Information Flow

Within an organisation, information flows in three principal directions:

  • Downwards
  • Upwards
  • Horizontally

Examples of these might be:

Downwards:

  • Management directives
  • Mission statements
  • Policies
  • Company goals

Upwards:

  • Progress reports
  • Reports of customer feedback
  • Suggestions for improvement

Horizontal:

  • Information sharing
  • Team projects
  • Problem solving

Communication Purpose

Communication has an objective or purpose with four general objectives:

  • To be received, heard or read
  • To be understood
  • To be accepted
  • To get a response