CONTROL

Choosing the inputs to a system so as to make the state or outputs change in (or close to) some desired way. (Arbib)

A constraining (see constraint) effect on a variable, a directing influence on the behavior of a system, or the setting of the parameters of a system. Any one-way communication, which by its definition conditions a receiver's behavior in some respects, involves control of a receiver by a sender. (Krippendorff)