COMMUNICATION

(Research from Wing Tam)

The term of Communication is simply defined as the exchange of thoughts, message or information as by speech, signals, writing or behaviour.  Communication is important in collaboration to share of experience / skil, learning or discussing with others. The following figures show the communication process and the importance of good communication within an effective collaboration.

The  first figure depicts the communication process . This model is made  up of seven parts {Fundamentals of management:essential concepts and application/Stephen P.Robbins, David A.De Cenzo. 3rd Edition p377}:

1) The communication Source

2)Encoding

3)The Message

4)The Channel

5)Decoding

6)The Receiver

7)Feedback

The source initiates a message by encoding a thought, encoding of message can be affected by skill, attitudes, knowledge and culture. The message is the actual physical product from the source. When we speak, the speech is the message. When we write, the writing is the message. Our message is affected by the code or group of symbols we use to transfer meaning. The channel is the medium through which the message travels which including formal and informal.

Before the message can be received, the symbols in it must be translated into a form that can be understand by the receiver. This is the decoding of the message. The receiver is equally restricted by receiver’s skill, attitudes, knowledge and culture. Finally, the feedback is the check on how successful we have been in transferring our messages as originally intended which determines whether understanding has been achieved.

An effective collaboration team is characterized by good communication. Members are able to convey messages in a form that is readily and clearly understood. Good communication is characterized healthy feedbacks from team members and management. This helps to guide team members and to correct misunderstand, which able to quickly and efficiently share ideas and feelings {Fundamentals of management:essential concepts and application/Stephen P.Robbins, David A.De Cenzo. 3rd Edition p295}. The second figure is above shown as support to the above statement.

It could be concluded that real communication is mutuality.

References:

Dictionary.com,LLC 2009, accessed 21 March 2009, <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/communication>.

CBS Interactive Inc. 2009, Digital Collaboration, BNET Australia, accessed 22 March 2009, <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m4467/is_6_54/ai_63795964/?tag=content;col1>.

Robbins Stephen. P and De Cenzo David. A 1995, Fundamentals of management:essential concepts and applications, 3rd edition, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs N.J.