What is communication
The word Communication comes from the Latin communis which means common. Both Latin and Romance languages have retained the special meaning of a Greek term, that of "Koinoonia", which means both communication and community.
Also in Castilian the radical "common" is shared by the terms communication and community. This indicates, as an etymological point, the close relationship between «communicating» and «being in community». In short, you are "in community" because you "put something in common" through "communication."
Antonio Pasquali affirms that communication appears at the very moment when the social structure begins to take shape, just as its essential structural ingredient, and that where there is no communication, no social structure can be formed. For Pasquali, the term communication should be reserved for human interaction, for the exchange of messages between men, regardless of the intermediary devices used to facilitate remote interaction.
After a great effort of defining abstraction, he concludes considering communication in this way: «the human community relationship consists in the emission-reception of messages between interlocutors in a state of total reciprocity, being therefore an essential factor of coexistence and a determining element of the forms assumed by the sociability of man ».
Carlos Fernández considers that for there to be communication, a shared system of referring symbols is necessary, which implies an exchange of common symbols among the people involved in the communication process. Those who communicate must have a minimum degree of common experience and shared meanings.
It also emphasizes that communication when applied in organizations is called organizational communication. This communication occurs naturally in any organization, whatever its type or size and consequently it is not possible to imagine an organization without communication.
What is organizational communication
From this perspective, organizational communication is the total set of messages that are exchanged between the members of an organization, and between the organization itself and its environment.
For Fernández, organizational communication is the essence, the heart itself, the soul and the dominant force within an organization.
This is also understood as a set of techniques and activities aimed at facilitating and speeding up the flow of messages that occur between members of the organization, or between the organization and its environment; Or, to influence the opinions, attitudes and behaviors of the internal and external audiences of the organization, all with the aim of ensuring that the latter better and faster meets its objectives.
These techniques and activities should ideally start from research, since through it the problems, needs and areas of opportunity in communication will be known.
For the leaders of an organization, effective and efficient communication is essential because it depends on conflict resolution and the strengthening of relationships with those who are involved in the fulfillment of their functions, in addition, because the functions of planning, organization and control only they take shape in this way.
Organizational communication is essential for the integration of administrative functions. The objectives established in the planning must be communicated in order to develop the appropriate organizational structure. It is also essential in the selection, evaluation and training of those who carry out their functions within this structure.
Creating an environment conducive to motivation and effective leadership depends on organizational communication, through which you can determine if events and performance fit with established projects.
Types of organizational communication
Organizational communication, according to Fernández, can be divided into internal and external communication:
Internal communication
It is the set of activities carried out by any organization for the creation and maintenance of good relations with and among its members, through the use of different means of communication that keep them informed, integrated and motivated to contribute with their work to achieving the objectives. organizational.
External communication
It is defined as the set of messages issued by any organization to its different external audiences, aimed at maintaining or improving its relations with them, to project a favorable image or to promote its products and services.
Hence, it can be affirmed that without adequate internal communication there can be no effective external communication, since it depends on the emergence of a strategic plan that allows the implementation of effective communication actions.
The interest in communication has resulted in a diversity of models of this process, with differences in descriptions and elements. None of them can be described as exact; Some will be more useful at a certain time for specific studies. In addition, many models are complementary to each other and this allows to deepen the work of analysis and presentation of solutions where there are communication problems in specific cases.
There are two aspects or trends in terms of communication models, on the one hand, those that focus on the process itself and semiotics on the other.
The first aspect is communication as a process and it focuses on the communication process from a fairly scientific and exact angle; here the central concept is the transmission of messages through an efficient process where the role of encoders and decoders played by transmitters and receivers, respectively, is highly relevant.
The second aspect starts from the semiotic point of view, contributes to the creation and stability of social values, due to the fact that it is concerned with the content of the message and its socio-cultural implications on the behaviors generated in the recipient of the message. This aspect is of great relevance in this research, which aims to study communication as a means of facing social and organizational change.
This trend, which starts from semiotics (science of signs and meanings), assumes that communication is the production and exchange of messages that interact with people to produce logical meaning, to share certain concepts and thus achieve shared objectives..
Classic Models of Communication
Among the most studied communication models are that of David Berlo and Harold Dwight Lasswell.
Theory of communication by David Berlo K.
Communication as a regulated process, according to Berlo, abides by the classical guidelines of communicative action, as stated by Shannon and Weaver in the mid-20th century, with an issuing position (source), a mediation (encoder) that transforms the intention of the source in message, to be transmitted over a channel (medium or support), which must be decoded to be effective in producing communication about a final receiver (audience).
The idea of 'noise' takes Berlo to the level of fidelity or effectiveness in the phenomenon of human communication. This efficiency or fidelity is the achievement of the objectives set by the source, based on the guidelines that affect the entire communication process.
To achieve effective communication requires the capacity of the source in the strategic formulation of its objectives (definition of what and to whom you want to communicate); adequate coding (narrative, rhetorical values, etc.); Choosing the most effective channel based on the message and the final recipient, always in order to transmit security, trust and credibility, which appear as values associated with fidelity.
Regarding efficiency in the communication process, Berlo ensures that the capacity and ease of dialogue between interlocutors (they have different roles in the social system) is fundamental, as well as the cultural and ideological empathy of the source and the recipient; to achieve the closest proximity in identity traits and thus facilitate the achievement of the objectives of the proposed communication.
Berlo summarizes his communication model in the following scheme:
It should be noted that Berlo attaches great importance to receiving the message, and points out that "the meanings are not in the message, but in its users"; this means that decoding is the final and differentiated value that determines the effectiveness of the communication.
In other words, Berlo literally points out that:
"Communication is a value of dialogue, power, influence, control… The effectiveness or 'fidelity' of communication, however, is subject to strategies and does not produce certain results, but can be doomed to failure, generally for incompatibility between the purpose of the sender and the disposition of the receiver. The effectiveness lies, to a large extent, in eliminating, in a broad sense of the term, the 'noises' that can distort the communicational purpose ”.
Hence, his theory states that in order to achieve effective communication, "noises" must be eliminated, which may distort the process of transmitting and receiving messages. Noise is considered to be any factor that disturbs or confuses communication, or interferes in some way or another.
Dwight Lasswell's Communication Theory
Lasswell takes into account the implications of mass communication, differentiating it from interpersonal communication. Mass communication always responds to a strategy and at all times seeks to achieve an effect with a high level of intent.
It indicates a series of variables that must be considered when planning a communication aimed at a large number of people: Who? What does it say? Why Canal? To who? With what effect?
The graph of the Lasswell model is as follows:
Influenced by behavioral theories, Lasswell largely surpasses previous positions on the stimulus-response linearity of communication, while opening new spaces for research.
In the social environment Lasswell when referring to his theory of communication states the following:
“The process of communication in society performs four functions: a) monitoring the environment, revealing threats and opportunities that affect the value position of the community and its component parts; b) correlation of the components of society in terms of responding to the environment; c) transmission of the social legacy and d) entertainment ”
In this regard, Lasswell's communication model highlights the importance of being very clear about the intention of the receiver when communicating and the conditions under which the receiver receives the message.
Lasswell's theory considers that when you want to reach a large number of people with a message, you must be very clear about who is going to encode that message, what your intentions are (that is, why and why).
From there the content of it is derived, making it clear what exactly it is going to say, to then be able to select the most appropriate channel or means of communication that allows the message to reach the recipient under optimal conditions and that this in turn be prepared to receive the message and give a reaction or feedback.
This model was strengthened in 1958 by Richard Braddock, who formulated an extension of the “Lasswell paradigm, through which he tries to find an interaction between the parts and actors of the communicative action. Thus, he believes that the intentionality of the message is a defining element of it, as well as the circumstances in which it occurs.
The Braddock extension scheme is summarized in the following diagram:
New trends in communication
The classic models of communication based on a linear and unidirectional scheme, which presume an omnipotent emitter that generates effects on a defenseless receiver, have been evolving and generating a rethinking tending to speak of communication for social change or communication for human development, of the which refers to research centers and particularly the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
According to research by the Rockefeller Foundation's Communications Department, efficient communication for social change is defined as a process of private and public dialogue, through which people decide who they are, what they want and how they can get what what do they want.
Taking into account the aforementioned, these studies determine that communication strategies must be established based on principles of tolerance, self-determination, equity, social justice and active participation of all actors in the communication process.
In this way it is clear that the conception of communication for social change and human development is about giving people the possibility of formulating their own development agendas, both at the community, province and nation level, and at the national level. international.
The change in communication strategies for development is posed as follows:
- "From people as the object of change… to individuals and communities as agents of their own change. From the design, testing and distribution of messages… towards supporting dialogue and debate on key issues of interest. From the transfer of information to by technical experts… to properly incorporate this information into dialogues and debates. From focusing on individual behaviors… to focusing on social norms, policies, culture and an appropriate environment. From persuading people to do something… to debate on the best way to move forward in a collaborative process. From experts from "external" agencies that dominate and guide the process… to give the central role to the people most affected by the problem that is being discussed. "
In this regard, Isidora Reyes affirms that a large amount of energy is lost daily due to communication failures or errors, poorly written reports, poorly formulated explanations, faulty transmission of messages, generating economic losses, wasted efforts, social and cultural shocks, professional, labor and personal conflicts.
To achieve effective communication, Reyes recommends resorting to communication programs that can respond to real needs. For which it is essential to make an adequate selection of the means used to transmit the information, as well as to ensure the existence of mechanisms for control, clearly determining the responsibilities in the communication process.
In addition, it emphasizes the need to allow participating members, in the communication process, to express themselves either through consultation programs or a legitimate system of representation and open door policies, reinforced by opinion polls to make it more participatory.. Communication efficiency can be evaluated according to the expected results.
The probability that the transmitted message has been interpreted exactly as the sender would have wanted is a feat, since numerous interferences can occur at any stage of the communication process and limit the compression of the message. This is what is known as "communication barriers".
Participatory communication
According to the 2004 Human Development Report, which constitutes an innovative analysis of identity politics around the world, cultural freedom must be adopted as one of the basic human rights and as a requirement to achieve the development of the ever-increasing more diverse societies of the XXI century.
This report emphasizes that knowledge and information are essential factors for people to take advantage of the opportunities and challenges posed by social, economic and technological changes, especially those that contribute to improving productivity, food security of the population and livelihoods, such as water. But for knowledge and information to be useful, they must be effectively communicated to people and allowing them to build their capacities.
Popular participation is becoming the decisive question of our time and for there to be participation there must be communication.
Development programs can only bear full fruit if knowledge and technologies are effectively shared, generating effective communication.
On the other hand, unless the population is the driving force of their own development, actively participating in communication processes, it is considered that lasting improvements in their standard of living will not be achieved, no matter how much they invest or contribute inputs and technologies.
Without a doubt, communication is decisive in this task for many reasons. For example, it allows planners to consult with the population, to take into account their needs, attitudes and traditional knowledge, when determining and formulating development programs. Only through communication will project beneficiaries become protagonists, ensuring the success of development programs.
Better communication with the population allows them to recognize the most important problems, find a common field of action, create a climate of identification and participation to put their decisions into practice. Furthermore, development implies change, new forms of action. Only in this way will the population have sufficient confidence to make a project work and acquire the necessary new knowledge and skills.
Hence the importance of an adequate selection of the means of communication used to communicate with the communities. Audiovisual media and dynamic communication techniques can be valuable tools in advising the public on new ideas and methods, encouraging their adoption, and improving communication skills in general.
Communication is also essential to improve coordination and teamwork in order to manage development programs and obtain institutional support.
We live in the age of communication and we are beginning to see its impact on development. There is a strong need for national planning and decision-making bodies to adopt executive resolutions to take full advantage of the possibilities offered by communication.
The strategy on which popular participation and community mobilization is based is to release the energies of the rural population by reinforcing self-confidence, through effective communication, to make decisions and implement them autonomously, and demonstrate how they themselves they can benefit from their own efforts.
Participatory communication allows even people belonging to different social groups within a community to exchange information and ideas in a positive and productive way. This dialogue is enriched when these people understand to what extent development issues affect them, know what they think in other communities and see what they have achieved. These methods are effective for the population to reach an agreement on issues of mutual interest, based on their own needs and capacities.
Dialogue can be initiated and guided by field specialists who have a good background in interpersonal communication, this in order to help the population to form an idea of their reality and reflect on it.
Radio can also be a popular forum particularly suited to dealing with aspects of community life, as well as technical and cultural issues. In order to achieve the participation of the population, it is necessary to maintain interpersonal contacts within the community, and it is there that the audiovisual media and dynamic techniques of participatory communication facilitate dialogue and the search for consensus.
Communication can be of decisive importance promoting human development in today's new climate of social change. As the world moves towards decentralization, the market economy and greater democracy, the conditions for the population to begin to set their own course for change improve.
To achieve this social change in the communities, it is necessary to increase their awareness, participation and effective interaction capacities, and this is only possible if the communication is of excellent quality.
Communication-related knowledge and technologies are essential for community development, but are often underutilized. It is necessary to take measures that promote proper planning and application of participatory communication programs, with due evaluation and control, to strengthen them.
For the early twenty-first century, there have been significant changes in development. Societies are open to debate and markets to private initiative; privatization and entrepreneurship are encouraged; new technologies are increasingly accessible; The management of public services gradually approaches users, when it is not left directly to them, in order to reduce expenses and find partners more interested in obtaining effective results.
Developing country governments are no longer able to continue to perform social and regulatory functions on their own, especially in rural areas. Therefore, it is essential to obtain active support and a greater contribution from the population to make the public sector profitable. Therefore, governments are committed to seeking new interlocutors ranging from local leaders to people who are part of non-governmental organizations, who in turn are forced to take on far-reaching responsibilities for development by promoting participatory communication.
When the living forces of the communities achieve effective communication, the decisive importance of solving a series of specific problems for socioeconomic progress, equity and social stability, for the future of humanity and perhaps even for its future, is clearly manifested. survival, as is the case of the protection of water resources in the world.
Many social science experts agree that the outcome of a community project will depend less on scientific and material contributions than on the population that participates in it. Well, although our knowledge of the development process is changing, there is no doubt that in the future its configuration, pace, sustainability and final direction -for better or for worse- will be determined by the population and their level of awareness, participation and competence..
The investment in scientific and material inputs will not bear fruit if there is no parallel investment in human capital, consisting of informing the population, offering them means so that they can reach a consensus regarding the appropriate measures and promoting the knowledge and capacities necessary to take advantage of to the maximum the material investments, in other words, to bet fully on participatory communication.
If development can be considered the fabric resulting from the activities of millions of people, effective communication represents the thread with which the plot is elaborated. On the one hand, in any time of social change, communication arises spontaneously in the form of dialogue and debate. In recent times, the increase in freedom of expression and changes in the world political structure have been almost simultaneous.
A communication-based development strategy can reveal traditional wisdoms and implicit attitudes of the population, value their opinions and adapt projects to their real needs.
The intended use of techniques, activities, and means of communication provides people with a valuable tool both to experience and guide change. A more intense exchange of ideas between all sectors of society can lead to greater participation of the population, a fundamental requirement for sustainable development.
Any development program that considers people as mere objects and not as subjects of change and progress is bound to fail. Consulting with the population and promoting their active participation in decision-making that will affect them is almost a guarantee of success for the program.
In practice, for planning to be effective, efforts will have to be made to determine what people want and can do, and continue to do, in a sustainable way.
Mark Malloch Brown, administrator of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and valuable promoter of cultural liberties, declares in 2004 that:
"If the world wants to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and definitively eradicate poverty, it must first successfully face the challenge of building culturally diverse and inclusive societies."
The 2004 Human Development Report overwhelmingly reveals the importance, both locally and universally, of participatory communication. The entire world cries out for respect for opinions, ideas and proposals, as well as for dialogue as the core of conflict resolution and as the basis for social development.
Bibliography
- Berlo, David K. The communication process. Introduction to theory and practice, Ateneo, Buenos Aires.Berlo, David K. Thought, Organizations: behavior, structure and processes, Ateneo, Buenos Aires.Fernández, Collado, Carlos. Communication in organizations. Ed. Trillas. México.Fiske, John, Introduction to the Study of Communication. Editorial Norma, Colombia Lasswell, Harold Dwight, Variables of analysis of the communication process. Introduction to the study of communication. Pasquali, Antonio. Understanding Communication, Ed. Monte Ávila, Caracas.Reyes, Isidora, Communication in Health Organizations, Ed. Minsa, Valencia.
