Communication in big business is the name of the game. Without the right amount of communication the outcome will be poor. The definition according to a Merriam-Webster dictionary is, "a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behaviors." The information that is being referred to in this instance is usually in a report format concerning the productivity of a corporation and how well it is doing or possibly the opposite, how poorly it is doing. This information flows downhill to the lower management and down to the workforce. It is the role of the senior official how much information is passed on, and what information is needed to be passed on. That employee has the same responsibility to disseminate the proper information to the employees under them, and so on. Then once the information is passed down to the lowest level feedback should be given on how the information was digested. Sometimes the best ideas come from the employee that actually has their hands on what is going on. This upward flow of information is critical and can help any further changes that may need to occur to make a better product.
According to Excellence in Business Communication, "Communication freely helps employees develop a clear sense of the organization's mission and helps managers identify and react quickly to potential problems" (Bovee & Thill, 2002). Communication can be a resource that will make a company excel or a lack of communication can be the downfall to a company. The formal communication flow goes from top to bottom and side to side. The boss makes a decision with the help of a board of directors or a vice president, once the decision is reached the plan of action goes to the lower level managers/ employees. There is also a horizontal flow of information, or information going from department to department, this can help out in decision making by talking to someone in another office.
