The Role of Business Communication in Decision Making Process: Case Study- First Bank Nigeria Limited (FBN Sokoto)

Abstract

This study aims at investigating the effect of business communication ondecision-making process in FBN by examining the role of Modern Communication Technologies (MCTs), business communication methods, and employee's communication skills on decision-making process. The research population consists of all FBN's employees in the low level management, middle level management, and top level management (446 in number). A stratified random sample method according to managerial level was utilized in order to ensure that particular managerial levels within the study population are adequately represented in the sample. Three hundred and forty employees participated in the survey. A total of 279 questionnaires were returned for a response rate of 82.1%, and seven of them were not valid. The results of this study revealed that there is a significant correlation between MCTs and decision-making process. MCTs found to make attaining information easier and increase the efficiency through teamwork and effective decision-making.MCTs also motivate employees to participate with their ideas. In addition, this study revealed that there is a significant correlation between business communication methods and decision-making process.Employees were receptiveto the useof oral communication methods for complex tasks. This study also found out that written communication methods are utilized to easily identify the problems encountered. The analysis of this study revealed that there is a significant correlation between the personnel communication skills and decision-making process. One of the important findings of this study was the positive effect of engaging the employees in decision-making process.The study revealed that MCTs are impersonal, some of the employees suffer from communication apprehension.