CHAPTER 2
THEORETICAL FOUNDATION
2.1 Communication
Everyone in modern society, including members of the public, organizational
behavior scholars, and management practitioners, fi·ccly uses the term communication
2.1.1 Definition of Communication
Communication is the transference and understanding of meaning. The proces
which
information is shared
and understood by two or more persons. (Rob
1994:p527)
2.1.2 Function of Communication
Communication serves four tm jor functions within a group or organizat
control, motivation, emotional expression, and information.
Communication acts to control member behavioral in several ways. Organizat
have authority hierarchies and formal guidelines that employees are required to follow
Communication fosters motivation by clarifying to employees what is to be d
how well they arc doing, and what can be done to improve performance if it's sub par
2.1.3 Process of Communication
Figure 2.1 The Communication Process Model
(Robbins, 1994, p379)
This model is made up of seven parts: the communication source, encoding, t
message, the channel, decoding, the receiver, and feedback.
The source initiates a message by encoding a thought. Four conditions have
described that affect the encoded message: skill. attitudes, knowledge, and the so
culture system.
The message is the actual physical product from the source encoding. Whe
speak, the speech is message. When we write, the writing is the message. When we p
the picture is message. When we gesture. the movements of our arms. the expressio
our face arc message. Our message affected by code or group of symbols we u
transfer meaning the content of the message itself. and the decisions we make in selec
The channel is the medium through which the message travels. It is select
the source, which must determine which a channel is formal and which one is inf
Formal channels arc established by the organization and transmit messages that pert
the job related activities of members. They traditionally follow the authority ne
within the organization. Other forms of messages. such as personal or social, follo
informal channels in the organization.
The receiver is the object to which the message is directed. Nevertheless, b
the message can be received, the symbols in it must be translated into a form that c
understood by the receiver. This is decoding of the message. Just as his or her s
attitudes, knowledge, and social culture system limited
the encoder, the recei
equally restricted. Just as the source must be skillful in writing or speaking, the re
must be skillful in reading or listening, and both must be able to reason.
knowledge, attitudes, and cultural background influence one's ability to receive, j
they do the ability to send.
The
final
link
in the communication
process is a lcedback loop.
I
communication source decodes the message that he encodes, if the message is put
into his system, we have feedback. Feedback is the check on how successful we h
transferring our messages as originally intended. It determines whether understandin
been achieved.
2.1.4 Communication Channel
simultaneously, 1':1cilitatc rapid feedback, and be very personaL Other arc lean in tha
score low on these three factors. As picture below illustrates, face to face talks scor
highest in terms of channel richness because it provides for the maximum amou
information to be' transmitted during a communication episode. That is, it offers mu
information cues (words, posture, racial expressions, gestures, intonations), imm
feedback (both verbal and nonverbal), and the personal touch of being there. Imper
written
media
such
Channel Richness
Rictwst
'
•.
as
bulletins
and
Type of nressage
general
reports
rate
lowest
in rich
Information Medium
Nonroutfno,
Amblgous
.,. ·. ·
I
'
i
:
"D
'
.
·=
LOilllOSf
'
lJ
Routilw, cfenr
Figure 2.2 Hierarchy of Channel Richness
The choice of one channel over another depends on whether the messa
routine or non routine. The former types of messages tend to be straightforward and
a minimum ol' ambiguity. The latter arc likely to be complicated and have the pot
l'or misunderstanding. Managers can communicate non-routine messages ciTcctivcly
by selecting rich channels.
2.2 Communication Technology
Over the past ten years,
technologies. This
there have been dramatic changes in inform
information technology has had a dramatic impact
on o
organization structure and has been carried down to the redesign of individual jobs
electronic mail is alTccting both the organization's design and the way in
individual employees carry out their assigned tasks.
2.2.1 Electronic Mail
Electronic mail, or e-mail, allows inl'ormation to be sent between computer
people on the Internet. It is the most widely used Internet resource. Just as a written
can be sent to multiple recipients, an electronic mail message can be sent to one or
e-mail addresses.
An e-mail address identifies a person
and the computer for purposes of excha
electronic mail messages. The basic structure of an e-mail address is:
uscrna m c@ h os t.su bd oma i n.sccon d-1 cvcl-doma in.lirst-1cvel-doma in
Two examples:
j ancdoc@sales.nw.widgcts.com
johndoc@widgcts.com
B
•
"
-
J!f
Figure 2.3 Send the Electronic Mnil
(II ttp:llwww.ad 11etad vertisi11g.comle 111a it)
An e-mail address is read fl·om left to right. For example:
•
,c" is the name of the person sending or receiving the message; this is rc
to as the uscrnamc.
•
•
is part of' the domain name of the organization
'\·,m1' is also part or the domain name and indicates that widgets is a comm
organization.
The Internet mail system works
because of SMTP, Simple Mail Tra
Protocol. SMTP is part of the TCP/IP suite of protocols. SMTP is a protocol, or
rules that enables electronic mail to move smoothly through the Internet. Becau
SMTP. a UNIX n1achinc can send mail to a PC or !viae intosh computer and vice ver
Electronic mail works on the client/server principle. A client program enabl
user to interact with a server in order to access information and services on the s
computer. To read and send mail, users need to access the computer where their
resides (the server). The client application is the interface which lets a user read, rep
fi.mvard, compose and send new messages. Some examples of e-mail client program
Qualcomm Eudora, pine, elm and Lotus cc:Mail.
An electronic mail message is not limited to text. Other types of files c
added to mail messages as attachments. Attachments can be binary files such as a
processed document, a spreadsheet or a graphic image.
A standard called MIME, Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions, allows for
text files to be encoded on the sending computer and clecoclecl on the receiving com
Electronic mail is a system that allows users to send and receive messages and
through the Internet. SMTP is the protocol
that ensures this system of sending
receiving information works smoothly.
A client program is used to read mail, reply to mail and send new mess
Messages can contain text as well as other file types, which are encoded and decod
MIME.
Electronic
mail
(e-mail)
allows multiple-access
communication
deli