Analysis of Communication Pattern in a Private Sector Agricultural Company

Abstract

Lack of proper communication pattern has become a serious problem in many of the organisations/companies. The overall objective of this study was to analyse the pattern of communication and its ultimate effects in a private sector company engaged in the agriculture sector. The specific objectives were studying the company structure, assessing the perceived usefulness of communication pattern, identifying the relationship between communication and management and establishing the relationship between communication and performance of the company.

Data collection was done by interviewing the higher officials of the company and conducting a survey among the other officials using the same schedule. These were supplemented by personal observations and limited secondary data. Data were analysed using the SPSS computer package. Tabular analysis and measures of association were employed.

Out of the seventeen communication methods used by the company, telephone was used by most of the employees, and was the most preferred as well. Face-to-face monthly meeting was perceived to be the most useful method and was second only to telephone in employee preference. Downward pattern was perceived to be the most useful and the most used pattern of communication. Delay in top level decision making and the limitations in downward flow of information were identified as the main disadvantages in the company's present communication mechanism.

Significant associations were found between employee's sex and qualifications, work experience and number of promotions, importance of management to job performance and communication contribution to management, and job satisfaction with sex, civil status, age and contribution of communication to job satisfaction. Based on the findings, recommendations have been made for the betterment of the existing communication pattern.