Chapter 7 - Foundation of Interpersonal and Group Behavior

The Interpersonal Nature of Organizations

Interpersonal skills refer to the manager’s ability to communicate with, understand, and relate to both individuals and
groups. Managers interact with many different people, including subordinates, peers, those at higher levels of the
organization, and colleagues from other organizations. A great deal of what all managers do daily involves interacting with
other people, both directly and indirectly and both inside and outside of the organization. This compressed daily schedule
does not include several other brief telephone calls, brief conversations with his assistant, and brief conversations with other
managers. Clearly, interpersonal relations, communication, and group processes are a pervasive part of all organizations
and a vital part of all managerial activities. So, just imagine the differences in effectiveness if this manager has strong
interpersonal skills as compared to someone else with poor interpersonal skills.

Interpersonal Dynamics
The nature of interpersonal relations in an organization is as varied as the individual members themselves. At one extreme,
interpersonal relation can be personal and positive. This occurs when the two parties know each other, have mutual respect
and affection, and enjoy interacting. Two managers who have known each other for years, play golf together on weekends,
and are close personal friends will likely interact at work in a positive fashion. At the other extreme, interpersonal dynamics
can be personal but negative. This is most likely when the parties dislike each other, do not have mutual respect, and do not
enjoy interacting. Suppose a manager has fought openly for years to block the promotion of another manager within the
organization. Over the objections of the first manager, however, the other manager eventually gets promoted to the same
rank. When the two of them must interact, it will most likely be in a negative manner. Most interactions fall between these
extremes, as members of the organization interact in a professional way and focus primarily on goal accomplishment.
These interactions deal with the job at hand, are relatively formal and structured, and are task directed.

In another example, two managers may respect each other’s work and recognize the professional competence that each
brings to the job. However, they may also have few common interests and little to talk about besides the job they are doing.
These different types of interactions may occur between individuals, between groups, or between individuals and groups,
and they can change over time. Two managers may decide to bury the hatchet and adopt a detached, professional manner.
In doing so they could find more common ground than they anticipated, and their interactions could help their relationship
evolve into one that is more positive on a professional as well as personal level.

Outcomes of Interpersonal Behaviors

A variety to things can happen as a result of interpersonal behaviors. Numerous perspectives on motivation suggest that
most people have social needs. For many people, interpersonal relations in organizations can be a primary source for
satisfying this need. For a person with a strong need for affiliation, high-quality interpersonal relations can be an important
positive element in the workplace. However, when this same person is confronted with poor-quality working relationships,
the effect can be just as great in the other direction. Interpersonal relations also serve as a solid basis for social support.
Suppose that an employee receives a poor performance evaluation or is denied a promotion. Others in the organization can
lend support because they share a common frame of reference —an understanding of the causes and consequences of
what happened. Good interpersonal relations throughout an organization can also be a source of synergy. People who
support one another and who work well together can accomplish much more than people who do not support one another
and who do not work well together.

Another outcome is conflict — people may leave an interpersonal exchange feeling angry or hostile. A common thread is
woven through all of these outcomes — interactions between people in the organization. A manager with strong
interpersonal skills is well-positioned to understand, manage, capitalize on, and help improve interactions among others.
An effective place to start understanding the role and impact of interpersonal skills in the workplace is the basic nature of
the relationship between individuals and organizations. It is also helpful to gain an appreciation of the nature of individual
differences.
The Nature of Groups

Definition of Groups
Group is defined by Baron and Byrne (1988) as follows: “Groups consist of two or more persons engaged in social
interaction who have some stable structure relationship with one another, are interdependent, share common goals and
perceive that they are in fact part of a group.” Thus when two or more individuals gather together to serve a common
purpose or common motive it is called a group.

Type of Groups
a) Formal Groups - A group that managers establish to achieve organization goals. E.g.: Product development team,
college faculty, finance dept. of a company
b) Informal Group - A group that managers or non-managerial employees form to help achieve their own goals or to
meet their own needs. Bring together people to meet their social needs. This group forms naturally. E.g.: Orkut.
Facebook.

5 Group Development Stages

 Forming - Teams are generally new teams that are learning how to work together. Members tend to be tentative
and polite and to have little conflict. Need to identify their purpose, develop group norms, identify group processes,
define roles, build relationships and trust. Usually need a strong leader who can help the team go through its
forming activities
 Storming - Teams have moved past the early forming stages and are now encountering some disagreements
and/or conflict. This is natural, but teams need to find effective ways to handle conflict before they can move on to
the next stage. Tend to exhibit increased conflict, less conformity and “jockeying” for power. Need to learn how to
resolve conflict; clarify their roles, power, and structure; and build consensus through re-visiting purpose. Need
leaders and other team members who are willing to identify issues and resolve conflict
 Norming - Teams have successfully moved out of the storming stage and are ready to move to a higher level of
communication and problem-solving. Members demonstrate an improved ability to complete tasks, solve problems,
resolve conflict. Need to learn to engage in more sophisticated problem-solving and decision-making, continue the
use of effective strategies for conflict resolution and take greater levels of responsibility for their roles. Leaders
become less directive, team members feel empowered, and multiple leaders emerge
 Performing - Teams are at the highest level of performance and can process their strengths and weaknesses while
accomplishing their goals. Team takes a flexible approach to roles and structures depending on the task at hand.
The team is able to evaluate its effectiveness and views conflict is viewed as an opportunity. Stage 4 teams tend to
be energetic, creative, and fun!  Need to hold high expectations for their performance. They often use sub-groups
as well as the large group for decision-making and task completion. Teams also recognize the need to ensure that
all members are in agreement with the role and purpose of sub-groups. Often difficult to identify the leader,
because
 Adjourning - Teams are at not at their highest level of performance as teams may disband or group members may
leave. The team may disband on achieving their goals or because the group members leave. Instead of high task
performance the priority of the group is to conclude its activities. The most effective interventions in this stage are
those that facilitate task termination and the disengagement process. It involves the termination of task behaviors
and disengagement from relationships. Develop a closure activity to help members determine what they have
learned/how they have benefited,

Differentiating Teams from Groups

Whether you’re a new team or an existing group, creating an enjoyable workplace that practices transparent communication
is key. Surprisingly enough, there is a big difference between leading a group vs. a team. While they may seem similar,
there are many key differences between the two that can affect the way you work. In order to improve your working
relationships it’s important to understand the differences between a group vs. a team and how to encourage healthy
communication styles in the workplace.

Group vs. Team

A group is a collection of individuals who coordinate their efforts, while a team is a group of people who share a common
goal. While similar, the two are different when it comes to decision-making and teamwork. In a work group, group members
are independent from one another and have individual accountability. On the other hand, in a team, team members share a
mutual accountability and work closely together to solve problems. These dynamics inform the way tasks are handled and
overall collaboration.

Types of Teams

Meaning of a Team
A Team is a collection of individuals organized to accomplish a common purpose, who are interdependent, and who can be
identified as a team by themselves and supervisors. Teams exist within a larger organization and interact with other teams
and the organization. Teams are a way for an organization to gather input from members and provide members of the
organization with a sense of participation in the pursuit of organizational goals. In addition, Teams allows organizations
flexibility in assigning members to projects and allows for the formation of cross-functional groups.

7 Types of Teams
There are seven types of teams: – Project Teams, Operational Teams, Virtual Teams, Self-Managed Teams, Problem
Solving Teams, Informal Teams and Leadership Teams.
1. Project Teams: – A project team represents a group of individuals with shared goals and strategies. Tasks in a
project team are specifically structured with stipulated deadlines, roles and responsibilities, etc. The members of a
project team are usually gathered to work on a specific project or objective. The members may be from the same
department or from different departments depending on the requirements of the project. Project teams are usually
brought together for a specific time period and eventually disbanded after the project is completed. Team members
are under the supervision of a project manager and report to him. Efficient functioning of the project team requires
smooth collaboration and communication among the team members. Project teams are further divided into four
categories, all of which are listed below with a brief description.
a) Functional Teams: – Functional teams consist of a group of individuals with specific skills and education.
Functional teams include members of the same department. When working within these teams, you share
different responsibilities than other members. For example, the marketing team is concerned with brand
promotion and awareness; The sales team is responsible for driving revenue, and so on. All the members of the
functional team work towards the achievement of a common goal associated with the organization’s goal. This
team is usually permanent and managed by a manager who leads the projects. All team members report to the
manager.
b) Cross-Functional Team: – Cross-functional teams, as the name suggests, are teams whose members are
selected from different departments for projects that require diverse skills. Cross-functional teams share
similarities with functional teams, with the primary difference being that team members come from various
departments. Teams tend to work together on a specific project and often split up after the project is completed.
Cross-functional teams have been gaining popularity in recent years but one study reported that 75% of these
teams are bad.
c) Matrix Team: – Matrix team works according to matrix management approach where team members report to
more than one boss i.e., two boss metrics. Working in a Matrix team requires a lot of patience as individuals
have to deal with two bosses, which can be cumbersome. Also, it can create confusion in the team and create
difficulty in the decision-making process.
d) Contract Team: – Contract teams are the last of the project teams. Contract teams are assembled by
outsourcing resources. The company signs a contract with the team for a specific project. Once the project is
complete, the organization can disband the team. Contract teams often work remotely which makes it difficult
 for the PM to lead the team. He has to communicate with all the team members and monitor their performance
to ensure the team is on track.
2. Operational Teams (support): –The operational team in an organization is responsible for the smooth functioning of
other teams. The members of this team support other teams in carrying out their responsibilities efficiently. They
ensure that there is no hindrance in the progress of a project and things are completed on time. In addition,
members of an operational team have specified roles and responsibilities. Therefore, they can have their own
projects as well. The operations team manages and optimizes work in an organization to ensure profitability. It
supports other teams to help them achieve their goals successfully.
3. Virtual Teams: – Virtual teams do not interact in real life and rely on different tools to collaborate in their work.
These teams often have members from different geographic regions. Virtual teams are the future of the business
world. People are looking for opportunities to work from home because of the work-life balance it offers. As a result
of remote work, virtual teams are formed. These teams bring together creative individuals from different parts of the
world, resulting in better ideas and more creativity. In addition, remote working also increases productivity rates,
with a survey showing that 77% of individuals feel more productive while working from home.
4. Self-Managed Teams: – Self-managed teams have no managers or leaders. Team members are themselves
responsible for decisions and actions. They self-identify and define roles and responsibilities, work together to
resolve issues, and set expectations. Self-managed teams have more autonomy and are therefore more flexible.
Furthermore, since they define their own rules, they can manage time and tasks as per their choice. The team
members of self-managed teams are the most empowered. Each person brings their own skills to the table and
adds to the overall efficiency of the team. Also, it has been reported that self-managed teams can be 15-20% more
productive than other types of teams. Team members in a self-managed team have more room for improvement
and continually upgrade their skills.
5. Problem Solving Teams: – Problem-solving teams are temporarily assembled. They are usually brought together in
case of crisis or unplanned event. The purpose of such a team is to solve the problem and get the company out of
trouble. The team consists of leaders and team members from different departments who sit together to work out
problem solving in the smooth functioning of an organization. The output of these teams strengthens the structure
of the organization and reduces the risk of potential issues.
6. Informal Teams: – Unlike other teams, informal teams are not created by the company but by the employees.
These teams are not under the supervision of a project manager. As informal teams are formed by employees, they
communicate more, have better productivity rates, and are more efficient. Individuals in an informal team share
common interests and are better connected. They share a strong bond which makes work more fun for them.
7. Leadership Teams: – Leadership teams consist of leaders from different departments who work together to devise
new strategies to work better. Leadership team members are skilled and experienced individuals. Each person
brings their expertise to the fore, and overall, they create a plan for the betterment of the company.

Implementing Teams in Organization

You may be surprised to find out that there are many different ways to achieve an organizational structure that improves
team efficiency. A team structure defines the relationships between activities, leadership, and team members. While this
may seem simple enough, team structures can have a huge impact on the distribution of authority and how teams
collaborate and work together on a daily basis. Each organizational structure features a different chain of command and
offers unique ways to encourage teamwork with the help of collaboration software. Likewise, each of these helps to form
relationship dynamics and create a collegial work environment.

10 Most Effective Ways to Organize A Team

1. Hierarchical structure - A hierarchical format is the basis of most organizational charts. A hierarchy is organized into
a pyramid-like structure, with executives, directors, managers, and employees in order from the highest level to the
lowest in the chain. This is by far the most widely used structure and creates clear boundaries between team
members. Many organizations use the traditional hierarchy structure, though there are many variations you can
choose from. These include a process-based and circular structure, which use a similar hierarchy but are visualized
in different ways. The number of layers your structure includes will depend on the size and complexity of your team.
 Most organizations have four or more layers, and visualize the structure in a company-wide org chart. Since this
approach is a universal org structure, the hierarchical approach can work for most, if not all, teams.
2. Functional structure - One of the most widely used team structures, apart from the hierarchical approach, is the
functional organizational structure. In this approach, teams are grouped based on their skills and knowledge. These
groups are then vertically structured between each department from the top-down, from the president to individual
team members, and so on. Functional structures organize top management—or a type of single authority—to
oversee each department. While these teams will vary from company to company, the point of the functional
structure is to allow for specialized skills and to prepare for organizational growth. A key feature of the functional
structure is the ability to cultivate niche specialties within different departments.
3. Matrix structure - The matrix structure differs the most from other team structures as it doesn’t follow the typical
hierarchical model. Instead, this team structure is organized in a grid format, with team members reporting to more
than one leader. These relationships are commonly structured as primary and secondary reporting relationships.
Matrix organizations use this structure in order to create a balance between leadership and, ultimately, the decision-
making process. The approach you choose will depend on the nature of your teams and reporting structure. The
main benefit is creating a balanced organizational structure, which can be achieved by establishing reporting lines
for every individual to multiple leaders in different departments or divisions. This tends to work for teams that want
to ensure decision making authority isn't limited to a handful of individuals, and rather, want team members to feel
empowered to make decisions.
4. Process-based structure - A process-based structure emphasizes different internal processes rather than
departments. Similar to other structures, it’s also organized by hierarchy with leadership connected to these various
processes. This type of team structure is preferred by organizations whose processes take precedence over
individual projects. These may be new processes or ones your organization has implemented already. Teams that
are suited for this structure tend to be focused on internal processes and efficiency rather than external-facing
projects.
5. Circular structure - While visually different, the circular structure follows a hierarchical organization like most others.
Higher-level team members are represented in the inner circle, and lower-level team members occupy the outer
circles. Executive leadership is shown in the center of the circle, which represents the fluid relationship they have
with each department head. This full-circle organizational structure keeps everyone connected, yet separate in their
own circles. The number of rings in your structure will continue to increase until all individuals are placed at their
appropriate level. Due to the visual nature of this structure, it’s best suited for small teams that aim to have fluid
communication. While different from many other structures, this modern approach can work well for remote
organizations that need help effectively communicating between leadership and team members.
6. Flat structure - Unlike the triangular shape of a traditional org structure, a flat structure is an interconnected web
with multiple flat levels. These levels include all leadership tiers, from executives to middle managers and beyond.
The difference is that there is only ever a couple of steps between leadership and individual teams—unlike a
hierarchical approach which could have many levels in between executives and lower-level team members. The flat
structure is great for teams that want to create centralized or unified networks that link back to common goals. Your
connections will differ depending on your teams and the involvement of executives. The main objective of this
structure is to create a balance between leadership and cross-functional teams. If you’re willing to take a
nontraditional approach, the flat method can have a tremendous impact on productivity and clarity.
7. Network organizational structure - In a network organizational structure, teams are structured based on relative
networks. This is primarily well-suited for organizations that require work to be done by external teams, have
various global locations, or even own multiple small businesses. In this structure, each of these networks is
organized as a separate entity and connected to one another by hubs. Separating teams into hubs allows a lot of
information to be shared within networks as opposed to sharing little information with a lot of networks. This is
because team members are more likely to know the appropriate team member to contact within their hub and
communication can flow freely. The network structure is most commonly used out of necessity. Most organizations
won’t use it unless their team is already arranged into networks of some kind.
8. Product-focused divisional structure - A divisional structure is one that groups each function into a separate division.
Within this type of structure, there are a variety of specialized areas, including a product-focused structure. In this
approach, each division is divided into individual product lines. From there, select teams are responsible for each
product line. This is helpful for organizations that revolve heavily around production and want to create clear
 responsibilities cross-departmentally. These features are best for teams heavily involved in product development
and who prefer a balance of both individual work and teamwork.
9. Market-focused divisional structure - While similar to product-focused, a market-focused division focuses on—you
guessed it—individual markets. This can be anything from different industry types to customer types. Organizations
that use this structure may have multiple brands under one umbrella company or even vastly different goods and
services. This type of divisional structure creates clear responsibilities for specific departments. Companies that use
this structure usually have a wide array of products and need help organizing departments across all the different
product lines. Similar to other divisional structures, a market-focused structure is best for teams that prefer a
balance of both individual work and teamwork.
10. Geographical divisional structure - The final divisional structure type focuses on geographical areas. Regions,
territories, or districts are organized into separate divisions, creating clear boundaries and logistics across
geographies. This structure is best for organizations that rely on customers or supply chain needs within specific
regions. Dividing work can positively impact a variety of functions, including individual specialization and increased
value in select geographical locations. Similar to the network structure, this type of divisional structure is most
commonly used out of necessity. If your organization doesn’t have geographical limitations, like multiple brick-and-
mortar locations or team members spread across multiple areas, you won’t need to worry about using this
approach. Then again, it can be a great option for teams who do need a solution for geographically dispersed
teams.

Nature of Communication in Organizations

Organizational Communication can flow in four directions in an organization: downward, upward, horizontally, & diagonally.
Communication flows in all the direction in every organization. It may flow horizontally between persons occupying similar
grade in different departments. It may flow up from the subordinates to a superior. Thus, communication flows in all
directions in an organization and it is multidimensional. The size, nature, and structure of the organization dictate which
direction most of the information flows.

How does Organizational structure affect communication?

The research results showed that organizational structure has a direct and positive relationship with ineffective
communication. In other words with increasing centralization, complexity and formality communication (diagonal ,horizontal,
upward and downward) in different levels of organization become ineffective.

What is the nature of the communication?

Communication has a symbolic nature and is an act of sharing one’s ideas, emotions, attitudes, or perceptions with another
person or group of persons through words (written or spoken), gestures, signals, signs, or other modes of transmitting
images.

What is flow in communication?

Communication Flows. Communication within a business can involve different types of employees and different functional
parts of an organization. These patterns of communication are called flows, and they are commonly classified according to
the direction of interaction: downward, upward, horizontal, diagonal, external.

What is organizational structure barriers to communication?

These barriers pertain to hierarchical factors—problems with structures or systems in place in an organization, such as
inefficient information systems, lack of supervision or training, lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities, and other
deficiencies in organizational design which make it unclear and confusing to …

What is Organizational structure barrier in communication?

Definition: The Organizational Barriers refers to the hindrances in the flow of information among the employees that might
result in a commercial failure of an organization.
Methods of Communication

What is communication?
Communication is about sharing information from one person to another person or a group of people. Every type of
communication method involves at least one sender and a receiver. It is complex, as effective communication can be
affected by a range of things. This includes: Our emotions. The cultural situation. The medium used to communicate.
Our location. This is why good communication skills are considered to be so desirable by employers around the world, as
accurate, effective, adaptable and unambiguous communication skills are hard to find.

What are the different methods of communication?

There are different methods of communication, and these include:
a) Verbal communication - Verbal communication is when we use the spoken word to communicate with others. This
can be face to face with another person or group of people, or over the telephone or video call, for example Skype
or Zoom. Face-to-face verbal communication is usually the preferred method of communication; however, it is not
always realistic due to time constraints or the location of people. During the Covid-19 pandemic people have had to
adapt in the way they communicate, and a lot of verbal communication has moved online via video calls and video
conferences. Verbal communication can be informal, for example casually chatting with a friend, or it can be a more
formal process such as a work meeting, interview, conferences, lectures or oral presentation. How effective the oral
communication is will depend upon the receptiveness of the receiver, speed, volume and pitch of the words and
clarity of speech.
b) Non-verbal communication - Non-verbal communication helps you get a sense of how others are feeling and what
they may be thinking. Non-verbal communication includes facial expressions, eye contact, hand movements, touch
and posture. These things usually provide reinforcement to verbal communication. Non-verbal communication is not
usually used on its own without verbal communication except when a person is using sign language. Physical non-
verbal communication consists of body posture, eye contact, facial expressions, touch, and overall movements of
the body and tone of voice. All non-verbal communication helps to convey a message to the person or people you
are communicating with. If you are wanting to make a good impression, for example in a work meeting or a job
interview, it is important to consider your non-verbal communication style. This involves being aware of things like
your movements, gestures, eye contact, and the way you stand or sit. You should also consider whether you cross
your arms as this can make you appear closed off or angry, and fidgeting can be distracting for the person you are
communicating with. You should make good eye contact but you should avoid staring or rolling your eyes. One of
the most important aspects of non-verbal communication is facial expressions as these can be the most useful in
telling the person you are communicating with how you are feeling. For example, a smile can make it clear that you
are happy and a frown can suggest that you are unhappy. Good non-verbal communication can determine whether
you get a job offer or not. Non-verbal communication is also about the way something is said. This consists of style
of speaking, tone, pitch and voice quality. This is known as paralanguage. Being an affective communicator means
considering tone of voice, facial expressions and body language as well as the words you speak.
c) Written communication - Written communication might be a letter, email, a report, or a message on social media.
Written communication should aim to get your message across in a clear and concise manner. Too much written
information that may be repetitive or unnecessary will likely lose the engagement of the reader and may not get
your point across in the best way possible. How effective the written communication is will depend upon the style of
writing, grammar, vocabulary, and the clarity. Written communication is useful for something requiring detailed
instructions, or when someone is too far away or they are not available for you to talk to them. Written
communication in the form of emails can be convenient in that you do not need to wait for someone to become
available or attempt to match your diaries. You can send the email and they can read and respond when they are
available to do so. When thinking about communicating in writing, it is important to remember that in the digital age,
your piece of writing is likely to be there for people to see for a long time after you have written it. It is therefore
important to ensure that the spelling and grammar is correct and that you are happy with the content. In the
workplace, it is important to be able to communicate in writing. This may be to colleagues, managers or customer.
Being able to communicate well in writing is important in order to do well in a business setting. Written
communication also provides evidence for you that a conversation has taken place. This may be because you are
 raising concerns about something or you may be simply requesting some feedback or informing someone of a task
you have completed.
d) Listening - Actively listening is one of the most important parts of communication, as if we actively listen we can
truly engage with the person talking to us. If you do not listen during a conversation or a team meeting, for example,
then you cannot engage or respond appropriately. Sometimes it can be difficult to sit and listen for long periods of
time when you are not expected to engage or where there is no opportunity to engage. This may be in a lecture or a
training session. Some people choose to record the session in these instances, if this is allowed.
e) Visual communication - Visual communication can take place with the help of visual aids. This can include things
like: Drawing. Graphic design. Illustration. Color. Typography. Signs. Other electronic resources. Visual
communication such as graphs and charts can be useful in written communication and sometimes can replace it
completely. Visual communication can be a very powerful way of getting a message across and can be more
powerful than verbal and non-verbal communication. Visual communication is much easier and more varied now
due to the developments in technology. This also means that visual communication can be much more creative.
Visual communication is all around us whether that be on the television, social media or advertising campaigns.
Advertisers use it to sell products or give us a certain message.

How to improve your communication skills

There are a number of things you can do in order to improve your communication skills; these include:
 Actively listen – This means paying attention and truly listening.
 Body language – This means being aware of your own body language and how this comes across to other people
and also being aware of the other person’s body language.
 Ask questions and provide feedback – This ensures engagement from you as the receiver of the message.
 Make eye contact.
 Be clear and to the point.
 Take notes.
 Proof read before sending anything in writing.
 Use a strong, confident speaking voice – Particularly important when you are doing a presentation.
 Avoid using filler words – ‘Like’, ‘um’ and ‘so’ are all filler words and should be avoided where possible.
 Be intentional about your non-verbal communication – Make an effort to display positive body language. You should
use body language to support your verbal communication, for example if you feel confused or unhappy.

The Communication Process

Communication is an important skill in the workplace. In order to effectively communicate with others, it's important to
understand the different components involved in the communication process. In this article, we will define the
communication process and its components, and we discuss how the communication process works overall.

What is the communication process?

The communication process refers to a series of actions or steps taken in order to successfully communicate. It involves
several components such as the sender of the communication, the actual message being sent, the encoding of the
message, the receiver and the decoding of the message. There are also various channels of communication to consider
within the communication process. This refers to the way a message is sent. This can be through various mediums such as
voice, audio, video, writing email, fax or body language. The overall goal of the communication process is to present an
individual or party with information and have them understand it. The sender must choose the most appropriate medium in
order for the communication process to have worked successfully.

Parts of the communication process

The communication process has several components that enable the transmission of a message. Here are the various
parts:
 Sender: This is the person that is delivering a message to a recipient.
 Message: This refers to the information that the sender is relaying to the receiver.
  Channel of communication: This is the transmission or method of delivering the message.
 Decoding: This is the interpretation of the message. Decoding is performed by the receiver.
 Receiver: The receiver is the person who is getting or receiving the message.
 Feedback: In some instances, the receiver might have feedback or a response for the sender. This starts an
interaction.

How does the communication process work?

In order to successfully communicate, it's important to understand how the process works. Here are the seven steps in the
communication process:
1. The sender develops an idea to be sent - The beginning of the communication process involves the sender creating
an idea that they plan to send to another person or group of people. Essentially, they're planning the overall subject
matter or information they want to transmit.
2. The sender encodes the message - Once the sender develops an idea, they translate it into a form that can be
transmitted to someone else. This means they transform the thoughts of the information they want to send into a
certain format. For example, if you are writing a letter, you'll translate your idea into words. The message can also
be nonverbal, oral or symbolic.
3. The sender selects the channel of communication that will be used - Next, the sender decides how the message will
be sent. This involves selecting the most suitable medium for the message they're relaying. Some communication
mediums include speaking, writing, electronic transmission or nonverbal communication. If you're communicating at
work, make sure to select the proper and most professional channel of communication.
4. The message travels over the channel of communication - After the medium is chosen, the message then begins
the process of transmission. The exact process of this will depend on the selected medium. In order for the
message to be properly sent, the sender should have selected the appropriate medium.
5. The message is received by the receiver - Next, the message is received by the recipient. This step in the
communication process is done by hearing the message, seeing it, feeling it or another form of reception.
6. The receiver decodes the message - The receiver then decodes the sender's message. In other words, they
interpret it and convert it into a thought. After they've done this, they analyze the message and attempt to
understand it. The communication process is performed effectively when the sender and receiver have the same
meaning for the transmitted message.
7. The receiver provides feedback, if applicable - Lastly, unless it's a one-way communication, the receiver will
provide feedback in the form of a reply to the original sender of the message. Feedback provides the recipient with
the ability to ensure the sender that their message was properly received and interpreted. Between two people, this
is two-way communication.

Electronic Information Processing and Telecommunications

What is Electronic Data Processing

Electronic data processing, also known as EDP, is a frequently used term for automatic information processing. It uses the
computers to manipulate, record, classification and to summarize data. If someone asks what is electronic data processing,
then EPD meaning can be described as the processing of data or information using electronic means such as computers,
calculators, servers and other similar electronic equipment. A computer is the best example of an electronic data processing
machine. Electronic data processing is an accurate and rapid method of data processing.

Telecommunication - is the transmission of information by various types of technologies over wire, radio, optical, or other
electromagnetic systems. It has its origin in the desire of humans for communication over a distance greater than that
feasible with the human voice, but with a similar scale of expediency; thus, slow systems (such as postal mail) are excluded
from the field.