Communication in an Applied Context

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Message

Workplace messages are either written or oral, and they are made up of words, signs, symbols or body language. In written workplace communication, we use words, symbols and visuals to convey meaning effectively to the receiver. In oral workplace communication, we use words, visuals and body language to convey meaning effectively to the receiver.

Medium

The medium (or channel) is the means by which a message is transmitted. In written workplace communications, the most common media for communication are paper (memos, letters, reports etc.), fax, or digital (email, text, social media). In oral workplace communications, we use the interpersonal (spoken) medium, along with notes, flipcharts, or projection devices. The medium for our workplace communications must be chosen carefully and in conjunction with Situation and Audience Analysis.

Receiver

The receiver is the person who receives the message. Once the message has made contact with the receiver, communication has occurred. However, successful communication only occurs if the receiver successfully decodes (interprets) the message and understands its meaning in the way intended by the sender. Throughout this text, we will refer to the receiver of our messages as the audience.

Feedback

Feedback occurs when the receiver transmits a message back to the sender, confirming receipt or understanding of the message, or seeking clarification about the meaning of the message. When feedback occurs, the original receiver becomes a sender, and the original sender becomes a receiver. Because of this feedback loop, we consider communication an interactive process.

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Communications as an Interactive Process

Figure 1.2 shows the interactive nature of communication, illustrating each person in the communication process as both sender and receiver. As senders, we encode and transmit messages; as receivers, we decode messages. Effective workplace communicators are sensitive to the dynamic and interactive nature of the communication process.

FIGURE 1.2 Communications as an Interactive Process

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Four Contexts That Influence The Communication Process

As effective workplace writers, we need to be aware of the cultural, physical, organisational, and psychological or emotional contexts that shape and influence how our message are received, interpreted and understood. We must anticipate how the receiver might decode (interpret) our message by assessing the context before we encode (write) our message.

Cultural context refers to the cultural values, attitudes and norms of a country, or the cultural values, attitudes and norms of an organization. In the same way that a country or region has a particular culture, a company can have a particular corporate culture. Before developing a message, you must first assess the receiver’s cultural context, as well as the corporate culture in which the message will be sent or received.

Physical context simply refers to the physical setting or environment in which communication will occur. In workplace communications, physical context is important primarily in oral presentations. For example, a presentation to six people in a small boardroom needs to be developed and delivered differently than a presentation to 40 people in a conference hall or two people in an office.

Organizational context refers to the corporate issues and structures that form the background or genesis of the message. Workplace communicators always write for a specific audience and a specific purpose. Most companies have a formal or hierarchical reporting structure, so we must assess whether the message is for an internal or external audience. Internal messages are messages that have the sender and receiver within the same company. External messages are messages that have the sender and receiver in different companies. Also, each company has its own corporate culture.

Psychological or emotional context refers to how the message might affect the mood or feelings of the receiver. Each message will affect the receiver is some way, and it is very difficult to predict how your audience will respond or react to your message. (For our purposes, we will use the term psychological to refer to both psychological and emotional contexts that affect readers.) In business and technical writing, we aim to present factual information in a neutral and objective tone so that readers respond to our messages rather than react to our messages.

SUMMARY OF LEARNING OBJECTIVES

SUMMARY OF LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Communication

Communication is the development and exchange of information or meaning between individuals or groups.

Context

Refers to the situation or background in which messages are developed, transmitted or received.

Communication Process

The sender encodes their ideas into words and transmits the message via a specific medium or channel to the receiver. Successful communication occurs when the receiver decodes (interprets) the message and understands its intended meaning. Feedback occurs when the receiver transmits a message back to the sender.

Cultural Contexts

Refers to the cultural values of the sender or receiver, or the corporate culture in which communication occurs.

Physical Contexts

Refers to the physical environment in which communication will occur.

Organizational Contexts

Refers to the corporate issues and structures that influence