Q20
1 markMCQSection A

Which of the following is NOT an organisational barrier to communication ?

Directing
Barriers to Communication — Organisational vs Personal Barriers

Options

(A)Status
(B)Organisational facilities
(C)Lack of proper incentives
(D)Rules and regulations
Official Answer

The correct answer is (C) Lack of proper incentives.


  • Status, organisational facilities, and rules & regulations are all classified as organisational barriers to communication in the NCERT framework, whereas 'lack of proper incentives' is classified as a personal barrier, since it relates to the psychological attitude of individuals (lack of motivation to communicate) rather than the structure/policies of the organisation.
barriers to communicationorganisational barrierspersonal barriersstatusrules and regulationsorganisational facilitieslack of incentives

Marking Scheme

  • 11 mark for correctly identifying option (C) 'Lack of proper incentives' as a personal, not organisational, barrier.

Hint

Ask whether the cause lies in the organisation's structure/policy or in an individual's personal attitude — incentives relate to individual motivation.

Quick Oral Answer

Lack of proper incentives is NOT an organisational barrier — it is a personal barrier, since it stems from individual attitude and motivation, not organisational structure.

Analysis & Explanation

Barriers to communication are grouped by NCERT into four categories: semantic, psychological, organisational, and personal barriers.


Organisational barriers (A, B, D — all correctly classified)

  • Status differences between superior and subordinate can inhibit free communication.
  • Poor organisational facilities (e.g., lack of proper communication channels, stationery, or technology) hinder message flow.
  • Rigid rules and regulations can restrict the content, form, and channel of communication, causing delay.

Personal barrier (C — the odd one out)

  • Lack of proper incentives arises from an individual's attitude — a subordinate may not feel the need to communicate initiative if there is no reward for it. This is about personal motivation, not the organisational structure, and is therefore classified separately as a personal barrier.

Exam tip: When distinguishing organisational vs personal barriers, ask whether the cause lies in the organisation's design/policy (organisational) or in an individual's attitude/psychology (personal). 'Lack of proper incentives' and 'fear of authority challenge' are classic personal barriers often mistaken for organisational ones.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Classifying 'lack of proper incentives' as an organisational barrier because it seems related to company policy, when NCERT places it under personal barriers.
  2. 2Not distinguishing between the four categories of communication barriers: semantic, psychological, organisational, and personal.

Interesting Facts

NCERT categorises communication barriers into four types: semantic, psychological, organisational, and personal — a classification frequently tested through 'which is NOT' style MCQs.

Status barriers can work both ways: a superior may withhold information to preserve authority, and a subordinate may withhold negative feedback out of fear, both distorting upward and downward communication.

Spotted a mistake or something unclear?

Tell us — we fix reported answers fast.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the four types of barriers to communication in CBSE Class 12 Business Studies?

Semantic barriers, psychological barriers, organisational barriers, and personal barriers.

Give examples of organisational barriers to communication.

Organisational policy, rules and regulations, status differences, complexity in organisational structure, and inadequate organisational facilities.