The Communication
Process (System)

Meaning of the Communication Process

A process consists of a series of
interrelated steps taken one after another with a
view to accomplishing a desired goal. The communication process js similarly an aggregate of many steps or operations involved
in the transmission of a message. In
other words, the total number of activities performed one after another in the exchange of a message between two or more
persons is called a communication
process. Virtually, the communication'process begins when a communicator sends
a message (being developed and encoded earlier) and ends when a receiver (after receiving) understands and
provides feedback to the original sender.
Thus, a communication process more precisely may be denned as a system which consists of developing a message,
encoding and transmitting it (by a sender on the one side); the receiving and
decoding of the message, understanding and
accepting, and finally using the message and giving response (by the receiver m the other side). Barker (1981) defines the
communication process as, "A system
that involves an interrelated, interdependent group of elements working
together as a whole to achieve a desired outcome or goal" (P.6).

The communication process is cyclical. Upon decoding a
message, understanding same
and taking action, a receiver sends his/her own reaction to the original sender
a cycle thus is formed at least once. Megginson (1985) also holds the same
view. He reflects the view as, "Communication is a cycle of interrelated
stages that include (1)
an idea, thought or mental impression, which (2) is translated, encoded, or put
into symbols, which
then (3) are transmitted to someone else, who (4) receives them and (5) retranslates or decodes them
back into an idea. Yet communicating is not complete until there is some form
of response" (P.335).

Thus, we see that the communication
process involves the following sequence of events/steps : ideation, encoding, transmitting, receiving,
decoding, understanding and finally providing feedback (action). The steps
involved in the communication process are
displayed in figure 2.1.

The dotted spaces above and below
the figure symbolize barriers (noise, road block and so forth) that can take place at any stage in
the communication cycle.