What is Oral Communication in Business? Definition, Meaning

What is Oral Communication in Business? Definition of Oral Communication or Meaning of Oral communication When a message is exchanged between the parties orally, it is called oral communication. It is also a word-based communication but not in written from rather in verbal or oral form. Here the sender and the receiver exchanger messages directly and orally. Most of the time we use oral communication Executives spend 60 to 90 percent of their time talking to people.

What is Oral Communication in Business?

According to Griffin, “oral communication takes place in face-to-face conversation. Group discussion, telephone calls and other circumstances in which spoken world is used to express meaning.”

According to Bovee and Others, “Oral communication is the expression of ideas through spoken words.”

S. K. Kapur says, “Oral Communication takes place when spoken words are used to transfer information and understanding from one person to another.”

So, when communication takes place in oral form, it is called oral communication. Major channels of oral communication include conversation, interview, group discussion, counseling, conference, telephone, radio and television and so on. Business Communication
What is Oral Communication in Business-Definition-Meaning

When Oral Communication is Preferred?

Oral communication offers different advantages that are not available with other communication system. In some situations oral communication is more effective than any other communication. Following are the circumstances where oral communication is more effective-

  • Immediate Communication: Oral communication is more effective when it is necessary to communicate with someone immediately. In some situations, people can make phone calls to others due to emergency.
  • Immediate Response: In oral communication the response of the receiver can be received instantly. So, when immediate response is required by the sender, oral communication is most preferred.
  • Oral Explanation: In some cases detailed explanation is required to understand any message clearly. In such case, oral communication is more effective.
  • Maintaining Secrecy: In oral communication only the sender and the receiver know the message, nobody else. Moreover, no record of oral message is kept for future. So, the secrecy of the message can best be maintained in oral communication. Hence, oral communication is mostly preferred where the secrecy of the message is to be maintained strictly.
  • Developing Direct Relation: Oral Communication helps to develop direct and strong relation between the sender and receiver. Here both the parties get the opportunity to develop informal relation also. So, when it is necessary to develop direct relation between the sender and the receiver, oral communication is preferred.
  • Illiterate Communicators: It is not possible to communicate with illiterate people by written message. Oral communication is the only way to communicate with the illiterate people and other communication methods are ineffective here.
  • Face-to-Face Communication: Oral Communication is the only method of communication when face-to-face conversation is essentially required.
  • Time Saving: If the communicators want to save their time, oral communication is preferred. Because written communication consumes huge time.
  • Avoiding Bureaucratic Complexities: Bureaucratic complexities delay the process of written communication. But in oral communication, there are no bureaucratic complexities, thus information flows here rapidly.
  • Reaching to Large Audience: When the sender needs to reach a large audience, it is better to select oral communication instead of others.

From the above discussion, we find that oral communication is more effective in some special circumstances where other communication methods are ineffective or less effective.

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