Business_Trends

Running head: TRENDS IN BUSINESS COMMUNICATION Business Communication Trends Daniel F. Gonçalo University of Phoenix Business Communications Trends In order to understand business communications, we need to know exactly what it encompasses. According to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, communication is “a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior.” In business communication, it is communication between the people within the company to achieve the desired business activity. Business communication comes in various formats such as, written letters or memorandums, electronic mail, or at times, when not deemed policy changing, may take place verbally. Business communication plays a vital role in my day-to-day activities at work. As a recruiter, recruiting mortgage professionals throughout the United States, timely business communication is critical to my personal success and the successful growth of the company. The use of electronic mail, the computer in general, and good old fashioned phone calls has made it exceedingly more convenient to communicate with all facets of the recruiting pipeline. I use these tools to organize my daily activity by planning my schedule with various events that include communication with potential candidates, the clients I serve, and the local management team. I use business communication tools to ensure I channel enough effort across the spectrum of job requirements I have, to meet or exceed those requirements. One of the single biggest trends in business communication is the use of technology, mainly the use of computers. Not only do computers help to simplify the business communication process, but also have served to help reduce the depletion of some of our natural resources (particularly trees). Now, leadership can draft correspondence and communicate that correspondence to counterparts both internally and externally without ever using one piece of paper. There are many different applications that computers provide from browsing the Internet looking for candidates to sending e-mail messages. Technology is so advanced, that businesses now have the capability to have your phone hooked up through the internet thereby saving on long distance charges. The use of computers, for the most part has simplified the business communication process, however there are some drawbacks. For instance, how much time employees spend on the Internet instead of performing their jobs and or visiting inappropriate websites on company time and with company assets are a couple of examples that come to mind. Most companies restrict access to sites they deem unacceptable and they can always reprimand or even fire employees if they are spending too much time on the Internet. The trends in the use of technology provide two types of business communication: internal and external. Internal communication encompasses upward communication, downward communication and horizontal communication. Upward communication is any communication that takes place from subordinates to superiors. An example of this type of communication would be me sending the Executive Vice President of Organizational Development an e-mail about recruiting. Downward communication is communication from superiors to subordinates. An example of downward communication would be something like the Executive Vice President of Organizational Development sending out an e-mail to me appointing me as the new Recruiting Manager. Horizontal communication can be anything from working as part of a team and having to plan things with that team. Horizontal communication normally takes place within the same level, i.e. recruiter-to-recruiter or sales manager to sales manager. External communication could be from the CEO to the stockholders or as in the case with me, between me and the candidates that I am working with. In my field, often times I am communicating both up and down the organization as well as externally. Business communications and the recent trends in the use of technology have all but eliminated many of the “old-fashioned” way of getting things done. Less business travel is required because technology allows us to use video conferencing. Gone are the times of showing up at a potential employer and applying for a job, as most employers no longer have paper applications. At my place of employment if you want a position you have to go online, search for it, then apply for it. Business communications have come a long way over the last twenty plus years, and as the access to technology increases, it should only get better. From e-mails to voice-mails and everything in between, technological advancements are helping to revolutionize the business communication process. References Locker, K. O., & Kienzler, D. S. (2008). Business and Administrative Communication (8th ed.). New York, New York: McGraw-Hill / Irwin. Encyclopedia Britannica Company. (2011). Merriam-Webster Online. Retrieved from http://nws.merriam-webster.com/opendictionary/