Business Communication
Business communication is defined as “a process of transfer of information and understanding between different parts and people of a business organization. It consists of various modes and media involved in communication interchanges.”
This field covers three primary types of communication:
- Communication to the public to promote goods, services, or a company in general
- Communication between people within a company
- Communication between companies.
Because the goal of any business is to make a profit, it is essential that the information communicated is accurate, effective, and appealing.
People who work in business communication often work on both internal and external communications, each of which serves a different function. Internal communications are meant to improve productivity, safety, attendance, efficiency, job-satisfaction, and profits. This type of communication includes information for management and information for employees.
External communications aim directly to increase the success and profitability of the company. This external communication includes contact with suppliers, providing information about goods and services to customers, reporting to owners and stockholders, and communicating with the government and other businesses.
With this degree, you may work in a job where you handle tasks ranging from writing press releases to writing website copy, from managing conflict between employees to handling customer service issues, and from developing marketing campaigns to designing magazine advertisements.
Earning a degree in Business Communication involves learning about four broad categories within the field: communication, social sciences, business, and computer science. Examples of courses necessary to obtain this diploma are:
- Media Psychology
- Negotiation and Conflict Management
- Visual Communication
- Technical Writing
- Communication and the Law
- Social Dynamics of Communication Technology
- Speech Communication
- Internet, Politics, and Society
- Workplace Communication
- Interpersonal and Small Group Communication
- Ethics in the Information Age
Skills: Students interested in enrolling in a degree program in business communication should consider the strengths needed to succeed in such a career. It is important to be highly creative, flexible, hardworking, comfortable speaking with small and large audiences, and superb written and verbal communicators. It is also helpful to be proficient at working both independently and as part of a team, and to be able to both take and give direction.
Careers: People with a degree in Business Communication are qualified for any number of jobs because they are well versed in what makes a business run effectively. They can pursue career paths in advertising, human resources, publications, research and development, operations, sales, banking, hospitality, the medical field, management, marketing, finance, and technical writing, among others.
Salary: With a bachelor's degree, you can expect to earn between $32,316 and $68,940, although some people earn considerably more than this. With an advanced degree, and in the most demanding jobs, individuals can earn more than $127,870 per annum.
Article Resources:
Arizona State University
Gonzaga University
Payscale
Stanford University, Department of Communication
University of Maryland
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Kushal, S.J. (2008). Business Communications. New Delhi, India: VK Enterprises.