This document defines communication and describes the fundamental elements and processes of communication. It discusses forms of communication including oral, written, and nonverbal communication. The basic elements of the communication process are identified as the sender, encoding, medium, decoding, receiver, feedback, and noise. Vertical, horizontal, and lateral communication flows in organizations are explained. Potential barriers to effective communication are outlined, including sender and receiver factors, cultural diversity, information overload, and perception differences. Strategies to make communication more effective include knowing your subject, focusing on purpose, knowing your audience, and being organized. Nonverbal communication skills are important for decoding emotional messages through paralanguage, kinesics, eye contact, touch, and physical distance.

1. FUNDAMENTALS
OF
COMMUNICATION
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2. COMMUNICATION DEFINED
Communication Defined
A process in which one person or
group evokes a shared or common
meaning to another person or group
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3. Forms of Communication
Communication
• Oral
– All forms of spoken information and is by far
the preferred type of communication used by
managers.
• Written
– Includes letters, memos, policy manuals,
reports, and other documents used to share
information used in an organization.
• Nonverbal
– Involves all messages that are nonlanguage
responses.
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4. The Communication Process
The Communication Process
Basic Elements in the Communication Process
Social context
Sender
Encodes
Medium
Decodes
Receiver
Feedback
Noise
Noise
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5. Basic Elements in the Communication Process4
Basic Elements in the Communication Proces
Social Context
Element 1 : Sender
The setting in which a communication takes
place.
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6. Element 2 : Message and Encoding
Message :
The tangible forms of coded symbols that are
intended to give a particular meaning to the data.
Encoding :
Translating the sender’s ideas into a systematic set
of symbols or a language expressing the
communicator’s purpose.
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7. Basic Elements in the Communication Process
Basic Elements in the Communication Proces4
Element 3: Medium
– Medium
• The carrier of the message or the
means by which the message is sent.
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8. Basic Elements in the Communication Process
Element 4: Message Decoding
Decoding
• The translation of received messages into interpreted
meanings.
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9. Element 5 : Receiver and his Feedback
– The process of verifying messages and the
receiver’s attempts to ensure that the message
decoded is what the sender meant to convey.
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10. Element 6: Noise
– Any internal or external interference or
distraction with the intended message that can
cause distortion in the sending and receiving of
messages.
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11. Managing Communication Within Diverse Organizations
Organizational Communication Flows
Upward
Information
Downward
Instructions
Directives
Horizontal
Coordination
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12. Vertical Communication
Vertical Communication
• Downward Communications
– Flows from individual in higher levels of the
organization to those in lower levels.
– Includes meetings, official memos, policy statements,
manuals, and company publications.
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13. • Upward Communications
Consists of messages sent up the line from
subordinates to bosses. Includes ,
– (1) personal reports of performance, problems
or concerns,
– (2) reactions to organizational policies, and
– (3) employee suggestions
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14. Lateral Communication
• The horizontal information flow that occurs
both within and between departments
• The purpose of lateral communications is
coordination
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15. BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
1. Sender related
–
–
–
–
–
Amount of knowledge
Too much of knowledge
Presentation order
Lack of familiarity with audience
Lack of experience
• Problem in message transmission
• Problem in receiver comprehension
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16. Barriers to Effective Communications
Barriers to Effective Communications
2. Cross-Cultural Diversity
– The greater the difference between the
sender’s and receiver’s cultures, the greater
the chance for miscommunication.
3.Trust and Honesty
– A lack of trust can cause the receiver to look
for hidden meanings in the sender’s
message.
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17. Barriers to Effective Communications
Barriers to Effective Communications
4. Information Overload
– The increasing use of technology in
organizations is often leading to overload when
the amount of information we can process is
exceeded.
5. Gender Differences
– Because males and females are often treated
differently from childhood, they tend to
develop different perspectives, attitudes about
life, and communication styles.
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18. Barriers to Effective Communications
6. Perception
Two people may perceive the same thing in
different ways and miscommunication happen.
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19. 7. Language Characteristics
When two individuals are using different
meanings or interpretations of the same
word and do not realize it, a communication
barrier exists.
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20. 8. Other Factors
Time pressures may cause us to focus on
information that helps us make decisions quickly,
although the information may not be of high quality.
Feedback may be impaired or absent.
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21. How to Make
Communication Effective
•
•
•
•
Knowledge of the subject
Focus on the purpose
Know your Audience
Be Organized
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22. Nonverbal Communication
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23. Characteristics of Non-Verbal
Communication
•
•
•
•
•
Communicates emotions and Attitude
Regulate verbal messages
Ambiguous (unclear )
Continuous
More reliable
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24. Nonverbal Communication Skills
• Nonverbal communication skills are essential for sending and
decoding messages with emotional content.
• Dimensions of nonverbal communication:
– Paralanguage (Voice quality, Volume, Rate of speech, Voice
pitch, Rhythm, Pronunciation)
– Kinesics (Body movements and gestures – Emblems, Adapters,
Illustrators, Regulators)
– Eye contact
– Touch
– Physical distance
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25. LISTENING
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