Communication: Process, Principles, and Globalization

The English word ‘communication’ is derived from the Latin noun ‘communis’ and the Latin
verb ‘communicare’ that means ‘to make common’. Communication is the process of sharing
meaning through verbal and nonverbal means such as voice, facial expression, gestures,
movement, posture and the like.

The definition of communication is "sending, giving, or exchanging information and ideas,"

which is often expressed nonverbally and verbally. Non-verbal communication is the act of
saying what's on your mind without speaking words. Examples of this include facial gestures
(smiling, frowning), body language (arms crossed, legs shaking resembling nervousness, sitting
upright giving someone their full attention), and the impression you give to others with your
appearance (dress, body image, body odor). Also, the tone of your voice can be expressed non-
verbally. For instance, if you are saying one thing, but your tone of voice is saying another, then
that reflects how you are truly feeling without speaking a word about it. Verbal communication
is the act of saying what's on your mind with words.

What is Communication?

• When you explain an idea to someone, you are trying to share the idea.

• If your communication is successful, then both you and the other person have a common
understanding about the idea.

• If the communication is unsuccessful, then you may have a misunderstanding that can affect
your working relationship and your business.

• In essence, the real communication that occurs is not merely the words spoken or written by
you, but also what another person understands about the words or actions you have used.

Process of Communication

1. The communication process begins with the presence of the stimulus like an idea, news or a
positive or negative remark or comment that activates the sensory processes of a person- the
sender message.

2. The stimulus is forwarded to the brain’s nerve fibers which recognize the event and whose
perception is affected by the sender’s experience, environment and culture. The brain identifies
the stimulus and evaluates its merit- if it is constructive or destructive.

3. The sender’s thoughts are being encoded into words or language symbols. These words should
be the same language the listener knows and understands. But if the sender perceives that the
receiver will not understand his language, he must rephrase or rearrange his words.
4. The speaker is now ready to say aloud what he thinks. He can now “externalize” his thoughts
through channels (voice, touch, physical presence, bodily movement, facial expression, gestures,
and other available movement.

5. The speaker speaks in proper sequence to transmit his message. Pressure waves are created
and his muscles either tighten or relax which causes the hands to move.

6. The message is heard and the speaker’s gestures are seen by the receiver who acts and senses.
The visual auditory nerves are triggered by the speaker’s voice and gestures.

7. The receiver decodes the message he received from sound to language and encodes his own
message thoughts to words.

8. The receiver’s response is carried by wave lengths to the first speaker.

9. The first sender receives the receiver’s response, evaluates and reacts to the message using the
same channel and the same manner of interchange. This is feedback and this goes on until both
parties feel that the purpose of communication is fulfilled.

Two or more persons are involved in the act, the one who gives information (sender) and the one
who receives it (receiver). What is being shared? An idea or information, or an attitude
(message) is being shared. And through what means? The information is shared or exchanged
through certain signs or symbols; it could be language, oral or written. While sharing and
exchanging ideas or information with others, we are actually interaction with people and
establishing a kind of relationship that helps us to achieve the task set before us.

Elements of Communication
Communication is divided into elements which help us better understand its mechanics or
process.

Speaker – the source of information or message.

Encoding – the process of converting the message into words, actions or non-verbal methods
such as symbols, signs, body gestures, etc. to translate the information into a message, or other
forms that the speaker understands.

Message – the information, ideas, or thoughts conveyed by the speaker in words or actions

Channel – the medium or the means, such as personal or non-personal, verbal or nonverbal, in
which the encoded message is conveyed. Oral, virtual, written, sound, gesture, etc. are some of
the commonly used communication mediums

Receiver – the recipient of the message, or someone who decodes the message

Decoding – the process of interpreting the encoded message of the speaker by the receiver

Feedback – the reactions, responses, or information provided by the receiver. It increases the
effectiveness of the communication as it permits the sender to know the efficacy of his message.
The response of the receiver can be verbal or non-verbal.

Context – the environment where the communication takes place

Barrier – the factors that affect the flow of communication.

Barriers in Communication
Physical Noise- technical or physical noise refers to loud noise of the machines or blaring noise
of the stereo and such other noises, which makes it difficult for any listener to receive the
‘wanted’ message. Visual noise can be experienced when a committee member arrives late at the
meeting hall and all the committee members are distracted by his arrival. Poor telephone
connection which interrupts conversations, smudged type scripts and bad handwriting are some
examples of the technical noise.

Physiological barrier- distraction caused by hunger, fatigue, headaches, etc. that affect how you
feel and think. Examples are extreme temperature, thirst.

Psychological barrier- refers to the opinions, attitudes, consciousness, emotions, etc. of a person
that deeply affects the ability to communicate. Lack of attention, premature evaluation, poor
retention, distrust, emotions, and loss by transmission are psychological barrier.

Language barrier- if the communicator and the receiver belong to different language groups,
their ignorance of each other’s language or the lack of common language will be a barrier to
communication between them. It is not possible for them to communicate with each other unless
they know some common language, which is properly, understood by both of them.

Semantic Barrier- a word may have a variety of meanings and the meaning attributed to a word
by the communicator may not be the same as that of the receiver’s attributed meanings of that
word. A word can have different meaning to different people at different occasions.
 Poor vocabulary makes our message more difficult and less effective. It does not allow
the communicator to write or speak effectively. If does not allow the receiver to
understand the message clearly. If the receiver does not understand the words, he cannot
properly comprehend the sentences.

Principles of Communication
Completeness – complete communication is essential to the quality of the communication
process in general. Hence, communication should include everything that the receiver needs to
hear for him/her to respond, react, or evaluate properly.

Conciseness – conciseness does not mean keeping the message short, but making it direct or
straight to the point. Insignificant or redundant information should be eliminated from the
communication that will be sent to the recipient. Repetition and over-explanation are likely to
destroy the actual meaning and importance of the message. Moreover, the reader may feel
disturbed by receiving a long message.

Consideration – to be effective, the speaker should always consider relevant information about
his/her receiver such as mood, background, race, preference, education, status, needs, among
others. By doing so, he/she can easily build rapport with the audience.

Concreteness – effective communication happens when the message is concrete and supported
by facts, figures, and real-life examples and situations.

Courtesy – the speaker shows courtesy in communication by respecting the culture, values, and
beliefs of the receiver.

Clarity – a message should be clear, free from distortion, noise, and should use simple and
specific words to express ideas. It is also achieved when the speaker focuses only on a single
objective in his/her speech so as not to confuse the audience. Message should be given using
simple and familiar words. Vague and technical words should be avoided. Simple words are easy
to understand and help the receiver to respond quickly.

Correctness – correctness in grammar eliminates negative impact on the audience and increases
the credibility and effectiveness of the message.

Timeliness – if communication is made in time, communication becomes effective. If it is made

untimely then it may become useless.

Feedback – to provide a message to the receiver is not a complete communication. The response
from a receiver is essential. Therefore feedback is required for communication to be effective.

The Effects of Globalization on Global Communication

By: Anam Ahmed
Reviewed by: Elisa Shoenberger, M.B.A.
Connecting with people on the other side of the world is now much easier than it was a
few years ago. Satellites, fiber-optic cables and the internet make it effortless to share
information with those in different time zones and locations. Global communication is
directly affected by the process of globalization, and helps to increase business opportunities,
remove cultural barriers and develop a global village. Both globalization and global
communication have changed the environmental, cultural, political and economic elements of
the world.

Increased Business Opportunities

Many companies today hire employees that are located in other countries. Using
communication vehicles such as video calling make it simple to converse with colleagues
across the globe, almost making it feel as if they are in the same room. Technology also makes
it easier to connect with suppliers and customers all over the world, and to streamline those
relationship through improves ordering, shipment tracking and so on. With this kind of
communication technology, many businesses are able to take advantage of opportunities in
different countries or cities, improving the economic outlook on a global level.
Thanks to global communications, information itself can be transferred as a valuable
business asset from one country to another. This has the effect of making everyone's operations
more modern and efficient, regardless where they are located.

Fewer Cultural Barriers

Many people perceive culture to be the root of communication challenges. When people
from two different cultures try to exchange information, the way they speak, their body
language or their mannerisms can be interpreted differently by the other person. The way
people approach problems and how they participate in communities is all influenced by
culture.
 Globalization has made it possible, for example, for someone in Japan to understand
how someone in the U.S. goes about their day. With television and movies, cultural barriers are
becoming less prevalent. Being able to communicate effectively and frequently with colleagues
or friends across the planet helps people understand each other’s cultures a little better.

Creation of a Global Village

You’ve likely heard of the phrase "global village," coined by theorist Marshall
McLuhan. Affected both by globalization and global communication, the global village is
created when distance and isolation no longer matter because people are connected by
technology. Wide-spread telephone and internet access have been life-changing for many
people across the world, especially those in developing countries. Many are now enrolling in
universities across the world without having to leave their desk chair. Virtual assistant jobs are
becoming commonplace, where employees from developing countries work with companies in
North America or Europe, providing administrative support and other business services that
can easily be conducted over the phone or via the internet.
Globalization and global communication have made it easier to see people on the other side of
the world as a neighbor, instead of a stranger from a faraway land. There is so much
knowledge about other countries and cultures available online, that it’s no longer a complete
mystery.

Local and Global Communication in Multicultural Settings

Culture is the patterns of learned and shared behavior and beliefs of a particular social, ethnic, or
age group. Such values affect how you think and act and, more importantly, the kind of criteria
by which you judge others. It shapes are social relationships, maintaining and challenging social
order, determining how we make sense of the world and our place in it, and in shaping our
everyday actions and experiences in society.

Multiculturalism refers to the presence of people with several cultures in a specific setting. It is
the co-existence of diverse cultures, where cultures includes racial, religious, or cultural groups
and is manifested in customary behaviors, cultural assumptions and values, patterns of thinking,
and communicative styles.

Intra-cultural Communication is the type of communication that takes place between members of
the same culture or has culturally similar backgrounds. It is the exchange of meaningful
messages between members of the same cultural group.

Cross-cultural Communication- It is a comparison and contrast of interactions among people

from the same culture to those from another culture. It accounts to some interaction and
recognition of differences but has limited understanding.

Intercultural Communication- This is the negotiated understanding of meaning in human

experiences across languages and cultures. A symbolic, interpretive, transactional, contextual
process, in which people from different cultures create, shared meaning. Participants in
intercultural communication adjust, accommodate, and appeal to commonality—exercise cultural
sensitivity and employ intercultural skills.

Intercultural Competence- is the ability to communicate with people of other cultures by

minimizing the potential for conflict and misunderstanding. One of the key components of this is
gaining what is referred to as "cultural self-awareness." Culturally self-aware people learn to
recognize the effects that culture has on their perceptions and values.

Skills of Cultural Awareness

The capacity to…

1…communicate respect
2…be non-judgmental
3…personalized knowledge and perceptions
4…display empathy
5…demonstrate role flexibility
6…demonstrate reciprocal concern
7…tolerate ambiguity

Political Correctness- a term applied to language, ideas, policies, or behavior seen as seeking to
minimize offense to gender, racial, cultural, disabled, aged or other identity groups.
Inappropriate: She is looking after her insane mother.
Politically Correct: She is looking after her mentally challenged mother.

Inappropriate: An actress is usually nervous before the show.

Politically Correct: Actors are usually nervous before the show.

Inappropriate: He is as blind as a bat.

Politically Correct: He is visually challenged.

Inappropriate: Jane is an emotional cripple.

Politically Correct Jane finds it difficult to express her feelings.

Varieties and Registers of Spoken and Written Language

Language variety refers to the various forms of language triggered by social factors.

Language my change from region to region, from one social class to another, from individual to
individual, and from situation to situation. This actual changes result in the varieties of language.

1. Dialect includes the differences in grammar, morphology, vocabulary, syntax, and

pronunciation. It also refers to the way people speak their native language.

Examples:
Southern states say “y’all” while most of the US citizens say “you guys”.
Americans call it “highway” while in the West they call it “freeway”.

2. Pidgin is a simplified language derived from two or more languages used by people who do
not share a common language in a given geographical location.
3. Creole is a pidgin that is used by native speakers and with fully developed grammar and
syntax.
Example: Chavacano is a Spanish-based creole spoken in Zamboanga, Philippines.

4. Register refers to a particular ways of using language, whether formal or informal in particular
contexts and in social situations.

Types of Register

1. Frozen-This form is sometimes called the static register because it refers to historic language or
communication that is intended to remain unchanged, like a constitution or prayer. These are specific
written or oral acts that never change that is why it is static and they sometimes include old grammar or
vocabulary.

Examples: The Bible, the United States Constitution, the Bhagavad Gita, National anthems, religious
books, laws, famous speeches, the Bill of Rights, etc.

2. Consultative-People use this register often in conversation when they're speaking with someone who
has specialized knowledge or who is offering advice. Tone is often respectful (use of courtesy titles) but
may be more casual if the relationship is longstanding or friendly (a family doctor.) Slang is sometimes
used; people may pause or interrupt one another. Examples: the local TV news broadcast, an annual
physical, a service provider like a plumber. Some examples include a doctor's appointment, a meeting
with the school principal, or any first meeting between strangers.

3. Casual-This is the register people use when they're with friends, close acquaintances and co-workers,
and family. It's probably the one you think of when you consider how you talk with other people, often in
a group setting. Use of slang, contractions, and vernacular grammar is all common, and people may also
use expletives or off-color language in some settings. Examples: a birthday party, a backyard barbecue.

4. Intimate- Linguists say this register is reserved for special occasions, usually between only two people
and often in private. Intimate language may be something as simple as an inside joke between two college
friends or a word whispered in a lover's ear.

5. Formal- The formal register is used in professional, academic, or legal settings where communication
is expected to be respectful, uninterrupted, and restrained. Slang is never used, and contractions are rare.

Examples: a TED talk, a business presentation, the Encyclopedia Britannica, "Gray's Anatomy" by Henry
Gray.

Formal register is more appropriate for professional writing and speaking.

Formal writing includes:
• Business letters
• Letters of complaint
• Reports
• Speeches
• Announcements
• Professional emails

Rules for Formal Language Register

1. Do not use contractions

ex: cannot instead of can’t
have not instead of haven’t
will not instead of won’t
In formal writing, you should spell out contractions.

Contractions can only be used if you are quoting someone’s exact words in your writing.
Example:
“Two-thirds of my eighth grade students can’t read at grade level,” the professor stated.

2. Spell out numbers less than one hundred

Ex: nineteen, twenty-two, seventy-eight

3. Write in third person point of view

AVOID using: I, you, we, us

The beauty of writing in the third person point of view is that it gives your work an element of
objectivity and flexibility. We usually write in third person when it is an academic writing, and
creative writing. If you are working on anything formal such as argumentative, and research
paper, then you must use third person pronoun. This is because it gives your work a picture of
objectivity rather than personal thoughts. This aspect of objectivity will make your work look
more credible and less biased. The third person will allow you to focus your work on available
facts rather than your thoughts.
Third person pronouns: he, she, his, her, it, himself, herself, itself, they, them, their, themselves.
Indefinite third person pronoun refers to an unspecified or unidentified person or thing. They
allow us to refer to large groups of people, places, or things without having to mention exact
names. Examples are: anyone, nobody, some, several, many, every, and all.

Indefinite third person pronouns are:

• You can purchase a car for under $10,000.
 One can purchase a car for under $10,000.
 A car can be purchased for under $10,000.
• You will probably see an elephant on an African safari.
 One may see elephant on an African safari.
 Elephants are common sight on African safari.
• We decided to invest in the company.
 The group decided to invest in the company.

In academic writing, you should never use first person pronouns because it will make your work
stand from your perspective. Your work will look more personal or of your opinion.
First person pronouns are I, me, my, mine, myself.

4. Avoid using too much passive voice.

Passive sentence- the subject is acted upon by the verb.
Active sentence- the subject performs the action stated by the verb.
Passive sentences:
The bone was eaten by the dog.
The research was completed by the students in 2009.
Active sentences:
The dog ate the bone.
The students completed the research in 2009.
In 2009, the students completed the research.

5. Avoid using slang, idioms, exaggeration and clichés.

Slang is common in informal writing and spoken English. Slang is particular to a certain region
or area.
Examples:
Awesome, cool, ok, check it out, in a nutshell
A cliché is a phrase that is overused (said too often)

Examples:
• Too much of a good thing
• Moment of truth
 • Time is money.
• Don’t push your luck

6. Avoid abbreviations and acronyms.

Examples:
Influenza- flu
United States of America- USA
Tablespoon- tbsp.

7. Do not start sentences with words like, and, so, but, also
Use transition words and phrases such as:
• Nevertheless
• Additionally
• However
• Although
• As a result

8. Always write in correct grammar.

Evaluating Messages and/or Images of Different Types of Texts

1) What is the message?

2) What is the purpose of the message?
3) How is the message conveyed by the text and/or image?
4) Who is the target audience of the message?
5) What other ways of presenting the message are there?

Narrative Text- The purpose of a narrative text is to relate and tell a story. A narrative text can
tell a personal story about the author themselves, a story about another actual person, or a story
about someone or something that is fictional.

Descriptive Texts- The purpose pf descriptive texts is to describe people, places and things with
vivid detail that gives the reader of the descriptive text an opportunity to gain a deep
understanding of and appreciation of the topic that is being discussed.
Expository Texts- The purpose of expository texts is to expose and relate facts and facts alone in
order to provide the readers of the text with the opportunity to get an analysis of subject or topic
of the text and the facts relating to it.
Problem and Solution Texts- The purpose of a problem and solution text is to present a problem,
some possible solutions to the problem and what the reader can do to solve the problem.
Cause and Effect Texts- The purpose of cause and effect text is to present the cause or causes of
a particular effect or problematic result(s) and the reason why these causes occur.
Clue words and Hints: Some of the clue words that can be found in cause and effect texts can
include cause, causes, impacts on, leads to, due to and results from.
Persuasive Texts- The purpose is to present arguments and information from different
viewpoints, to change or influence the reader’s way of thinking.
Clue words and Hints: Some of the clue words that are often found in persuasive texts include
based on, the fact that, in my opinion, I believe that, without a doubt, certainly and in my opinion
or it is my belief.
Argumentative Texts- The purpose of argumentative texts is to detail and compare the author's
arguments with details about the pros and the cons of the argument so that the author can bolster
their argument and refute the cons against the author's argument, respectively.
Clue words and Hints: Some of the clue words that are often found in argumentative texts
include based on, the fact that, in my opinion, I believe strongly that, without any doubt, most
certainly and in my strong opinion or it is my firm or strong belief.
Compare and Contrast Texts- The purpose of compare and contrast texts are to explore the
similarities and differences between and among different things.
Clue words and Hints: Some of the clue words that can be found in compare and contrast texts
include similar, similar to, like, commonalities, different, different, differentiated from, different
from, in contrast to, and as compared and/or contrasted to.
Informational Texts- The purpose of informational texts is to inform the readers by providing
information and/or education.
Clue words and Hints: Some of the clue words that can often be found in informational texts
include, first, next, because, the fact that and for this reason.
Entertainment and Humor Texts- The purpose of entertainment and humor texts is to simply
provide the reader with entertainment, including humor.
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