Communication has been defined as a process. Communication process is the sequence of identifiable steps that are necessary to complete exchange of information, ideas and understanding among human being. The basic steps of communication process can be illustrated better in a way with the help of figure.
1. Sender
Sender or communicator is the initiator of the process of communication. He is the person who intends to convey or transmit an information or message to some other person. He may be speaker, writer or actor. He formulates the message that he wants to convey and selects media for sending. The sender is the main source of information. The sender may be departments, manager or organization itself. The communicator first of all develops a clear idea in his mind about reality, opinion or fact information to convey that it exists in the mind of sender.
2. Encoding
Next step in the communication process relate to encoding of the message. Encoding means transforming or translating the message into some language or code understandable to communicate i.e. receiver of the message. At this step, sender transforms the message into words, data, symbols, figures, pictures, gestures or other code or language so that the intended receiver may understand it properly. So, encoding is done by communicator in which ideas are put in the form of words.
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3. Message
Sender then prepares message to be communicated. Message is the subject-matter of communication. It may be some idea, information, thought or emotion. It may be expressed in written, oral or non-verbal form. It is the subject matter of communication.
4. Channel
The next step in the process relates to the selection of channel of communication. The sender can choose among a number of media such as face-to-face conversation, telephone calls, letters, e-mail, fax, photographs, meetings, organization manuals, news release, press conferences, advertising on TV, radio and newspapers and magazines. It may be verbal or written. The message is conveyed with the help of channel selected.
5. Receiver
The receiver may be listener, reader or viewer. In order to initiate a process of communication, there should be some communicate or receiver of the message. He is the person who is to receive, interpret, understand and respond to the message. The receiver decodes or translates the message in his own language. It enables him to understand message.
6. Decoding
Decoding means to receive and catch up the ideas, thoughts or messages given by the sender and translate those messages into own languages. In other words, no message accomplishes its purpose unless it is understood by the receiver. Hence, the next step in the process relates to understanding of the message after receiving it. In this process, the receiver may be reader, listener or viewer. It enables the receiver to understand the messages received by the communicator. Hence, there should be proper communication between the encoder and decoder.
7. Understanding
Here, receiver tries to draw meaning of the received message. Once a meaning is drawn and the receiver understands the message, he acts upon the message.
8. Feedback
The main objective of communication is to elicit desired response or action from the receiver of the message. Hence, communication process remains incomplete or ineffective unless it elicits desired action or response. In other words, the effectiveness of communication is measured through feedback. Feedback is looking at response of receiver. If the response is positive, the communication is successful. If the response is not appropriate, then the sender has to change the message or the channel so as to get the appropriate response.
9. Noise
Noise is the external factor or unwanted element that disturbs or interfere the free flow of information. It consists of sound of radio, loudspeaker, vehicles etc. It is the part of communication to minimize noise while passing information.
System of Communication
Communication is an on-going process by which people attempt to share meaning via the transmitted message. Communication activities are completed within its system. Communication system includes different elements, information and its pattern or way of communication.
1. Downward Communication
It flows from the people at higher level to those at lower levels in the organizational hierarchy. Different types of commands are used for the purpose of communicating message from top to bottom. Such commands come in the form of direction, instruction and orders and tell subordinates what they have to do from their positions. From the upper level, objectives, policies, strategies and programs are transmitted in order to prescribe roles and responsibility for the subordinate employees. The main purpose of the downward communication includes:
a) To give subordinates specific task directives and job instructions.
b) To inform subordinates about organizational procedures and practices.
c) To transmit information to subordinates about the rational of the job.
2. Upward Communication
Upward communications are just reverse of downward communications. It flows from subordinates to their superiors or managers. In other words, this direction of information flow is important for transmitting data and information from lower levels to support decision-making by upper level managers. Such communication include reaction and suggestions from workers, their grievances etc. contents of the upward communication are reports, reactions, suggestions, statements and proposals prepared for the submission to the boss etc. There was very little appreciation of this form of communication in past as it does not fit into the traditional theory of organizations. But in modern times, upward communication is considered to be a main source of motivation in employees.
3. Lateral Communication
Lateral communication also known as horizontal communication. It refers to the process of horizontal flow of information in order to co-ordinate work activities at the same level of management. In other words, when communication takes place between two or more persons who are subordinates of the same person or those who are working on the same level of organization, this communication is known as horizontal or lateral or cross wise communication. The communication between functional managers, among superintendents of department working under one boss, the meeting of general managers of various factories are examples of such communications. Horizontal communications may be oral as well as written also. The main purpose of internal communication includes:
a) To co-ordinate tasks at the same level of hierarchy
b) To solve organizational problems by all managers sitting together
c) To share inter and intra departmental information
d) To solve department or divisional level conflicts with the joint efforts of managers working at the same level.
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