Page 71 - Effective Communication Soft Skills Strategies For Success by Nitin Bhatnagar, Mamta Bhatnagar

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Evolution and Theories of Communication

After reading this chapter, you will be familiar with:
• Historical perspective of communication
• How communication evolved from a very simple process to the most complicated
process in the present time
• Theoretical underpinnings to understand communication
• Trends in communication study
• Communication theories that help development of concepts

The evoluTion of CommuniCaTion

We start our journey towards the understanding of communication by
examining it as it has been perceived over the years. When we make an
attempt to study a subject, it is essential to know the historical evolution of
the subject in order to understand its present status and future trends. This
chapter follows this methodology in dealing with communication per se.

Systems

A system is any entity or a whole that is composed of interdependent parts.
Systems have characteristics and capabilities, which are distinct from those
of the separate parts. It evolves from the combination of the parts.

The Evolution of Communication Study
The history of communication is as long as the history of human civilization.
It has a rich and long history, which can be traced back to the Babylonian
and Egyptian writings prior to the 5 century BC. The initial contributions to
th
communication study came from scholars who were trained in the discipline
of rhetoric. They viewed communication as the practical art of persuasion.

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