Think about your last 24 hours. You asked your mother what’s for breakfast. You messaged a friend about tonight’s plan. You listened to your teacher explain a topic. You maybe even argued with someone about who’s right!
Every single one of these moments has one thing in common — communication. But have you ever paused to ask why we communicate at all? What are we actually trying to achieve every time we open our mouths, pick up a pen, or type a message?
That’s exactly what this article is about — the objectives and functions of communication, explained in plain, simple language with everyday examples. No heavy jargon, no boring theory dump — just clear points you can actually remember in your exam, and actually use in real life, whether you’re a student, a first-jobber, or someone brushing up on business communication skills.
📋 Table of Contents
- What Is Communication? (Quick Recap)
- Objectives of Communication (8 Key Points)
- Functions of Communication (6 Key Points)
- Objectives vs Functions — Comparison Table
- Real-Life Business Examples
- Barriers That Can Block These Objectives
- Why This Topic Matters for BCom/BMS Students
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Communication? (Quick Recap)
Before we jump into objectives and functions, let’s do a 30-second recap. Communication is simply the process of sharing information, ideas, or feelings between two or more people, in a way that both sides understand clearly and without confusion.
It has five basic parts, and understanding them makes the rest of this article much easier to follow:
- Sender — the person who starts the message and decides what to share
- Message — the actual information, idea, or feeling being communicated
- Channel — the medium used to carry the message (speech, email, WhatsApp, a notice board, a phone call)
- Receiver — the person who receives and interprets the message
- Feedback — the receiver’s response, which tells the sender whether the message was understood correctly
Here’s a simple sketch of how this cycle works, from the first word spoken to the final nod of understanding:
Sender
Message via
Channel
Receiver
Feedback
Feedback loop back to sender
Now that the basics are clear, let’s get into the real topic of this article — why we communicate (objectives) and what roles communication plays in our personal and professional lives (functions).
Objectives of Communication (8 Key Points)
The objectives of communication are the goals or purposes behind sending a message — basically, “what am I trying to achieve by saying this?” Every message we send, whether it’s a one-word reply or a long speech, is driven by at least one of these eight objectives.
1. To Inform
The most basic and common objective of communication is to inform — simply sharing facts, data, or news with someone who needs it. A teacher informing students about an exam date, a company circular announcing new office timings, or a friend telling you the movie has been postponed — all of these are examples of the informative objective. Without this basic sharing of facts, no other objective can even be attempted.
2. To Persuade
Sometimes we communicate not just to share information, but to change someone’s mind or convince them to take an action. A salesperson convincing a customer to buy a product, a student convincing parents to allow a college trip, or an NGO convincing donors to contribute — this is persuasion in action. Persuasive communication usually combines facts with emotional appeal to be effective.
3. To Educate
Communication is the backbone of all teaching and learning. Textbooks, classroom lectures, YouTube tutorials, training workshops, and even this very article exist to build knowledge and skill in the receiver. The educational objective is a long-term one — it aims to create lasting understanding, not just a quick reaction.
4. To Motivate
A manager giving an encouraging pep talk before a big project deadline, a coach cheering up the team at half-time, or a mentor pushing a student to keep trying after a failed attempt — these messages aim to boost morale, confidence, and energy levels in the receiver.
5. To Build Relationships (Integration)
Communication isn’t only about business or academics — it’s also about staying emotionally connected to people around us. Casual chats, festival greetings, small talk at the tea break, and simple “how are you” messages all help build trust, warmth, and a sense of belonging between people.
6. To Instruct or Direct
Giving clear directions is a key objective in any organised setting. “Submit the report by Friday,” “Turn left at the signal,” or “Wear your ID card at all times” — each of these guides the receiver’s next action and reduces confusion or mistakes.
7. To Get Feedback or Advice
We often communicate simply to ask, “What do you think?” Seeking opinions, suggestions, corrections, or approval from others is a very common — and genuinely important — objective, especially in workplaces where decisions affect many people.
8. To Entertain
Not all communication is serious business! Jokes, memes, stories, casual banter, and light-hearted conversations exist purely to entertain and lighten the mood, which in turn keeps relationships enjoyable and stress levels manageable.
Functions of Communication (6 Key Points)
While objectives tell us why we communicate, functions of communication describe the role communication plays inside an organisation, family, or society as a whole. Functions tend to operate continuously in the background, rather than being tied to one single message.
1. Informative Function
Communication keeps everyone updated — about policies, targets, deadlines, government notices, or general news. Without this function operating smoothly, an organisation would run purely on guesswork and rumour, which is never good for productivity or trust.
2. Regulative / Control Function
Rules, standard operating procedures, and formal instructions regulate how people behave within a system. A “No entry without ID card” notice, a factory safety manual, or a classroom’s code of conduct are all perfect examples of the control function at work.
3. Persuasive / Influencing Function
Communication shapes opinions and drives decisions on a larger, ongoing scale — think of advertising campaigns, annual appraisal discussions, political speeches, or a sales team consistently being pushed towards a quarterly target.
4. Integrative Function
This function binds people together as a team or community over time. Regular team meetings, festival celebrations at the workplace, informal WhatsApp groups, and casual coffee-break chats all steadily strengthen unity and reduce feelings of isolation.
5. Motivational Function
Recognition emails, appreciation certificates, employee-of-the-month announcements, and reward ceremonies all use communication systematically to keep people driven, loyal, and engaged with their work over the long run.
6. Emotive / Expressive Function
Communication allows people to express feelings — happiness, frustration, gratitude, or concern — on an ongoing basis, which keeps relationships human, honest, and emotionally healthy rather than purely transactional.
Objectives vs Functions — Quick Comparison Table
| Basis | Objectives of Communication | Functions of Communication |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The purpose or goal behind a single message | The ongoing role communication plays in a system |
| Focus | Individual intent (“why I’m saying this”) | Organisational or social role (“what this achieves over time”) |
| Example | To persuade a customer to buy a product | The influencing function used continuously in marketing |
| Scope | Usually message-specific and short-term | Usually system-wide and long-term |
| Number of types | 8 commonly listed | 6 commonly listed |
Real-Life Business Examples
Let’s connect the theory above to real workplace situations you’re likely to face after graduation — this is exactly the kind of applied thinking that impresses interviewers and examiners alike:
- HR sends a policy update email → Objective: to inform. Function: informative + regulative, since it both shares facts and sets a rule employees must follow.
- Sales manager pitches a new product to a client → Objective: to persuade. Function: persuasive/influencing, aimed at changing the client’s buying decision.
- Team lead praises an employee in a meeting → Objective: to motivate. Function: motivational + integrative, since public praise also strengthens team bonding.
- Company issues a safety notice in the factory → Objective: to instruct. Function: regulative, since it controls behaviour to prevent accidents.
- Employees share festival greetings on the office group → Objective: to build relationships. Function: integrative + emotive, since it strengthens the human side of the workplace.
- A manager asks the team for feedback on a new process → Objective: to get feedback. Function: informative, since the responses generate new data for decision-making.
Notice how objectives and functions often overlap in real life — a single message can serve more than one purpose at the same time. That’s exactly the kind of insight that fetches full marks in your Business Communication exam answers.
Barriers That Can Block These Objectives
Even the best-intended message can fail to achieve its objective if certain barriers get in the way. Knowing these helps you write better answers and communicate better in real life:
- Language barriers — using words or jargon the receiver doesn’t understand
- Physical barriers — noise, poor internet connection, or distance
- Psychological barriers — stress, bias, or lack of attention while listening
- Cultural barriers — differences in customs, tone, or body language expectations
- Organisational barriers — unclear hierarchy or too many people in the communication chain
- Semantic barriers — words or phrases that carry different meanings for different people
A message that is informative in intent but gets lost due to a language barrier fails to achieve its objective — which is exactly why studying objectives, functions, and barriers together gives you the complete picture.
Why This Topic Matters for BCom/BMS Students
If you’re following the University of Mumbai’s NEP 2020 Business Communication syllabus, this topic usually appears as a theory question worth good marks — sometimes asked directly (“Explain the objectives and functions of communication”) and sometimes indirectly through case-based or application questions.
Here’s how to use this article for exam preparation:
- Memorise the 8 objectives and 6 functions using the first letter of each point as a memory trick
- Practice writing 2-3 line explanations for each point — examiners reward clarity over unnecessary length
- Use the comparison table format shown above in your answer sheet — it earns extra presentation marks
- Always add one real-life example per point — this shows applied understanding, not just rote learning
- Link this topic to “barriers of communication” in your answer for bonus depth, since examiners love connected answers
Want more topics like this, explained in the same simple style? Subscribe to the AceAcademy YouTube channel for short, exam-focused videos on Business Communication and English topics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the main objective of communication?
The most fundamental objective is to inform — sharing facts or information so the receiver understands the message clearly. All other objectives, like persuasion or motivation, build on top of this basic foundation.
Q2. How many functions of communication are there?
Most Business Communication syllabi list six main functions: informative, regulative, persuasive, integrative, motivational, and emotive.
Q3. What is the difference between objectives and functions of communication?
Objectives explain why a particular message is sent (the intent behind it), while functions explain the ongoing role communication plays within an organisation or society (the broader impact).
Q4. Can one message have multiple objectives?
Yes, very often. For example, a motivational speech by a manager can inform, persuade, and motivate the team — all at the same time.
Q5. Why is this topic important for BCom and BMS students?
It forms the foundation of the entire Business Communication subject and is frequently asked in university exams under the NEP 2020 framework, both as a direct theory question and within case studies.
Q6. How can I remember all 8 objectives and 6 functions easily?
Group them by theme — “sharing” objectives (inform, educate, feedback), “influencing” objectives (persuade, motivate, instruct), and “connecting” objectives (relationship-building, entertainment). This kind of mental grouping makes recall much faster during exams.
Conclusion
Communication isn’t just talking or writing — it’s a purposeful act with clear objectives and important functions that keep families, classrooms, and organisations running smoothly. Once you understand the why (objectives) and the role (functions), you’ll never look at a simple conversation the same way again — and you’ll be well-prepared for both your exams and your future workplace.
Found this helpful? Share it with a classmate who’s preparing for the same exam, and don’t forget to explore more Business Communication notes on this site.
Related notes: Methods of Communication | Encoding and Decoding in Communication | Characteristics of Communication | Feedback in Communication
To revise quickly: the objectives and functions of communication explain why we communicate and what role each message plays in daily life. Whenever an exam question asks about the objectives and functions of communication, structure your answer around the eight objectives above and support each one with a real-life example. For a broader academic overview of the objectives and functions of communication, you can also read this detailed article on communication.
