Answers will vary. There are several dimensions to context, including the physical, social, chronological, and cultural. The physical context or setting can influence the content and quality of interaction. For example, if you were to ask your boss for a raise, the effect of the setting might dramatically affect your chances for success. How might the following settings affect the success of such an interaction, how it might take place, or whether it should take place: In the boss's office? At a company picnic? Over lunch at a restaurant? In your work area with others observing?
The social context refers to the nature of the relationship between the communicators, as well as who is present. In the same situation mentioned above, imagine how the relationship between your manager and yourself might affect your request for a raise.
The chronological context refers to the ways time influences interactions. For example, how might the time of day affect the quality of an interaction? How might the communicator's personal preferences regarding time affect communication and its success? Is it a busy time of year for employees and managers? Has there just been a major layoff, downsizing, or profit loss? In this last case, you might want to put off your request for a raise until conditions improve.
The cultural context includes both the organizational culture as well as the cultural backgrounds of the people with whom you may be communicating. A person's cultural influences also can affect the kind and quality of communication that takes place, and they can help determine approaches that will be more effective. For example, young people have different expectations than seniors; Hispanics have different expectations than Asians; Californians have different expectations than people from the Midwest or East Coast; and men may communicate differently than women.

A

B