, communication has not taken place.
Workers in the Niger gas would not know the industry objectives, so they would not strive to achieve the industry objectives and also would not know what their roles and responsibility are; so they will not be able to carryout their jobs and would not be able to inform workers of changes. The industry would not be aware of the competitors’ activities and a lot of other things without communication.
Communication is one of the basic functions of management in any Niger gas and its importance can hardly be overemphasized. It is a process of transmitting, information, ideas, thought, opinions and plans between various parts of the industry.
It is not possible to have human relation without communication. However, good and effective communication is required not only for good and successful business.
Effective Communication is required at various levels and for various aspects in the industry such as manager employee relations. Effective communication is of information and decision i.e. an essential component for management employees unless they are communicated effectively of what he wants to be done, he should also be sure of some basic facts such as how to communicate and what results can be expected from that communication. Most of management problems arise because of lack of effective communication. Chances of misunderstanding and misrepresentation can be minimized with proper communication system.
Communication barrier can be caused by incomplete messages, individual difference. As human beings, each person is uniquely different from any other person. Therefore, people may interpret want differently, perceive realities differently, have variable opinions, attitudes and emotions towards people, things and events differently they may have different developmental experiences, intelligence, cultural and political beliefs, all of which may tend to affect the way they conceive or perceive a message.
An Industry: Is a group of productive organizations that produce or supply goods, service or sources of income.
Wikipedia (2009), sees industry from so many aspect such as:
- Industry as a commercial production and sale of goods
- As a specific branch of manufacture and trade.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Inefficient communication constitutes a major problem to any organization. It goes a long way in preventing such organization from achieving the set objectives. Irrespective of the different perspective one may look at it, be it from the angle of the employee or the employer, it is always believed that inefficient communication is unfavourable towards the realization of the organizational goals.
Some of the problems associated with communication barrier in a business organization using my case study as an example are,
Lack of proper channels of communication throughout which information is obtained: This explains why there still exists situations were minor problems which could be solved by simple dialogue between the workers and the management most times lead into major problems which cause some set back in the company.
Secondly, the organization is not willing to carry its employees along, through sharing of information on management decisions. This gave way for workers to receive and give information from the grave vine rumors, and rumor being unhealthy development brings about negative opinion and also leads to unfavorable reaction to the organizational problems. The business organizations I am researching on, being a manufacturing and service company, often run out of stock of raw materials, this explains why productions is not carried out as scheduled, no other genuine reason could be given for this lack of raw materials but inefficient communication which breeds negative development in an organization. And as we all know disrupted production does not enhance regular payment of workers salaries and motivation and when workers are hungry, they go unhealthy about the organization who does not truly see communication as vital aspect of communication gap is bound to suffer.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The general purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of communication barrier in achieving organizational goal in Niger gas. Specifically, the purposes of the study are:
- To find out the causes of communication breakdown between managers and subordinates.
- To find out why subordinates fail to understand messages communicated to them by their managers and subordinates.
- To find out why managers use ambiguous languages or words to communicate with their subordinates.
- To find out the best way to communicate easily in the Niger gas.
- To establish cordial relationship between managers and subordinates.
1.4 Research Questions
- What are the causes of communication breakdown between managers and subordinates in the Niger gas?
- Why do subordinates fail to understand messages communicated by managers?
- What are the effects of communication barrier in the Niger gas?
- What are the best ways to communicate easily within the Niger gas?
- How can cordial relationship be established between managers and subordinates?
1.5 Significance of the Study
This research work is aimed at using the most effective means of communication and its impact on all aspects of human and business activities. The result of this research work will also help business organizations know the strategies and how to implement it to enhance effective communication in organization, and also how to reduce the barriers to effective communication.
Niger gas Staff
The research work will be of benefit to organizationing staffs because; it will help them to contribute to the achievement of their organizational goals and objectives.
Niger gas
The work will be of benefit to the Niger gas because it brings about utilization, improvement and retention of the various organizational manpower.
Students
The study will benefit students on the knowledge of effective communication for academic use and for use in their prospective working places.
Future Researchers
This research will be of benefit to future researchers as a source of information for literature review (secondary data).
1.6 Scope of the Study
The researcher intends to cover concept of communication in industry, role of communication, types of communication, cause of communication breakdown, highlight the barriers to communication in Niger gas with particular emphasis on strategies of how to minimize the incidences of communication breakdown in an industry.
1.7 Limitation of the Study
Normally, in carrying out any research work which involved information gathering from primary source (use of questionnaires, personal observation, interview etc). One is bound to face a lot of problems which limit the achievement of the objectives. Therefore, it becomes very difficult for one to cover the whole range of the problem due to the following reason:
- There is dearth of financial funds to carry out a comprehensive research.
- There is a problem of not having free access to some vital documents which will help to facilitate the research work as a result of confidential classification status.
- The study is limited by time. The time allocated for the collection of data from the industry to collide with the lecturer’s hours.
- It will be very difficult to be able to speak to the highly placed personalities in order to make enquiry.
1.8 Definition of Terms
Communication: Communication is defined as the process of exchanging messages between two parities with the aim of having such messages understood and appropriate action taken. In another way round, communication is the exchange of information verbally or written.
Information: They are processed data or result from logical manipulation of data which allows decision making.
Data: They are those facts and figures about people, machines objectives and places etc, which are unprocessed.
Industry: Industry is the combination of firms producing similar goods and services.
Superior: Are referred to as those on the top ranking of the management i.e. The heads.
Subordinate: Are referred to as those junior staff in an industry.
Sender: Is referred to that person who initiates an idea shared with people.
Receiver: Referred to that person receiving the message, encode it to understand it.
Encoding: The process of transcribing the message into symbolic form e.g. through writing, picture and speech.
Repertoire: The works known or regulatory performed by a performer or company.
Semiotic: To do with meaning, the meaning of words.
