CHAPTER ONE - Communication: An Overview

1.1. Communication Defined

There are different views on the etymological background of the word communication. While
some scholars in the area of communication and linguistics suggest that it was originally derived
from the Latin word “communis”, which literally means sharing or making something common,
others argue that it was derived from the Latin word ‘communicare’ that means to impart, to
participate, to share or to make common . However, all agree that it is a process of exchange of
facts, ideas, and opinions. In other words, it is a transmission and interaction of facts, ideas,
opinion, feeling and attitudes.
This broad meaning gradually got its specific sense as communicating means ‘sharing of ideas’.
Yet the word ‘idea’ itself is a little bit broader in that it refers to ideas stored both in the short-
term and long-term memories of mind.
So, to be more specific, communication can be taken as a means of sharing more pieces of ideas
kept in the short-term memory, which can technically be called information, and ideas kept in the
long-term memory, technically known as intelligence or knowledge. Here, it should be clear that
the information we receive could be challenged to knowledge through repeated retrieval.
It is of great importance to note that communication is not limited to only human beings. This is
basically because communication is based on processing ideas in the information processing unit
of the mind or simply thinking. So thinking is something shared among different animals
including man. In fact, on the level of thinking man and other animals differ as man thinks
analytically by examining things from different perspectives while other animals think
instinctively by looking at things plainly from one angle.
Thus, communication is one of the effective means through which man attempts to satisfy his
needs. Apart from this, understanding what others need characterizes an effective communicator.
A successful communicator speaks and writes with the receivers’ needs in mind at all time.
Abraham Maslow recommends that to send messages to potential receivers, one must keep in
mind the following five ranges of human needs.

A. Basic physical needs: air, food, shelter, sleep and clothing.

B. Safety and security needs: This is keeping oneself free from physical harm or mental abuse.
C. The need to belong: Most of us want to feel that we are part of a group and that we have
friends and enjoy being with our co-workers, feeling comfortable in the society in which we
live.
D. The need to be someone: Most of us want to feel that we are good at doing something, and we
feel very pleased with the recognition we receive. We feel that we are “somebody”. We have
met the need of our ego.
E. The need to help others and be creative: If we are reasonably able to meet all the previous
needs, we will then seem to lose all our anxieties and fears. Two things happen: (1) we are
more willing to help people who are still struggling on the lower rungs of the ladder; those
who are still striving to meet their physical, safety and security needs. (2) We become more
creative, and want to create people to improve the qualities of life for us all.
Hence, communication is important to most areas of our lives. Simply, we can say that to live is
to communicate.
In account of all these, different scholars have tried to define the term communication in
different ways. In fact, the common problem in most of the definitions is that they do not clearly
show all the features and nature of communication. Let’s look at some of these.
‘Communication is any behavior that results in an exchange of meaning’. (American
Management Association)
‘Communication is the process by which information is transmitted between individuals
and/or organizations so that an understanding response results’. (Peter Little)
‘Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more
persons’. (Newman and Summer Jr.)
‘Communication is the process of passing the information and understanding from one
person to another. It is essentially a bridge of meaning between the people. By using the
bridge a person can safely across the river of misunderstanding’. (Keith Davis)
‘Communication is the sum total of all the things that a person does, when he wants to
create an understanding in the mind of another. It involves a systematic and continuous
process of telling, listening and understanding’. Louis A. Allen
Communication may also be defined as interchange of thought or information between two or
more persons to bring about mutual understanding and desired action. It is the information
exchange by words or symbols. It is the exchange of facts, ideas and viewpoints which bring
about commonness of interest, purpose and efforts.
However, the definition below can be taken as a workable definition as it treats and encompasses
most features and the nature of communication.
Communication is a continuous process through which ideas are shared between/among a party
or more with a common frame of reference in order to satisfy both physiological and
psychological needs.
Therefore, the main purpose of communication is to inform, or to bring around to a certain point
of view or to elicit action.

1.2. The Role and Importance of Communication

Communication is important particularly to the individual communicator and to the organization
at large.
1.2.1. Communication from the Individual Perspective
On individual basis, communication offers the following benefits toward meeting personal
responsibilities:

 Interpersonal role: It stimulates communication with others.

 Informational role: It assists to gather essential inputs.
 Decisional role: It helps to participate in discussions that lead to problem solving.
 Technical role: It links the different functions of management through effective and efficient
way.
 Conceptual role: It creates a vivid understanding of organizational functions and
achievements.
1.2.2. Communication from the Organizational Perspective
From the organizational perspective, communication provides the next critical advantages of
business development:
 Business grows in size.
 Business activities become extremely complex.
 Business becomes competitive.
 Spirit of understanding and cooperation becomes developed.
 It links the organization in different directions.
 It connects the organization with the external environment.
1.3 Purposes of Communication

A. For instruction: The instructive function unvarying and importantly deals with the
commanding nature. It is more or less of directive nature. Under this, the communicator
transmits with necessary directives and guidance to the next level, so as to enable them to
accomplish his particular tasks. In this, instructions basically flow from top to the lower level.
B. For integration: It is consolidated function under which integration of activities is endeavored.
The integration function of communication mainly involves bringing about inter-relationship
among the various functions of the business organization. It helps in the unification of different
management functions.
C. For information: The purposes or function of communication in an organization is to inform
the individual or group about the particular task or company policies and procedures etc. Top
management informs policies to the lower level through the middle level. In turn, the lower level
informs the top level the reaction through the middle level. Information can flow vertically,
horizontally and diagonally across the organization. Becoming informed or inform others is the
main purpose of communication.
D. For evaluation: Examination of activities to form an idea or judgment of the worth of task is
achieved through communication. Communication is a tool to appraise the individual or team,
their contribution to the organization. Evaluating one’s own inputs or other’s outputs or some
ideological scheme demands an adequate and effective communication process.
E. For direction: Communication is necessary to issue directions by the top management or
manager to the lower level. Employee can perform better when he is directed by his senior.
Directing others may be communicated either orally or in writing. An order may be common
order, request order or implied order.
F. For teaching: The importance of personal safety on the job has been greatly recognized. A
complete communication process is required to teach and educate workers about personal safety
on the jobs. This communication helps the workers to avert accidents, risk etc. and avoid cost,
procedures etc.
G. For influencing: A complete communication process is necessary in influencing others or
being influenced. The individual having potential to influence others can easily persuade others.
It implies the provision of feedback which tells the effect of communication.
H. For image building: A business enterprise cannot isolate from the rest of the society. There is
interrelationship and interdependence between the society and an enterprise operating in the
society. Goodwill and confidence are necessarily created among the public. It can be done by the
communication with the different media, which has to project the image of the firm in the
society. Through an effective external communication system, an enterprise has to inform the
society about its goals, activities, progress and social responsibility.
I. For employees orientation: When a new employee joins an organization at that time he or she
would be unfamiliar with the organization programs, policies, culture etc. Communication helps
to make people acquainted with the co-employees, superior and with the policies, objectives,
rules and regulations of the organization.
1.4 . The Communication Situation
The communication situation is said to exist when

 There is a person (sender/transmitter) who wants to pass some information;

 There is another person (receiver) whom the information passes to;
 The receiver partly or wholly understands the message or information passed on to him;
 The receiver responds to the message or gives feedback.