The Evolution of Communication free essay sample

Communication has evolved greatly due to advances in technology. This essay is broken into three main parts. Firstly, I will outline some of the major inventions that have shaped the way people communicate today. I will argue that communication has improved due to technological advances and explain why technology has had a positive effect on communication in general. Furthermore, I will describe some of the communication standards necessary for public sector officials to apply, so that the level of integrity the public expects is preserved.Whilst looking at these standards I will apply them to the Queensland Police Service. Technology has been an essential aspect to the evolution of communication. Without technology human interaction would be confined to oral interaction, symbols, and face to face meetings. The invention of writing and the alphabet has enabled humans to communicate with each other over distance and time (Deal, 2008). Communication was no longer restricted to oral encounters and communicating information no longer relied primarily on memory. The need for a system that could accurately record information arose, and with that the invention of the printing press allowed for standardised recordings of ideas, concepts, and knowledge (Wilcox, 2004). Before the invention of the printing press in the 15th century, books where handwritten and often filled with errors due to spelling and hand writing. Written language was standardised through print material and literacy rates increased throughout the populace (Wilcox, 2004). Through language, writing and print, information could now be transmitted accurately without the restriction of verbal, face to face communication.The printing press is seen as a major revolution of communication. In the 20th century, the age of electronic communication, is seen by many as the next revolution in communication. With the invention of the telephone and telegraph, people could communicate almost instantly over great distance. These technologies where designed mainly for one to one communication, but the invention of radio and television allowed for a message to be transmitted to a large number of people at the same time (Deal, 2008). The invention of computers and the internet has changed the way people communicate, store, receive, and retrieve information.The internet, invented in the 1970? s, was originally used by scientists and government officials, particularly the military, for file sharing and storing, and in-house communications. It wasn? t until the 1990? s when personal computers became affordable and popular that the internet was embraced by the general populace (Wilcox, 2004). The Multipurpose Household Survey (MPHS) conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (A BS) found that in 2008-09, 72% of Australian households had home internet access and 78% of households had access to a computer. Between 1998 to 2008-09, household access to the internet at home had gone from 16% to 72%. The ABS also states that 86. 8% of Australian business had internet access for the years 2007-08 (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006). These figures clearly demonstrate the increased use and availability of the internet within Australia. The World Wide Web is a plethora of information and a major channel of communication used today. Communication capabilities range from email, IM (instant Messaging), blogs, video conferencing, information retrieval, websites, the possibilities are endless.With the tools that we use to communicate today, one has to wander what impact communication technology has had on our ability to communicate effectively. What is communication? Mohan (2008) provides us with four definitions of communication. Communication is â€Å"the transmission of messages, the social interaction through messages, the reciprocal creation of meaning in context and the sharing of meaning through information, ideas and feelings† (p5). When we are communicating we are transmitting meaning or expression to a receiver through a medium or channel.Meanings however are interpreted differently by everyone. The exact same message can be interpreted differently by any receiver (Mohan, 2008). Our own experiences shape our world view, and no two people share the same experiences, therefore no two people share the same world view. It is our own world view that makes us interpret meanings differently. Shannon and Weaver? s transmission model of communication, as introduced by Mohan (2008), emphasises the links in the communication process. A message is encoded by the sender, sent through a channel or medium, which is then decoded and interpreted by the receiver.However, Wellman (2001) argues that the use of computer mediated communications does not limit face to face communications, rather email, instant messaging, and text, are use to supplement face to face communications. For example, using these technologies to arrange meetings, or reiterate verbal communications. With these new technologies the basic principles of communication still apply. Messages are transmitted via a channel to a receiver. Both the sender and the receiver encode and decode the message and an opportunity for feedback should be provided. Successful communication relies on the people involved, whether communication is transferred electronically or orally, in face to face situations or over the phone. Communication technologies have had a positive effect on groups of people with disabilities. Hearing impaired people the ability to communicate via email and text, and have conversations using instant messaging technologies allowing communication flow between hearing impaired persons and people who are not literate in sign language (Sadovsky, 2008) Voice technologies created for blind people allow a message received to be read out to them by a computer program.From a business prospective, the internet and email functions are relied on heavily for day to day communications. Email communications tend to be succinct compared with telephone conversations. The author concentrates on one or only a few topics. Email also encourages open communication (Anonymous, 1996). Subordinates are more likely to email superiors directly. Public sector employees and government departments need to maintain a level high level of professionalism when communicating interdepartmentally and to the public. The public expects to be treated fairly, without bias and to be listened to.Specifically, within policing agencies, Goodman-Delahunty (2010) argues that trust, respectful treatment, and voice are 3 basic public expectations of police in Australia. Interpersonal relationships between police and community where argued to have built trust. The public expects to be able to engage in interpersonal communication with the police. Goodman-Delahunty (2010), also argued that being listened to by the authorities show people that their opinions are valued by police. In order to maintain integrity, people expect government agencies to maintain openness, transparency and to share information.The Right to Information Act 2009 (Qld) enables community members to access information the government holds. Government websites or e-government enables members of the community to search for and find information or request it. As argued by Welch (2005), maintaining transparency in information, having easier access to information, and utilising new communication technologies, may help build public confidence and trust in government. A recent example of the utilisation of a large selection of media is the events during the January 2011 flood and cyclone emergencies in Queensland.The police engaged in constant communication with the public providing up to date information. At the height of the disasters the Queensland premier conducted community announcements, via television, on a regular basis and was usually accompanied by a Queensland Police representative. Police use of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to relay important safety messages and road closure details was highly praised by the community. The public expects to be informed and in a world of instant communication police utilisation of Facebook and Twitter served public needs (Thornton, 2011).People expect to be protected by the police and by using a range of communication technologies like television, radio, SMS alerts, and the internet, messages were transmitted to large section of the community. Technology has allowed communication to evolve over time. Communication before technology was based on face to face encounters and symbols. The invention to of writing and language has enabled communication to move beyond proximity. With the invention of the printing press, information could now be accurately stored and retrieved. The age of electronic communication has bought such inventions as the telephone, television, radio, the internet and the World Wide Web. Face to face communication is still considered a preferable source of communication; however these new technologies supplement face to face communication and have a positive effect on the communication process. Public sector officials need to show professionalism in communication and utilise communication technologies to ensure the messages they transmit are being received by a large section of the community and there intended audience.