Ch 1- Introduction to Communication

Chapter #1 Introduction to Communication Page 1

CHAPTER : 1 Summary INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION

1. Why is Communication Important?

• Why study Business Communication?

2. What is communication?

• Theories of Communication

• Definition of Communication

3. Why is communication imperfect?

• Psychological Barriers

• Semantic and Physical Barriers.


Examination Notes Q#1: Define Communication and Why COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT in business world? Or Q#1: Why study Business Communication? Communication is the process of sharing by which the messages produce response. The communication is important in business world because:

a) The world of business is a world of action

• Products are designed made and sold

• People hired

• Service rendered

• Policies made and implemented

• Jobs learned and performed Yet there is no practical way in which these events could take place without communication.

b) Communication helps in clarifying concepts ideas. c) Communication helps in understanding / persuading and working

with other people. d) Business people spend 60 to 90 percent time at work

communication. e) The higher one goes in an organization the more he needs to learn

the art of communicating i.e speaking, writing and otherwise.


Q# 2 Define Communications and explain its theories? Definition of Communication Communication is the process of sharing by which the messages produce response. The above definition is based on the three theories of communication.

1. ELECTRONIC THEORY

• It is also called as Mathematical Theory and deals with technical problems of transmitting a message from sender to receiver. Obviously, it is based on the language of electronics.

• In this theory message begins with sender i.e. information source who transmits the coded message through signal. The last step is that receiver decodes the message

Mathematical or Electronic Theory Figure: Message Communicator Audience as Sender as Receiver The theory is helpful because it introduces the idea of sender receiver and possible interference. Accuracy is an important aspect of this theory. Example Yours perfectly expressed idea rejected as it was against company’s policy You have no right to give the ideas


2. SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT THEORY Figure: Message Communicator Audience Within certain environment

• The theory is based on the social environment in which we work

• When we interact and communicate together we participate in social situation

• We have a status officially prescribed (job title)

• We must also know the rules of environment to communicate

• Rules may be official as company policy or practice or unwritten rules i.e why, when, how, whom and how long to communicate.

• The above figure adds social environment to the electronic theory.

3. RHETORICAL THEORY

• Adds more dimensions to our understanding of communication process.

• Communication is a circular process, it produces response.

• Communication is dynamic – not static Rhetorical Theory Figure:


IMPLICATIONS OF DEFINITION OR Q#3 Explain Definition of Communication in Details? Communication is defines as: The process of sharing by which messages produce responses.

• Process: Communication is not something static. It is dynamic and on-going. You write and someone reads it. You speak and someone listens.

• Sharing Communication is not one sided affair. If there is no one to receive, the communication is only a noise. It is a two way dialogue which changes the communicator and receiver both. Unless someone receives the message there is no communication. In fact it is the receiver who communicates.

• Message The message is not confined to something contained in a letter. It includes the message in the communicators mind. Thus there are two ways of transporting the ideas.

a) Through WORDS which may have different meanings to different people.

b) Non Verbal Component appears to the tone, ideas emotions attitude etc of the Receiver to interpret.

• Response Response depends on the interpretations, attitude, emotions or understanding of the receiver


Q#3 Why communication is imperfect? OR BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION The barriers to communication can be grouped into following:-

1. Psychological Barriers 2. Physical Barriers 3. Semantic Barriers

1. Psychological Barriers

Psychological Barriers pertain to what is going on in you audience mind as a result of their psychological state. These barriers can be classified into three categories:-

a) Emotional Blocks Emotional blocks include;-

• Likes / dislikes of audience.

• Likes / dislikes of audience towards message.

b) Perceptual Blocks

• Communication involves perception and perception is never precise.

• Every person perceives things differently. We all live in different subjective worlds.

• The same data or ideas, people see, interpret or respond to them differently.

• People’s perceptions are based on their experience and knowledge.


c) Selectivity

• Competition for people’s time and attention.

• Bombardment of different information sources – we simply cannot absorb all this information and have to screen it selectively.

• Selection aspects include time factor, context or positive or negative impact.

2. Physical Barriers

• Physical appearance of communicator or audience, the context of the document or the presentation.

• Illegible documents, jammed margins, faulty typing, unclear photocopies – all are physical barriers.

• Other physical blocks include mumbling, speaking to fast, distracting gestures, noise inside the room such as ringing telephones etc – or outside the building such as traffic or aero -planes.

• Your message may be blocked because people in your audience are uncomfortable; they cannot hear because of bad sound system and cannot see because of inadequate lighting.

3. Semantic Barriers

• These blocks deal with what goes on in your audience mind as a result of what words you uttered.

• The study of words choice is called Semantic and blocks arising from words choice are called as Semantic blocks.

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Ch 1- Introduction to Communication