This book is authored by Richard Jones, and it is titled Communication in the Real World: An Introduction to Communication Studies. The book’s main focus is elements of communication, and it uses foundational concepts to explain complex theories in this field. The author also incorporates some of the latest research in this field in an effort to highlight how some of the more prominent theories can be applied to modern communication needs. In essence, this book plays a vital role in showing real-life applications of organizational communication theories. The conversational nature of this book also adds to its appeal and also allows the author to provide a more appealing theoretical account that rises above issues of gender, race, religion, and other common identifiers. This review of Communication in the Real World examines some of the main concepts that are presented in this book in the context of the fashion industry.
Each chapter in this book presents a distinct element of communication, whereby the introduction includes the history, forms, processes, principles, and competence elements of communication. Other aspects of communication that are discussed in this book include its verbal and non-verbal elements, how listening can impact quality of information, and how relationships manifest when different people are communicating. The authors also take time to offer useful guidelines for writing a speech, delivering it, and also identifies some of the most informative and persuasive aspects of communication. The book also takes time to explore the connections between culture and communication and the various dynamics of group-communication.
This review focuses on the author’s claims about new media and communication. The discussion of this concept in Jones’ book is a continuation of the author’s discussion on media technology and communication. According to the author, new media presents a big departure from the manner in which people communicate because modern methods are more personal than social. The book also recognizes new media as a dynamic area of communication because it is still a developing field. New media and communication is closely connected to the fashion industry due to the dynamism needs of the two faculties. The fashion industry was among the first industries to appreciate the personalized aspects of new media. For instance, celebrities using their social media accounts to promote fashion industry products and services has become quite commonplace. According to the book, social media is a scion of personal media with the main difference being the role that the internet plays in providing access. Access to people’s personal preferences has been a game changer for the fashion industry.
The book also notes that the advent of new media tools of communication has introduced fresh aspects of collaboration, participation, and democratic space. All these factors are of great importance to the fashion industry because they offer good options for communicating with active audiences who can offer useful instant feedback. The author has noted that in the past, old media outlets could only communicate with passive audiences through a one-way mode of communication. The modern fashion industry utilizes new media’s user-generated content that can be obtained cheaply and is more accurate.
This book offers various communication concepts that are important to the modern fashion industry. Furthermore, the author engages in an exhaustive discussion on the best methods of communication from basic speech-making skills to the essence of media and technology. However, one aspect that stands out in this book is the role that new media plays in modern communication. The fashion industry has reaped major benefits from different characteristics of new media communication including its personalized nature and ability to generate content. In future, the fashion industry will continue to benefit from the emerging aspects of new media including the fact that some of its modern tools give amateurs the ability to make semi-professional content.