Chapter 1 Vocabulary: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World

Communication

The process of transferring information, meaning, and understanding between senders and receivers

Stakeholders

Groups affected by a company’s actions, including customers, employees, shareholders, suppliers, neighbors, and local communities

Professionalism

The quality of performing at a high level and conducting oneself with purpose and pride

Critical Thinking

The ability to evaluate evidence completely and objectively in order to form logical conclusions and make sound recommendations

Formal Communication Network

Communication channels that flow along the lines of command in an organization

Informal Communication Network

All communication that takes place outside the formal network

Audience-Centered Approach

Understanding and respecting the members of your audience and making every effort to get your message across in a way that is meaningful to them; also known as adopting the “you” attitude

“You” Attitude

Communicating with an audience-centered approach; creating messages that are about “you,” the receiver, rather than “me,” the sender

Message

The “container” for an idea to be transmitted from a sender to a receiver

Encoding

Putting an idea into a message (words, images, or a combination of both)

Communication Medium

The form in which a message is presented; can be oral (spoken), written, or visual

Communication Channels

Systems used to deliver messages

Decoding

Extracting the idea from a message

Feedback

Information from receivers back to senders regarding the quality and effectiveness of a message

Communication Barriers

Forces or events that can disrupt communication, including noise and distractions, competing messages, filters, and channel breakdowns

Selective Attention

Focusing on some of the incoming stimuli or information sources while ignoring others

Social Communication Model

An interactive, conversational approach to communication in which audience members are empowered to participate fully

Information Overload

Condition in which people receive more information than they can effectively process

Social Media

Digital platforms that empower stakeholders as participants in the communication process by allowing them to share content, revise content, respond to content, or contribute new content

Intelligent Communication Technology (ICT)

Systems that use artificial intelligence to enhance the communication experience

Ethics

The accepted principles of right and wrong that govern behavior within a society

Ethical Communication

Communication that includes all the information an audience needs in order to make an informed decision or take an informed stance on an issue, is not deceptive in any way, considers unintended consequences, and does not violate privacy

Plagiarism

Presenting someone else’s words or other creative product as your own

Copyright

A form of legal protection for the expression of creative ideas

Transparency

A sense of openness that gives all participants in a conversation access to the information they need to accurately process the messages they are receiving

Social Media Influencers

Social media users who can influence buyer behavior by virtue of their reputation for expertise, their celebrity, or the number of followers they have

Ethical Dilemma

A situation that involves making a choice when all competing alternatives are ethically valid or the alternatives aren’t completely wrong or completely right

Ethical Lapse

A clearly unethical choice

Code of Ethics

A written set of ethical guidelines that companies expect their employees to follow

Contract

A legally binding promise between two parties, in which one party makes a specified offer and the other party accepts

Intellectual Property (IP)

Creative assets including copyrighted materials as well as industrial property such as patents, product designs, and logos

Defamation

The intentional public communication of false statements that damage character or reputation