What is communication?
   • Effective communication is very essential for management to successfully 
    perform its functions.  Many operations have failed because of poor 
    communication, misunderstood messages and unclear instructions.  
    Communication plays an important role in all walks of human life as well as 
    organizational life.  It is inherently a social process.  Whether one communicates 
    face to face with a single person or with a group of people via television, it is still 
    a social activity involving two or more people.
   • Communication is defined as the transfer of information from a sender to a 
    receiver, with the information being understood by the receiver.  It is the process 
    by which information is exchanged and understood by two or more people. 
    Communication must include both the transference and the understanding of 
    meaning.  An idea, no matter how great, is useless until it is understood by 
    others. 
   The Communication Process
   Before communication can take place, a purpose, expressed as 
   a message to be conveyed, is needed.  It passes between a 
   source (the sender) and a receiver.  The message is encoded 
   (converted to a symbolic form) and passed through a medium 
   (channel) to the receiver, who translates (decodes) the 
   message initiated by the sender.  The result is transference of 
   meaning from one person to another.  Communication process 
   is the steps between a source and a receiver that result in the 
   transference and understanding of meaning.  The 
   communication process is made up of seven parts: the source 
   (sender), encoding, the message, channel (medium), decoding, 
   the receiver, and feedback.  The essential purpose of this 
   chainlike process is to send an idea from one person to 
   another in a way that will be understood by the receiver.
   1.The source (sender): Communication begins with the sender, who has a thought 
    or an idea which is then encoded in a way that can be understood by both the 
    sender and the receiver.  The source initiates a message by encoding a thought.
    
   2.Encoding: This has to do with selecting symbols with which to compose a 
    message.  The purpose of encoding is to translate internal thought patterns into 
    a language or code that the intended receiver of the message will probably 
    understand.
    
   3.    The Message: The message is a physical form of the thought which can be 
    experienced and understood by one or more senses of the receiver.  When we 
    speak, the speech is the message. When we write, the writing is the message. 
    When we gesture, the movement of our arms and the expression on our faces 
    are the message.
   4.  The Channel (Medium): It is the medium through which the message travels.  It is a 
    vehicle used for the transmission of the message.  The message may be oral or 
    written, and it may be transmitted through a memorandum, a computer, the 
    telephone, a telegram, or television.  At times, two or more channels are used.  In a 
    telephone conversation, for instance, two people may reach a basic agreement that 
    they later confirm by a letter.  Since many choices are available, each with advantages 
    and disadvantages, the proper selection of the channel is vital for effective 
    communication.
    
   5. Decoding: Before the message can be received, the symbols in it must be translated 
    into a form that can be understood by the receiver. Decoding is the process in which 
    the receiver converts the message into thought. The receiver decodes the message for 
    the purpose of interpreting and understanding the meaning of the message.  The 
    chances of successful decoding are greatly enhanced if the receiver knows the 
    language and terminology used in the message, and/or understands the sender’s 
    purpose and background situation.
   6. The Receiver: The receiver is the object to whom the message is directed. 
    The receiver has to be ready for the message so that it can be decoded into 
    thought. For example, a person who is thinking about an exciting football 
    game may pay insufficient attention to what is being said about an 
    inventory report, thus increasing the probability of communication 
    breakdown.
    
   7. Feedback: Feedback is the check on how successful we have been in 
    transferring our original messages as originally intended.  It determines 
    whether understanding has been achieved. This is the final link in the 
    communication process.  One can never be sure whether or not a message 
    has been effectively encoded, transmitted, decoded, and understood until 
    it is confirmed by feedback.  Feedback indicates whether individual or 
    organizational change has taken place as a result of communication.