A process is a sequentially related, interdependent set of activities that constitute a whole work. It is a chronological sequence of actions needed to complete a work or a job.
Communication expert Berio (1960) observes that the concept of process views events and relationships as dynamic, ongoing, ever-changing, and continuous.
It also means it does not have a beginning, an end, or a fixed sequence of events. It is not static. It is moving. The ingredients within a process interact; each affects all of the others. Business communication is a process of understanding and sharing meaning.
It is a process because it is an activity, an exchange, or a set of behaviors that sequentially happen in a dynamic cycle to arrive at a mutually understood meaning of a message.
10 Steps Communication Process
The elements of activity that are being done to complete a process of business communication are shown in the following diagram and discussed below:
Context
Communication or Business communication occurs in a context. A context is a set of circumstances or situations within which communication takes place and that influence communication. It is a broad field that includes country, culture, organization, and external and internal stimuli.
We know that every country, every culture, and every organization has its own conventions for processing and communicating information. This aspect of context is the playing field on which you must plan, design, and communicate your message.
External stimulus is another aspect of context that prompts you to send a message. The source of this prompt may be a letter, memo, note, electronic mail, fax, telex, telephone call, a meeting, or even a casual conversation.
Another aspect of context is internal stimuli. These stimuli have a complex influence on how you translate ideas into a message.
Your own view of the world, attitudes, options, emotions, past experiences, likes and dislikes, education, job status, and confidence in communication skills all influence the way you communicate your ideas.
Moreover, your ability to analyze your receiver’s culture, viewpoint, needs, skills, status, mental ability, experience and expectations also is an important part of the context that would make your communication successful. You must consider all these elements of context in order to communicate a message effectively.
Sender/Communicator
The sender is the initiator of the message. Communication begins with a sender who has an idea or thought to communicate to another party. The sender may be a person or an organization. Thus, people are the party that initiates a message in response to an element of the context.
The contextual stimulus triggers a need or desire for the sender to communicate or attempt to achieve a common meaning with an individual or group.
Encoding
Encoding is the process of translating the intended meaning into words and gestures (Bartol and Martin, 1994:444). Kotler and Armstrong (2001:511) opine that encoding is the process of putting thoughts into symbolic form.
Pearson and Nelson (1997: 11) said, “Encoding is the act of putting an idea or a thought into a code”. A code is a systematic arrangement or comprehensive collection of symbols, letters, or words that have arbitrary meanings and are used for communication.
The ideas or thoughts are encoded before the message exchange takes place. The sender will choose appropriate codes i.e., words or symbols that can best express his ideas and thoughts.
The choice of words and gestures will depend upon such factors as the sender’s encoding skills, assessments of the intended receiver’s ability to understand various symbols, judgments regarding the appropriateness of certain symbols, past experience in similar situations, job status, education, and emotional state at the time of the communication attempt.
A careful assessment of these factors will make the selection of codes appropriate for a particular communication situation and make it the most effective.
Message
The set of symbols that the sender transmits is known as a message. Bartol and Martin (1994:445) said, “The outcome of the encoding process is a message consisting of the verbal and nonverbal symbols that have been developed to convey meaning to the receiver.” It is the content of the interaction.
The message includes the symbols, i.e., words and phrases we use to communicate our ideas. It also includes facial expressions, bodily movements, gestures, touch, tone ‘of voice, and other nonverbal codes.
Thus, Pearson and Nelson (1997:10) said that the message is the verbal and nonverbal form of the idea, thought, or feeling that one person (the sender) wishes to communicate to another person or group of persons (the receivers).
It must be arranged systematically and meaningfully so that it can carry the sender’s intentions in full form. The message may be relatively brief, easy to understand, or long and complex. It can be intentional or accidental.
Business messages are intentional, deliberate messages directed to achieve some business goal.
Media/Channel
The medium is the method used to convey the message to the intended receiver. Kotler and Armstrong (2001:519) consider that the media is the communication channel through which the message moves from sender to receiver.
Pearson and Nelson (1997:10) said that the channel provides the mode by which a message moves from the source to the receiver of the message.
Both light waves and sound waves are major communication channels. It may be oral, written, or non-verbal media. Examples include written words in memos, spoken words over the telephone, graphics on a slide, and gestures in face-to-face situations.
The factors to be considered in selecting the most appropriate medium for a particular message are the objective and importance of the message, cost of the media, time of transmission, number of receivers, location of the audience, amount of information, education of the receiver, nearness of the receiver, and efficiency of the media.
If the message goes for an international audience, you must consider the culture of the prospective receiver. The success of the communication largely depends on selecting the right medium for transmitting the message to the target receiver.
Decoding
The receiver, after being received the message, transforms it into his way of interpretation. This conversion process is known as decoding.
Decoding is the process of converting the encoded message into an understandable message by the receiver. Bartol and Martin (1994:446) said, “Decoding is the process of translating the symbols into the interpreted message.”
We know that symbols have no meaning. We ascribe meaning to it. Decoding is the process by which the ‘ receiver assigns meaning to the symbols encoded by the sender.
Communication is effective when the sender and the receiver both assign the same meaning to the symbols encoded into the message and arrive at a common meaning.
However, the decoding process may result in misunderstandings if the receiver does not decode the message as the sender intended. Misunderstanding often occurs because of the limitations of our language and the inadequacy of our descriptions.
Thus, effective decoding requires the same consideration as we do in the case of encoding.
Receiver/communicatee
The party receiving the message sent by another party is the receiver. If any receiver does not receive any message, there is no communication.
Therefore, the receiver is the person or organization with whom the message is exchanged. There may be one receiver of the message, as in a conversation between two individuals, or many receivers, as in the case of a report sent to various members of the organization.
It could be many in the case of a public meeting, organizational meeting, seminar, or symposium. Unintended receivers can also emerge if they overhear a private conversation or read another person’s mail. All of them would be the receiver of your communication.
Response
The reactions of the receiver, after being exposed to the message are known as responses. A message can create many kinds of responses for the receiver depending on the context and the nature of the message.
It is a mental state inspired by the message} Anger, apathy, sorrow, agitation, dismay, happiness, pleasure, etc., may be aroused in the receiver’s mind as a reaction to the content of the message. Responses may be sound or unsound, logical or illogical, legal or illegal, or reasonable or unreasonable, but they are the mental reactions to the message.
Noise
Noise is an interruption in the communication process that distorts the meaning of the message. It is the unplanned static or distortion during the communication process due to the receiver receiving a different message than that the sender sent.
Bartol and Martin (1994:446) said, “Noise is any factor in the communication process that interferes with exchanging messages and achieving common meaning.”
Pearson and Nelson (1997:11) observe, “Noise is any interference into the encoding and decoding processes that reduces the clarity of a message.”
It can be physical noise, such as loud sounds; distracting sights, such as a bit of food on someone’s face; unusual behavior, such as a person standing too close; static on telephone lines as a message being transmitted; or fatigue on the part of the receiver while he/she is decoding.
Noise may be mental, psychological, or semantic, such as daydreams about a loved one, worry about the bills, pains from a tooth, or uncertainty about what the other person’s words are supposed to mean.
These situations may cause an interruption in any stage of communication flow and may cause distortion of the meaning or may deter the understanding of the common meaning of the message.
Noise will break down the communication. Therefore, all possible measures are to be taken to prevent the occurrence of any noise in order to make business communication effective.
Feedback
The part of the receiver’s response communicated back to the sender is feedback. The receiver of the message would not communicate back all of his responses. He/she would communicate back only socially and organizationally desirable parts of the response that would facilitate the achievement of his goal.
Pearson and Nelson said, “Feedback is the receiver’s verbal and nonverbal response to the source’s message.” It is the receiver’s basic response to the interpreted messages (Bartol and Martin). So, the receiver/communicator’s response to the message being fed back to the sender /the communicator is feedback.
This feedback involves reversing the communication process so that the receiver becomes the sender and the sender becomes the receiver.
Feedback provides preliminary information about the success of the communication process. Without feedback, managers have difficulty in assessing the effectiveness of their communication.
FAQs
What is the business communication process?
A process is a set of sequentially related, interdependent activities that are dynamic, ongoing, and continuous without a fixed sequence of events.
Business communication is described as a process involving a series of activities and behaviors that happen sequentially to arrive at a mutually understood meaning of a message.
What role does context play in business communication, and what are its different aspects?
Context is crucial in business communication as it is the set of circumstances or situations that influence communication. It includes country, culture, organization, and external and internal stimuli, each having its conventions for processing and communicating information.
Both the sender’s internal stimuli and understanding of the receiver’s characteristics are important aspects of context for effective communication.
How does the concept of the process view events and relationships?
The concept of process views events and relationships as dynamic, ongoing, ever-changing, and continuous, indicating that a process does not have a beginning, an end, or a fixed sequence of events.
How is encoding important in communication, and what factors influence it?
Encoding is vital as it involves translating the intended meaning into words and gestures, turning thoughts into a communicable form.
The effectiveness of encoding depends on factors such as the sender’s skills, assessments of the receiver’s understanding, appropriateness of symbols, past experiences, job status, education, and emotional state.
What is noise in the communication process, and what types of noise can occur?
Noise is any interruption or distortion during the communication process that alters the message received by the receiver. It can be physical, such as loud sounds or static on telephone lines, or mental, psychological, or semantic, like daydreams, worries, or uncertainties about the meaning of words.
Noise can break down communication, making it essential to prevent its occurrence for effective communication.
What is feedback in business communication, and why is it important?
Feedback is the part of the receiver’s response communicated back to the sender, providing preliminary information about the success of the communication process. It involves reversing the communication roles, turning the receiver into the sender and vice versa.
eedback is essential as it helps managers assess the effectiveness of their communication, ensuring that the message is understood as intended.
What is the role of the sender/communicator in the communication process, and what triggers the need to communicate?
The sender/communicator is the initiator of the message, and communication begins when the sender has an idea or thought to communicate to another party. The contextual stimulus, which can be an element of the context, triggers a need or desire for the sender to communicate to achieve a common meaning with an individual or group.
What constitutes a message, and what forms can it take?
A message is a set of symbols that the sender transmits, including words and phrases and nonverbal codes like facial expressions and gestures.
It is the content of the interaction and can be arranged systematically and meaningfully to carry the sender’s intentions. Messages can be brief or complex, intentional or accidental, with business messages being intentional and directed to achieve a business goal.
How is the medium or channel selected for transmitting a message, and why is this selection important?
The selection of the medium or channel depends on various factors, including the objective and importance of the message, cost, time of transmission, number of receivers, location, and education of the audience, and efficiency of the media.
The success of communication largely depends on selecting the right medium, especially considering the culture of the international audience.
What happens during the decoding stage, and why can it lead to misunderstandings?
Decoding is the conversion process where the receiver transforms the encoded message into an understandable form and assigns meaning to the symbols.
Misunderstandings can occur if the receiver decodes the message differently from the sender’s intention, often due to language limitations and inadequacy of descriptions. Effective decoding requires careful consideration, similar to encoding, to ensure common understanding.
What is the importance of effective communication in business and personal life?
Effective communication is crucial in both business and personal life as it can be the difference between success and failure or profit and loss. In the business world, it is essential for the successful operation of modern enterprise and is a critical component of total quality management.
How does the sender influence the communication process?
The sender initiates the communication and is initially responsible for the success of the message. The sender’s experiences, attitudes, knowledge, skill, perceptions, and culture influence the message.
The sender must also decide what to transmit based on the receiver’s knowledge and assumptions.
Why is choosing the appropriate communication channel important, and what factors influence this choice?
Choosing the appropriate communication channel is vital for the effectiveness of the receiver’s understanding.
Several factors, including the urgency of the message, the need for immediate feedback, the requirement for documentation, the complexity of the content, and the communication skills of the receiver influence the choice.
What role does feedback play in the communication process?
Feedback is a key component as it allows the sender to evaluate the effectiveness of the message and take corrective action if the message is misunderstood.
It indicates significant communication barriers and helps in achieving successful and effective communication.
Conclusion
Effective communication is pivotal in both personal life and the realm of business, often delineating the boundary between success and failure.
The communication process, a cornerstone for achieving clarity in interaction, comprises four integral components: encoding, medium of transmission, decoding, and feedback, with the sender and receiver as essential elements.
The sender, who initiates the communication, plays a crucial role, as their experiences, attitudes, and knowledge shape the message.
The choice of communication channel is of paramount importance, influenced by factors such as urgency, the need for feedback, and the complexity of the content. An apt selection ensures the message’s efficacy and the receiver’s comprehension.
Feedback, the final link, is indispensable, allowing the sender to gauge the message’s effectiveness and rectify any misinterpretations, thereby fostering successful communication.
Understanding and implementing this process is vital for enhancing communication skills within an organization, ultimately leading to individual and collective success.
