a) Nature of Communication

- Communication is essential in any field particularly in the field of Engineering.

Great communication can effectively culminate any project regardless of
feasibility. According to The Business Communication, “Communication can
be pervaded in every area of human existence. By simply crying and moping
fully new born babies convey what is this great about their appearance in this
world.” Communication with ease can manufacture greater relationship and
easier collaboration with other people.

b) Models of Communication
- Communication models help us to understand further the process wherein
communicating goes through. These are the general models of
communication:
1) Linear Model
 A simple one way model of communication. The message flows in a
straight line from the sender to the receiver without the presence of the
feedback. Some models that follow linear model of communication are:

o Lasswell’s Model
 Lasswell’s communication model was developed by
communication theorist Harold D. Lasswell (1902-1978),
in 1948. Lasswell’s model of communication (also known
as action model or linear model or one way model of
communication) is regarded as one the most
influential communication models.
o Aristotle’s Model
 Aristotle’s communication model  is mainly focused on
speaker and speech. It can be broadly divided into 5
primary elements: Speaker, Speech, Occasion, Audience
and Effect and only the speaker is active and the center
of the model.
o Shannon-Weaver Model
 Shannon Weaver model of communication was created
in 1948 when Claude Elwood Shannon wrote an article
“A Mathematical Theory of Communication” in Bell
System Technical Journal with Warren Weaver.
Shannon was an American mathematician whereas
Weaver was a scientist. The Mathematical theory later
came to be known as Shannon Weaver model of
communication or “mother of all models.” This model is
more technological than other linear models.
 o David Berlo’s SMCR Model
 David Berlo postulated Berlo’s Sender-Message-
Channel-Receiver (SMCR) model of communication
from Shannon Weaver’s Model of
Communication (1949). He described factors affecting
the individual components in the communication making
the communication more efficient.

2) Transactional Model of Communication

 In transactional model, senders and receivers both are known as
communicators and both play equally important role in communication.
Transactional model relates communication with social reality, cultural
up-bringing and relational context (relationships). Non-verbal feedback
like gestures, body language, is also considered as feedback in this
model. Some models that follow Transactional Model are:
o Barlund’s Transactional Model
 Dean Barnlund proposed a transactional model of
communication in 1970 for basic interpersonal
communication which articulates that sending and
receiving of messages happens simultaneously between
people which is popularly known as Barlund’s
Transactional Model of Communication.
o Helical Model of Communication
 Helix is compared with evolution of communication of a
human since birth to existence or existing moment.
Helical model gives geometrical testimony of
communication. The model is linear as well as circular
combined and disagrees the concept of linearity and
circularity individually.
o Becker’s Mosaic Model
 Sam Becker proposed a communication model in “The
Prospect of Rhetoric” (1968), which is known as Becker’s
Mosaic Model of Communication. According to him, the
classical models of communication are not very useful in
contemporary communication. The model explains the
complexity of human communication. It also describes
the randomness of the origin of messages and
communication as a dynamic process.
 3) Interactive Model of Communication
 or convergence model is similar to transactional model as they are
both two way communication model. But, interactive model is mostly
used for new media like internet. Here, people can respond to any
mass communications like videos, news, etc. People can exchange
their views and ideas. Different models that follow interactive model of
communication are:
o Schramm’s Interactive Model
 The Osgood-Schramm model of communication is a
circular, rather than linear, experience that involves a
sender, who encodes a message, and a recipient, who
decodes it. The sender and the receiver hold both roles
in the model. (Alida, n.d.)
c) Functions of Communication
 Regulation/Control - functions to control one’s behaviour
 Social Interaction - used to produce social relationships; used to
develop bonds, intimacy, relations,; used to express preferences,
desires, needs, wants, decisions, goals, and strengths; used for giving
and getting information.
 Motivation - functions to motivate or to encourage people to live
better.
 Information - functions to convey information. Giving information…
 Emotional Expression - facilitates people’s expression of their
feelings and emotions.
d) Elements of Communication
 Sender - The person who intends to convey the message with the
intention of passing information and ideas to others is known as sender
or communicator.
 Idea/Message - This is the subject matter of the communication. This
may be an opinion, attitude, feelings, views, orders, or suggestions .
 Encoding - Since the subject matter of communication is theoretical
and intangible, its further passing requires use of certain symbols such
as words, actions or pictures etc. Conversion of subject matter into
these symbols is the process of encoding.
 Communication Channel - The person who is interested in
communicating has to choose the channel for sending the required
information, ideas etc. This information is transmitted to the receiver
through certain channels which may be either formal or informal.
 Receiver - Receiver is the person who receives the message or for
whom the message is meant for. It is the receiver who tries to
understand the message in the best possible manner in achieving the
desired objectives.
  Decoding - The person who receives the message or symbol from the
communicator tries to convert the same in such a way so that he may
extract its meaning to his complete understanding.
 Feedback - Feedback is the process of ensuring that the receiver has
received the message and understood in the same sense as sender
meant it.
What is Ethical Communication?

- Ethical communication is fundamental to thoughtful decision-making and

responsible thinking. It is about developing and nurturing relationships and
building communities within and across contexts, cultures, channels and
media. Ethical communication is also accepting responsibility for the
messages you convey to others and the short-term or long-term
consequences of your communication. Whether you are talking to a close
friend or addressing the workforce in an all-staff meeting, your message
must be truthful and consistent with your value system. Misleading your
listeners and delivering a message that is clandestine or not truthful is the
antithesis of ethical communication.

Furthermore, ethical communication might extend to the medium or even the

language you choose for delivering your message. Using a medium that
limits the audience or delivering a message in a language that your
audience does not fully understand, limits how your message is received
and perceived. For example, if you are speaking to an audience of primarily
deaf or hearing-impaired employees, ethical communication requires having
a sign-language interpreter.

(Ethical Communication, 2018)

References
Alida, D. (n.d.). Schramm Model of Communication. Retrieved from Study.com:
https://study.com/academy/lesson/osgood-schramm-model-of-communication-definition-
application.html

Bajracharya, S. (2018, January 11). Helical Model of Communication. Retrieved from Businesstopia:
https://www.businesstopia.net/communication/helical-model-communication

Becker's Mosaic Model of Communication. (2018, January 6). Retrieved from Businesstopia:
https://www.businesstopia.net/communication/becker-mosaic-model-communication

Berlo's SMCR. (2018, January 6). Retrieved from Businesstopia:

https://www.businesstopia.net/communication/berlo-model-communication

Ethical Communication. (2018, June 11). Retrieved from BizFluent: https://bizfluent.com/info-8406730-

key-principles-ethical-communication.html
Functions of Communication. (2014, October 14). Retrieved from Oral Com:
https://oralcom.wordpress.com/2016/10/14/functions-of-communication/