WHAT IS WRITTEN COMMUNICATION?
The communication in which information or message is exchanged in the written or printed form is known as written communication. It is one of the basic ways of communicating. It is the most formal mode of communication.
Media: It is transmitted by words in the forms of letters, memo's, circulars, bulletins, instruction cards, reports, mannuals, handbooks, magazines etc. In the present age of computers, the written mode of communication also includes fax and e-mails.
ADVANTAGES OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
[1]. Faultless and Precise (Sender)
Written communication is usually composed with great care. Since the sender has ample time to prepare the message, he tries to make the message free from mistakes or faults. He gives a sincere thought to his ideas and tries to present them in an ordered manner. Once he writes the message, he revises and edits it keeping in view the knowledge level of the receiver. This makes written communication accurate and precise.
[2]. Promotes Better Understanding (Receiver)
In the written form of communication, the receiver can understand the message from the sender better. He reads the message according to his own convenience. He has much time to read and reread the message till he understands it fully. He does the see any part of the message. As a result, he is able to give a clear feedback to the sender and completes the communication process successfully.
[3]. Acts as Permanent Record
Written communication can be kept as a permanent record of any individual or organisation. It can be very useful for future reference. Old orders and decisions can serve as references while making new decisions. The written records of the previous year can be of great help in framing new policies and fixing current targets. The preserved record of any organisation help overcoming crisis at a later stage.
[4]. Acts as a Legal Document
In Written communication can be treated as a legal document in the court of law. there is a dispute, the written document will be valid to be produced in the court for awarding justice to the victim. In almost all organisations, both government and private, the administrators prefer to do work in the written form.
[5]. Fixing of Responsibility
It is only through the written communication that it becomes easier to fix responsibility. If a mistake is committed through oral communication, it is very difficult to find out the person who has committed the mistake. For example: A junior officer may not carry out the order given orally by a senior officer. But if he is given an order in writing, he is bound to do it. For this reason written communication helps to run an organization in a smooth way. Managers may sometimes try to shift responsibility for a mistake, to the lower staff. This is precisely the reason why the lower staff members demand a written order in carrying out any work.
[6]. Wide Coverage
Written communication has a wide coverage facility. It has been made possible due to the large postal network. A written message can reach any corner of the world by post or courier services. The modern system of e-mails and faxes have made access between the sender and the receiver, staying wide apart, easier and effective.
DISADVANTAGES OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
[1]. Time Consuming
Written communication consumes a lot of time especially when the sender and receiver are far away from one another. A letter may take several days to reach the receiver who stays in a place where their is no telephone, fax or internet facilities. The sender also has to wait for many days to get a feedback. There is every possibility that by the time the sender receives the reply, the purpose of the message might get lost. Apart from these, if the written message has some mistakes, it takes a lot of time for clarification.
[2]. More Costly
Written communication in the form of letters exchanged through the postal services and couriers is more expensive. The manpower involved in processing the letters and sending them to the desired destinations in very huge. various modes of transport are used to send these written documents. All these make written communication more costly.
[3]. Delay in Feedback or Response
In case of written communication, getting a feedback or reply takes a lot of time. The sender writes the letter and posts it. The letter travels through a lot of postal stations before it reaches the final receiving point. The receiver receives it and sends a reply which again has to travel back through the same elaborate (multiple) channels before it reaches the sender. As a result, feedback is delayed. Besides, if the message contains some fault, the response time is almost doubled.
[4]. No Chance of Immediate Clarification
After sending the letter or the message, if the sender wants to make some modification in the message, he cannot make any immediate clarification. He will have to write back and wait for the response of the receiver for a long time. At the other end, the receiver, on getting a faulty message might get confused and may take a lot of time to give a feedback.
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