Summary: Barriers To Effective Communications

Tylenol was a painkiller produced by Johnson & Johnson. According to the case study, it was the most successful over-the-counter product in the United States and it was responsible for major profits within the company. It was known that Tylenol was the leader in the painkiller field. However, crisis stroke in October of 1982 when, unfortunately, a malicious person or persons was/ were successful in lacing Tylenol Extra-Strength capsules with cyanide-laced capsules. The drug was removed from the shelves, infected with cyanide, resealed and returned to the shelves with cyanide. As a result, seven (7) people died causing a world-wide scare. The company was unaware of this act and only learnt about it from a Chicago news reporter. However, James

Communication is the key factor in the success of any organization. When it comes to effective communication, there are certain barriers that every organization faces. Barriers to effective communication could have had a major impact on Johnson & Johnson in the Tylenol crisis. With barriers, James Burke would not have been able to properly explain messages to his employees, as the sender, and the employees or team would not have been able to understand what was needed of them, as the receivers. This would have caused poor management on behalf of Johnson & Johnson. Barriers to effective communication would have caused the company to lose its product, in addition to losing customers and consumer, causing major profits lose. Choosing the wrong communication medium would have lead the business to fail in communicating to the customers what was the future plans for this product, in addition to customers not being able understand that the crisis was not the company’s fault. This would have caused major problems in reintroducing the product on the market after just six months. Effective communication is very important to a