What is communication process?

| Steps of communication process

Communication process consists of some interrelated steps or parts through which messages are sent form
sender to receiver. The process of communication begins when the sender wants to transmit a fact, idea,
opinion or other information to the receiver and ends with receivers feedback to the sender. The main
components of communication process are sender, message, channel, receiver and feedback.

C. B. Mamoria has pointed out the parts of communication process by saying, That communication
process model is making up of seven steps or parts: a. the communication b. Encoding c. The message
and the medium or channel, d. reception by the receiver e. decoding f. Action and g. feedback.

Any act by which one person gives to or receives from another person, the information about that
persons needs, desires, perceptions, knowledge, or affective states. Communication may be intentional
or unintentional, it may involve conventional or unconventional signals, may take linguistic or non-
linguistic forms, and may occur through spoken or other modes. Or in simple words;

Communication is the exchange of ideas, opinions and information through written or spoken
words, symbols or actions. Communication is a dialogue, not a monologue. In fact, communication is
more concerned with a dual listening process. For communication to be effective, the message must mean
the same thing to both the sender and the receiver.

The following diagram represents the communication process

Thus, it is clear that communication process is the set of some sequential steps involved in transferring
message as well as feedback. The process requires a sender who transmits message through a channel to
the receiver. Then the receiver decodes the message and sends back some type of signal or feedback.
Steps or elements of communication process

The communication process refers to the steps through which communication takes place between the
sender and the receiver. This process starts with conceptualizing an idea or message by the sender and
ends with the feedback from the receiver. In details, communication process consists of the following
eight steps:

1. Developing idea by the sender: In the first step, the communicator develops or conceptualizes
an idea to be sent. It is also known as the planning stage since in this stage the communicator
plans the subject matter of communication.
2. Encoding: Encoding means converting or translation the idea into a perceivable form that can be
communicated to others.

3. Developing the message: After encoding the sender gets a message that can be transmitted to the
receiver. The message can be oral, written, symbolic or nonverbal. For example, when people
talk, speech is the message; when people write a letter, the words and sentences are the message;
when people cries, the crying is the message.

4. Selecting the medium: Medium is the channel or means of transmitting the message to the
receiver. Once the sender has encoded his into a message, the next step is to select a suitable
medium for transmitting it to the receiver. The medium of communication can be speaking,
writing, signaling, gesturing etc.

5. Transmission of message: In this step, the sender actually transmits the message through chosen
medium. In the communication cycle, the tasks of the sender end with the transmission of the
message.

6. Receiving the message by receiver: This stage simply involves the reception of senders
message by the receiver. The message can be received in the form of hearing, seeing, feeling and
so on.

7. Decoding: Decoding is the receivers interpretation of the senders message. Here the receiver
converts the message into thoughts and tries to analyze and understand it. Effective
communication can occur only when both the sender and the receiver assign the same or similar
meanings to the message.

8. Feedback: The final step of communication process is 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.

Objectives of business communication

Communication is the lifeblood of an organization. It is the vehicle that ensures proper performance of
organizational functions and achievement of organizational goals. As a separate field of study, business
communication has the following objectives:
1. To exchange information: The main objective of business communication is to exchange
information with the internal and external parties. Internal communication occurs within the
organization through orders, instructions, suggestions, opinions etc.
2. To develop plans: Plan is the blueprint of future courses of actions. The plan must be formulated for
attaining organizational goals. In order to develop a plan, management requires information. In this
regard, the objective of communication is to supply required information to the concerned
managers.
3. To implement the plan: Once a plan is prepared, it is to be implemented. Implementation of a plan
requires timely communication with the concerned parties. Thus, communication aims at
transmitting a plan throughout the organization for its successful implementation.
4. To facilitate policy formulation: Policies are guidelines for performing organizational activities.
Policies are also termed as standing decisions to recurring problems. Every organization needs to
develop a set of policies to guide its operation. Preparing policies also require information from
various sources. Therefore, the objective of communication is to collect necessary information for
policy formulation.
5. To achieve organizational goal: Collective efforts of both managers and workers are essential for
achieving organizational goals. Communication coordinates and synchronizes the efforts of
employees at various levels to achieve the stated goals of the organization.
6. To organize resources: Various kinds of resources are available in organization such as human
resources, material resources, financial resources and so on. In organizing these resources in an
effective and efficient way is a key challenge to the managers. Communication is the vehicle to
overcome this challenge.
7. To coordinate: Coordination is a basic management function. It involves linking the various
functional departments of large organizations. Without proper and timely coordination, achievement
of organizational goals is impossible. Therefore, the objective of communication is to coordinate the
functions of various departments for the easy attainment of organizational goals.
8. To direct the subordinates: The job of a manager is to get the things done by others. In order to get
the things done, management needs to lead, direct and control the employees. The performance of
these managerial functions depends on effective communication with subordinates.
9. To motivate employees: A pre-requisite of employee motivation is the satisfaction of their financial
and non-financial needs. Financial needs are fulfilled thorough monetary returns. However, in order
to satisfy non-financial needs, management must communicate with employees on a regular basis
both formally and informally.
10. To create consciousness: Employees of an organization must be conscious regarding their duties
and responsibilities. Communication supplies necessary information and makes them conscious
about their duties and responsibilities.
11. To increase efficiency: In order to increase employee efficiency, they should be provided with
necessary information and guidelines. Communication supplies such information and guidelines for
them.
12. To bring dynamism: Organizations should be dynamic to cope with the internal and external
changes. Bringing dynamism requires finding new and better ways of doing things. For this
purpose, communication helps to seek new ideas and suggestions from the internal and external
parties.
13. To improve labor-management is relationships: Harmonious relationship between workers and
management is a prerequisite for organizational success. In this regard, the objective of
communication is to ensure the free and fair flow of information and to create good understanding
between them.
14. To increase job satisfactions: Communication enhances job satisfaction level of employees. It
creates a friendly environment where employees can express themselves. As a result, they become
more satisfied with their job.
15. To convey employee reaction: Communication conveys employees reactions, opinions,
suggestions and complaints to their superiors about the plans, policies, programs and strategies of
the company.
16. To orient employee: Communication orients the new employees with the companys policies, rules,
regulations, procedures etc
Principles of communication every business must follow:

1. Clarity

Clarity is the number one rule all business communication must follow. A message that leaves the
reader scratching his head is a failed message. Clarity springs from a knowledge of the message
(what you want to say), the method (how you want to say it), and the medium (what format do
you want to say it in). A lack of insight in any one of these components is going to affect the
effectiveness of your message.

2. Conciseness

Business communication is founded on the principles of brevity. There is little room for lyrical
prose or academic loquaciousness. This applies to not just the length of your message, but also its
contents. Try to use short sentences and short words. Avoid jargon and words that send the reader
to the dictionary (unless you sell dictionaries!). Adopt this principle for intra-team as well as
client focused communication.

3. Objectivity

Business communication must always have a purpose. This purpose must be apparent to any who
glances through your message. Before you put a single word to paper, ask yourself: what am I
trying to achieve with this message?. This will help you stay on course through the message
creation process and effect a remarkable improvement in the message efficacy.

4. Consistency

Imagine that youre reading a book that starts out as a serious medieval romance, turns into a
supernatural screwball comedy around the half-way mark, before finally finishing as an avant-
garde, high-brow literary exegesis. Without a doubt, such a book will leave you confused and
even angry.

This is the reason why all business communication must have consistency of tone, voice and
content. A humorous satire on one page, a serious explanation on another will alienate your
readers. Although you can stray from the set tone from time to time a few humorous jokes can
help lighten the mood the overall theme must remain consistent.

5. Completeness

Each message must have a clear and logical conclusion. The reader shouldnt be left wondering if
there is more to come. The message must be self-sufficient, that is, it must hold good on its own
without support from other messages. This is particularly apt for blog posts which often end
abruptly and leave the reader scratching his head.
 6. Relevancy

Every message you send out must be contextually cohesive with previous/future messages. The
message must also be relevant to your primary offering. A blog post about Kobe Bryants free-
throw record followed by a webinar on inbound marketing will only leave your readers confused.
So make sure that everything you write in a business setting is contextually related and relevant.

7. Audience Knowledge

Lastly, your message must have a thorough understanding of your primary audience. Everything else
clarity, completeness, objectivity results from your knowledge of your audience. Always know
who you are writing for as it will influence the tone, voice and quality of your message. You cant
write to a companys SVP the same way you would write to your colleague in the next cubicle, and
you cant write to a client the same way you would write to a SVP.

Your message must reflect the age, education level, aims and objective of your audience. This is
possible only if you thoroughly research your readers and can see things from their perspective.

Conclusion

Business communication is dramatically different from casual or literary communication. It has

its own principles, objectives, language patterns. Mastering business communication will make
you a more effective leader, increase your sphere of influence, and help improve workplace
efficiency. Organizational barriers: The barriers that generate form within the organization are
known as organizational barriers may be of the following types:

o Negative organizational climate: The main aspect of organizational climate that acts as
communication barrier is the negative attitude of top management. Negative attitude of
top management discourages communication initiative of the employees.
o Absence of communication policy: Well-designed communication policy encourages
communication in the organization. In the absence of such policies, employees fail
hesitate to communicate.

o Excessive authority layers: Excessive authority layers acts as a severe impediment to

successful communication. In the case of excessive authority impediment to successful
communication. In the case of excessive authority layers, information reaches to its final
destination passing through several hierarchical levels. As a result, information may be
distorted or lost. Excessive authority layers also causes delay in communication.

o Filtering: Filtering implies willful distortion of information. This problem usually arise
in upward communication. In upward communication, employees tend to pass only those
messages that create positive impression about them.

2. Individual Barriers: Barriers created by the sender and receiver are known as individual
barriers. Such barriers include the following:

o Differences in personality: Personality is the set of attributes that define a person. Every
person holds a distinct personality. This individual nature of personality acts as barrier to
communication.
 o Perceptual differences: Perception is the unique way in which people respond or
interpret an object. Difference in perception is a very common problem in effective
communication. It for example, a subscriber of BTTBs land phone in Bangladesh may
positively react to the governments move to privatize BTTB expecting a better service.
But an employee of BTTB might view this as step to cut jobs and retrench existing
employees.

o Fear: Fear of reprisal or attack, fear of criticism for knowing very little etc. may create
problem in communication.

o Stereotyping: Stereotyping is generalizing about a class of people or events that is

widely held by a given culture. In case of stereotyping, people develop communication
statements and mindsets about others. This orientation exposes itself in such statements
and mindsets. For example, All used car salesmen are dishonest, or All foreign
recruiting agents are liars. Such all inclusive perceptions not only are seldom correct but
they also block mental activity that is necessary for successful communication.

o Halo Effect: The halo effect is the tendency to use a general impression based on one or
a few characteristics to judge other characteristics of that same individual. For example, a
manger might identify one trait of an employee, such as an excellent attendance record,
and perceive that the employees productivity and quality of work must also be
outstanding.

o Inattention: Sometimes communication does not reach due to the inattention of the
receiver. Such inattention may result from busyness, lack of interest about subject,
suffering from disease or family problem etc.

3. Language or Semantic Barrier: A common barrier to effective communication is semantic

distortion, which can be deliberate or accidental. Semantic problem arises when words and
symbols have different meanings for different people that lead to a misunderstanding. For
examples, an advertisement states, we sell for less. It is ambiguous and raises the question: less
than what? In another case, during meeting, a male colleague said to one of his female colleague,
Why dont you dye it? meaning her hair. The female colleague thought he said, Why dont you
diet? she did not speak to him for a month. Semantic barrier presents difficult challenge when
people from different cultures communicate with each other.

4. Other Barriers: The following factors also act as the barrier to effective communication:
o Information Overload: Information overload may also be a problem of effective
communication. Information overload is the situation when a person is given too much
information at a time.

o Faulty expression: Faulty expression of message fails to convey exact meaning to the
receiver. It happens due to lack of clarity, use of vague terms, badly expressed
information, improper organization of ideas etc.

o Status or power difference: Communication problem may arise when people of

different power or status try to communicate with each other. For example, the manger of
 a company may neglect suggestion from his subordinates simply because of difference in
their status. This under treatment of people makes the communication ineffective.

o Negative attitudes to change: Some people always resist any kind of change in the
organization. They think that old is good, and are fearful about the changes. Therefore,
they create problems in communication through inattention, false interpretation, rumor,
resistance and non-cooperation.

o Noise: Environment factors may also disrupt effective communication. One such factor is
noise. For example, in oral communication, noise hiders smooth flow of information or
message. In factories, loud noise of machines makes oral communication very difficult.

Types of Business Communication

There are two types of business communication in an organization:

 Internal Communication
External Communication

1. Internal Communication

Communication within an organization is called Internal Communication. It includes all

communication within an organization. It may be informal, formal function, or department providing
communication in various forms to employees.

Effective internal communication is a vital mean of addressing organizational concerns. Good

communication may help to increase job satisfaction, safety, productivity, and profits and decrease
grievances and turnover.

Under Internal Business Communication types, there come:

Upward Communication
Upward communication is the flow of information from subordinates to superiors, or from employees to
management. Without upward communication, management works in a vacuum, not knowing if the
messages have been received properly, or if other problems exist in the organization. By definition,
communication is a two-way affair. Yet for effective two-way organizational communication to occur, it
must begin from the bottom.

Upward Communication is a mean for the staff to:

Exchange information

Offer ideas

Express enthusiasm

Achieve job satisfaction

Provide feedback

Downward Communication
Information flowing from the top of the organizational management hierarchy and telling people in the
organization what is important (mission) and what is valued (policies). Downward communication
 generally provides information which allows a subordinate to do something. For example, instructions
on how to complete a task. Downward communication comes after upward communications have been
successfully established.

This type of communication is needed in an organization to:

Transmit vital information

Give instructions

Encourage 2-way discussion

Announce decisions

Seek cooperation

Provide motivation

Boost morale

Increase efficiency

Obtain feedback

Horizontal/Literal communication
Horizontal communication normally involves coordinating information, and allows people with the same
or similar rank in an organization to cooperate or collaborate. Communication among employees at the
same level is crucial for the accomplishment of the assigned work.

Horizontal Communication is essential for:

Solving problems

Accomplishing tasks

Improving teamwork

Building goodwill

Boosting efficiency

2. External Communication
Communication with people outside the company is called external communication. Supervisors
communicate with sources outside the organization, such as vendors and customers.

Types of Business Communication

There are two types of business communication in an organization:
1. Internal Communication
2. External Communication

1. Internal Communication
Communication within an organization is called Internal Communication.
It includes all communication within an organization. It may be informal or a formal function or
department providing communication in various forms to employees.
Effective internal communication is a vital mean of addressing organizational concerns. Good
communication may help to increase job satisfaction, safety, productivity, and profits and
decrease grievances and turnover.
Under Internal Business Communication types there come;
a) Upward Communication
b) Downward Communication
c) Horizontal/Literal communication
a) Upward Communication
Upward communication is the flow of information from subordinates to superiors, or from
employees to management. Without upward communication, management works in a vacuum,
not knowing if messages have been received properly, or if other problems exist in the
organization.
By definition, communication is a two-way affair. Yet for effective two-way organizational
communication to occur, it must begin from the bottom.
Upward Communication is a mean for staff to:
o Exchange information
o Offer ideas

o Express enthusiasm

o Achieve job satisfaction

o Provide feedback

b) Downward Communication
Information flowing from the top of the organizational management hierarchy and telling people
in the organization what is important (mission) and what is valued (policies).
Downward communication generally provides enabling information which allows a subordinate
to do something.
e.g.: Instructions on how to do a task.
 Downward communication comes after upward communications have been successfully
established. This type of communication is needed in an organization to:
o Transmit vital information
o Give instructions

o Encourage 2-way discussion

o Announce decisions

o Seek cooperation

o Provide motivation

o Boost morale

o Increase efficiency

o Obtain feedback

Both Downward & Upward Communications are collectively called Vertical Communication

c) Horizontal/Literal communication
Horizontal communication normally involves coordinating information, and allows people with
the same or similar rank in an organization to cooperate or collaborate. Communication among
employees at the same level is crucial for the accomplishment of work.

Horizontal Communication is essential for:

o Solving problems
o Accomplishing tasks

o Improving teamwork

o Building goodwill

o Boosting efficiency

2. External Communication
Communication with people outside the company is called external communication.
Supervisors communicate with sources outside the organization, such as vendors and customers.

It leads to better;
o Sales volume
o Public credibility

o Operational efficiency

o Company profits
It should improve
o Overall performance
o Public goodwill

o Corporate image

Ultimately, it helps to achieve

o Organizational goals
o Customer satisfaction