Functions and Elements of Communication - Agribusiness Education and Research International

Human behavior is heavily reliant on communication. Functions and Elements of Communication is an important aspect. Everything we do revolves around communication. An organization cannot function without communication. Without efficient communication, no manager can be successful. The word “communication” comes from the Latin word “communis,” which means “common.” Communication refers to the exchange of common ideas.

Elements of Communication

Six major aspects are present in communication process models: I) sender, ii) message, iii) receiver, iv) feedback, v) channel and vi) noise or interference. Sender and receiver engage during communication through encoding/sending and decoding/receiving messages. Encoding is the process of converting a message into words, diagrams, or nonverbal cues that can be communicated. To decode or comprehend the message, the recipient listens, reads, or looks.

Sender:

The sender, who reacts to situations from a unique vantage point, interprets ideas, and filters experience through their own perception, is the beginning of communication. Sender’s ideas are formed by a combination of attitudes, experiences, talents, and cultural upbringing.

Message:

The message is the idea of feeling that is sent from the sender to the receiver in order for them to comprehend one other. It is made up of signs, speech, and movement and establishes a link between the sender and the receiver. The receiver may misinterpret the tone of voice, inflection, rate of speech, facial expression, touching, and body movement, or a badly written message may lead to misinterpretation. The message sent by the sender is not necessarily the same as the message received.

Receiver:

To understand the communication, the recipient decodes or interprets it. In doing so, the recipient likewise behaves as an individual with a unique perspective, interpreting the message according to his or her own personal interpretation. The receiver’s particular background of experiences, ideas, and concerns also contributes to this view. People’s interpretations of the same message can differ.

Feedback:

Feedback is a crucial component of effective interpersonal communication. It is the recipient’s reaction to the sender’s communication, informing the sender of how the message was received and assisting the receiver in confirming whether their interpretation of the message is correct. It could be deliberate or unintended.

Feedback:

– Maintains communication continuity

– Indicates effective message comprehension or misunderstanding

– Encourages more communication and discussion

Channel:

A communication channel is a set of ways for signaling or transmitting a message, such as a chat, letter, phone call, e-mail, or television show.

These channels are sometimes within to the organization, while others are external to the company and hence external channels. An acceptable channel is one that meets the communication goal, the sender’s needs, the message, and the receiver’s needs. Within an organization, various lines or channels of communication are used. Vertical channels move communication up and down across different levels in the organization, whereas horizontal channels function amongst colleagues at the same level within the organization’s structures.

Noise:

The message that is received is not always the same as the message that is sent. Because noise or interference interrupts the intended communication, something other than the intended message is received. Interrupting the message or communication flow between sender and receiver with noise or interference can lead to misunderstandings, as well as confusing or ambiguous communication.

Functions of Communication

Communication serves a variety of purposes, including informing and raising awareness, educating, persuading, inspiring, and entertaining. Emotive, Motivation, Information, and Control are the purposes of communication in an organization. For a healthier work culture, effective communication between top management and employees is required.

Emotive:

Employees can convey their disappointments and satisfactions to one other and to management through communication. Furthermore, communication allows people to compare their attitudes and clarify ambiguity regarding their occupations, duties, and areas of conflict between groups and individuals. If an employee is unsatisfied with his income, he may often speak with coworkers informally to see if his feelings are warranted.

Motivation:

The motivation, direction, control, and evaluation of organizational members is a second major role of communication. Leadership is a method for supervisors to exert influence over their subordinates’ behavior and performance. Communication is the most important tool for leaders to exert influence. As a result, communication is involved in leadership activities such as issuing commands, rewarding behavior and performance, reviewing and evaluating performance, assigning job and task assignments, and training and developing subordinates.

Information:

Communication is an important source of information for decision-making. It is technologically oriented and promotes information processing activities as well as techniques to increase the accuracy with which communication channels convey information that is used to make individual, group, and organizational decisions.

Control:

Through the design and usage of formal communication channels, organizations aim to manage the activities of individuals. The majority of programs or standard operating procedures have a significant communication component. As a result, formal communication channels are an important structural control mechanism within organizations.