COMMUNICATION GAP AS A PROBLEM IN ORGANISATIONAL MANAGEMENT A CASE STUDY OF BETA GLASS COMPANY, UGHELLI

ABSTRACT
This research work was carried out to investigate into the problem of communication gap and its effects on organizational management of Beta Glass Company Ughelli.Questionnaire was designed and personal interview were conducted. The data collected were analyzed and interpreted using table and percentages, which at the end gave a true image of the communication process existing in the same organization. The researcher was able to discover among other problems that the major cause of communication problem in the company was information hoarding by the management. Secondly, it was found that vertical communication does not exist and the relationship between the subordinates and management or their immediate boss is strictly formal. This makes it difficult for management to feel the pulse of subordinates, which hinders the achievement of the company’s goals and objectives. Since an organization cannot succeed without effective communication. It is recommended that a good system of communication should be established to ensure that messages are understood. The company is advised to practice vertical and horizontal communication flow in order to avail members of staff of the privilege to air their views on certain issues this will give them a sense of belonging.Conclusively, a well designed control system should be established to generate a cordial relationship between subordinates and top managements, this will certainly eliminate victimization.

TABLE OF CONTENT
Title Page ………………………………………………………………. i
Certification ……………………………………………………………. ii
Dedication ……………………………………………………………… iii
Acknowledgement ……………………………………………………… iv
Abstract ………………………………………………………………… v
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………… 1
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY …………………………… 1
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ………………………….. 3
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ……………………………… 4
RESEARCH QUESTIONS …………………………………… 5
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY …………………………… 5
SCOPE OF THE STUDY ……………………………………… 7
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY ………………………………… 7
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS …………………. 7
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ……………………… 9
FLOW OF COMMUNICATION IN AN ORGANIZATION …. 11
ROLE OF COMMUNICATION N AN ORGANIZATION …… 12
CAUSES OF COMMUNICATION GAP ……………………… 13
INFORMAL COMMUNICATION……………………………… 15
COMMUNICATION PROCESS ………………………………. 17
PRINCIPLES OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION ………… 20
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ………………………………… 26
RESEARCH DESIGN …………………………………………… 26
SOURCE OF DATA COLLECTION …………………………… 26
RESEARCH POPULATION ……………………………………. 27
SAMPLE SIZE …………………………………………………… 27
SAMPLING TECHNIQUES ……………………………………
METHODS OF DESCRIPION AND QUESTIONNNAIRE ….. 27
VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF THE INSTRUMENT ….. 28
METHOD OF DATA ANALYSES ……………………………. 28
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION OF DATA AND ANALYSIS ………………. 29
FINDINGS ………………………………………………………. 37
DISCUSSIONS ………………………………………………….. 38
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATTION … 41
CONCLUSION …………………………………………………… 42
RECOMMENDATION …………………………………………… 42
REFERENCES …………………………………………………… 44
APPENDIX ……………………………………………………….. 45
QUESTIONNAIRE ……………………………………………….. 46

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Communication is a discipline that embraces all aspects of Human life. It forms all our actions and inactions in relationship to others. Communication takes place all the time. It can manifest itself in symbolic, verbal and non-verbal forms.
Communication is essential for social interaction. It helps in understanding ourselves, keeping in touch with other people, understanding them and being able to predict their response.
Communication particularly in business organizations provides a means by which power is acquired, exercised, shared and sustained. It is a medium by which relationships are established, extended and maintained. It is the means by which people in business organizations, politics, etc, act, interact, exchange information, ideas, develop plans, proposals and executes them.
Business and organizational communication help to orientate workers to their jobs as well as helping the supervisors to monitor the activities of the workers. Communication is an extremely invaluable asset in human organizations that explains why it has been described as the lubricant which keeps the intricate machinery of the organization going.
The term communication has been defined variously by different scholars. To Eyre E.C. communication is not just the giving of information, but also the giving of understanding of the message. On the other hand, Frank Ugbojah (1982), communication is a process which involves all acts of transmitting messages to channels which link people o the language and symbolic codes which are used to transmit message. It means messages are received and stored, and the roles, custom, conventions which define and regulate human relationship.

Defining communication within organizational context, Gerald M. Haben (1983) asserted that communication is a process of creating and exchanging messages within a network of interdependent relationship to cope with environmental uncertainty. Essentially however, communication is achieved or accomplished when it is able to provoke the desired response; but when the communication cannot communicate to the other person effectively, communication gap automatically exists. In other words, when information is wrongly conveyed, misunderstanding and misinterpretation crops up.
Beta Glass Company Ughelli which was established to help the growing need of materials in the community and sate, finding way of improving them in such a way that it will reach both community and state. Communication within the management is done orally, in writing and by mechanical means.
Directives from the top management are passed down to subordinates. Meetings are held where information are passed to the staff in oral form. No matter how small or big an organization is, it is composed of individuals each of whom is charged with specific duties and responsibilities in order to achieve the set goals. There must be effective communication otherwise; it might lead to lack of understanding which may result in a very chaotic situation like strife, misinterpretations, labour unrest and low turnover and the organization not being able to meet its target.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The organizational management of Beta Glass Company Ughelli has been doing well since its inception. At a time, the staff and management had a dispute that lasted for a very long period of time. Some people were of the opinion that the cause of this has been the lack of properly established communication system. Some maintained that the management is involved in hoarding information from the staff and worst still; the management does not enhance or encourage bottom-up flow of communication.
This research work is therefore designed to identify the cause and effects of such communication gap on the management and ways of solving problems.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This research s aimed at suggesting ways on improving communication process in the management of Beta Glass Company, Ughelli and other companies so that efficiency and productivity is enhanced.