BCOLA 138 Business Communication Solved Question Paper June 2026 for IGNOU Bachelor of Commerce (General)

Steps of the process of communication

Question 1: Describe different steps of the process of communication in detail. (20)

Communication is the process of passing ideas, facts, feelings or instructions from one person to another so that they are understood in the sense intended. The word comes from the Latin communis, meaning common. Communication succeeds only when sender and receiver arrive at a common understanding of the message.

In business, communication is not a single act but a cycle of connected steps. A weakness at any one step, such as a vague message or the wrong channel, can spoil the whole exchange. The process is explained below with a running example: a sales manager informing her area staff about a new monthly sales target.

1. The sender and the idea (ideation)

Every communication begins with a sender who has an idea, fact or need to share. At this stage the sender decides what exactly must be said and why. In our example, the sales manager decides that each representative must achieve sales of 200 units a month from the first of next month.

A clear purpose at this stage makes every later step easier. If the sender is unsure whether the message is an order, a request or information, the receiver will be unsure too.

2. Encoding

Ideas cannot travel as thoughts, so the sender converts them into symbols: words, figures, charts, pictures or gestures. This conversion is called encoding. The manager chooses simple words, states the target in figures and adds the start date.

Good encoding depends on the receiver. Technical terms that suit accountants may confuse field staff, so the sender must pick a language, tone and level of detail the audience can follow.

3. Choice of medium and channel

The encoded message needs a vehicle. The medium may be oral (a meeting or phone call), written (a letter, circular, email) or visual (a chart or presentation). The channel is the route it travels, formal through the line of authority or informal through personal contacts.

The choice depends on urgency, cost, the need for a record and the number of receivers. For a target that staff will be judged on, the manager uses an email for the record and a short team call to answer doubts.

4. Transmission

Transmission is the actual sending of the message through the chosen medium. Timing matters here. A target sent late on the last working day of the month, for example, gives staff no time to plan, while the same message sent a week earlier is far more effective.

5. The receiver

The receiver is the person or group for whom the message is meant. The message must actually reach the right receiver and gain attention. If a representative is travelling without mobile data, the email reaches the server but not the person, and the process stalls at this step.

6. Decoding

Decoding is the receiver's act of interpreting the symbols and drawing meaning from them. The representative reads the figure of 200 units a month and understands what is expected. Decoding is shaped by the receiver's knowledge, attitude, language skill and past experience.

When the sender's meaning and the receiver's meaning match, communication has worked. If a representative reads the target as a team figure rather than a personal one, the message has been received but not understood.

7. Response or action

Communication aims at some result: agreement, action or a change in attitude. Here the expected response is that each representative plans visits and orders to meet the target. A message that produces no response has, in practical terms, failed.

8. Feedback

Feedback is the receiver's reply to the sender, and it completes the cycle. It tells the sender whether the message was understood and accepted. A representative may reply that the target is achievable, ask whether returns are counted, or say it is unrealistic for a rural area.

Feedback turns one-way communication into two-way communication. It lets the sender correct misunderstandings early, which is why good managers ask for it rather than wait for it.

Noise: the disturbance at every step

Noise is anything that distorts the message at any stage. It may be physical (a poor phone line), semantic (a word with two meanings), psychological (a representative who distrusts management) or organisational (too many levels in the chain). Claude Shannon and Warren Weaver made noise a central part of their communication model published in 1949.

Noise cannot be removed entirely, but it can be reduced by clear encoding, the right channel, repetition of key figures and active use of feedback.

The process at a glance

Sender and idea → Encoding → Medium and channel → Transmission → Receiver → Decoding → Response → Feedback to sender, with noise able to interfere at every stage.

Conclusion: The process of communication is a closed loop that starts with the sender's idea and ends with the receiver's feedback. In business, each step carries cost and risk: a vague idea, poor wording, the wrong medium or missing feedback can each lead to lost sales or wrong decisions. A manager who handles every step with care gets messages that are understood the first time.

Types of non-verbal communication

Question 2: "The communication without using words, such as gesture, body language, facial expression is called non-verbal communication." Elaborate it by giving different types of non-verbal communication. (20)

Non-verbal communication is the sending and receiving of messages without spoken or written words. It uses the face, eyes, hands, posture, voice quality, space, time, touch, dress and surroundings to convey meaning. It often travels alongside speech, supporting it, weakening it or even contradicting it.

The statement in the question is correct because much of what people understand in a face-to-face exchange comes from how something is said and shown, not only from the words. Research by the psychologist Albert Mehrabian in the late 1960s found that when words and body language conflict about feelings, listeners tend to trust the non-verbal signals. His figures apply to feelings and attitudes, not to every business message, but the lesson for managers is clear.

Features of non-verbal communication

It is continuous, because we keep sending signals even when silent. It is largely unconscious, so it can reveal real feelings. It is culture-bound, since a gesture that is polite in one country may be rude in another. It is also ambiguous, because a single signal such as folded arms can mean cold, defensive or simply comfortable.

1. Kinesics (body language)

Kinesics is the study of body movement as communication, a term introduced by the anthropologist Ray Birdwhistell in the 1950s. It is the widest type and includes the following forms.

1. Facial expressions: The face shows happiness, surprise, anger, fear, sadness and disgust quickly and clearly. A smiling receptionist makes a visitor feel welcome, while a frown from a manager in a review meeting signals displeasure before a word is spoken.
2. Eye contact: Steady eye contact signals honesty, interest and confidence. Avoiding the eyes may suggest nervousness or evasion. In an interview, a candidate who looks at the panel while answering appears far more sure of the answer.
3. Gestures: Movements of the hands, arms and head, such as a nod for yes, a raised palm for stop or a thumbs up for approval. A presenter who points to the relevant bar on a sales chart helps the audience follow the figures.
4. Posture: The way a person sits or stands. Leaning slightly forward shows interest, slouching suggests boredom and a straight, relaxed stance conveys confidence. In negotiations, posture often shows who is comfortable and who is under pressure.

2. Proxemics (use of space)

Proxemics, a concept developed by the anthropologist Edward T. Hall in the 1960s, deals with how people use distance and space. Hall described four zones for North American adults: intimate (up to about 18 inches), personal (about 1.5 to 4 feet), social (about 4 to 12 feet) and public (beyond about 12 feet).

In offices, space also signals status. A large cabin, a desk between manager and visitor, or a seat at the head of the table all communicate authority. Standing too close to a client can make the client uneasy even if the words are polite.

3. Paralanguage (voice quality)

Paralanguage covers how words are spoken: tone, pitch, volume, speed, pauses, stress and fillers. The sentence "Your report is ready" can sound like praise, surprise or sarcasm depending on tone. A customer care executive who speaks calmly and at an even pace calms an angry caller far better than one who speaks fast and loudly.

4. Chronemics (use of time)

Chronemics is the way time communicates. Arriving on time for a meeting shows respect and discipline, while keeping people waiting suggests carelessness or a show of power. How quickly a firm replies to a customer email also sends a message about how much it values that customer.

5. Haptics (touch)

Touch conveys warmth, support or authority. A firm handshake at the start of a business meeting signals confidence and goodwill, while a weak one may be read as hesitation. Because norms about touch vary widely across cultures and genders, business communicators use it with care.

6. Personal appearance and artefacts

Dress, grooming, accessories and the objects people carry all send messages. A sales executive in a neat formal uniform creates trust before the pitch begins. Company uniforms, ID cards and even the quality of a visiting card communicate the image of the firm.

7. Surroundings and environment

Office layout, lighting, colour, cleanliness and furniture communicate the character of an organisation. A clean, well-lit bank branch with clear signboards tells customers the bank is efficient. An open-plan office signals approachability, while closed cabins suggest formality.

8. Signs, symbols and visual signals

Traffic lights, fire exit signs, logos, charts, graphs and colour codes communicate without words. A red danger symbol in a factory is understood instantly, even by workers who cannot read the language on the sign. Visual aids are widely used in business presentations for the same reason.

9. Silence

Silence can mean agreement, disagreement, thoughtfulness or displeasure, depending on context. A pause after a price quotation may signal that the buyer finds it too high. Skilled negotiators learn to read and use silence rather than rush to fill it.

Importance in business

Non-verbal signals add emphasis and emotion to spoken messages, help managers judge whether staff agree or only appear to agree, and create first impressions in interviews, sales calls and meetings. Visual signs also carry safety instructions across language barriers on factory floors.

Limitations

Non-verbal messages can be misread, because meanings differ between people and cultures. They cannot carry detailed or technical content such as prices or terms of contract, and they leave no written record. They work best when combined with clear verbal communication.

Conclusion: Non-verbal communication is communication without words, carried by body language, space, voice, time, touch, appearance, surroundings, signs and even silence. In business, words and actions must agree. When a manager's face, voice and posture match the message, staff and customers believe it; when they clash, the non-verbal message usually wins.