Organizational Behavior, 17e

Choice of Communication Channel

1. 4 Describe how channel richness underlies the choice of communication method.

Now that we’ve discussed various modes of business communication, why do people choose one channel of communication over another? A model of media richness helps explain channel selection among managers.59

Channel Richness

Channels differ in their capacity to convey information. Some are rich in that they can (1) handle multiple cues simultaneously, (2) facilitate rapid feedback, and (3) be very personal. Others are lean in that they score low on these factors. As Exhibit 11-7 illustrates, face-to-face conversation scores highest in channel richness because it transmits the most information per communication ­episode—multiple information ...