APCT 5121
Effective Business
Communication
in Organisations
,Learning Unit 1: The Communication Process
Theme 1: Defining Communication
- Latin = Communicare – means to share or to make common
- Communication = Process of understanding and sharing meaning
- According to Wood, communication is a systematic process in which
individuals interact with and through symbols to create and interpret
things.
- Communication = functional, dynamic and transactional process where
participants strive to create and share meaning through the exchange of
symbols.
- Wood’s definition suggests the qualities that are inherent in
communication:
1. Communication is a process:
It’s creative, continuing condition of life, a process that
changes as the communicator’s environments and needs
change
Many words have become obsolete, trite or altered in their
meanings while new words have evolved.
2. Communication is systematic:
It occurs within systems of interrelated and interacting
parts
3. Communication is symbolic:
Symbols, verbal or non-verbal are the basis of language
4. Communication involves meaning:
Meanings are assigned, given or invented, not received
It’s the production of meaning rather than the production
of messages that identifies communication.
7 major points of communication
Communication is functional
- Has several functions
- Some functions are to motivate & unify employees, to coordinate their
activities and to ensure the business delivers high-quality products and
services
- Use communication to gather information
, - Communication used to generate new ideas and help staff adapt to
change
- Communication used to control employees and manipulate customers
through persuasion.
Communication is dynamic
- Communication always in the state of flux or change
- Many variables that influence communication that changes it all the
time.
Communication is a transaction
- Transaction involves two or more people exchanging something
- Communication is transactional because we exchange symbols and
messages iot create meaning.
Communication involves participants
- Communication can only be effective when people work together to
create & share meaning
- The sharing of meaning is only possible through paying attention to the
speaker, providing each other feedback and understanding the other
person.
Communication involves the creation and sharing of meaning
- Key to effective communication is ensuring others understand what
you’re saying
- Words do not have meaning in themselves
- People give meaning to words
- The same words may have different meanings for different people
- People need to work together to ensure the meaning created is the
same for all.
Communication involves the exchange of symbols
- Symbols enables people to create meanings
- Words are also symbols (verbal)
- Non – verbal symbols = gestures, facial expressions, pie chart, line graph
etc
Effective Business
Communication
in Organisations
,Learning Unit 1: The Communication Process
Theme 1: Defining Communication
- Latin = Communicare – means to share or to make common
- Communication = Process of understanding and sharing meaning
- According to Wood, communication is a systematic process in which
individuals interact with and through symbols to create and interpret
things.
- Communication = functional, dynamic and transactional process where
participants strive to create and share meaning through the exchange of
symbols.
- Wood’s definition suggests the qualities that are inherent in
communication:
1. Communication is a process:
It’s creative, continuing condition of life, a process that
changes as the communicator’s environments and needs
change
Many words have become obsolete, trite or altered in their
meanings while new words have evolved.
2. Communication is systematic:
It occurs within systems of interrelated and interacting
parts
3. Communication is symbolic:
Symbols, verbal or non-verbal are the basis of language
4. Communication involves meaning:
Meanings are assigned, given or invented, not received
It’s the production of meaning rather than the production
of messages that identifies communication.
7 major points of communication
Communication is functional
- Has several functions
- Some functions are to motivate & unify employees, to coordinate their
activities and to ensure the business delivers high-quality products and
services
- Use communication to gather information
, - Communication used to generate new ideas and help staff adapt to
change
- Communication used to control employees and manipulate customers
through persuasion.
Communication is dynamic
- Communication always in the state of flux or change
- Many variables that influence communication that changes it all the
time.
Communication is a transaction
- Transaction involves two or more people exchanging something
- Communication is transactional because we exchange symbols and
messages iot create meaning.
Communication involves participants
- Communication can only be effective when people work together to
create & share meaning
- The sharing of meaning is only possible through paying attention to the
speaker, providing each other feedback and understanding the other
person.
Communication involves the creation and sharing of meaning
- Key to effective communication is ensuring others understand what
you’re saying
- Words do not have meaning in themselves
- People give meaning to words
- The same words may have different meanings for different people
- People need to work together to ensure the meaning created is the
same for all.
Communication involves the exchange of symbols
- Symbols enables people to create meanings
- Words are also symbols (verbal)
- Non – verbal symbols = gestures, facial expressions, pie chart, line graph
etc
