Reflection report communication in business
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Lecture1CommunicationToday.pptChapter 1 – Communication Today
Lecture 1
The lecture material contains content owned by KOI and other materials copyrighted by Eunson, B. (2016) Communicating in the 21st century, 4th edn, John Wiley & Sons Australia Ltd, Milton, Qld
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Learning objectives
- Explain the difference between communication and communications
- Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of various communication models
- Explain why communication breaks down and why it succeeds
- Explain the limitations of communication processes
Lecture Topic
- Communication versus communications
- Priestley’s paradox
- Communication: models for understanding
- The communications process
- Channels and context
- Communication — always a good thing?
- Communication and ethics
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A Code of Communication Ethics
Good communication is clear – simple
language, logical persuasion, accurate
• Good communication is honest –
presents all necessary information
• Good communication is democratic – it
doesn’t disadvantage any group
• Good communication is sincere – does
not appeal to prejudice or ignorance
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A Code of Communication Ethics
Good communication respects its audience –
uses language the audience understands
• Good communication is logical – no tricks or
omissions
How many of these describe your own
communications practice?
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Communication versus communications
- Communication (singular)
- The study of the transfer of meaning
- Communications (plural)
- The study of the transfer of data
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Activity
Watch the video and in groups of 2 or 3:
1. Write down in point form and discuss 3 elements of a good professional communication
2. Discuss - what do you consider to be your main strength as a communicator?
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Communication versus communications
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Communication (singular) is primarily what students will be studying in this course.
Communication versus communications
Communications - plural
- Usually relates to the physics and mechanics of telecommunications systems such as:
- satellites
- telephone networks
- the Internet
- These areas of skill and knowledge fall into
- the fields of engineering and the sciences
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Communication theories help the professional
Choose appropriate channels of communication.
• Narrow the communication gap.
• Understand cultural differences in communication.
• Understand different interpretations of the same message.
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Defining communication
The transmission of messages.
• Social interaction through messages – behaviour that helps us relate to each other
• Reciprocal creation of meaning in a context – emphasis on meaning rather than message. Language and symbols help us to make sense of the world. Narrowing the gap between people and meaning.
• Sharing of meaning through information, ideas and feelings.
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Activity
1. Which of the definitions of communication seem the most useful and appropriate in your work as a student?
2 Describe one recent case involving personal or professional life in which poor communication has had serious results
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Priestley’s paradox
The more people elaborate their means of
communication, the less they actually
communicate
- Through email, the receiver
cannot communicate using
verbal or non-verbal
communication
1777
Look at the advances in communications as listed on page 6.
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Priestley’s paradox
As the levels (number) of channels of communications increase it is possible that the quality of the communication decreases.
For example, technological advances in electronic communications reduces the need and requirement to meet face to face, thereby reducing the interactive quality of communication.
In the text it is suggested that some people may prefer to communicate electronically and avoid direct, personal engagement with others.
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Models of communication
Lasswell
A way of describe an act of
communication is to answer the following:
Who Says What In Which Channel To
Whom With What Effect?
1948
A simple process – think of a journalist covering a news story and having these questions answered.
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Models of communication
Shannon and Weaver
A model of communication
that provides a schematic representation of the relation between sender, message,
medium/ media and recipient.
1949
A more mechanical perspective with ‘noise’ added to the communications process. Noise disturbs the clarity of the signal from sender to receiver.
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Models of communication Shannon and Weaver
Criticisms:
- Presumes meanings are neutral, and will be interpreted in the same way by all
- Linear – one-way, not two-way
- Presumes all communication is
- intentional and transparent
Ignores social context
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There are problems with the Shannon and Weaver model, however, as Chandler (1994) has pointed out:
It embodies a bad metaphor — that of information as a packet or container being transported, as if meanings were neutral rather than constructed and liable to subjective reading, or decoding. In reality, different individuals will interpret the same information in different ways.
It is linear — that is, it sees communication as a one-way process, the receiver being passive, whereas communication usually occurs in both directions, involving a response or feedback from the receiver, who then becomes a sender, with the original sender becoming the receiver.
It presumes that all communication is intentional and transparent, but some communication is unintentional (such as body language that contradicts what is being said), and some is non-transparent (its meaning is hidden).
It ignores the social context in which communication occurs: the context comprises spoken and unspoken social rules and norms, cultural patterns, gender differences and other factors that potentially could radically transform the meanings of messages.
Models of communication
An expanded model
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This is a model built on the previous models; it incorporates two-way communication or feedback, and also incorporates context. Now explore the model in greater detail.
The model
Communication process
- Messages
- Pre-editing, encoding, decoding and post-editing
- Noise
- Feedback
- Channels
- Context
Components of the model to be discussed further.
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Pre-editing and
post-editing
Pre-editing strategy examples:
- Denial
- Topic avoidance
- Agenda setting
Post-editing strategy examples:
- Selective perception/recall
- Cognitive dissonance
- Hostile media effect
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Pre and post editing – choose to transform or limit the message content before/after it is sent/received
Note to lecturer: refer to other types in the text
Activity
Discuss the barriers to communication
that you’ve experienced
Noise
- Sounds, noise
- Static, echo
- Hearing impairment
- Faulty eyesight
- Imperfect transfer of information
(e.g. a telephone message is passed
on inaccurately) - Poor concentration
- Incomplete message transfer
Anything that interferes with or distorts a message or created barriers to communication
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Noise
- Information deliberately withheld
- Message misinterpretation
(as a result of fatigue, false assumptions or prejudices) - Mispronunciation
- Non-verbal behaviour that appears to contradict message content
- Misperception of situations and people
Feedback
Feedback can be:
- Laughter
- Disagreement
- A spoken response (‘Yes’, ‘No’, ‘I do’)
- A physical response
- A written response
- A change in social behaviour (what people do in social settings)
Feedback transforms a one-way message into two-way communication
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Feedback can be....
- a raised eyebrow
- applause
- laughter
- disagreement
- a spoken response (‘Yes’, ‘No’, ‘I do’)
- a physical response (a punch, a kiss, a confused look)
- a written response (a reply to a letter, memo or email)
- a change in social behaviour (an increase in television ratings, a consumer decides to buy something, a bid at an auction)
Channels
Channels are the medium or means of sending messages. They can be:
- One-way, two-way or multidirectional
- Technologically mediated
- Synchronous or asynchronous
- Individual (involving a dyad) or group (involving more than two people
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Technologically mediated (e.g. via telephone, internal/external mail, computer or video) or unmediated (delivered personally).
Synchronous (sent and received virtually simultaneously) or asynchronous (received at
a later time).
Individual (involving a dyad, or two people) or group (involving more than two people.
Channels
- Hard copy or electronic
- Permanent or transient
- Formal or informal
- Lean or rich
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Hard copy (taking a physical form, such as a letter or printed report) or electronic (viewed and/or stored using an electronic device).
Permanent or transient (can the message be stored or not?).
Formal or informal (is the message official or unofficial?).
Lean or rich (a rich medium transfers a range of verbal and non-verbal information, including colour, auditory and visual elements).
What are the Strengths and Weaknesses of these Channels
| Memos Noticeboards Emails Suggestion boxes 360° feedback Focus groups | Closed-circuit telecasts MBWA Grapevine Instant messaging |
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In actual workplace settings, channels can take different forms. Each of these has their own strengths and weaknesses (see pages 19-24).
MBWA = Management by Walking Around, introduced in Hewlett Packard a technology company in the 1970s
Channels
- Reinforcement
- Suitability
- Variation
- Preferences
Four criteria to be considered, when choosing the medium (channel) of communication for the message to be received by its audience/target.
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Context
- Power and status relationships
- Cultural factors
- Interpersonal relationships
- Time
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The context of the communication process (what factors will affect the effectiveness of the message being received) is also important. Context issues include:
- power and status relationships: Who has control or influence over whom, and what are people trying to achieve in sending a particular message?
- cultural factors: Do the message sender and receiver understand each other’s cultural programming, which affects their choice of words and their non-verbal communication?
- interpersonal relationships: What dynamics of empathy/lack of empathy, assertiveness/lack of assertiveness, confidence/lack of confidence, openness/lack of openness exist between receiver and sender?
- time: How does time affect the message? Is it still relevant? Was the response too quick? For example, did a hesitation undercut the impact of the response? How does the communication pattern between people change over seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, years?
Purpose in communicating
- Be clear about your reason for communicating. Take responsibility for your message.
- Organise the message to achieve your purpose.
- Be clear about your meaning.
- Use media of communication to the best advantage.
- Frame the message to suit receivers and the context.
- Enable receivers to respond.
To talk to each other may not be enough for a real outcome in communications to be achieved.
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ACTIVITY : Bush Responds
How does ‘purpose’ function in the following speech by the former US president?
• Are there any elements of the speech that might be described as ineffective?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMiqEUBux3o
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Communication
Always a good thing?
More communication rather than less can also backfire when:
- People ‘talk a problem to death’
- Others are not given time to think
- Two people are engaged in a heated argument
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More communication rather than less can also backfire when:
- people ‘talk a problem to death’, going over the same ground again and again without making headway
- a salesperson doesn’t shut up and let the customer think about the product and purchase decision
- two people engaged in heated argument say things they later regret
Communication
Always a good thing?
You can learn to be more effective in your
communication with others:
- Sometimes the most effective communication is to say nothing at all
- Sometimes you miss the point if you think that a problem is solely or even partially due to communication problems
Communication and ethics
Communicators often face ethical dilemmas
An organisation might adopt one of the four strategies described by Schermerhorn (2005):
- Proactive
- Accommodation
- Defensive
- Obstructionist
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Examples of ethical dilemmas (where the decision will favour some people and disadvantage others) can be found on page 28 and more through the text (the “What Would You Do?” section of each chapter).
Check conduct and thoughts with the tests on page 30.
Communication and ethics
- Operate with the Proactive Strategy wherever possible
- Giving ethical questions prior thought and being prepared can assist in choosing the best course of action
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Chapter 1
Communication today
Summary
- Communication versus communications
- Priestley’s paradox
- Communication: models for understanding
- The communications process
- Channels and context
- Communication — always a good thing?
- Communication and ethics
NEXT WEEK
Intercultural Communications –
Think of home!
From all the team -
Have a good week!
