What Is Communication Studies - Essay Example

?What Is Communication Studies? Table of Contents Introduction 3 Importance of Communication Studies 3 Problems in Communication Studies 4 Culture and Communication Studies 4 The Shannon and Weaver Model (1949) 5 The Schramm Model (1954) 6 Conclusion 8 References 9 Introduction Communication is fundamentally described as an inclusive procedure of exchanging various consequential messages. Moreover, it is also regarded as an effective transaction that takes place between different participants during which an interrelation develops between them by a considerable level. The significant facet of communication is also typically viewed as a reciprocal practice wherein a particular meaning is duly negotiated through the exchange of valuable messages. In this similar context, the idea of communication studies is widely defined as an academic field that primarily deals with the procedure of human communication intending to generate meaningful messages (Steinberg, 2007). In this paper, the notion of communication studies, its importance and the problems commonly associated with the aspect, will be taken into concern. Moreover, the link between culture and communication studies will also be discussed in this paper with the application of relevant models that include The Shannon and Weaver Model and The Schramm Model. Importance of Communication Studies Communication studies play an imperative role in every business organisation as it assists different organisations to develop their respective organisational forms in an efficient manner. Contextually, it has often been observed that organisations face various challenges when performing business operations effectively without concerning the aspect of communication studies. This is owing to the reason that the entire functional process of a specific organisation depends largely upon the understanding of the flow of information through communication studies (Steinberg, 2007). Problems in Communication Studies Communication studies generally involve two parties that include a speaker as well as a listener. With regard to determine the problems in communication studies, it has been viewed that misunderstandings arising due to poor communication can easily cause conflicts as well as other kinds of disturbances in the interrelation between the listener and the speaker. In other words, it can be stated that the conflict which often takes place between the involved parties in a communication process, due to creation of misunderstandings, is one of the crucial problems in the area of communication studies. Moreover, apart from rising conflicts, prevalence of dissimilar cultures, norms and languages are also considered to be the major problems relating to the study of communication studies (Steinberg, 2007). Culture and Communication Studies According to various researches, it has been apparently observed that communication and culture are undividable in nature. In this connection, the researchers revealed that the aspect of culture plays a critical role in the field of communication studies. Intercultural interaction within the context of communication studies has become quite pervasive due to several important factors. These factors primarily include worldwide developments, rapid enlargement in the population of the world and alteration in the global business approaches. Most significantly, it has been argued that cultural dissimilarities may act as significant barriers towards communication studies. In response, effectual communication amid the involved parties in the communication studies would certainly minimise the barriers by a greater extent (Chen, 2009). The Shannon and Weaver Model (1949) The Shannon and Weaver Model (1949) introduced an effective communicative model which has been acknowledged as “information theory” and is regarded as quite beneficial in the area of communication studies. In this particular theory, the model revealed that the information is regarded as an assessment of the entropy or insecurity in a specific system. Moreover, the model also reflected that a particular source creates a meaningful message that is passed through a distribution channel assisting the receiver to successfully interpret the message. The vital elements of this model include entropy, redundancy, channel capacity and noise. In this similar context, the model viewed noise as any signal that is not broadcasted by source or anything that makes the projected signal more challenging to be interpreted precisely. According to the model, entropy can be observed to be maximum unpredictability which is also identifiable as a communication problem. On the other hand, redundancy signifies the means or ways of enhancing communication by a greater extent. Finally, another important component of the model, i.e. channel capacity, represents the physical ways through which the signal is broadcasted with the intention of interpreting meaningful messages. The notion of channel capacity emphasises upon certain significant channels that encompass telephone cables, radio as well as sound waves and light waves among others and can be used for communication purposes. Thus, it can broadly be stated that the aforementioned components of the model play an imperative part in the field of communication studies by a considerable level. The model can be better understood with the help of the following pictorial representation. Source: (Fiske, n.d.) The Schramm Model (1954) According to the Schramm’s model relating to communication studies, coding as well as decoding are regarded as two necessary procedures of an effectual communication. This is owing to the reason that the aspect of encoding initiates the communication procedure by altering the thought into content. On the other hand, the facet of decoding helps in communicating the message and in making better use to the users. Thus, it can be affirmed that both encoding as well as decoding play an imperative role in smoother information flow between the involved parties within the background of communication studies. Besides, the model focuses upon the belief that an effective communication is unfinished until and unless a particular sender receives a proper response from a specific receiver. The model signifies that the feature of communication study is fundamentally a two-way procedure of interpreting meaningful messages between the involved parties. In addition, the model also revealed that there are certain imperative factors that play a decisive part in the procedure of communication. In this regard, the significant factors include experience, cultural background and knowledge of a particular individual. Contextually, it has been apparently observed that the three vital constituents of this model are encoder, interpreter and decoder. These three important aspects ultimately tend to support the effectual transmission of message between the involved parties in the communication procedure. A pictorial illustration of this model has been depicted hereunder. Source: (Scribd Inc., 2012) Conclusion After acquiring a brief idea about the perceptions regarding communication studies, it can be stated that effective communication studies can be viewed as a dynamic technique of sharing sensible information amid the involved parties within a communication process. An effectual communication study, therefore ultimately supports an organisation to attain its predetermined business objectives by enabling them to make any sort of valuable decisions. The factors such as diverse cultural background and languages might act as significant barriers towards communication studies. The different imperative models such as The Shannon and Weaver Model (1949) and The Schramm Model (1954) also reveal that the area of communication studies is valued largely as it leads towards a greater success in every sphere. References Chen, Z., 2009. Review of Literature. Intercultural Communication: Barriers and Solutions. Fiske, J., No Date. Communication Theory. Introduction to Communication Studies. Steinberg, S., 2007. An Introduction to Communication Studies. Juta and Company Ltd. Scribd Inc., 2012. Schramm’s Model (1954). Models of Communication. [Online] Available at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/26556399/Schramm-Model-of-Communication [Accessed January 15, 2013]. Read More