What is the communication process?

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In order to improve business communication the communication process must be understood. Communication begins when the sender has an idea. The sender’s message is influenced by many factors such as: disposition, background, culture, and context of the situation. Once the idea is formed by the sender he or she encodes the message. Encoding is when the idea is transformed into words or signals to convey a certain meaning. The sender chooses words and gestures that will most clearly express the desired meaning. The sender then chooses a channel to transmit the message. Some examples of possible channels are internet, computer, emails, telephone, written letters, and reports.
The receiver then decodes the message. Decoding is when the receiver transmits the message and gives it meaning. Once the receiver decodes the message, communication has taken place. The last stage of the communication process is when feedback from the receiver returns to the sender in order to let the sender know that the receiver understood the message. Basically, feedback happens when the receiver makes a statement or gesture that let’s the sender know he or she comprehends the intended message. Feedback is extremely important in business communication. It helps the sender know that the receiver understood the message clearly and can now perform the desired task. For example, if a manager asks his employee to complete a certain task, in order for the manager to know that employee understood completely, it would be beneficial for the employee to give his manager feedback so that if there were any misconceptions, they could be cleared up before errors were made.



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