COMMUNICATION - CONCEPT

Meaning:
The word ‘communication’ is derived from the Latin term ‘communis’ which means ‘to make common, to transmit, to impart’. A message becomes communication only when it is understood, acknowledged and responded to by the receiver of the message.

Definition:
Communication has been defined by various thinkers:

According to The American Management Association, ‘Communication is any behaviour that results in an exchange of meaning’.

According to Peter Little, ‘Communication is the process by which information is transmitted between individuals and / or organisations so that an understanding response results’.

According to Keith Davis, ‘Communication is a process of passing information and understanding form one person to another’.

Process of Communication:

The main elements in the communication process are:

1. The Socio-Cultural Communication Situation - The sender of the message is at one end, the receiver of the message at the other end, and in between them is the message. The meaning of the message depends upon the socio-cultural environment in which the message is transmitted, received and understood.

2. The Sender/s - The sender of the message has to encode the message in a language familiar to the receiver.

3. The Receiver - The receiver decodes the message.

4. The Message - After the sender has encoded his/her idea into a message, he transmits it through a medium or channel. The message transmitted, however, does not often reach the receiver in the same form. Distortions occur because of 'channel noise', distractions, etc.

5. The Channel - is the medium employed to convey a message. It is the means through which the message travels between sender and receiver.
The channel unit is called the Medium. It carries information. It is a link between the participants in communication.
e.g. internet, phone, TV, etc.

6. Feedback - is the reaction or response of the receiver which is communicated to the sender. It could be in a form different from the form in which the original message was transmitted. The medium and channel too could be different.