Unit 1

What is communication: The word “communication” is taken from the Latin word “communicare”
which is also taken from the word “commune”. The word “commune” means to share ideas,
feelings, according to the Grolier’s dictionary. Communication is the process of imparting or
interchanging of thoughts and opinions by speech, writing or signs.

Definition of Communication:

“Communication is the imparting, conveying, or exchanging of ideas, knowledge, etc. –

whether by Speech, writing or signs” --- Oxford English Dictionary.

Importance of Communication: importance of communication can be

understood at two primary stages-

1. Importance of Communication in an Organization

2. The Importance of Communication in Society & Personal Life

1. Importance of Communication in an Organization:

Effective communication is required at various levels and for various aspects in an

organization---

 For Establishing Healthy Manager – Employee Relations

 For Boosting up Motivation and Employee Morale
 For Increasing Productivity & Profit
 For Establishing Harmony & Teamwork amongst Employees
 Good communication encourages motivational skills. It is a mode of information in the decision-
making process. Communication emphasises socialising within or outside the organisational
structure. It helps in controlling the process. Employees have to follow the organisation rule, code
of conduct and other company policies.

So, effective communication is very important for successful working of an organization. Business
writing software with grammar checker and text enrichment tool, which enhances a simple sentence
into more professional and sophisticated one, can be used for writing effective business
communications.

2. The Importance of Communication in Society & Personal Life

Every individual expresses its thoughts and carries out its affairs through the medium of
communication. Communication is required at various levels in society and personal life--

Communication Makes Our Relationship Stronger: Communication is the thread that holds the
fabric of our relationship together. As that thread weakens, so does the fabric, until it starts to fray.
And eventually, there is nothing left. But it doesn't have to be that way. There are so many things
that you can do to keep that thread strong and keep your relationship integral.

Communication is Related to Self Confidence: People who know how to listen well and convey
their message to others are almost always more confident than people who haven’t learned these
skills. As you grow older and communicate with other people on a regular basis, you will notice an
increase in your confidence. This skill will strengthen your relationships, minimize the risk of
misunderstandings and improve your self-confidence.

Thus, communication, at personal as well as professional level, is the key to a successful life.

Process of Communication: What are the 7 steps of the communication process?

Source or sender: The person who conceptualized the idea and wants it delivered to the recipient.
Message: The idea, fact or opinion that the sender wants to communicate.
Encoding: The way the information is described or translated into a coded message.
Channel: The mode of delivering the message.
Receiver: The target audience of the message.
Decoding: The interpretation of the coded message into thoughts.
Feedback: The response or action a receiver takes after decoding a message.
Context: Context can have an impact on the successful exchange of information. It may have a
physical, social, or cultural aspect to it.

Barriers to communication: At each stage in the process of encoding, transmission, and decoding
there is the possibility of interference which may hinder the communication process. This
interference is known as noise.

Physiological barriers: these barriers to communication are related with the limitations of the
human body and the human mind (memory, attention, and perception). Physiological barriers may
result from individuals' personal discomfort, caused by ill-health, poor eye sight, or hearing
difficulties.

Physical barriers: Physical barriers to communication are those that arise due to certain factors like
faulty equipment, noise, closed doors and cabins that cause the information sent from sender to
receiver to become distorted, which results in improper communication.

Cultural barriers: these barriers prevent people from different cultures from effectively
communicating and working with each other. Cultural barriers can be caused by differences in
languages, beliefs, or values.

Language barriers:
Linguistic differences
Limited proficiency
Accents
Unfamiliar writing systems
Lack of cultural awareness
Non-verbal misinterpretations

Gender barriers:
Workplace culture
Lack of female leaders.
Gender stereotypes.
Lack of flexible work practices.
Affordability and accessibility of childcare.
Sexism.
Lack of mentors.
Societal expectations regarding gender roles (e.g., household work/childcare)

Interpersonal barriers these occur due to the inappropriate transaction of words between two or
more people. The two broad categories into which this barrier can be classified are:
1. Inefficiency in communication skills
2. Negative aspect nurturing in the climate
Psychological barriers to communication are internal states that inhibit communication. These
barriers can include:
Inattentiveness, Lack of sleep, Intoxication, Stress, Mental illnesses, Physical barriers, Cultural
barriers, Emotional barriers, Perceptual barriers, Semantic barriers, Attitudinal barriers, Language
barriers.
Emotional barriers: These barriers are typically rooted in the emotions, attitudes, and past
experiences of individuals, and they can significantly impact the quality and clarity of
communication. Emotional barriers can appear in various ways, such as fear, anxiety, anger, lack of
trust, and emotional insecurities.

Perspectives in communication
Introduction: A perspective in communication explains how words and signs are used to form a
message, what is its meaning, how the message is spread and how the message is spread through
media, organizations, and society.
Communication perspective is a method to find out how the messages are sent, how it has its
influence on an individual and his/her behaviour and also studies how messages are formed. Through
communication perspective experts read the message, type of a message and how people will think
and understand that message.
The individual perception can be basically classified into two main types-
Visual perception: Visual perception is the ability to see and demonstrate the visual information that
surrounds us. The method of assimilating one's environment is referred to as perception. If
perception is inaccurate or altered in any way, problems with reading, spelling the words,
handwriting and changes in comprehension may occur.
Language: Another way we experience perspective in communication is through language. And it is
a fundamental tool of human communication. However, we should also take into consideration that
languages change based on region, country or ethnicity. Thus, people may interpret these messages
differently.
Other factors affecting our perspective are:
Past experiences, prejudices, feelings, environment