SMP1 – BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

MODULE 1 NOTES
COLLEGE INSTRUCTOR :VIRINICI MARTINEZ

A. THE COMMUNICATION CYCLE

Communication may be defined as:
“the imparting, conveying or exchange of information, ideas or opinions by the use of speech,
writing or graphics.”

Basic Elements of the Cycle

In any communication process there are three basic elements, though, as we shall see, there are
many other components within this which go to make up the whole of the process. The three
fundamental ones are:

A sender sends a message to a receiver in such a way that the receiver is able to understand it. Note
also the way in which the cycle is completed by the element of feedback from receiver to sender.
This element is not always there, but is a key part of the process since, at the very least, it provides
the means of acknowledging receipt and understanding.
This is rather a simple view of the process, however, and the study of communication has identified
a number of further components within this basic cycle. These are crucial to its success or failure.
The following diagram outlines these additional components:
Key Components
Probably the easiest way to understand how communication works is to define each of the key
terms shown in the diagram and build these definitions back into a complete picture of the process
as a whole.
(a) Information
This the raw material of the communication – the actual data which it is intended to convey to the
recipient or receiver.
(b) The Sender
The sender is the body responsible for passing on the information..
(c) Encoding
This is the process by which the sender puts the information into a form suitable for sending.
• Usually, this will be language, either spoken or written.
• In some cases, such as non-verbal communication or “body language”, it could be a gesture
or sign.
• In others, such as advertising, it could be a photograph or film with an accompanying slogan.
The way in which the information is encoded is crucial to the correct understanding of the message
by the recipient. Indeed, so important is this that the key element in encoding is working out the
best way for the receiver to understand the information and then putting it into that form.
(d) The Message
Once the information is encoded, it is known as the message. It contains the meaning that the
sender wishes to convey to the receiver.

(e) The Medium

The medium is the larger group of communication instruments within which the message belongs.
Generally speaking, there are three main media:
• written communication;
• oral (spoken) communication; and
• visual communication.
(f) The Channel
This is the physical means by which the message is communicated:
• for written communication, a postal service or a notice-board;
• for oral communication, a personal interview or telephone system;
• for visual communication, a drawing, photograph or film.
(g) The Aim
The aim is the main reason why the act of communication has been undertaken. There are generally
three chief aims:
• To inform
This is the desire to supply factual information, or an assessment or judgment of the value of an
item or product.
• To Influence
This is the desire to persuade the recipient to adopt a particular idea or possible course of action.
• To Initiate Action
This is the desire to make the recipient respond by performing a particular task.
Within an organisation, all three aims are often present as part of any individual act of
communication.
It is important to be clear about the overall aim of the communication because this can affect the
way the information is encoded and the media and channels used to convey the message.
(h) The Recipient
This is the object to whom the message is directed. It may be an individual, a group (such as a
committee or a firm), or even – as in the case of an advertising campaign – a specific target group
among the general public.
(i) Decoding
This is the process by which the recipient interprets the meaning of the message.
(j) Feedback
Feedback is the name given to the information the sender derives from the way in which the
recipient reacts to the message. From it, the sender can decide whether or not the message has
achieved its intended effect.
(k) Motivation
Although it is not shown in the diagram, motivation is a crucial element in communication. It is the
urge or desire to achieve a purpose, alter a given situation, or satisfy a need. If motivation is strong,
it is likely that communication will be effective.

B. BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
(a) Distortion
Distortion is a process which occurs either at the stage of encoding or decoding the message. It
comes about when the information is put into form which does not express its true nature in a way
that the recipient can fully understand.

Distortion in communication can lead to incorrect understanding of the message, or only partial
comprehension of its meaning, by the recipient.
• Where the distortion arises at the encoding stage, the sender is responsible. This is by far
the most likely source of the problem, since every effort must be made to frame the message in a
way which the receiver can understand.
• Distortion at the decoding stage may arise where the recipient is not paying the necessary
attention or interprets the message in a way which the sender could not have anticipated. In such
cases, the failure of the communication is the responsibility of the receiver.

It could be the result of lack of concentration in either party, or perhaps even that the ideas are so
complex that clear, complete expression of them is very hard to achieve. The latter is often the case
when a specialist in a technical field tries to address a non-specialist audience:

(b) Inadequate Communication Skills

Communication skills are the abilities to send and receive messages clearly and effectively, with no
possibility of misunderstanding. They include the ability to express ideas clearly in writing, in
language suitable to the intended recipient and the intended purpose of the communication. They
also include the ability to read – not only to read words on a page, but to interpret signs and
symbols of all kinds – such as body language – which are presented in a communication exchange.
(c) Lack of Listening Ability
The ability to listen is an essential ability for all of us. Unless we have it we are unable to understand
what is going on around us, with potentially disastrous results. In the study of communication,
however, it is even more important to be able to “listen”.

The term is used to include the ability to work out the way in which somebody is responding to an
item of communication, with the same meaning as the term to “scan” for feedback.
• Unless the sender can listen, he or she will be unable to discover the real response of the
recipient.
• Unless the recipient can listen, he or she will fail to grasp the true significance of the
message.
This, then, is another cause of communication breakdown.

(d) Attitudes
All of us have certain attitudes towards daily life which have been produced by our education,
environment and general experience. Whatever their form, they can distort our awareness of
messages in communications and thus hamper the communication process. Anyone who wishes to
communicate effectively, therefore, must try to be aware of both his or her own attitudes and those
of the intended recipient, otherwise a further barrier may appear.

(e) Incorrect Information

As well as the more complex barriers discussed above, there is one which is more straightforward
but just as disruptive: the fact that the information may simply be wrong. You could argue that, if
incorrect information is successfully transmitted, a successful communications exchange has been
achieved

(f) Other Barriers

There are three more general elements which can act as barriers to communication.
• Perceptual bias occurs where the recipient has “selective hearing” and selects what they
want to hear. This can result in the wrong message being received..
• Information overload can occur if the recipient of the message receives too much
information, or information which is too technical.
• Contradictory non-verbal messages can occur if the person encoding a message says one
thing but their body language says something else.

Barriers Caused by Outside Influences (Noise)

Noise is the name given to features of the setting in which the communication takes place which
interfere with the accurate transfer of information. In literal terms, it can be physical noise, such as
heavy traffic, constantly-ringing telephones or people talking to you while you are reading a letter.

The physical environment within which a communication takes place can be very significant,
depending on the circumstances.
C. OVERCOMING THE BARRIERS
Many of the most important barriers to communicating may be overcome by following a few simple
rules.

Defining the Purpose

Ask yourself what is the purpose of this communication – what are you trying to achieve. This must
be the over-riding consideration. You must make sure that the message achieves its purpose.

Think carefully about what you want the recipient to do in response to your communication.
• Are you trying to change an attitude, or ask for an order for goods?
• Are you simply trying to find out what he or she thinks, or asking for advice?

Defining exactly the response you are seeking can help a great deal, especially if you put yourself in
the place of the recipient and ask whether you would respond in the way you want if you were faced
with the letter or memo you plan to send.

Knowing When and How to Communicate

It is no use writing a long and complicated letter to a member of a large organisation unless you
know that this person is the one responsible for making the decisions involved. If you write to the
wrong person, or contact him or her in another way, you will only waste time for both of you. Worse
still, you may give an impression of inefficiency, which will bode ill for future communication, or
annoy the firm involved. Always make sure, then, that you are communicating with the right person.

This also applies to “crossed lines” – the kind of situation where both parties think that the other is
someone else. Such a mistake can cause all kinds of misunderstandings, so do make sure that you
contact the right person.

Judging the right moment to make a communication is often important in business.

Choosing the moment for a communication, both in terms of its psychological rightness to the
person involved and in relation to patterns of trade, such as the seasons for ordering particular
kinds of goods, is thus a very important way of avoiding barriers of attitude in the recipient or noise
in the external circumstances.

Understanding the Receiver

By considering how a communication might be received you are more likely to shape a message that
will not be misinterpreted or misunderstood. In other words, the more you plan to shape the
message and consider the effect it might create, the more likely that the communication will be
successful and achieve what you want it to.

Of prime importance is the purpose of your message – how do you want the recipient to
react? You need to consider the best way of achieving that response by using language appropriate
to the purpose, as well as to the recipient’s own vocabulary, background and attitudes.
It is always important to understand the relationship between the sender and the receiver.
Most effective business communication is based on credibility – the receiver needs to feel
comfortable with the message, to trust in it (and, therefore, the sender).

Issues of status between the sender and receiver can also be relevant – the way in which
something is said or written may be interpreted differently if the sender is in a superior position.

Remember, too, that the purpose behind being aware of the theoretical elements of communication
is that you can attempt to avoid the problems and the pitfalls of communication in practice.

Personal Communication Skills

This is one of the simplest ways in which communication may be improved. Communication skills
cover the ability to write clear English so that a meaning is expressed directly and without
ambiguity.

More important, perhaps, are the skills that are often neglected. These include the range of reading
skills which are needed for the correct understanding of information and to these we must also add
the ability to listen and understand, so that the speaker knows that you are sympathetic and aware
of what he or she is saying. A simple awareness of these abilities – particularly the last – as skills
which can be developed, will help you a great deal in improving your communication at a business
and also a personal level.

D. FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

Message, Medium and Channel

You will remember that, when we were looking at the communication cycle above, we used these
three terms above to describe the ways in which information was transferred during the
communication process. These three elements are closely interrelated but they do still describe
different aspects of the process.
• The channel is the physical means by which the information is conveyed.
• The medium refers to the nature of the expression of the information – whether it is written,
spoken or visual.
• The message is the piece of information itself, however it is encoded.