Chapter – One
Analysing Communication
Meaning of communication
The word 'communication' has been derived from latin word 'communis' which means common. Thus communication signifies sharing of ideas in common.
So we can say communication is a process of sharing ideas , opinions, views etc in common. It is a process through which two or more persons transmit or exchange thoughts and ideas among themselves.
Various types
Intra – Personal :- Communicating within oneself eg: oh,no. Thanks God.
Inter – personal :- Communicating face to face with some one or some people.
Group communication :- It involves a group of people such as members of club, students etc.
Organizational communication :- Done within organization
Internal
External
Verbal
Non – Verbal
Business Communication
Business Communication
It is a type of communication which is done in the field of business. It is the process of sharing information between people within and outside of a company.
Effective business communication is how employees and management interact to reach organizational goals. The main purpose is to improve organizational practices and reduce errors. Effective communication affects processes, efficiency and every layer of a company.
Importance of business communication lies in
Presenting options/new business ideas
Making plans and proposals
Executing decisions
Reaching agreements
Sending and fulfilling orders
Effective meeting
Importance of communication in an organization
Effective communication is important for managers in the organizations to perform basic functions of management i.e. planning , organizing, leading and controlling.
Communication helps managers to perform their jobs and responsibilities. Communication serves as a foundation for planning. All the essential information must be communicated to the managers and the managers must communicate the plans so as to implement them.
Organization requires effective communication with others about their job task. Similarly leaders as managers must communicate effectively with their subordinates as to achieve the team goals. Controlling is not possible without written and oral communication.
Managers spend a great part of their time in communication. They generally spend approximately 6 hours per day in communicating. They spend great time face to face or telephonic communication with their superiors, subordinates, colleagues, customers or suppliers. Managers also use written communication in the form of letters, reports, or memos wherever oral communication is not possible.
That's why effective communication is a building block of successful organization.
Different views of communication
the arrow
the circuit
the dance
These three views are suggested by Philip Clampitt. He says that managers typically use one of the three approaches of communication.
The arrow:
Some managers believe that communication is a one – way process. They say communication operates one – way just like firing an arrow. If our aim is good, then we will hit the target. If we have clear message then we will communicate. It means clear message is important for communication. In this approach or view, managers may well spend some time working out their ideas and making sure that their messages and instructions are as specific as possible. The main disadvantage of this process is that the listeners as a passive processors of information.
The circuit:
Some managers believe that communication is a two – way process. Speaker sends the message and receiver receive it then receiver sends feedback to the speaker. Feedback is very important in this process. So this process/view emphasizes the importance of good listener.
The dance:
It is the most appropriate process of describing communication.To support this metaphor, he discusses a number of similarities between communication and dance, including the following:
Both are used for multiple purposes. You can dance to entertain others, to impress your partner, to express yourself, and so on. In the same way, you can communicate for different reasons: to inform, to persuade, to impress, etc.
Both involve the co-ordination of meanings. The importance of co-ordination is an obvious feature of dance. You have to know what your partner thinks is the best way of doing the dance - you have to know what they are going to do next! When we communicate we also have to recognize how other people see the situation, recognize what they are doing and respond accordingly.
Both are governed by rules. There are sets of rules which apply to different types of dance: what sort of steps to use, how these steps are organized in sequence, what dress is appropriate. Again in this text we shall see how different rules apply to different communication situations ranging from the rules and conventions of grammar through to social rules and expectations. Also, these rules can change over time and be negotiated by the participants.
These different views of communication influence how we behave. These three types of manager will respond very differently. And this is why it is very important to think very clearly about how we define communication and what that communication involves.
The communication process
The word 'process' indicates a series of actions or steps taken to complete an event. In this sense, the communication process can be defined as the series of actions/steps taken to complete a communication event.
According to Jonathan Scott, communication is about sending, receiving, and understanding information and meaning. He claims that ''receiving'' and '' understanding'' are the most important operations in the communication process since the response of the receiver indicates whether the communication attempt is successful or not.
The definition of communication in many management texts is based on the model first popularized in 1950s. This model is called mathematical theory of communication. This was developed from work on telecommunications systems. The main aim of this model was to show how information is transmitted from source to destination and to analyse what can affect the quality of the information during this process.
1.Information Source
2.Transmitter/Encoder
3.Channel
4.Receiver/Decoder
5.Destination
According to this process, communication is essentially a one – way process with information passing from sender to receiver. It is a linear process , without a feedback mechanism.
Basic Elements of communication
Sender/ Encoder :- The person who sends the message with an intended meaning. The sender could be anyone, maybe institution. An ideal sender is one who has competencies of a good communicator.
Message :- This is the key idea with a meaning conveyed by sender to the receiver. The effectiveness of message depends on how accurate and clear it is.
Medium/Channel :- This is the means by which a message is conveyed to the receiver. The choice of medium is determined by the nature of audience , message, and the receiver.
Receiver/Decoder :- Receiver is a person who receives the message. An ideal receiver is one who has the competencies to understand the intended message.
Feedback :- Feedback helps make communication circular rather than a linear process. It is important since it offers the sender an opportunity to relate the intended meaning of the message. It helps improve communication next time.
Context
Context refers to the setting in which communication takes place. The context helps establish meaning and can influence what is said and how it is said. We spend a lot of time communicating, so it's important to be aware of how different contexts can impact our communication.
Physical Context
The physical context refers to the concrete environment. It can be a sporting event, place of worship, or restaurant. Each atmosphere has its own set of rules for how to communicate (i.e. you would not talk in the same manner at a basketball game as you would at a church).
Physical context is the actual setting. This includes things like the physical location, the time of day, the noise level, the weather, etc. Now, obviously, physical context can dramatically impact communication. When John Study is at the rock concert, he cheers and claps and jumps around, communicating his excitement, approval of the band, and shared enthusiasm with friends. At the library, John Study may rely more on nonverbal communication, smiling in reassurance, rolling his eyes at an assignment or pretending to sleep to communicate boredom. In each scenario, he is communicating, conveying information, but that message is only received because he responds appropriately to the context. If John Study were being completely still and quiet at the concert, his friends may not understand that he is having fun, and if he starts jumping and cheering in the library, he'll be escorted out. And that's not good communication.
Cultural Context
Cultural context is one of the most obvious factors of communication, but it is also one of the most important. Culture relates to the beliefs and values of a group. The way material is effectively presented to a group of teenage boys will be different from the way it is effectively presented to a group of elderly women. The best way to present information to a group of Wall Street stock brokers will be different than the best way to present that same information to a group of California surfers. It is always critically important that a speaker understand the cultural expectations of the audience
For example, an American may be put off by a French speaker invading his/her space. This difficultly arises from the very different American and French cultures in terms of proxemics, for Americans tend to be less comfortable when they are not given personal space.
Social Context
Social context is a personal matter. It involves the relationship of the speaker and the audience and the expectations involved in that relationship. The way an individual communicates with his employer will be different from the way he communicates with a drinking buddy. The way a teacher makes a request to her students will be different from the way she communicates the request to her spouse.
Essential components of communication according to Robins
The communication source
Encoding
Message
Channel
Decoding
The receiver
Feedback
Components according to Hargie
Communicators
Message
Channel
Noise
Feedback
Context
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