Business+communication

1- Communication models [] 2-Communication proccess

By: Nick Sanchez
Communication can best be summarized as the transmission of a message from a sender to a receiver in an understandable manner. The importance of effective communication is immeasurable in the world of business and in personal life. From a business perspective, effective communication is an absolute must, because it commonly accounts for the difference between success and failure or profit and loss. It has become clear that effective business communication is critical to the successful operation of modern enterprise. Every business person needs to understand the fundamentals of effective communication. Currently, companies in the United States and abroad are working toward the realization of total quality management. Effective communication is the most critical component of total quality management. The manner in which individuals perceive and talk to each other at work about different issues is a major determinant of the business success. It has proven been proven that poor communication reduces quality, weakens productivity, and eventually leads to anger and a lack of trust among individuals within the organization. The communication process is the guide toward realizing effective communication. It is through the communication process that the sharing of a common meaning between the sender and the receiver takes place. Individuals that follow the communication process will have the opportunity to become more productive in every aspect of their profession. Effective communication leads to understanding. The communication process is made up of four key components. Those components include encoding, medium of transmission, decoding, and feedback. There are also two other factors in the process, and those two factors are present in the form of the sender and the receiver. The communication process begins with the sender and ends with the receiver. The sender is an individual, group, or organization who initiates the communication. This source is initially responsible for the success of the message. The sender's experiences, attitudes, knowledge, skill, perceptions, and culture influence the message. "The written words, spoken words, and nonverbal language selected are paramount in ensuring the receiver interprets the message as intended by the sender" (Burnett & Dollar, 1989). All communication begins with the sender. The first step the sender is faced with involves the encoding process. In order to convey meaning, the sender must begin encoding, which means translating information into a message in the form of symbols that represent ideas or concepts. This process translates the ideas or concepts into the coded message that will be communicated. The symbols can take on numerous forms such as, languages, words, or gestures. These symbols are used to encode ideas into messages that others can understand. When encoding a message, the sender has to begin by deciding what he/she wants to transmit. This decision by the sender is based on what he/she believes about the receivers knowledge and assumptions, along with what additional information he/she wants the receiver to have. It is important for the sender to use symbols that are familiar to the intended receiver. A good way for the sender to improve encoding their message, is to mentally visualize the communication from the receiver's point of view. To begin transmitting the message, the sender uses some kind of channel (also called a medium). The channel is the means used to convey the message. Most channels are either oral or written, but currently visual channels are becoming more common as technology expands. Common channels include the telephone and a variety of written forms such as memos, letters, and reports. The effectiveness of the various channels fluctuates depending on the characteristics of the communication. For example, when immediate feedback is necessary, oral communication channels are more effective because any uncertainties can be cleared up on the spot. In a situation where the message must be delivered to more than a small group of people, written channels are often more effective. Although in many cases, both oral and written channels should be used because one supplements the other. If a sender relays a message through an inappropriate channel, its message may not reach the right receivers. That is why senders need to keep in mind that selecting the appropriate channel will greatly assist in the effectiveness of the receiver's understanding. The sender's decision to utilize either an oral or a written channel for communicating a message is influenced by several factors. The sender should ask him or herself different questions, so that they can select the appropriate channel. Is the message urgent? Is immediate feedback needed? Is documentation or a permanent record required? Is the content complicated, controversial, or private? Is the message going to someone inside or outside the organization? What oral and written communication skills does the receiver possess? Once the sender has answered all of these questions, they will be able to choose an effective channel. After the appropriate channel or channels are selected, the message enters the decoding stage of the communication process. Decoding is conducted by the receiver. Once the message is received and examined, the stimulus is sent to the brain for interpreting, in order to assign some type of meaning to it. It is this processing stage that constitutes decoding. The receiver begins to interpret the symbols sent by the sender, translating the message to their own set of experiences in order to make the symbols meaningful. Successful communication takes place when the receiver correctly interprets the sender's message. The receiver is the individual or individuals to whom the message is directed. The extent to which this person comprehends the message will depend on a number of factors, which include the following: how much the individual or individuals know about the topic, their receptivity to the message, and the relationship and trust that exists between sender and receiver. All interpretations by the receiver are influenced by their experiences, attitudes, knowledge, skills, perceptions, and culture. It is similar to the sender's relationship with encoding. Feedback is the final link in the chain of the communication process. After receiving a message, the receiver responds in some way and signals that response to the sender. The signal may take the form of a spoken comment, a long sigh, a written message, a smile, or some other action. "Even a lack of response, is in a sense, a form of response" (Bovee & Thill, 1992). Without feedback, the sender cannot confirm that the receiver has interpreted the message correctly. Feedback is a key component in the communication process because it allows the sender to evaluate the effectiveness of the message. Feedback ultimately provides an opportunity for the sender to take corrective action to clarify a misunderstood message. "Feedback plays an important role by indicating significant communication barriers: differences in background, different interpretations of words, and differing emotional reactions" (Bovee & Thill, 1992). The communication process is the perfect guide toward achieving effective communication. When followed properly, the process can usually assure that the sender's message will be understood by the receiver. Although the communication process seems simple, it in essence is not. Certain barriers present themselves throughout the process. Those barriers are factors that have a negative impact on the communication process. Some common barriers include the use of an inappropriate medium (channel), incorrect grammar, inflammatory words, words that conflict with body language, and technical jargon. Noise is also another common barrier. Noise can occur during any stage of the process. Noise essentially is anything that distorts a message by interfering with the communication process. Noise can take many forms, including a radio playing in the background, another person trying to enter your conversation, and any other distractions that prevent the receiver from paying attention. Successful and effective communication within an organization stems from the implementation of the communication process. All members within an organization will improve their communication skills if they follow the communication process, and stay away from the different barriers. It has been proven that individuals that understand the communication process will blossom into more effective communicators, and effective communicators have a greater opportunity for becoming a success. 3-Communication channels Electrical commElectrical communications channels are either wireline or wireless channels. Wireline channels physically connect transmitter to receiver with a "wire" which could be a twisted pair, coaxial cable or optic fiber. Consequently, wireline channels are more private and much less prone to interference. Simple wireline channels connect a single transmitter to a single receiver: a point-to-point connection as with the telephone. Listening in on a conversation requires that the wire be tapped and the voltage measured. Some wireline channels operate in broadcast modes: one or more transmitter is connected to several receivers. One simple example of this situation is cable television. Computer networks can be found that operate in point-to-point or in broadcast modes. Wireless channels are much more public, with a transmitter's antenna radiating a signal that can be received by any antenna sufficiently close enough. In contrast to wireline channels where the receiver takes in only the transmitter's signal, the receiver's antenna will react to electromagnetic radiation coming from any source. This feature has two faces: The smiley face says that a receiver can take in transmissions from any source, letting receiver electronics select wanted signals and disregarding others, thereby allowing portable transmission and reception, while the frowny face says that interference and noise are much more prevalent than in wireline situations. A noisier channel subject to interference compromises the flexibility of wireless communication. unications channels are either wireline or wireless channels. Wireline channels physically connect transmitter to receiver with a "wire" which could be a twisted pair, coaxial cable or optic fiber. Consequently, wireline channels are more private and much less prone to interference. Simple wireline channels connect a single transmitter to a single receiver: a point-to-point connection as with the telephone. Listening in on a conversation requires that the wire be tapped and the voltage measured. Some wireline channels operate in broadcast modes: one or more transmitter is connected to several receivers. One simple example of this situation is cable television. Computer networks can be found that operate in point-to-point or in broadcast modes. Wireless channels are much more public, with a transmitter's antenna radiating a signal that can be received by any antenna sufficiently close enough. In contrast to wireline channels where the receiver takes in only the transmitter's signal, the receiver's antenna will react to electromagnetic radiation coming from any source. This feature has two faces: The smiley face says that a receiver can take in transmissions from any source, letting receiver electronics select wanted signals and disregarding others, thereby allowing portable transmission and reception, while the frowny face says that interference and noise are much more prevalent than in wireline situations. A noisier channel subject to interference compromises the flexibility of wireless communication. =Communcation channels are important= =What are communication channels and why are they important?= Communication can be split into two parts -- the message or content, and the channel it's transmitted on. For example, you may want to communicate something about your emotional state -- let's say that you are angry. You can communicate that over a number of channels. You could write a letter. You could send email. You could communicate it non-verbally or para-verbally. You could send a tape recording of your ranting about why you are angry. Those are all different channels. What's important is that different communication channels have different strengths and weaknesses. If, for example, the CEO of a company wants to communicate there will be layoffs within the company, s/he could simply send a bulk email to all staff, and leave it at that? Would that be the best channel to use for that kind of message? Probably not. The use of email would convey a lack of sincere concern on the CEO's part. If you want to tell someone you love them, is it best to send them a form letter, or maybe it would be best to do it face-to-face? Sort of obvious. Unfortunately, it's not uncommong for someone to pick the **wrong communication channels** because they are fearful, or simply want to choose the easiest path in the short term. Usually, this results in limited short term avoidance, but long term problems that go on and on. Think about and choose the best channels for the specific message
 * **THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS** The communication process consists of a message being sent and received. The message may be verbal or non-verbal. The same basic principles apply whether humans, animals, other forms of life, or combinations of these are involved. Your challenge, as an instructor, is to not merely communicate with your students--but to communicate effectively. Effective communication involves a message being sent and received. Added to this however, is the element of **//feedback//** to ensure that the message sent was received exactly as intended. This concept may be illustrated using the three-step communications model (fig. 5-1).  **Figure 5-1.—Three-step communication process.**   **Sending The Message**  There are four elements involved in sending a message. First, as the instructor (sender), you formulate the message you intend to communicate. Next, you consider possible barriers that may affect the message. This includes your experience, the terms you will use, and even your feeling toward the subject or the students. External barriers such as noise must also be considered. Third, you encode the message; that is, you put the message into the words you want to use. Last, you clearly communicate (send) the message.  **Receiving The Message**  There are also four elements involved in receiving a message. The students (receivers) will first hear and/or see the message you sent. Second, the message is affected by external barriers, if any, and the students’ own internal barriers. Possible internal barriers may include the students experience level, their understanding of the terms used, their attitude toward the material, or the way they feel about you. Third, your students decode the message through the use of mental images. For instance, when you say the word **//circus,//** the receiver does not “see” the letters that form the word. Instead, a mental image of some sort appears. How many different mental images might arise among your students for this one word alone? A clown, a