Communication involves sharing information between individuals. The word "communicate" comes from Latin roots meaning "to share" or "make common." Effective communication requires transmitting a message from a sender to a receiver using common symbols, with the goal of the receiver accurately understanding the message. There are several potential problems that can occur in communication relating to differences in conventions of meaning, perceptions of reality, and individual values and attitudes between the sender and receiver. To communicate effectively, the sender must consider these potential differences and choose words and present information in a way that accounts for different perspectives.

1. Communication

2. Communication
The word ‘communicate’ comes from the Latin verb
‘communicare /communis (meaning common)’ that
means to impart, to participate, to share or to make
common. By virtue of its Latin origin it is also the
source of the English word ‘common’. Whatever is
common is shared by all. Hence the sense of ‘sharing’ is
inherent in the very origin and nature of
communication. And, what is that we share in
communication? The one word answer is –
‘information’, i.e., something to tell, in whatever way we
like, or as the situation demands.

3. Communication
In the words of Johan Adair ‘Communication’ is
essentially the ability of one person to make
contact with another and to make himself or
herself understood. Or, if you prefer a slightly
more formal version, ‘communication is the
process by which meanings are exchanged
between people through the use of a common
set of symbols.’

4. Communication
Peter Little defines it as “Communication is the
process by which information is transmitted
between individuals and/ or organizations so
that an understanding response results. Another
very simple definition of ‘communication’ has
been provided by W.H.Newman and
C.F.Summer Jr, “Communication is an exchange
of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or
more persons.”

5. Communication
Two major objectives emerging from these
definitions are information and persuasion. The
emphasis is mainly on 4 points: (a) The Process
of communication involves the communication
of ideas; (b) The ideas should be accurately
replicated (reproduced) in the receiver’s mind,
i.e., the receiver should get exactly the same
ideas as were transmitted. If the process of
communication is perfect, there will be no
dilution, exaggeration or distortion of the ideas;

6. Communication
(c) The transmitter is assured of the accurate
replication of the ideas by feedback, i.e., by the
receiver’s response which is communicated back
to the transmitter. This shows that
communication is two-way process including
transmission and feedback; (d) The purpose of
all communication is to elicit action.

7. Communication
Communication is a unified process of thinking, reading, writing,
speaking and
listening, and in fact the last four are the basic communication
skills that we all
require.
The following communication ability and skills are required for
success in
business career:
•
Must be able to communicate effectively with all levels of
management.
•
Must have substantial experience, training in oral and written
communication and demonstrate good writing skills.

8. Communication
• Be able to prepare special analyses, research reports,
and proposals.
• Need ability to compose effective correspondence.
• Must have ability to communicate and sell ideas, firm,
and products.
• Must be able to cultivate and maintain good customer
relationships.
• Need skills in gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data
and in writing analytical reports.

9. Effective Communications in Business

10. Effective Communications in Business
If you can communicate effectively in speaking and writing, you
have a highly valued skill. Communicating effectively in speaking
and writing extends across all areas of business, including
management, technical, clerical and social positions. For effective
communication it is more important to know how to say what
you want to say.

11. Importance and Benefits
of Effective Communication

12. Importance and Benefits
of Effective Communication
Communication is the lifeblood of organizations, and
effective communication improves an organization’s
productivity, image, and responsiveness.
Communication is effective when it helps people
understand each other, stimulates others to take action,
and encourages others to think in new ways. It helps
you speed problem solution, strengthen decision
making, coordinate work flow, cement business
relationships, clarify promotional materials, enhance
your professional image, and improve your response to
stakeholders.

13. Importance and Benefits
of Effective Communication
Good communication skills increase your chances for
career success and your ability to adapt to the changing
workplace. Your job, promotion, and professional
reputation often depend on doing well in written and
oral communication. Also, your ability to communicate
effectively is a valuable asset for many activities in your
personal life. If your career requires mainly mental
rather than manual labor, your progress will be strongly
influenced by how effectively you communicate your
knowledge, proposals, and ideas to others who need or
should receive them.

14. Importance and Benefits
of Effective Communication
It is an established fact that effective communication is essential
for success and promotion in business. The way you
communicate both within and outside your own country will
affect everything you accomplish. Your ability to speak and write
effectively will also make a difference to your organization.
Developing the right attitude and preparing adequately are
crucial to effective communication in the international
marketplace.

15. Components of Communication

16. Components of Communication
• Communication is a process of transmitting and receiving verbal
and nonverbal messages. Communication is considered effective
when it achieves the desired reaction or response from the
receiver. Simply stated, communication is a two-way process of
exchanging ideas or information.

17. Components of Communication
Communication includes six components: context, sender-encoder,
message, medium, receiver-decoder, and feedback. Let’s have a look at
how these factors interact in the communication process,
affected by various contextual conditions and decisions.

18. Components of Communication
Context
Every message, whether oral or written, begins with
context. Context is a broad field that includes country,
culture, organization and external and internal stimuli.
Every country, every culture, and every company or
organization has its own convention for processing and
communicating information. This aspect of context is
the playing field on which you must plan, design, and
communicate your message successfully.

19. Components of Communication
Another aspect of context is the external stimulus that
prompts you to send a message. The source of this
prompt may be a letter, memo, note, electronic mail,
fax, telex, telephone call, a meeting, or even a casual
conversation. Your response to this prompt may be
oral or written.
Next, internal stimuli have a complex influence on how
you translate ideas into a message. When you encode,
your own view of the world affects the choices you
make in language

20. Components of Communication
Sender-Encoder:
When you send a message, you are the “encoder,” the writer or
speaker, depending on whether your message is written or oral.
You try to choose symbols – usually words (and sometimes also
graphics or pictures) – that express your message so that the
receiver(s) will understand it and react with the response you
desire. Here you basically need to decide which symbols best
convey your message and which message channel will be most
effective among the oral and written media.

21. Components of Communication
Message
The message is the core idea you wish to communicate; it
consists of both verbal (written or spoken) symbols and
nonverbal (unspoken) symbols. Your first task is to decide
exactly what your message is and what content to include. You
must consider your context and especially the receiver of your
message – how the receiver will interpret it and how it may affect
your relationship.

22. Components of Communication
Medium
Your message channel depends on all the contextual
factors and the nature of the message itself. The choices
of medium include the printed word, electronic mail, or
sound. Like message content, the choice of medium is
influenced by the relationship between the sender and
the receiver. Some research suggests that the urgency of
a message is a primary factor in whether to use the
written or spoken medium. You may also consider
factors such as importance, number of receivers, costs,
and amount of information.

23. Oral vs. Written Media
Immediate feedback
Shorter sentences; shorter words
Conversational
Focus on interpersonal relations
Prompt action
Less detailed technical information
More personal pronouns
More colloquial language Simpler
constructions
More imperative, interrogative, and
exclamatory sentences
Delayed feedback
Longer sentences; longer words
More formal
Focus on content
Delayed action
More detailed technical information
Fewer personal pronouns
More complex constructions
Useful for permanent record: detailed
documentation
Possibility of review

24. Components of Communication
The written channel is often preferred when the message is long,
technical, or formal in nature, and when the message must be
documented. The oral channel is effective when the message is
urgent or personal or when immediate feedback is important.

25. Components of Communication
Receiver-Decoder
The message receiver is your reader or listener, also
known as the decoder. Many of our messages may have
more than one decoder. The receiver as well as the
sender is influenced by the context and by the external
and internal stimuli. Both receive messages through the
eyes and ears but are also influenced by nonverbal
factors such as touch, taste, and smell. All factors of a
message are filtered through the receivers) view of and
experiences in the world.

26. Components of Communication
Feedback
Feedback can be oral or written. It can also be an action, such as
receiving in the mail an item you ordered. Sometimes silence is
also used as feedback though it is almost always ineffective.
Senders need feedback in order to determine the success or
failure of the communication.

27. CONTEXT
Stimuli
Sender- Encoder
(experiences,
attitudes, skills)
Perception
Idea encoding
Symbol decisions
Sending mechanisms
Massage
Medium
Verbal, nonverbal
FEEDBACK
Verbal, nonverbal
Receiver-encoder
(experiences,
attitudes, skills)
Receptor
mechanisms
Perception
Decoding
Idea interpretation

28. Components of Communication
These six components represent what happens in
communication. A context exists in which a sender chooses a
message to communicate; the sender must also choose the
medium for the message; a receiver decodes the message and
provides feedback.

29. Internal and external communication

35. Internal and external communication
Internal communication
refers to the exchange of information and ideas within an
organization. Communication among the members of an
organization is essential for effective functioning. The
communication can take place downward, upward and
horizontally. It helps increase job satisfaction, safety,
productivity, and profits and decreases absenteeism, grievances
and turnover.

36. Internal and external communication
Downward communication:
Organizational decisions are usually made at the top and then
flow down to the people who will carry them out. Most of
what filters downward is geared toward helping employees do
their jobs. From top to bottom, each person must understand
each message, apply it, and pass it along.

37. Internal and external communication
Upward communication
Upward internal communication has become increasingly more
significant. Many executives sincerely seek frank comments from
employees, in addition to the usual periodic reports. Successful
managers listen closely to opinions, complaints, problems, and
suggestions, especially when these are clearly and effectively
stated.

38. Internal and external communication
Horizontal communication
Communication also flows from one department to
another. This horizontal communication helps
employees share information and coordinate tasks, and
it is especially useful for solving complex and difficult
problems. Among various ways of communicating
within companies are memos, reports, meetings, faceto-face discussions, teleconferences, videoconferences
and electronic mail.

39. Internal and external communication
Just as internal communication carries information, up, down,
and across the organization, external communication carries it
into and out of the organization. Companies constantly exchange
messages with customers, vendors, distributors, competitors,
investors, journalists, and community representatives.

40. Internal and external communication
• One important form of communication is the Internet. A
company Web site can impart crucial information both inside the
organization (using an intranet) and outside (via the Internet).
Web sites can communicate a company’s image to the outside
world and a company’s culture to employees.

41. Concepts and problems of communication

42. Concepts and problems of communication
• Each person’s mind is a unique filter. Problems with
communication are more likely to occur when the
communicators’ filters are sharply different. The message
sender’s meanings and the receiver’s response are affected by
numerous factors, such as individual
• Conventions of meaning
• Perceptions of reality
• Values, attitudes, and opinions

43. Concepts and problems of communication
Conventions of meaning:
A fundamental principle of communication is that the symbols
the sender uses to communicate messages must have essentially
the same meaning in both the sender and receiver’s minds. You
can never assume that the message in your mind will be perfectly
transmitted to your receiver.

44. Communication
Problems in Conventions of Meaning

45. Concepts and problems of communication
Communication Problems in Conventions of Meaning
The meanings of words (semantics) are constructed within each
person’s experience of reality. The knowledge we each have about
a subject or word affects the meanings we attach to it.

46. Concepts and problems of communication
Miscommunicated Instructions:
When the message sender and receiver attribute
different meanings to the same words or use different
words though intending the same meanings,
miscommunication occurs. To avoid communication
errors when you give instructions or discuss issues, be
sure your words convey the intended meaning to the
recipient. When you are the recipient of unclear
instructions, before acting on them, ask questions to
determine the sender’s intended meaning.

47. Concepts and problems of communication
Reactions to denotations, Connotations:
Because words have both denotative and connotative
meanings and because the sender has not considered
the receiver’s probable interpretations and reactions,
miscommunication can occur. A denotation is usually
the dictionary meaning of a word whereas a
connotation is an implication of a word or a suggestion
separate from the usual definition.

48. Concepts and problems of communication
To communicate effectively, you must be aware of the
connotative meaning of your words, and you must realize that
some people have their own idiosyncratic meanings because of
their experiences and background. Thus we need to choose our
language carefully and consider both its denotations and its
connotations to convey the exact idea we want and to achieve
our desired results.

49. Concepts and problems of communication
Perceptions of Reality
Complex, infinite, and continuously changing, the material world
provides a special reality to each individual. Also, human beings’
sensory perceptions – touch, sight, hearing, smell, taste – are
limited, and each person’s mental filter is unique. We make
various abstractions, inferences, and evaluations of the world
around us.

50. Communication
Problems in perceptions of Reality

51. Communication
Problems in perceptions of Reality
Abstracting:
Focusing on some details and omitting others is a
process called abstracting. In countless instances,
abstracting is necessary. However, you should be
cautious about “slanted” statements.
Necessary, desirable abstracts:
Whether you write or speak, you are usually limited by
time, expense, space, or purpose. You need to select
facts that are pertinent to accomplish your purpose and
to omit the rest (as you do, for example, in a one-page
application letter about yourself).

52. Communication
Problems in perceptions of Reality
Slanted statements:
Conscientious communicators, both senders and receivers of
messaged, should try to determine whether the facts they are
acquainted with are truly representative of the whole. Slanting is
unfair in factual reporting. Not only the language you use but
also the type of information you include and exclude can result
in slanting, revealing your own biases. Although total objectivity
is not possible, you should try to not let personal preferences
influence your factual reporting of information.

53. Communication
Problems in perceptions of Reality
Inferring:
Conclusions made by reasoning from evidence
or premises are called inferences. Every day
most of us find it necessary to act on some
inferences. We make assumptions and draw
conclusions even though we are not able to
immediately verify the evidence. Some
inferences are both necessary and desirable;
others are risky, even dangerous.

54. Communication
Problems in perceptions of Reality
Necessary, desirable Inferences:
For business and professional people, inferences are essential in
analyzing materials, solving problems, and planning procedures.
In our everyday activities, we make inferences that are necessary
and usually fairly reliable.
When we base our inferences on direct observations or on
reasonable evidence, they are likely to be quite dependable; but
even so, there are disappointing exceptions. Conclusions we
make about things we have not observed directly can often be
untrue.

55. Communication
Problems in perceptions of Reality
Risks of Inference:
As intelligent communicators, we must realize that inferences
may be incorrect or unreliable and anticipate the risks before
acting on them. If you are presenting a report on which an
important executive decision may rest, be careful to distinguish
clearly among verifiable facts, inferences based on facts, and
mere “guesstimates.”

56. Values, Attitudes, and Opinions

57. Values, Attitudes, and Opinions
• Communication effectiveness is influenced also by the values,
attitudes, and opinions the communicators have in their mental
filters. People react favorably when the message they receive
agrees with their views toward the information, the facts, and the
sender.

58. Communication
Problems Involving Values, Attitudes, Opinions

59. Values, Attitudes, and Opinions
Communication Problems Involving Values,
Attitudes, Opinions
Receivers’ views of the information presented will
affect their response, which could be what the sender
desires or just the opposite.
Favorable or unfavorable information:
The effective communicator considers the receivers,
and whenever possible, emphasizes the points the
receivers will regard as favorable or beneficial.
Receivers often react to unfavorable information by
rejecting, distorting, or avoiding it.

60. Values, Attitudes, and Opinions
Inadequate or Incorrect information
Occasionally people react according to their attitudes
toward a situation rather than to the facts.
Closed Minds:
Some people hold rigid views on certain subjects. These
people do not consider facts or additional information
and maintain their rigid views regardless of the
circumstances.

61. Values, Attitudes, and Opinions
Sender’s Credibility:
Often people react more according to their attitude
toward the source of information than to the
information itself. In general, people react more
favorably to a communicator who has credibility –
someone whom they trust and respect. An effective
communicator builds credibility by writing and speaking
in a fair and just manner and by considering receivers’
points of view.

62. Values, Attitudes, and Opinions
Other circumstances affecting attitudes,
opinions, responses:
when personal, business, or environments stresses
occur, attitudes toward messages may be affected. Life’s
stresses affect our ability to send effective messages and
color our responses when we receive them. Sensitivity
to your own state of mind as well as to that of your
receiver helps you communicate your messages in a
positive way.