Conclusion: Communication, Management and Work

Like all other forms of human communication, communication at work starts with the premise that ‘you cannot not communicate’. Whenever and wherever humans assemble collectively, communication plays an impor- tant part. Coming together communally and communicating with each other is something that has been absolutely necessary to ensure human survival. It has been essential for all forms of human life from early tribal societies to modern times. Human life occurs predominantly in association with others, such as families, play groups, school mates, peer groups, neighbours, formal associations, work colleagues, and the like. In all these situations what is demanded from us is communication. But communica- tion is more than just talking to each other because all forms of communi- cation contain at least three elements. One element looks at the semantics and construction of what is expressed, the other at the technical transmission of messages, and the final element examines the reception, appropriation, and creation of meaning in messages.503 Throughout the previous chapters, the semantics, construction, reception and appropriation of communica- tion has been discussed. These discussions centred on the place where many people spend most of their time, the workplace.