Medium of Communication

YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF OFFICE TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS STUDIES ASSIGNMENT On COMMUNICATION IN ENGLISH IV COURSE CODE: GNS 401 BY ETUK, IMOH SUNDAY F/HD/15/3630013 SUBMITTED TO mR. oSASONA LECTURER Introduction To properly understand the three concepts below that is Oral, Written and Non-Verbal Communication and how they are facilitated, it is pertinent to know the meaning of Communication. Therefore, Communication from Latin commūnicāre, meaning "to share" is the act of conveying intended meanings from one entity or group to another through the use of mutually understood signs and semiotic rules. From the above meaning, Communication is thus a process by which meaning is assigned and conveyed in an attempt to create shared understanding. The main steps inherent to all communication are:  The forming of communicative motivation or reason. Message composition (further internal or technical elaboration on what exactly to express). Message encoding (for example, into digital data, written text, speech, pictures, gestures and so on). Transmission of the encoded message as a sequence of signals using a specific channel or medium. Noise sources such as natural forces and in some cases human activity (both intentional and accidental) begin influencing the quality of signals propagating from the sender to one or more receivers. Reception of signals and reassembling of the encoded message from a sequence of received signals. Decoding of the reassembled encoded message. Interpretation and making sense of the presumed original message. Having known what Communication is all about and the main steps involves in Communication, it is now time to proceed to answering the following questions: 1 (a). What is Oral Communication? 1 (b). How is Oral communication facilitated? 2 (a). What is Written Communication? 2 (b). How is it facilitated? 3 (a). What is Non-Verbal Communication? 3 (b). How is it facilitated? 4. When is Communication is said to be effective? Question 1 (a). What is Oral Communication? Oral communication describes any type of interaction that makes use of spoken words, and it is a vital, integral part of the business world, especially in an era dubbed the information age. For oral communication to be effective, it should be clear, relevant, tactful in phraseology and tone, concise, and informative. Succinctly put, Oral communication is the process of verbally transmitting information and ideas from one individual or group to another. Lastly, Oral Communication is the ability to talk with others to give and exchange information and ideas, such as: ask questions, give directions, coordinate work tasks, explain and persuade. Question 1 (b): How is Oral communication facilitated? Oral communication being the process of verbally transmitting information and ideas from one individual or group to another which could be formal or informal, can be facilitated through the following ways: Face-to-face conversations Telephone conversations Discussions that take place at business meetings Presentations at business meetings Classroom lectures Radio and Television Magazine Commencement of speeches given at a graduation ceremony With advances in technology, new ways of facilitating oral communication continue to develop. This is evident in the following areas: Video phones and video conferences combine audio and video so that workers in distant locations can both see and speak with each other. Podcasts (audio clips that you can access on the Internet) and Voiceover Internet Protocol (VoIP), which allows callers to communicate over the Internet and avoid telephone charges. Skype is an example of VoIP. Question 2 (a). What is Written Communication? Written Communication refers to the process of conveying a message through the written symbols. In other words, any message exchanged between two or more persons that make use of written words is known as written communication. Such communication is used when the information to be transmitted is lengthy and includes some complex terms that cannot be explained verbally.  Also, the organizations maintain their documents in writings such that these can be used as a reference and evidence of any transaction anytime in the future. Thus, it is essential for every business organization to develop effective writing skills and inculcate this in all its employees. Question 2 (b): How is Written Communication Facilitated? Written Communication being the most reliable method of everyday communication and the most effective of any mode of business communication can be facilitated through the following ways: Electronic mails - Electronic mail has emerged as a highly popular business communication tool in recent years. Indeed, its capacity to convey important corporate communications swiftly and easily has transformed it into a communications workhorse for business enterprises of all sizes and orientations Memos - A short message sent from one person to another in the same organization. Reports - A written account of something that one has observed, heard, done, or investigated. Documents - These are written, printed, or electronic matter that provides information or evidence or that serves as an official record. Letters- A written or printed communication addressed to a person or organization and usually transmitted by mail. Journals - Journal publishes articles and book reviews on a broad range of issues. Job descriptions - A written document that describes the general tasks, or functions, and responsibilities of a position. Employee manuals - An employee manual, sometimes also known as an employee handbook, staff handbook, or company policy manual, is a book given to employees by an employer. Usually, the employee handbook contains written information about company policies and procedures. Question 3 (a): What is Nonverbal communication? Nonverbal communication (NVC) between people is communication through sending and receiving wordless clues. Nonverbal communication represents two-thirds of all communication. Nonverbal communication can portray a message both vocally and with the correct body signals or gestures. Body signals comprise physical features, conscious and unconscious gestures and signals, and the mediation of personal space. Nonverbal communication strengthens a first impression in common situations like attracting a partner or in a business interview: impressions are on average formed within the first four seconds of contact. Non-verbal communication is omnipresent because it is present in all other forms of communication. Question 3 (b): How is Nonverbal facilitated Non-verbal communication can be facilitated through the following methods: Chronemics - This refers to the study of the role of time in communication. It is one of several subcategories of the study of nonverbal communication. Haptics (touch) - refers to the ways in which people and animals communicate, and interact via the sense of touch. Kinesics (body movement/Language) - Kinesics is the study of body movements and gestures as a form of nonverbal communication. It is one of the ways facilitating nonverbal communication. Vocalics - Vocalics in the most normal of contexts, is the study of the voice's nonverbal uses that indicate emotion and provide cues as to what is meant. These cues include pitch, tone, rate, volume, and accent pattern and will influence how the message is received and interpreted. paralanguage - is a nonverbal means of communication, such as tone of voice, laughter, and, sometimes, gestures and facial expressions, that accompany speech and convey further meaning in communication process. Proxemics (the use of space). Proxemics is the study of human use of space and the effects that population density has on behaviour, communication, and social interaction. Question 4: When is Communication is said to be effective? Communication is said to be effective when the sender sends a message and the message is received and well understood by the receiver, acted upon by the receiver, and a meaningful feedback is given to the sender in return for necessary action to be taken. In a simple way, a communication that is effective is a successful communication. In conclusion, whichever way Communication is passed or facilitated it takes the process of a sender who encodes a message, also receives feedback from the receiver who decodes the message. This process also includes channel or medium of communication, as well as the physical environment (noise, seating arrangement). The diagram below best explain the flow of communication be it Oral, Written or Nonverbal. Feedback Immediate physical environment e.g. Noise Immediate physical environment e.g. Noise Sender Encoding Channel or Medium Decoding Receiver BIBLIOGRAPHY Bonner, William H., and Lillian H. Chaney. Communicating Effectively in an Information Age. Second Edition, Dame Publishing, 2003. Dillon, Sam. "What Corporate America Can't Build: A Sentence." The New York Times. 7 December 2004. "E-mail That Doesn't Break Your Career." Broker Magazine. April-May 2006. Holz, Shel. 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