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Chapter One (Communication Foundation)

What is communication?

The word Communication is derived from the Latin word communicare which means "to share"
According to Murphy and Peck
Communication is a two way process of exchange ideas or information between human beings.
According to Gary Desseler,
Communication is the exchange of information and transformation of meaning.

What is Business Communication?

Business communication is a special branch of general communication. When communication

takes place between two or more parties concerning business affairs. It is known as business
communication.
Business communication process is the exchange of information and transformation of meaning
related to business, trade, commerce, and industry.

What are the elements of Communication?

The basic communication model consists of five elements of communication:

1. Sender:
- The sender or source of a communication is the person or organization who has information
to share with another person or group
Or who sends the information or message or idea to another person or group.
- The sender is an individual, group, or organization who begins the communication. All
communication is started by sender.
- The senders goal is to encode the message in such a manner so as to ensure that it will be
understood by the receiver.
- The sender's experiences, attitudes, knowledge, skill, perceptions, and culture influence the
message.
2. Receiver:
- The receiver is the person or group
With whom the sender shares thoughts or information
Or who receives the message sent by sender.

3. Message:
- The message is simply the information that a sender want to communicate with another
person or group (Receiver).
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- Messages may take the form of feelings, wishes, attitudes, ideas, facts, information or any
other perceivable matter.
- The messages that a sender wants to send, should be meaningful to the receiver.
4. Media:
- Channel of medium is a pre-requisite of communication. It is the means of transmitting
messages from sender to receiver.
- Communication media can also be verbal and nonverbal. The verbal media may be of oral
and written. Verbal media of communication include telephonic conversation, fax, newspaper,
books, journals etc. On the other hand, gestures, and body language, facial expression etc.
are the media of non-verbal communication
- The sender must select appropriate media for successful communication.
5. Feedback:
Feedback is the response or reaction of the receiver to the senders message. Feedback
describes how the message is being interpreted by the receiver. It is considered as the
instrument for evaluating the success of communication process. It increases the effectiveness of
communication. It ensures that the receiver has correctly understood the message. Feedback is
the essence of two-way communication.

Explain the Communication Process or Elements of Communication Process.

Seven major elements of communication process are: (1) Thought (2) Encoding (3)
Transmission of message (4) Reception (5) Decoding (6) Understanding and (7) Feedback.

1. Thought (Developing idea by the sender): In the first step, the communicator or sender
develops or conceptualizes a thought or an idea that is to be sent. Thought or idea is the subject
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matter of the communication. This may be an opinion, attitude, feelings, views, orders, or
suggestions. It is also known as the planning stage.
2. Encoding: Encoding means converting or translating the thought or idea into a perceivable form
or putting thoughts, idea, or information into a message that receiver will understand,
This process translates the ideas or concepts into the coded message or symbol such as,
languages, words, pictures or gestures.
When encoding a message, the sender has to begin by deciding what he wants to transmit. This
decision is based on what he believes about the receivers knowledge and assumptions, along
with what additional information he wants the receiver to have.
It is important for the sender to use symbols that are familiar to the 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.

3. Transmission of message: After encoding, the sender gets a message that can be transmitted to
the receiver.
- Once the sender has encoded the next step is to select a suitable media for transmitting it to
the receiver. Media is the channel or means of transmitting the message to the receiver.
Communication media can be verbal and nonverbal. The verbal media may be of oral and
written. Verbal media of communication include telephonic conversation, fax, newspaper,
books, journals etc. On the other hand, gestures, and body language, facial expression etc.
are the media of non-verbal communication.
- The sender must select appropriate media for successful communication. Then the sender
actually transmits the message through chosen medium.

4. Reception: This stage simply involves the reception of senders message by the receiver. The
message can be received in the form of hearing, seeing, reading feeling and so on.
5. Decoding: Decoding is the receivers interpretation of the senders message. Here the receiver
converts the message into thoughts and tries to analyze it.
The receiver begins to interpret the messages or symbols sent by the sender, translating the
message to their own set of experiences in order to make the symbols meaningful. Successful
communication can occur when the receiver correctly interprets the sender's message.
6. Understanding: After decoding the messages or symbols, receiver tries to understand the
message. Effective communication takes place when both the sender and the receiver assign the
same or similar meanings to the message.
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7. Feedback: Feedback means receivers response to senders message. It increases the

effectiveness of communication. It ensures that the receiver has correctly understood the message.
Feedback is the essence of two-way communication.

State the importance of communication in business.

1. Basis of Efficiency: Communication is the basis of efficiency. Good communication helps

ensure the efficient operation of all levels of an organization.To run the business effectively and
efficiently a manager must have the proper knowledge regarding the resources of the
organization. The internal communication can provide such knowledge.
Communication also helps in increasing the efficiency of employees. With the help of
communication, organizational objectives, plans, policies, rules, directives and other complex
matters are explained to the employees that broaden their knowledge and thus help them to be
efficient.
2. Establishment of effective leadershipCommunication is the basis of effective leadership.
Leadership is the act of process of influencing subordinates so that they can work willingly and
enthusiastically. By developing the skill of communication (speaking, writing, reading, listening), a
manager can be a real leader of his subordinates. A good system of communication brings them
in close contact with each other and removes misunderstandings.
3. Sharing ideas, opinions and attitudes: Through communication, organizations exchange ideas,
opinions and attitudes with internal and external parties
4. Rational Decision Making: In order to make rational decision, fact and information should be
collected. Thus communication is primary requirement of decision making. Again to implement
the decision effectively, it becomes essential to convey the decisions to the subordinates
concerned through an effective system of communication.
5. Interacting with environment: Communication helps to interact with internal environment
(superiors, subordinates, colleagues, departments) as well as external environment (customers,
suppliers, government agencies and departments, public and press).
6. Developing Companys public image: An effective communication system can alone develop
companys public image if managers are good communicators with the society.
7. Helps Delegation of authority: Successful supervisors need to empower their employees
by delegation of authority and effective corporate communication leads to proper delegation of
authority.
8. Preparing and Explaining Plans and Policies: Communication helps in preparing and
explaining organizational plans and policies. Realistic plans and policies require adequate and
relevant information. The managers collect required information from reliable sources through
communication.
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In order to explain the plans and policies to the internal and external parties, managers rely on
communication.
9. Understanding the problems of Subordinates:
If there is free and fair flow of information in the organization, it will certainly bring mutual
understanding between management and workers. Managers can understand the problems of
subordinates and solve them. Such understanding enhances the satisfaction of employees.
10. Fulfillment of organizational Objectives
Effective communication helps the managers to be aware of the performance of their
subordinates. In such a situation, the subordinates try to show their good performance and the
employees at all levels become conscious and attentive. It ensures timely accomplishment of jobs
and easy achievement of goals.

State the objectives of communication in business

1. Receiving and passing information: The prime objective of communication is to receive and pass
internal and external information.
- Internal information such as
Job performance of the employees
Disciplinary condition or action in the workplace
Job analysis (Job description and Job specification)
Demand for employees raw materials, machineries, spare parts etc.
Need for finance
- External information such as
Demand for product
Strategy for competitors
Sources of supply of labors and raw materials
Government policy
Technological development
Changes in taste and fashion of consumer

2. Giving advice to Colleagues/Subordinates: Giving advice is another important objective of

communication. Advice should be based on individual-oriented and work-oriented. It should not
be given to the person for pinpointing his mistakes. It should be helpful for his improvement.
Effective advice promotes understanding.

3. Counselling the problems of employees: Counseling is given to solve employees mental stress
and improve the employees productivity. A number of large business houses now have their
counselling departments, which counsel the employees on domestic or personal problems.

- Counselling is very similar to giving advice. Only, counsel is objective and impersonal. The
counsellor is a man of greater skill or knowledge on some specific subject and he offers his
counsel without any personal interest or involvement. Counsel is almost professional and
eagerly sought.
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- Advice involves personal opinion. It is subjective. When it is offered to a person, he may use
it as he likes. But advice is given to him either to influence his opinion or his behavior. It may
prove helpful, but it may also lead to disaster. Advice is often unsought and is unwelcome.
4. Issuing orders: Order is an authoritative communication. It is directed to a subordinate-to do
something, to modify or alter the course of something he is already doing, or not to do something.
5. Influencing the workforce: Communication helps in influencing the workforce to persuade
customers
6. Raising moral and motivation: Morale stands for mental health and it is a sum of several qualities
like courage, resolution, confidence .High morale and effective performance go hand to hand.
Motivation energizes and activates employees and channelizes their behavior towards the
attainment of desired goals.
7. Giving warning to the subordinates:If employees do not abide by the norms of the organization, or
violate the rules and regulations, it may become necessary to warn them. Some warnings are
general like No smoking.
8. Educating employees and prospective customers: Communication helps the Organization
- To train-up the employees about companys policies, rules, regulations, procedures etc.
through organized programs such as Orientation, workshops, internship etc. and
- To educate prospective customers about products and services through promotional
programs, advertisement, newspapers, informational talks and articles etc.

Culture and Language

Culture:

Culture is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group
or category of people from another.
Culture is the set of attitudes, values, beliefs, norms, learning and behaviors shared by a group of
people that are generally considered as the tradition of that group of people, but different for each
individual, and are transmitted from generation to generation.

Language: Language is the system of words or signs that people use to express thoughts and feelings to
each other. It is the ability to acquire and use complex systems of communication.

Culture Shock: Culture shock can be described as the feelings of confusion and uncertainty that are
experienced when people come into contact with a culture that is totally different from their own.

Culture shock can be commonly seen in foreign students, immigrants and refugees

What is the relationship between culture and communication? How culture affect communication?
Or, is communication culturally bound?
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Culture is the set of attitudes, values, beliefs, norms, learning and behaviors shared by a group of
people that are generally considered as the tradition of that group of people, but different for each
individual, and are transmitted from generation to generation.
Any social unitwhether a relationship, group, organization, or societydevelops a culture over
time.
Communication is a two way process of exchange ideas and information between human being
and reaching mutual understanding.

The relationship between communication and culture is a very complex and intimate one.

First, cultures are created through communication. That is communication is the means of human
interaction through which cultural characteristics whether customs, roles, rules, rituals, laws, or other
patternsare created and shared.

Without communication and communication media, it would be impossible to preserve and pass cultural
characteristics from one place and time to another. One can say, therefore, that culture is created,
shaped, transmitted, and learned through communication.

For example, when a three-person of different cultures first meets, the members bring with them
individual thought and behavioral patterns and from different cultures of which they are belong to. As
individuals start to engage in communication with the other members, they begin to create a set of shared
experiences and ways of talking about them. If the group continues to interact, a set of distinguishing
history, patterns, customs, and rituals will be transmitted

The reverse is also the case

- Cultures provide people with ways of thinking--ways of seeing, hearing, and interpreting the
world. Thus the same words can mean different things to people from different cultures, even
when they talk the "same" language. When the languages are different, and translation has to be
used to communicate, the potential for misunderstandings increases.
- The feelings of confusion and uncertainty that are experienced when people come into contact
with a culture that is totally different from their own. This is called cultural shock.
Culture shock can be commonly seen in foreign students, immigrants and refugees

How language affect Communication?

Language is the system of words or signs that people use to express thoughts and feelings to each other.
It is the ability to acquire and use complex systems of communication.
To create effective communication, Communicators language must be understandable to communicatee.

1. Most words have more than one meaning and sometimes several meanings. So it should be ensured
that the receiver understands the words with the meaning sender want.
2. Many groups of people use common words in special way in their technical or professional
environment. When communicator communicate with them, he should try to use the words in the same
way they use them.
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3. Different social groups have also developed their own vocabulary using common words to do
something different. So communicator should care about the social context of whom he communicate
with.
4. Most of us employ smaller vocabulary in speaking and writing that is actually understood. So you
shouldn't use uncommon words or uncommon meanings for certain words.

In general, effective communication involves actions, reactions, and interactions. All these depend on the
flow of information, questions and answers passing to and from the participants and all the while there
must be understanding. One of the most frequent causes of misunderstanding is that related to the
meanings of words.