Dr. I. D.

Koroma
Business Communication Module – COMM - Year 4
The Role of models in Business Communication
Communication models provide a framework for development-communication
practitioners to build ideas for effective message delivery to a specific audience.
These professionals are constantly developing ways to communicate on behalf of
non-governmental and private organisations in a way that empowers and
mobilises societies for social change. Understanding the concept of each model
enables practitioners in this field to become better communicators. In this article,
we discuss what the communication model is, elements of the communication
process, including how it works and the various types of communication models.
What is the communication model?
The communication model is a systematic representation of the procedure that
aids in understanding the human communication process. Models depict the
process symbolically and conceptually.
Communication models also help to simplify the complex process of conversing
and establish where and with whom communication occurs. There are three
broad categories, including the linear, interactive and transactional models of
communication. Each model offers a unique perspective on the process of
communicating.
Elements of the communication process
The following are common terms in models of communication:
Message: A message represents the information that an individual receives from
a source. For example, you're communicating a message when you send an email
or deliver a speech.
Source or sender: This represents the individual who's delivering a message to a
recipient. It's where or from whom information originates.
Receiver: The receiver represents the individual who's getting the message. For
example, when you listen to a speech, watch a show or read written content,
you're the receiver in the communication process.
Dr. I. D. Koroma
Business Communication Module – Year 4
Noise: Noise includes any factor that affects a communication flow and can
prevent the receiver from getting the right message. This includes physical noise,
such as horn sounds or loud music and encoded signals that create a distraction in
a channel.
Channel: Channels are mediums for conveying a message to the target audience.
This may include phone conversations, text messages, emails, video, radio and
social media.
Encoding: This involves choosing the appropriate words and order to deliver the
intended information to an audience or a receiver. A useful technique for the
sender to improve their message encoding is to imagine the communication from
the receiver's perspective mentally.
How the communication process works?
The following are steps in the communication process:
1. Generation of ideas
The sender starts the communication process by developing an idea they intend
to convey to another person or group of individuals. It's beneficial for the sender
to clarify the concept and purpose of a message. There's a higher possibility of
effective communication if you consider what you aim to achieve and how the
receiver may perceive the message before developing your idea.
2. Encoding the message
After formulating an idea, the sender encodes a message using words, symbols
and actions that convey meaning. Since individuals interpret information
differently, choosing a widely recognised communication method is beneficial to
avoid misinterpretation. It's necessary to note the receiver's communication
abilities, experiences and culture to achieve effective communication.
3. Selecting appropriate channels
The next step in the communication process is to select the most appropriate
medium to convey a message. This could be virtual, verbal or non-verbal means.
Dr. I. D. Koroma
Business Communication Module – Year 4
For example, while delivering customer feedback through emails may be relevant,
visual tools like tables and charts may be more suitable for providing financial
reports.
4. Decoding the message
Decoding involves interpreting a message or turning words into thoughts. After
the recipient receives the message, they evaluate it and seek to comprehend it. If
the sender and receiver share a similar perception, communication between
them may become more effective.
5. Providing feedback
Feedback is essential in communication because it allows the sender to determine
if the recipient comprehends the message. Unless it's a linear communication, the
recipient gives feedback as a reply to the sender. The sender can improve the
quality of the feedback they receive by delivering what the receiver can
comprehend at the initial stage.
Three types of communication models including: (1) The Linear, (2) Interactive,
and (3) Transactional models of communications.
1. The linear model of communication
Linear communication involves conveying a message without receiving any
response from the recipient. It's a one-way communication method that can be
useful for delivering a message to a large group of individuals at once. This
communication model focuses more on the speaker than on the receiver of
information. Examples of linear communication include written content, radio and
television. The following include types of the linear model:
Aristotle's model
The Aristotle model is one of the oldest models of linear communication. It
comprises the speaker, the speech, the listener, the occasion and the effect.
Aristotle's model concentrates on the credibility of the speaker's message and
how they can connect to the listeners without expecting any feedback.
Dr. I. D. Koroma
Business Communication Module – Year 4
Lasswell's model
Lasswell's model aims to explain linear communication by addressing five
message-related questions. These questions seek to understand the message's
communicator, what their information entails, the channel of information
delivery, the audience and the effect on the receiver. This model is useful for
media persuasion and interpersonal or group communication, where the
communicator aims to disseminate a message to several groups in various
situations.
Shannon and Weaver model
The five communication elements featured in this model are the source,
transmitter, channel, decoder, noise and receiver. This model focuses on
telephone and radio cables and proposes that there are static or background
sounds that may disrupt the communication process. These disturbances or
noises refer to any factor that can hinder effective communication between the
sender and receiver of a message.
Berlo's model
Berlo's model is an extension of the Shannon and Weaver model. It explains the
communication process in four steps, including the source, message, channel and
receiver. The model suggests that there are key factors that may influence
communication between two persons, including the social system and cultural
background. Consequently, the elements regulating the message the source
sends also affect how the recipient decodes the information.
2. Interactive model of communication
Interactive communication occurs when everyone in the conversation includes
only the sender and a receiver of a message. Contrary to the linear model, the
interactive model of communication allows feedback. This means that when the
sender conveys information, the receiver can also respond and share their
opinions. An example is a telephone conversation between two colleagues or the
exchange of emails within the work environment. Examples of the interactive
models of communication include:
Dr. I. D. Koroma
Business Communication Module – Year 4
The Osgood-Schramm model
The Osgood-Schramm model is a circular model that represents a reciprocal
manner of communication between a message's sender and receiver. In this
approach, the communication circle fulfils three functions such as encoding,
decoding and interpreting. Both the sender and the receiver encode and decode
information at the same time. This model encourages feedback from the audience
and exhibits good communication by accounting for interpretation.
The Westley and MacLean model
Westley and MacLean emphasise a significant relationship between
environmental responses and communication. According to the model,
communication starts when an individual receives a message and responds based
on their object of orientation or physical surroundings. This implies that several
factors, such as experiences or cultural diversity, can influence how an individual
communicates and responds to the message they receive.
3. Transactional model of communication
The transactional communication model refers to the continuous exchange of
information that occurs between the sender and the recipient at the same time. It
presents communication as a two-way, dynamic process within a social, relational
and cultural framework. The relational environment describes a person's
interpersonal history and the type of relationship they possess with another
person. In the cultural context, many identification components, such as ethnicity
and values, define the flow of communication. At the same time, the social
context includes standards that regulate the communication process. Examples of
this model include:
Barnlund's transactional model
According to Barnlund's transactional model of communication, sending and
receiving messages are mutually exclusive. This model suggests that the
effectiveness of communication is the responsibility of both the sender and
receiver.
Dr. I. D. Koroma
Business Communication Module –COMM - Year 4
The model also indicates that individuals communicate to form intercultural
relationships and build communities.
Dance's Helical model
Dance's model depicts communication as a dynamic, non-linear, continuous and
evolutionary process.
The model proposes how the communication process continues to expand and
evolve as individuals send messages and receive feedback from one another. For
example, communication between two strangers develops into a less formal
dialogue as they interact continuously. This measure signifies that previous
experiences and conduct can influence communication flow.

Remember!
The main models of business communication can be split into three categories:
Linear models – only looks at one-way communication.
Interactive models – looks at two-way communication.
Transactional models – looks at two-way communication where the message gets
more complex as the communication event (e.g. conversation) progresses etc.