Question:medium
A Business Process Outsourcing centre, ‘Chromosome’ which deals in conversion of voice reports dictated by physicians and other healthcare providers into text format has 40 employees. They ensure that their employees are well versed in at least one foreign language and one Indian language. The employees are also given the required training to ensure that the reports are processed correctly as they are the backbone of the patients’ medical history. On frequent complaints about some of its employees, it was observed that they were facing problems in decoding the message as they were not very proficient with the language in which the voice message was received. As a result, they would make mistakes causing different meaning to the message. Not only this, sometimes there were technical words used in voice reports, the actual meaning of which was also not understood by the employees. Due to this, ‘Chromosome’ was slowly losing its business to competitors. The above case highlights two communication barriers. Identify and explain these barriers.
A Business Process Outsourcing centre, ‘Chromosome’ which deals in conversion of voice reports dictated by physicians and other healthcare providers into text format has 40 employees. They ensure that their employees are well versed in at least one foreign language and one Indian language. The employees are also given the required training to ensure that the reports are processed correctly as they are the backbone of the patients’ medical history. On frequent complaints about some of its employees, it was observed that they were facing problems in decoding the message as they were not very proficient with the language in which the voice message was received. As a result, they would make mistakes causing different meaning to the message. Not only this, sometimes there were technical words used in voice reports, the actual meaning of which was also not understood by the employees. Due to this, ‘Chromosome’ was slowly losing its business to competitors. The above case highlights two communication barriers. Identify and explain these barriers.
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When misinterpretation of words or language proficiency causes communication breakdown, look for Semantic and Linguistic Barriers.
Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
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Solution and Explanation
The case underscores two significant communication impediments at 'Chromosome': 1. Semantic Barrier:
Semantic barriers occur when there are issues in interpreting the meaning of words and symbols within communication. In this instance, employees struggled to comprehend the technical terminology in voice reports. Such jargon, without adequate understanding, led to transcription errors and distorted meanings. Medical terminology is intricate and requires exact comprehension to prevent severe misinterpretations. Example: A misheard or misunderstood term like "angioplasty" typed as "angiography" would fundamentally alter the medical record's meaning. 2. Linguistic Barrier:
Linguistic barriers arise when the sender and receiver do not share language proficiency. In this situation, certain employees lacked fluency in the language of the recorded voice messages. This deficiency hindered accurate decoding and transcription. Example: An employee not versed in French medical dictation might encounter pronunciation challenges, resulting in transcription inaccuracies. These barriers caused recurrent errors and misinterpretations, damaging the company's reputation and leading to financial losses. Final Answer:
- Semantic Barrier
- Linguistic Barrier
Semantic barriers occur when there are issues in interpreting the meaning of words and symbols within communication. In this instance, employees struggled to comprehend the technical terminology in voice reports. Such jargon, without adequate understanding, led to transcription errors and distorted meanings. Medical terminology is intricate and requires exact comprehension to prevent severe misinterpretations. Example: A misheard or misunderstood term like "angioplasty" typed as "angiography" would fundamentally alter the medical record's meaning. 2. Linguistic Barrier:
Linguistic barriers arise when the sender and receiver do not share language proficiency. In this situation, certain employees lacked fluency in the language of the recorded voice messages. This deficiency hindered accurate decoding and transcription. Example: An employee not versed in French medical dictation might encounter pronunciation challenges, resulting in transcription inaccuracies. These barriers caused recurrent errors and misinterpretations, damaging the company's reputation and leading to financial losses. Final Answer:
- Semantic Barrier
- Linguistic Barrier
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