MBA - Business Communication

Bibliography
1.Adler,RonaldB.andElmhorst,JeanneMarquardt,CommunicatingatWork:
PrinciplesandPracticesfortheBusinessandtheProfessions,McGrawHillCollege,
1999.
2.Himstreet,W.C.andBaty,W.M.,BusinessCommunications:PrinciplesandMethods,
PoorMansBooks,1987.
3.Lesikar,RaymondV.andFlatley,MarieE.,BasicBusinessCommunication,Tata
McGrawHillPublishing,2002.
4.ScotOber,ContemporaryBusinessCommunication,AllIndiaPublishersand
Distributors,2000.
5.TheEconomistStyleGuide,9
th
Edition,TheEconomist,London,2005.
6.Milne,JohnMorrison,BusinessLanguagePractice,LanguageTeachingPublication,
Hove,1994.
7.http://www.microsoft.com.
8.http://www.infotoday.com.
BusinessCommunication
MB0023
Contents
Unit1
BasicPrinciplesofCommunication 1
Unit2
TypeandChannelsofCommunication 19
Unit3
TheNatureofBusinessCommunication 39
Unit4
TheImportanceoflisteningintheworkplace 58
Unit5
GuidelinesforwrittenBusinessCommunication 76
Unit6
DevelopingoralBusinessCommunicationskills 98
Unit7
ReadingskillsforeffectiveBusinessCommunication 119
Unit8
InternalBusinesscommunicationGuidelinesfor
Meetings 135
Edition:Fall2008
Contents
Unit9
InternalBusinessCommunication WritingMemos,
CircularsandNotices 153
Unit10
InternalBusinesscommunicationElectronicMedia
andShareholderCommunication. 168
Unit11
ExternalBusinessCommunication WritingBusiness Letter 183
Unit12
OtherFormsofExternalBusinessCommunication 204
Unit13
InternalandExternalBusinessCommunication
WritingBusinessReports 221
Unit14
EmploymentcommunicationResumesandCoverLetters 243
Unit15
EmploymentCommunicationGroupDiscussionsand Interviews 264
Edition:Fall2008
BKIDB0666
Dr.K.Jayakumar
ViceChancellor
SikkimManipalUniversityofHealth,Medical,andTechnologicalSciences
Prof.NandagopalV.B.
DirectorandDean
SikkimManipalUniversityofHealth,Medical,and TechnologicalSciences
BoardofStudies
Dr.T.V.NarasimhaRao
Professor,ManipalUniversalLearning
Prof.K.V.Varambally
Director,ManipalInstituteofManagement,Manipal
Ms.VimalaParthasarathy
Asst.Professor,SikkimManipalUniversityofHealth,
MedicalandTechnologicalstudies.
Mr.ShankarJagannathan
FormerGroupTreasurer
WiproTechnologiesLimited,Bangalore
Ms.SadhanaDash
SenorManagerHR
MicrosoftIndiacorporation( Pvt)limited
Mr.AbrahamMathews
Chief FinancialOfficer
InfosysBPO,Bangalore
Mr.PankajKhanna
Director,HR,FidelityMutualFund
ContentPreparationTeam PEERREVIEWBY
1.Ms.VimalaParthasarthy Prof.K.R.Venkatesh,
Asst.Professor, FormerHead,Communications
SikkimManipalUniversityofHealth,Medical I.I.MBanaglore
andTechnologicalSciences
Edition:Fall2008
Thisbookisadistanceeducationmodulecomprisingofcollectionoflearningmaterialforourstudents.
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisworkmaybereproducedinanyformbyanymeanswithoutpermission
in writing from Sikkim Manipal University of Health, Medical and Technological Sciences, Gangtok,
Sikkim.Printed and Published on behalf of Sikkim Manipal University of Health, Medical and
Technological Sciences, Gangtok, Sikkim by Mr. Rajkumar Mascreen, GM, Manipal Universal Learning
Pvt.Ltd.,Manipal 576104.PrintedatManipalPressLimited,Manipal.
INTRODUCTION
The subject Business Communication aims to equip the student of management with the
principles, guidelines and tools needed to communicate effectively for onthejob success. It
emphasizestheimportanceofcommunicationskillsasoneoftheessentialqualitiesofagood
manager.Itfocusesonthedifferentaspectsofcommunicationandthenumerousstakeholders
withwhomonehastocommunicateinabusinesssetting.
Thiscoursewarecomprises15units:
Unit1: BasicPrinciplesofCommunication
This introductory unit will examine communication in a general sense. Some basic
definitions and characteristics of communication will be explained. A model of the
communication process, including the key elements of communication, will be
described in detail. Some of the barriers or obstacles that come in the way of
successfulcommunicationwillalsobehighlighted.
Unit2:TypesandChannelsofCommunication
This unit will focus exclusively on channels, which are an important element in the
communicationprocess.Thecharacteristicsofthetwobroadtypesofcommunication,
namely, verbal and nonverbal communication, will be described. Channels of
communication will be classified, based on various criteria and their relative
advantages and disadvantages explained. Some guidelines for selecting the
appropriatechannelinagivenbusinesssituationwillalsobeoffered.
Unit3:TheNatureofBusinessCommunication
Inthisunit,wewilldealwithcommunicationinabusinesssetting.Wewilllookatboth
the internal and external stakeholders of an organization, the primary reasons for
communicationwitheachstakeholderandtheappropriatechannelsofcommunication.
We will then try to understand how informationflows within the organization, through
both formal and informal communication networks. The importance of transparency
through the formal network and the constructive use of grapevine, or the informal
network,willalsobeemphasized.
Unit4:TheImportanceofListeningintheWorkplace
Since listening is the most important aspect of communication, it will be examined
separatelyinthisunit.Wewilldistinguishbetweenpassiveandactivelisteningand
the different types of listening, especially those that are important in a business
environment.Similartocommunicationbarriers,thevariousbarrierstolisteningwillbe
discussed, along with strategies to overcome these barriers. The different aspects of
listeninginabusinesscontext,suchaslisteningtocustomersandemployees,willalso
behighlighted.
Unit5:GuidelinesforWrittenBusinessCommunication
Thisunitwillfirstoffersomegeneralguidelinesforimprovingwritingskills,suchastips
on writing style, use of active and passive voice and correct use of spelling and
punctuation. Some common mistakes made in English will also be pointed out. The
principles of writing business correspondence, such as letters and reports will be
brieflyexplained.Theseincludewritingwiththeappropriatetone,usingtechniquesof
emphasisandsubordinationandwritingatanappropriatelevelofreadability.
Unit6:DevelopingOralBusinessCommunicationSkills
This unit focuses on oral presentation skills, as an important part of oral
communication in the workplace. While presentations may be of different types, the
steps involved in planning and organizing them are the same. This stepbystep
approach, right from defining the purpose of the presentation to doing an audience
analysis, developing the key idea and outline and delivering the presentation, is
explained in detail. The use of visual aids to make presentations more effective,
including the different types of aids and the guidelines for using them are also
described.
Unit7: ReadingSkillsforEffectiveBusinessCommunication
Apart from listening, writing and speaking, business executives also need to develop
good reading skills for job success. This unit will deal with reading in a business
context, including the purposes of reading and the different types of reading that are
required. Skimming, scanning, extensive and intensive reading are some of the
different types of reading that are often needed on the job. A special technique of
reading that could be applied to make reading more meaningful, is also explained in
detail.
Unit8:InternalBusinessCommunicationGuidelinesforMeetings
In this unit, we will deal exclusively with meetings as a channel of communication
withintheorganization.Sincemeetingsareoftenunproductive,wewillexaminethem
fromtheviewpointofthechairperson,aswellastheparticipantandofferguidelinesfor
makingthemmoreeffective.Thetypesofmeetingsandtheprocedurestobefollowed
before,duringandafterthemeetingwillbedescribed.Commonmistakesthattendto
bemadewithregardtomeetingswillbehighlighted.
.Unit 9:InternalBusinessCommunicationWritingMemos,CircularsandNotices
Writtencommunicationwithintheorganizationtakestheformofmemos,circularsand
notices.Memosarecondensedreportsandfollowtheprinciplesofprciswriting.We
willexaminetheseprinciples,alongwiththeappropriateformatforwritingmemos.We
willalsodiscussthepurposeofcircularsandnotices,withsomeguidelinesonhowto
writethem.Samplesofeacharealsoincludedtofacilitateunderstanding.
Unit10:InternalBusinessCommunicationElectronicMediaandShareholder
Communication
This unit will focus on the electronic media used to communicate within an
organization, namely, the intranet and email. Since the intranet is widely used by
differenttypesoforganizations,wewillexamineitscharacteristics,relativeadvantages
and disadvantages. The principles of email communication, along with the proper
etiquetteforusingemailwillbeexplainedindetail.Theunitwillalsobrieflytouchupon
communication with shareholders, who are important internal stakeholders. The
reasons for communication and appropriate channels of communication will be
highlighted.
Unit11:ExternalBusinessCommunicationWritingBusinessLetters
This unit deals with communication with external stakeholders, such as customers,
suppliersandthegovernment,throughthewrittenmediumofletters.Businessletters
differ from general letters in terms of language, tone and format. The different
messages conveyed by business letters, such as routine, bad news and persuasive
messages, will be explained, along with suitableexamples. The two mainformatsfor
businessletterwriting,namelythedirectandindirectformats,willalsobeexplainedin
detail.
Unit 12:OtherFormsofExternalBusinessCommunication
Apart from letters, communication with external stakeholders such as the media and
consumers takes other forms. We will first discuss communication with the media
throughnewsreleasesthathighlightanorganizationsachievements.Theappropriate
formatforapressreleasewillbedescribed.Thisunitwillalsodealwithcommunicating
about the organization through advertising. Corporate advertising, its objectives and
differentforms, willbedescribed indetail.Product advertisingand itsformat willalso
beexplained.
Unit 13:InternalandExternalBusinessCommunicationWritingBusinessReports
This unit deals in great length with reports as a means of communication with both
internalandexternalaudiences. Reportsare variedandprovide information thathelp
in decision making. The characteristics of business reports, the different types of
reports,theirpurposesandthedifferentreportformatswillbedescribed.Sincereports
must be planned and written with care, a stepbystep approach to organizing and
presenting reports will also be explained. Some guidelines for writing the report,
includingafewtechniquesofreaderconvictionandwritingstyle,willbeoffered
Unit14: EmploymentCommunicationResumesandCoverLetters
This unit deals with the communication required for the job application process,
namely writing resumes and cover letters. The different resume formats, the
components to be included and other guidelines such as length, appearance and
languagetobeused,areexplainedindetail,alongwithsuitableexamples.Thecover
letter, which goes with the resume, is equally important in creating a good first
impression. This unit also explains the different types of cover letters and the
appropriate format for each type. Other letters regarding employment are also
describedbriefly.
Unit 15:EmploymentCommunicationGroupDiscussionsandInterviews
This final unit deals with the next stage in the job application process, namely group
discussions and interviews, which are used to evaluate job applicants. The meaning
and purpose of groupdiscussions and theprocedurefor conductingandparticipating
in them are explained in detail. The different types of GDs and the specific skills
requiredtosucceedinthemarealsohighlighted.Thelastpartoftheunitdiscussesjob
interviews,fromboththeapplicantsandtheinterviewersperspective.Thepreparation
required before the interview, conduct during the interview and follow up to be done
aredescribed.
BusinessCommunication Unit1
SikkimManipalUniversity
1
Unit1 BasicPrinciplesOfCommunication
Structure
1.1 Introduction
Objectives
1.2 UnderstandingCommunication
SelfAssessmentQuestions1
1.3 TheCommunicationProcess
1.4 BarrierstoEffectiveCommunication
1.5 TheImportanceofCommunicationintheWorkplace
1.6 Summary
TerminalQuestions
AnswerstoSAQsandTQs
1.1Introduction
Communication is a nonstop process and is a vital ingredient for success, both within and
outside the workplace. It isa partof soft skills,asopposed to domain or technical knowledge,
whichisapartofhardskills.Aformalstudyofbusinesscommunicationisimportant,sincethe
average business executive today spends a good part of his time on the job communicating in
some form or the other. In this unit, we will see how communication involves certain key
elements, no matter in what context it takes place. We will also examine some of the general
problems that come in the way of smooth communication and ways of overcoming these
problems.
2
LearningObjectives:
Afterstudyingthisunit,youshouldbeableto.
1. Explainthegeneralpurposeofcommunication.
2. Describethekeyelementsinthecommunicationprocess.
3. Identifythebarrierstocommunicationandsuggestwaystoovercomethesebarriers.
4. Understandhowgoodcommunicationcontributestomanagerialsuccess.
1.2 UnderstandingCommunication
Communicationinsimpleterms,isatransferofinformationbetweenpeople,resultingincommon
understandingbetweenthem.
Communicationhasbeendefineddifferentlybydifferentwritersandbehavioraltheorists.
Somepopulardefinitionsare
AccordingtoNewmanandSummer,Communicationisanexchangeoffacts,ideas,
opinionsoremotionsbytwoormorepersons.
AccordingtoAllenLouis,Itisthesumofallthethingsonepersondoeswhenhewantsto
createanunderstandinginthemindofanother.
Bellows,GilsonandOdironedefinecommunicationasAcommunionbywords,letters,
symbolsormessages,andasawaythatoneorganizationmembersharesmeaningwiththe
other.
HobendefinescommunicationasTheverbalinterchangeofthoughtsorideas.
InthewordsofAnderson,Communicationistheprocessbywhichweunderstandothersand
inturnendeavortobeunderstoodbythem.Itisdynamic,constantlychangingandshiftingin
responsetothetotalsituation.
AccordingtoBerelsonandSteiner,communicationisthetransmissionofinformation,
ideas,emotions,skills,etc.,bytheuseofsymbols,words,pictures,figures,graphs,
etc.Itistheactorprocessoftransmissionthatisusuallycalledcommunication.
InthewordsofFotheringham,Communicationisaprocessinvolvingtheselection,
productionandtransmissionofsignsinsuchawayastohelpareceiverperceiveameaning
similartothatinthemindofthecommunicator.
3
Fromtheabovedefinitions,itisclearthatcommunicationhasthefollowingcharacteristics
ItisUnavoidableItisimpossibletonotcommunicate,sincewecommunicate
unintentionallyallthetime,evenwithouttheuseofwords.Ourbodylanguage,thewaywe
dress,theimportancewegivetoarrivingontime,ourbehaviorandthephysicalenvironment
inwhichwework,allconveycertainmessagestoothers.
ItisaTwowayExchangeofInformationCommunicationissharingofinformation
betweentwoormorepersons,withcontinuousfeedback.
ItisaProcessEachmessageispartofaprocessanddoesnotoccurinisolation.This
meansthatthemeaningattachedtoamessagedependsonwhathashappenedbeforeand
onthepresentcontext.Forexample,yourbosssresponsetoyourrequestforapromotion
willdependonyourpastrelationshipwithhim,aswellashismoodatthatparticularmoment.
ItinvolvesaSenderandaReceiverofInformationAnycommunicationstartswitha
senderofamessageandrequiresareceivertoattachsomemeaningtothatmessage.
ItcouldbeVerbalorNonverbalCommunicationcouldbethroughtheuseofwordsin
spokenorwrittenform,orthroughtheuseofbodylanguagesuchasgesturesandfacial
expressions.
ItissuccessfulwhentheReceiverInterpretstheMeaningintheSameWayasthat
intendedbytheSenderThereceiverdoesnotalwaysattachthesamemeaningtoa
messageasthesender.Whenthemessageiswronglyinterpreted,thecommunicationisa
failure.Thismaybeduetoseveralreasons,whichwewillexaminelaterinthisunit.
SelfAssessmentQuestion1
1. Forcommunicationtotakeplace,theremustbea_________________anda
________________.
2.Ourdresscodeisanexampleof__________________communication.
3.Communicationisaccuratewhenthe_____________thatissentisthesameas
the_________________thatisattachedtoit.
4.Communicationcantakeplaceusing____________,_________________or
________________.
5.Communicationmaybestbedescribedasa_____________.
4
Letusnowlookatcommunicationasaprocessanddiscussitskeyelements.
1.3TheCommunicationProcess
Irrespectiveofthesettinginwhichcommunicationtakesplaceorthenumberofpeoplethatare
involved,allcommunicationconsistsofcertainkeyelements.TheCommunicationModelshown
onthenextpageillustrateseachoftheseelements
ModelofCommunication
SenderorEncoderThisisthepersonwhotransmitsamessage.Forexample,amanager
writingaletterofapologytoacustomerregardingadefectiveproduct,orasalesmanager
makingapresentationtohissalesteam.
ReceiverorDecoderThepersonwhonoticesanddecodes,orattachessomemeaningto
amessage. Decodingmaynotalwaysbeaccurateandawrongmeaningmaybeattachedtoa
message.Forexample,afriendlyjokemightbetakenasanoffense,orfeedbackgiventoa
subordinatebyasuperiormightbetakeninthewrongsense.
NOISE
SENDER/
ENCODER
RECEIVER/
DECODER
MESSAGES
(SENDS&
RECEIVES)
(RECEIVES
&SENDS)
Channel(s s)
Channel(s s)
NOISE
5
MessageThisisanysignalthattriggerstheresponseofareceiver.Messagesmaybe
intentional(asintheexampleofthesalespresentationgivenabove)orunintentional(non
verbalsignalssuchasyawnsthatconveythemessageofboredom).
ChannelThisreferstothemediumorthemethodusedtodeliverthemessage.Asa
businessexecutive,youwilloftenhaveachoiceofchannels.Forexample,youcould
communicatewithacustomerthroughaletter,throughemailortelephone.
Feedback Most communication is twoway. Receivers generally respond to messages for
example, students may ask questions during a lecture session and an employer may tell an
employee that he has to think about his proposal. This response to a senders message is
called feedback. This kind of feedback is oral. Sometimes feedback could also be written, as
whenyourespondtoacustomersletterofcomplaint,forexample.Atothertimes,feedbackcould
benonverbal,asinsmilesandnodsofappreciationduringatalkorpresentation.Evenfailureto
respondcouldbeconsideredasfeedback,sinceitmayindicatealackofinterestorindifference
to the senders message. Due to the element of feedback, people are simultaneously senders
andreceiversofinformationinfacetofacecommunication.
NoiseCommunicationfailswhenthemessagereceivedisnotidenticaltothemessagethatis
sent. Several factors could interfere with the exchange of messages. Noise refers to all these
factorsthatdisruptthecommunicationandcouldbeclassifiedunderthefollowingtypes
PhysicalNoiseDistractingsounds,pooracoustics,orjustinformationoverloadcouldinterfere
withthelisteningprocess.
PhysiologicalNoiseHearingorotherdisabilities,fatigue,orphysicalillnesscouldcomeinthe
wayofbothspeakingandlistening.
Psychological Noise Sometimes emotions within the sender or receiver such as
preoccupations, hostility, fear or lack of interest could interfere with the speaking or listening
process.
6
Context This refers to the setting in which the communication takes place and could
sometimesdeterminethesuccessorfailureofthecommunication.Contextcouldbeclassifiedas
follows
Physical context refers to the physical surroundings for example a work or social
environment,inwhichthecommunicationtakesplace.Askingyourbossforapromotionmightbe
received differently, depending on whether the communication takes place in your office, your
bosssoffice,atacompanypartyoroverlunchatarestaurant.
Social context refers to the relationship between the sender and the receiver. Taking the
sameexample,askingforapromotionislikelytobereceiveddifferently,dependingonhowwell
yougetalongwithyourbossandwhetheryouarepersonalfriendsornot.
Chronological context refers to time related factors that could influence the
communication.Forexample,isyourrequestmadefirstthinginthemorningoratthefagendof
theday?Isitmadeduringorafterworkhours?Isitmadeatatimewhenthecompanyisgoing
throughproblemssuchasastrikeinthefactory,ormajorlosses?
Cultural context refers to the similarity of backgrounds between the sender and the
receiver, suchas age, language, nationality, religion and gender. Thesefactors could influence
thecommunicationfavorablyorunfavorably.
Eachoftheelementsdiscussedabovecontributestothesuccessofthecommunication.Inother
words,communicationcangowrongifanyofthefollowingelementsgowrong
1. Thewrongpersonsendsthemessage.Forexample,ajunioraccountantinacompanywriting
alettertoabank,askingforaloanforaprojectworthseveralcrores,isnotlikelytogetthe
banksapproval.
2. Themessageisunclearorbadlyworded.Ortherearetoomanymessages,leadingto
confusionandinformationoverload.
7
3. Thewrongchannelofcommunicationischosen.Placinganadforaliquorproductina
religiousmagazineforexample,isnotlikelytobereceivedfavorably!
4. Themessageiswronglyinterpreted,i.e.,thereceiverattachesthewrongmeaningtothe
message.
5. Thefeedbackisnotadequatetoensureunderstanding.
6. Physical,physiologicalorpsychologicalnoisedistortsthemessage.
7. Thecommunicationtakesplaceinthewrongphysical,social,chronologicalorcultural
context.
Thisbringsustothenexttopic,namelythebarriersorobstaclestoeffectivecommunication.
Arethefollowingstatementstrueorfalse?
1. Communicationismostlythroughwords.
2. Thecommunicationmessageisthesameasthemeaningofthemessage
3. Communicationisadynamicprocess.
4. Onereasonforfailureofcommunicationiswronginterpretationofthemessage.
5. Thesuccessofcommunicationdependsonlyonthesenderofthemessage.
6. Immediatefeedbackispossibleinthecaseoffacetofacecommunication.
7. Youfeelthatyourprofessordoesnothaveanythingnewtosayanddonotlistentohim.This
isanexampleofphysiologicalnoiseleadingtocommunicationfailure.
8. Yourbossgivesyouagoodperformancereviewatatimewhenthecompanyismaking
profits.Thisisanexampleofchronologicalcontextinfluencingthecommunication.
1.4 Barriers ToCommunication
Intheearliersectiononthecommunicationprocess,noisewasmentionedasoneofthe
elementsofcommunication.Noiseisessentiallyabarriertocommunicationandwedistinguished
betweenphysicalnoise,physiologicalnoiseandpsychologicalnoise.
8
There are many other barriers to communication, an understanding and analysis of which are
needed before coming up with ways to eliminate or minimize them . These barriers may be
classifiedasfollows
1.EnvironmentalBarriersThisisthesameasphysicalnoise,whichcouldbeintheformof
distracting sounds, an overcrowded room, poor facilities and acoustics, all of which may hinder
theabilitytolistentoandunderstandthemessage.
2.IndividualBarriersAmajorbarriertointerpersonalcommunicationisatendencytojudge,
evaluate,approveordisapproveoftheviewsofanotherperson.Thishappensparticularlyin
situations where wehave strongfeelingsabout something. In such cases, we tend toblockout
thecommunicationandformourownviewpoints.
3.Organizational Barriers In organizations that are too hierarchical, that is, where there are
multiplelayers,messagesmayhavetopassthroughmanylevelsbeforetheyfinallyreachthe
receiver. Each level mayadd to, modifyor completely change the message, so much so that it
becomesdistortedbythetimeitreachestheintendedreceiver.Inotherwords,thereislikelyto
be loss of meaning and the message may not reach the receiver in the same way as it was
intendedbythesender.
The following example illustrates an organizational barrier to communication. By the time the
messageispasseddownfromtheChieftothelowerlevelExecutives,itisdistortedcompletely,
so much so that the original message is interpreted differently by each level in the
organization
The Chiefof the Space Centergets to know about thepossibility of seeing Halleys Cometand
decides that the entire organization should witness this spectacle. He sends a memo to the
Director
9
TheDirectorthensendsthefollowingmemotovariousExecutiveDirectors
TheExecutiveDirectorsendsoutmemostotheHeadsofDepartments
TheHeadsofDepartmentssendthismessagetotheirManagers
ByorderoftheChief,wewillbeabletoseeHalleysCometat20:00hrs,tomorrow
evening.Ifitisraining,weshallnotbeabletoseeitverywellonsite,inourbest
clothes.Inthatcase,thedisappearanceoftheCometwillbefollowedthroughinthe
Canteen.Thisissomethingwhichwecannotseehappeningeveryday.
Director
To
ExecutiveDirectors
ByorderoftheChief,weshallfollowthrough,inourbestclothes,thedisappearance
oftheCometintheCanteenat20:00hrs,tomorrowevening.TheChiefwilltellus
whetheritisgoingtorain.Thisissomethingwhichwecannotseehappening
everyday.
ExecutiveDirector
To
HeadsofDepartments
Tomorrowevening,at20:00hours,wewillbeabletoseeHalleysCometin
theskythroughthenakedeye.Sincethisisnotaneverydayevent,everyoneat
theCentershouldassembleoutsideintheirbestclothestowatchit.Ifitrains,
wewillnotbeabletoseeitverywell,inwhichcaseeveryoneshouldassemble
intheCanteen.
ToDirectorByorderoftheChief
10
Finally, each Manager sends the following notice to their Executives
Another
typeoforganizationalbarrierisadepartmentalbarrier.Thismeansthateachdepartmentinan
organization functions in isolation and there is no coordination or communication between
them.
4.ChannelBarriersIntheearliersection,itwaspointedoutthatcommunicationcanfaildueto
anyofthedifferentelementsgoingwrong.Wrongchoiceofchannelisoneofthemainbarriers
tocommunication.Usingawrongmediumofadvertising,orconveyingamessageorallywhena
writtenletterwouldbemoreappropriate,areexamples.Thewrittenchannelismoreappropriate
when the communication is more formal or for keeping things on record, while emotional
messagessuchasfeelingsaboutcoworkersarebetterconveyedorally.
5.LinguisticandCulturalBarriersWhenthesenderofthemessageusesalanguagethat
thereceiverdoesnotunderstand,thecommunicationwillnot
succeed. Either the sender may be using a different orforeign language, or the language used
maybetoohighlytechnicalforthereceivertounderstand.
Linguistic barriers may also occur in crosscultural advertising and distort the communication,
whentranslatingcampaignsorslogansliterallyfromonelanguagetoanother.
IfitisrainingintheCanteentomorrowevening,whichissomethingwecannotsee
happeningeveryday,ourChiefinhisbestclotheswilldisappearat20:00hrs.
HeadofDepartment
To
AllManagers
Tomorrowevening,at20:00hrs.,ourChiefwilldisappear.Itisapitythatwecannot
seethishappeningeveryday.
11
Forexample,PepsissloganComeAlivewithPepsi,whentranslatedintoChinese,readPepsi
bringsyourancestorsbackfromthegrave!
Cultural differences refer to differences in values and perceptions, which may affect the
interpretation of the message by the receiver. For example, a joke about women may be
takeninthewrongsenseifthereceiverbelongstoaculturewherewomenarehighlyrespected.
6. Semantic Barriers The word semantics refers to the meaning of words and the way in
whichtheyareused.Forexample,differentwordsmayhavedifferentmeaningsindifferent
cultures.Failuretotakethisintoconsiderationcouldleadtoseriousblunders.
Example:SayingThenewproductlaunchwentlikeabombinBritishEnglishwouldmeanthat
thenewproductlaunchwasasuccess.
On the other hand, saying The product launch bombed in American English would mean that
thenewproductwasadisaster.
7.NonverbalBarriersThisreferstothenonverbalcommunicationthatgoeswithaparticular
message. Nonverbal communication includes tone of voice, body language such as gestures
andfacialexpressions,etc.Wewillbediscussingthisingreatlengthinalaterunit.Ifthetoneof
voice and body language are negative, the communication will fail, however positive the
spokenandwrittenmessage.
Forexample,ifyouhappentomeetalonglostfriendandsayIamdelightedtomeetyou,butin
asadtoneofvoice,theexactoppositemessagewillbeconveyed!
Therefore, it is important to avoid giving conflicting signals, through the use of nonverbal
communication.
12
1.4.1OvercomingTheBarriersToCommunication
Certainstepscanbetaken,bothattheorganizationallevel,aswellasattheindividuallevel,to
effectivelydealwiththebarrierstocommunication,inordertotrytominimizethem,ifnot
eliminatethementirely
OrganizationalAction
1. Encourage Feedback Organizations should try to improve the communication system by
gettingfeedbackfrom the messages already sent. Feedbackcan tell the managers whether
themessagehasreachedthereceiverintheintendedwayornot.
2. Create a Climate of Openness A climate of trust and openness can go a long way in
removing organizational barriers to communication. All subordinates or junior employees
shouldbeallowedtoairtheiropinionsanddifferenceswithoutfearofbeingpenalized.
3. Use Multiple Channels of Communication Organizations should encourage the use of
multiplechannelsofcommunication,inordertomakesurethatmessagesreachtheintended
receivers withoutfail. This meansusing a combinationofbothoral and written channels, as
well as formal (official) and informal (unofficial) channels of communication. The types of
channelswillbediscussedindetaillater,inaseparateunit.
IndividualAction
1. Active Listening This means listening to the meaning of the speakers words, rather
than listening without hearing, or passive listening. Passive listening is a barrier to
communication, whereas real communication takes place when we listen actively, with
understanding.Listeningisaskillwhichcanbedevelopedthroughpropertraining.
2. CarefulwordingofmessagesMessagesshouldbewordedclearlyandwithoutambiguity,
tomakesurethatthemessagethatisreceivedisthesameasthemessagethatissent.
13
3. Selection of Appropriate Channels Individuals should be competent enough to choose
therightcommunicationchannel,dependingonthesituation.Channelsofcommunicationand
thecriteriaforselectionofchannelswillbediscussedindetailinalaterchapter.
Matchthefollowing
1. Environmentalbarriera.Psychologicalnoise
2. Individualbarrierb.Physicalnoise
3. Understandingcustomersc.Organizationalbarrier
problems
4. Suppressingtheviewsof d.Activelistening
junioremployees
5. Speakingwithaforeignaccente.Writtencommunicationchannel
6. Messageswithmultiplemeaningsf.Eyemovements
7. Nonverbalcommunicationg.Culturalbarrier
8. Letteraddressingcustomercomplaintsh.Semanticbarrier
1.5TheImportanceOfCommunicationInTheWorkplace
Communicationisthenervecenterofbusinesstoday.Asyougoupthecorporateladder,youwill
find that communication skills are required, more than technical skills. Communication research
hasrevealedthatamongthefactorsmostimportantformanagerialsuccess,communicationskills
rankabovetechnicalskills.Severalsurveysconductedamongpeoplewhohavebeensuccessful
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in their professions have indicated that communication skills are more vital to job success than
subjectstakenincollege.
Communicationhasassumedevengreaterimportancetoday,sincethenewmodelofbusinessis
basedonteamwork,ratherthanonindividualaction.Teamworkrequiresgreatercoordinationand
communication.
Communication is also required all the more in this age of information and technology.Without
communication and human skills, technology will overwhelm an organization. Communication
helps to make sense of technology and to manage all this information. For example,
communicationisrequiredtoexplainanewcomputerprogramorsoftware.Whilecomputerscan
perform routine tasks, jobs like responding to customers needs require a high degree of
communicationskills.
Effectivecommunicationservesthefollowingspecificpurposesinanorganization
Greater Awareness of Organizational Goals and Teamwork When there is open
communication between superiors, coworkers and subordinates, there is smooth flow of
information regarding the goals of the organization. Coordination between the different
departments in particular, leads to greater motivation to work together towards achieving a
commonorganizationalgoal,ratherthanworkinginisolation.
Better Employeremployee Relationships By listening to employees, showing empathy
and giving them the freedom to express their opinions without fear of being repressed, a
managercancreateaclimateofopennessthatleadstobetterworkrelationships.Employees
willthenfeelmorecomfortableinapproachingtheirsuperiorsanddiscussinganymatterwith
them.
Problemsolving Effective communication can help resolve conflictsbetween coworkers,
work related and performance related problems. Facetoface communication is especially
suitedforachievingthistask,sinceitisonetooneandhighlypersonalizedinnature.
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ImprovedPerformanceEffectivecommunicationbymanagersatthetimeofappraisingthe
performanceoftheiremployeescanpointoutareasforimprovement.Aconstructivereviewof
performance,throughwhichamanagergivespositivefeedbackandcounselstheemployee,
insteadofcriticizinghimforpoorperformance,canmotivatetheemployeetoperformbetter.
Stronger Link between Managers and the External Environment Apart from internal
communication within the organization, effective communication by managers with external
audiences such as customers, government, bankers, media and suppliers leads to a better
rapport with them. A manager will be able to understand the needs of his customers, be
awareof thepresence ofquality suppliers of material, ofgovernment regulationsand ofthe
expectationsofthecommunityatlarge,onlythroughpropercommunication.
Arethefollowingquestionstrueorfalse?
1. Listeningisnotapartofcommunicationskills.
2. Communicationisneededonlybetweensuperiorsandsubordinates.
3. Externalcommunicationisasimportantasinternalcommunication.
4. Teamskillsdonotrequiretheabilitytocommunicateeffectively.
5. Adestructivereviewofperformancecanloweremployeemorale.
1.6 Summary
Inthisunit,wehavelookedmoreatcommunicationingeneral,itsnatureandprinciples.Although
thereisnosingleandcorrectdefinitionofcommunication,mostcommunicationtheoristsand
writersonthesubjectagreethatcommunicationhascertaincharacteristics
Itisanonstopprocesslikebreathing,sincewecommunicateallthetimeinsomeformor
another.
Communicationisnotonlythroughthespokenandwrittenword.Alargepartofitisalsonon
verbal.Bodylanguageisapartofnonverbalcommunication.
Forcommunicationtotakeplace,theremustbeasenderandreceiverofamessage.
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Communicationusuallyinvolvesatwowayexchangeofinformation,wherethereceiver
providessomefeedbackinsomeformortheother.
Communicationmaybesaidtobeaccuratewhentheintendedmessageisunderstoodinthe
samewaybythereceiver.
This unit also described the communication process in detail. Irrespective of the number of
peopleinvolved,communicationalwaysincludessomekeyelements asenderwhotransmitsa
message, a receiver who decodes or attaches meaning to a message, a channel or medium
throughwhichthemessageissent,feedbackgivenbythereceivertothesender,noisethatcan
disruptthecommunicationatanytimeandthecontextinwhichthecommunicationtakesplace.
Communicationisnotalwayssuccessfulandcangowrongifanyoftheaboveelementsgo
wrong.Thereareanumberofbarriersorobstaclestosmoothcommunication.Thesemaybe
categorizedasfollows
Externalorphysicalbarriers,suchasdistractingsounds
Individualbarriers,suchasegoproblems
Organizationalbarriers,suchaslackofcoordinationbetweendepartments
Linguisticorculturalbarriers,suchasuseofaforeignlanguage
Semanticbarriers,suchasmultiplemeaningsofwords
Channelbarriers,suchasuseofawrongmedium
Nonverbalbarriers,suchasconflictingsignals
Thisunitalsodealtbrieflywithorganizationalcommunicationandhoweffectivecommunication
canenhanceperformanceintheworkplace.Asonegoesupthecorporateladder,communication
skillsaremoreimportantforsuccessthantechnicalskills.Communicationcontributestosuccess
intheworkplace,inthefollowingways
Itleadstobetterinformationflowandteamwork
Itcreatesaclimateofopennessandtrust
Itstrengthensemployeremployeerelationships
Ithelpstoresolveconflicts
Itimprovesmoraleandenhancesperformance
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Itlinksmanagerswiththeexternalenvironmentoftheorganization
1.7TerminalQuestions
1. Describeasituationyouexperiencedwherethecommunicationwasafailure.Analyzethe
problembyidentifyingtheelementofthecommunicationprocessthatcontributedtothe
failuree.g.wrongsender,wrongchannel,etc.
2. Listoutsomebarriersthatstandinthewayofyourowncommunication.Whataresomeways
inwhichyoucouldovercomethesebarriers?
3. Inyouropinion,whatisthemostimportantwayinwhicheffectivecommunicationcontributes
tomanagerialsuccess?
1.8AnswerstoSelfAssessmentQuestions
1. Senderreceiver
2. Nonverbal
3. Messagemeaning
4. Wordssymbolspictures
5. Process
1. False
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. False
6. True
7. False
8. True
1. b
2. a
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3. d
4. c
5. g
6. h
7. f
8. e
1. False
2. False
3. True
4. False
5. True
AnswertoTerminalQuestions
1. Refer1.3
2. Refer1.4
3. Refer1.5
TypesAndChannelsOfCommunication Unit2
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Unit2 TypesAndChannelsOfCommunication
Structure
2.1 Introduction
Objectives
2.2 TypesofCommunication
2.2.1 VerbalCommunication
2.2.2 NonverbalCommunication
SelfAssessmentQuestions
2.3 ClassificationofChannelsofCommunication
2.3.1 SelectionoftheAppropriateChannel
2.3.2 ComparisonofOralandWrittenChannels
2.3 Summary
TerminalQuestions
AnswerstoSAQsandTQs
2.1Introduction
Intheintroductoryunit,welookedatthecommunicationprocessindetailandexaminedeachofthe
elementsofcommunication.Thechannelormediumofcommunication,wasmentionedasoneofthe
keyelements.Itwaspointedoutthatselectionofawrongchannelcanleadtocommunicationfailure.
Infactthereisasayingthatthemediumisthemessage.Thismeansthatthechoiceofachannel
itselfcanspeakvolumes,withoutawrittenorspokenmessage.Forexample,advertisingaproductin
an exclusive magazine conveys the message that the product is of high quality. Given their
importance,thisunitwillfocusentirelyonchannelsofcommunication.Therelativeadvantagesand
disadvantagesof thedifferent typesof channels will be explainedand guidelines will beoffered on
howtochoosetherightchannelinaparticularbusinesssituation.
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LearningObjectives:
1. Distinguishclearlybetweenthedifferenttypesofcommunication
2. Understandtheadvantagesandlimitationsofeachtypeofcommunication
3. Categorizethedifferentchannelsofcommunication
4. Decidewhichchanneltouseindifferentsituations,asabusinesscommunicator
2.2 TypesOfCommunication
Broadly,communicationmaybedividedintotwoareasverbalandnonverbalcommunication.
Verbal communication, or communication through words, provides the opportunityfor personal
contact and twoway flow of information. A large part of our communication, whether at work or
outside,isverbalinnature.Verbalcommunicationinturn,maybedividedintotwoareasoraland
writtencommunication.
Oral communication may be defined as a process whereby a speaker interacts verbally with
oneormorelisteners,inordertoinfluencethelattersbehaviorinsomewayortheother.
ExampleInabusinesscontext,amanagerdoingaperformanceappraisalwithanemployee,ora
salesmanagermakingasalesplanpresentationtohissalesteam.Inthefirstexample,themanager
maypointoutareasforimprovementandinthesecondcase,thesalesmanagermaybeexplaining
howtoachievenewsalestargets.
Oralcommunicationinabusinesscontextcantaketheformofmeetings,presentations,onetoone
meetings,performancereviewsandsoon.
Writtencommunicationisaprocesswherebyawriterinteractsverballywithareceiver,in
ordertoinfluencethelattersbehavior.
Example A manager writing a letter of apology in response to a customers complaint regarding
poorservice.
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Written communication at the workplace can take several forms such as letters, memos, circulars,
notices,reportsandemail.Wewillexaminesomeoftheseinmoredetailinlaterchapters.
Nonverbalcommunication,ontheotherhandmaybedefinedascommunicationwithoutwords.It
refers to any way of conveying meanings without the use of verbal language. The game of
dumb charades is a perfect example. Nonverbal communication is generally unintentional,unlike
verbal communication. All of us tend to communicate silently and unknowingly send signals and
messages by what we do, apart from what we say. Gestures, facial expressions, posture and the
waywedress,areallpartofnonverbalcommunication.
Nonverbal communication can have a greater impact than verbal communication, since how you
say something is sometimes more important than what you say. Although nonverbal
communicationcanaffectbothourpersonalandbusinessrelationships,itisparticularlyimportantin
theworkplace.
Considerthefollowingexample
Intheexample,theboss,throughhisnonverbalbehavior,conveysamessagebeyondthespoken
wordthathedoesnotreallywanttohearyoursuggestions.
Therefore,whilethespokenorwrittenwordsmaybeperfect,thenonverbalaspectscouldconvey
theexactoppositemeaning.Wewilldiscussthedifferentaspectsofnonverbalcommunicationin
moredetail,laterinthisunit.
Yourbosshasaskedyoutomakeapresentationonyoursuggestionsfor
improvingtheorganization.Youtakehimathiswordandcomepreparedwith
anelaboratepresentationandalistofideas.However,asyoumakeyour
presentation,heyawnsrepeatedly,sitsbackcasually,looksoutofthewindow,
clencheshisjawmusclesandbeginstofrown.Attheendofyourpresentation,
herisesabruptlyfromhischair,saysthankyouforyourideasinanangry
voiceandgivesyouacurthandshake
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2.2.1VerbalCommunication
We communicate most of our ideas to others through verbal messages, i.e., through spoken or
written messages. However, verbal messages have some drawbacks the message may not be
properlyworded,orthemessagemaybemisunderstood,orinterpreteddifferentlyfromitsintended
meaning.
Forexample,evenasimplestatementlikeletsdiscussthismattertomorrowmightbeinterpreted
byonepersonasletsmeettomorrowandbyanotherasletsdiscussthisoverthephone.
Miscommunicationthroughverbalmessagescouldbeavoidedbyfollowingafewsimpleguidelines
Avoid Words with Multiple Meanings : Words sometimes tend to have different meanings in
different cultures. Therefore, when communicating in a crosscultural context, it is particularly
important to avoid literal translation of words, since they might have a negative meaning in
anotherculture.
Example:TheadvertisingcampaignforElectroluxvacuumcleanerswiththesloganNothingsucks
like an Electrolux, was introduced without any changes in the American market. However, the
product failed since the word sucks which is American slang, has a negative connotation which
meansbad.
Even simple words used in the same cultural context could have multiple meanings and be
interpreteddifferently.
Example:IfIaskyouWhatkindofshapeareyouin?,youmightunderstandittomeanwhatkind
of financial position you are in, whereas the intended meaning might have been What kind of
mentalorphysicalshapeareyouin?.
Therefore,whencommunicatingverbally,itisimportanttousewordsthatareprecise,unambiguous
andhaveasingleacceptedmeaning.
EnsureClaritythroughHighlySpecificStatementsInsteadofdescribinganobjectorideain
general terms or in abstract language, use highly specific language to avoid a variety of
interpretations.
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Example If you are calling the IT support staff in your organization to fix a problem with your
computer, instead of saying My computer doesnt work, it is better to state in more precise terms
thatIgetamessagesayingthatmycomputerisnotresponding.
AvoidoveruseofJargon:Jargonreferstotechnicaltermsorspecializedvocabulary.Every
profession has its own jargon which only experts in that field can understand. For example, IT
expertsusetermslikecomputerarchitecturewhichthelaypersonmaynotunderstand.Theuse
of jargon depends on the audience with whom you are communicating. A certain amount of
jargon may be permissible when writing a technical report for example, but should be avoided
whencommunicatingwithageneralaudience,sincethetermsmaynotbeunderstood.Aboveall,
neverusejargonjusttoimpressyouraudience.
Avoid Biased Language and Offensive Words : Language hasthe powerto arouse negative
feelings,ifitisnotusedwithcare.Thiscanhappenwhenthewordsusedseemtobeobjective,
butactuallycontainanintentionalorunintentionalbias.
For example, referringtoacoworkeraswishywashyifheisnotquickinmakingadecision,
couldleadtomisunderstandingandconflict.
Similarly, certain words may have a sexist connotation and be taken in an offensive way for
example,referringtoaladyreceptionistasthatfemale.
1.Twobroadareasofcommunicationareoralandwrittencommunication.
2.Whatyousayismoreimportantthanhowyousayit.
3.Verbalcommunicationismorelikelytogowronginacrossculturalcontext.
4.Jargonreferstowordswithmultiplemeanings
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2.2.2 NonVerbalCommunication
Wehavedefinednonverbalcommunicationearlierinthisunit.Letusnowtakealookatsomeofits
characteristics,whichdistinguishitfromverbalcommunication.
*NonverbalCommunicationCannotBeAvoided Whileonecanavoidverbalcommunicationby
refusingto speak or write, it isnotpossibleto do the same with nonverbalcommunication. That is
becausenonverbalcommunicationisnotalwaysintentional,unlikeverbalmessages,aspointedout
earlier.Sometimes,silenceitselfmayconveyalotofmeaning.
Example A speaker making a presentation may find that the audience is not very interactive.
Insteadhenoticespeopleyawningduringhispresentation.Attheendofthesession,whenheasks
forsomefeedback,thereistotalsilence.
The message conveyed in the above example is that the audience is bored with the session. The
silenceindicatesthattheyhavenotlistenedtothesessionandthatthefeedbackisnegative.
* Nonverbal Communication is Powerful Nonverbal communication helps us to form first
impressions and make judgments of others. First impressions generally tend to be lasting
impressions.
Letussayyougoforajobinterviewfifteenminuteslatedressedininformalattire.Whenaskedsome
questions,youavoideyecontact.Thisimmediatelyreflectsyourattitudeandtheimpressionformed
ofyouisthatofapersonwhotakesthingscasually,isinsecureandlacksknowledge.
* Nonverbal Communication is Ambiguous While precise words can be used in verbal
communicationtoensurethatthatthemessageisclearlyunderstood,nonverbalcommunicationis
notalwaysclearandeasytounderstand.
For example, sitting back in a relaxed posture may be a signal of boredom or fatigue. Similarly,
avoiding eye contact with your audience could mean that you either are nervous or guilty of
something!
Thereforeitisnotpossibletoaccuratelyunderstandthemessagesconveyedbynonverbalbehavior.
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* Nonverbal Communication Cannot Express All Messages Nonverbal behavior can only
express a persons feelings, attitudes, level of interest, liking or dislike for something. Certain
messages about ideas or concepts can only be expressed through the spoken or written word.
Asalesmanagerwantingtoreportthatsalesforthecurrentyearhasexceededtargets,canonlydo
sothroughawrittenreportororalpresentation.Ifheismakinganoralpresentation,hisnonverbal
behaviorcanonlyindicatehowpleasedheisabouttheincreaseinsales.
*NonverbalCommunicationVariesAcrossCulturesWhilecertaintypesofnonverbalbehavior
areuniversal,othersmaybedifferentindifferentcultures.
ExamplesTherearedifferentrulesregardingtheappropriatenessofthehandshakeinorientaland
westerncultures.Generally,inorientalcultureslikeIndia,anyformofphysicalcontactisnotcommon
andisinterpretedasbeingintimate,whileitisanacceptedthinginwesterncountries.
Similarly,anodoftheheadmeansyesinsomeculturesandnoinothercultures.
In this ageof business communication across cultures, it is importantfor you tounderstand these
differences, especially when doing business overseas. Failure to do this could lead to costly
blunders.
ClassificationofNonverbalCommunication
We have seen how nonverbal communication plays an important role in business communication.
Given its importance, an understanding of the different types of nonverbal communication is
essential. There is a common misconception that nonverbal communication is synonymous with
body languageand includes only body language. Thefact isthat it isa vast area which hasbeen
widely researched and includes several aspects. The table below lists the different types of non
verbalcommunication,withthecorrespondingcommunicationterminology
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TypesofNonverbalCommunication
Description CommunicationTerminology
BodyLanguage Kinesics
PersonalSpaceandDistance Proxemics
MeaningAttachedtoTime TimeLanguage
ToneofVoice Paralanguage
PhysicalEnvironment PhysicalContext
Letusnowlookateachoftheaboveaspectsofnonverbalcommunicationindetail
1. Kinesics This is the most often studied and important area of nonverbal communication and
refers to body movements of any kind. Different body movements can express inner states of
emotion.
Facial Expressionscan conveyfeelingsofsurprise,happiness, anger and sadness. If you meeta
long lost friend and say Im very happy to meet you again, but with a sad facial expression, it
conveystheexactoppositemeaning.
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Eye Movements, such as wide open pupils express feelings of surprise, excitement or even fear.
Theimportanceofeyecontactwithonesaudiencewaspointedoutearlier.Directeyecontactisan
indicationofintensityandinterest,whilelackofitcanconveyfeelingsofnervousnessandguilt.
Gestures, such as movement of the hands while giving a lecture or presentation indicates a high
level of involvement in what you are saying. On the other hand, shuffling of the feet is a sign of
nervousness and speaking with ones hands in ones pockets is considered to be casual or even
rude.
Head Movements like nodding the head can convey interest, appreciation, agreement or
understanding.
BodyShapeandPostureBodyshapeisnotwithinonescontrolbutcanbestereotypedtoconvey
certain meanings. For example, someone who is strong and muscular is generally thought to be
athletic,asopposedtoapersonwhoisshortandfat!
Postureontheotherhandiswithinourcontrol.Informalsettingssuchasjobinterviewsorclassroom
settings, it is essential that you maintain an erect posture to convey that you are attentive, since
slouchingorarelaxedpostureconveysacasualattitude.
Physical AppearanceOuroutwardappearance,includingthewaywedressandthejewelryand
makeupthatwewearcanconveyanimpressionofformalityorinformality.Goingtoajobinterview
dressedinbluejeansornotstickingtoastipulateddresscodeattheworkplacecanconveythatyou
arearebel,nonconformistoraverycasualperson.
Therefore, it is important to take care of your appearance, so that you convey the right meaningto
others.
2. Proxemics Proxemics is derived from the word proximity or closeness and is the
communicationtermforpersonalspaceanddistance.Thespaceanddistancewhichwechoose
to keep from people is also part ofnonverbalcommunication.Each ofus hasour own inner and
outercircles,whichdifferfordifferentpeople.
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Ourinnermostcircleisanintimatespace,intowhichwegenerallyadmitonlyselectpeoplesuch
asfamilyandclosefriends.Nextcomesapersonalspacewhichmightincludeotherfriendsand
colleaguesorcoworkers.Thesetwospacesinvolvecommunicationofaninformalnature.
Most of us also have a social and public space, which includes official or workplace
relationships,wherethecommunicationisofamoreformalnature.
In a business context, it is more relevant to understand the concept of fixed space and semi
fixedspace.
Fixedspacemeansthatthephysicalfeaturesoftheworkenvironmentsuchasfurniture,roomsize
and seating arrangement are permanent. This conveys an impression of formality. On the other
hand, semifixed space means that certain elements of the environment can be changed for
example,theseatingarrangementcouldbechangedandthisconveysanimpressionofinformality.
Sometimes,useofspaceattheworkplacecandetermineleadershippositions.Forexample,seating
at the head ofthe table conveys leadership or authority. A round table meeting, however, conveys
theideaofequality,sincenoonecanbeseatedattheheadofthetable!Allpointsofacirclearethe
same. That is why whenheadsof state meet ( as in UN Security Council meetings), it is alwaysa
roundtablediscussion,sinceallheadsareequal.
Space should therefore be used carefully in a work environment, so as to convey the right
impressions.
3. Time Language This refers to the meaning or importance attached to time and varies
between different people. One person may value time more than another. Similarly, time language
alsovariesacrosscultures.
In most western cultures for example, punctuality is considered to be important. Arriving late for a
businessmeetingisinexcusable.Inothercultures,itismorerelaxedandtimeisnotgiventhatmuch
importance.
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We convey messages to others through the time we spend on a work related activity or by the
importance that we give to time. Arriving early at work or for a job interview shows interest,
involvementandseriousness.Spendingtimewithanemployeeandgivinghimsuggestionsonhow
toimprovehisperformanceshowsinterestandinvolvementinhiscareergrowth.
4.ParalanguageParameanslikeorsimilarto,thereforeparalanguagemeanslikelanguage.
Of all the forms of nonverbal communication, paralanguage is closest to verbal communication. It
refers to the tone of voice with which something is said. In other words, it is how something is
said,andnotwhatissaid.Thetoneofvoiceincludesthepitch(highorlowpitch),thepace(slowor
fast) the emphasis on words and the volume (soft or loud) and can convey different moods and
emotions,asmentionedearlierinthisunit.
Example : The statement I practicegood business communication can be understood in different
ways,dependingontheemphasisoncertainwords.
SayingIpracticegoodbusinesscommunicationmeansthatIalonepracticeitaboveanyoneelse.
Ontheotherhand,sayingIpracticegoodbusinesscommunicationcouldbeinterpretedtomean
thatyoucommunicateparticularlywellinabusinesscontext,ratherthaninageneralcontext.
The important point to keep in mind regarding tone of voice is to avoid mixed signals that is,
makingsurethatwhatyousayisconsistentwithhowyousayit.
5.PhysicalContextThisreferstothephysicalenvironmentorsurroundingswithinwhichwe
communicateandincludestwoaspects1)colorandlayoutand2)design.
Colors are known for their symbolic meaning and have associations with different feelings. For
example, colors like black and grey are associated with death, mourning and negative feelings.
Yellowandgreenareassociatedwithmorepositivefeelings.Ofcourse,thesecanalsovaryacross
cultures. The point to remember is that you can make the right impressions with use of the right
colors.
Layoutinaworkenvironmentreferstothesizeofanoffice,orthearrangementoffurniture.Design
referstothetypeofchairs,desksorcarpeting.Allthesecanconveystatus,formalityorinformality.
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We have seen how the types of nonverbal communication outnumber the types of verbal
communication.Nonverbalcommunicationisanimportantsupplementtoverbalcommunicationand
canenhanceverbalcommunication,ifusedinapositiveway.Thesendershouldusetherightnon
verbal cues to convey a positive message, while the receiver should learn to look for unintended
messagesconveyedbynonverbalcommunication.
Matchthefollowing
1.Noddingtheheada.Paralanguage
2.Timelanguageb.Kinesics
3.Abossvisitinganemployeesofficefordiscussionc.Arrivinglateforameeting
4.Anexecutivechairandacarpetedroomd.Personalspaceanddistance
5.Speakingloudlye.Physicalcontext
2.3ClassificationOfCommunicationChannels
Sofarwehavebeendiscussingthetwobroadareasofcommunicationverbalandnonverbal,in
detail.Wewillnowgointothespecificsofthechoiceofchannelsfordifferentbusinesssituations.
As a business communicator, within oral and written communication, you will have a choice of a
varietyofchannelsthroughwhichtodeliveryourmessage.Asmentionedearlier,oralcommunication
could take place through a facetoface meeting, telephone or teleconferencing. Written
communicationcouldtaketheformofletters,reports,memosoremail.Abasicunderstandingofthe
nature of the different channels is required, soas to beable to choose the right channel in a given
situation.
Communicationchannelscouldbeclassifiedbasedonthreecriteria1)whetherthecommunication
is oral, written or nonverbal, 2) the level of feedback and 3) the personal nature of the
communication.
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1. Twoway, facetoface channels Here the communication is oral and nonverbal,
immediatefeedbackispossibleandthecommunicationisofahighlypersonalizednature.
This type of channel could take the form of onetoone meetings ( a superior doing a performance
appraisal with an employee), meetings involving small groups of people ( board meetings) or large
gatherings ( a speaker making a presentation to a large audience).The advantage of using this
channelisthatnonverbalcommunicationsuchasgestures,facialexpressionsandtoneofvoicecan
beusedtomakethecommunicationmoreeffective.Asecondadvantageisthatimmediatefeedback
is possible in the form of questions, clarifications or suggestions. Yet another advantage is the
personal quality of the communication. This is especially true of onetoone meetings, where
problemsandconflictscanbeeasilyresolved.
The disadvantage of this type of channel is the difficulty in getting people together and arranging
facetofacemeetings.Personalmeetingsarealsoexpensiveandtimeconsuming,especiallywhen
peopleareseparatedbydistances.
2.Two way, but not facetoface channelsWith the advent of newtechnologies, communication
can now be two way, without being face to face, when distance makes such meetings impractical.
Teleconferencing, telephone and email communication are all examples of this type of channel. In
thiscase,thecommunicationispurelyoral,sincenonverbalcuescannotbeusedtoenhancethe
communication, in the absence of facetoface contact. Immediate feedback is however,
possible,aswiththefacetofacechannel,sincethereceivercanreactimmediatelytothesenders
telephoneoremailmessage.Thistypeofcommunicationisofanimpersonalnature,duetolackof
facetofacecontact.
Teleconferencingisalmostasgoodasfacetofacecommunication,sinceitenablestwopartiesin
different locations to see ( if there is videoconferencing facility) and speak to each other. Today,
many large Indian organizations make use of this technology. While teleconferencing has the
advantage of saving time and costs involved in travel, it cannot replace facetoface meetings
completely. Some types of interaction such as brainstorming, negotiation, persuasion and problem
solvingcanbeconductedbetterthroughfacetofacemeetings.
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Telephone communication has the advantage of being able to contact people who would be
impossible to reach in person. It is also relatively inexpensive, compared to facetoface
communication.Thedisadvantageisthatitishardtoholdthelistenersattentionfortoolong.
Email is another twoway, but not facetoface channel that allows senders and receivers to send
and respond toone anothers messages almost instantaneously.Withinanoffice, email is usedas
analternativetotelephonecommunicationandpersonalmeetingsandiscalledtheintranet.Email
hastheadvantageoflowcost,speedandtheabilitytosendmessagestoseveralpeopleanywhere
in the world. The disadvantages are its impersonal nature and the lack of confidentiality, since the
messagescanbestoredorpassedontoothers.
3.Oneway,notfacetofacechannelsAllformsofwrittencommunicationmentionedearlier
letters, reports, memos, notices, etc. may be classified under this type of channel. Written
communicationislargelyonewaycommunication,sincethereisusuallynoinstantaneousfeedback
betweenthesenderandthereceiver.Itisalsopurelyverbal,sincenonverbalcommunicationisnot
possible, in the absence of facetoface contact. It lacks the personal quality of facetoface
communication,althoughitcouldbepersonalizedtoanextentinsomeformssuchasletters.
Forexample,asalesletteraddressedtoacustomercouldbemadehighlypersonal,byaddressing
thecustomerbynameandcustomizingaproducttohisneeds.
2.3.1SelectingTheAppropriateChannel
Let us now discusstheappropriateness ofeachof thesechannelsfordifferentbusiness situations.
Although there is no hard and fast rule, the following guidelines would be useful when selecting a
channelforaparticularsituation
When trying to solve problems or improve relationships, oral facetoface communication is
generally the most effective form of communication. This is because of the personal nature of
facetoface communication, which makes it more suitable than the other channels of
communication.
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Whenthereisaneedforvisualsupportinexplaininganidea,oralfacetofacecommunicationis
the most appropriate channel. For example, highlighting the unique features of a product may
require actual product demonstration through facetoface contact. Explaining a concept may
require showing photographsordiagrams through a slide presentation, which is bestdoneface
toface.
Formakingimmediatecontact,oralfacetofacecommunicationisrequired.Forexample,ifyou
want to have the funds in an account released now, you would have to meet a bank manager
personally.Puttingyourrequestinaletterorthroughatelephonecallmaynotbeofmuchhelp.
When you want to command a high degree of control over the receiver, oral facetoface
communicationworksbest.Thisisbecause,asaspeaker,youwillhavegreatercommandovera
listenersattentionthanifyouwritealetterorareport,whichmaynotbereadatall.
Whenthereisneedforimmediatefeedback,oralcommunication,eitherfacetoface,ornonface
toface,suchastelephone,teleconferencingoremail,maybeequallyappropriate.
Ontheotherhand,thefollowingcriteriawouldjustifytheneedforaoneway,nonfacetoface,i.e.,
writtenchannel
When you want the tone of the communication to be formal, written communication is more
appropriate than oral communication. For example, communication with the government
regarding compliance with tax matters, or with the bank regarding funds for expansion should
alwaysbeofahighlyformalnature,throughwrittenlettersorreports.
When you want to explain complicated ideas that require a lot of study and thought by the
receiver,writtencommunicationisbest.Forexample,explainingthefeaturesofamachineisbest
donethroughatechnicalreportgivingdetailsandtechnicalspecifications.
34
Whenyouwanttoconveyalargeamountofinformation,writtencommunicationismostsuitable.
Itwouldbedifficulttoconveythisthroughalengthyoralpresentation,sincethespeakerwouldbe
unable to command a captive audience for too long. The same is true of telephone
communication,whichshouldbekeptbrief.Ontheotherhand,itispossibletoincludeanumber
ofdetailsinawrittenreportthatthereceivercanreadandreread,atleisure.
The written channel is also more appropriate when you wish to keep a permanent record of
happenings. For example, the minutes of a business meeting should always be recorded in
writing written appointment letters should be given to new employees at the time of joining an
organization.
2.3.2 ComparisonOfOralAndWrittenChannels
It is evident that oral and written channels both have their relative advantages and disadvantages.
This is summed up in the table below, which rates each of these channels as high or low on
differentdimensions
Characteristic/Dimension OralCommunication WrittenCommunication
Interactivity High Low
LevelofFeedback High Low
FormalNature Low High
PersonalNature High Low
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PermanentNature
Low High
Cost High Low
ControloverReceiver High Low
Effectivenessfor
ComplexMessages
Low High
EffectivenessforDetailed
Messages
Low High
Communication channels should be selected with care, keeping in mind the requirement of the
situation at hand, as well the inherent advantages and disadvantages of each channel. In some
cases, it may be necessary to use a combination of channels, in order to make sure that the
message reaches the sender. For example, providing a written research report along with a
presentationonfindingsofastudy,ormakingafollowupphonecallaftersendinganemailmessage
isboundtohavemoreimpactandtoensurethatthemessageiswellunderstood.
1.Ajobinterviewbetweenanemployerandaprospectiveemployeeisanexampleofa
________________________________communicationchannel.
2.Inaonewaynonfacetofacechannel,thecommunicationis_______________and
__________________innature.
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3.Whenyouwantthereceivertopayattentiontoyourmessage,_________________
communicationisbetterthan__________________communication.
4.Whenusingalotofjargon,____________________communicationismoresuitable
than___________________communication.
2.4 Summary
Communicationcanbedividedintotwobroadareasverbalandnonverbalcommunication.Verbal
communication comprises oral and written communication, which in turn can take many forms in a
business context. Oral communication could take place through presentations, meetings or oneto
onemeetings,whilewrittencommunicationcouldbeintheformofletters,reports,memos,notices,
circularsoremail.
Verbalcommunicationhasthedisadvantageofbeinginaccurateormisunderstood,unless
the message is carefully worded. Therefore, certain guidelines should be followed when
communicatingthroughtheoralorwrittenword.Itisimportanttoavoidwordsthatmayhavemultiple
meanings,avoidjargonanduselanguagethatishighlyspecific,unbiasedandinoffensive.
Nonverbal communication refers to communication without words and plays an important role in
businesscommunication.Itisunintentionalandifusedwithcare,canconveypositivemessagesand
thusenhanceverbalcommunication.Itisavastareathatincludesmorethanjustbodylanguageor
kinesics. Proxemics or personal space and distance, time language, paralanguage or tone of
voiceandphysicalcontextaresomeoftheotheraspectsofnonverbalcommunication.
Withinthetwobroadtypesofcommunication,thereareavarietyofcommunicationchannelsopento
a business communicator. A proper understanding of these channels is essential, so that the
appropriateonemaybeusedinagivensituation.Channelsmaybeclassifiedintothreetypestwo
wayfacetoface,twowaynonfacetofaceandonewaynonfacetoface,dependingonwhetherthe
communicationisoral,writtenornonverbal,whetherimmediatefeedbackispossibleandwhetherit
ispersonalorimpersonalinnature.
Someofthecriteriaforselectionofachannelinclude
Theaimofresolvingconflictsorimprovingworkrelationships
Theneedforvisualsupportwhilecommunicating
Theurgencyofthesituation
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Theneedforquickfeedback
Thecomplexityandvolumeofinformation
Theformalorinformalnatureofthecommunication
Thepermanentnatureofthecommunication
Therequirementforkeepingthingsonrecord
Oralandwrittenchannelshavetheirinherentadvantagesanddisadvantagesinanygivensituation.
However,somesituationsmaydemandtheuseofbothtypesofchannelsformaximumeffect.
TerminalQuestions
1.Whataresomeoftheadvantagesofverbalovernonverbalcommunication?
2.Describeasituationthatyouexperiencedwherecommunicationwentwrongbecause
thenonverbalbehaviorsentconflictingsignals.Whichaspectofnonverbal
communicationwasresponsibleforthecommunicationfailure?Howwouldyourectify
this?
3.Whichchannelofcommunicationwouldbeappropriateinthefollowingsituations?
Justifyyouranswer.
a) Notifyingemployeesofafireinthebuilding
b) AnnouncingtoemployeesthatIndependenceDayisapaidholiday
c) Criticizinganemployeeforpoorperformance
AnswerstoSelfAssessmentQuestions
1. False
2. False
3. True
4. False
1. b
2. c
3. d
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4. e
5. a
1. Twowayfacetoface
2. Verbal/writtenimpersonal
3. Oralwritten
4. Writtenoral
AnswertoTerminalQuestions4
1.Refer2.2,2.2.1and2.2.2
2.Refer2.2.2
3.Refer2.3.1
TheNatureOfBusinessCommunication Unit3
39
Unit3 TheNatureOfBusinessCommunication
Structure
3.1 Introduction
Objectives
3.2 TypesofBusinessCommunication
3.2.1 InternalBusinessCommunication
3.2.2 ExternalBusinessCommunication
3.3 CommunicationNetworkinOrganizations
3.3.1 FormalCommunicationNetwork
3.3.2 InformalCommunicationNetwork
3.4 Summary
TerminalQuestions
AnswerstoSAQsandTQs
3.1Introduction
Ourdiscussionsofarhasbeenfocusedmoreonthegeneralnatureofcommunication.Inthisunitwe
willgointothespecificsofbusinesscommunicationandwhatitinvolves.Wewillseehowamanager
has to maintain communication linkages with different entities, both within and outside the work
environment. In continuation with what we discussed in the last unit, some of the appropriate
channelsforcommunicationwithdifferentaudienceswillbeexplained.Finally,wewillexaminehow
communicationflowswithinanorganization,boththroughofficialandunofficialchannels.
LearningObjectives:
Afterstudyingthisunit,youshouldbeabletounderstandthefollowing.
1. Mapoutthedifferentstakeholdersofanorganization,orthepublicswithwhomamanagerhas
tocommunicate.
40
2. Understandtheprimaryreasonsforcommunicationwitheachstakeholder
3. Selectthemosteffectivechannelforcommunicationwitheachstakeholder
4. Describehowinformationflowswithinanorganization
5. Listouttheadvantagesandlimitationsofformalandinformalcommunicationnetworks
3.2TypesofBusinessCommunication
Businesscommunicationisdiverseandinvolvesbothinternalstakeholderswithintheorganization,
as well as external stakeholders outside the organization. A manager has to constantly
communicate with and maintaingood relations witheach of these stakeholders orpublics, soas to
achieve the overall goals of the organization and to project a favorable image. The figure below
illustratesthewheelofbusinesscommunication
TheWheelofBusiness
Communication
Management
Superiors
Peers
Employees/
Unions
Customers
Subordinates
Shareholders
Media
Intermediaries
Suppliers
Government
Society
Bankers
The wheel of business communication reinforces what we discussed in the very first unit
communicationislikebreathing,itneverstopsandisaconstantprocess.Amanagerhastostayin
continuous touch with his internal stakeholders on the one hand superiors, peers,
subordinates, shareholders, employees and their unions at the same time, he has to
41
communicate with external stakeholders such as customers, intermediaries ( distributors and
retailers),suppliersofmaterialsandcomponents,government,bankers,societyatlargeandthe
media. Effective business communication therefore involves both internal as well as external
communication. We will now look at some of the reasons for communication with internal and
externalstakeholders,aswellastheappropriatechannelstobeusedineachcase.
3.2.1InternalBusinessCommunication
Asillustratedinthediagram,thisinvolvesinteractionwiththefollowing
SuperiorsEveryorganizationhasaformalreportingsystem.Superiorsarethehigherupsinthe
organization to whom you report. Thefrequency of interaction with them will vary,dependingon
your position and responsibilities, as well as their needfor information. Asa salesperson, you may
have to submit daily or weekly reports of sales progress. As a marketing manager, you may be
requiredtomakeperiodicpresentationsonmarketingstrategyfornewproductlaunchestotheVice
President, Marketing. Occasionally, you may also approach your superiors to communicate your
feelingsaboutyourjob,unsolvedproblemswithcoworkersandyoursuggestionsforimprovementof
theorganization.
Communication with superiors could be through written channels, such as reports, or through oral
facetoface channels, such as presentations and onetoone meetings. When trying to solve
problemsorimproverelationships,oralfacetofacechannelsaremosteffective,asexplainedinthe
previousunit.
Peers Peers are your coworkers, or people at the same level within an organization. For
example, a marketing manager and an HR manager are peers, since they work at the same level
within differentdepartments. Communication between peers is essentialforfunctional coordination.
AnAdvertisingManagerforexample,willneedtocommunicatewiththeFinanceManagerregarding
approvalof the advertising budgetfora newproduct launch. Information sharing is another reason
forcommunicationbetweenpeers.
The Advertising Manager and the Sales Manager in the Marketing department may need to
communicate regarding the special features of a product to be highlighted in an advertising
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campaign. Regular communicationbetweencoworkers in different departments is alsoessential to
ensurethattheyworktogetherasateamtoachievethecommongoalsoftheorganization.
The most appropriate channel of communication between peers is the oral facetoface channel,
sinceithelpstobuildgoodrapportandimprovesworkrelationships.
Subordinates These are people in the organization who work below you or report directly to
you. For example, as the Marketing Manager, you may have Assistant Managers reporting to you,
who in turn may have Marketing Executives reporting to them. The most common reasons for
communicationwithsubordinatesareondisciplinarymatters,suchasorganizationalproceduresand
policies. Other reasons include performance appraisal and feedback, reward and recognition
aspects,subjecttogoodperformance.
Appropriatechannelsofcommunication with subordinates may bebothoraland written, depending
on the situation. Communicating about organizational procedures is best done through written
communicationontheotherhand,performanceappraisalandfeedbackshouldbedonethroughan
oralonetoonemeetinganddiscussion.
Employees/UnionsEmployeesunionscanbequitepowerful,thereforecommunicationwiththem
isessential.Thereasonsforcommunicationincludewelfareaspects,disciplinaryaspectsandterms
ofemployment.Alltheseshouldbeclearlyspeltoutandkeptonrecord.Hencewrittenchannelssuch
aswrittencontractsarethemostappropriatechannels.
ShareholdersShareholdersareveryimportantinternalstakeholders,sincetheyaretheownersof
the company. Therefore, it is essential to be completely transparent with shareholders and to keep
theminformedofbothpositiveandnegativedevelopmentsregardingthecompany.Thereasonsfor
communicationwithshareholdersincludekeepingtheminformedabouttheCompanysprogresson
different fronts, development programs and new projects undertaken by the company and new
capital issues. At the same time, any major problems faced by the company and the steps being
taken to tackle these problems should also be communicated. This is part of public relations,
throughwhichthecompanyprojectsapositiveimageofitselfintheeyesofshareholders.
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The appropriate channels of communication with shareholders include oral and written channels
shareholdermeetingsandconferences,letters,brochuresandadvertisements.
Before we move on to external business communication, let us sum up our discussion on internal
communication. The table given below highlights the appropriate channel(s) to be used and the
primaryobjectiveofcommunicationwitheachoftheinternalpublics.
Stakeholder Channel
Overall
Objective
Superiors
WrittenReports
Presentations
Meetings
Awarenessofprogress
Suggestionsandfeedback
Problemsolving
Peers Facetofacemeetings
Coordination
Teamwork
Informationsharing
Subordinates WrittenCommunication
Facetofacemeetings
Compliancewith
instructionsandpolicies
Reviewofworkprogress
Feedback
Employees/Unions WrittenCommunication Employeesatisfactionand
welfare
Shareholders Meetings
Advertisements
Brochures
Buildingtrustand
confidence
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Arethefollowingquestionstrueorfalse?
1.Peersarecoworkerswhoworkonlyindifferentdepartmentsofanorganization.
2.Criticizinganemployeemaybedoneinpublic.
3.Apolicyofopennessisessentialforgoodpublicrelations.
4.Suggestionsshouldonlybegivenbysuperiorstosubordinates.
3.2.2ExternalBusinessCommunication
Beforewediscussthereasonsforcommunicationwithexternalstakeholders,itisimportantthatyou
understand the overall importance of external business communication. External business
communicationisessentialforthefollowingreasons
For Successful Marketing Organizations need to inform and create awareness among
consumersabouttheirexistingandnewproducts.Thisislargelydonethroughadvertising,which
isaformofmasscommunication.Thisisverymuchapartofexternalbusinesscommunication.
To build a Favorable Corporate Image Today, organizations need to focus on projecting
themselvesasresponsiblecorporateandsocialcitizens.Thisisknownascorporatesocial
responsibility.Forexample,theyneedtocommunicatethefactthattheyareinvolvedinsocial
development or in environmental protection. This involves being in touch with various external
stakeholders,especiallyconsumers,mediaandthesocietyatlarge.
To Increase Shareholder Value If customers have a positive image of the company, the
companys share price will go up and shareholders wealth increases, thereby enhancing
shareholdervalue.Shareholderconfidenceinthecompanyalsodrivesshareholdervalue.When
shareholdervalueincreases,theywillparticipateinthecompanysexpansionandgrowth.
To Overcome a Crisis Sometimes when a company is facing a crisis, a public relations
campaignmaybeneededtomanagethesituation,putthingsinaproperperspectiveandrestore
the image of the company in the eyes of consumers, the media and society at large. Public
relationsrequireseffectivecommunicationwithvariousexternalstakeholders.
45
Examples A few years ago, Reliance was prosecuted by the government for irregularities in the
stock market. Shareholders lost confidence in the company. Reliance then mounted a counter
campaignagainstthegovernment,wheretheytoldthetruth,gavethefactsandfiguresanddenied
the allegations made against them. This helped them to regain lost confidence and salvage their
image.
Similarly,whenCokeandPepsiwereaccusedofpesticidesintheirsoftdrinks,theyhadtoundertake
amassivepublicrelationsexercisetosetrighttheirimageintheeyesofthepublic.
* To Enhance Credit Rating An organizations credit rating will also go up if it maintains good
externalcommunication.Thiswayitsborrowingabilitywillincreaseandmoremoneycanberaised
forexpansionandgrowth.
Having emphasized the importance of external business communication, let us now go into the
reasonsfor communicating with external stakeholders and the channels used to communicate with
them,justaswedidwithinternalcommunication.
The wheel of business communication illustrates that external business communication involves
interactionwiththefollowingstakeholders
ConsumersOrganizationsneedtocommunicatewithconsumerstoprovideinformationabouttheir
productsandservices,specialpromotionaloffersandnewproductdevelopments.Theyalsoneedto
redress consumer complaints, so as to maintain consumer preference and confidence in their
brands.
Thewrittenchannelisthemostappropriatemediumforcommunicatingwithconsumers.Thiscould
taketheformofletters,ormassmediaadvertising.
IntermediariesThisreferstothetradedistributors,wholesalers,retailers,franchisees,etc.It is
necessarytocommunicatewiththemtoprovideinformationaboutproductavailability,specialoffers,
incentives and allowances, contractual aspects, order processing, delivery aspects and
46
merchandising, or the visual display of products. Keeping intermediaries aware and informed and
motivating them to meet targets through competitions, prizes and incentives is extremely important
forthesuccessofanyproduct.
The appropriate channels of communication with intermediaries could be both oral and written
channels. Written contracts, advertisements announcing special offers and incentives and dealer
newsletters inviting dealers to share their experiences, are examples of written channels. Periodic
reviewmeetingsandcontinuouscommunicationthroughsalesstaffareexamplesoforalchannels.
Suppliers These are suppliers of raw material, components, power, water or other utilities.
Communicationwithsuppliersisessentialtogivetechnicalspecifications,ensurequalityandtimely
delivery. Today, due to outsourcing or relying on outside sources for raw materials and
components, there is need for more sophisticated and direct communication and a more
continuous, ongoing relationship with suppliers. The internet now plays an important role in
communicationwithsuppliers,throughBusinesstoBusiness(B2B)communication
Many organizations today enter into a partnership with their suppliers, whereby there is total
involvement on both sides. For example, a company engineer might train the shop floor technical
staffofasupplierofautomotivecomponents,inordertoimprovethequalityofthecomponents.The
supplieronhisside,maysuggestachangeinthecompanysspecificationprocess.
Direct,onetoonecommunicationisrequiredwithsupplierstoensuretransparencyandclarity,with
respect to specifications. The oral facetoface channel is most appropriate, although the online
channelisbeingincreasinglyusedinsuppliercommunication.
Government Communicating with the government is particularly important in the Indian context
and is a part of public relations. Many Indian companies even appoint a PR officer for maintaining
good relations with the government. The reasons for communicating with the government include
compliance with tax matters and legal aspects, seeking clearances for new activities such as joint
ventures,borrowingfromoverseasbanks,foreignexchangerequirementsandsoon.
47
Communication with the government could take place through both oral and written channels.
Periodic meetings may be held with regard to statutory compliances such as licensing. However,
mostofthetime,writtencommunicationthroughformallettersismoreappropriate.Thisisbecause
clearancesforvariousactivitieshavetobesoughtinwriting.
SocietyAspointedoutearlier,organizationsneedtocommunicatewiththecommunityatlargeto
projectthemselvesasresponsiblecorporatecitizens.Corporatesocialresponsibilityasitiscalled,
is top priority with many organizations today. Supporting womens education, building hospitals for
thedisabled,schoolsforchildren,familyplanningandnonpollutionoftheenvironmentaresomeof
thewaysinwhichcompaniesareparticipatinginsocialdevelopmentandthencommunicatingthisto
society.
Thechannelsofcommunicationwithsocietycouldbeoralanddirectforexample,talkingtoelders
inavillageorlocality,aboutfamilyplanningorschoolsforchildren.Massmediaadvertisinginthe
formofpublicserviceadvertisingcouldalsobeusedtospreadthesesocialservicemessages
Example United Breweries ran a public service campaign with the caption Drinking and driving
dontmix,tospreadthemessageofavoidingdrunkendriving.
Thereisalargeelementofpublicrelationsincommunicationwithsociety.
BankersLike shareholders, organizations need to communicate withbankers both ingood times
andbadtimes.Thereasonsforcommunicatingwithbankersarethesameasthoseforshareholders.
In addition, advance notice needs to be given to bankers regarding any dislocation in repayment
schedulesandjustificationhastobeprovidedforanyadditionalfundneeds.Theoverallpurposeis
tobuildrapportwiththebank,soastoincreaseborrowingability.
Communication with bankers could take place through oral channels for example, periodic
meetingswiththeFinanceManagerofthecompanytokeeptheminformedofstockbuilduptrends,
orfuturetrendsthatcouldaffectworkingcapitalneeds.Specialmeetingsmayalsobeheldtokeep
them posted about expansion, contraction and diversification plans, lockouts, strikes and anything
elsethatmayaffectcashflow.
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In addition to oral channels, periodic written reports need to be submitted to the bank on overall
business conditions. Transparency is needed in dealings with the bank and failure to keep them
informedcouldleadtothecompanyscollapse.
ExampleTheEnronCompanydidnotcommunicatewiththeirshareholdersandbankersaboutthe
difficulttimesthattheyweregoingthrough.Thisultimatelyledtothecompanysruin.
Media Today, the media are becoming more powerful and investigative and are intruding into
peoples personal lives. If wrongly informed, the media can destroy an institution. Therefore, the
primary reason for an organization to communicate with the media is to maintain good relations. If
the company projects afavorable image to the media, the media in turn will carrya positive story
aboutthecompanyforfree.Thisisknownaspublicityandispartofpublicrelations.
For example, a press release in a newspaper may highlight some of the achievements or awards
wonby the company. This type of publicity is highly credible and can have a powerful influence on
publicopinion.
Communication withthe media takesplace throughboth oral channels suchaspress conferences,
aswellaswrittenchannelssuchaslettersandnewsreleases.
Aswedidwithinternalbusinesscommunication,letussumupourdiscussiononexternalbusiness
communicationintheformofthematrixgivenbelow
49
Stakeholder Channel OverallObjective
Consumers Advertisements
Letters
Awareness
Information
Persuasion
Intermediaries
WrittenContracts
Newsletters
Advertisements
ReviewMeetings
Awareness
Information
Motivation
Suppliers DirectOralCommunication
OnlineCommunication
OngoingRelationship
Partnership
Government PeriodicMeetings
FormalLetters
GovernmentCooperation
Society DirectOralCommunication
Advertisements
CorporateSocial
Responsibility
Bankers Periodic&Special
Meetings
WrittenReports
GoodRapport
Moreborrowingability
Media Newsconferences
NewsReleases
GoodRelations
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Matchthefollowing
1Masscommunication a.Government
2.CorporateSocialResponsibilityb.Advertising
3.CrisisPRc.Suppliers
4.Distributors d.Socialdevelopment
5.Internete.Bankers
6.Statutorycompliancef.Borrowingability
7.Transparency g.Media
8.Creditratingh.Consumers
9.Publicityi.Motivation
10.Persuasion j.Restoringcompanyimage
CommunicationNetworkinOrganizations
Acommunicationnetworkreferstohowinformationflows withintheorganization.Information
withinanorganizationgenerallyflowsthroughasystem,ratherthanbeingafreeflow.Inthewordsof
Adler, Communication networks are regular patterns of persontoperson relationships through
whichinformationflowsinanorganization.
Thismeansthattheflowofinformationismanaged,regulated.andstructured.
Communicationnetworksmaybeformalorinformal.Wewilldealwitheachoftheseinsomedetail.
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3.3.1FormalCommunicationNetworkAformalcommunicationnetworkisonewhichiscreated
bymanagementanddescribedwiththehelpofanorganizationalchart.Anorganizationalchart
specifiesthehierarchyandthereportingsystemintheorganization.Therefore,inaformalnetwork,
informationispassedononlythroughofficialchannelssuchasmemos,bulletinsandintranet(email
withintheorganization).
Theorganizationalchartimpliesthatinformationcanflowinanyofthreedirectionsvertically,i.e.,
upwardordownward,andhorizontally.
1.UpwardCommunicationThismaybedefinedasinformationthatflowsfromsubordinates
tosuperiors.Someofthereasonsforupwardcommunicationincludediscussingworkrelated
problems,givingsuggestionsforimprovementandsharingfeelingsaboutthejobandcoworkers.
This type of communication has both benefits and disadvantages. One of the biggest benefits is
problemsolving. Once a subordinate has brought a problem to his superiors notice, chances are
thattheproblemwillnotrecur,sincethesubordinatelearnsfromhissuperiorhowtotackleitthenext
time.Thus,hisabilitytosolvenewproblemsandthereforehismanagerialability,improves.Another
benefit that could arise from upward communication is that valuable ideas and suggestions may
sometimescomefromlowerlevelemployees.Thereforeorganizationsshouldencouragethiskindof
communication.
Athirdbenefitisthatemployeeslearntoacceptthedecisionsofmanagementandtherebyworkasa
team.
Thebiggestproblemassociatedwiththistypeofcommunicationisthatitmayleadtohandingdown
ofdecisionsbysuperiors.Whensubordinatesfrequentlyseekthe
superiors guidance, the latter may adopt an authoritarian approach and merely give instructions,
disregardingthesubordinatesopinioncompletely.
2.DownwardCommunicationThismaybedefinedasinformationthatflowsfromsuperiorsto
subordinates. The most common reasons for downward communication are for giving job
instructions, explaining company rules, policies and procedures and giving feedback regarding job
performance.Anumberofstudieshaveindicatedthatregulardownwardcommunicationintheform
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of feedback given to employees is the most important factor affecting job satisfaction. Therefore
organizationstodayaretryingtoencouragemoreofthistypeofcommunication.
There are both benefits and disadvantages associated with this type of communication. Downward
communication that provides regular feedback will be beneficial if the feedback or review of
performanceisconstructive.Aconstructivereviewisonewhereamanagercounselsanemployee,
or advises him on how to improve his performance. On the other hand, a destructive review can
destroyemployeemoraleandconfidence.Regulardownwardcommunicationalsocreatesaclimate
of transparency or openness, where information is passedon through official channels, rather than
throughrumors.
Thirdly, downward communication boosts employee morale, since it indicates that management is
involvedintheirprogress.
The problems with this type of communication are the danger of doing destructive reviews, as
mentioned,andthatofmessageoverload.Thismeansthatsuperiorsmanysometimesburdentheir
subordinateswithtoomanyinstructions,leadingtoconfusion.
3. Horizontal Communication This type of communication is also known as lateral
communication. It may be defined as communication that takes place between coworkers in
the same department, or in different departments, with different areas of responsibility. For
example, Sales Managers and Advertising Managers in the Marketing department, or Marketing
ManagersandFinanceManagers.
The reasons for this type of communication are for coordination of tasks, sharing of information
regarding goals of the organization, resolving interpersonal or work related problems and building
rapport.
Thebiggestpotentialbenefitofhorizontal communication is the senseofteamwork that is created.
Regular communication of this type ensures that all coworkers work together towards achieving a
commongoalintheoverallinterestoftheorganization.Thebiggestpotentialproblemisthatconflicts
such as ego clashes are bound to arise, when coworkers at the same level communicate on a
regularbasis.
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Inspiteoftheseproblems,horizontalorlateralcommunicationhasbecomemoreimportantintodays
business scenario than upward or downward communication. This is because the organizational
pyramid indicating the different hierarchies or levels in an organization has flattened. This is
illustratedbythediagramsgivenbelow.
MultilayerOrganizationalPyramid
GeneralManager
Manager Manager
AsstManager AsstManager AsstManager AsstManager
Executive
Executive
Executive
Executive
Executive
Executive
Executive
Executive
CompressedOrganizationalPyramid
GeneralManager
Manager Manager Manager Manager Manager Manager
Thefirstdiagramillustratesthepreviousorganizationalpyramidwhichwasamultilayerpyramid.
In this type of pyramid, vertical, i.e., upward and downward communication still plays an important
role.Thisisstillthecaseinmanytraditionallyrunorganizationstoday.
However,thishasbeenreplacedbyacompressedorflattenedpyramidwherethehierarchyhas
diminished, as shown in the second diagram. Thanks to technology and computers which help in
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fasterdecisionmaking,amanagertodayhasalargerspanofcontrol.Heorshecansuperviseand
control more number of people than before. This in turn has led to greater empowerment, which
meansthatevenlowerlevelemployeesarenowbeinggivendecisionmakingauthority.Therefore,in
theabsenceofseverallayers,thereisgreaterlateralcommunicationthanbefore.
3.3.2InformalCommunicationNetworks Anothernameforinformalnetworksis
the grapevine. In this type of network, information does not flow in a particular direction, as we
haveseenwithformalnetworks.Theinformationisalsonotpassedonthroughofficialchannels
such as memos, notices or bulletin boards. The information need not be circulated within the
organization, but could be passed on outside the work environment, wherever coworkers or
colleaguesmeetsocially.Thus,informalnetworksarebasedmoreonfriendship,sharedpersonalor
careerinterests.
ExampleCoworkersmaymeetoutsidetheworkenvironmentatacompanypicnic,partyoracar
pool and discuss areas of common interest that may or may not be work related. Information may
thenbepassedontoeachotherabouthappeningsinthecompany,suchaslayoffs,thecompanys
plansforacquisitionsandsoon.
Thistypeofinformalnetworkisnotjustforidlerumorsandmaybeusefulinmanyways.Firstofall,it
sometimesfillsinthetransparencygapsleftbyformalnetworks.Suchgapsusuallyoccurduring
times of crisis such as strikes or layoffs. The strikes and layoffs may not be officially announced.
Secondly,itmayhelptoconfirmimportantinformation,suchasthefactthatthecompanyisgoingin
for a major acquisition. Thirdly, the grapevine can be used for a constructive purpose by the
organization.
ExampleThegovernmentcouldgetthepresstopublishnewsinthelocalpaperthatthereisgoing
tobeapetrolpricehikesoon,justtotestthereactionsofthegeneralpublic.Ifthereactionis
negative,thenthenewsmaybewithdrawnonthebasisthatitisjustarumor.Similarly,organizations
coulddeliberatelyplantproposalsinthemindsoftheiremployees,justtotesttheirreactions.
Giventhatinformalcommunicationnetworkshavetheiradvantages,theyshouldnotbesuppressed
as rumors.On the contrary, competent managers shouldaccept the informalnetwork.At the same
time,theyshouldmakeeffortstocounterfalserumorsandtoensuretransparencythroughtheformal
network. This means making all types of information both positive and negative, available to
everyoneintheorganizationthroughofficialchannels.
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To conclude, it should be remembered that both formal and informal networks should be
cultivated and allowed to coexist, so that information of all types flows freely to all levels in the
organization.
1. Aformalcommunicationnetworkischaracterizedby_________________________.
2. Themostvaluableideasandsuggestionsoftencomefrom_______________
communication.
3. Anadvantageofregulardownwardcommunicationis_____________.
4. Inamultilayerorganization,_________________communicationismoreimportant
than__________________communication.
5. While________________shouldbesuppressed,_______________networksshould
beaccepted.
3.4Summary
While the first two units dealt with communication in general, this unit has focused entirely on the
nature of organizational communication. A manager has to stay in constant touch with several
publicsorstakeholders,bothinsideandoutsidetheorganization.Thereforetherearetwoaspectsto
business communication internal and external communication. The internal publics include
superiors, peers, subordinates, shareholders, employees and their unions. The external publics
includeconsumers,intermediaries,suppliers,government,society,bankersandthemedia.
Some of the most common reasons for communication with each of these publics were explained,
alongwiththeappropriatechannelsofcommunicationtobeused.Communicationwithsuperiorsis
primarilyforreportingprogress,providingfeedbackor
solvingworkrelatedproblems.Peersneedtocommunicateforcoordinationandinformationsharing.
Communication with subordinates is mainly to review progress and give instructions. Among the
internal publics, shareholders are particularly important. The main reasons for communicating with
themaretokeepthem informed aboutpositiveandnegativedevelopments regarding thecompany
andtowintheirconfidence.
Communication with external publics such as government, society and the media involves a large
elementofpublicrelations,orprojectingafavorableimageofthecompany.Today,organizationsare
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focusing on corporate social responsibility by participating in social development. Since the media
are becoming more powerful, it is essential to maintain good relations with them. Communication
with the government and bankers should be of a more formal nature and largely through written
channels. Supplier communication is becoming more sophisticated through online (B2B) channels.
Consumersandintermediariesalsoneedtobeinformedaboutthecompanysproducts.
This unit also dealt with communication networks, or the system through which information flows
withintheorganization.Therearetwotypesofnetworksformalandinformal.
Aformalnetworkisdeterminedbyanorganizationalchartandhierarchy.Hereinformationflowsonly
throughofficialchannelsandcanflowinthreedirectionsupward,downwardandhorizontally.The
main advantage of upward communication is that valuable suggestions could be given by
subordinates to superiors. The disadvantage is that the opinions of subordinates could be
disregarded. Downward communication has the advantage of constant feedback being given to
subordinates and a climate of openness being created. The drawback is that feedback may not
always be constructive. Horizontal or lateral communication has assumed more importance today,
due to the organizational hierarchy becoming flatter. While its main benefit is teamwork and
coordination,itmayleadtoconflictsbetweencoworkers.
Aninformalnetworkorgrapevinereferstoinformationflowthroughnonofficialchannelsoutsidethe
workenvironment.Itisbasedonfriendshipbetweencoworkers.Theinformalnetworkisnotjustfor
rumorsandhasseveralbenefits.Itmayfillinthegapsleftbytheformalnetwork,orhelptoconfirm
importantnewsregardingtheorganization.Itcouldalsobeusedconstructivelytotestthereactions
of employees on a particular issue. Therefore the informal network should not be suppressed by
managers.
TerminalQuestions
1. WhatkindofjobdoyouforeseeyourselftakingupaftercompletionofyourMBAdegree?Who
are the mainpublics that you wouldhave to communicate with?Explain someof the reasons
forcommunicatingwiththemandtheappropriatechannelsofcommunication.
2. ExplainwhyPublicRelationsisanimportantpartofexternalbusinesscommunication.
3. What are the relative advantages and disadvantages of formal and informal communication
networks?
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1. False
2. False
3. True
4. False
1. b
2. d
3. j
4. i
5. c
6. a
7. e
8. f
9. g
10.h
1. Officialchannels
2. Upward
3. Transparency/openness
4. Verticalhorizontal/lateral
5. Rumorsinformal
1.Refer3.2,3.2.1,3.2.2
2.Refer3.2.2
3.Refer3.3,3.3.1,3.3.2
TheImportanceOfListeningInTheWorkplace Unit4
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Unit4 TheImportanceOfListeningInTheWorkplace
Structure
4.1. Introduction
Objectives
4.2. Whatislistening?
4.2.1 TypesofListening
4.3. BarrierstoListening
4.4. StrategiesforEffectiveListening
4.5. ListeningtoEmployeesandCustomers
4.6. Summary
TerminalQuestions
AnswerstoSAQsandTQs
4.1Introduction
Listening is the most important of all the aspects of communication. In fact, listening precedes
communication.Itoccursmorefrequentlyonthejobthanevenspeaking,readingorwriting.Thenew
modelofbusiness,basedonteamwork,requiresmoreeffectivelisteningskillsthanbeforeforgreater
coordination.Givenitsimportance,inthisunitwewilltrytounderstandthetruemeaningoflistening,
examine some obstacles to listening and discuss methods to be adopted for better listening in the
workplace.
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LearningObjectives:
1. Distinguishclearlybetweenhearingandlistening
2. Categorizethemainbarrierstoeffectivelistening
3. Improveyourownlisteningskillsbyadoptingspecificstrategies
4. Understandtheimportanceoflisteningintheworkplace
4.2 WhatIsListening?
Listening is hard work and is more than just sitting passively and absorbing a speakers words.
According to Lundsteen, Listening is a highly complex process by which spoken language is
convertedtomeaninginthemind.ListeninghasbeenidentifiedbyStephenCoveyasoneofthe
sevenhabits of highly effectivepeople, in his book with the same title. This definition impliesthat
listeningisaskillwhichcanbecultivatedanddeveloped,justlikespeaking,readingorwriting.
Listening is often thought to be synonymous with hearing. The difference is that while hearing is a
passive process, listening is active. It means being alert to and understanding the meaning
behind the speakers words. While listening, one is engaged in processing the information,
reconstructingtheinformationandalsogivingmeaningtotheinformation.
Thisbringsustoadiscussionofthedifferenttypesoflistening.
4.2.1TypesOfListening
1.DiscriminativeListening
This is the most basic type of listening, whereby the difference between the sounds is
identified.Unlessthedifferencesbetweenthesoundsisidentified,themeaningexpressedbysuch
differencescannotbegrasped.
Once we learn to distinguishbetween sounds inour own language, we areable to do the same in
other languages. One reason why people belonging to one country find it difficult to speak the
language of another country, is that they find the sounds similar and cannot understand the subtle
differences.
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2.ComprehensionListening
Once we have learnt to discriminate between the different sounds, the next step is to try to
comprehend the meaning of these sounds. In order to do this, we require a dictionaryof words,
alongwiththerulesofgrammarandsyntax.Apartfromtheverbalcommunication,wealsoneedto
understand the meaning conveyed by the speakers nonverbal behavior. This can be achieved by
closelyobservingvariousaspectsofthespeakersbodylanguageandtoneofvoice.
3.EvaluativeListening
Thiskindoflisteninginvolvesmakingjudgmentsaboutwhatthespeakerissaying.
Welistencriticallyandtrytoassesswhatisbeingsaidasgood,bad,worthyorunworthy.
Wegenerallyresorttothiskindoflisteningwhentheotherpersonistryingtopersuadeus,change
ourbehaviororconvictions.Thetendencythenistoquestionwhatthespeakeristryingtosay.
4.AppreciativeListening
This kind of listening could be in the form of paying selective attention to certain kinds of
information which might be relevant to us, or which helps to meet our needs and goals. The
tendencyistoappreciatesuchinformationbetter.Appreciativelisteningisalsousedwhenlistening
togoodmusic,poetryorapowerfulspeech.
5.EmpatheticListening
In this type of listening, we try to put ourselves in the other persons place and understand the
moods, beliefs, goals and feelings behind the speakers words. It requires excellent
discrimination and paying attention to the nuances of emotional signals. It also requires a high
degreeofsensitivityandtactfulprobingonthepartofthelistener.
Empatheticlisteningismostoftenneededattheworkplace,whendealingwithcustomercomplaints,
employeefeedbackandproblems.Amanagerdoingaperformanceappraisalwithanemployeefor
example, should listen to theemployees pointof view and understand the real reasonsfor lack of
performance.
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6.TherapeuticListening
In this type of listening, the listener goes beyond merely empathizing with the speaker and tries to
help him to change or develop in some way. In other words, he plays the role of a therapist, by
diagnosing the problem at hand and offering a remedy or solution. This type of listening is
commoninsocialsituations,wherefamilyandpersonalproblemsareresolvedthroughcounseling.It
is also important in job situations, where managers try to solve the problemsofemployees. Taking
the same example of a manager doing a performance appraisal, the manager should not only
understand the employeesproblems,but should also counsel him,by suggesting what measures
hecouldtaketoimprovehisperformanceinfuture.
7.DialogicListening
Asthenamesuggests,thistypeoflisteninginvolveslisteningandlearningthroughdialogue.This
implies that listening isa twoway, ratherthanaonewayprocess. It involves interchangeof ideas
and information between the speaker and the listener. This type of listening is active listening,
whereby the listener continuously seeks clarifications,givesfeedbackand engages inconversation
withthespeaker.Anothernameforthisisrelationallistening,sincearelationshipisestablished
throughtheexchangeofideas.
1.Somepeoplearebornlisteners.
2.Comprehensionlisteningisthemostbasictypeoflistening
3.Listeningtoasalespersonspresentationisanexampleofevaluativelistening
4.Respondingtocustomercomplaintsisanexampleofdialogiclistening
5.Solvingemployeesproblemsofteninvolvesbothempatheticandtherapeuticlistening.
4.3 BarrierstoListening
Aspointedoutearlier,listeningisnoteasyandthereareanumberofobstaclesthatstandinthe
way of effective listening, both within and outside the workplace. These barriers may be
categorizedasfollows
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1.Physiological Barriers This was discussedearlier under thebarriers to communication. Some
peoplemayhavegenuinehearingproblemsordeficienciesthatpreventthemfromlisteningproperly.
Once detected, they can generally be treated. Other people may have difficulty in processing
information, or memory related problems which make them poor listeners. Another physiological
barrierisrapidthought.Listenershavetheabilitytoprocessinformationattherateofapproximately
500 words per minute, whereas speakers talk ataround125 words per minute. Since listeners are
left with a lot of spare time, their attention may not be focused on what the speaker is saying, but
maywanderelsewhere.
2. Physical Barriers These refer to distractions in the environment such as the sound of an air
conditioner,cigarettesmoke,oranoverheatedroom,whichinterferewiththelisteningprocess.They
could also be in the form of information overload. For example, if you are in a meeting with your
managerandthephoneringsandyourmobilebeepsatthesametimetoletyouknowthatyouhave
amessage,itisveryhardtolistencarefullytowhatisbeingsaid.
3.AttitudinalBarriersPreoccupationwithpersonalorworkrelatedproblemscanmakeitdifficult
tofocusonesattentioncompletelyonwhataspeakerissaying,evenifwhatisbeingsaidisofprime
importance. Another common attitudinal barrier is egocentrism, or the belief that you are more
knowledgeablethanthespeakerandthatyouhavenothingnewtolearnfromhisideas.Peoplewith
thiskindofclosedmindedattitude
makeverypoorlisteners.
4. Wrong Assumptions The success of communication depends on both the sender and the
receiver, as we have seen in an earlier unit. It is wrong to assume that communication is the sole
responsibility of the sender or the speaker and that listeners have no role to play. Such an
assumptioncanbeabigbarriertolistening.Forexample,abrilliantspeechorpresentation,however
well delivered, is wasted if the receiver is not listening at the other end. Listeners have as much
responsibility as speakers to make the communication successful, by paying attention, seeking
clarificationsandgivingfeedback.
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Another wrong assumption is to think that listening is a passive activity, in which a listener merely
absorbsthethoughtsofthespeaker.Onthecontrary,reallisteningoractivelisteningishardwork
itrequiresspeakingsometimestoaskquestions,agreeordisagreewiththespeaker,givefeedback,
etc.
Yet another barrier of this type is to assume that speakers are more powerful than listeners.
Speakers are seen as being in command of things, whereas listeners are seen to be weak and
lackingauthority.Accordingtocommunicationexpertshowever,thereverseistrue.Listenersareas
important and as powerful as speakers. In fact David J. Schwartz, writer and management
professor, emphasizes the importance of listening by saying Big people monopolize the listening.
Smallpeoplemonopolizethetalking.
5.CulturalBarriersAccentscanbebarrierstolistening,sincetheyinterferewiththeabilityto
understandthemeaningofwordsthatarepronounceddifferently.Theproblemofdifferentaccents
arisesnotonlybetweencultures,butalsowithinaculture.Forexample,inacountrylikeIndiawhere
thereisenormousculturaldiversity,accentsmaydifferevenbetweendifferentregionsandstates.
Another type of culturalbarrier is differing cultural values. The importanceattached to listeningand
speakingdiffersinwesternandorientalcultures.Generally,Orientalsregardlisteningandsilenceas
almost a virtue, whereas Westerners attach greater importance to speaking. Therefore this would
interferewiththelisteningprocess,whentwopeoplefromthesetwodifferentculturescommunicate.
6.GenderBarriersCommunicationresearchhasshownthatgendercanbeabarriertolistening.
Studieshaverevealedthatmenandwomenlistenverydifferentlyandfordifferentpurposes.Women
aremorelikelytolistenfortheemotionsbehindaspeakerswords,whilemenlistenmoreforthe
factsandthecontent.
ExampleAsalespersongivingademonstrationofanewtypeofofficeequipmentmaybeaskedby
two colleagues if the equipment will work without any problems and respond by saying Sure. A
maleusermaytakehisansweratfacevalue,whereasafemaleusermaydetectsomehesitationin
hisvoice.Thisisbecausethemaleuserlistensforthecontentofthemessage,whereasthefemale
userlistensforthetoneofthemessage.
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7.LackofTrainingListeningisnotaninbornskill.Peoplearenotborngoodlisteners.Theyhave
to develop the art of listening through practice and training. Lack of training in listening skills is an
importantbarriertolistening,especiallyintheIndiancontext.
Lee Iacocca, former Chairman of the Chrysler Corporation in the US, was one of the first to
recognize the need for organized training programs in listening skills. Today, many organizations
bothinIndiaandabroadincorporatelisteningskillsintheirtrainingprograms.
8. Bad Listening Habits Most people are very average listeners who have developed poor
listeninghabitsthatarehardtoshedandthatactasbarrierstolistening.Forexample,somepeople
havethehabitoffakingattentionortryingtolooklikealistener,inordertoimpressthespeakerand
toassurehimthattheyarepayingattention.Othersmaytendtolistentoeachandeveryfactand,as
a result, miss out on the main point. Yet another habit is to avoid difficult listening and to tune off
deliberately, if the subject is too technical or difficult to understand. Sometimes, the subject itself
maybedismissedasuninteresting,becausethelistenerdoesnotwanttolisten.
Matchthefollowing
1.Listenerspeakergapa.Culturalbarrier
2.Listeningforemotionsb.Physiologicalbarrier
3.Egoproblemsc.Genderbarrier
4.SwitchingfromoneTVchanneltoanotherd.Attitudinalbarrier
5.Speakinginadifferentlanguagee.Badlisteninghabit
4.4StrategiesforEffectiveListening
Althoughanumberofbarriersstandinthewayofeffectivelistening,thesecanbeovercomethrough
consciousefforts,trainingandpractice.Someofthesuggestedmethodsarediscussedindetail
below
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1.CreateaConduciveEnvironmentToanextent,youcantrytocontroltheenvironmentinwhich
communication takes place, so that listening can take place without any distractions. Ensuring a
propersoundsystemandacousticssothatthespeakerisaudible,avoidingplaceswithhighlevelsof
activity, loud noises from the outside environment and poor air conditioning systems, shutting off
mobile phones and telephones, are some of the ways in which you can overcome some of the
physicalbarrierstolistening.
2. Select Facetoface Channels Listening is less accurate in the absence of facetoface
communication. For example, listening to and understanding ideas correctly over the telephone is
muchharderthanthroughafacetofacemeeting.Takethecaseofcallingarestaurantandplacing
ordersoverthetelephoneforhomedeliveryofameal.Thechancesarethatyourordersmaynotbe
understood correctly. Therefore, as far as possible, arrange facetoface contact to ensure more
accuratelistening.
3.BeOpenmindedandAvoidDistractionsListeningisanexhaustingactivitywhichrequiresthe
right attitude and mindset. You have to focus your attention completely on what the speaker is
saying,withoutlettingyourmindwander.Thiskindofconcentration
can be developed through various techniques and through constant practice. In addition, it is also
importanttoridyourselfofthenotionthatyouhavenothingnewtolearnfromtheotherperson.Even
if it is a subject about which you may be knowledgeable, the speaker may offer a different
perspectiveorpointofview.Thereforeitisimportanttolistenactively.
4. Use Nonverbal Cues to Indicate Active Listening It is important to communicate to the
speaker that you are listening actively to what he is saying. This can be done even without verbal
communication. All the different aspects of nonverbal communication discussed earlier should be
usedfor maximum effect. For example, maintaining steadyeye contact with the speaker, sitting up
with an erect posture, nodding now and then to show appreciation and understanding and
appropriate facial expressions are some of the ways in which your nonverbal communication can
indicatethatyouareinvolvedinwhatthespeakerissaying.
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5.UseVerbalCommunication to Indicate ActiveListeningWhilenonverbalbehaviorbyitself
can communicate that you are an active listener, it is also important to engage in verbal
communication with the speaker. Silence is often interpreted as lack of understanding or attention.
You need to seek clarifications, give feedback and suggestions, or just paraphrase in your own
wordswhatthespeakerhassaid,inordertoconveythatyouhaveunderstoodhismessage.
6.ListenFirstBeforeRespondingAlwaysletyourselffinishlisteningbeforeyoubegintospeak.
Avoidthetendencytoformulateyourownresponse,evenbeforeyouhavelistenedcompletelytothe
speakers words. If youare too busythinking about whatto saynext,you may miss the main point
that the speaker is trying to make. This also gives the speaker the impression that you are pre
occupiedorrude.
7. Use the Speakerlistener Gap Constructively It was pointed out earlier that listeners have
theabilitytoabsorbinformationfasterthanspeakersrateofspeech.Thissparetimeavailable
to listeners is often misused by letting the mind wander and is one of the physiological barriers to
listening.One way of overcoming this barrier is to try to use this spare time tonotedown what the
speakerhassaid,reviewwhathasbeensaidsofarandanticipatewhathemaysaynext.Thinking
ahead of the speaker and trying to guess where his talk is leading is a good strategy for effective
listening.Thisisnoteasy,butcanbelearntthroughpropertraining.
8. Focus on the Verbal and Nonverbal Message Listening involves not only hearing and
understandingthemeaningbehindthewords,butalsobeingalerttothenonverbalbehaviorofthe
speaker. The importance of nonverbal cues has been emphasized throughout this book. It is
important to watch for any positive or negative messages that may be conveyed through the
speakerstoneofvoice,facialexpressions,gesturesandoutwardappearance.
9.FocusontheContent,ratherthantheDeliveryInordertograspthetruemeaningofwhatthe
speakerissaying,itisimportanttoconcentrateonthecontentofthemessage,ratherthanonhow
the message is delivered. For example, looking at the power point slides during a speakers
presentation may distract your attention from the main point that he is trying to convey. Similarly,
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being over critical of the speakers accent or mannerisms may make you miss the essence of the
message.
10. Ask Questions of Yourself and Make Notes In order toengage inactive listening, you also
needtoaskcertainquestionstoyourselfwhilelistening.Forexample,Whatisthekeyideathatthe
speakeristryingtoconvey?,HowdoesthisfitinwithIalreadyknowonthesubject?orHowis
this presentation organized?, are some possible questions that you could jot down along with the
answers.
Thetablebelowsumsupsomeofthecharacteristicsofgoodlisteners,basedonstudiescarriedout
onperceptionsoflisteningbehavior
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1.Payingmoreattentiontothewayaspeakerisdressed,isanexampleoffocusingon
__________________ratherthan____________________.
2.Agoodlistenertriestounderstandthemeaningbehind___________________and
______________________messages.
AGoodListener
1. Considersallevidencebeforejumpingtoaconclusion
2. Takesnoteswhenlistening,inordertorecallinformationorunderstandadifficult
idea.
3.Concentratesonwhatthespeakerissayingandnotonunrelated
thoughts
4. Iswillingtoconsidertheopinionsofothers
5. Listensopenlywhenothersdisagreewithhim
6. Encouragesotherstoexpresstheirideas,insteadofoccupyingcenterstage
7. Isabletograspthemainideafromotherscomments
8. Iscuriousaboutotherpeopleandtheirideas
9. Doesnotinterruptothers,orchangethetopictosuithispurpose
10. Makesthespeakerfeelcomfortablewhiletalking
11. Remembersimportantideasgivenbyothers,evenwhenheisbusy
12. Doesnotpretendtounderstand,whenheisconfused
13. Recognizesthatpeoplemaychangeovertimeandhavesomethingnewtooffer
14. Triestofindsolutionstoothersproblems
15. Knowswhentospeakandwhentolisten
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3.____________areknowntobephysiologicallyquickerthan________________.
4.Activelisteningcanbedemonstratedverballythrough_______________and
__________________.
5.Agoodlisteneris__________________and_______________________.
4.5ListeningInABusinessContext
Effectivelisteningisoneoftheessentialqualitiesofasuccessfulmanager.Studiesconductedonthe
skills considered most crucialfor managerial ability have indicated that active listening is rated as
the most important. In other studies where business people were asked to describe the
communicationskillsthattheyconsideredmostimportantandthattheywishedtheyhadbeentaught
incollege,listeningfiguredontopofthelist.Listeningisthereforecrucialinabusinessenvironment.
It can boost quality, profits and productivity, whereas poor listening has the exact opposite effect.
Listeningmistakescanleadtocostlyerrorssuchasretypingofimportantdocuments,reschedulingof
importantmeetingsandsoon.
Goodlisteningskillscanhelpyoulocatejobopenings,farewellinjobinterviewsandbeselectedfor
the job. Once youareonthe job, listeningbecomes even more important.As a manager, you will
have to listen to superiors, subordinates, customers and other stakeholders. Listening has been
foundtobeparticularlyimportantincertainprofessionsandindustries.Theserviceindustry,whichis
afast growing industryboth in India andabroad, is one suchexample. Inthe insurance industry,it
has been found that good listening has led to career advancement. In the banking sector, good
listening skills have been found to distinguish a good bank manager from a bad one. In the
healthcare industry, listening to patients has been useful in gathering more accurate information
about them. According to a professor at Cornell, one of the top universities in the U.S., Good
service,inmanyrespects,isgoodlistening.Inordertothriveinhighlycompetitive,rapidlychanging
environments,serviceemployeesmustlearntolistenwell.
Tom Peters, business consultant and coauthorof the book In Searchof Excellence,emphasizes
the importance of listening to your customers. He says Find out what the customers really care
about and then act. Listening thats the key. Let us discuss why it is so essential to listen to
customers.
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4.5.1 ListeningToCustomers
Organizations today are beginning to recognize the importance of being customer oriented.
Customer orientation means identifying and then satisfying customer needs, which in turn involves
listening to what the customer really wants. When measuring customer satisfaction, it is also
important to listen toand respond to customer complaints. This is because a dissatisfied customer
cancreatenegativewordofmouthpublicityforyourproductandcompany.Therefore,itisimportant
tosatisfyandretainyourexistingcustomers,sothattheyremainloyaltoyourcompany.
Wewilldiscusssomeapproachesforhandlingcustomercomplaintsandlisteningtocustomers
1. Believe the Customer There is a saying that The customer is the king. Therefore it is
importanttotakethecustomerforhisword,eventhoughhemaynotbetellingthetruth,ratherthan
doubtwhatheissaying.Evenifthecustomerscomplaintmaynotbejustified,itisimportanttomake
anattempttosolvehisproblem.
2. Listen Actively Make your customerfeel that you are showingempathy, orputting yourself in
his or her place. When a customer starts to complain, it is important to hear out the complaint
completely,beforerespondingorofferingasolution.Sometimesacustomermayberude,angryand
frustrated, but he/she needs to be handled tactfully. Once he/she has vented his/her feelings, it
wouldbeagoodstrategytorepeattheprobleminanobjectivemanner,toshowthatyouhaveheard
andunderstoodclearly.
Consider the following example of how a sales assistant in a medical shop deals with an angry
customer
What youare saying is that you entered the shop, askedfor and paid for 20headache pills and
whenyougothome,youdiscoveredthatyouhadbeengivenonly10,isthatcorrect?
Thisisthebestwaytoshowthecustomerthatyouhavelistenedtoandregisteredthecomplaint.
3. Apologize Even if the customer and not the company is at fault, it is always a good idea to
apologize to your complaining customer. From the customers perspective, he/she is right and
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therefore expects an apology. A sincere apology will go a long way in calming down an angry
customer. A general statement of apology such as We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to
you will be sufficient in such a situation. A written letter of apology would also be effective in
regainingthecustomerstrustandconfidenceinthecompany.
4.SatisfyThereisasayingthatAsatisfiedcustomeristhebestadvertisementforyourproduct.
This isbecause such a customer will spreadpositive wordofmouth publicity about yourproduct to
others. Therefore, it is important to identify yourmost valuable customers, listen to themand make
effortstoretainthem,byofferingthemspecialprivilegesfromtimetotime.
5. Thank Even if the customer has launched a complaint, it is important to thank him/her for
bringingittoyourattention,sothatasolutioncanbefound.Acustomercomplaintshouldbelooked
atinapositivewayasanopportunitytosolveaproblemthatdidnotexistearlier.Intheabsenceof
the complaint, you may not have been aware of the problem in the first place and this could have
damagedthereputationoftheorganization.
4.5.2 ListeningToEmployees
In the earlier unit on organizational communication, we discussed the importance of upward
communication through which subordinates give feedback and suggestions to their superiors. This
typeofcommunicationshouldbeencouragedandnotsuppressed,sincevaluablesuggestionsmay
sometimescomefromemployees.Superiorsneedtobeopentothesuggestionsandcomplaintsof
employees. This is an indication that they are listening to their employees. Listening also means
invitingsuggestionsandpersonalopinionsofemployeesthroughregulardownwardcommunication.
Another situation where listening to employees is of prime importance is during a performance
appraisal.Thisisalsopartofdownwardcommunication.Amanagerdoingaperformancereviewofa
subordinate should take care not to do a destructive review, where the subordinate is criticized for
poorperformance.Ontheotherhand,aconstructivereview,throughwhichamanagerhearsoutthe
employees problems and reasons for lack of performance, is an indication of listening to the
employee. In this case,he/she listens with empathyand understanding, what we defined earlier as
empathetic listening. In such a situation, the manager should also practice therapeutic listening,
wherebyhe/shecounselstheemployeeonhowtoimproveperformance.
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4.5.3 ListeningDuringJobInterviews
Listeningisalsoaskillthatisneededbybothjobinterviewersandinterviewees,inordertomakethe
interviewasuccess.Ideally,listeningshouldtakeuphalftheinterviewingtime,althoughthisrarely
happensinreality,sinceonepersonortheotherfailstolistenforsomereasonortheother.Wehave
discussedthesebarriersindetail.
Therelativeimportanceoflisteningmayvary,dependingonthetypeofinterview.Inanemployment
interview where the purpose is to assess how well an applicant will perform on the job through
discussion, listening will be equally important for both the interviewer and the interviewee. On the
other hand, in an exit interview, where the purpose is to gather feedback from the employee
regardinghisreasonsforleavingtheorganization,
theinterviewermayhavetodomoreofthelistening.
1.Listeningskillsareequallyimportantinalltypesofindustries.
2.Customersshouldbemadetoapologizeformakingwrongcomplaints
3.Listeningactivelytoacustomershouldbeindicatedthroughverbalcommunication.
4.Listeningtoemployees,orinvitingtheirsuggestionsinvolvesonlydownward
communication.
5.Thetypeoflisteningduringajobinterviewismostlyevaluativelistening.
4.6 Summary
Listeningisthemostimportantofalltheaspectsofcommunication.Moretimeisspentonthejobin
listening,ratherthaninspeaking,readingorwriting.Reallisteningisatiringactivitysinceitmeans
understandingthemeaningbehindthespeakerswordsandrequiresconcentration.Thisisknownas
activelistening,asopposedtopassivelistening,whichissimplyhearingthesoundofthewords.
Therearedifferenttypesoflistening,eachofwhichisappropriatefordifferentsituations.Theyare
Discriminativelistening
Comprehensionlistening
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Evaluativelistening
Appreciativelistening
Empatheticlistening
Therapeuticlistening
Dialogiclistening
Empatheticlisteningandtherapeuticlisteningaremostoftenrequiredinabusinesscontext,when
communicatingwithcustomersandemployees.
Listeningisnotaseasyasitseems,sinceanumberofobstaclesstandinthewayofeffective
listening.Theymaybeclassifiedas
Physiologicalbarriers,suchashearingproblems
Physicalbarriers,suchasdistractingsounds
Attitudinalbarriers,suchasnotbeingopentoothersideas
Wrongassumptions,suchastheperceptionthatsuccessfulcommunicationisthesendersor
speakersresponsibility
Culturalbarriers,suchasdifferentaccents
Genderbarriers,suchasdifferentlisteningstylesofmenandwomen
Lackoftraininginlisteningskills
Poorlisteninghabits,suchaspretendingtolisten
Someofthesebarrierscanbeovercomebyconsciouslyadoptingafewstrategiessuchasthe
following
Creatingtherightenvironment
Communicatingfacetoface
Beingopenminded
Usingnonverbalcuestoindicatelistening
Usingverbalcommunicationtoindicatelistening
Listeningfullybeforespeaking
Usingthelistenerspeakergapconstructively
Payingattentiontoverbalandnonverbalmessages
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Payingattentiontocontent,ratherthandelivery
Takingnotes
Listeninghasbeenfoundtobeavitalskillforjobsuccessandisoneoftheessentialqualitiesofa
good manager. Service industries such as insurance, banking and healthcare in particular, require
good listeningskills. Managersneedto listen actively to their customers and employees. Customer
orientationmeansidentifyingandsatisfyingcustomerneeds.Italsoinvolvesrespondingtocustomer
complaints, in order to ensure that the customer is not dissatisfied. This requires listening with
empathyandunderstanding.
Listening to employees involves inviting their inputs and suggestions by encouraging upward
communication. It is also important to listen to employees problems during a performance review
andtosuggestwaysofovercomingtheseproblemstoimproveperformance.
Inadditiontotheabove,listeningisaskillthatisrequiredbyinterviewersandintervieweesduringjob
interviews,forgatheringmeaningfulinformation.
TerminalQuestions
1Asastudentofmanagement,whichtypesoflisteningwouldyouneedtopracticemostoften?
Justifyyouranswer.
2.Describeanysituationinyourexperiencewherethecommunicationfailedbecausethe
listeningwasfaulty.Identifythebarriertolisteninginthissituation.Howwouldyou
overcomethisbarrier?
3.Howwouldyourateyourownlisteningskillsonascalefrom1to5,with1beingexcellent
and5beingpoor.Whichareyourstrongandweakareas?Howwouldyouovercomeyour
weaknesses?
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1. False
2. False
3. True
4. False
5. True
1. b
2. c
3. d
4. e
5. a
1. Deliverycontent
2. Verbalnonverbal
3. Listenersspeakers
4. Clarifications/questionsfeedback/suggestions
5. Curiousopenminded/attentive
1. False
2. False
3. True
4. False
5. True
1.Refer4.2
2.Refer4.3and4.4
3.Refer4.4
GuidelinesForWrittenBusinessCommunication Unit5
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Unit5 GuidelinesForWrittenBusinessCommunication
Structure
5.1 Introduction
Objectives
5.2 GeneralPrinciplesofWriting
5.2.1 TipsonWritingStyle
5.2.2 Activevs.PassiveVoice
5.2.3 SpellingandPunctuation
5.2.4 CommonErrorsinEnglish
5.3 PrinciplesofBusinessWriting
5.3.1 Tone
5.3.2 EmphasisandSubordination
5.3.3 WritingattheAppropriateLevel
5.4 Summary
TerminalQuestions
AnswerstoSAQsandTQs
5.1Introduction
This unit will focus on how to improve your written communication in general and will also provide
some introductoryguidelinesforeffectivebusiness writing. Errors ingrammar, spelling, punctuation
and typing can be harmful, since they can lead to misunderstanding of a message and make the
receiver lose confidence in the sender. Therefore it is importantto striveforperfection in writing, in
ordertoensurethatyourmessageisreceivedaccurately.Atthesametime,youmustrememberthat
general writing is very different from business writing in terms of tone, language and degree of
formalityof the communication.Some of thedos anddontsofbusiness writing willbehighlighted,
which will lay thefoundationfor moredetailed units on writing business letters and reports, later in
thisbook.
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LearningObjectives:
1. Improveyourwritingstyleingeneral
2. AvoidcommonerrorsinEnglishusage
3. Understandtheappropriateuseofactiveandpassivevoice,grammarandpunctuation
4. Distinguishbetweengeneralandbusinesswriting
5. Writeapieceofbusinesscommunicationconfidently
5.2GeneralPrinciplesofWriting
Writtenmessagesmustbemadeasreadableaspossible,bymakingthemuncomplicatedandeasy
foreventheaveragepersontounderstand.Readabilityinturnislargelydeterminedbythelengthof
words,sentencesandparagraphs.Acommonmistakemadebywriters,especiallyIndianwriters,is
to tryand impress the reader byusingflowery languageand anoratory style of writing. Twobroad
principles of writing are Write to express, not to impress and Keep it short and sweet. A good
writer is one whofollows theseprinciplesand asks himself/herselfeven beforeframing a sentence
WhatamItryingtosay?Whatwordswillexpressit?
Letustrytounderstandtheseprinciplesbyfirstlookingatsometipsonwritingstyle,followedby
somespecificrulesregardingEnglishlanguageusage,spellingandpunctuation.
5.2.1 TipsOnWritingStyle
Writingstylecanbevastlyimprovedthroughthechoiceofwords.Someofthecommonproblemsof
wordchoiceincludeuseofcomplicatedwords,useofjargon,slangandcolorfullanguageand
mistakesinvariouspartofspeechcategories.
1.Simplevs.ComplexWords
Asfar as possible, the sender should select words that are within the receivers vocabulary. If the
wordsusedareoutsidethevocabularyofthereceiver,thelattermayeithernotgetthemessageat
all, get the wrong message by guessing the meaning incorrectly, or wonder whether the sender
intentionallyselectedacomplicatedwordformakinganimpression.Therefore,itisbettertorelyon
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plain,simplewords,suchastheonesshownintheleftcolumn,ratherthanintherightcolumnbelow,
eventhoughtheymeanthesamething
About=Approximately
Do=Accomplish
Improve=Ameliorate
Show=Demonstrate
Change=Modify
Ask=Interrogate
Thisisbecauseshort,simplewordsconveyideasmoreeffectivelyandrequirelesstimeandspace.
Theyalsoinvitethesendertoconcentrateonideas,ratherthancallingattentiontothewords
themselves.
1. Jargon,SlangandMetaphors
Jargon refers to technical terms that belong to a particular subject area or discipline. For
example,medicaljargonwouldincludetermsthatonlymedicalpractitionersandnotthelayperson
might understand. Such terms are to be avoided in general writing, since they would be out of
context.Theonlyinstancewherejargoncanbeusedandmightbeessential,isinreportsofahighly
technicalnature,wherethereaderisinapositiontounderstandtheseterms.
Slang refers to casual words that are not accepted and recognized in a standard English
dictionary.While they could be used ina limited way ingeneralor informal writing, theyare to be
avoidedinbusinesswriting,whichneedstobeformalinnature.
Ametaphorisafigureofspeechandreferstocolorfulcomparisonswhichevokevisualimages.
Examples
1.Heisrocksolidinhissupport.
2. Weprovideanumbrellaofinsuranceproductsforyoursecurity.
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Whilesuchcomparisonsmaybeusedininformalwritingorinthelanguageofadvertising,theyareto
beavoidedinbusinesscommunicationwhichhastobeobjectiveandformal.
3.PartsofSpeech
Inthesamewaythatuseofbig,complicatedwordsmayresultinreceiptofthewrongmessage,use
ofsmallwordsinthewrongwaygrammaticallycouldhavethesameresult.Suchproblemsexistinall
partofspeechcategories
Nouns
Justasthemainactorinafilmisthemostimportantcharacter,thesubjectinasentenceisthemost
importantnoun.Therearetwocategoriesofnounsabstractnounsornounsthatcannotbe
visualizedandconcretenounsornounsthatcanbevisualized.Amessagewillbeunderstood
moreclearlyifconcretenounsareusedassubjectsinasentence,ratherthanabstractnouns.
Example
CancellationofthecontractwillbedoneinMarch.(useofabstractnounassubject)
ThecontractwillbecancelledinMarch.(useofconcretenounassubject)
In the above example, the second sentence, using contract as the subject, is likely to be
understoodmoreclearlybythereceiver.Notonlyiscontractsomethingwhichcanbevisualized,it
alsoemphasizesthemainideainthesentence.
Consideranotherexample
Thatdecisioncanbemadeonlybythesupervisor.(abstractnounassubject)
Onlythesupervisorcanmakethatdecision.(concretenounassubject)
Pronouns
Sometimes, using the masculine form of a pronoun might be taken in an offensive way by the
receiver,especiallyifthereceiverhappenstobeawoman.Evenifthereceiverisnotawoman,the
use of a masculine pronoun may convey the impression of being sexist. Consider the following
example
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You need to consult your professor on that subject, but he has to be a specialist in the area of
Finance.
In the above sentence, the use of the masculine pronoun he conveys the unintentional message
thatprofessorscanonlybemenandnotwomen,whichcouldbetakenasanoffense.Suchoffensive
pronounscanbeavoidedinthefollowingways
1.Avoiduseofthepronouncompletely
ExampleYouneedtoconsultyourprofessoronthatsubject,butaspecialistintheareaofFinance
isrequired.
2.Repeatthenoun
ExampleYouneedtoconsultyourprofessoronthatsubject,buttheprofessorhastobeaspecialist
intheareaofFinance.
3.Useapluralnoun
Example You need to consult some of your professors on that subject, but they have to be
specialistsintheareaofFinance.
(theuseoftheyavoidsimplyingthatprofessorscanbeonlymen).
4.Usepronounsfrombothgenders
ExampleYouneedtoconsultyourprofessoronthatsubject,butheorshehastobeaspecialistin
theareaofFinance.
Anotherprincipleregardinguseofpronouns,istoavoidexcessiveuseofthefirstpersonpronounI,
since this gives the impression that one is always talking about oneself. Never sound too pleased
withyourselforboastofyourownachievements.Thisisespeciallytrueofbusinesswriting,whereit
isimportanttobeobjective,ratherthansubjective.
The second person pronoun you also needs to be used with care. A rule of thumb is to use the
secondpersonpronounwhenemphasizingapositiveideaormessageandtoavoid
thesecondpersonwhenpresentinganegativeidea.
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Thefollowingexampleillustratesthis
Youmadeagoodpresentation.
Youmadeanumberofmistakesinthereport.
Thefirst sentence containsa positive idea. Therefore, the secondperson pronoun shouldbe used,
since it gives credit to the person who made the presentation. On the other hand, the second
sentence contains a negative idea and emphasizes that you are responsible. This should be
avoidedbyframingthesentencedifferently,suchasThereportcontainedanumberofmistakes.
Verbs
Since verbs areaction words andaction is an essential partof a sentence, correct useof verbsis
important. Senders of messages must use verbs that agree in number with the subjects of the
sentence.
Thefollowingexamplesillustratethemisuseofverbsinsentences
1.Onlyoneofthestudentsarepresent.(wrongusage)
Onlyoneofthestudentsispresent(rightusage)
2.Eachofthefollowingreportshavebeenmodified.(wrongusage)
Eachofthefollowingreportshasbeenmodified.(rightusage)
Note that the singular form of the verb and not the plural should be used in both the above
sentences,toagreewiththesubjectwhichisinsingularform(OnlyoneandEach).
Verbs must also agree in person. The most common errors are made in agreement with the third
personandthesecondperson
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1.Hedontliketoworklate(wrong)
Hedoesntliketoworklate.(correct)
2.Youwasinformedthattheexamsbeginnextweek(wrong)
Youwereinformedthattheexamsbeginnextweek.(correct)
Thirdly,sinceverbsindicatethetimeofactionpast,presentorfuture,theyshouldbeusedinthe
correcttenses.Thetensesshouldalsobeusedconsistently.
Considerthefollowingexamples
1.Helistenstothepresentationandgavehisfeedback.
2.Themanagerspoketothecustomer,butdoesnotrespondtohiscomplaint.
Inboththeabovesentences,itisnotclearwhethertheeventispastorpresent,sincethetensesare
notuseduniformly.Itisbettertousetwopresenttenseverbsortwopasttenseverbs,butnotoneof
eachinthesamesentence
1.Helistenstothepresentationandgiveshisfeedback.
2.Themanagerspoketothecustomerbutdidnotrespondtohiscomplaint.
Adjectives
Adjectives give information about or describe nouns. Although they play a less important role in a
sentencecomparedtoverbsandnouns,theymustbeusedwithcare.Acommontendencyistouse
verystrongadjectives,toomanyadjectives,orsuperlatives.
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Examples
1.Salesthisyearhavebeenabsolutelyincredible.
2.Thatisthemostwonderful,powerfulandmovingspeechthatIhaveheardinalongtime.
3.Oursisthebestproductinthemarkettoday.
Inthefirstsentence,ifasalesreportisbeingwrittenorpresented,itwouldbebettertogivedetails
about sales figures, rather than describe sales as incredible. In the second sentence, a single
adjectivecouldhavebeenusedinplaceofthreeadjectives,whicharetoomany.Thethirdexample
isaclaimthatneedstobedefined(i.e.,bestinwhatway?),orsupportedwithadequateproof.
Adverbs
In the same way that adjectives describe nouns, adverbs describe or modify verbs, adjectives or
otheradverbs.Therefore,thesameprinciplesapplywhenusingadverbsi.e.,avoiduseofadverbs
thataretoostrong,oraresuperlatives
Examples
1.Saleshavebeenfantasticallyhighthisyear.
Theadverbfantasticallydescribestheadjectivehighandistoostrongtobecredible.
2.Thissecretarytypesthefastest.
Here, the adverb fastest describes the verb types and is a superlative, which is to be avoided,
unlessitcanbedefinedorsupportedwithproof.
1.Itisbettertousethewordcognizant,ratherthanaware.
2.TheexpressionHervoicewassilkysmoothisanexampleofametaphor.
3.Abstractnounsshouldbeusedasthesubjectinasentence.
4.ThesentenceEachofthefollowingemployeesarebeingpromotedisgrammaticallycorrect.
5.Positiveideasmaybeexpressedbyusingthesecondpersonpronoun.
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5.2.2 Activevs.PassiveVoice
We discussed the correct use of verbs in the previous section. Verbs may also be classified as
activeverbsandpassiveverbs.Usingtheactivevoicemeansthatthesubjectisthedoerof
theactionandthattheverbisactive.Ontheotherhand,asentenceinpassivevoicemeansthat
thesubjectisthereceiveroftheactionandthattheverbispassive.
Examples
Johnwrotethereport.(Activevoice).
ThereportwaswrittenbyJohn(Passivevoice).
Notethatinthefirstsentence,theuseoftheactivevoicedrawsattentiontothedoeroftheaction.,
namely John. This gives a sharper picture to the receiver of the message. In the second example,
thesubject,i.e.,thereport,isemphasizedmorethanthedoeroftheaction,givingalessclearpicture
tothereceiver.
In most cases, the active voice is preferable to the passive, since it conveys ideas more vividly.
However,thereareinstanceswhenuseofthepassivevoiceismoreappropriate
When the Doer of the Action has to be Subordinated, rather than Highlighted For
example,thisisthecasewhenwritingresearchreports.Itismoreimportanttoemphasizewhat
has been done, rather than who has done something. Therefore, it would be better to say A
questionnairewaspreparedandinterviewswereconductedamongasmallsample.,ratherthan
saying I prepared a questionnaire and conducted interviews among a small sample. This
makesthereportmoreobjective,ratherthansubjective.
WhenanUnpleasantorNegativeIdeahastobeSubordinatedGenerally,negativethoughts
shouldbedeemphasizedandnothighlighted.Thepassivevoicecomesinusefulinsuchcases,
asillustratedintheexamplebelow
Thecorrectionsinthereporthavenotbeencarriedout.(passivevoice)
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Youhavenotcarriedoutthecorrectionsinthereport(activevoice)
Thefirstsentencedownplaysanegativeideathefactthatthechangesinthereporthavenotbeen
includedandisthereforelessannoyingtothereceiverthanthesecond.Expressingthesameideain
active voice may seem like pointing fingers at the doer of the action and is likely to upset human
relations.
5.2.3 SpellingAndPunctuation
TheimportantpointtorememberwithregardtospellingisthedifferencebetweenBritishEnglishand
AmericanEnglish.CertainwordsarespeltdifferentlyinBritishandAmericanEnglish.Hereareafew
examples
BritishAmerican
HumourHumor
ColourColor
AnalyseAnalyze
OrganisationOrganization
ProgrammeProgram
CentreCenter
ChequeCheck
GenerallyBritishspellingsshouldbeused,unlessyouareaddressinganAmericanaudience.Inany
case,eitherBritishorAmericanspellingsshouldbeuniformlyusedandnotmixedtogether,inorder
toensuregreaterreadability.
Another common mistake made with spellings is to confuse the noun form with the verb form.
Considerthefollowingexamples
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Noun Verb
LicenceLicense
AdviceAdvise
PracticePractise
Some words may soundthe same buthavedifferent meanings when spelt differently.Some words
mayincludeasinglevowelthatmakesthemsounddifferentandhaveverydifferentmeanings.Itis
importantnottogetconfusedwiththespellingsofthesewords
Examples
1.Complimentmeanstopraisesomeone,whereascomplementmeanstogowith
(e.gyourjewelrycomplementsyouroutfit).
2.Stationeryreferstopaper,pencils,etc.,whereasstationarymeansstillornotmoving.
Punctuation
Correct use of punctuation is important in both general writing, as well as in business writing. The
maincategoriesofpunctuationandtheirusesarehighlightedbelow
1.Apostrophe
Toformthepossessivesingulare.g.,theCompanysprofits.
Toformthepossessivepluralofwordsendinginse.g.,thedealersmargins.
Inexpressionsthatindicateownershipe.g.,lastyearsrecords.
2.ParenthesesorBrackets
Toseparateaphrasefromthemainsectionofasentence,whenitisnotrelatedtoit
grammaticallye.g.,TheIndianteamtriedtheirbest(Godknowsit)butlostinthefinals.
2. Colon
To suggest that a list will follow a statement in sentence form e.g. ,For three reasons, we
havedecidedtoexpandourmarket:1)2)3).
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3. Comma
To separate words in a series e.g., The main punctuation categories are the full stop, the
comma,thecolon,thesemicolonandtheapostrophe.
Toseparatetwoadjectivesthatmodifythesamenoune.g.,TheMBAexamisalong,difficult,
objectivetypeexam.
4. Dash
*Toseparatethewordsinasentencewhicharenotnecessaryforitsstructuree.g.,
Hisanswerthecorrectanswerwassupportedbyexamplesdrawnfromhisownexperience.
5. FullstoporPeriod
Attheendofasentence
Afterabbreviationse.g,Dr.,No.,Jr.
6. QuotationMarks
To enclose what is stated by others, verbatim e.g., The manager said I will review your
progresseverymonth.
Toenclosetitlesofmagazineandnewspaperarticlese.g.,ProgressinStemCellResearch.
7. Semicolon
Itisapausethatislongerthanthatexpressedbyacommaandisusedtoseparateclausesofa
compoundsentencewhentheyhaveacomma.
ExampleWewouldlikethematerialtobedeliveredinthemorninghours,butbefore5pmwill
alsobeconvenient.
We would like the material to be delivered inthe morninghours but if this is notpossiblefor you,
before5pmwillalsobeconvenient.
5.2.4CommonErrorsInEnglish
IndianEnglishtendstobepronetosomecommonmistakeswhichshouldbeavoided,inorderto
make the communication clear and easily understood by the receiver. Some of these mistakes
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includeredundancies,clichsandfrequently misusedwords.Wewilldiscusseachofthese
briefly.
1. Redundancies These refer to phrases which contain repetitive or unnecessary words to
expressthesamemeaning.ThisisacommonIndiantendencyandmustbeavoided.
Considerthefollowingsentences
1.Inthefirstclass,theprofessortaughtthebasicfundamentalsofMarketing.
2.Ihavetoreturnbackhomebeforemidnight.
Thehighlightedwordsareredundancies.Inthefirstsentence,basicisanunnecessaryword,since
fundamentalsthemselvesarebasicinthesecondsentence,itissufficienttosayreturnhomeand
backisanunnecessaryword.
Hereareafewmoreexamples
Truefacts
Pasthistory
Exactlyidentical
Personalopinion
Otheralternative
Aredundancydoesnotserveanypurposeandisamistakesinceitwasteswords.
2.ClichesThesearephrasesthatareoverusedandshouldbeavoided,sincetheymakereading
monotonous.Theyshouldbesubstitutedwithmoreoriginalexpressions.
Somecommonlyusedclichsare
1.Lastbutnotleast,Iwouldliketothankallthestudentsforattendingthissession.
2.Thankingyouinadvance,Iremain.
3.Lookingforwardtomeetinganddiscussingthiswithyouatanearlydate.
4.Noproblem.
Inthefirstsentence,lastbutnotleast,whichisawornexpression,couldbesubstitutedforfinally.
The clich thanking you in advance is presumptuous, since it assumes that the reader will do
whatever has been asked of him. It seems to say that instead of thanking him later, you will save
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timebyexpressingyourthanksnow.Therefore,itisbettertosayIshallappreciateyour(action)or
Ifyouwill(action),Ishallbegrateful.Inthethirdexample,theexpressionatanearlydateistoo
vague and should be substituted with soon or with a specific date. The fourth example No
problem, is a clich used commonly by Indians. Although it denies that there is a problem, the
problem exists. You might have said for example, that you did not have enough cash to pay for
something, in response to which the shopkeeper may have said No problem. We accept credit
cards.Thereforethisexpressionisavoidable.
3.FrequentlyMisusedWords
Certainwordswhichsoundsimilarorarespeltslightlydifferentlytendtobeusedin
thewrongcontext.Someexamplesaregivenbelow
1.AlltogetherandaltogetherAlltogethermeansinonegroup,whereasaltogethermeans
completely.
ExampleTheanswerisaltogetherwrong.
Thestudentswerealltogether.
2.AlreadyandallreadyAlreadymeansataprevioustime,whereasallreadymeans
everythingisready.
ExampleHehadalreadyleftwhenIcalled.
Thecomputersareallreadytobeused.
3.EminentandImminentEminentmeanswellknown,imminentmeansabouttohappen.
ExampleAneminentlawyerwillhandlethematter.
Amidtermelectionisimminent.
4.LoseandlooseLosemeanstofailtokeepcarefully,loosemeansnottight.
ExampleDontlosethemoney.
Theshirtistoolooseforhim.
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5.PrincipalandprinciplePrincipalmeansmainorprimary,principlemeansrule.
ExampleTheprincipalreasonforleavingearlyisthepeakhourtraffic.
OneofthesubjectsstudiedinthefirstsemesterofMBAisPrinciplesofManagement.
Matchthefollowing
1.Passivevoicea)Labor
2.Americanspellingb)Fullcomplete
3.Quotationmarks c)Raiseandrise
4.Redundancyd)Enclosetitleofanarticle
5.Frequentlymisusedwordse)Negativeideas
5.3 PrinciplesOfBusinessWriting
Having dealt with writing in general, we will nowgobriefly into the specifics ofbusiness writing. As
pointed out earlier, the language, style and tone of business writing is very different from general
writing.Therefore,wewillexaminetheseaspectsinsomedetail.
5.3.1Tone
Wediscussedtoneofvoiceorparalanguage,inanearliersectiononnonverbalcommunication.It
waspointedoutthatthespokenwords,howeverperfect,canconveyanegativemessage,ifthetone
ofvoiceisnotconsistentwithwhatissaid.Toneisequallyimportantinconveyingwrittenmessages,
particularlybusinessrelatedmessages.
Inwrittencommunication,tonereferstothewayastatementsounds,whichinturn,dependsonthe
choiceofwords.Asentenceorstatementmaybegrammaticallyperfect,butmayconveyanegative
message,ifthechoiceofwordsiswrong.
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Example
Youfailedtomeetthesalestarget.
The above statement has a negative tone, since it emphasizes what could not be achieved. The
sameideacouldbeexpressedinamorepositivetone,byemphasizingwhatcouldhavebeendone
instead.
Example
Withalittleextraeffort,youcouldhaveachievedthetarget.
The example shows that even a negative idea can be expressed in positive language through the
useofappropriatewords.
The tone of business communication should also be confident. You should avoid language that
makesyousoundunsureofyourself.
Ihopeyouwillagreethatmyqualificationsmatchyourjobprofile.
Beginning the sentence with I hopecreates the impressionthat you lack confidence inyourself.It
mightbebettertosayOnreviewingmybiodata,youwillfindthatmyqualificationsmatchyourjob
needsinthefollowingrespects.
Whileitisimportanttobeselfassured,avoidsoundingoverconfidentandpompous.
Example
IamsureyouwillagreethatourCompanyhasthebestreputationforqualityandservice.
Instead, something like We shall try to live up to our reputation for quality and service. would be
moreappropriate.
Another aspect of tone is to sound courteous and sincere. This builds goodwill and good relations
and increases the likelihood of a message achieving its objectives. Avoid statements such as the
following
You sent your complaint to the wrong department. You should have sent it to the shipping
department.
Thissoundsverydiscourteousandrudewhenrespondingtoacustomercomplaint.Instead,itmight
bebettertosayWehavesentyourcomplainttotheconcerneddepartment,whichwillbecontacting
youshortly.
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Sincerity also means avoiding exaggeration and flattery, especially when communicating with
customers.Considerthefollowingexamples
1.Wearemoreinterestedinyoursatisfaction,thaninmakingprofits.
2.Youaresuchavaluedcustomerthatweshallgotoanylengthstoearnyoursatisfaction.
Thefirstsentencesoundsinsincere,sincethemainobjectiveofanyorganizationistomakeprofits.
The second sentence is exaggeratedand unduly flatters the customer. It should be toneddownby
saying something such as We value your goodwill and will make quick efforts to ensure your
satisfaction.
Finally,thetoneofbusinesswritingshouldbenondiscriminatory.Thismeansthatthelanguagethat
isusedshouldnotbeoffensive,irrespectiveofgender,religionorrace.
Onewayofensuringthisistoavoidsexistlanguagebyusingneutraljobtitles,ortitlesthatdonot
implythatajobisheldonlybyaman.
Forexample,thefollowingtitlesshouldbeused
Chairperson,insteadofChairman.
Salesperson,insteadofSalesman
Ifthereadersgenderisnotknown,useanonsexistsalutationsuchasDearCustomer,Investor,or
Advertiser,insteadofDearSirorMadam.
PersonaltitlesandsalutationssuchasDr.,Professor,etc.shouldbealsobeused
whereverappropriate.
5.3.2 EmphasisAndSubordination
Abusinesswritercanbecomparedtoanartistoramusician.Justlikeanartistoramusiciantriesto
makecertainelementsstandoutandotherstogetlittleattention,sotoowiththebusinesswriter.An
importantprincipleofbusinesswritingistoemphasizeimportantideasandtodownplayunimportant
ideas,soastomakethereaderunderstandwhatyouconsidertobesignificant.Generally,pleasant
and important thoughts are emphasized, while unpleasant and insignificant thoughts are
subordinatedordeemphasized.
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Severaltechniquesforemphasismaybeusedbythebusinesswriter
Placetheideainthefirstparagraphorinthelastparagraph,inordertogetattention.
Putthewordthatyouwishtoemphasizefirstorlastinthesentence.
ExampleSuccesscomesthroughsincereefforts.Failurewillresultwithoutthem.
Or,Theeventwasasuccess. Withoutyourefforts,itwouldhavebeenafailure.
Usetheactivevoicetoemphasizethedoeroftheactionandthepassivevoicetoemphasizethe
receiveroftheaction.
ExampleJohnmadethepresentation.(active)
ThepresentationwasmadebyJohn.(passive).
Usewordssuchasprimary,majorandsignificanttolayemphasis.
ExampleCostisasignificantfactortobetakenintoconsideration.
Userepetition.
ExampleTheTataNanoisaninexpensivecar.Inexpensivetopurchaseand
inexpensivetomaintain.
Numbertheideas,soastorankthemintheorderofimportance
ExampleThemainreasonsforhispoorperformanceare1)Lackoftraining2)Lackofteam
skillsand3)Lackofmotivation.
Use visual elementssuch asbold type, capital letters,biggerfont size andunderlined words to
emphasizekeyideas.
ExampleTheRevaelectriccaris25%LESSPOLLUTINGthanothercars.
Another point tobe remembered regardingemphasis in business writing is to stress what is known
astheyouattitude,ratherthanthemeattitude.Thismeansexplainingthebenefitstothereader,
understandinghissituationandansweringhisunspokenquestionHowisitrelevanttome?
ExampleInsteadofsaying,Ourbankwillbeopen24hours,sayYouwillbeabletoavailof
roundtheclockbankingservice.
5.3.3 WriteAtAnAppropriateLevelOfReadability
Athirdveryimportantruleofbusinesswritingistotailoryourwritingtoyouraudienceandtomakeit
simpleenoughforevenalaypersontoreadandunderstand.
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Aspointedoutinanearliersection,readabilityisdeterminedbythelengthofwordsandsentences.
RobertGunningdevelopedwhatisknownastheFogIndexorareadabilityformulatomeasure
the readability of a piece of writing. According to this formula, the appropriate reading level in
businesswritingshouldbebetween8and11.
CalculationoftheFogIndexinvolvesthefollowingsteps
1. Selectawrittenpassageofapproximately100words.
2. Calculatetheaveragelengthofasentencebydividingthetotalnumberofwordsinthepassage
bythenumberofsentences.
3. Findthenumberofdifficultwords.Awordmaybedefinedasdifficultifitcontainsthreeormore
syllables(e.g.communication).Determinethenumberofdifficultwordsperhundred,bydividing
the total number of words in thepassage into the number ofdifficult words, then by multiplying
thisfigureby100.
4. Addthenumberofdifficultwordsperhundredandtheaveragesentencelength.
5. Multiply the figure obtained in step 4 by 0.4, to calculate the reading grade level for which the
passagewaswritten,ortheFogIndex.
Ideally, the Fog Index should be between 8 and 11 for most business writing, indicating that a
readerbetweentheeighthgradeandtheeleventhgradeshouldbeabletounderstanditwithout
difficulty.
1. Thetoneofbusinesswritingshouldnotbe_________________and
________________.
2. Usingthepassivevoiceisatechniqueof_________________________.
3. SayingOurproductsaresynonymouswithqualityandaffordabilityisan
exampleof________________________________.
4. Readabilityisdeterminedby______________________________.
5. SayingManpowerinsteadofHumanResourcesisanexampleof ______________________
______________________.
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5.4 Summary
Thisunitexplainedsomeimportantguidelinesforwrittencommunicationingeneralandforbusiness
writinginparticular.
Regarding general writing, some tips on how to improve writing style through the choice of
appropriatewordswereoffered,suchas
Choosingshort,uncomplicatedwords
Usingpartsofspeechcorrectly
Avoidingjargon,slangandcolorfullanguage
Theappropriatenessoftheactiveandpassivevoicefordifferentsituationswasalsohighlighted.The
activevoicedrawsattentiontothedoeroftheaction,whilethepassivevoicedrawsmoreattentionto
thereceiveroftheactionandisusedinsometypesofbusinesswriting,suchasreports.
Regardingspelling,somecommonerrorstendtobemadeinthefollowingareas
ConfusionbetweenBritishandAmericanspellings
Confusionbetweenthespellingofthenounandverbformofcertainwords
Mistakesinspellingofsimilarsoundingwordsthathavedifferentmeanings
Themaincategoriesofpunctuationandtheiruseswerealsoexplainedinsomedetail.
SomecommonmistakesmadewithregardtoEnglishlanguageusagewerepointed
out,suchas
Redundancies,oruseofunnecessarywords
Cliches,orwornoutandoverusedphrases
Frequentmisuseofsimilarsoundingwords
Business writing differs from general writing in terms of being more formal in tone. Some rules of
goodbusinesswritinginclude
Making the tone positive, courteous, confident, sincere and nondiscriminatory, through the
properchoiceofwords.
Knowingwhichideastoemphasizeandwhichonestodownplay.Sometechniquesfordoingthis
include placing ideas at the beginning or at the end, using active and passive voice, using
emphaticwords,repetitionofwords,useofvisualelementsandnumberingofideas.
Stressingtheyouattitude,orbenefitstothereader
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Writingatanappropriatelevelofreadability.Aformulaforcalculatingthereadabilityofapieceof
writing,theFogIndex,wasalsoexplained.
TerminalQuestions
1. Selectanypieceofgeneralwritingfromanewspaperormagazine,ofapproximately250wordsin
length. Evaluate it by determining the number of simple and complicated words, the correct
usageofpartsofspeechandtheuseofjargon,slangandmetaphors.Isitwellorbadlywritten,in
youropinion?
2. What are some of the consequences of spelling and punctuation errors, redundancies, clichs
andmisuseofwords?
3. Selectanybusinessarticlefromabusinesspublication,ofabout100wordsinlength.Calculate
theFogIndex,orthereadabilitylevel.Isitwrittenatanappropriatelevelofreadability?
1. False
2. True
3. False
4. False
5. True
1. e
2. a
3. d
4. b
5. c
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1. Negative/insincere/discourteous/exaggerated/discriminatory
2. Subordination/deemphasis
3. meattitude
4. Sentencelength/wordlength
5. Sexistlanguage/discriminatorytone
1. Refer5.2.1
2. Refer5.2.3and5.2.4
3. Refer5.3.3
DevelopingOralBusinessCommunicationSkills Unit6
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Unit6DevelopingOralBusinessCommunicationSkills
Structure
6.1 Introduction
Objectives
6.2 AdvantagesofOralCommunication
6.3 OralBusinessPresentations
6.3.1 StepsinmakingOralPresentations
6.3.2 UsingVisualAidstoSupportPresentations
6.4 Summary
TerminalQuestions
AnswerstoSAQsandTQs
6.1 Introduction
Irrespective of your field or the type of job that you choose to take up, developing good oral
communication skills is a must. Oral skills are needed for making effective presentations,
participating in and conducting meetings, dealing with customers and interacting on a daytoday
basiswithyoursuperiors,peersandsubordinateswithintheorganization.Youroralcommunication
skillsoftenrevealyourpersonality.Speakingeffectivelyalsogivesyougreatvisibilityandconfidence
andcancontributetoyourcareersuccess.
As you go up the corporate ladder, presentation speaking skills become more important than
technical skills. Your ability to organize your ideas, present them and sell them to others is what
determinesyoursuccess.Surveyshaverevealedthatbusinessexecutivesspendagooddealoftime
makingpresentationsofdifferenttypes.Whateverthenatureofthepresentation,itrequiresplanning,
developingastructureandstrategyandusingsupports,tomakeiteffective.Thisunitprovidessome
detailedguidelinesforenhancingtheeffectivenessofbusinesspresentations.
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LearningObjectives:
1. Understandtheadvantagesoforalcommunicationskillsinabusinesscontext
2. Classifyoralcommunicationintodifferentcategories
3. Understandtheneedforpreparationoforalpresentations
4. Developastepbystepapproachformakingpresentations
5. Usevisualandotherpresentationaidsformaximumeffect
6.2AdvantagesOfOralCommunication
TorecapbrieflywhatwasdiscussedinUnit2,oralcommunicationhassomeadvantagescompared
to written communication. These include its personal quality, high interactivity,possibility of making
immediatecontact,instantaneousfeedbackandcontroloverthereceiversattention.
Oral communication was also classified into oral facetoface communication (meetings and
presentations) and oral non facetoface communication ( teleconferencing, telephone and voice
mail).While facetoface meetings are more effective than non facetoface communication in most
ways,theyareexpensiveandimpracticalsometimes,duetothedistancefactor.Thankstoadvances
in technology, meetings today can still take place without being facetoface, through
teleconferencing. Teleconferencing allows participants at distant locations to speak and sometimes
toseeeachother.Apartfromthehighcostandthedifficultyinsettingitup,teleconferencinghasthe
sameadvantagesasoralfacetofacecommunication.
ExampleSeveralretailerslikeWalmart,theworldslargestretailer,makeuseofteleconferencing
tokeeptheirUSheadquartersintouchwiththeirstoremanagersworldwide.Someheadhuntersalso
make use of the facility to conduct preliminary interviews and shortlist candidates based in other
countries,beforeinvitingthemforafacetofaceinterview.
ManymultinationalcorporationsandlargeIndianorganizationsalsousethisfacilityextensively.
Inspiteofitsadvantages,teleconferencingwillnotreplacefacetofacemeetingscompletely,sinceit
isunsuitableforcertaintypesofcommunicationthatinvolvebrainstorming,negotiations,persuasion
andproblemsolving.
Telephonecommunication,anotherformofnonfacetofacecommunication,hasthebiggest
advantage of beingable to contact a receiver who would be impossible to reach inperson. Today,
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mobile phones have made it even easier to contact people who are on the move. Telephone
communication also has a personal quality and permits the use of some nonverbal cues such as
toneofvoice,toenhancethecommunication.
Voicemailisatypeoftelephonecommunicationandissimilartoanansweringmachine.Althoughit
is generally inferior to speaking in person to the other party, it has some advantages. When you
leave a recorded message, you can make your point felt and save time that might be wasted in
exchanging pleasantries. Invitations can also be declined without having to give an explanation or
reason,orhavingtheotherpersontalkback.Thus,thereisgreatercontroloverhowthemessageis
composedanddelivered.Besides,voicemailalsomakesitpossibletokeepapermanentrecordof
thecommunication,unlikeothertypesoforalcommunication.Inspiteoftheseadvantageshowever,
voicemailhasnotcaughtoninIndia.
1.Conflictsbetweencoworkerscanberesolvedthroughteleconferencing.
2.Askingforafewdaysofleavefromworkmaybedonethroughvoicemail.
3.Telephonecommunicationhastheadvantageofprovidingimmediatefeedback.
6.3OralBusinessPresentations
Oral business presentations are a powerful way of presenting your ideas to others and are usually
calledforwhenawrittenmemoorreportwillnotbesufficienttodothejob.Awrittenreporttendsto
be less persuasive and may also be set aside without being read, whereas an oral presentation
commandsattentionandfetchesimmediatefeedback.Besides,approvalforimportantideasisrarely
givenwithoutafacetofaceexplanation.
Presentationsmaybemadetobothinternalaudiencessuperiors,peersandsubordinates,aswell
as to external audiences consumers, intermediaries, bankers, suppliers etc. Presentations may
also be of different types, each with a different purpose. Some of the most common types of
presentationsandtheaudiencestowhomtheyareaddressedarementionedinthetablebelow
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Type/Purposeof
Presentation
Example Audience
BriefingandInformation Newonlineleave
applicationprocedure
Employees
Orientation
OrientationonDistance
EducationTerminology
Employees
Training
Howtooperateanew
software
Employees
ReportingResearch
Findings
Consumersatisfaction
survey
Superiors
ReportingProgress
Reportofweeklysales Superiors
Highlightingcompanys
Achievements
Reportingawardswonby
thecompany
Media
TVandRadioInterviewsto
describecompany
Viewpoints
Describingcompanys
positiononenvironmental
issues
Societyatlarge
Overviewofthecompany Newemployees
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Introduction
ProductPresentation
Highlightingfeaturesofa
newproduct
Consumers,Intermediaries
ProjectProposal
Newprojectundertakenby
thecompany
Bankers
PolicyProposal
Newmobilereimbursement
policy
Superiors
MarkingSpecialOccasions
Presentationatcompany
anniversarycelebrations
Internalandexternal
audiences
6.3.1StepsInMakingOralPresentations
Thetableaboveindicatesthatoralpresentationscanrangefromsimpletomorecomplexones,each
with a different purpose. Whatever the nature of the presentation however, the same steps in
planningandpreparationaretobefollowed.Inthissection,weshalldiscusseachofthesestepsin
detail.
1.DefinitionofthePurposeofthePresentation
Beforepreparingforthepresentation,itisimportanttobeclearonthegoalofthepresentation.A
statementofpurpose,expressingwhatyouwanttoachievethroughthepresentationshould
beframed,sothatitbecomeseasytomeasurewhetherthegoalhasbeenaccomplishedornot.
Thepurposeofthepresentationmaybestatedinbroadorgeneralterms,orinmorespecificterms.
Ageneralstatementofpurposecouldbeexpressedintermsofoneofthefollowing
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To Inform A presentation that seeks to inform would merely create awareness about
developmentsandprogressonspecificfronts,ortrytospreadknowledgeaboutsomethingnew.
In the table above, the first eight types of presentations are aimed at informing different
audiences about something or the other new procedures, new terminology, new software,
findingsofastudy,salesprogress,companyachievements,viewpointsandbackground.
ToPersuadeApresentationthataimstopersuadewouldtrytochangetheattitudeorbehavior
of the audience. It usually involves selling either a product, or an idea. In the above table, the
productpresentation,projectproposalandpolicyproposal,areallpersuasivepresentations.The
product presentation seeks to persuade consumers to try a new product, the project proposal
tries to persuade bankers to provide funds for a new project and the policy proposal tries to
persuadetopmanagementtoadoptanewpolicyofreimbursingmobileexpenses.
ToEntertainApresentationwiththispurposeismeanttomaketheaudiencerelaxandhavea
good time. In the table above, presentations marking special occasions such as the company
anniversary,maymerelyfocusonmakingpeoplefeelgoodaboutthemselves.
Althoughitisusefultodefinethegeneralpurposeofapresentation,itismoreimportanttoframea
specificstatementofpurpose,whichclearlyspellsouttheanswerstothefollowingquestions
1. WhomdoIwanttoinfluence?
2. WhatdoIwantthemtodoattheendofthepresentation?
3. HowdoIwantthemtodoit?
4. When?
5. Where?
ExampleIwant50%ofmyprospectivecustomerstobeconvincedenoughtowalkintothestore
andtryoutthenewproductonatrialbasis,withinthenextoneweek.
Theabovestatementofpurposedescribesthereactionthatyouareseekingfromyouraudienceand
alsodescribesthegoalinmeasurableterms.Thenumberofcustomerswhowalkintothestoreand
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sampletheproductduringtheoneweekperiodwouldindicatewhetherthegoalhasbeenachieved
ornot.Asfaraspossible,thegoalshouldbequantified,sothatitismeasurable.
Presentation goals should also be realistic, keeping in mind the limitations of time, the topic of the
presentation and the nature of the audience. For example, a presentation that aims to train
employeeson the useof acomplicated software shouldnotexpectthem tobecome expertsat the
endofthesession.
2.DevelopmentoftheKeyIdea
Thekeyideaofapresentationisastatementthatexpressesthemainmessagetobeconveyedto
youraudience.Itisdifferentfromastatementofpurpose,inthatthepurposeisgenerallymeantfor
yourself as the presenter, while the key idea is mentioned to the audience at the beginning of the
presentation.
ExampleIfthepurposeistopersuadeaprospectivecustomertotryoutyourcompanysbrandof
vacuum cleaner, the key idea or message may be to explain how your brand is superior to other
brands,featureforfeature.
Oncethekeyideaisclearlystated,itbecomeseasytodeveloptherestofthepresentation.
3.AudienceAnalysis
Makingagoodpresentationaloneisnotenough.Italsohastobetailoredtoyourlisteners,insucha
way that they understand and appreciate it. The following information should be gathered about
youraudience,evenbeforeyoubeginpreparingforthepresentation
Job Designations and Areas of Expertise You need to find out whether the audience
comprisesofspecialistsinaparticularareasuchasinformationtechnology,orgeneralists.Ifthey
are specialists, your presentation could include technical aspects and jargon, which they would
be able to understand. If not, you may have to make the presentation more simple, or explain
someofthetermselaborately.
PreferredStyleofPresentationItwouldalsoberelevanttoknowthepersonalpreferencesof
youraudience,withregardtothestyleofpresentationthattheyaremostcomfortablewith.Some
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peoplemaypreferamoreinformalorconversationalstylewithsomehumorthrownin,toamore
formal style. Others may like the presentation to be made at a slower pace. It should be
rememberedhowever, that humor should be used with care, so that it is relevantand doesnot
offendtheaudience.Analyzingallthisinadvancewouldhelpindetermininghowthepresentation
shouldbedelivered.
Demographic Characteristics of the Audience The gender, age, cultural background and
economic status of the audience also needs to be studied in advance, so that the presentation
maybetailoredtoappealtothatparticularaudience.
ExampleAfinancialplanneraddressinganaudiencecomprisingofseniorcitizens,islikelyto
suggest investment options that would be different from those that might be suggested for a
youngeraudience.
Size of the Audience The size of the audience would determine your presentation style, the
timesetasideforquestionsandanswers,thesizeofvisualsandsoon.Withasmallergroup,the
presentationcouldbemadelessformal,thetimeforquestionsandanswerslessandthevisuals
smaller,thanforalargergroup.
TheLevelofKnowledgeontheSubjectYouneedtoknowhowfamiliaryouraudienceiswith
thesubjectofthepresentation.Iftheaudiencecomprisesofexpertsinthatparticulararea,basic
explanationsmaynotbeneeded.Ontheotherhand,iftheleveloffamiliarityisnotsohigh,alot
ofbackgroundinformationandexplanationwillberequired.
The Attitude of the Audience Theattitude ofyour listeners, both towards youas a speaker
and towards the topic of the presentation, needs to be studied in advance. If the audience is
prejudiced towards you for some reason, you may have to alter your style of presentation
considerably. If the presentation happens to be on a sensitive topic, you may have to proceed
verytactfully.Thisisespeciallytrueofpresentationsthataimtopersuade.
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4. AnalysisofYourselfasaSpeaker
Apart from analyzing your audience, you also need to do a selfanalysis to determine your own
purposeofmakingthepresentation,yourlevelofknowledgeonthesubjectandyourfeelingsabout
thesubject.Asexplainedearlier,aclearstatementofthespecificpurposeofthepresentationshould
bedeveloped.Ifyouhaveachoiceofsubject,itisalwaysbettertospeakonasubjectonwhichyou
areanauthority.Ifthechoiceisnotgiventoyouandyouarelessknowledgeable,thenitisimportant
to research the subject thoroughly, so that you are in a position to anticipate and answer any
questions. Finally, you need to assess yourfeelings about the subject and make sure that youare
convinced enough to be able to persuade others as well. This is similar to a salesperson being
convincedaboutaproducttobesold..
5. AnalysisoftheCircumstances
This includes taking into consideration any limitations of infrastructure, time and context that might
affectyourpresentationinanyway.Forexample,ifyouwillbespeakinginasmallroomwherethe
lightingandtheacousticsareinsufficient,youmayhavetoovercometheselimitationsbyalteringthe
seating arrangement, using brighter visuals and speaking loudly. If the presentation is to be made
afterlunch,itmayhavetobemademoreattentiongetting,sothattheaudienceiskeptalert.Ifyou
aremakingapresentationaspartofateam,yourstyleofpresentationhastobeconsistentwiththat
ofyourteammembers.
6. PreparationofOutline
Oncetheinitialgroundworkhasbeendone,youwillneedtodevelopanoutlineofyourpresentation.
Irrespective of the nature and purposeof the presentation,a standardformat is generallyfollowed,
includingthefollowing
Introduction This should include an attention getter to get the audience involved and
interested in the presentation topic. Several techniques may be used to command attention,
which will be discussed later. The key idea, or main message which was discussed earlier, will
alsobeconveyedtotheaudienceduringtheintroduction.
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BodyorMainSectionThisiswherethemainpointswillbepresentedandelaboratedupon.It
isbesttolimitthenumberofmainpointstofive,soasnottooverloadthelistenerswithtoomuch
information.
Conclusion A brief summary of the presentation, along with concluding remarks would be
included in this section. The conclusion shouldhaveas much punch as theattention getter in
theintroduction.
7. CollectionofInformationandMaterial
Oncetheoutlineofthepresentationhasbeendeveloped,youwillneedtostartgatheringtherelevant
material.Thisisatimeconsumingprocessandrequiresafairamountofresearch.Theinformation
cangenerallybegatheredfrom existing sourcessuchas magazines, newspapers and the internet.
Sometimes, you mayneed to do original research intheform ofa surveytogatherfreshdata. For
example,ifyouaremakingapresentationonanewproduct,youmayhavetoconductasurveyto
findouthowconsumersfeelaboutthatproductconceptandalsoaboutsimilar,competingproducts.
8.OrganizationoftheBody
Thebodyofthepresentationshouldalwaysbepreparedbeforetheintroduction.Organizingthebody
consists in identifying the key points that will support your main idea and then selecting an
organizationalplantodevelopthesekeypoints.
Let us take our earlier example of a sales presentation on a vacuum cleaner to prospective
customers,wherethekeyideaistohighlightthatitissuperiortocompetingbrands.Themainpoints
inthiscasemaybe
1. Ithasgreatercleaningpowerthanotherbrands.
2. Itismoreaffordable
3. Itiseasiertousethanotherbrands.
Once the main points have been determined, sub points can be developed to expand on each of
these.
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Thenextstepistochooseanorganizationalplantopresentthesemainandsubpoints.
Example In the case of a sales presentation such as the above, a problemsolution pattern or
planmaybefollowed,wherethecustomerisconfrontedwithaproblemandtheproductisofferedas
asolutiontotheproblem.
9.PlanningtheIntroduction
Since the introduction is where you make the first impression, it should be planned with care. It
shouldtakeupbetween10and15percentofyourtotalspeakingtime.Attheoutset,youneedtotry
and establish your credibility, by showing that you are qualified to speak on the subject of the
presentation. An attention getting opener should be developed, using techniques such as humor,
dramaticquestions,aninterestingstory,aquotationorastartlingstatement.
ExampleDoyouknowthatthenumberofroadaccidentslastyeartouchedthe100,000mark?
Once audience attention has been captured, the main idea should be stated clearly, followed by a
previewoftheentirepresentation,sothatpeopleknowwhattoexpect.
10.PlanningtheConclusion
Theconclusionofapresentationshouldbeshorterthantheintroductionandoccupyonly5percent
oftheentirepresentation.Generally,everyconclusionshouldhaveareviewandaclosingstatement.
The review is essentially a reinforcement of the key idea and a summary of the main points. The
mainpointscanbeenumerated,asintheoutlineofthepresentation.Theclosingstatementshould
be as strong as your opening statement, so that your audience will remember the presentation.
Therefore, the same techniquesused to captureaudienceattention mayalsobe used topreparea
goodclosingstatement.Inthecaseofpersuasivepresentations,theclosingstatementcanincludea
callforimmediateaction.
Example Now that you have seen whatour vacuum cleaner can do, walk into our store today to
placeyourorderandavailofanearlybirddiscount!
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11.SelectionofaDeliveryStyle
Onceyourpresentationhasbeenadequatelypreparedintermsofcontent,youalsoneedtoensure
thatitwillbedeliveredeffectively,byselectinganappropriatestyleofdelivery.
Fivedifferentdeliverystylesareavailabletospeakers
SpeakingImpromptuInthiscase,thespeakeriscalledupontosayafewwordswithoutany
warningoradvancenotice.Sincethereislittleornotimegivenforpreparation,itissuitedforonly
expertspeakers.Impromptuspeechesshouldbebrief,simpleanddirect,comparedtoprepared
speeches.
Speaking Extemporaneously This is different from speaking impromptu. While impromptu
speechesaredeliveredonthespotandnotrehearsed,anextemporaneousspeechisprepared
andrehearsedinadvance,butdeliverednaturally,withoutthesupportofnotesorotheraids.This
is the delivery style used by experienced professionals, who have sufficient knowledge of the
subjecttobeabletospeakwithoutrelyingonnotes.
Memorizing the Presentation This is the least appealing style of delivery, since it comes
acrossasunnaturalandmonotonoustotheaudience.Aspeakerwhomemorizesanddeliversa
presentationwordforwordwillalsobeatadisadvantageifheforgetsapartofthespeech,since
heorshewillbeunabletospeaknaturally.
ReadingfromWrittenNotesThisconsistsinreadingtheentirepresentationfromnotes.Itisa
methodused bygovernment orbusinessofficialsand may be appropriate when the material to
bepresented ishighly technicalor complex. However, it has some limitations. First, itgives the
impression that the speech is very long and heavy. Secondly, it prevents the presenter from
makingeyecontactwiththeaudience.
SpeakingfromNotesThisisgenerallythemosteffectivestyleofdelivery.Itconsistsinjotting
downthemainideasinpointformonindexcardsandthenreferringtothesecardsmerelyasa
trigger while speaking. If the main ideas are put down briefly on the cards, the speaker can
elaborateontheseideasinhisownwordsandspeakforanylengthoftime.Thepresentationis
likely to be more effective, since it comes across as natural and permits eye contact with the
audience.
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Matchthefollowing
1. Generalpurposestatement a.Demographics
2. Quantifiedgoalb.Topersuade
3. Audiencesize,ageandgenderc.Specificpurposestatement
4. Useofhumor d.Speakingfromnotes
5. Triggerwordse.Openingandclosingstatements
6.3.2 UsingVisualAidsToSupportPresentations
Theuseofvisualaidsenhancestheeffectivenessofapresentationandinvolvestheaudiencemore
than a pure oralpresentation. As the saying goes, A picture is worth a thousand words. Several
studies have indicated that presentations made with visual support have been more successful in
persuadingaudiencesthanpresentationswithoutvisuals.Visualshavealsobeenfoundtomakethe
informationinpresentationsmorememorable.Inaddition,graphicshelpspeakerstoillustrateideas
andtoanswerquestions.However,visualaidsshouldbeusedonlywhererelevantandnotjustfor
the sake of it, since they may distract the attention of the audience from the speakers main
message.
A speaker has a wide variety of visual aids to choose from. Some of the commonly used types of
visualaidsare
Product Demonstrations Since seeing is believing, a sales presentation can be more
effectiveandconvinceaprospectivecustomertotryaproduct,ifitisshowninactualuse.
PhotographsPhotographsaretruetolifeandareaneffectivewayofillustratingproductsand
avarietyofotherimages.Theyarehighlycredibleandcanbeusedasprooftosupportfacts.
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Diagrams These are two dimensional drawings which can convey information about size,
shapeandstructureforexample,floorplans.
Lists and Tables These are an effective wayof highlighting factsandfigures and of making
comparisonsforexample,comparinglastyearsprofitswiththisyearsprofits.
PieChartsandGraphsPiechartshelptoillustratepercentagesofasingleitemforexample,
the percentage of the total students in each area of specialization ofan MBA program. Graphs
aregoodforillustratingtrends,orgrowthinsalesandprofitsovertime.
Oncethetypeofvisualaidhasbeendecided,themediumforpresentingthevisualaidneedsto
be selected. Again, a variety of media are available to the presenter. The relative advantages and
disadvantagesofeachofthesemediaandsomeguidelinesforuseofthesemediawillbediscussed.
1.FlipChartThisconsistsofalargepadofthickchartpaperattachedtoaneasel,wheredifferent
pictures are shown on separate charts one at a time, by turning the pages. At the end of the
presentation, the charts can be flipped over to recap the session, hence the name flip chart. Flip
charts are commonly used during sales presentations and business meetings. They have the
advantagesofbeingeasytoprepare,use,carryandsetup.However,theyareunsuitedformakinga
presentationtoalargeaudience.Theyarealsoclumsyandcanbecomewornoutafterrepeateduse.
2.TransparenciesTheseareclearsheetsusedwithanoverheadprojectortoprojectanimageon
thescreen.Itispossibletotransfertextorvisualsfromothersourcesontoatransparency,byusing
a copy machine. It is also possible to write directly on the transparency with special marker pens,
duringthepresentation.
Transparencies have a number of advantages. Unlike flip charts, they are better suited for large
audiences.Unlikeothervisualaids,theyarealsoeasierandquickertoproduce,sinceyoucancopy
visualsfromothersources,insteadofcreatingthemfromscratch.Youcanalsowriteonthemasyou
speakandlatererasewhatyouhavewrittenandreusethem.
The disadvantage of using transparencies is that they are unwieldy and require an overhead
projectorthatmaynotalwaysfunction.Thespeakeralsohastopositionhimselforherselfinsucha
waythattheprojectordoesnotblockanyonesview.
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Somedosanddontsofusingtransparenciesforapresentationare
Switchofftheoverheadprojectorwhenyouarenotshowingtransparencies.
Useapieceofpapertocoverthepartsofthetransparencythatyouhavenotyetdiscussed.
Revealtheinformationonthetransparencyasandwhenyoudiscussthatpoint,sothatthe
audiencedoesnotgetaheadofyou.
Useapointertorefertotheinformationonthetransparencyasyouspeak.
Facetheaudienceandpointtothetransparencyontheglasstopoftheprojector,insteadof
turningyourbackandpointingtothescreen.
3.PowerPointSlidesThisisaneffectivevisualaid,sinceitlendsatouchofsophisticationand
professionalismtothepresentation.Itisidealforpresentationswheretechnicalpicturesand
elaboratediagramsareneededtoillustrateideastotheaudience.Powerpointslidesareeasyto
store,sincetheyarelessunwieldythanflipchartsandtransparencies.Itisalsopossibletotransfer
photographs,logosandothervisualsdirectlyontotheslide.
Thedisadvantageofpowerpointisthatittendstobeoverusedforthesakeoftechnology,
gimmickryandspecialeffects.Thistendstodistracttheattentionoftheaudiencefromwhatthe
speakerissaying.Therefore,powerpointslidesshouldbepreparedcarefullyandusedjudiciously.
Thetablebelowlistssomedosanddontsofpreparingandusingpowerpointslidesfor
presentations
CheckpointsforUsingPowerPointSlides
1.DonotmakethelayoutofthePPTslidestooclutteredorcrowded.
2.Donotpreparetoomanyortoofewslides.Around12slidesshouldbesufficientfora
onehourpresentation.
3.Plantospendabout23minutestalkingoneachslide,excludingthetitleandoutline
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ofthepresentation.
4.Payattentiontothefontsize,numberofwordsandnumberoflinesonaslide.7
wordspersentenceand7linesperslideisageneralruleofthumb.
5.Maketheslideslooksoberanddignified,notoverdecorated.
6.Ensurethatthestyleandformatusedintheslidesareconsistent.
7..Makethetextontheslidecrisp,avoidingunnecessaryarticlesandprepositions.
Choosekeywordsandphrases,insteadoflongsentences.
8.Addvaluetowhatisontheslide,byexplainingkeypoints.Avoidreadingdirectlyfrom
theslide.
9.Balancethetimespentoneachslide.Donotspendtoomuchtimeonsomeslides
and
rushthroughtherest.
10.Coordinateyourexplanationwiththeslidenumbers.
11.Focusonthemainpointsmentionedintheslides.Avoidneedlessfrillsand
trivialities.
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4. Handouts These areprinteddetails on the topic of thepresentation thataredistributed to the
audience. They have the advantage of providing a permanent record of your ideas. They also
provide extra information which you may not be able to cover during your oral presentation. For
example, if you are making apresentation on anew product, thetechnicalfeatures ofthe product,
along with some illustrations, could be included in the handout for the audience to study later.
Handoutscanalsoreducetheneedforthelistenerstotakenotesduringyourpresentation.Thisway,
theirattentionwillbecompletelyfocusedonwhatyouaresaying.
Oneproblemwithhandoutsisthattheaudiencemaystudythemduringthepresentation,insteadof
listeningtoyouspeaking.Thiscanbeavoidedbytellingthemtostudyitlater,orbydistributingthem
attheendofthesession.
5.Computerized Displays These are images stored on your own computer screen or laptop,
whichcanbeshowntotheaudiencetoillustrateyourideas.Thisisaninexpensiveandconvenient
type of visual aid and requires little effort or advance preparation. However, it is suitable only for
small audiences, due to its small size. One way of overcoming this and using it to make a
presentationtoalargeaudience,istouseanLCDprojectortoprojecttheimagesontoabigscreen.
6.VideotapesTheseareaudiovisualaidsthatexploittheattentiongettingpropertiesoftelevision
for maximum impact. Using videotapes to support a presentation can add value when you wish to
illustrate action for example, to show a sportsperson in action, a product demonstration in a TV
commercial,oraspeakersgestures.However,likeothervisualaids,theyshouldnotbeusedforthe
sakeofentertainment.Attentionshouldalsobepaidtoproducingthemcarefully,tomakesurethat
thequalityisofahighstandard.
Nomatterwhichtypeofvisualaidyouchoosetosupportyourpresentation,somebasicrulesneedto
befollowedwhenusingthem
1. Use Visual Aids only if they Add Value Make sure that you have a reason to use a visual,
rather than using it for its own sake. If your ideas are better explained through words, avoid the
visual,sincethiswillonlydistracttheattentionoftheaudience.
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2.MatchyourVisualswiththeLeveloftheAudienceYourvisualaidsshouldbemademoreor
lesssophisticated,dependingonyouraudience.Forexample,ifyouaremakingapresentationtotop
management, the graphics should be extremely polished. For less formal presentations, simple
graphicscreatedonyourowncomputerorlaptopshouldbesufficient.
3.Make the Visuals Clear and Large enough Avoid creating visuals that are so small that that
they have to be described. It is better to use no visual support, than to use visuals that cannot be
seen.
4.MaketheVisualsSimpleWhencreatingvisuals,avoidmakingthemtoointricateanddetailed,
sothattheaudiencecanunderstandthemwithoutdifficulty.
5.AvoidTooMuchTextwithVisualsVisualsshouldhaveshortcaptions,usingonlykeywords
andsimpletypefaces,sothatattentionisdrawntothevisualalone.
6.GiveeachVisualaTitleandNumberForthesakeofeasyidentification,makesurethateach
visualisgivenanappropriatecaptionandisnumbered.
7.ShowaVisualOnlyWhenYouDiscussitRevealingavisualbeforeyouarereadytodescribe
itwillonlydistracttheattentionoftheaudiencefromwhatyouaresayingnow.
8. RemoveVisuals After Use Similarly, blankout, erase, orturn off visuals soonafter youhave
explainedthem,sothattheaudiencecanfocusattentiononwhatyouaresayingnext.
9.CheckifVisualswillWorkBeforehandRemembertocheckallthefacilitiesinthepresentation
roombeforethesession,toensurethatthevisualscanbeshownwithoutanyproblem.
10.RehearseSettingUpVisualsPracticeusingthevisualsbeforethepresentation,sothatyou
arefamiliarwiththesequence,whentoshowandremovethem,withoutanyconfusion.
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1.Twotypesofvisualaidsthatcanmakepresentationsmorecredibleare
___________________and_______________________________________.
2._________________arebettersuitedforlargeaudiencesthan_______________.
3.Powerpointslidesshouldnotbe____________________and_______________.
4.Ingeneral,visualsshouldbepreparedtomatchthe__________________.
5.Twotypesofmediaforpresentingvisualaidstoasmallaudienceare
_______________and____________________.
6.4 Summary
The main advantagesoforal communication areits high interactivity, personal quality, possibility of
making quick contact, immediate feedback and command over the listeners attention. Oral
communication may be classified into facetoface (meetings and presentations) and non faceto
face(teleconferencing,telephoneandvoicemail)communication.Whilefacetofacecommunication
is superior in most ways, it is also time consuming and expensive, when people are separated by
distance. Teleconferencing is a good substitute for facetoface communication and has the same
advantages, except that it is unsuitable for certain types of communication. Telephone
communication makes it possible to contact people who would otherwise be impossible to reach.
Voicemail makes it possible to keep a permanent record of the communication and to control the
contentofamessage.
Oralbusinesspresentationsareneededwhenwrittencommunicationalonecannotdothejob,such
aspersuadingaudiencesandgettingapprovalforideas.Oralpresentationsareofdifferenttypesand
mayhavedifferentpurposes.Theymaybemadetobothinternalandexternalaudiences.
Irrespectiveofitsnatureandpurpose,thestepsinvolvedinpreparingapresentationarethesame
andincludethefollowing
Definingthegeneralandspecificpurpose
Developingthekeyidea,ormainmessage
Analyzingtheaudiencetheirareasofexpertise,preferredstyleofpresentation,demographic
characteristics,knowledgelevelsandattitudes
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Analyzingyourknowledgeandattitudeasaspeaker
Analyzingthelimitationsofinfrastructure,timeandcontext
Preparingapresentationoutline
Collectinginformation
Organizingthebody,introductionandconclusion
Selectingastyleofdelivery
Presentations should try to use visual aids wherever relevant, since visuals are more attention
getting,persuasiveandmemorable.Severaltypesofvisualaidsmaybeusedinpresentations,such
as product demonstrations, photographs, diagrams, lists and tables, pie charts and graphs. These
aids may also bepresentedthrougha varietyofmedia, includingflip charts, transparencies,power
pointslides,handouts,computerizeddisplaysandvideotapes.
Eachoftheabovemediahasitsadvantagesaswellasitslimitationsandshouldbeuseddepending
on the nature of the presentation and the characteristics of the audience. The guidelines for using
these aids should be carefully followed, so as to achieve maximum impact. In general, visual aids
shouldbeusedonly when theyare relevant. Attention shouldbe paid to the design, to ensure that
visuals are kept simple, yet sophisticated enough, depending on the audience. The presentation
shouldberehearsedtomakesurethatvisualsaredisplayedattherighttime.
TerminalQuestions
1.Selectacompanyofyourchoiceinasectorthatyouwouldliketoworkin.Imaginethatyou
havetomakeabriefpresentationonthiscompanytobusinessschoolstudents.
Developa)Ageneralandspecificstatementofpurposeb)Thekeyideac)Yourstyleof
delivery.
2.Takingthesameexampleabove,listoutthetypesofvisualsandmediaforpresentationof
thesevisualsthatyouwillselect.Whywouldthesevisualsandvisualaidsbemost
appropriate?
3.Prepareanoutlineofapresentation,encouragingprospectivestudentstoenrollintheSMU
MBAprogram.
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1. False
2. False
3. True
1. b
2. c
3. a
4. e
5. d
1. Photographs,productdemonstrations
2. Transparencies,flipcharts
3. Cluttered/overcrowded,overdecorated
4. Audience
5. Flipcharts,computerizeddisplays
1.Refer6.3.1
2.Refer6.3.2
3.Refer6.3.1
ReadingSkillsForEffectiveBusinessCommunication Unit7
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Unit7 ReadingSkillsForEffectiveBusinessCommunication
Structure
7.1 Introduction
Objectives
7.2 Whatisreading?
7.2.1 Purposesofreading
7.2.2 Readingasaskill
7.3 Typesofreading
7.3.1Skimming
7.3.2Scanning
7.3.3Extensivereading
7.3.4Intensivereading
7.3.5Loudandsilentreading
7.4 SQ3RTechniqueofReading
7.5 Summary
TerminalQuestions
AnswerstoSAQsandTQs
7.1Introduction
Apartfromlistening,writtenandoralskills,businessexecutivesalsoneedtoequipthemselveswith
reading skills, in order to succeed in the workplace. These skills are very different from what you
requireasastudentofmanagement.Thetypesofreadingthatyouwillhavetodoattheworkplace
willbevariedsometimesyoumayhavetodoextensivereadingofprofessionalbooks,magazines
and journalsatother times you maybe required to study research reports in an intensive manner.
Often,businessexecutivesarealsoaskedtoscannewspapersandmagazinestocollectinformation,
or to read and condense business related articles for their busy superiors. Unless you familiarize
yourselfwiththedifferenttechniquesofreading,youwillnotbesuccessful.Thisunitdealswiththe
differentpurposesandtypesofreadingandsomespecialtechniquesthatshouldbeapplied,inorder
toextractthemostoutofreading.
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LearningObjectives:
1. Readactively,thusenhancingcomprehensionandretention.
2. Understandthetextthatisreadandrelateittoothertexts
3. Selectandusedifferenttypesofreadingfordifferentpurposes
4. Scanpassagesforspecificinformation
7.2 WhatIsReading?
Thefollowingareafewdefinitions/descriptionsregardingtheprocessofreading.
Readingisthinkingunderthestimulusoftheprintedpage(Webster,1982:30)
Readingisapsycholinguisticguessinggame(Webster,1982:19)
Readingcomprehensionmeansunderstandingawrittentext. Understandingawrittentextis
extractingtherequiredinformationfromitasefficientlyaspossible.FrancoiseGrellet1991:3)
Theabovedefinitions/descriptionssuggestthatwhenwereadanypieceoftext,weunderstandthe
giventextatthreelevels
i) Pure,literalresponsetothefamiliarwordsonthepagethereisnoindepthunderstanding.
ii) Recognition ofthe writers meaning. In other words, we readand recognize the intention of the
authorinwritingthegiventext.
iii) Personalexperience,whichhelpsyoutounderstandthegivenmatter.
Allthesethreelevelscouldbedescribedthus:Whenyouread,youreadthelines,readbetweenthe
linesandalsoreadbeyondthelines.Soreadingisnothingbutadecodingprocess.
ENCODER/WRITER MESSAGE DECODER/READER
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7.2.1PurposesOfReading
Wereadmanythingsinourdaytodaylives.Someoftheminclude
Newspapersandmagazines
Advertisements,leafletsandpamphlets
Textbooks,novelsandshortstories
Letters
Email
Recipes,puzzles,menus
Articles,reports,legaldocuments
Dictionaries,telephonedirectories
Cartoons,comicstrips
Timetables,maps,statisticalgraphsanddiagrams
Theaboveitemsarereadeitherforknowledge,personalinterest,pleasure,ortogatherinformation.
Foryouasstudents,thepurposeofreadingiseitherforinterest,pleasureortoacquireinformation
and knowledge. Reading for interest or pleasure is usually fulfilled through reading fiction, while
readingtolearnisassociatedwithinformativearticles.Readingforinformationmaybebothinternal
and external. When you read for necessary background information about what is going on within
the company where you work, or within your group, it is called reading for internal information.
Readingforinformationaboutwhatisgoingoninyourfield,butoutsideyourowncompany,iscalled
readingforexternalinformation.
Youmayalsoneedtodosomethingconcreteinthenearfutureafteryouhavereadwhatever
it isyouarereading.Thisisknownasactionreading. Professionalreadingisdonewhenyou
need to continue learning and studying, so that you develop your own thinking and skills.
However,youshouldbearinmindthatatextisnotwrittenstrictlyforanyonepurpose.Forinstance,
abiographyoranautobiographymaybereadbyonepersonforpersonalinterest,tounderstandthe
life story of an individual. The same book may also be read by a research scholar, for research
purposes.Peoplesinterestinreadingissovaried,thatanytextcouldmeetanypurpose.
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7.2.2ReadingAsASkill
Similartolistening,reading,formanyofus,isapassiveprocess,wherewesitdown,relaxandrun
our eyes through the words on the page. However, meaningful reading, or reading with
understanding,isconsideredanactiveprocess.Areadercanunderstandatextonlywhenhe/she
activelyuseshis/hermentalfaculties.Therefore,toreadefficiently,onehastohave:
Knowledgeofthewritingsystemofthelanguage
Knowledgeofthegrammarandvocabularyofthelanguage
Abilitytointerpret
Areasonforreadingandtheappropriatemethodofreading
Knowledgeoftheworld(experience/backgroundknowledge)
Whenalltheserequirementsareusedefficientlywhilereading,understandingwillbeeffectiveand
meaningful.Thus,readingisaskill,whichhastobeacquiredthroughconstantexperimentation.
i) Wecannotunderstandtheintentionoftheauthorwhilereadinganygiventext.
ii) Abookisreadonlyforthepleasureofreadingit.
iii) Theintentionofreadingamedicalreportistogaininformation.
iv) Readingisanencodingprocessofcommunication.
7.3 TypesOfReading
Asmentionedearlier,wereadindifferentways,dependingonthepurposeforwhichwearereading
atext.Letuslookatafewtypesofreading.
7.3.1 Skimming
Letussaythatyouareastudentofmanagementandassuggestedbyyourprofessor,youneedto
buy a reference text book on Investment Management, or to write a paper on Computer Graphics.
Yougotoabookstoreandseearackfullofbooks,withthesametitle,butdifferentauthors.Youdo
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not have time to read the pages before deciding on buying the book. Therefore, you quickly go
throughthecontents,titlepageandtheblurb(Thisisashortpieceofwritingonthecoverofabook
that reviews and promotes the book). By now, you have decided to buy one book. This type of
readingthatyoudointhebookstoreisknownasskimming.Thus,skimmingmaybedefinedas
lookingoveratext/bookquickly,inordertogetageneralorsuperficialideaofthecontent.
Activity1(Anexerciseinskimming)
Matchthefollowingbusinesspublicationswiththeextractsgivenbelow.
1. Atextbookonmodernmanagement
2. Atravelguideforbusinessmen
3. Acompanysmonthlynewsletter
4. Acomputersoftwaremanual
5. Acompanysannualreport
6. Aleadingbusinessdaily
a) One of the most popular hill stations in India, Munnar is situated at the confluence of three
mountain streams Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala. Located at 1600 mts. above sea
level,ithasanareaof26.2sq.km.,withatemperatureof15.225Cinsummerand010C
duringwinter.ThebesttimetovisitMunnarisfromSeptembertoMay.
b) Tokyo stocksdrifteddownwards on Tuesday,amid light trading, with the Nikkei225 losing 0.41
percentto17.760.91,asinvestorswaitedforfreshdatafromJapanandtheUSattheendofthe
week.
c) Tobeaneffectivemanagerintodayscompetitiveworld,youmustkeepuptodatewiththelatest
developments in technology. Technology is changing rapidly and the pace of innovation is
accelerating. New technologies are being developed all the time and this puts even more
pressureonmanagers.
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d) The line, rectangle and oval tools are in Flash function, as you would expect from using other
graphicprograms.
i) ClicktheOvaltool.
ii) Dragtheworkareatotheright.Dontworryaboutthecolororfill.
iii) Clickthewhitetriangleattherightwhenyouarereadytocontinue.
e) WearepleasedtoannouncetheappointmentofShashankBhatasournewDirectorofHuman
Resources. Shashank began his career at Nimbus, after leaving University. He has been
workingattheHeadOfficesincelastyear.Shashankismarriedandhasonedaughter.
f) Towards the end of the year, we saw a slight improvement in our market share in the United
States.Amoreoptimisticeconomicsituationtherehelpedoursalestogrowbyjustunder15%in
the second half of the year. This was partly due to some very strong competition from other
firms.
7.3.2 Scanning
Asyoureadatext,editorialoranarticle,youmaysuddenlycomeacrossawordthatisnotfamiliarto
you.Naturally,youwouldliketoknowthemeaningoftheword,foryourownbenefit.Soyougetthe
dictionary and carefully find the word. You see the spelling, pronunciation, meaning and also the
varioususesofthesameword(ifany).Thistypeofcarefulreadingtofindoutthespecific,clear
details,isknownasscanning.Inthiscase,youdonotjustrunyoureyesacrossthepage,butlook
intotheinformationforspecificdetails.Letusgothroughthefollowingexercise,tobefamiliarwith
whatscanningisallabout.
Activity2(Anexerciseinscanning)
Readthearticleandanswerthequestionsthatfollow:
Simon Harris, a senior executive in the London branch of the computer firm Samex Systems,
regularly arrives at work wearing jeans, trainers and a colorful pullover. His secretary, Martine, is
seen dressed in a bright yellow Tshirt and designer jeans. Samex Systems recently decided to
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allowits1,500employeestoleavetheirpinstripesuitsandsmartfrocksinthewardrobeandtowear
casualclothestowork.
SamexsHumanResourceDirector,NormaLeamanisresponsibleforintroducingthenewpolicy.I
travelquitealottotheUSA.ManyofthecompaniesIvisittherenolongerhavestrictdresscodes.
Infact,manyemployeeswearpracticallywhattheylike.
Norma decided to introduce casual dress as an experiment in the company. We started off by
allowing people to dress in a more relaxed wayonce a week. Then we extended it to two days a
week.Nowmostemployeescanwearmorerelaxeddresswhentheylike.
Thereare,ofcourse,stillsomerules.Dirtyoruntidyclothesarenotallowed.Maleemployeesare
toldnottowearearringsatwork. Andforsomepeople,thereistilladresscode.Salesstaffdonot
gooutonvisitswearingjeans.OverseasvisitorsespeciallyiftheycomefromtheFarEastare
notwelcomedbyexecutivesinBermudashortsandbeachshirts.
ThefashionforcasualdressatworkstartedonthewestcoastoftheUnitedStates.Americanhitech
companiesfoundthatyoungeremployeeswerehappierwithalessformalstyle.Intheinformation
technology industry, the division between office and home is not very important, says consultant
Luis Rodriguez. Manypeople workathome wearingthe clothes theyfeel most relaxed in. When
theyareintheoffice,theyjustdontseetheneedtodressveryformally.Rodriguezhascarriedout
a survey on dress among 700 US companies. We found that about 70% of companies allowed
employeestowearcasualclothesonsomeoccasions.Thereareanumberofexplanationsforthe
morerelaxedmodernstyle,accordingtoRodriguez.Companieswithahigherproportionofwomen
employeestendtobemorerelaxedaboutdresscodes.
It is also significant that there are many more younger people inpositionsof power. Younowfind
senior managers in their early thirties or even younger. They just dont want to dress like their
grandfatherdid.
Eventhemosttraditionalcompanieshavebeencaughtupinthenewfashion.TakeMFDSecurities,
a CityofLondon investmentfirm. For many years, executiveshad to wear white shirts,dark suits,
andties.Nowtheyareallowedtowearmorecasualjacketsandtrousers.Jeans,however,arenot
allowed. Our customers are getting younger and younger, says MFD spokesperson Jan Martin.
Often they are happier dealing with someone of their own age and background. And that means
dressinginamoreinformalway.
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However, not all companies are following the trend. A junior executive in a Paris bank recently
arrived at work to find four brand new white shirts on his desk. This was his companys way of
sayingthatblueandyellowstripedshirtswerenotacceptable.
Answerthefollowingquestions:
1. HowhaveSamexchangedtheirdresspolicyrecently?
2. Howwasthechangeintroduced?
3. WhatrulesstillexistinSamex?
4. WhatweretheresultsoftheRodriguezsurvey?
5. DoallCitycompanieshaveastrictdresscode?
6. WhatexperiencedidaFrenchexecutiverecentlyhave?
(Takenfrom:MilneJohnMorrison.BusinessLanguagePractice.)
7.3.3 ExtensiveReading
Aswehavealreadymentioned,ourwayofreadingisinfluencedbythepurposeofourreading.Most
ofushavethehabitofreadingespeciallywhenwearefree,orhavealotofleisuretime.Wemight
getholdofanovel,acomicstrip,oramagazine.Whenwereadforthepurepleasureofreading,it
isknownasextensivereading.However,itshouldnotbegivenlesspriority,becauseitisextensive
reading. It is enjoyable, as well as informative. Here, we practice rapid reading to get a
global/overallunderstandingofthematter.
Activity3
Read the passage given below and try to insert words in the blanks. The words that you
chooseshouldbecontextualbased.
Inasuccessfulnegotiation,nooneshouldfeelthattheyhavelost.Youshouldreachawin__1___
solution. After one side makesa proposal, theother should make a 2___ offer. Ifboth sides
make 3_ you can work towards a compromise. By making a goodwill ___4___ you may get
somethingfromtheotherside.Itisthis__5__tradingthatmovesthenegotiationsalong.Ifyouare
notpreparedtomakea 6_ off,thereisachancethatthetalkswillbreakdown.
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1.a)lose b)draw c)win
2.a)counter b)condition c)consensus
3.a)priorities b)objectives c)concessions
4.a)gesture b)mannerism c)etiquette
5.a)bull b)horse c)bear
6.a)business b)work c) trade
(Note: Now see thepossibleanswers and tryto check whether you have selected theappropriate
words. This exercise proves that you can understand the overall meaning of the passage, even if
somewordsaremissing.)
7.3.4 IntensiveReading
Whenwereadshortertextslikearesearchpaperforgettingspecificdetailsorinformation,weread
slowlywithalotofconcentration.Thisisknownasintensivereading.Whenyoureadabookasa
resource materialfor research, you read it intensively because the overall understanding is not the
objectiveor purpose of our reading. When you read an article in order to write a review on it, you
readitintensively.Weusealltheskillsofreadingwhenwedointensivereading.
Activity4
Readthefollowingparagraph.Attheendofeachsentence,youwillfindtheletters M(main
idea)andS(supportingdetail).Identifyineachcase,whetheritisMorSandtickthecorrect
letter.
Themoon'sgravitypullstheearth'soceanstowardsit,asitmovesaroundtheearth.(M/S).Thenit
letsthemgoagain.(M/S)Thesemovementsoftheoceansarethetides.(M/S)Thesunalsoaffects
thetides.(M/S)Attheseaside,youcanseethatsometimestheseacoversthebeachcompletely.
(M/S) These are called high tides. (M/S) At other times, the water goes back, leaving the shore
uncovered.(M/S)Thesearecalledlowtides(M/S)Mostseasideplaceshavetwohightidesandtwo
lowtideseveryday.(M/S)
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Activity5
Readthefollowingpassageandunderlinethemainideas.
Everybrightstarisasun,likeourownsun.Thismeansthatstarsarehugeballsofglowinggases.
They are so hot, that if a pieceof steel wasplaced there, it would disappear ina cloud ofgas! In
many of the stars, thegases are very thin. This is because the particlesor atoms of matter in the
gasarefarapart.
Butstarsdohavematterinthem.Weknowforexample,thatthesuncontainsmorethansixtyofthe
chemicalelementspresentintheearth.Amongtheelementsinthesunarehydrogen,helium,iron,
calciumandmagnesium.
In cooler stars, the matter may be more nearly liquid, somewhat like the boiling iron in a blast
furnace.Insomeveryoldandcoldstars,themattermaybesocloselypackedthatacubicinchofit
wouldweighaton.Suchstarsarecalleddeadordarkstars.
Astronomers can find out all this by using instruments called "spectroscopes". The spectroscope
studiesthelightastargives,andfromthiswecanlearnwhatkindsofmatteritcontainsandhowhot
itis.
Thedifferent colors of the stars white, blue,yellow, or red showus what chemical elements are
presentinthem.Differenttemperaturesofstarsalsocausedifferencesinthelighttheygive,intheir
spectrum.Inthisway,thetemperatureofastarcanbedetermined.
Glossary
ElementsSimplesubstances
BlastfurnaceAsteelcontainer,whereironisseparatedfromironore,bytheactionofheatandair
blownthroughatgreatpressure.
Activity6
Now write a paragraph on "What is a star made of?", using only the main ideas you have
identified.
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7.3.5LoudAndSilentReading
Mostofourdaytodayreadingisdonesilently.Whenwereadanarticleoranadvertisement,weare
engaged in the process of deriving meaning from the passage. Actually when we read aloud, our
concentrationisdividedbetweenreadingandspeaking.Thismakesreadingdifficultandmaycause
problems in understanding the matter. However, there are situations when we may have to read
things aloud when others do not have access to them for example, notices and circulars.
Weneedtoreadtheinstructionsaloudtostudentsoremployees,sothatthereisnoconfusionlater.
Apart from these extraordinary situations, most of the time the natural way of reading is silent
reading,whichisidealandhelpscomprehension.
7.4 SQ3RTechniqueOfReading
This techniqueof reading wasdevelopedby Robinson inhis book "Effective Study" (1970). SQ3R
standsfortheinitiallettersofthefivestepsinstudyingatext
Survey S
Question Q
Read R
Recall R
Review R
Letusbrieflygothroughthesestepsinthegivenorder.
1. Survey: Survey refers to a quick glance through the title page, preface and chapter
headingsofatext. Bysurveying,youwillbeabletogaugethemainideasofthetext.Besides,the
authorsname,date,placeofpublicationandtitlepagecangiveyouanideaofthegeneralsubject
area.Thetableofcontents,prefaceorforewordinabookwouldgiveyouanideaofthethemesand
how they are organized. A survey of the index or bibliography tells you immediately whether the
bookcontainswhatyouneed.
Letustakeanexample.Choosetheappropriatereferencebyaquicksurvey:
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Hereisabibliography(listofbooks)onPOLIMERIZATION.Decidewhichofthepublicationsinthe
listarelikelytogiveyou:(encircletheappropriateletter)
Abriefintroductiontothesubject: a b c d e f
Currentdevelopmentsinthefield a b c d e f
Historicalstudyofthesubject a b c d e f
Variousopinionsbyexpertsonthesubject a b c d e f
Bibliography
(a) Billmeyer,F.W.1962. ATextBookofPolymerScience
NewYork:JohnWileyandSons
(b) AcondensedChemicalDictionary
(c) InternationalEncyclopaediaofSciences
(d) EncyclopaediaBritannica
(e) Stille, J. K. 1962. Introduction to Polymer Chemistry: New York: John Wiley and Sons.
Wassermann,LeonardG.,1974
(f) Chemistry:BasicConceptsandContemporaryApplicationsCalifornia:WadsworthPublCo.Inc.
(AdaptedfromELTDocuments,1980)
2.Question:ThesecondstepintheSQ3Rtechniqueofreadingisquestion.Asurveyofthetext
will surely raise a few questions in your mind regarding the text. Some of the questions could
be
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Isthebookusefulorrelevanttomystudy?
Doesitprovidesomeguidelines/informationonthesubjectathand?
However,asyougothroughtheindividualchapters,youmighthavespecificquestionsregardingthe
topic. This will surely lead to gaining some insights into thetext, topic and theauthor's comments.
You will be surprised to see how your questions are answered in the process of reading and
understanding the text. Therefore, don't treat reading as an automatic process. It has to be
consciousanddeliberate,.withadefinitepurpose,whereyouinteractwiththetopicandtheauthor.
3. Reading: Aftersurveyingandquestioning,youbegintheactualreading.Youneedtodevelopa
criticalapproachtoreadinganythingforthatmatter. Readthetextoverandoveragain,eachtime
withadifferentquestionandadifferentpurposeinmind."Ireaditonceandunderstandeverything"
kindofattitudeisnothingbutamyth.Hence,whilereadingforthefirsttime,youshouldjustfocuson
themainpoints/ideasandsupportingdetails.
4.Recall:Thefourthstageinreadingcomprehensionisrecalling.Readingisnotanisolatedactivity.
Everyreadingexerciseincreasesyourbackgroundknowledge.Youshouldbeabletoconnectthe
information gained with the already existing background knowledge. Recalling whatever you
havereadwillenableyoutoconnectandrelatethecontentwiththepreviousandfuturelearningof
thesubject.Thisleadsustothenextstageinreadingi.e.,review.
5. Review: Reviewing is nothing but checking whether we have followed the earlier stages
promptly and efficiently. Have we surveyed the book, article, or magazine properly? Have we
asked the appropriate questions relating to the content, have we read it critically and have we
recalledthemostsignificantdetailsorinformationrequiredforourstudy?Thesearequestionsthat
shouldbeaskedinthefinalstageofreading.Reviewwillsharpenyourcriticalability,enableyouto
formyourownopinionsonthetopicandexpressthemtoothers.
Trytopracticethesestagesconsciouslyinyourreadingandresearchandyouwillfindthistobea
highlyrewardingexperience.
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7.5 Summary
Readingisessentiallyaprocessofdecodingmessages,withaviewtounderstandingawrittentext.
Ithasvariouspurposes,suchasreadingforpersonalinterest,pleasureorforgaininginformation.A
singletextisnotwrittenforanyonepurpose,butcouldmeetanypurpose,dependingonindividual
needs.
Readingintherealsenseisanactive,ratherthanapassiveprocess.Activereadingmeansreading
tograspthemeaning.Itisaskillwhichhastobedevelopedandpracticed.
Basedonthepurposeforwhichwearereading,therearefivedifferenttypesofreading
1.SkimmingQuicklyglancingoveratexttogetageneralideaofthecontent
2.ScanningCarefulreadingtofindoutspecificdetails
3.ExtensivereadingRapidreadingtogetanoverallunderstandingofthematter
4.IntensivereadingReadingslowlywithconcentrationtogetspecificdetails
5.SilentorloudreadingThisdependsonwhetherwearereadingtoourselvesorreadingtoothers.
An innovative reading technique, known as the SQ3R technique, consists in reading a piece of
writtenmaterialinfivedifferentstages
Survey,orglancingthroughatexttogetthemainidea
Question,oraskingyourselfifthetextisrelevanttoyourneeds
Readingthetextseveraltimeswithacriticalapproach
Recall,orconnectingwhatyoureadwithyourpreviousknowledgeonthesubject
Review,orcrosscheckingwhetherthefirstfourstageshavebeenfollowedcorrectly
TerminalQuestions
1. ReadtheTVprogramguidesgiveninadailynewspaperandthenanswerthefollowingquestions
a. Programsofhowmanychannelshavebeenprinted?
b. Howmanychannelsofferprogramsinregionallanguages?
133
c. Whatarethedifferenttypesofprogramsthateachchannelspecializesin?
d. Whichmusicchannelhasawidervarietyofprograms?
2. WriteashortnoteontheSQ3Rtechniqueofreading.
3. Explainhowyouwillpracticeskimmingandscanningineverydayreadingactivities,using
suitableexamples.
A.SelfAssessmentQuestions1
1. False
2. False
3. True
4. False
B.Activities
1. 1c,2a,3e,4d,5f,6b
2. 1. Theynowallowemployeestowearmoreinformalclothes
2. Thechangewasintroducedgradually.
3. Dirtyoruntidyclothesarenotallowed.Someemployeesstillhavetodressmoreformally.
4. Mr.RodriguezfoundthatmostAmericancompaniesallowedsomedegreeofinformaldress.
5. No,theydont.
6. Hearrivedatworktofindsomeshirtsonhisdesk.
3.1c2a3c4a5b6c
4.Themoon'sgravitypullstheearth'soceanstowardsit,asitmovesroundtheearth.(M/S).Then
itletsthemgoagain.(M/S)Thesemovementsoftheoceansarethetides.(M/S)Thesunalso
affects the tides. (M/S) At the seaside, you can see that sometimes the sea covers the beach
completely. (M/S) These are called high tides. (M/S) At other times, the water goes back,
leavingtheshoreuncovered.(M/S)Thesearecalledlowtides(M/S)Mostseasideplaceshave
twohightidesandtwolowtideseveryday.(M/S)
134
5. Every bright star is a sun, like our own sun. This means that stars are huge balls of glowing
gases. Theyaresohot,thatifapieceofsteelwasplacedthere,itwoulddisappearinacloudofgas!
Inmanyofthestars,thegasesareverythin.Thisisbecausetheparticlesoratomsofmatterinthe
gasarefarapart.
But stars do have matter in them. Weknow,for example, that the sun contains more than sixtyof
the chemicalelements present in the earth. Among the elements in the sun arehydrogen, helium,
iron,calciumandmagnesium.
In cooler stars, the matter may be more nearly liquid, somewhat like the boiling iron in a blast
furnace.Insomeveryoldandcoldstars,themattermaybesocloselypackedthatacubicinchofit
wouldweighaton. Suchstarsarecalleddeadordarkstars.
Astronomers can find out all this by using instruments called "spectroscopes". The spectroscope
studiesthelightastargives,andfromthiswecanlearnwhatkindsofmatteritcontainsandhowhot
itis.
Thedifferent colors of the stars white, blue,yellow, or red showus what chemical elements are
presentinthem. Differenttemperaturesofstarsalsocausedifferencesinthelighttheygive,intheir
'spectrum'.Inthisway,thetemperatureofastarcanbedetermined.
1. Refer7.3.2
2. Refer7.3.5
3. Refer7.3.1and7.3.2
InternalBusinessCommunication Unit8
135
Unit8 InternalBusinessCommunication GuidelinesFor
Meetings
Structure
8.1. Introduction
Objectives
8.2. TypesofMeetings
8.3. BeforetheMeeting
8.4. DuringtheMeeting
8.5. AftertheMeeting
8.6. CommonErrorsmadeinMeetings
8.7. Summary
TerminalQuestions
AnswerstoSAQsandTQs
8.1 Introduction
Studies have indicated that business executives spend about half their time on the job attending
meetingsofsometypeortheother.Weoftenfindthatsomeonewearetryingtocontactisbusyina
meeting.Irrespectiveofthesizeoftheorganizationorthejobdesignation,businessmeetingsarea
part and parcel of the everyday work routine. While meetings are common, they are not always
productive and efficiently conducted. Therefore it is important to understand how to plan, conduct
andparticipateinmeetings,sothattheyproducegoodresults.Inthisunit,wewillexaminemeetings
bothfromtheperspectiveoftheparticipant,aswellasfromthatofthepersonchairingthemeeting.
Somecommonmistakesmadeduringmeetings,alongwithsomeguidelinesforcorrectingthemwill
alsobeexplained.
136
LearningObjectives:
1. Distinguishbetweenthedifferenttypesofmeetings
2. Prepareeffectivelyformeetings
3. Conductyourselfwellandparticipatemoreactivelyinmeetings
4. Understandhowtochairmeetings
5. Avoidsomecommonerrorsmadeinmeetings
8.2TypesOfMeetings
According to Deborah Tannen, A meeting is any focused conversation that has a specific
agenda, especially but not only if it has been set up in advance. This definition implies that
meetings are not aimless discussions, require careful planning and revolve around a specific topic
thatisdecidedinadvance.Therefore,whilemeetingsmaybemoreorlessformalinthewaytheyare
conducted,theyneedtobeplanned,irrespectiveofthenatureofthemeeting.
Attheoutset,letusdiscussthedifferentcategoriesofbusinessmeetings
1.TaskOrientedMeetings
As the name suggests, this type of meeting is a special meeting that is called to discuss and
makearrangementsforaspecificevent.
For example, the company may be opening a new branch or a new factory, which will be
inauguratedbyaministeronaspecificdate.Allthekeypeopleinvolvedmaybeaskedtoattendthe
meeting,todiscussthearrangementsthatarebeingmadefortheinauguration.
Specifictasksareassignedtoeachoftheparticipantsofthemeeting.
2.ProgressMeetings
Theseareperiodicmeetingsthatarecalledtoreviewtheprogressbeingmadeonaparticular
front.
Forexample,weeklymeetingsmaybeheldtoreviewsalesprogress.Or,ifanewprojecthasbeen
initiated,periodicmeetingsmaybeheldtoreviewtheprogressofdifferentstagesoftheproject.
137
3.InformationSharingMeetings
Insomeorganizations,thesetypesofmeetingsmaybecalledregularlyforthemainpurposeof
exchanginginformationonatopicofrelevancetotheorganization.Suchmeetingsmaytakeplace
betweencoworkers,ormayalsoinvolvetopmanagement.
Examples
1.TheManagingDirectorofacompanymaycallhisseniormanagerstoshareinformationaboutthe
companysjointventures,overseascollaborationsorplansforacquisition.
2. A weekly meeting of top executives may be held to discuss the activities of the companys
internationaldivisions.
3. The members of the R & D department may meet regularly, to compare notes on the results of
theirresearchefforts.
4.ProblemSolvingorDecisionMakingMeetings
Thistypeofmeetingisthemostchallenging,sinceitinvolvestakingsomekindofaction,making
major decisions or changing the existing policies and procedures. Therefore,all interestsand
departments of the organization are represented at such meetings. They also tend to be time
consuming.
ExampleThemarketingstrategyofthecompanymayneedtoberevised,sincesalesareonthe
decline. Or, a new product is to be launched and a meeting may be called to discuss the launch
strategy.
Sinceproblemsolvingmeetingsarethemostcomplicatedtypeofmeetings,theguidelinesofferedin
thisunitaremorerelevanttothesemeetings.
8.3 BeforeTheMeeting
Aspointedoutearlier,meetingsneedtobeplannedinadvance,sothattheyaresuccessful.Before
anyplanningcanbedonehowever,abasicquestiontobeaskediswhethertoholdameetingatall.
Theanswerstothefollowingquestionswouldhelptodecidewhetherameetingisnecessaryinthe
firstplace
Canthematterbedecidedordiscussedoverthetelephone?
Canthematterbeexpressedinwriting,intheformofamemo,oranemailmessage?
Arekeypeopleavailabletoattendthemeetingandaretheyprepared?
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Isthetimeallottedforthemeetingsufficient?
Iftheanswerstothefirsttwoquestionsareyesandtheanswerstotheothertwoquestionsareno,
thereisnopurposeincallingameeting.
Once the need for a meeting has been determined, the next step is to start planning the meeting.
Firstofall,thetypeandnumberofparticipantsshouldbedecided.Aproblemsolvingmeetingshould
include representatives from all departments, since the decision would otherwise be incomplete.
Shareholders,whoaretheownersofthecompany,shouldalsobeincluded.Intermsofnumbers,the
sizeofthegroupcouldbeanywherebetweensevenandelevenmembers.Anexceptiontothisisan
information sharing meeting, where the numbers could be larger, so that a maximum number of
peoplebenefitfromtheinformation.
Thesecondandmostimportantstepinplanningameetingistoindicatethepurposeoragendaof
the meeting to the participants in advance. An agenda is essentially a list of topics that will be
discussedduringameeting.InthewordsofAdlerandElmhorst,Ameetingwithoutanagendais
likeashipatseawithoutadestinationorcompass:nooneaboardknowswhereitisorwhereitis
headed. An agenda is prepared by the Chairperson of the meeting, or the person who calls the
meeting.
Apartfromalistoftopics,acomprehensiveagendashouldalsoincludethefollowing
1.TheTime,VenueandDurationoftheMeetingThestartingtimeandlengthofthemeeting
needstobeindicated,sothatparticipantsknowhowmuchtoprepareandcanplantheirother
activitiesandmeetingsaccordingly.
2.AListofParticipantsItisimportanttoletallmembersknowwhowillbeattendingthemeeting,
sothattheyknowwhomtoexpect.
3.BackgroundInformationThiscouldbeintheformofnewinformation,repetitionoffactsasa
reminder,orabriefexplanationoftheimportanceofthemeeting.
4.AClearListofItemsandGoalsTheseshouldbeincludedinordertoensurethatthemeeting
hasanoutcome.Participantsneedtohaveaclearideaoftheirroleinthemeeting.Goalsshouldbe
statedsothattheysoundspecific,resultorientedandrealistic.
139
ExamplePatwillexplaintheadvantagesanddisadvantagesofswitchingtoanewsupplier,sothat
wecantakeafinaldecisiononthis.
Agoalstatedlikethishelpsparticipantstoprepareadequatelyforthemeeting.Goalsmaybesetby
thepersonwhocallsthemeeting,orinconsultationwiththeparticipants.
5.AdvancePreparationbyParticipantsAgoodagendatellsparticipantshowtocomeprepared
forthemeetingforexample,byreadinganarticle,bringingimportantdocuments,collectingfacts,
orjottingdowntheirideasonaparticularissue.Incasecertainmembershavetoprepareina
specificway,thiscanbementionedontheirindividualcopyoftheagenda.
Ingeneral,theitemstobediscussedarelistedinthedescendingorderofpriorityintheagenda
i.e.,fromthemostimportanttotheleastimportantitem.Sometimes,thesimpleissuesmaybelisted
firstandthenthemorecomplicatedissues.
Asampleformatforacomprehensiveagendaisshownbelow
140
1.Onlyproblemsolvingmeetingsneedtobeplannedinadvance
2.Anagendaispreparedbytheparticipantsofthemeeting.
3.Anagendaprovidesanoutlineofhowthemeetingwillrun.
4.Aprogressmeetingisthemostchallengingtypeofmeeting.
5.Aproblemsolvingmeetingisthemostfrequentlyheldtypeofmeeting.
AGENDA
DATE: March5
th
,2008
TO : (Namesofallmeetingparticipants)
FROM: (NameofChairperson)
SUBJECT: PlanningfortheinaugurationofnewManipalOffice
TIME: Monday,March10
th
,from9.30to11am.
PLACE: FourthfloorConferenceRoom.
BACKGROUND: TheinaugurationofthenewManipalUniversal
LearningOffice,willtakeplaceonMarch15
th
,aspreviouslyscheduled.
Completionofthefollowingtaskswillkeepusontargetandensurethat
thenewofficebecomesfunctional.
Wewilldiscussthefollowingitems:
1. OfficeEquipmentNeeds(Nameofpersonresponsiblefor
makingapresentationandinitiatingdiscussion).
2. OfficeDecoration(Nameofpersonresponsibleformakinga
presentationandinitiatingdiscussion).
3. AdvertisingandPublicity(Nameof personresponsiblefor
preparingadvertisementsandpressreleases).
141
8.4 DuringTheMeeting
The task of conductingand moderating the meeting rests with the chairperson. Heor she must be
wellversedwiththeproceduresforopeningthemeeting,encouragingbalancedparticipation,solving
problemscreatively,concludingthemeetingandmanagingtimeefficiently.Weshalldiscusseachof
theseproceduresindetail.
1.Opening the Meeting The manner in which the meeting is opened is important, since a good
opening will ensure that the rest of the meeting will proceed smoothly. There are different ways of
openingameeting.Generally,itisbesttosumupwhathasbeenstatedintheagendaincludingthe
goals,backgroundinformationandexpectationsoftheparticipants.Itisalsoagoodideatoprovide
anoutlineofhowthemeetingwillproceed,aswellasatimebudget.
Example WewillbeginthemeetingwithatenminutepresentationbyPatonnewofficeequipment,
followedbyafifteenminutepresentationbyChrisonofficedecoration.Thelasttwentyminuteswill
bereservedforbrainstormingamongthegroupforcreativeideasfortheadvertisingcampaign.
2. Encouraging Balanced Participation It is also the responsibility of the chairperson to
encouragesilentmemberstocontributetothemeetingandtomoderatethedominantmembers,so
thattheydonothijackthemeeting.Thereareseveraltechniquestoencourageparticipation
EncourageParticipationintheReverseOrderofSeniorityThismeansgettingthejunior
memberstospeakorairtheiropinionsfirst.Iftheseniorpeoplespeakfirst,theymayfeel
suppressedorbeafraidtodisagreewiththeirsuperiors.
NominalGroupTechniqueInthismethod,themeetingparticipantsareencouragedto
workandcontributetheirideasindependently.Itconsistsoffivedifferentstages
i) Eachparticipantisaskedtoputdownhisorherideasonpaper.Thesearethen
collectedbythechairpersonoradiscussionleader
ii).Alltheideasarethenwrittendownonachalkboard,sothateveryonecanview
alltheideas,withoutknowingwhohascontributedaparticularidea.This
makesthemethodunbiased.
iii).Alltheideasarethendiscussedopenlybyallparticipants.Thepurposehereis
142
tounderstandtheideasandnottojudgethem.
iv).Theideasarethenrankorderedbyallparticipants,fromthebesttotheleast
promisingidea.
v)Theideasthatarerankedhighestbyamajorityofthegrouparethendiscussed
criticallyandadecisionismadecollectivelyonthebestidea.
Theabovemethodismoresuitablefordecisionmakingmeetingsinvolving importantissues.Since
theprocessisanonymous,thereislessroomforconflictandmorefreedomtoaironesideas.
Encourage Participation In Turns In this method, the chairperson goes around in turns, to
makesurethateachmembercontributestothemeeting.Thisisagoodwaytobreaktheinitial
silenceandstartoffameeting.
Use Overhead Questions These are questions that are addressed to the entire group
andwhichmaybeansweredbyanyoneinthegroup.
ExampleCananyoneexplainthereasonforthesalesdecline?
Thismethodisgood,aslongasallmembersparticipateequally.
* UseDirectQuestions Thesearequestionsthatareaddressedtoindividual
members.Theideaistogetquietmemberstospeakout.
Example Whatisyouropiniononthisissue,Pat?
Directquestionsshouldbeusedtactfully,sincetheytendtocreateaclassroom
atmosphere.,whichmayberesentedbythemeetingparticipants.
UseRelayQuestions Thisissimilartoanoverheadquestion.Whenamemberasksthe
chairpersonaquestion,thechairpersonrefersittotheentiregroup,toencourageparticipation.
ExamplePathasasuggestion.Whatdoyouthinkofit?
This typeof question is particularly useful when the chairperson does not want to give hisown
opinionandinfluencethegroup.
3. Managing Time There is no prescribed length for a meeting. The duration of a meeting will
dependonthetypeandpurposeofthemeeting.Generally,problemsolvingmeetingswilltakelonger
143
thanotherroutinemeetings.Inanycase,thechairpersonshouldsetatimebudgetforthemeeting,
dependingontheagendaandensureadherencetothetimelimit.
4.KeepingtheMeetingFocusedOften,alotoftimeiswastedduringmeetingsbygoingofftrack
and by discussing topics that are irrelevant. In such situations, it is the responsibility of the
chairperson, or the person moderating the discussion to make sure that the discussion remains
focusedonthetopicsmentionedintheagenda.Someofthetechniquesthatcouldbeusedtodothis
are
Reminding Members of Time Constraints When members dwell on a topic for too long, or
engageinirrelevantdiscussions,thechairpersonmustintervenetoremindmembersthattimeis
runningoutandrequestthemtoproceedtothenextitem
SummarizingandMovingOnWhenanitemontheagendahasbeenfullydiscussedbutthe
discussion rambles on, the chairperson can quickly summarize the ideas, acknowledge the
contributionsandmentionthenextitemtobediscussed.
Example I think we have generated a sufficient number of excellent, creative ideas for the
advertisingcampaign.Maybeweshouldmoveontodiscussthemediaplan.
Postponing Discussion of Irrelevant Ideas Sometimes, participants may waste time by
coming up with ideas that are not relevant to the topic being discussed. In this case, the
chairperson should befirm but polite, by appreciating the idea and promising todiscuss it after
themeeting.
1. Ensuring Convergence Convergence means hearing the points of view of all the
members and then arriving at a decision. It is again the responsibility of the chairperson to
bringthemeetingtoapointwhereanopinionemergesoneachitemoftheagenda.
2. Summing Up This means summing up the different points of view, the decisions and the
actionstobetaken.Thisshouldbedonebythechairperson,identifyingtheroleofeachperson
oneachitemoftheagenda,alongwithaspecifieddeadline.
144
Example Chris will take the responsibility of contacting the media and sending material for
advertisementsandpressreleasesbyMarch13
th
.
7.ConcludingtheMeetingThewayameetingisconcludedisasimportantastheopening,since
it will influence the followup action taken on decisions made during the meeting. The chairperson
shouldknowwhenandhowtoconcludethemeeting.
The meeting should normally be concluded at the scheduled closing time, unless important issues
still remain to be discussed and members are willing to extend the meeting. Sometimes meetings
may be concluded before the closing time, when key decision makers are not present, or when
importantinformationsuchascostfiguresarenotavailable.
Therearedifferentwaysofconcludingameeting.Onewayistosignalandindicatehowmuchtime
isremaining,sothatthegroupcanwrapupthediscussions.Anotherwayistosummarizewhathas
been discussed and decided and to mention the followup action to be taken. The role and
responsibilityofeachmembercanalsobementioned,sothateveryoneisclearaboutwhatistobe
done after the meeting. An important point to be remembered is to retain the goodwill of the
participants, by thanking them for their contributions. Members who have made significant
contributionsshouldbeacknowledgedindividually.
Example I must thank all of you for coming up with so many wonderful ideas for making this
inauguration a success. A special thanks to Chris for negotiating and getting a good deal on the
officeequipment.AndtoPatfortheexcellentdesignofthenewofficefloorplan.
8. Keeping Minutes of the Meeting Since meetings are called to take important decisions
concerning the organization, it is important to maintain a permanent written record of the
proceedings,whichcanbereferredtoatalaterstage,orserveasaguideforaction.Sucharecord
isknownasminutesofthemeetingandmaybedoneinaninformalorformalmanner,depending
onthetypeofmeeting.
In the case of routine meetings, minutes are written in an informal manner, in the form of a broad
summary of the proceedings. On theother hand, minutesfor more formal meetings such as board
and shareholder meetings are written in a specific format, recording the names and views of the
145
differentparticipants.Theminutesmayberecordedbyanyoneofthemeetingparticipants.Asample
formatforminutesforformalmeetingsisshownbelow
Sofarwehavebeendiscussinghowameetingshouldbeconductedfromthe
Sofar,wehavelookedathowmeetingsshouldbeconductedfroma
chairpersons perspective. We will now look at how participants of a meeting should conduct
themselves. There is a meeting etiquette, or code of conduct that needs to be followed by
participants.
1.BebriefandtothepointItisimportanttofocusonthetopicmentionedintheagendaandto
rememberthatthereisatimelimitforthemeeting.Donotdominateameetingbyspeakingmore
thanwhatisnecessaryanddonotengageinirrelevantdiscussions.
FormatforMinutes
MEETINGDATE_____________TIME_________PLACE_________________
PURPOSE____________________________CHAIR_______________________
PRESENT__________________________________________________________
ABSENT___________________________________________________________
ITEMNO.SUMMARYACTION
BYWHENWHO
1
2
3
MINUTEDBY__________________COPIEDTO________________________
NEXTMEETINGDATE___________TIME_______PLACE______________
146
2.DonotsaysomethingforthesakeofitParticipationinameetingdoesnotmeanjustsaying
something,whetheritisrelevantornot.
3.ContributetoaddvalueAddingvaluemaybedonebyexpressinganewidea,through
constructivedisagreement(e.g.,whynotdoitthiswayinstead?),byendorsinganotherpersons
opinion(e.g.,Iagreewithyou)orbyseekingclarification(e.g.,Canyouexplainthatagain?).
4.GivecreditwhereitisdueItisgoodmeetingetiquettetoappreciatesomeoneelsesidea,if
youthinkitisgood.
5.KeepanopenmindtofacilitateconvergenceDontimposeyourownideasonothers.Give
othersachancetoexpresstheirideas,sothatdifferentviewpointsemergeonasingleissue.
6.DonotinterruptIfyouwishtosaysomething,alwayssignalthisbyraisingyourhandpolitelyat
asuitablejuncture.
7.AlwaysaddressthechairpersonAvoidbilateraltalksandminimeetings,ordiscussions
withotherparticipants,aswellasspeakinginanotherlanguage.Addressyourquestionstothe
chairperson.
8.UsetoolsandtechnologywithcareAsmentionedearlier,meetingstodaycanbenonfaceto
face,thankstotechnologicaladvances.Whenusingfacilitiessuchasinternalmessaging,
teleconferencingandvideoconferencing,remembertobebriefandtoavoidusingthetoolforitsown
sake.
Matchthefollowing
1.NominalGroupTechniquea.Minimeeting
2.Convergenceb.Outlineofmeeting
147
3.Minutes c.Unbiased
4.Meetingetiquetted.Permanentrecord
5.Openingthemeetinge.Differentviewpoints
8.5 AfterTheMeeting
Ameetingthatproceedssmoothlywillstillnotbesuccessful,unlessproperfollowupmeasuresare
takentoensurethatthegoalsarefullyaccomplished.Followupmayinvolvethefollowingsteps
1. Plan for the Next meeting Very few meetings are conclusive and cover all the items in the
agenda completely. It is the chairpersons responsibility to make a note of the items that have not
beendiscussed and to schedule thenext meeting,along withafreshagenda. Allparticipants must
beinformedthatafollowupmeetingisbeingplanned.
2. Check Progress on Followup Actions Members of the meeting may have been assigned
different responsibilities and deadlines for completion of tasks. Therefore, it is important to monitor
theirprogresseverynowandthen,afterthemeetingisover,toensurethatthedeadlinesaremet.
3.DoYourOwnGroundworkApartfrommonitoringtheprogressofmeetingparticipants,itisalso
importantthatyouasthechairpersonfinishanypendingworkbeforethenextmeeting.
8.6CommonMistakesMadeAtMeetings
Sincemeetingsarepronetosomuchinefficiency,itwouldberelevanttoroundoff
thisunitwithalistofcommonmistakestoavoid,bothfromachairpersonsaswell
asaparticipantsperspective.
1.LackofStructureMeetingsshouldbestructuredintermsofanagendabeing
senttoparticipantsinadvance,thediscussionbeinginitiatedbyaspecificperson
andthechairpersonensuringthatdifferentpointsofviewemerge.Alooselystructured
meetingwillnotbesuccessful.
2.NoGoalsorAgendaItwaspointedoutearlierthatameetingwithoutanagenda
148
lacksdirection.
3.NoPremeetingOrientationThisisthejobofthechairperson.Membersmustbe
briefedonhowtoprepareforthemeeting.
4.InadequatePreparationThisisamistakemadebymemberswhoattendthemeeting
withoutpreparation.
5.NotFocusingontheSubjectThisisacommonmistakemadebyparticipants
whodiscussmattersthatarenotrelevanttothemeeting.
6.MeetingsthatareTooLongThechairpersonmusttrytoavoidthis,byensuring
adherencetothetimelimit.
7.DisorganizedMeetingsAgain,thisisthechairpersonsresponsibilitytoseethatthe
meetingiswellorganized.
8.InconclusiveMeetingsThechairpersonmusthearoutallthepointsofviewand
thenarriveatadecision.
9.IneffectiveLeadershipThisisthefaultofthechairperson,iforshehefailsto
givedirectiontothemeeting..
10. TimeWastedParticipantsmayengageinunrelateddiscussionsandthe
chairpersonmaybeinefficientatmanagingtime.
11.DominatingtheDiscussionAfewmembersmayspeakallthetime,whileothers
remainsilent.
12.NoFollowupActionThemeetingmayproceedsatisfactorily,butnothingis
doneafterthemeetingeitherbythechairpersonortheparticipants,toensurethat
themeetinggoalsareaccomplished.
FillintheBlanks
1.Afterthemeeting,followupmustbedonebythe___________________and
the___________________________.
2.Ameetingwithoutanagendaandconvergenceisameetingthatlacks
______________________.
3.Ameetingwherethereareunrelateddiscussionsisonewhichlacks
_________________.
149
4.Meetingsareefficientlyconductedwhentheyare___________________and
_____________________.
5.Meetingsareineffectivewhen___________________arenotmade.
8.7 Summary
Business executives spend a good deal of time on the job attending different types of meetings.
Meetingsfallintofourbroadcategories
Taskorientedmeetings
Informationsharingmeetings
Progressmeetings
Problemsolvingmeetings
Meetingsneedtobeplannedinadvanceandinvolvealotofgroundwork.Themostimportanttaskto
beaccomplishedbeforethemeetingistoprepareacomprehensiveagenda,oralistoftopicstobe
covered. Ideally, an agenda should also include the time, duration, location, list of participants and
the specific goals of the meeting. Participants shouldalso be briefedon how to come preparedfor
themeeting.
Conductingameetingisessentiallytheresponsibilityofthechairperson.Thisincludesthefollowing
steps
Openingthemeetingbyrepeatingtheagendaandgoals,givingbackgroundinformationand
outlininghowthemeetingwillrun.
Encouragingparticipationofallthemembersthroughtechniquessuchasparticipationinreverse
orderofseniority,nominalgrouptechnique,memberstakingturns,overheadanddirect
questions.
Managingtime
Keepingthemeetingfocused
Ensuringconvergence
Summingup
150
Concludingthemeetingbyindicatingthetimelimit,summarizingdecisionsandactionsand
acknowledgingcontributions
Keepingminutesofthemeeting
Participantsofameetingneedtofollowacodeofconductormeetingetiquette,whichincludesthe
following
Bebriefandtothepoint
Donotdominate
Speaktoaddvalue
Appreciateothersideas
Keepanopenmind
Avoidinterrupting
Avoidminimeetings
Afterthemeeting,alotofgroundworkisneeded,suchaspreparationforfuturemeetings,monitoring
theactivitiesofmembersandensuringthatdeadlinesaremet.
Mostmeetingsarepronetocommonerrorssuchasthefollowing
Lackofstructure
Lackofanagenda
Nopremeetingorientationandpreparation
Startinglateandexceedingthetimelimit
Lackoffocus
Lackoforganization
Noconclusion
Individualsdominatingdiscussions
Noproperfollowup
Poorleadership
Toomanyinterruptions
151
TerminalQuestions
1. Imagine that Sikkim Manipal University is considering restructuring its MBA program. You have
been selected to chair a committee to represent the students viewpoints. Decide who the
committeememberswillbeandprepareanagendaforthefirstmeetingofthecommittee.
2. Choose a sector or industry which is of interest to you. Conduct an interview with a couple of
businessexecutivesinthatsector,tofindoutthefollowing1)Whattypesofmeetingsaremost
common in their workplace? 2) How effectively are these meetings conducted? 3)What are the
commonmistakesmadeduringthesemeetings?
3. Explainthepurposeofkeepingminutesofameeting.Whatgoesintothecontentsofminutesofa
meeting?
1. False
2. False
3. True
4. False
5. False
1. c
2. e
3. d
4. a
5. b
1. Chairpersonparticipants/members
2. Structure
3. Focus
4. Organized/conclusive/structured/focused
5. Decisions
152
1. Refer8.3
2. Refer8.2,8.4,8.6
3. Refer8.3
InternalBusinessCommunication WritingMemos,CircularAndNotices Unit9
153
Unit9InternalBusinessCommunicationWritingMemos,
CircularsAndNotices
Structure
9.1 Introduction
Objectives
9.2 WhatisaMemo?
9.2.1 PrinciplesofPrecisWriting
9.2.2 ComponentsandFormatofaMemo
9.2.3 LanguageofaMemo
9.3 CircularsandNotices
9.4 Summary
TerminalQuestions
AnswerstoSAQsandTQs
9.1Introduction
In the previous unit, wedealt with an importantform oforal communication withintheorganization,
namely, meetings. Written communication within the organization is equally important, especially
whenthingshavetobekeptonpermanentrecord,informationhastobeannouncedandinstructions
have to be given to subordinates by superiors. In this unit, we will discuss some of the written
communicationmedia,includingmemos,circularsandnotices,whichareusedtocommunicatewith
employeeswithinanorganization.Weshalldefinethespecificpurposeofeachofthesemedia,and
offerguidelinesforwritingthem,alongwiththeappropriateformatstobeused.
LearningObjectives:
1. Appreciatetheneedforwrittencommunicationwithintheorganization
2. Understandthefunctionsofmemos,circularsandnotices
154
3. Writememos,circularsandnotices.
9.2WhatIsAMemo?
The word memo is a short form for memorandum, which is derived from the Latin word which
means a thing which must be remembered. It is also referred to as an inter office
memorandum, since it is used primarily as a tool for communicating within the organization.
Thememoisessentiallyacondensedorabriefreport,thatcanbeusedtoconveyinformationand
decisions, or to make short requests to coworkers, superiors and subordinates. It is relatively
informalinstyle,comparedtolettersandlongreports,andisunpretentiousandconcise.
Itisimportantforthebusinessexecutivetoknowhowtowritecondensedreportsormemos.Often,
business executives may also be asked to condense business articles for their superiors. This is
essentially the same as prcis writing, where an article is condensed to one fourth its size,
withoutlosingtheessenceormeaning.Thecondensedarticlecouldthenbeputinmemoformat
andsenttothesuperior.
Givenitsimportance,weshallbrieflydiscusshowtowriteaprcis.
9.2.1PrinciplesOfPrecisWriting
Asmentioned,prciswritingisregularlydonebymanyassistantsoftopexecutives,tohelpthemin
keepingupwiththeirbusinessreading.Therearethreemainprinciplesofprciswriting,whichmay
bereferredtoasthethreeCsofprciswriting.Theyare
1. CondensationThismeansthattheprcisshouldbeabrief,shortenedversionoftheoriginal
article.Ingeneral,theprcisshouldbeonefourththelengthoftheoriginal.
2. Comprehension While it is important to reduce the article to one fourth its size, the article
shouldnotloseitsmeaningintheprocessofdoingthis.Itshouldbeaseasytounderstandthe
condensedarticleasitistounderstandtheoriginalarticle.
3. CoverageIntheprocessofcondensingthearticle,allthemainpointsorideasintheoriginal
articleshouldberetainedandadequatelycovered,sothattheshortenedarticlecomesacrossas
complete.
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Preciswritingrequiresalotofskillandisnotjustaboutchoppingsentencesandwordstoreducethe
lengthalone.AllthethreeCsareequallyimportantforaprcistobemeaningfulandreadable.A
perfectly condensed article is of no value, if it cannot be understood. Similarly, an article which is
perfectlyunderstoodbutwhichomitssomekeyideasisnotofmuchuse,sinceitdoesnotreflectthe
original.
Awriterneedstolookforthefollowing,inordertofulfilthethreeCsofprciswriting
MainThemeWhatisthearticleabout?Thisisusuallyindicatedinthecaptionitself,e.g.,The
Future of the Indian Auto Industry. If not, it is important to read the article fully and grasp the
maintheme.
Components These are the main ideas, or the ideas used to support the main theme. For
example,thefactthatthegrowthoflightcommercialvehiclesisatrendwhichislikelytocontinue
in the future may be considered as one of the components or main ideas, since it will have a
bearingonthefutureoftheautoindustry.
ElementsThesearethekeywordsthatareusedtoexpressthemainideas.Forexample,the
numberoflightcommercialvehicleshasincreasedfourfoldinurbanandsuburbanareasthis
year,comparedtothelastyear.Thewordsinboldarethekeywords.
Onceaprcishasbeenwritten,itmaybewritteninamemoformat,asintheexamplegivenbelow
156
SAMPLEPRECISINMEMOFORMAT
TO: TheVPMarketing
FROM: MarketingExecutive
DATE: March10
th
,2008
SUBJECT: TheChangingFaceofCustomerRelationshipManagement
Asdiscussedduringourlastmeeting,Ihavesummarizedarecentarticleonthecurrentstatusof
CRM,foryourreview.
CRM Megatrend,TrendorFad?
In 2000, CRM was the buzzword in marketing circles. It was predicted to be a revolutionary
technologythatwouldhavealastingimpactonbusinessinthelongrun.
However,asCRMsoftwarevendorsrevenuegrowthsloweddown,theforecastsbecameless
optimistic.ThisgaverisetodoubtsastowhetherCRMwasjustapassingphenomenon.
ChangingUserPatterns
In 2002, CRM seemed to gather momentum again, as companies reported significant
improvements as a direct result of using the technique. However, CRM users no longer
adopteditwithoutquestioningandwithoutspecificgoals.Thecompanysseniormanagement
had to be convinced about the longterm benefits. CRM was implemented only after an in
depthcostbenefitanalysis.
ShiftingVendorsFocus
From the CRM vendors viewpoint, there was a shift in emphasis from the technological
aspects to the functional aspects when approaching users. This meant that CRM developers
were more concerned with identifying the specific problems of top managers in different
functional areasand with offering customized solutions. CRM solutions were also tailormade
fordifferentindustries.Besides,thetoolswerealsospecializedtosuitspecificprocesses.
WhattheFutureHolds
CRMisexpectedtopickupfurtherintheyearstocome.Itwillcontinuetoevolve,bothfroma
users and a vendors viewpoint. While users will become more discerning in their approach,
onlythosevendorswhocancatertoacrosssectionofrequirementswilldominate.Ultimately,
itwillbethesurvivalofthefittest.
157
Intheaboveprcis,themainthemeiscontainedinthesubjectlineTheChangingFaceofCRM.
Thecomponents,orthemainideasareexpressedbythedifferentparagraphs,eachwithasubhead.
Someofthekeywordsthatareusedtoexpresstheseideasarerevolutionarytechnology,long
term benefits, indepth costbenefit analysis, functional aspects, customized solutions and
survivalofthefittest..
Notethattheprcisiswritteninaonepagememoformat.Thisbringsustothenextsectiononthe
componentsandformatofamemo.
1.Amemoisusedonlyforupwardcommunication.
2.OneofthethreeCsofprciswritingisComponents.
3.Unlikearegularreport,thememoisbriefandinformal.
9.2.2ComponentsAndFormatOfAMemo
Asshownintheexampleabove,amemoisabrief,onepageormaximumtwopagereport,and
includesthefollowingcomponents
1.Header Thiscompactblockofinformationwhichappearsatthetopofthememoincludesthe
To,From,DateandSubjectheadings,whichissimilartothetitlepageofalonger,moreformal
report.
The To heading should mention the name of the receiver or the primary target audience. In the
aboveexample,thisistheMarketingVP.TheFromheadingshouldincludethenameofthesender
orwriterofthememo(MarketingExecutive).TheSubjectlineshouldincludethespecificpurpose
ofthememo(thetitleoftheprcisintheaboveexample).Thishelpsthewriterinthedevelopmentof
themessageandletsthereaderknowwhatthememoisallabout.
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2. Body This is the text of the memo which contains the details and major topics. Unlike as in
letters,thememoneednothaveaformalsalutation(Dear).Unlikeaformalreportwhichhastobe
completelyobjective,personal pronouns such as I and youare acceptable in a memo,as in the
opening sentenceof the memoshownabove. This is becausea memo is purelyfor internaluse in
theorganization.
3. Close/Action Unlike formal letters, memos need not include a formal close ( e.g. Sincerely)
andasignatureline.However,unlessthepurposeofthememoisjusttoinform,thereshouldbea
clearcallforaction.Forexample,Irequestyoutoreviewmyproposalandtograntapproval.
4. c.c. This is an abbreviation for Carbon Copy. Sometimes a copy of the memo may go to
anotherperson(s).Thisisindicatedbyc.c.,followedbythename(s)oftheperson(s).
Amemomayfollowoneoftwotypesofformats,dependingonitsnatureandpurposea)Thedirect
organizational plan or deductive organization and b) The indirect organizational plan or inductive
organization.
a)DirectOrganizationalPlanThisformatisusedwhenamemoispurelyinformational,asinthe
exampleshownabove.Sincethepurposeisonlytoconveyinformation,thepurposeismentioned
rightattheoutsetandallthedetailsarepresentedrightaway.Itisalsousedsometimeswhenthe
purpose of the memo is to persuade. This is appropriate when you are sure that your proposal or
requestwillbeacceptedwithoutanyresistance.Inthiscase,thewriterwillmaketherequestrightat
thebeginningandthenlistoutthereasons.
Anexampleofapersuasivememothatiswrittenfollowingthedirectorganizationalplanordeductive
organizationisshownbelow
159
In the above example, the sales manager is confident that his request for strengthening the sales
forcewillbegranted,sinceithasobviousbenefits.Therefore,therequestismaderightattheoutset,
followedbythereasons.
b) Indirect Organizational Plan or Inductive Organization This type of memo format is
appropriatewhenthepurposeofthememoistopersuade,butwhenthewriterfeelsthatthereader
mightobjecttotherequestortheproposal.Therefore,thewriterwilltrytoconvincethereaderby
TO : TheMarketingManager
FROM : TheSalesManager
DATE : March10
th
,2008
SUBJECT: Increaseinthenumberofsalespersons
Based on myexperience and knowledgeofterritory X,for which Iam responsible, I
feel that an increase in the salesforce will yield a positive growth rate. Therefore, I
wouldliketorecommendthatweincreasethenumberofsalespersonsfrom10to15,
soastoreachmorenumberofprospectivecustomers.
I have done an indepth analysis of the current market situation in territory X .
Although several new entrants and our existing competitors have done well, we
continuetoenjoyagoodreputationinthemarket.Althoughthecurrentrateofgrowth
isdisappointing,thefuturemarketpotentialisenormous,pointingtowardsapositive
growth.
Strengtheningthesalesforcewillbeadvantageousforthefollowingreasons
Increasesthereachofthecompanytothecustomers
Increasesthefrequencyofcallsmade
Givesusanedgeoverthecompetition
Inviewoftheabovelongtermbenefitstothecompany,Irequestyoutoconsidermy
proposalandtograntapproval.
160
presenting the reasons first and then make the request or recommendation right at the end. An
exampleofamemowrittenusingthisformatisgivenbelow
Notethatintheabovememo,thewriterdelayshisrequestorproposaltotheendandjustifiesthe
needforabiggeradvertisingbudgetfirst,bylistingoutthereasons.Sinceheissuggestingthatthe
budgetbedoubled,heisnotsureiftherequestwillbegranted.Thatiswhytheindirect
organizationalplanisusedinsteadofthedirectplan.Unlikethedirectplan,thesubjectlinedoesnot
revealtherealpurposeofthememo,whichisarequestfordoublingtheadvertisingbudget.
TO : TheVPMarketing
FROM : TheAdvertisingManager
DATE : March11
th
,2008
SUBJECT : Reviewofadvertisingcampaign
An analysis of our latest sales reports has revealed that territory X, for which I am
responsible,isahighlyprofitableone.Thisterritoryhasbeencontributingtothebulk
ofourcompanyssalesoverthelastoneyear.Theannualadvertisingbudgetforour
productsbeingsoldinterritoryXiscurrentlyRs.50lakhs.
Althoughouradvertisinghasbeensatisfactory,itneedstobereviewedforthe
followingreasons
Morefrequentadvertisingisneededtoimproveawarenesslevelsofour
products,whicharestillnewtothemarket.
Advertisingisaninvestmentandneedstobesustainedoveralongterm,in
ordertobuildourbrand.
Buildingapositivebrandimagethroughadvertisingcanhelpbuildlongterm
brandloyalty.
Fastmovingconsumergoodssuchasoursrequireahigherpercentageof
salesspentonadvertising,duringtheintroductorystage.
Weneedtospendanamountonadvertisingthatiscomparabletoourclosest
competitorintheregion.
Inviewofthelongtermbenefitsofadvertising,Iwouldliketorecommenddoubling
ouradvertisingbudgetinterritoryXtoRs.1croreayear.Irequestyoutoconsider
myproposalandtograntapproval.
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9.2.3LanguageAndWritingStyleOfAMemo
Sinceamemoisashort,informalreport,thefollowingpointshavetoberememberedregardingthe
languageandstylethatisused
BeconciseItisimportanttobebriefandtothepoint,sothatthememodoesnotexceedtwo
pagesinlength.Makethesentencesandparagraphsshort,limiteachparagraphtofivelinesor
lessandusebulletpointswhereverpossible.Ifyouaregivingreasons,numberthem,orputthem
inseparateparagraphswithdoublelinespacing.Otherwiseusesinglelinespacingbetween
lines.
UseactivenotpassivevoiceAsmentionedearlier,useofpersonalpronounsandactivevoice
ispermittedinamemo,unlikeaformalreportwherethepassivevoiceshouldbeusedforthe
sakeofobjectivity.Inotherwords,itisappropriatetosayforexamplethatBasedonmy
experience,I feelthatthebudgetisnotadequate.
UsesimplelanguageInanearlierunit,theimportanceofusingsimpleEnglishwas
emphasized.Useshort,uncomplicatedwordsandavoidtryingtoimpressbyusingunnecessary
jargonandtechnicalterms.
AvoidgivingtoomanyreasonsAlthoughitisimportanttoprovideajustificationwhenyou
makearequest,ortrytopersuadesomeonetodosomething,donotoverdoit.Ingeneral,a
readercanonlyabsorbamaximumofsixorsevenreasonsatonce.Therefore,donotoverstate
yourreasons.
ClosewithacallforactionDonotleavethereaderhanging.Ifyouwishtopersuadehimto
acceptyourrequestorrecommendation,youmustsaysoclearly,usingactionwordsand
indicatingatimeframeorlimit.Forexample,Iwouldliketodiscussthisinpersonwithyouand
getyourapprovalbeforetheendofthisweek.
162
MatchtheFollowing
1.Passivevoicea.Mainmessage
2.Directorganizationalplanb.Reasonsfirst
3.Persuasivememoc.Regularreports
4.Indirectorganizationalpland.Informationalmemo
5.SubjectLinee.Callforaction
9.3 CircularsandNotices
Like memos, circulars andnotices are also writtenforms of communication within the organization.
The difference between a circular and a notice is that circulars are announcements that are
distributed to small or selective groups of people within the organization, whereas notices are
meantforalargergroupofpeople.
Example If a manager wants to call a meeting of heads of departments, he will pass around a
circularonlytotheheads,requestingthemtoattendthatmeeting.
Ontheotherhand,noticesgenerallycontaininformationorannouncementsthataremeantforallthe
employeesofanorganization.
ExampleAlistofdeclaredholidaysforacalendaryearisanotice,sincetheinformationisrelevant
toallemployees.
Anoticeisthereforealegaldocumentthathastobeputuponanofficialnoticeorbulletinboard.
163
Letusexamineanotherexampleofacircularandanotice.
ImaginethatyouarethePresidentoftheStudentCommitteeinamanagementcollegeandwishto
holdameetingtoplanfortheAnnualManagementFestofthecollege.Youwillhavetosendsome
information to those whom you want to involve in organizing the Fest. You may not want all the
students to be involved initially, since it may take a lot of time and there may be too many
suggestions.Instead,youmaychoosetoinviteonlythecommitteememberstodiscussdetailssuch
as the date, venue, duration, how to get sponsors and so on. For this purpose, you may send a
circularonlytothestudentcommitteemembers,requestingthemtoattendthemeeting.
During the meeting, the date and venue may be finalized and various smaller committees may be
formed, such as a reception committee, stage committee and so on. You may also decide to get
eachstudenttocontributeanominalamountfortheFest.Inordertoannouncethesedetailsandto
askforstudentcontributions,youmaythenputupanoticeontheofficialcollegenoticeboard,which
allstudentscanseeandrespondto.
Asamplecircularandnoticearegivenbelow
TO :AllDepartmentalHeads
CIRCULAR
SafetyAspectsinScienceLaboratories
Thepurposeofthiscircularistoemphasizetheimportanceofsafetyinresearch
laboratories.Alllaboratorysupervisorsareresponsibleforthesafetyofresearch
scientists in their charge. It is their duty to draw their attention toany safety hazard
thatpertainstoaparticularactivity.Inthiscontext,supervisorsshouldbefamiliar
withrelevantguidelinesonlaboratorysafetyandtheyshouldbecarefulatalltimes
toobservestandardsafetyprocedures,whenpracticalactivitiesarebeingconducted
inthelaboratory.
Please bring this circular to the notice of the supervisors concerned and to the
notice
of the representatives as appropriate, for transmission to individual research less
spacescientists.
GeneralManager HR
March11
th
,2008
164
Notethatacircular,likeamemoisbriefandtothepoint.Ithasacaptionthatindicatesthemessage
tobeconveyed,Likeamemo,thereisnoformalsalutationorclose.
Theabovenoticeismeantforallemployeesoftheorganization.Ithasareferencenumber,dateand
a subject, similar to a memo. The notice covers two different issues related to one subject.
Employees are first informed that a holiday has been declared to celebrate Manipal Family Day.
Thenthesamenoticementionsadifferentworkingdaytocompensateforthisholiday.
Sometimes, under special circumstances, notices may also be sent to individual employees. An
example of this type of notice is the Show Cause Notice, which is sent when an employee is
foundtobeguiltyofmajormisconduct.Thenoticementionstheallegationsagainsttheemployee
andasksforawrittenexplanationwithinaspecifiedtime,failingwhichtheactionthatwouldbetaken
againsthim/her(e.g.,beingsuspendedfromthejob)isstated.
Notices are read by a large number of people and can also be used as evidence in court cases.
Therefore, care must be taken when writing them. They have to be worded very precisely and
clearly,tomakesurethatthereisnoambiguity.Theyshouldalsobebriefandtothepoint.Thetone
should be firm, but not offensive and arrogant. Depending on the type of notice, the duration of
displayofanoticeisspecifiedundervariouslegalprovisions.
MANIPALUNIVERSALLEARNINGMarch11
th
,2008
ManipalTowers,BangaloreREF:ADM/N/4499
NOTICE
Sub:ManipalFamilyDayCelebrations
ThisistoinformallemployeesofMULthataManipalFamilyDaycelebrationwillbe
heldatManipalCountyonFridayMarch14
th
,between10amand7pm.Apickup
anddropbackfacilityisbeingorganizedforallemployeesandtheirfamilymembers.
Inviewofthecelebrations,thiswillbeaholiday.Instead,Saturday,March15
th
willbe
aworkingdaytocompensateforthisholiday.Allareencouragedtoattendandmake
theeventasuccess.
SENIORMANAGER,HR
165
1.A_________________________isatypeoflegaldocument.
2.Acommonpurposeofnoticesandcircularsisto__________________,ratherthan
____________________________.
3.A___________________________noticeisanexampleofanoticesentto
individualemployees.
9.4Summary
This unit dealt with the different written media used in internal business communication, namely,
memos,circularsandnotices.
Amemo,whichisashortformformemorandum,isalsoreferredtoasaninterofficememo,since
itspurposeistocommunicatetopeers,superiorsandsubordinateswithintheorganization.Amemo
isacondensedformofareportandcanbeusedtopassoninformation,giveinstructionsandmake
decisions. Writing a memo is similar to prcis writing, or condensing an article to one fourth its
length.
The principles of precis writing also apply to memo writing. These principles are referred to as the
threeCs,namely
Condensationorreductionoftheoriginalarticle.
Comprehensionorretentionoftheessenceoftheoriginalarticle
Coverageorinclusionofallthemainideas.
A prcis maybe written in a memoformat. Businessexecutivesoften summarize business articles
and send them in memo format to their superiors, to help them to keep up with their business
reading.
A memo should be a maximum of two pages in length and include the following standard
components
HeaderwithTo,From,DateandSubjectlines
Bodywithmainpoints
166
Acallforaction,inthecaseofapersuasivememo.
Memosaregenerallyoftwotypesinformationalmemosandpersuasivememos.
A memo may be written in one of two formats 1) Direct organizational plan or deductive
organizationand2)Indirectorganizationalplanorinductiveorganization.
A memo whose main purpose is to inform, is written following the direct organizational plan.
Sometimes, a persuasive memo is also written in this format, when the writer is confident that his
request will be granted. On the other hand, a persuasive memo where the writer feels that his
request may not be accepted easily, should be written following the indirect organizational plan. In
thiscase,thereasonsorjustificationfortherequestarestatedfirst,followedbytheactualrequest.
Circularsaresenttosmallorselectivegroupswithintheorganization.Theyarewritteninthesame
wayasmemosandmustbebriefandtothepoint.Noticesaredisplayedonofficialnoticeboardsand
aremeantforlargergroups,usuallyallemployeesoftheorganization.Occasionally,noticesmaybe
sent to individual employees in the form of Show Cause Notices, asking for an explanation for
misconductandmentioningtheactionthatcouldbetaken.
TerminalQuestions
1.Selectanarticleofabout400wordsfromanybusinesspublicationandprepareaprcis,
reducingittoonefourthitslength.
2.Asamanagementtrainee,youhaveconductedanemployeesatisfactionsurvey.Writea
persuasivememotoyourboss,requestinghim/hertoacceptyoursuggestionsbasedonthe
findingsofthesurvey.
3.Prepareabriefnoticetobeputuponofficialnoticeboards,informingemployeesofyour
organizationaboutanewlyintroduced,officialbusservice.
167
1. False
2. False
3. True
1. c
2. d
3. e
4. b
5. a
1. Notice
2. Informpersuade
3. Showcause
1.Refer9.2.1
2.Refer9.2.2
3.Refer9.3
INTERNALBUSINESSCOMMUNICATION ELECTRONICMEDIAANDSHAREHOLDERCOMMUNICATION UNIT10
SIKKIMMANIPALUNIVERSITY
168
Unit10InternalBusinessCommunicationElectronicMedia
AndShareholderCommunication
Structure
10.1 Introduction
Objectives
10.2 WhatisanIntranet?
10.2.1AdvantagesandDisadvantagesofIntranet
10.3 CommunicatingthroughEmail
10.3.1 PrinciplesofEmailCommunication
10.3.2 EmailEtiquette
10.4 CommunicationwithShareholders
10.5Summary
TerminalQuestions
AnswerstoSAQsandTQs
10.1Introduction
In the previous unit, we discussed communication with employees through written channels,
includingmemos,circularsandnotices.Today,theadventofcomputersandtheinternethasenabled
muchquickercommunicationwithemployeesandspeedierdecisionmaking.Evensmallcompanies
have access to email and the intranet, which have made memos, circulars and notices almost
outdated. In this unit, these two electronic media for internal business communication will be
discussed,includingtheiradvantagesanddisadvantagesandtheprinciplesofcommunication.
Apartfromemployees,shareholdersarealsoimportantinternalstakeholders,asmentionedinoneof
theearlierunits.Partofthisunitwillfocusonthereasonsforcommunicationwithshareholdersand
themediausedtocommunicatewiththem
169
LearningObjectives:
1. Understandthemeaningandpurposeofanintranet
2. Appreciatetheadvantagesandproblemsinusinganintranet.
3. Communicatemoreeffectivelythroughemail.
4. Practicetheprinciplesofelectroniccommunication
5. Understandwhyshareholdersareimportantstakeholders
10.2WhatIsAnIntranet?
An intranet is similar to a website, except that it is an internal network that is exclusive to a
particularorganization.Thismeansthatonlyemployeesoftheorganizationwillhaveaccesstoit.
This is as opposed to an extranet, which is also an internal or private website, but where
access privileges are also extended to external stakeholders of the company, such as
customers,suppliers,partnersandothers.
Although the intranet is better suited for large organizations where distributing information is an
enormous task, a number of smaller companies today are also using this form of internal
communication.
Simplydefined,theintranetisatoolfordistributingandsharinginformationofdifferenttypeswithin
the company. For example, weekly reports, goals, human resources related information such as
employee benefits and declared holidays, interactive forms, vacation requests, supply orders,
companypoliciesandevenmemosandnoticescanbepostedontheintranet.
Apartfromlargeorganizations,theintranetisparticularlysuitedforvirtualcompaniesthathaveonly
anonline presence, as wellas companies withfrequently travelingemployeesandoffsite workers,
sincecommunicatingwithsuchemployeesbecomesachallenge.
10.2.1 AdvantagesAndDisadvantagesOfIntranet
Likeanyothertool,theintranethasitsadvantagesandlimitations.Someoftheprimaryadvantages
are
DiscouragesgrapevineGrapevine,ortheinformalcommunicationnetworkwasdiscussed
in one of the earlier units. Although grapevine can be useful, it also leads to rumors, in the
170
absenceofinformationpassedonthroughtheformalcommunicationnetwork.Whenemployees
are misinformed, they become dissatisfied and demotivated. Using the intranet as an official
channel to post information for all employees to see discourages gossip and avoids creating a
transparencygap.
Facilitates premeeting discussion The intranet may be used to discuss and debate ideas
priortoameeting,sothatvaluablemeetingtimeisspentfocusingonlyonrelevantideas.
ExampleSupposeasalesteamoffivemembersarerequiredtomakeapresentationtotheVice
President Sales, on how to increase sales during the current year. Instead of each salesperson
makingalengthypresentationduringameetingandthengettinghisideasreviewedandapproved,a
discussion board can be created using the intranet, a few days before the meeting. The
salespersonscouldposttheirideasonthediscussionboardfortheVPtoreviewinadvance,sothat
only the most promising ideas are discussed during the meeting. This way, the salespersons can
comeintothemeetingmorefocused.
SavestimeTheintranetispaperlesscommunicationandisthereforeabigtimesaver.Alotof
unnecessarytimewastedonfillingoutforms,leaverequests,supplyorders,etc.,canbesaved
bydoingthisthroughtheintranet.
EmployeescangetinformationonofficialholidaysandotherHRrelatedinformation,without
havingtointeractwiththeHRmanager.
Is superior to email Sending some types of information through email can sometimes create
confusionandinformationoverload.Letustaketheaboveexampleofthesalesteammakinga
presentation on how to increase sales. If five salespersons each have three different ways in
which they could increase sales and start emailing multiple versions of their Power Point
presentationsfortheVPtoreview,itcouldleadtodisastrousresults.Instead,theycouldworkon
asharedfile,byusingtheintranet.Acentrallocationcouldbecreatedforthemostrecentfile.
171
Whiletheintranetsavesvaluabletimeandmoney,itisnotwithoutitsdownside.Beforeanintranet
canbesetup,alotofgroundworkneedstobedone.Youneedtodeterminewhatyouwantittodo
andhowemployeeswilluseit.Someofthedisadvantagesare
GettingstartedBuildinganintranettoyourspecificationscanbeexpensive.Aconsultantmay
havetobehiredtogiveitthedesiredlookandfeelandtomakesurethatitisuserfriendlyand
simpleenoughforallemployeestouse.
Developing and maintaining content Once it has been set up, someone has to be
responsible for maintaining and updating the information on a continuous basis. In small
organizations, it may be sufficient to appoint one person to do this. In larger organizations with
multiple departments, it may be necessary to appoint several persons to maintain and update
informationforthedifferentdepartments.
Thisbecomesacomplexandexpensivetask.
TrainingemployeesOnceithasbeensetup,employeeshavetobefamiliarizedandtrained
onhowtousetheintranet.Thisinvolvesinvestmentintimeandmoney.
ConvincingoldeconomyemployeesSomeemployeesmaynotbetechnologyorcomputer
savvyandmaybereluctanttousetheintranettoaccessinformation.Therefore,theymayhave
tobeconvincedaboutthebenefitsofusingthenewtechnology.
Thecasestudygivenbelowwillillustratehowanintranetshouldbedesignedand
usedasaneffectivecommunicationtool
172
1.Theintranetispartofaninformalcommunicationnetwork.
2.Theintranetcanbecustomizedtomeettheneedsofsmallercompanies.
3.Theintranetencouragesgrapevine.
4.Theintranetcanmakemeetingsmorefocused.
5.Theintranetinvolveshighinvestmentinmaintenanceandtraining.
THERANDLIBRARYINTRANET
The Rand Library is part of a nonprofit research institution based in Santa Monica,
California,USA,thatisinvolvedinhelpingtoimprovepolicyanddecisionmakingof
federal,stateandlocalgovernmentsthroughresearchandanalysis.
The RAND library intranet has been designed with the objective of being an
interactive tool that helps library staff and clients communicate regularly with each
other. Another objective is to constantly update the information available to its
customers.ThisdoesnotrequireanITspecialistandcanbedonebyanylibrarystaff
member.
Theirintranetcommunicationstrategyincludesthreecomponentsanupdatedhome
page, an email alert service and several email links. The home page contains the
librarylogoandamenu,whicharestandardcomponents,whilethebodyofthepage
ischangedatleastonceaweek.Thehomepageincludesinternetsitesthatmaybe
of value to their research staff, as well as announcements regarding library news,
newservicesandpolicychanges.
TheemailalertserviceincludesemaildistributionlistsfortopicssuchasHealthCare,
ScienceandTechnology.Oncesomeonehassignedupfortheemailalertservicefor
oneofthesetopics,theyreceiveregularemailpertainingtothesetopics.
Multiple email links are usedto make the communication two way. This means that
the clients can come to the intranet site and make requests for books, research
articlesand soon. They canalso clickon a ContactaLibrarian link that bringsup
thename,jobtitleandphotographofeachofthereferencelibrarians.
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10.3 CommunicatingThroughEmail
Althoughemailisatoolforexternalcommunication,itisalsoregularlyusedwithinanorganization,
in place of telephone and facetoface contact. This is because email is instantaneous and allows
you to send messages that others can pick up at their convenience. Besides, email also makes it
possible to send messages to people anywhere in the world and to people who are otherwise
impossibletoreach.
Whilethe otherforms of written communicationare highlyformal in nature, email is more informal
andspontaneous.Itisthereforeeasiertowriteanemailmessagethanitistowriteabusinessletter
or a report, where greater attention has to be paid to the language, styleand tone. Since email is
quick, easy to use and spontaneous, it can also help to improve personal relationships in the
workplace.
10.3.1 PrinciplesOfEmailCommunication
The principles of communicating through email are a little different from the principles of written
communication,sinceemailismoreinformalinnature.Weshalldiscusstheseinsomedetail
*WatchthecontentEmailmessagesarenotalwaysconfidentialandonecanneverbesurewho
willreadthem.Theminuteanemailmessageissent,multiplecopiesarecreatedonyourownPC
andserverandontherecipientsPCandserver.Thereisnowayofensuringthatthemessagewill
notbeforwardedtoothers.Sometimes,emailmessagescanevenbeusedasproofincourt.Oncea
messageissent,apermanentrecordiscreated.Therefore,itisalwayswisetoavoidwritinganything
negativeoroffensive.
Itisparticularlyimportanttowatchthecontentofofficialemailmessagessentusinganemployers
equipment. Since the employer has a right to read the message and is legally responsible for its
content,itmustbecarefullyworded.
* Pay attention to the tone The very nature of email communication can make the message
sound negative, abrupt and rude. For one thing, email lacks the personal quality of facetoface
communication, where body language and other nonverbal cues may be used to make the
communication more positive. Secondly, email messages have to be brief, using short words,
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sentencesandlackofsalutations.Briefmessagesmaybeinterpretedasbeingrudeandunfriendly.
Therefore, you must pay close attention to the tone of the message and ensure that you sound
friendly and courteous.Avoidusing humorandsarcasm which might be misunderstood, or sending
messageswhenyouareangryorannoyed.
* Include a specific subject line Your emailmessageshould always includea subject linethat
clearlymentionsthetopicoftheemail.Sincebusinessexecutivesreceiveseveralemailsaday,this
wouldhelpthemtodecidewhichmessagesaremostimportanttothem.Theywillalsohaveanidea
ofwhatthemessagecontains.
*PlaceimportantinformationfirstSincebusinessexecutivesdonothavetimetoreadlengthye
mail messages, it is agood idea toputall the important informationthat you want to convey in the
firstthreelinesofthemessage.Whetheryouareseekingaclarification,makingarequest,orgiving
instructions,itisbesttomentionthisrightattheoutset,sothatitisnoticed.
*ExplainattachmentsinthebodyoftheemailAttachmentstaketimetodownloadandshould
be sent along withanexplanation in thebody oftheemail,as to what they areall about. This will
make it easier for the recipient of the message to decide whether they should be opened or not.
Otherwiseitwillleadtounnecessarywasteoftime.
*UsethetoandccbuttoncarefullyThetoboxshouldbeusedonlytosendmessagesto
people who are responsible for doing something. The cc button is used when sending multiple
copiesofthesameemailmessagetootherrecipients,whoneedtobekeptinformedonaspecific
issue.Thisshouldbeusedwithcare,makingsurethatthemessageissentonlytotherightpersons.
It is important to respect privacy, since not everyone likes having their email address displayed to
others. Besides, sending a long list of email addresses can interfere with the reading of the main
message.
*Payattentiontobrevity,emphasisandwhitespaceThelook,appearanceandlanguageused
intheemailmessagecaninfluencethereadabilityofthemessage.Sometechniquesforenhancing
readability of email messages include short paragraphs ( six lines maximum), spacing between
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paragraphs,useofbulletpointsandnumbersforlists,useofparagraphcaptions,highlightingmain
pointsinboldtypeanduseofwhitespace.
* Use the WIFM rule WIFM stands for Whats In It For Me? and means that the benefits of
your message to the reader should be emphasized. This involves use of the second person
pronoun,you,ratherthanthefirstpersonpronounsIorme.Stressingontheyouattituderather
thanthemeattitudewasdiscussedinanearlierunit.
* Tidy up your mail box Email traffic can lead to your inbox becoming cluttered, with more
messages than you canhandle. It thenbecomes difficultto retrieve important messages when you
need them. It is therefore a good idea to clean up your mailbox regularly, by deleting unimportant
messages.Theimportantmessagesthatyouwanttorefertolatershouldbeputintoseparatetopic
folders.Everynowandthen,anyoutdatedmessagesinthetopicfoldersshouldalsobedeleted.
* Proofread your email message Just as it is important to proofread business reports, letters
andmemos,emailmessagesshouldalsobecheckedforspellingandgrammarmistakes,soasto
avoidanyembarrassment.
* Set aside time to check email Email should not become a substitute for facetoface
interactionattheworkplace,orcutintovaluabletimespentonotherimportantjobs.Itisagoodidea
todetermineatimeduringtheworkdaywhenyoucheckandrespondtoemailmessages.
10.3.2 EmailEtiquette
Similartomeetingetiquettewhichwediscussedinanearlierunit,thereisanetiquetteforwritinge
mailmessages,whichshouldbestrictlyfollowed
1.MindyourPsandQsTheserefertothethreemagicwords,Please,ThankYouand
Sorry. They are all the more important in email messages, which have to be extra polite and
friendly.
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2. Avoid shouting Shouting in an email message refers to use of all capital letters in the
text. All caps make it difficult to read a message and are therefore considered to be rude, like
shouting.
3. Avoid symbols and acronyms Symbolic messages using punctuation marks, known as
emoticons(forexample,:)forasmileyface!)shouldbeavoided,especiallyinbusinessrelatede
mail messages. Similarly, abbreviations such as BTW ( by the way) should be avoided since they
soundovercasualandmaynotbeunderstoodbyeveryone.
4. Use friendly salutations and signoffs Although these are not strictly required in email
communicationasinbusinessletters,asalutationsuchasDearJohnandasignoffsuchasWarm
Regards,helpstomakethetonefriendlyandpersonal.
5.RespondpromptlyInthecaseofbusinessrelatedemails,itisimportanttorespondpromptly,
especiallywhencommunicatingwithsuperiors.Evenifyouarehardpressedfortime,areoutoftown
oroutoftheoffice,youcansetanautomaticemailresponsetoyourreceivedmessages,whichwill
mentionthatyouwillberespondingindetailonaspecificdate.
6. Avoid personal messages at work Donotmakeuse of the officefacility to send personale
mail messages. Since confidentiality of the message is not guaranteed, it may lead to
embarrassmentlater.
7.AvoidsendingjunkmailDonotsendirrelevantmessagesormessagesthatarenotwork
related,topeopleatwork.Ifyouoverloadpeoplewiththiskindofmail,theywillnotpayattentionto
thereallyimportantmessages.
Emailshouldbeusedconstructivelyandjudiciously,tomeetyourgoalsattheworkplace
andtoenhanceyourperformanceonthejob.
Hereareafewcareertipsthatcanhelpyoutotakeadvantageofemail
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Matchthefollowing
1.WIFMprinciplea.Acronym
2.PsandQs b.Readerbenefits
3.Shoutingc.Bulletpointsandwhitespace
4.Readabilityd.Allcapitalletters
5.FYI e.Etiquette
10.4 CommunicationWithShareholders
Shareholdersareimportantinternalstakeholdersofanorganization,sincetheyaretheownersofthe
company. Since the capital required is huge, there are no proprietors and partners any more. As
organizations grow, shareholding is widely scattered. Therefore, it is essential to retain the
SOMEDOSOFEMAIL
Useemailwhen
1.Youwishtobeapartofanetworkwhereyoucanshareinformationandreceive
informationfromothers.
2.Youwanttocontactimportantpeoplequicklyandsavetimespentinmeetings.
3. You want to send information to a large number of people located across the
globe.
4.YouwanttoestablishaprofessionalimageYourlanguageandwritingstyleon
electronic media can say a lot about you, just like your dress and outward
appearance.Watchyourspelling,grammarandusageofEnglish.
5.Youwanttocutthroughhierarchyandspeedupteamprojects.
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shareholdersconfidenceinthecompanysmanagement,througheffectivecommunicationwiththem
onaregularbasis.
Therearetwosituationswhenshareholdercommunicationisextremelyvital
1.Ifacompanyisdoingwellandwantstoexpanditsscopeofoperations,ordiversifyintounrelated
areas. In this case, good shareholder relations can help to raise the required capital and minimize
borrowingfrombanksandfinancialinstitutions.
2.Ifacompanyisgoingthroughacrisisordifficulttimes,morecommunicationwithshareholdersis
needed.TaketheexampleofCokeandPepsiduringthepesticidecontroversy.Insuchasituation,
the company should be open with its shareholders and explain the problem clearly, including the
steps being taken to overcome the crisis. Crisis communication is an important, but often
overlooked area of shareholder communication. Lack of communication during a crisis encourages
thegrapevineamongshareholdersandleadstofalserumors.Forexample,rumorsmayspreadthat
thecompany is going to closedown. On theother hand, if you tell the truth, chances are that your
shareholderswillstandbyyou.
Theappropriatemediaforcommunicationwithshareholdersincludebothoralandwrittenchannels.
Periodic mailers should be sent to all shareholders, giving a fair and truthful representation of the
companys results and progress on various fronts. In areas where there is an aggregation or
concentration of shareholders, shareholder meetings and conferences should be held, making
presentationsonthecompanysprogress.Whenthecompanyisgoingthroughacrisis,shareholders
shouldbetakenonprojectsiteandfactoryvisits,toshowthemthemeasuresthatarebeingtakento
solvetheproblem.
Theoverallguidingfactorincommunicatingwithshareholdersshouldbethattheyaretheownersof
thecompany.
Twoexamplesaregivenbelowoftwocompanies,CognizantandReliance,thatarewellknownfor
effectiveshareholdercommunication.
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COGNIZANTSCOMMUNICATIONWITHSHAREHOLDERS
CognizantisaleadingproviderofITservices,basedinNewJersey,USA.Theyhave
wonnationalacclaimintheUSfinancialmediaforbeingoneofthemostshareholder
friendlycompaniesintheUS.
Inasurveywhererespondentswereaskedtoratevariouscompaniesoncriteriasuchas
financialperformance,communicationwithshareholders,investorrelationsandquality
ofcorporategovernance,Cognizantwasrankedthehighest.
Shareholderfriendlycompaniesweredescribedbyrespondentsasthosethatareknown
fortheirpolicyofopennessandhighqualityofcommunicationwiththeirshareholders.
RELIANCESCOMMUNICATIONWITHSHAREHOLDERS
InIndia,oneoutofeveryfourinvestorsisashareholderofReliance.
ThecompanyhassetupafirmofCharteredAccountantsasInternalSecurityAuditors,to
auditthetransactionsandcommunicationwithshareholders.
TheBoardofDirectorsofthecompanyhasalsoappointedaShareholders/Investors
GrievanceCommittee,forexaminingandrespondingtoshareholderscomplaintswith
regardtotransferofshares,nonreceiptofbalancesheet,declareddividends,etc.The
Committeealsomakesrecommendationsonhowtoimprovetheoverallqualityof
investorservices.
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1._________________and_________________channelsareusedtocommunicatewith
shareholders.
2.Projectsiteandfactoryvisitsarepartof________________communicationwith
shareholders.
3.Effectivecommunicationwithshareholdersmeansbeing________________with
them.
10.5 Summary
Thisunitdealtwithtwomoreaspectsofinternalbusinesscommunicationcommunicationthrough
electronicmediaandshareholdercommunication.
Theelectronicmediaincludetheintranetandemail,whichispartoftheintranet.Theintranetisa
website exclusive to the company, which permits employees within an organization to exchange
informationindigitalform.Itisideallysuitedforlargeorganizations,organizationsthathaveapurely
onlinepresence,travelingemployeesandoffsiteworkers.Alltypesofinformation,includingreports,
companygoals,policiesandHRrelatedannouncementsmaybepostedontheintranet.
Theprimaryadvantagesoftheintranetare
Facilitatesdiscussionofpreliminaryideas,priortomeetings
Enablesconstantflowofinformationthroughanofficialnetworkanddiscouragesrumors
Savestimeandpaper
Isbetterthanemail,whenmultipleversionsofadocumenthavetobesent
Someofthedisadvantagesoftheintranetare
Isexpensivetogetstarted
Needstobemaintainedandcontinuouslyupdated
Requiresinvestinginemployeetrainingandconvincingoldeconomyemployeestouseit
Whencommunicatingthroughemail,thefollowingguidelinesshouldbekeptinmind
Avoidsayinganythingnegativeorconfidential
Makethetonefriendly
Includeaspecificsubjectline
Stateimportantinformationfirst
Describetheattachments
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Payattentiontouseoftoandcc
Maketheemailbriefandeasytoread
Stressreaderbenefits
Keepyourmailboxtidy
Allottimeforcheckingandansweringemail
Emailetiquetteinvolvesthefollowing
Remembertobepolite
Avoidshouting
Avoiduseofsymbolsandacronyms
Includefriendlysalutationsandsignoffs
Respondpromptly
Respectprivacy
Shareholder communication is important, since they are the virtual owners of the company. It is
important to communicate openly with them, both in good times and bad. Good relations with
shareholderscanhelptoraisecapitalfornewprojectsandtoretaintheirconfidence,evenwhenthe
company is going through a crisis. The media used to communicate with shareholders include
mailers,meetings,conferencesandsite/factoryvisits.
TerminalQuestions
1. Talktoabusinessexecutiveinacompanyandsectorofyourchoice,tofindouthowthe
intranetisbeingusedtocommunicateinternally.Whattypeofinformationisexchanged
throughtheintranet?
2. Asasalesperson,writeanemailmessagetoyourSalesManager,requestingthatameetingbe
scheduledtopresentyourideasonhowtoimprovesalesforthecomingyear.
3. Gothroughbusinessmagazinesanddailynewspapersandselectasituationwhenacompany
wasfacingacrisis(e.g.,CokeandPepsipesticidecontroversy).Howdidthecompany
communicatewithitsshareholdersandotherstakeholderstoovercomethecrisis?Wasthe
communicationeffective?
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1. False
2. True
3. False
4. True
5. True
1. b
2. e
3. d
4. c
5. a
1. Oralwritten
2. Crisis
3. Open/truthful/transparent
1.Refer10.2,10.2.1
2.Refer10.3,10.3.1,10.3.2
3.Refer10.4
ExternalBusinessCommunication WritingBusinessLetters Unit11
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Unit11ExternalBusinessCommunicationWritingBusiness
Letters
Structure
11.1 Introduction
Objectives
11.2 PrinciplesofBusinessLetterWriting
11.3 TypesofBusinessLetters
11.3.1 RoutineLetters
11.3.2 BadNewsLetters
11.3.3 PersuasiveLetters
11.4 FormatforBusinessLetters
11.4.1 DirectOrganizationalPlan
11.4.2 IndirectOrganizationalPlan
11.5 Summary
TerminalQuestions
AnswerstoSAQsandTQs
11.1 Introduction
The last three units dealt with internal business communication, or communication with internal
stakeholders.Thewrittenchannelsforcommunicationwithinternalstakeholdersmemos,circulars
and notices, were discussed in detail. This unit will focus on communication with external
stakeholdersthroughthewrittenchannelofbusinessletters.
Business letters can be used to communicate different messages to a variety of audiences.
Businesslettersarealsoverydifferentfrompersonalletters,intermsofthedegreeofformality,tone,
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styleandformatused.Somegeneralguidelinesforwritingbusinessletters,theappropriateformats
andthedifferenttypesofbusinessletters,willbeexplainedindetail.
LearningObjectives:
Afterstudyingthisunit,youshouldbe.
1. Understandhowbusinesslettersdifferfrompersonalletters
2. Categorizebusinesslettersintodifferenttypes
3. Usetheproperformatandtone,whenwritingbusinessletters
4. Developgoodbusinesswritingskills
11.2 PrinciplesOfBusinessLetterWriting
Business letters are used primarily to communicate with external stakeholders such as
consumers, intermediaries, government and bankers. The principles of business letter writing are
somewhat different from the principles of writing general letters. Business letters are much more
formalthangeneralletters.Beforewegointothespecificsofbusinessletterwriting,letuslookbriefly
atsomeoftheseprinciples
*ConsiderationandCourtesyItisveryimportanttoretainthegoodwillof
customers and other external publics. A discourteous, rude letter can make you lose business.
Therefore,thebusinesslettershouldbeextremelypoliteatalltimesandmindfulofthePsandQs,
i.e.,thewordsplease,thankyouandsorry.Evenifyouhappentogetarudeletterfromacustomer,
youmustrespondpolitely,inordertoretainthecustomer.
Ifthecompanyhasbeenatfault,itisimportanttoapologizetothecustomerforthemistakeandfor
theinconveniencecaused.Theoveralltoneshouldnotbenegative.Forexample,avoidsayingWe
cannotgrantyourrequest.Insteadstateitinamoretactfulway,explainingthereasonsfornotbeing
abletogranttherequest.Ifyouaresendingajobrejectionlettertoacandidate,itshouldbeworded
politelyandinapositivetone.
Considerationmeansthatyoushouldappealtothereadersinterest.Theimportanceofstressingthe
you attitude rather than the me attitude was dealt with in an earlier unit. This is similar to the
languageofadvertisements,whichtalkaboutthebenefitsoftheproducttotheenduser.
185
Forexample,insteadofsayingWewillbeopen24hours,sayYoucanavailofroundtheclock
service.
* Directness and Conciseness Business letters should be brief and to the point, avoiding
unnecessary details and round about expressions. A typical Indian tendency is to be too wordy or
verbose, using redundancies and unnecessary words. Business letters should give maximum
informationtothereader,usingminimumwords.
* Clarity and Precision Business letters should be clearly worded, avoiding the use of jargon or
technicalterms,andslangwords.Concretewordsshouldbeused,sothatthereisnoambiguity.
Example : Instead of saying I received your communication, it is better to be more precise by
sayingIreceivedyourletter.
The letter should include a single main idea and paragraphs should be used to elaborate on sub
ideas.
* Appearance Apart from the content, the format, layout and overall look of the letter should be
equallyappealingtothereader.Attentionshouldbepaidtothequalityofpaperused.Themargins
shouldbeappropriate,includingoneinchoneachsideandoneandahalfinchesontopandatthe
bottom.
Abusinesslettershouldincludethefollowingstandardcomponents
1. Dateintheupperrighthandcorner
2. TheToaddressabovethesalutationintheupperlefthandcorner.
3. TheSalutation Whenaddressingafirm,Messrshouldbeusedbeforethenameofthefirm.
Sincebusinesslettersareformal,theappropriatesalutationwhenaddressinganindividualis
DearMr./Ms.,followedbythelastname,ratherthanthefirstname,whichisinformal.Ifthe
genderofthereaderisnotknown,itisbettertouseaneutralsalutation,suchasDear
CustomerorInvestor.
4. Sometimes,anAttentionLinemaybeincludedbelowthesalutation,inordertoensureprompt
action.Forexample,Attention:JohnSmith,HRManager.
5. ASubjectLineindicatesthepurposeoftheletterandisplacedbetweenthesalutationandthe
firstlineoftheletter.
6. TheBodyoftheletterincludesanexplanationofthemainidea(s).
186
7. TheCloseistheendingoftheletterandshouldbepoliteandfriendly,soastoretaingoodwill.
AstandardcloseforabusinessletterisYoursfaithfullyorsincerely.
8. EnclosuresSometimes,abusinesslettermayincludeanenclosuresuchasapamphletora
brochure,inwhichcasethisshouldbeindicatedattheend,belowthesignatureline,asEncl:
2,meaningtwoenclosures.
1. Thelanguageofbusinesslettersissimilartothelanguageofadvertising.
2. Everybusinesslettershouldhaveasalutation,abodyandaclose.
3. Thetoneofabusinessletterismoreimportantthantheformat.
11.3 TypesOfBusinessLetters
Business letters may be used to communicate for a variety of purposes, including routine
correspondence, building good rapport, conveying pleasant or unpleasant news and persuading
customers to buy the companys products. The types of messages conveyed through business
lettersmaybecategorizedintothreebroadtypes
1. Routinemessages
2. Badnewsmessages
3. Persuasivemessages
Weshalldiscussthesethreecategoriesindetail,includingtheguidelinesandappropriateformatto
beusedineachcase.
11.3.1 RoutineLetters
Routine lettersare letters on routine matters pertaining to daytoday operations. Most ofthe
business correspondenceofthe typical manager is on routine matters. The most common typesof
routinelettersare
1. Routine Requests and Replies A routine request is a letter from a customer, asking for
information on the companys products, or for product catalogs and brochures. It is termed a
187
routinerequest,sincethereceiveroftheletterisexpectedtodowhatisaskedintheletter,without
having to be persuaded. In general, all organizations will respond to such requests spontaneously,
sinceitisanopportunityforthemtopromotetheirproducts.Theresponsetosuchrequestsisknown
asaroutinereply.
Asampleroutinereplyletterinresponsetoacustomerrequest,isshownbelow
March27
th
,2008
ThomasMathew
PurchasingDirector
HomeSecurityProducts
6/1BensonCrossRd.,
Bangalore560046
DearMr.Mathew,
IamwritingthisinresponsetoyourrequestforinformationregardingourHP340
portableprinter,tobeusedbyyourmarketingrepresentativeswiththeirnotebook
computerswhentheytravel.
IwouldliketoinformyouthattheHP340isanadvancedportableprinter,which
incorporatesthelatesttechnologyandiscompatiblewithalltypesofnotebook
computers.Iwouldalsoliketoprovidespecificanswerstoeachofyourquestions
TheHP340isalaserprinter,withawiderangeofapplications.Itisquicker,has
moreprintoutcapabilityandconsumeslessinkcartridgethanotherlaserprinters.
TheHP340isbatteryoperatedandcomeswithabackupbattery,sothatitmay
beusedwhiletraveling.Ithasabackupof56hours,dependingontheusesofthe
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printer.
TheHP340hasa15inchcartridgeandiscompactandeasytocarrywhile
traveling.
TheHP340comeswithathreeyearguaranteeandallserviceswillbefreeof
cost.
Theproductcanbeorderedeitherbycallingourtollfreenumber18003537857,or
online,throughourwebsitewww.hewlettpackard.com.Asanincentiveforpurchase
withinthenextoneweek,weareofferinga25%discountforourfirst500customers.
Ilookforwardtoyourorderandwouldbehappytogiveyouinformationregardingour
otherproductsinfuture.
Sincerely,
JoeDSilva,SalesManager,
HewlettPackardCompany,
BannerghattaRd.,
Bangalore560028
The above letter is concise and to the point, providing answers to each of the customers queries
regardingtheproduct.Thelastparagraphprovidesdetailsthatmakeiteasyforthecustomertoorder
theproduct,alongwithaspecialincentiveforearlypurchase.Thecloseispositiveandtriestobuild
alongtermrelationshipwiththecustomer.
2. Routine Claim and Adjustment Letters A routine claim letter is written by a buyer or a
customertoaseller,requestingsometypeofactionoradjustment,tocorrectaproblemwith
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thesellersproductorservice.Itismorethanjustaletterofcomplaintandmaybewrittenbyan
individualoranorganization.
The action sought in a claim letter may be replacement or repair of a defective product, a full or
partialrefund,orjustanapologyforpoorserviceorunfairpractices.Aclaimletterisconsideredasa
routine letter,since the seller or theorganization will normally comply with the requestfor remedial
action. For example, if you order a product from a catalog that mentions a particular price, but the
sellerchargesyoumore,youcanexpectthesellertorespondtoyourrequesttomakeanadjustment
intheprice.
Aroutineadjustmentletteristhesellersresponsetoaroutineclaimletter,informingthebuyer
or customer about the action that has been taken. The reason for the problem should also be
explained in a detailed and straightforward manner, along with the measures taken to prevent the
problemfromrecurring.Thelettershouldsoundcredible,sothatthecustomersfaithinthecompany
andtheproductisrestored.
Asampleroutineclaimletterregardingadefectiveproduct,isshownbelow
March28
th
,2008
TheCustomerServiceRepresentative
ColorViewGraphics
14,AirportRd.,
Bangalore560001
DearCustomerServiceRepresentative,
Subject:Inferiorqualityofcolorslides
ThepoorqualityofthecolorslidesthatyoudevelopedformeonMarch20
th
madethem
unsuitableforuseinmymarketingstrategypresentationtomymarketingteamlast
week.Asaconsequence,Ihadtousetransparencieswithanoverheadprojector
instead.
190
Ihaveenclosedoneofthedozenslidessenttome,asproofofthedefectivequality.As
youcansee,thecolorsoverlapandthetypeisnotclear.Theslidesdonotmeetthehigh
qualitystandardspromisedinyourrecentcoloradvertisementinBusinessToday.
SinceIhavealreadymadethepresentationforwhichIrequiredtheseslides,
redevelopingthemnowwouldnotsolvetheproblem.Instead,Irequestyoutocancelthe
chargeofRs.5000inyourinvoice3063datedMarch22
nd
,whichIhavenotyetpaid.I
canreturntheremainingelevenslidestoyou,ifrequired.
Iamawarethatmistakeslikethesehappensometimes,inspiteofonesbestefforts.I
amconfidentthatyouwillacceptmyrequestandcorrectthismistakepromptly.
Sincerely,
WalterThompson,MarketingManager
Enclosure:1
In theabove letter,the buyer can reasonablyexpect the seller of thedefective product to makean
adjustment by canceling the charges, since the quality of the slides is clearly inferior to what was
promised.
3. Goodwill Letters These are routine letters that have no business objective, but are sent
purely for building good rapport with external stakeholders. Such letters may express
appreciation, sympathy or congratulations. Examples include letters to express sympathy over a
business setback, appreciation for winning an award, gratitude for being on a panel of judges, or
congratulationsforopeninganewbranchoffice.
4.OtherRoutineLettersRoutinelettersmayalsobeaddressedtoexternalaudiencesotherthan
consumers.Forexample,lettersinvitingquotationsmaybesenttoseveralsuppliers,askingfor
191
the prices of raw material or components. The idea is to ensure getting the best price. Such
letters should state the details of the material required, the information needed regarding price,
guarantee, service, etc. providedbythe supplierand thetime within whichthe material is required.
Onceaquotationisaccepted,anorderletterwillbesenttothesupplier,placingtheorderforthe
requiredmaterial.
Tendersarelettersinvitingaproviderofaservice,suchasconstructionofroads,toquotethe
rates forthatparticularservice.Theyareusuallysentforworkthatisspreadoveraperiodoftime.
Letters requesting purchase of goods on a credit basis, letters granting creditand collection letters
addressedtocustomers,aresomeothercommontypesofroutineletters.
11.3.2 BadNewsLetters
Abadnewsletterconveysunpleasantnewstocustomersorotherexternalstakeholders.Typical
examples of this type of letter are rejection of customer claims or requests for adjustments, job
rejection letters to prospective employees, letters giving news about sudden price increases,
products being discontinued, or about problems faced by the organization, such as losses and lay
offs. When conveying bad news, the letter should be written tactfully and worded in a positive
manner.
Asamplebadnewsletterrefusingacustomerclaimisshownbelow
March28
th
,2008
Mr.JohnSmith,Dean
XYZSchoolofBusiness
CunninghamRd.,
Bangalore560034
DearMr.Smith,
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Wemakenomoneywhenourcustomersareforcedtotakelongtripsbytrain,rather
thanbyflyingKingfisherAirlinesandwhenthathappens,wetrytofindoutthereasons.
AreviewoftheMarch19
th
flightrecordsofthecancelledKingfisherAirlinesflight1256
showsthatitwasscheduledtoleaveat6amandwascancelledat5.30am,becauseof
foggyweather.Passengerswereaskedtoremainintheboardingareaandthosewho
didwererebookedonflight1257,whichdepartedanhourlaterat7am.Thisflight
arrivedinBangalorejustanhourlaterthanthescheduledarrivalofflight1256.
Therefore,ourticketagentwascorrectinrefusingtograntarefundonticketstoyouand
otherpassengerswhodidnottakethelaterflight.
YouhavementionedinyourclaimletterthatyouareafrequentflyerofKingfisher
Airlines.Althoughwecannotgrantyouarefund,IhaveaskedourScheduling
Departmenttoaddyournametoourmailinglist,forreceivingafreesubscriptiontoour
inflightmagazine.Acomplimentarycopyofourcurrentflightscheduleisalsoenclosed.
Fromnowon,youwillknowexactlywheneveryKingfisherAirlinesflightarrivesand
departsfromBangaloreairport.
Sincerely,
ServiceRepresentative,KingfisherAirlines
Enclosure1
Intheaboveletter,thebadnews,namely,therefusaltograntarefundtothepassengerfornot
boardingtheflight,isconveyedindirectly.Theairlinetriestocompensateforthebadnews,by
offeringafreesubscriptiontotheirmagazineandacomplimentarycopyoftheirflightschedule.
11.3.3 PersuasiveLetters
The most common type of persuasive letter is a sales letter addressed to a customer,
persuadinghimtobuyyourcompanysproduct.Asalesletterissimilartoanadvertisementand
uses the same AIDA ( Attention, Interest, Desire and Action) format. This means taking the
consumerthroughdifferentmentalstages in aparticularsequencefirstgettinghisattention,
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creating interest by highlighting unique features of the product, inducing desire by convincing him
that the product is better than others and then motivating him to try the product. Sales letters are
usedtosellindustrialproductssuchasmachinery,consumerdurableproductsandotherhighvalue
items.
Asamplesalesletterwrittenintheaboveformat,isgivenbelow
SAMPLESALESLETTERFORAHOMESECURITYSYSTEM
March27
th
,2008
DearHomeOwner,
ThesayinggoesthatanEnglishmanshomeishiscastle.Doyouseeyourhomeasan
investmentinrealestateorasyourcastle?Isitameansofgettingtaxexemptions,ora
placewhereyoucanunwindandrelaxafterastressfulweekatwork?
Homesshouldbeviewedasplaceswherewefeelsafeandfreefromoutsideintrusions.
Unfortunately,thisisnotthecase,sincerecentstatisticsshowthat10%ofhouseholdsin
Bangalorecitywererobbedlastyear.Howcanyouprotectyourself?
HomeSecurityProductsoffersasimpleanddependablesolutiontheSafeHome
BurglarAlarmSystem,whichcanprotectupto2500squarefeetofyourhome.Just
plugitin,adjustthesensitivitytothesizeoftheroomandturnthekey.
SafeHomesmicroprocessorscreensoutnormalsoundslikedogsbarking,babiescrying
rainandtraffic.Onlyhostilesoundssuchasglassbreaking,willtriggerthealarm.The
alarmisalsoloudenoughtoalerttheneighborhoodandtodriveawaythesmartest
burglars.
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Youmaywonderwhatmighthappenifacleverburglardisconnectstheelectricitytoyour
home.Youneednotworry,sinceSafeHomehasbuiltinbatteriesthatrecharge
automaticallyandensurethatitoperatesinspiteofpowerfailures.Thebestthingabout
SafeHomeistheeaseofinstallation.Yousimplyhavetomountitonawallandplugitin.
Securitynowcomesatapricethatyoucanafford justRs.999,alongwithaoneyear
warrantyandatendayreturnpolicy,toensurecompletesatisfaction.
WithSafeHome,burglarieswillsoonbeathingofthepast.Orderingitiseasyjustcall
ourtollfreenumber18002223333anduseyourcreditcard.SafeHomewillbehome
deliveredtoyouwithinacoupleofdays.Soon,yourhomewillbeahavenofpeace.
Sincerely,
NationalSalesManager
HomeSecurityProducts
Note that in the above letter, a dramatic question is asked to grab the attention of the reader,
followedbystartlingfiguresthefactthatahighpercentageofhomeshavebeenrobbed.Interestis
then created by mentioning the products unique selling proposition (USP), or the features and
benefits that are unique to the product. The product is highlighted as simple, dependable and
easytoinstall.Desireisinducedbyovercominganydoubtsorobjectionsthatthereadermayhave,
suchastheproductfunctioningduringapowerfailure.Finally,thereaderismotivatedtotakeaction,
by making it easy for him/her to order the product, by calling toll free and using a credit card. The
productbenefitisreinforcedattheendoftheletter.
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Matchthefollowing
1.Adjustment a.Rejectingabusinessproposal
2.Orderletterb.Persuasivemessage
3.Badnewsletterc.Routineletters
4.AIDAformat d.Supplier
5.Creditandcollectionletterse.Replacementofdefectiveproduct
11.4 FormatForBusinessLetters
Unlike general letters, business letters should be written following a specific plan or format. Two
alternativetypesofformatsmaybeused,dependingonthetypeofmessagethatisconveyed1)
The Direct Organizational Plan, or the Deductive Pattern and 2) The Indirect Organizational
PlanortheInductivePattern.Wewilldiscusseachoftheseindetail,withanexampleofeach.
11.4.1 DirectOrganizationalPlan
Thisplanisfollowedforallroutinelettersandformessagesthatconveygoodnews.Thepattern
followedis
1.Presentthemainideafirst
2.Provideexplanations,reasons,detailsandbackgroundinformation
3.Endwithafriendlyclosing
Theadvantagesoffollowingthisplanare
Thefirstsentencecanbewrittenwithverylittlehesitationandthereisalogicalflowtotheletter,
sincetheexplanationordetailsfollowthemainidea.
Presentingthemainideafirstwillattracttheattentionofthereader
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Ifpleasantnewsisbeingconveyedtothereader,presentingitfirstputsthereaderinagood
frameofmind.He/shewillbemoreinclinedtoreadtherestoftheletter.
Oncethereadergetsthemainidea,he/shecanquicklyscanthroughtherestoftheletter,thus
savingtime.
Theroutineclaimandadjustmentlettersgivenbelowarewrittenusingthedirectorganizationalplan.
DearCustomerServiceRepresentative,
IamwritingthistorequestyoutoreplacethemusicCDGoldenTunesoftheSixties,
whichyouhadmailedtomelastweek.
IwasveryimpressedwithyourTVadvertisementoftheCDGoldenTunesofthe
Sixties.Yourstatement100%satisfactionguaranteedmademeplaceanimmediate
orderandsendyouacheckforRs.1000.ThisseemstobeanoutstandingCDwith
greatmusic,butitarrivedwithavisiblescratchononeside,whichdistortsthemusic
whenitisplayed.
Iamconfidentthatyouwillliveuptothisguarantee.IamreturningtheCDtoyouand
wouldlikeanotheroneinfirstclasscondition.Incaseyoudonothaveoneinstock,I
wouldliketorequestarefund.
Sincerely,
JohnSmith
Notethatintheaboveletter,theactionoradjustmentisrequestedintheveryfirstsentence.The
secondparagraphexplainsthedetailssupportingtherequestforaction.
Theclosingisfriendly,expressingconfidencethattherequestwillbegranted.
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Givenbelowisaroutineadjustmentletter,grantingarequestforexchangeofdefectiveshirts,also
writteninthedirectorganizationalformat.
DearCustomer,
Inviewofthefactthatyouarearegularcustomer,wearesendingyoutwonewwash
andwearshirtsforfree,toreplacethetwoshirtsthatturnedgrey,duetouseofstrong
bleaches.Youraccountwillnotbecharged.
Comparedtoconventionalshirts,ourshirtsstaywhiter,remainmorewrinklefreeand
lastlonger.However,theymustbehandwashedratherthanmachinewashedwith
bleaches,inordertokeepthemwhiteandtomaintainthemingoodcondition.Whenyou
taketheshirtstoyourlaundry,justaskthemtofollowthewashinginstructionsonthe
label.
Wewillbesendingyouourannualclearancesalecataloginafewdaysandlookforward
toyourfutureorders.
Sincerely,
CustomerServiceRepresentative
In the above letter, the main idea granting the customers claim for exchange of shirts that have
changedcolor,duetouseofawashingmachineismentionedintheveryfirstsentence,following
thedirectplan.Anexplanationfollows,giving the reasonsfor the spoiled shirts and instructionsfor
futurecare.Theletterendswithafriendlyclosing.
11.4.2 IndirectOrganizationalPlan
This plan or format is followed for bad news letters and for persuasive letters. When conveying
unpleasantnews,thelettershouldbewordedtactfullyandtrytominimizethedisappointmentofthe
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reader.Sincethebadnewsshouldbedeemphasized,itisbettertoplacethisattheend,rather
than at the beginning of the letter. Therefore, the indirect plan with the following pattern is
recommended
1.Begintheletterwithabuffer.Thisisaneutralorpositivestatementthatlessenstheimpact
ofthebadnews.Forexample,ifthebadnewsofapriceincreaseisbeingconveyedtoacustomer,
beginwithastatementaboutthecompanysphilosophyof
customersatisfaction.
2.Presentthefacts,abackgroundanalysisandthereasonsforthebadnews.Trytoconvincethe
readerthatthedecisionisinevitable.
3.Statethebadnews,orthemainidea,inpositiveorneutrallanguage.Avoidapologizingtothe
reader.
4.Closeinafriendlymanner.Offersomekindofcompensation,orspecialincentive,tomakeupfor
thebadnewsandtoretainthereadersgoodwill.
Anexampleofabadnewsletterisshownbelow
Mr.JohnStanley
ABCDistributors
#11,QueensRd.,
Bangalore560046March31
st
,2008
DearMr.Stanley,
Distributorshavealwaysbeentheforcebehindoursuccess.ABCdistributors,in
particular,whohavebeenourmaindistributorsforoverthreedecadesnow,have
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contributedsignificantlytowardsourcompanyssales.
Areviewofourhalfyearlyreport,however,indicatesthatinSouthIndia,wehave
experiencedasignificantdeclineinmarketshareinthefrozenfoodsegment.Thisis
mainlybecausepeopleareconservativeintheireatinghabits,arebecomingmore
healthconsciousandareoptingforfreshproducts.Duetothisincreasingtrend,wehave
decidedtophaseoutthislineofproducts,forwhichyouhavebeenourmaindistributors.
However,wehaveplanstolaunchseveralnewproductsinthefuture.Wewillbe
introducinganewrangeofreadytoeatproductsforworkingwomenverysoon,for
whichwewillbepleasedtoofferyouthedistributorship.Enclosedareafewsamplesof
ournewrangeofproductsforyourconsideration.
Lookingforwardtoapositiveresponsefromyou,
Sincerely,
MarketingManager
Enclosures
Notethattheaboveletterbeginswithabufferstatementintheopeningparagraph,givingcreditto
the distributorfor having contributed to thecompanys sales inthepast. This lessens the impactof
thebadnewsthatfollowsinthenextparagraph,namely,droppingaproductlinedistributedbythem.
The background and the justification for the decision to drop the product line are explained in the
second paragraph. In order to compensatefor this bad news, thedistributorship ofa new range of
productsisoffered,alongwithsomeproductsamples.
Theindirectorganizationalplan,ortheinductivepatternisalsousedwhenwritingpersuasiveletters
suchassalesletters.Inasalesletter,themainideaisaskingthecustomertobuyyourcompanys
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product. This cannot be stated right away, since the reader first has to be convinced about the
benefitsoftheproduct,beforehecanbeaskedtobuyortryit.Therefore,itisnecessarytodelaythe
mainidea,oraskingforaction,untilyouhavepresentedthereasons.Inotherwords,thereasonswill
bepresentedfirst,thenthemainidea,followedbyafriendlyclosing.
Asamplesalesletterwasshownearlierinthisunitforahomeburglaralarmsystem.Thiswaswritten
in the AIDA format that was explained in detail. The AIDA format is essentially an indirect
organizationalplan.Ittriestocapturethereadersattentionfirst,thencreatesinterestinanddesire
fortheproduct,beforeaskingforpurchaseoftheproduct.
1. Aletterexpressingagoodwillmessageshouldfollowthe_____________organizationalplan.
2.Grantingarequestforarefundatthebeginningofalettermeanspresentingthe
___________________________________ first.
3.A________________isanopeningstatementinabadnewsletter.
4. Inapersuasiveletter,theindirectplaniscalledthe______________________.
5. Inanindirectplan,the________________arepresentedfirst.
11.5 Summary
Just as memos, circulars and notices are used to communicate with internal audiences, business
lettersarewrittenchannelsthatareusedtocommunicatewithexternalaudiences.Businessletters
are much more formal than general letters and should be written keeping in mind the following
principles
CourtesyandConsideration
DirectnessandConciseness
ClarityandPrecision
AppearanceandFormat
Thecomponentsofabusinessletterinclude
1. Date
2. Toaddress
3. Salutation
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4. Attentionline
5. Subjectline
6. Body
7. Close
8. Enclosures
Themessagesconveyedthroughbusinesslettersmaybedividedintothreebroadcategories1)
Routinemessages2)Badnewsmessagesand3)Persuasivemessages.
Mostbusinesslettersarewrittentoconveyroutinemessagesregardingdaytodayoperations.Such
messagesmaybeconveyedthroughthefollowingtypesofletters
Routinerequestsforproductinformationandroutinereplies
Routineclaimandadjustmentletters
Goodwillletters
Lettersinvitingquotationsfromsuppliers
Lettersplacingorderswithsuppliers
Creditandcollectionletters
Businesslettersarewrittenineitheroftwoformats1)TheDirectOrganizationalPlanand2)The
IndirectOrganizationalPlan.
Thedirectorganizationalplanconsistsinpresentingthemainideafirst,followedbyexplanationsand
reasonsandthenafriendlyclosing.Allroutinelettersfollowthistypeofformat.Theadvantageofthis
format is that it gets reader attention, encourages him/her to read the rest of the letter, saves time
andhasalogicalflow.
The indirect organizational plan is used for conveying bad news messages and persuasive
messagessuchassalesletters.Itconsistsinpresentingthereasonsandexplanationsfirst,thenthe
mainidea,followedbyafriendlyclosing.Thelogicbehindusingthisformatinabadnewsletteristo
minimizetheimpactofthebadnews,bydelayingittilltheendoftheletter.Thebadnewsshouldbe
expressedinapositivemannerandsomecompensationofferedtothereader,inordertomakeup
forthebadnews.
202
Apersuasivelettersuchasasalesletter,alsofollowstheindirectorganizationalplan.Inthiscase,a
format known asthe AIDAformat is used, tofirst gainattention and convincethe readeraboutthe
productsbenefits, beforeaskingfor action or purchaseofthe product. The main idea, which isthe
callforaction,ispresentedattheend.
TerminalQuestions
1.Writealettertoyourcustomers,expressingthebadnewsthatthepriceofaparticularproduct
hasbeenincreased.Usetheappropriateformattopresentreasonsandoffercompensation.
2.Replytoarequestfromatradingcompany,askingfordistributorshipandinformationonyour
companysrangeofbeauty/cosmeticproducts.
3.Selectacompanyofyourchoice.WriteasalesletterintheAIDAformattoaprospective
customer,persuadinghim/hertobuythecompanysproduct.
1. False
2. True
3. False
1. e
2. d
3. a
4. b
5. c
1. Direct
2. Mainidea
3. Buffer
4. AIDAformat
5. Reasons/explanations
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1.Refer11.3.2,11.4.2
2.Refer11.3.1,11.4.1
3.Refer11.3.3,11.4.2
OtherFormsOfExternalBusinessCommunication Unit12
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Unit12 OtherFormsOfExternalBusinessCommunication
Structure
12.1 Introduction
Objectives
12.2 CommunicationwithMediathroughNewsReleases
12.2.1 FormatandGuidelinesforaPressRelease
12.2.2SamplePressRelease
12.3 CommunicationabouttheOrganizationthroughAdvertising
12.3.1 CorporateAdvertising
12.3.2 TypesofCorporateAdvertising
12.3.3 GuidelinesforEffectiveCorporateAdvertising
12.3.4 ProductAdvertising
12.3.5 FormatforProductAdvertising
12.4 Summary
TerminalQuestions
AnswerstoSAQsandTQs
12.1Introduction
Inthelastunit,wedealtwithanimportantformofcommunicationwithexternalstakeholders,namely,
business letters. Among the external stakeholders, consumers and the media are particularly
important. In one of the introductory units, the importance of retaining consumer goodwill, building
preference for the companys product and projecting a positive image of the company was
emphasized.Inthisunit,wewilldiscusstwochannelsthroughwhichorganizationscommunicatewith
themediaandconsumers,inordertoachievetheseobjectives1)Newsreleases,whichareaform
ofpublicityand2)Massmediaadvertising.Whileanewsreleasecanbeusedtohighlightsomething
unique about the organization to the media and to the public at large, advertising can build a
favorableimageaboutthecompanyanditsproducts.
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LearningObjectives:
1. Understandtheimportanceofeffectivecommunicationwithconsumers,themediaandsocietyat
large.
2. Definethepurposeofnewsreleasesandadvertisements.
3. Writenewsreleasesandadvertisements.
4. Understandtheimportanceofprojectingapositivecompanyimage.
12.2CommunicationWithMediaThroughNewsReleases
A press release is a news story that is carried free by a newspaper, highlighting the
achievementsofanorganizationonaspecificfront.Today,itisbetterknownasanewsrelease,
sincethestorymaybecarriedbyothermediaalso,suchastelevision.Apressoranewsreleaseisa
formofpublicity,whichispartofpublicrelations.Publicrelationsinvolvesmaintaininggoodwill
and projecting a favorable image of the organization among its various publics, both internal
andexternal.
A news release tends to be more credible than advertising, which is a paid form of
communication.Whileadvertisementsmaybemisleadinganddeceptivesometimes,newsreleases
or publicity have great impact on public opinion, since they are accepted by the particular medium
which carries them. It is therefore important to write news releases carefully, making them as
interestingandasnewsworthyaspossible.
Thepurposeofanewsorpressreleaseistoannouncenewdevelopmentsinyourcompanytothe
media, which in turn will carry the story for the benefit of the public at large. Examples of new
developmentscouldbeanythingrangingfromnewproductsandservices,tonewappointmentsand
promotions, new facilities, involvement in community projects, awards and achievements, joint
ventures,seminars,mergers,takeoversandsoon.Sincethenewsreleasecommunicatesallthisto
thepublicatlarge,itmustbeaccurate,timelyandcomplete.
12.2.1 FormatAndGuidelinesForAPressRelease
Anewsreleaseshouldbemadeappealingtotelevisionproducersandtomagazineandnewspaper
editors.
Apressreleaseshouldincludethefollowingcomponents
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1.AdramaticopeningsentenceorparagraphThefirstsentenceorparagraphshouldhighlight
the new development as something unique, as a first time achievement, or as a Unique Selling
Proposition (USP).A USP is an unique feature specific to a particular company, which the
competitiondoesnothaveandwhichsetsyouapart.
Forexample,theopeningsentenceorparagraphcouldstartbysayingForthefirsttimeinhistory
., talk about an innovative new technology introduced by the company, the companys
developmentinabackwardarea,orthefactthatanewentityhasbeencreated(e.g.,TataCorus).
2. Answers to key questions The press or news release should provide key information that
answersquestionssuchaswhere?(i.e.,location),when?(timing),why?(reasonorjustification)
andhow?(strategy).Thisinformationshouldbeprovidedrightatthebeginning.
ExampleIfanewfactoryisbeingopened,whereisitlocated?
Ifanewproductisbeinglaunched,whenisitbeinglaunchedandwhyisthetimingideal?
Ifthecompanyisplanninganewproject,howwilltheyraisemoneytofundtheproject?
3. Benefits to the community The press release should also explain whether the new
developmentwillhaveapositiveoranadverseimpactoncertainsectionsofthecommunity.
Examples If the company is participating in social development and building hospitals for the
elderly,seniorcitizensarelikelytobenefitthemostfromthisactivity.
On the other hand, when Tataacquired land inSingur for their Rs.one lakh car, it had benefits for
consumers, but an adverse impact on the farming community, leading to farmers protests against
theacquisitionofland.
4.CompanycredentialsThepressreleaseshouldemphasizethepastcredentials,reputationand
provenstrengthsofthecompany,sothatitenhancescredibility.
Forexample,thefactthatthecompanyhaslaunchedsimilarproducts,orembarkedonsimilar
projectsinthepastshouldbehighlighted,asevidenceofthecompanysabilityinthatarea.
Apartfromwritingthereleaseintheaboveformat,somespecificguidelinesforwritingapress
releaseshouldbefollowed
If the matter should be released immediately, write For immediate release on topof the press
release.
207
Whenwritingcaptions,thefirstlettersofallthewordsinthecaptionshouldbeallcapitalletters.
Thecaptionshouldbeattentiongettingandframedinonesentence.
Thefirstparagraphofthepressreleaseshouldstatethenameofthecity,state,month,dayand
year.
Thebodyofthepressreleaseshouldelaborateontheinformationcontainedintheintroductory
paragraph,answeringthequestionswhere,when,whyandhow.Thebodyshouldinclude
morethanoneparagraphandtheconcludingparagraphshouldsummarizethekeypointsofthe
release.
The release should also be made visually appealing, with proper use of spacing between
paragraphs,appropriatefontsize,typeface,etc.Thetextshouldbeformattedattractivelyandthe
lengthshouldnotexceedtwodoublespacedpages,orapproximately400words.Itshouldalso
beproofreadfortypos,spellingandpunctuationmistakes.
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12.2.2SamplePressRelease
FORIMMEDIATERELEASE
Contact:PatriciaWellsMagicMoments(logo)
DY&RPublicRelationsMumbai,560046
(080)25212777Extn.309
NEWSRELEASE
MAGICMOMENTSGIFTGALLERY
COMINGTOBANGALORE
Mumbai,March2008.AMumbaibasedretailchainthatspecializes
ingreetingcards,music,stationeryandgiftitems,planstoenter
Karnatakathissummer,withatleasttenstores,amajorityofthem
beinglocatedinBangalorecity.
Mr.StanleyPinto,ownerandpresidentofMagicMomentsGiftGallery,
announcedthisweekthatpotentialfranchiseesarelookingatthree
sitesintheNorthBangalorearea.Twootherstoresareexpectedto
openinMysoreandMangalore.
Whatwehavedoneistotakefourbusinessesthataretraditionally
foundinseparatestoresettingsandtocombinethemunderoneroof,says
Pinto.Heisoftheopinionthatthestoreswillattractheavytraffic,since
customersfindonestopshoppingveryconvenient.
MagicMomentsspecializesin1)Greetingcardsforalloccasionsand
festivals2)MusicaudiocassettesandCDsofalltypesofmusic,
includingIndianandWesternclassical,rock,popandjazz3)Stationery,
includinghandmadepaper,wrappingpaper,notebooksandnotepads
and4)Giftitemssuchascurios,wallhangings,costumejewelryand
scentedcandles.
Mr.Pinto,now30,openedthefirststoreinMumbaiattheageof20.Hebegan
franchisingthreeyearslater.Today,MagicMomentshas25storesand100moreare
underdevelopment,throughmasterfranchisearrangements.
Whatmakesthesestoressosuccessful?Theiruniquerangeofproducts,
specialambience,highprofitmargins,lowoverheadsandfocusoncustomerservice
haveallcontributedtothegrowthandpopularityofthechain,accordingtoPinto.
Whilesomelocalstoresmayhaveafewsimilarproducts,noothernational
chaincanmatchusforthesheerbreadthofmerchandiseandqualityofservice,
claimsPinto.Thegiftbusinessisboomingandwehavecarvedanichefor
ourselvesinthisarea,thatwillbedifficulttochallenge,hesays.
####
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Thepressreleaseshownaboveincludesthefollowingimportantcomponents
Nameandtelephonenumberofthepersonwhocananswerquestions,onthetopleftcorner.
Date,venueandsummaryofthemostimportantinformationintheopeningparagraph.
Anemphasisonreaderbenefits,namelyshoppingunderoneroof.
Importantinformationplacedinthebeginningofthearticle.
1.Apressreleaseisapaidformofcommunication.
2.Maintaininggoodmediarelationsisimportantforgettingapressornewsrelease
accepted.
3.Thepurposeofapressreleaseistosellacompanysproducts.
12.3 CommunicationAboutTheOrganizationThroughAdvertising
Advertisements in the mass media such as magazines, newspapers and television are used by
organizationstocommunicatewithprospectivecustomers,bothabouttheorganization,aswellasits
products. Advertising may therefore be categorized into two broad types corporate advertising
andproductadvertising.
Corporateadvertising may bedefined asadvertising that sells the organization to its various
publics.Inthiscase,theorganizationistheproduct.Corporateadvertisingismoreapublicrelations
activitythanaformofadvertising,sinceithasnocommercialpurpose.Itsaimismerelytoinformand
tobuildapositiveimageoftheorganization.
Productadvertisingontheotherhand,aimstopersuadeprospectivecustomerstobuythe
organizationsproductsorservices.Itsultimatepurposeistoselltheorganizations
products.
Wewilldiscusseachofthesetwotypesofadvertisingbriefly.
12.3.1 CorporateAdvertising
Whiletheoverallobjectiveofcorporateadvertisingistoprojectapositiveimageoftheorganization
asawhole,someofthespecificobjectivesincludethefollowing
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* To create positive attitudes towards the organization Sometimes, consumers may have
negative perceptions towards an organization, based on the belief that the organization is not a
responsiblecorporatecitizen.Forexample,theymaybelievethatthattheorganizationisresponsible
forenvironmentalpollution,ordestructionofforestsandothernaturalresources.Insuchasituation,
corporateadvertisingaimstocreateamorepositiveattitudetowardstheorganization,bycorrecting
thesebeliefs.
Example There was a negative perception among consumers that Nike was using child labor in
someofitsfactories,tomanufacturesportsshoes.Corporateadvertisinghelpedtoovercomethese
perceptions.
* To project the personality, culture and values of an organization The Tatas and the Birlas
have been the oldest and the most frequent users of corporate advertising, to communicate about
their entrepreneurial ability, culture and values, as Indias leading industrial groups. Even countries
mayusethisformofadvertisingtoachievesimilarobjectives.
Example Dubai advertises to project an image of itself as a land of investment, sports and
investmentopportunities.
* To safeguard corporate reputation This form of corporate advertising is done when the
company is going through a crisis. We discussed crisis communication earlier, in the context of
shareholdercommunication,citingtheexampleofCokeandPepsi,duringthepesticidecontroversy.
Example During the pesticide controversy, Coke released adsfeaturing Aamir Khangoingtothe
Cokefactoryandlaboratory,alongwiththeManagingDirector,declaringthatCokewassafetodrink
andfreeofpesticides.Thishelpedtoanextenttorestoretheirdamagedreputation.
* To make an organization better understood Sometimes organizations go in for this form of
corporateadvertising,inordertomakethemselvesmorevisibleandtomakeconsumersawarethat
theyhaveapresenceinseveralareas.
ExamplesTheUnitedBreweriesGroupranacorporateadvertisementtohighlightthefactthatUB
wasnotonlyinbreweries,butalsohadinterestsinhealthcare(hospitals)andeducation.
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The ITC Group also advertisestohighlight theirpresence inareasas diverseas cigarettes,hotels,
andreadytoeatfoods.
* To project the organization as socially responsible This refers to corporate advertising for a
social cause, that highlights the companys role in social development. The objective is to
communicatethecompanyscorporatesocialresponsibility.
ExampleTheUBGrouprananadvertisementwiththemessageDrinkinganddrivingdontmix.
12.3.2 TypesOfCorporateAdvertising
Corporate advertising not only has different objectives, it has also become wider in scope, going
beyond its traditional role of image building. Today, it encompasses many different types of
advertising.Someofthemostimportantonesinclude
1. Corporate Identity Advertising This type of corporate advertising is done purely to
communicate the organizations corporate identity, such as its name, logo ( e.g. the Nike
swoosh), trademark or brand nameand slogan.Whenthe organizations identity changes, this is
communicatedthroughcorporateadvertising.
ExampleTheAmericanfastfoodoutlet,KentuckyFriedChicken,changeditsnametoKFC,to
remove the association with fried, greasy chicken. This name change was communicated through
corporateidentityadvertising.
2.Institutional AdvertisingThistypeofcorporateadvertisingisaimedat specialpublicssuch
asthemedia,suppliersanddealers,tocorrectcommunicationproblemswiththem.
3. Public Relations Advertising This is the name given to corporate advertising that aims to
changethenegativeattitudesofthepublictowardsthecompanysproducts.
ExamplesTheadvertisingdonebyCokeandPepsifollowingtheColacontroversyandthatdone
by Cadburys, which was found to have worms in its chocolates, are examples of this type of
corporateadvertising.
212
4. Issue or Advocacy Advertising This type of corporate advertising projects a companys
viewpointorstandonacontroversialissue,suchasenvironmentalpollution.
ExampleWhenthepollutionissuestartedaffectingmotorcyclecompanies,whichwereaccusedof
emittingfumesfromtheirvehicles,HeroHondarananadvertisingcampaign,wheretheyhighlighted
thefactthattheirvehicleswerecontributingtoapollutionfreeenvironment.
5.PublicServiceAdvertisingThisreferstocorporateadvertisingtopromoteasocialcause,
suchasawarenessofAIDS,familyplanning,orpreventionofdrunkendriving.
6.CorporateUmbrellaAdvertisingThistypeofcorporateadvertisingisaimedatconsumersand
tries to link a new or weak product to more established brands in the corporate umbrella,or
companysrangeofproducts.Theideaistogeneratesalesfortheweakornewproduct.
ExampleRichardsonVicks,betterknownforitsVicksbrandandprescriptiondrugs,clubbedits
beauty products such as Oil of Olay with its prescription drugs, in a single advertising campaign.
Thishelpedtocreateawarenessofthecompanysentirerangeofproductsandgeneratedsalesfor
OilofOlay.
7.CorporateSponsorshipThisisalsoaformofcorporateadvertising,sinceacompanypaysto
getitselflinkedwithsomesportingorotherevent,whereitgetstodisplayitslogoandcorporate
message.Thiscreatesalotofvisibilityforthecompany.
Examples Pepsi sponsors World Cup Cricket and Kingfisher sponsors the Derby, or the horse
racingevent.Theirnamesarenowautomaticallyassociatedwiththesesportingevents.
12.3.3GuidelinesForEffectiveCorporateAdvertising
As compared to product advertising, corporate advertising still accounts only for a small fraction of
thetotaladvertisingbudgetinmostorganizations.However,thebenefitsderivedforacompanyfrom
corporateadvertisingareenormous.Effectivecorporateadvertisingcreatesvisibility,promotesbetter
understanding of the company, projects the company as a responsible citizen and improves
consumer attitudes towards its products.When consumers and investors have a positive image of
thecompany,theirconfidenceinthecompanyincreases.Consumersaremorelikelytotryproducts
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fromacompanythattheyregardhighly,ratherthanfromafacelessornamelesscompany.Investors
aremorelikelytobuysharesfromacompanyofwhichtheyhaveafavorableimage.
Giventhebenefitsofcorporateadvertising,itmustbepreparedcarefullyandmadeasattractiveas
possible.Somepointstobekeptinmindwhendevelopingacorporateadvertisingcampaignare
* Adequate budget Corporate advertising is expensive, since it has to be done in a sustained
manner. For example, Birla, Indias leading industrial house, has been doing corporate advertising
since it first started as a trading company. Corporate advertising is to be looked at as a longterm
investment,becauseoftheadvantagesmentionedabove.Therefore,asubstantialamountneedsto
besetasideastheadvertisingbudget.
* Specific messages The message of a corporate advertisement needs to have a hard focus,
clearly highlighting thecompanys objectives, visionand natureof business. Product advertisingon
theotherhand,maysometimeshaveasofterfocus,throughtheuseofemotionalappeals.
*CreativeandmemorableadsIfcorporateadvertisingistocreateapositiveimageofthe
companyoveralongterm,ahighdegreeofcreativityisneeded,sothattheadvertisementsare
rememberedforalongtimetocome.
*EvaluationofeffectivenessItisimportanttoestablishclearcutobjectivesforcorporate
advertising,suchasimagechangeorattitudechange.Thismakesiteasiertomeasurewhether
theseobjectiveshavebeenachievedornot,afterthecampaignhasbeenrun.Corporateadsmust
beevaluatedfortheireffectivenessfromtimetotime,sothatthemessagecanbefinetunedif
needed.
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Matchthefollowing
1.Corporateadvertisingobjectivea.Displaylogoandmessage
2.Eventsponsorship b.Changeofattitude
3.Corporatesocialresponsibilityc.Companyviewpoint
4.Advocacyadvertisingd.Protectcorporatereputation
5.Crisiscommunicatione.PublicServiceAdvertising
12.3.4ProductAdvertising
Product advertising, as defined earlier, has a purely commercial purpose and is a means through
whichanorganizationcommunicateswithitsconsumers,topersuadethemtobuyitsproducts.
In product advertising, the message must be persuasive enough to convince people to buy the
product, or at least try it out once. Apart from the message, the medium must also be chosen
carefully. Sometimes, the mediumitself is the message. This means that the medium by itself
canconveycertainqualitiesabouttheproduct,withouttheneedforaverbalmessage.Takethe
simpleexampleofaperfumethatisadvertisedinaglossy,colormagazineforhighsocietywomen.
Themessageconveyed,evenwithouttheuseofwords,isthatitisapremiumqualityproduct,meant
forthesophisticatedandtheelite.
Like corporate advertising, effective product advertising can also build positive and lasting images
overthelongrun.
Example One of the best examples of this is the advertisement for Marlboro cigarettes, which
features open spaces, an imaginary country and a rugged cowboy, with the caption Come to
Marlborocountry.Themediumofadvertisingforthiscampaignisthebillboardorhoarding,asit
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is known in India. The visual of the cowboy and the open spaces creates a very masculine and
ruggedimageforthecigarettebrand.Suchwastheimpactofthisvisual,thatevennonsmokerstook
to smoking after seeing the advertisement. This campaign is several decades old, but has been
sustained over time, without any changes. It is displayed on billboards across the world and
transcendsculturalandgeographicalboundaries.
Productadvertising,ifcreativeenough,hasthepowertocommunicateandpersuadewithoutwords,
orwithminimumwordsandvisualimpact.Considerthefollowingexamples
An advertisement for Heinekin, a famous brand of beer, features a visual of the product with a
single line captionthat says When you makea great beer, youdonthave to make agreatfuss.
The message conveyed is that the product speaks for itself and that words are not required to
describeitsqualities.
AnotherfamousadvertisementforChivasRegal,awhiskybrand,featuresavisualofbrokenpieces
ofthebottle,withliquidflowingandwiththemessageHaveyoueverseenagrownupmancry?
12.3.5 FormatForProductAdvertising
Allproductadvertisingcontainsapersuasivemessagethatfollowsaparticularformat,knownasthe
AIDA format. AIDA stands for Attention, Interest, Desire and Action. This means that
persuasivemessagesshouldachievethefollowing,inaparticularsequence
*CaptureAttentionSincetheaverageconsumerisbombardedwithseveraladsatthesametime,
heorshewillonlypayattentiontothoseadswhichstandoutabovetheothers.Therefore,attention
getting devices should be used to make the consumer notice the ad. Asking a question to arouse
curiosity, having a bold headline, making a dramatic statement, or mentioning startling facts, are
someexamplesofattentiongettingdevices.
ExampleAnadvertisementforahomeburglaralarmmentionssomealarmingstatisticsintheform
ofadramaticquestion,rightatthebeginning
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Are you aware that over 5% of Indian homes were burgled last year? How can we protect
ourselves?
* Create Interest Once the reader or viewer has noticed the ad, it is important to create some
interest in the product, by stressing the benefits to the consumer. One way of doing this is by
selectingandstatingaUniqueSellingProposition(USP).Thisisauniquefeaturethatyourproduct
alonehasandwhichoffersaspecificbenefittotheconsumer.
For example, the USP of Clinic Dandruff Control Shampoo is that it contains an ingredient that
moisturizesthescalpandpreventsdandruff.Or,acarmayincludeasafetydevicethatothercarsdo
nothave.AUSPcreatesinterestbylinkingtheproductfeaturestotheconsumerbenefits.
*InduceDesireAftercreatingbasicinterestintheproduct,apersuasiveadshouldtrytoconvince
theconsumerthattheproductisjustrightforhim/her.Thisisachievedbyovercominganyobjections
orproblemsthattheconsumermayhave,suchashighprice,difficultyininstallationorfunctioningof
theproduct.
Example Taking theaboveexample ofthe home burglar alarm, thead might try to convincethe
consumerasfollows
Are you worried that a smart burglar might disconnect the electricity? No problem, because our
alarmhasbuiltinbatteriesthatensurethatitoperatesinspiteofpowerfailures.
*MotivateActionThisistheclosing,wheretheconsumermustbeaskedtodosomething.There
are two types of closing hardsell and softsell. A hardsell closing asks the consumer to
actimmediately,whichisusuallyintheformofbuyingtheproduct.
ExampleBuynow,whilestockslastorBuynow,beforespecialofferends.
Theadshouldalsoencourageeasyaction,byprovidinganaddressoratollfreenumbertocalland
ordertheproduct.
Asoftsellclosingismoreofasubtlecallforaction.Itspurposeistobuildloyaltytothebrand
andgentlyremindtheconsumeraboutthebrand.
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ExamplesCometestdrivetheNano,toexperiencethesheerthrillofdrivingthecar,atanyofour
dealeroutlets.
Or,anadforafamousbrandofpaintwhichsaysWheneveryouseecolor,thinkofus.
The format described above is also known as the Hierarchy of Effects, model, since it takes the
consumerthroughdifferentmentalstagesinaparticularsequence,rangingfromunawarenessofthe
producttolearningmoreaboutitandthenlikingitenoughtotryorbuyit.
1.Productadvertisingcancommunicateeffectivelywithoutwords,throughchoiceofan
appropriate___________________.
2.Interestinaproductcanbebuiltbydevelopinga______________
______________________________________________.
3.AnothernamefortheAIDAformatisthe_________________________
________________.
12.4Summary
External business communicationalso involves communication with consumers, the media and the
publicatlarge,throughadvertisingandnewsreleases.
A press release or a news release, is a story that highlights new developments in an organization
andiscarriedfreebythemediuminwhichitappears.Itisaformofpublicity,whichisapartofpublic
relations.Sincethemediumacceptstocarryit,
ithasapowerfulimpactonpublicopinionandishighlycredible.
Pressornewsreleasesmustbemadeinteresting,newsworthy,accurateandcomplete.Theyshould
alsobewritteninaspecificformat,whichincludesthefollowingcomponents
Anattentiongettingopener,thathighlightsthedevelopmentassomethingunique
Answerstokeyquestions,suchaswhere,when,whyandhow.
Theimpactofthedevelopmentonthecommunity
Companycredentials
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Theyshouldalsobevisuallyappealinganderrorfree.
Unlike press or news releases, advertising is a paid form of communication and is used to
communicate both about the organization and its products to consumers. There are two broad
categoriesofadvertisingcorporateadvertisingandproductadvertising.Whilecorporateadvertising
sellstheorganizationtoconsumersandotherpublics,productadvertisingsellstheproductsandhas
apurelycommercialpurpose.
Thebroadpurposeofcorporateadvertisingistoprojectafavorableimageoftheorganizationandto
maintaingoodwillwithvariouspublics.Someofthespecificobjectivesare
Tochangenegativeattitudestowardstheorganization
Toprojecttheculture,personalityandvaluesoftheorganization
Tosafeguardthecorporatereputationintimesofcrisis
Tomaketheorganizationmorevisibleandbetterunderstood
Toprojecttheorganizationassociallyresponsible
Therearedifferenttypesofcorporateadvertising,dependingontheobjectivetobeachieved.Some
ofthemaintypesare
1. Corporateidentityadvertising
2. Institutionaladvertising
3. Publicrelationsadvertising
4. Issueoradvocacyadvertising
5. Publicserviceadvertising
6. Corporateumbrellaadvertising
7. Corporatesponsorship
Corporate advertising should be sustained over a long term, have specific, measurable objectives
andevaluatedforeffectiveness,fromtimetotime.
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Productadvertisinghastheobjectiveofpersuadingtheconsumertobuy,ortotryoutacompanys
product.Inproductadvertising,thechoiceofanappropriatemediumisimportant,sincethemedium
by itself can communicate a message, without the use of words. Product advertising can also be
madehighlyeffectiveandpersuasive,throughpowerfulvisualsandminimumwords.
Productadvertisinggenerallyfollowsaspecificformat,knownastheAIDAformat,orthehierarchy
ofeffectsmodel.Thisincludesthefollowingcomponents
Capturingattentionthroughanattentiongettingdevice
Creatinginterestthroughauniquesellingproposition
Inducingdesirebyconvincingtheconsumerthattheproductisrightforhim/her
Motivatingactionthroughahardsellorasoftsellclose.
TerminalQuestions
1.Identifyanyrecentdevelopmentinanorganizationofyourchoiceandwriteaonepagepress
release,intheformatspecifiedinthisunit.
2.Selectarecentcorporateadvertisementfromanewspaperoramagazine.Whatisthespecific
purposeoftheadvertisement?Whattypeofcorporateadvertisingisit?
3.Selectarecentproductadvertisementfromanewspaper,magazineortelevision.Analyzethe
advertisementandexplainhowitcapturesattention,createsinterest,inducesdesireand
motivatesaction.
1. False
2. True
3. False
1. b
2. a
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3. e
4. c
5. d
1. Medium/visual
2. Uniquesellingproposition
3. Hierarchyofeffects
1.Refer12.2,12.2.1,12.2.2
2.Refer12.3.1,12.3.2
3.Refer12.3.4,12.3.5
InternalAndExternalBusinessCommunicationWritingBusinessReports Unit13
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Unit 13 InternalAndExternalBusinessCommunication
WritingBusinessReports
Structure
13.1 Introduction
Objectives
13.2 WhatisaReport?
13.3 TypesofBusinessReports
13.4 FormatforBusinessReports
13.5 StepsinReportPreparation
13.6 Summary
TerminalQuestions
AnswerstoSAQsandTQs
13.1Introduction
Business reports are used to communicate with both internal and external stakeholders of an
organization. Internally, management may need facts such as sales projections, to determine the
directionthatbusinessshouldtake.Externally,thegovernmentmayneedreportsoncompliancewith
various regulations. Reports are therefore varied in nature, purpose and format. They convey
importantinformationinanobjectivemannerandeitherpresentasolutiontoabusinessproblem,or
help in making major decisions. Since the report is a key to business success, careful attention
should be paid to the organization, preparation and writing of the report. This unit will explain the
different characteristics, formats and types of business reports and provide stepbystep guidelines
forreportpreparation.
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LearningObjectives:
1. Understandtheroleofreportsinbusiness
2. Analyzeandinterpretdifferenttypesofreports
3. Organizeandprepareanoutlineofreports
4. Developskillsinobjective,nonpersonalwriting
13.2WhatIsAReport?
Abusinessreportmaybedefinedasanorderlyandobjectivepresentationofinformation,that
helpsindecisionmakingandproblemsolving.Itmaybeinoralorwrittenform.
Thekeywordsintheabovedefinitionareorderly,objective,information,decision making
andproblemsolving.Orderlymeansthatareportflowsinalogicalsequence,forexample,from
a definition of the problem, to analysis, to recommendation of solutions. Objective means that a
reportiswrittenavoidinguseofthefirstperson,soastoavoidbias.Thepassivevoiceisusedrather
thantheactivevoice,soastogivelessimportancetothedoeroftheaction.
Example:Asurveywasconductedwithasamplesizeof100respondents.(passivevoice)
andnotIconductedasurveyamongasamplesizeof100respondents(activevoice).
Areportpresentsinformationorauthenticfactsanddata.Subjectivejudgmentsand
recommendationsshouldbebasedondata.
Finally,abusinessreport,unlikeascientificoracademicreport,shouldaiddecisionmakingand
problemsolving.Forexample,areportonthemarketfeasibilityofanewproductshouldhelp
managementtodecidewhethertolaunchthenewproductornot.
Abusinessreporthascertainuniquecharacteristics
*Areportvariesinpurpose,length,formatandcomplexity.
PurposeThepurposeofabusinessreportmaybetoa)informb)analyzeorc)persuade.Areport
that seeks to merely inform the reader is simple and states facts with no persuasive intent. An
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example of a report with this purpose is a report on company policies and procedures. Other
examplesare sales reports, monthlydepartmental reports and project reports showing progresson
projects.
Sometimesa report may have the twin purposeof informingas well as analyzing. Merely providing
datamaybemeaningless,unlessthedataisanalyzedandinterpreted.Allresearchreports,suchas
marketresearchreportsbasedonsurveys,comeunderthiscategory.Theinformationgatheredfrom
asurveyisanalyzedandthenpresentedinameaningfulform.
Abusinessreportmayalsohavethepurposeofpersuadingorrecommendingacourseofaction.A
researchreportmayalsomakesomesuggestions,basedonthedataandtheanalysisofthedata.A
marketing strategy report submitted to top management and proposals to the government seeking
funds for building a research facility, or for some other purpose, are other examples of persuasive
reports.
.Length,formatandcomplexityBusinessreportsvaryfromsimpleonepagememoformats,to
more complex reports such as manuscript reports, running to several pages.Research reports
arethemostcomplexandthelongestofallreports.Thepurposeofthereportdeterminesthelength,
formatandcomplexity.Thedifferentformatswillbediscussedindetailinalatersection.
*Reportqualityisaffectedbyqualityandaccuracyofthedata
Areportmaybeperfectlywrittenbutmaystillbeofpoorquality,ifthedatacollectedisnotaccurate,
oriftheprocessofdatacollectionitselfisfaulty.Forexample,aresearchreportmaybewellwritten
and presented, but the sample selected for the survey may be too small, or not representative
enoughofthepopulation.
Regarding accuracyof data, takethe example of a report recommending purchaseof anoverhead
projectorforthecompanysconferenceroom.Supposeyouhavebeenaskedtostudythefeaturesof
differentbrandsofOHPsandcomeupwitharecommendation.IfyourecommendabrandofOHP
basedonitsbulblifeof100hoursinsteadof300hoursbymistake,yourrecommendationitselfmay
beincorrect.
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13.3TypesOfBusinessReports
Reports may be classified based on several criteria, including their use( progress reports and
financial reports), purpose ( informational, analytical and persuasive reports), frequency of
preparation ( annual, monthly, weekly and hourly reports), length (short and long reports) and
whethertheyareinternaltothebusiness,orareusedoutsidethebusiness.
Themostcommontypesofbusinessreportsmaybedividedintothefollowingcategories
1.PeriodicreportsThesearereportsthatarepreparedonaregularbasis,forbothinternal
andexternalaudiences.Theirpurposeissolelytoinform.Examplesofthistypeofreportare
a)RoutinemanagementreportsThesearereportssuchasequipmentreportsandsalesupdates
andarepreparedforinternalaudiences.
b) Compliance reports These are submittedto external stakeholders, such asthe government,
statingcompliancewithregulationssuchasenvironmentalnorms.
c) Progress reports These reports may be prepared for both internal audiences such as top
management and shareholders, as well as for external audiences such as customers. A project
reportstatingprogressonalongtermprojectisanexampleofthistypeofreport.
2.ProposalsUnlikeperiodicreports,thepurposeofaproposalistopersuade.Proposalsmay
be prepared for both internal and external audiences. Examples of proposals include research
proposals and marketing strategy proposals to top management, proposals to the government to
grantfundsforbuildingaresearchfacilityandproposalstoconsumerstobuyacompanysproducts.
3. Policies and Procedures The purpose of these reports is solely to inform. They are also
preparedonlyforinternalaudiences.Examplesincludereportsoncompanypoliciesandprocedures,
writtenbytopmanagementandsenttoallemployees.Thisispartofdownwardcommunication.
4.SituationalreportsTheseareonetime,exceptionalreportsthatarepreparedwhenaunique
eventoccurs.Forexample,ifsalesofthecompanyhasshownasignificantdecline,astudymaybe
carried out to determine the reasons for declining sales and a report prepared on the findings.
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Similarly,amarketfeasibilitystudymaybecarriedoutbeforelaunchofanewproductandareport
prepared, .based on the study. The purpose of such reports is usually to inform, analyze and
persuade.
1.Abusinessreportisasubjectivepresentationofinformation.
2.Thereisnosingleformatforabusinessreport.
3.Thepurposeofaproposalistoinform.
4.Acompliancereportisaonetimereport.
5.Thequalityofareportisjudgedbyitsvisualappeal.
13.4FormatForBusinessReports
Theformatforabusinessreportwilldependonthelengthofthereport.Lengthalsodeterminesthe
degreeoflanguageformality.
Thesimplestformatforareportisthememoformat,whichisaonepagereport.Forexample,calling
attentiontoameetingortoaproblem,mayrequireonlyonepageorlessandcouldbewrittenina
memoformat.Suchreportswillalsobemoreinformalthanlongerreports.Memoswerediscussedin
detailinanearlierunit.
As the complexity of the problem increases, additional pages may be required .The writer of the
reportwillthendecidethatthereportislargeenoughtobedressedupwithafewextraparts.For
example,atitlepage may beadded to the report to impressthe reader.Or,a letteraddressed to
the reader may be included, to indicate that the report is complete and is being sent. This is
knownasaletteroftransmittal.
Therefore,asthesizeofthereportincreases,anumberofextrapartsmaybeadded,inorderto
assistthereaderinunderstandingthereport.Thereportwillthentakeonadifferentformat
Considerthefollowingtwopagepersuasiveproposal,writteninamanuscriptformat,which
includesacaption,subheadsandasummary,tohelpthereaderinunderstandingthereportclearly.
Aonepagememoreportwouldnotrequireanyoftheseitems.
226
SAMPLEPROPOSAL
THEBUSINESSWRITERSHOTLINE
AProposalsubmittedbyProf.SteveMartin
SiliconValleyCollegeofBangalore,Karnataka,totheFulbrightFoundation
April3,2008
Allbusinesswritershavequeriesaboutwritingstylefromtimetotime.TheBusiness
CommunicationfacultyatSiliconValleyCollegeofBangaloreoftenreceivescallsfrom
businesswriters,askingquestionsaboutthetone,writingstyleandformatofbusiness
lettersandreports.Althoughacoupleofbusinesswritershotlinesexistnationwide,
noneisavailableinthecityofBangalore.
Thus,theBusinessCommunicationFacultyofSiliconValleyCollegerequeststhata
grantforRs.1.5lakhsbeawarded,forthepurposeofsettingupandoperatinga
BusinessWritersHotlineforoneyear.ThiswillbenefitbusinessexecutivesinBangalore
cityandthestudents,facultyandstaffofSiliconValleyCollege.
BenefitsoftheProject
TheprojectwillfundtheestablishmentandfunctioningofaBusinessWritersHotline,in
whichseniorprofessorsofBusinessCommunicationofSiliconValleyCollegewill
answertelephonequeries,onthesubjectofgrammar,writingstyleandformat.This
servicewillbeofferedatnocosttousersandwillbeavailablefivedaysaweek,from
MondaytoFriday.Thishotlinewill
1. Enhancebusinessproductivity,byreducingerrorsinwritingthatcancause
communicationproblems,unnecessarydelays,orevenwrongdecisions.
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2. Provideausefulservicetobusinesswriters,includingbusinessexecutives,
collegestudentsandfaculty,whopresentlyhavenootherwayofclarifyingtheir
doubtsandquestions.
3. Projectafavorableimageofthecollege,asanassettothebusinesscommunity
inBangalore.
Procedures
ABusinessCommunicationfacultymemberwillbeavailabletoansweranytelephone
enquiries,duringworkingdays,between9amand6pm.Anycallsreceivedoutside
regularworkinghourswillberecordedonanansweringmachineandatelephone
responseprovided,beforetheendofthenextworkingday.
Adedicatedphonelinewillbeinstalledforthispurposeandincomingcallswillbe
forwardedtothefacultymembers,sothattheycanworkonothermatters
simultaneously.
Facultymemberswillonlyprovideconsultancyservicesandtrytoanswerany
reasonablequestionsrelatedtogrammar,punctuation,spelling,format,etc.Theywill
notundertakeanywrittenwork,editanyoneswriting,oransweranyquestionsthat
requireindepthresearch.TwobookswillserveasthestandardreferencesTheOxford
EnglishDictionaryandTheEconomistStyleGuide.
Thehotlinewillbeginoperatingonthefirstdayoftheacademiccalendaryear,afterthe
granthasbeenawardedandwillcontinueforoneyear.Asmalladvertisement
announcingthisservicewillappearinleadinglocaldailies,suchastheTimesofIndia
andTheDeccanHerald.
Theextenttowhichtheserviceisusedandthetypesofquestionsaskedwillbe
recorded.Theserecordswillshowwhethertheneedsofbusinesswritersarebeingmet
bythisserviceandwhetherfurthertrainingshouldbegiventobusinessexecutives.
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Budget
ThebudgetrecommendedfortheBusinessWritersHotlineforthefirstyearofoperation
isasfollows
PurchaseoffivecopieseachofthetwosuggestedreferencebooksRs.5000
Purchaseofonetelephoneansweringmachine Rs. 2000
Rentalofonetelephoneline(12months@Rs.1000pm) Rs. 12000
Longdistancecharges(12monthsestimatedatRs.2000pm).Rs. 24000
Advertisements(12months) Rs. 100000
MiscellaneousRs. 7000
Total Rs.150000
Note:Thefacultymemberswillnotchargefortheirtime.
FacultyQualifications
AllthefacultymembersofSiliconValleyCollegehavedoctoraldegreesintheirfieldand
anaverageoftenyearsteachingexperienceinBusinessCommunicationandrelated
areas.Therefore,theyarewellequippedtoanswerthequestionsthatarelikelytocome
up.
Summary
ThesettingupofaBusinessWritersHotlinewillimprovethecommunication
skillsandwritingqualityofbusinessexecutivesinBangalore.Thecostsindicatedabove
aresmall,comparedtothebenefitsthatwillbederivedfromtheservicebybusiness
executives,students,facultyofthecollegeandthecollegeitself.
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Reportsrunningtoseveralhundredsofpagessuchasresearchreportswillrequireagreaternumber
of assisting items. They will also be much more formal in terms of language used and methods of
presentation, compared to the memo, which is at the informal end.We will discuss these assisting
itemsinsomedetail.
1.PreliminaryParts
a)LetterofTransmittalThisisaletterattachedtothereportwhenitissenttoreaders.Itserves
asagreetingandasanintroductiontothereport.
Forexample,inaresearchreport,theletteroftransmittalshownbelowisaddressedtothepersonin
an organization who authorized the study. The first sentence presents the report and reminds the
readerthatitwasrequested.Itmakesabriefmentionofthemethodologyusedinthestudy,themain
findingsandtherecommendations.
Example
DearMr.Johnson,
Hereisthereportofthestudyyourequested,onthefeasibilityofopeningabranchofficein
thecityofBangalore.
Astudyofthesocialandeconomicfactorsofthecommunity,ananalysisofsavingspatterns
andofthepotentialcompetition,indicatesthatanadditionalsavingsandloanbranchofficecouldbe
accommodatedinBangalore.
Ihopethisreportwillassistyouinmakingadecision.Pleaseletmeknow,shouldyouwishto
discussthereportinanyway.
Sincerely,
DonaldMcDonald
ResearchAssociate
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b)TitlePageSincethetitlepagecreatesthefirstimpressiononthereader,itshouldbevisually
appealing.Thetitleshouldbeclearandasdescriptiveofthestudyaspossible.
Thispageshouldalsomentionthepersonwhorequestedorauthorizedthereport,thepersonwho
preparedthereportandthedateonwhichthereportwassubmitted.
Example
THEFEASIBILITYOFOPENINGABRANCHSAVINGSANDLOANOFFICEINBANGALORE
Preparedfor:
Mr.WilliamJohnson
Chairman
WesternSavingsandLoanAssociation
Mumbai
Preparedby:
DonaldMcDonald
ResearchAssociate
IndianMarketResearchOrganization
Bangalore
April1
st
,2008
c). The Contents Page The purpose of having a contents page is to help the reader locate
information, when a report is several pages long. It indicates how the report is organized. The
contents should include the same headings that are used in the body of the report. The headings
shouldbeconnectedwiththeappropriatepagenumbers.Ifthereportcontainsseveralgraphs,tables
or figures, they should be listed separately on a separate page, under a heading such as List of
TablesandFigures.Thecontentspageshouldbepreparedfromtheoutline,afterwritingthereport.
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d).The Executive Summary or Synopsis This is included in long reports to let the reader know
whatthereportisallabout,withouthavingtoreadtheentirereport.Thesummaryisacondensed
form, or an overview of the contents in the report. In a research report,theexecutive summary
shouldincludethepurposeofthestudy,abriefstatementoftheproblem,theresearchmethodology,
the mainfindings, conclusionsand recommendations. Theexecutive summary may be one to two
pagesinlength.
2.BodyoftheReportThisisthemaintextandistheheartofthereport.Itshouldincludesections
suchas
a)IntroductionThisincludesthebackgroundandthepurposeofthestudy.
b)ProblemStatementAcleardefinitionoftheproblem,orthefundamentalissuethatneedstobe
resolvedisneeded.
c)ResearchMethodologyAdetailedexplanationofthetypeofresearchthatneedstobecarried
out, the methods used for collection of data, the sample size, procedure and the questionnaire
design,shouldbeincludedinthissection.
d) Analysis,FindingsandConclusionsThedatacollectedshouldbeanalyzedandthefindings
presented and interpreted in a meaningful manner. Inferences should be made based on the
findings.Thefindingscouldbepresentedintabular,oringraphicalform.
e)RecommendationsAreportwhosepurposeistopersuadeshouldincludesuggestedcourses
ofaction,orsolutionstothedefinedproblem,basedonthefindings.
3.Addenda/AnnexesAreportmayalsoincludeavarietyofitemsafterthebodyofthereport.
Someofthemainitemsinthissectioninclude
a)BibliographyorReferencesThisisalistingofallsourcesofinformationbooks,journals,
researchpapersandwebsitesthatwerereferredtoforpreparationofthereport.Thepurposeof
includingthissectionistopresentdocumentedevidencefrompeoplewhoareconsideredauthorities
232
intheirfield,insupportofourownstatements.Itgivesduecredittoauthorswhowereconsulted,in
theabsenceofwhichwemaybeaccusedofplagiarism,orcopying.Includingabibliographyalso
revealsthedepthofthestudy.
Examples
1.MarkEllis,ChristineJohnson,TeachingBusinessEnglish,OxfordUniversityPress:Oxford,
1994.
2.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonverbal_communication
b)AppendixThisisasectionthatincludesmaterialrelevanttothestudy,butistootechnicalor
complicatedtobeincludedinthebodyofthereport.Thisisbecauseitwouldhinderthereaders
ability to grasp the message. Examples of such items include cover letters for questionnaires, the
questionnaires themselves, maps, summaries ofraw data, computerized models and mathematical
orstatisticalformulas.EachitemintheappendixsectionmustbelabeledasAppendixA,Appendix
B,etc.andgivenasuitabletitle.
c)IndexThisisincorporatedinordertohelpthereadertoeasilylocateanytopicorconceptthatis
mentioned in the report. It is an alphabetical guide to the terms used in the main text of the
report. It is generally not a part of most business reports, although it may be needed in some
proposals, prospectuses and annual reports. It will include a list of key terms in alphabetical order,
followedbyallthepagenumbersonwhichthekeytermsareused.
d) Glossary This is an explanation of technical terms or jargon used in the body of the
report.Thissectionisneededonlywhenthereportisofahighlytechnicalnatureandthereaderisa
layperson, who is not familiar with the technical terms used. If the reader is an expert in that
particularfield, the glossary may be omitted. It may alsobe omitted if the number ofsuch terms is
small,inwhichcase,theymaybeexplainedintheformoffootnotes.
Business reportsneed not necessarily includeall the items listed above. Infact, it would be rareto
findallthesesectionsinasinglereport.Theyhavebeenmentionedonlytoillustrateallthepossible
partsthatabusinessreportcouldinclude.Forexample,thepreliminarypartsandtheaddendaitems
233
only support the body of the report. The purpose, type, length and formality of the report would
determinewhichofthesectionstoinclude.
Matchthefollowing
1.Memoformata.Bibliography
2.Preliminarypartb.Technicalspecifications
3.Problemdefinitionc.Informal
4.Appendixd.Bodyofreport
5.Documentatione.Executivesummary
13.5 StepsInReportPreparation
Sincereportsareakeytothesuccessofanybusiness,theyshouldbecarefullyplanned,organized,
writtenandpresented.Alotofgroundworkshouldprecedetheactualwritingofthereport.Weshall
brieflydiscussthefivemainstepsinreportpreparation
1.PlanningthereportThefirstquestiontobeaskedbeforegatheringinformationandwritingthe
report, is regarding the type of report that is required. We classified reports into four main types,
basedonthepurpose,theaudiencetowhomtheyareaddressedandthefrequencyofthereport.
Secondly, it must be remembered that most reports are required by management to solve a
problem, or to make a decision. Therefore, the basis, or starting point for a report is a problem.
Reportsarewrittenafteraproblemisanalyzedandasolutiontotheproblemisfound.Theproblem
may be of a daytoday nature, such as determining which brand of overhead projector to
recommend for purchase. Or, the problem may be a negative one, such as sales of the company
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showingadecline.Inanycase,theproblemisthesinglefundamental issuetobeaddressedin
thereportandshouldbeclearlydetermined,rightattheoutset.
Oncetheproblemhasbeendefined,itmustbebrokenupintosubissuesorsubproblems,byasking
thequestionswhat,why,when,whereandwho?.
ExampleSupposethepurposeofastudyistosurveyclericalsalariesinpublicsectorbanksin
Bangalorecity,inordertodeterminewhethersalariesinyourbankarecompetitiveandconsistent.
Theproblemmaybebrokenupasfollows
What?Astudyofclericalsalaries
Why?Todeterminewhethersalariesinourfirmarecompetitiveandconsistent
When?Current
Where?Bangalorecity
Who?Clericalemployeesinpublicsectorbanks
Askingtheabovequestionsdeterminestheexactscopeofthestudyandreducestheproblemtoa
workablesize.
Thenextstepinplanningthereportistodoanaudienceanalysis.Wehaveseenthatreportsmay
be addressed to internal or external audiences of an organization. Some of the questions to be
askedabouttheaudience,orthereaderofthereportare
Istheaudienceinternalorexternaltotheorganization?
Who is the specific audience or reader? for example, top management, customers or the
government?Reportswrittenforthegovernmentandfortopmanagementshouldbemoreformal
thanforotheraudiences.
Istheaudienceknowntoyou?
Whatisthelevelofknowledgeoftheaudience?Isthetopicfamiliartothereader?Ifthereportis
of a technical nature and the reader is a layperson, the technical terms may need detailed
explanation.
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What is the level of interest of the reader? If the report has been solicited or authorized, the
readerslevelofinterestwillbehigh.Ontheotherhand,ifthereportisvoluntaryorunsolicited,it
mayhavetosustainreaderinterest.
Thetone,length,complexityanddegreeofformalityofthereportwilldependlargelyonthereaders
characteristics.Forexample,reportsaddressedtopeerswouldadopt
amoreconversationaltone,whilereportsoncompanypoliciesandproceduresaddressedto
subordinateswouldadoptanemphatictone.
2. Selecting a Method to Solve the Problem After defining the problem and doing an audience
analysis, a method has to be selected to collect the necessary information to solve the problem.
Broadly, information may be gathered using secondary research methods, such as books,
magazines,newspapers,internetandotheravailablesources,
orthroughprimaryresearchmethods,suchassurveysthatprovidefirsthandinformation.
3.GatheringandOrganizingData Oncethemethodofgatheringinformationhasbeenselected,
theactualprocessofgatheringtheinformationbegins.Sincethisistimeconsumingandexpensive,
onlyinformationthatisrelevanttothereportandthestudymustbegathered.Therawdatashould
be evaluated for its usefulness and organized in a form that is meaningful to understand. Tables,
charts,graphsandsummariesshouldbeusedtodothis.
4.ArrivingataConclusionOncetheinformationhasbeencheckedforitsvalidityandreliability,it
must be interpreted and conclusions drawn. Correct interpretation of the data is needed for the
successofthereport.Soundconclusionscannotbemadeiftheinterpretationofthedataisfaulty.A
common mistake made in the interpretation of data is the tendency of the researcher to use
subjectivejudgments,insteadofobjectivereasoningbasedonfacts.
5.WritingtheReportTheactualprocessofwritingthereportshouldbeginonlyafterasatisfactory
solutiontotheproblemhasbeenfound.Aspointedoutearlier,awellwrittenreportthatcontainsa
badanswer,isworsethanabadlywrittenreportthatcontainsagoodanswer.
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Onceyouarereadytobeginwriting,certainproceduresforwritingshouldbe
followed
SetadateforcompletionofthereportandgetstartedearlyBeginbyfirstpreparingan
outlineandwritinganinitialdraft,whichcanberefinedlater.
Startinglateisboundtoaffectthequalityofthereport.
StartwithaneasysectionItisbesttostartwritingthosesectionsofthereportwhichyoufeel
areeasierthanothers.Thiswillhelpyoutogetintotherhythmofwriting,whichwillbecarried
overtothemoredifficultsections.
Writequickly,withtheintentionofrewritingItisbettertoputdownyourthoughtsonpaper
intheformofaroughdraftandtogetthisdonequickly.Oncethisdifficultpartisover,itbecomes
easiertoimprove.
SetasideuninterruptedwritingtimeAlongblockofuninterruptedwritingtime,suchasthree
tofourhoursaday,shouldbesetasideforwritingthereport.Interruptionscanmakeyoulose
yourtrainofthought.
Reviewandrewritewherenecessary Ideally,thereportshouldbereviewedacoupleof
times,toseeifanyimprovementisneeded.Thefirstreviewshouldbetoseeifanyimprovement
incontentisneeded,whilethesecondreviewshouldcheckforanyerrorsinwritingstyle,
grammar,spellingandpunctuation.
Reportsshouldalsobewritteninaconvincingmanner,sothatthereaderacceptsthemasvalid
andreliable.Somesuggestedtechniquesofconvictionincludethefollowing
State facts in an objective manner Avoid using superlatives and emotional terms that
introducebiasintheresearch,orthatsuggestthatyouarepassingjudgment.Forexample,avoid
saying There was an incredible increase in sales, compared to the last year. Instead, simply
statetheamountorpercentageofincrease.Thiswillbemoreacceptabletothereader.
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ProvideexpertopinionsAlthoughfactsaremoreconvincingthantheopinionsofothers,they
may not always be available. In this case, the opinions of a specialist in the field may be
presented, highlighting the background and experience of the expert. This can enhance the
credibilityofthereport.
ExampleThisistheopinionofaneminentlawyer,whohasoverthreedecadesofexperience
indealingwithsimilarcases.
UsedocumentationFootnotesarecitationsthatareplacednumericallyatthebottomof
the page in the body of the report, along with the direct references. This is one way of
mentioning the sources of information presented in the report. A bibliography, or list of
references,explainedearlier,isanotherwayofprovidingdocumentation.Thishelpstoconvince
thereaderthattheinformationisbasedonreliablesources.
Businessreportsshouldbecarefullyworded,adoptingcertaintechniquesofwritingstyle
UseconcretenounsBusinessreportsshoulduseconcretenouns,ratherthanabstract
nounsasthesubjectofsentences,sincetheyareeasiertovisualize.
ExampleMr.Johnsonauthorizedthestudy.
Here,Mr.Johnsonisaconcretenounandiseasytovisualize.
ComparethiswiththesentenceAuthorizationforthestudywasreceivedbyMr.Johnson.Herean
abstractnoun,authorization,isthesubjectofthesentenceandishardertovisualize..
Avoid pronouns referring to the writer or reader The first person pronoun I and the
secondpersonpronounyoushouldbeavoidedinbusinessreports,asfaraspossible.Theuse
ofIrisksplacingmoreemphasisonthewriterofthereport,ratherthanontheideas.
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ExampleIconductedfacetofaceinterviewswithfiftyrespondents.Thisdrawsmoreattention
to the report writer and should be avoided. It isbetter to emphasize the idea that Facetoface
interviewswereconductedamongfiftyrespondents.
UsetensescorrectlyIfyouarewritingaresearchreportandreportingorsummarizingsome
ofthefindings,thepasttenseispreferable.
ExampleAlmost80%oftherespondentswerenotawareofthenewproduct.
Oftheremaining20%,fiverespondentsweresatisfiedwiththeproductsfeatures.
However, once the findings have been presented and you are drawing conclusions, the present
tenseshouldbeused.
ExampleTheabovefiguresclearlyindicatetheneedformoreadvertisingtocreateawareness.
UsetransitionsentencesThereportshouldbewrittensoastoflowinalogicalsequence.A
transition sentence summarizes one section of the report and leads the reader smoothly
intothenextsection.
ExampleWhilethecostsofthisnewinitiativearemorethanwhatwereanticipated,thebenefits
outweighthecosts,aslistedbelow.
Thissentenceleadsthereaderfromadiscussiononcoststoasectiononbenefits,asaresultofa
costbenefitanalysis.
* Define key terms carefully Important terms and words should be defined properly, explaining
whatthewordmeans,ratherthanwhatthewordisabout.
ExampleAdictionaryisabookcontaininganalphabeticallistofallwordsinaparticularlanguage
isamorecompletedefinitionthan
Adictionaryhastodowithwordsinalanguage.
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1.Audienceanalysishelpstodeterminethe______________andthe
__________________ofthereport.
2.Thesurveymethodisusedtogather_________________dataforareport.
3._________________________________and____________________aretwoways
ofmakingareportmoreconvincing.
4.Theuseof________________________________________isarecommended
techniqueofwritingstyleinbusinessreports.
5.Itisbettertoemphasizethe_________________inareportratherthanthe____________.
13.6 Summary
Business reports are used to communicate with both internal and external audiences. They are
written in an orderly and objective manner and provide information that assists in problem solving
anddecisionmaking.Reportsvaryinpurpose,format,lengthandcomplexity.Thequalityofareport
isdeterminedlargelybythequalityandaccuracyofthedatacontainedinthereport.
Reportsmaybecategorizedbasedoncriteriasuchasthetypeofaudience,thefrequencywithwhich
theyareprepared,theirpurpose,useandlength.Themostcommontypesofreportsfallunderfour
broadcategories
1. Periodicreports
2. Proposals
3. PoliciesandProcedures
4. Situationalreports
Theformatforareportisafunctionofthelengthofthereport.Short,onepagereports
followthememoformat,whilelongerreportsfollowamanuscriptformat.Thelongerthereport,the
more the number of additional parts it will need, in order to assist the reader in understanding it
withoutanydifficulty. The extraparts, orassisting items thata report maypossibly contain, include
thefollowing
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1. PreliminarypartsLetteroftransmittal,titlepage,executivesummaryandcontentspage.
2. BodyofthereportIntroduction,problemdefinition,methodology,analysis,findings,conclusions
andrecommendations.
3. AddendaorAnnexesBibliographyorreferences,appendix,indexandglossaryofterms.
Thestepsinreportpreparationinclude
Planningthereport,whichincludesdeterminingthetypeofreport,definingtheproblemand
doinganaudienceanalysis.
Selectingamethodforcollectingdata
Gatheringandorganizingdata
Arrivingatananswertotheproblem
Writingthereport
Regardingwritingthereport,certainproceduresshouldbefollowedtomakesurethatthereportisof
highqualitystartingearly,startingwitheasysections,settingasideuninterruptedtimeforwriting,
reviewingandrewritingthereport.
Sometechniquesformakingthereportmoreconvincingtothereaderinclude
Providingopinionsofexperts
Statingfactsinanobjectiveandunbiasedmanner
Providingdocumentationintheformofreferences
Thetechniquesofwritingstyletobefollowedwhenwritingareport,includethefollowing
Useofconcretevs.abstractnouns
Avoidanceofpersonalpronounsthatemphasizethewriterorreaderofthereport
Correctuseoftenses
Useoftransitionsentences
Carefuldefinitionofkeyterms
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TerminalQuestions
1.Whatarethecharacteristicsofbusinessreportsthatdistinguishthemfrombusiness
letters?
2.Imaginethatyourfactoryisdoingwellandthatyouwishtoparticipateinthedevelopmentofthe
localcommunity,inthetownwherethefactoryislocated.Youarewillingtocontributepartofthecost
ofbuildingamodernfootballstadiumthereandwishtorequestthegovernmenttocontributethe
remainingcost.
Answerthefollowingquestionsa)Whattypeofreportwillyouprepare?b)Whatisthe
purpose?c)Whatreportformatwillyouuse?d)Whoistheaudienceandwhatisthelevelof
interest?e)Isthereportvoluntaryorauthorized?
3.Inyouropinion,whichisthemostimportantstepinreportpreparation?Justifyyouranswer.
1. False
2. True
3. False
4. False
5. False
1. c
2. e
3. d
4. b
5. a
1. Tone/lengthformality/complexity
2. Primary
3. Expertopinionsdocumentation/references/bibliography
4. Transitionsentences/concretenouns/correcttenses
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5. Ideaswriter/reader
1.Refer13.2
2.Refer13.3,13.4,13.5.
3.Refer13.5
EmploymentCommunicationResumesAndCoverLettersUnit14
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Unit14 EmploymentCommunicationResumesand
CoverLetters
Structure
14.1 Introduction
Objectives
14.2 WritingaResume
14.2.1TypesofResumes
14.2.2ComponentsofResumes
14.2.3LanguageandotherGuidelinesforResumes
14.3 WritingJobApplicationLetters
14.3.1 TypesofJobApplicationLetters
14.4 OtherLettersaboutEmployment
14.5 Summary
TerminalQuestions
AnswerstoSAQsandTQs
14.1Introduction
Thejobapplicationprocessbeginswithwritingresumesandapplicationletters.Whileawelldrafted
resumeandapplicationletteralonecannotgetyouajob,theycancertainlyincreaseyourchancesof
being included in the short list of candidates to be considered. The way your resume and
application letter are worded and presented can create a favorable first impression among
prospectiveemployers.Theycanprovideaninsightintothetypeofpersonthatyouare.Needlessto
say,alotoftimeandattentionshouldbegiventopreparingresumesandapplicationletters,ensuring
that they are written in an appropriate format and reflect your strengths and skills. This unit offers
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some useful guidelines for writing effective resumes, application letters and other types of
employmentletters.
LearningObjectives:
1. Developagoodunderstandingofthejobapplicationprocess
2. Prepareaneffectivepersonalresume
3. Writeapplicationletterstailoredtotheneedsofprospectiveemployers
4. Projectanoverallfavorableimageofyourselftoprospectiveemployers
14.2WritingAResume
A resume is a document that summarizes your background, educational qualifications,
experience and interests. It may be sent not only to current employers, but also to potential
employers,whomayhireyouforajobthathasnotbeenannounced.Fromaprospectiveemployers
point of view, it serves as a screening device, helping to select the most worthy candidates for a
particularpositionandtoeliminatetheothers.Fromajobseekerspointofview,theresumeconveys
how you present your ideas, whether you are organized and what your strengths are, apart from
listingyourqualifications.
Although resumes and job application letters go together and the letter is seen first, the resume
shouldbewrittenbeforetheletter.Theresumehelpstodecidewhichideasaretobehighlightedin
theapplicationletter.Resumes,likeapplicationletters,shouldfocusontheneedsofemployers.For
example, a person seeking a job as a visualizer in an advertising agency, should emphasize his
creativeskillsoverotherskills.
14.2.1 TypesOfResumes
Therearetwoapproachestowritingaresume.Whichoftheseyouchoosewilldependonyour
experienceandaccomplishments.
1. Chronological Resume This type of resume consists in listing your education and
experienceinreverseorder,mentioningyourmostrecentjoborqualificationfirst.Thisisthemost
commonly used approach and is generally used when your education and work experience are
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clearlyrelatedtothejobthatyouareapplyingfor.Itisalsoappropriateforrecentcollegegraduates,
withlittleornoworkexperience.
Anexampleofachronologicalresumeisshownbelow
SusanThomas
207,SummerBlock
TheResidences
57,BensonCrossRd.,
Bangalore560046
Phone(080)23537133
Mobile9845031352
Emailsusanthomas@yahoo.com
OBJECTIVE AmiddletoseniorlevelpositionintheareaofClientServicing,inan
AdvertisingAgency.
EDUCATION M.S.,Advertising&Marketing,theUniversityofTexasatAustin,
Texas,USA,September2005.
B.A.,MassCommunication,MountCarmelCollege,Bangalore,May
2001.
EXPERIENCE AccountSupervisor,Ogilvy&Mather,Bangalore,October2005
present.
IndependentlyhandletheadvertisingcampaignsofprestigiousFMCG
Clients,suchasHindustanUnilever.Superviseateamofclientservice
executives.
ClientServiceExecutive,SistaSaatchi&Saatchi,Bangalore,June
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2002June2003.
Assistedaccountsupervisorinprelaunchadvertisingactivitiesfor
anumberofnewproductlaunches.
ManagementTrainee,HindustanThompsonAssociates,Bangalore,
June20012002.
Wentthroughallroundtraininginthedifferentdepartmentsofan
advertisingagency,withemphasisonclientservicing.
ACTIVITIES Member,AdvertisingClub,Bangalore,2007present
&INTERESTS Member,BangaloreManagementAssociation,Bangalore,2006
present
ConsultingEditor,Advertising&Marketingmagazine,Bangalore,
2005present
REFERENCES Availableonrequest
2.FunctionalResumeThistypeofresumeisappropriatewhenyouhaveheldanumberofjobsin
differentfunctionalareas,orwhenyouarechangingyourcareercompletely.
ExampleMovingfromaMarketingjobtoaHumanResourcesrelatedjob,orchangingyourcareer
focusfromanindustryjobtoanacademicjob.
Inthiscase,theresumewillbepreparedinsuchawaythatalljobsinaparticularareawillbe
groupedtogether.
Afunctionalresumewouldbewrittenasfollows
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CAREEROBJECTIVE
ApositioninMarketingCommunication,thatwouldleveragebothmyindustryandacademic
experience.
EXPERIENCE
SummaryofIndustryExperience(19942002)
Workedforovereightyearsintheadvertisingindustry.Startedmycareerasamanagementtrainee
withamidsizedagencyandwasexposedtoallagencydepartments.Joinedaninhouseagencyof
a reputed organization and worked with them for two years as account executive on a consumer
durable account. Moved on next to Indias third largest advertising agency, where I independently
handledtheadvertisingcampaignsofaleadingfastmovingconsumergoodsclient.Afterthreeyears
with them, I took up an offer as Branch Manager of a smaller agency catering to IT clients, and
workedwiththemforacoupleofyears.
SummaryofAcademicExperience(2003present)
I shifted my career focus to academics in 2003 and was a visiting faculty in Marketing at leading
business schools in Bangalore. Worked as Editor for an institute offering distance education
programs in Marketing and Advertising for a couple of years, before joining a business school that
offers an American MBA in India. As Marketing Director, I was responsible for teaching Marketing
relatedsubjects,placementcoordinationandmarketingtheprogramtoprospectivestudents.Aftera
long fiveyear stint with them, I recently joined Sikkim Manipal University, where I look after the
managementprogramsofferedthroughdistanceeducation.
Achronologicalworkhistorywouldfollowtheexperiencesection,listingalljobsheldinreverse
chronologicalorder,startingfromthemostrecentjob.Theeducation
sectionwouldcomenext,listinginstitutions,degreesanddates.
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14.2.2 ComponentsOfResumes
Irrespective of the type of resume, all resumes will have the same basic information or standard
components
1. Basic DataThis includes thename, address, telephone numberandemail id. The information
providedshouldallowaprospectiveemployertoreachyoueasily.Ifyouarestillincollege,itisbetter
to provide both a home and a college address. If you are already employed, list either a business
phonenumber,oramobilenumberwhereyoucanbereachedduringworkhours.
2. Career Objective An objective should be very specific, stating clearly the position you are
seekingandtheareainwhichyouwanttowork.Theobjectivestatementshouldconsistoftwoparts
1)Yourgeneralgoal,mentioningsomeskillsthatyoufeelwillqualifyyouforthejoband2)Oneor
morespecificareasinwhichyouwishtowork.
ExampleAnentrylevelpositioninpublicrelations,withanopportunitytousemy
skillsinwritingandresearching.Specialinterestsinpublicity,radioandtelevisionprogramming.
3.Education Employers are interested in knowing about your academic qualifications after high
school. Educational qualifications should be listed in reverse chronological order, starting with the
most recent qualification first. The degree earned, the name of the institution, and the date of
receivingthedegreeshouldbementioned.
ExampleMasterofBusinessAdministrationinRetailOperations,SikkimManipal
University,August2008.
Inaddition,anytheseswritten,specialcoursestaken,ranks,awardsandscholarshipsearnedmay
alsobementioned,ifrelevant.
4.Experience Like educational qualifications, work experience should be listed in reverse
chronological order. If your experience is limited, you may also list parttime jobs, internships and
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voluntary work, under the title work experience. More than job designations, employees are
interested in knowing what you can do. Therefore, a brief description of each job and the duties
performedby youshould be included. Shortphrases maybe used, insteadof complete sentences.
Technicalterminologymayalsobeusedtodescribetheworkdonebyyou.
ExampleProductionSupervisor,WesternUniversityMediaProductions,199697
Assistedinvideotapeproductions,digitalandonlinevideotapeediting,using
studioandportablecameras.
5.Skills/Other Knowledge In this section,capabilities such as languages known, computer skills
andspecialwritingskillsmaybelisted.
6.OrganizationsandActivitiesMembershipofstudentandprofessionalassociations,clubsand
committees,officesheld,aswellasextracurricularactivitiessuchassports,musicandphotography,
should be listed.in this section. This information gives prospective employers an idea of your
aptitudes,attitudesandpersonality.
7. References References could be obtained from anyone who is familiar with either your
academic orprofessional work, suchas your professors, or immediate supervisor. Priorpermission
shouldalwaysbesoughtbeforelistinganyoneasareference.Generally,itissufficienttoincludethe
statementReferencesavailableonrequestinyourresumeandtofurnishthenamesonlyifyouare
asked to. Employers ask for references only if they wish to do a background check on you.When
listing references, the name of the person, designation, institution and contact details should be
provided.
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14.2.3 LanguageAndOtherGuidelinesForResumes
Thegeneralappearanceofaresumeisextremelyimportant.Itshouldprojectaprofessionalimageof
yourselftotheorganization.Abadlypresentedresumewitherrorsinspellingandgrammarcould
costyouthejob.Thatiswhymanyjobseekersprefertohiretheservicesofaprofessionalfirmto
preparetheirresumes.
Thefollowingpointsshouldbekeptinmind,regardingtheappearanceofaresume
Printyourresumeongoodqualitypaper
Leavealotofwhitespace,sothattheresumedoesnotlookcluttered
Useahighqualityprinterorcopymachine,forgoodreproduction
Avoidusingspecialtypesofpaperandfancytypefacesforspecialeffects
Limityourresumetoamaximumoftwopages,sinceemployersdonothavethetimetogo
throughlengthyresumes
Regardingthelanguageandwritingstyle,avoidbeingwordyorverboseandusesimple,brief
statements.Yourresumeshouldalsocomeacrossasdynamicandhighlightyouraccomplishments.
Alistofactionwordsthatshouldbeusedinwritingresumes,isgivenbelow
AchievedDefined HelpedPlanned
ActedDelegatedIdentifiedPrepared
AdaptedDemonstratedInformedPresented
Advised DescribedInspectedProduced
AllocatedDesignatedInstructedRecommended
AnalyzedDeterminedIntegratedReorganized
AppliedDevelopedInitiatedResolved
AppointedDirectedIntroducedRevised
Approved DistributedInvestigatedReviewed
ArrangedDraftedInvolvedScheduled
AssessedEditedLaunched Selected
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AssignedEncouragedLocatedStarted
AssistedEstablishedManagedStudied
ClassifiedEvaluatedMarketedSuggested
CollectedExaminedModifiedSupervised
CommunicatedFacilitatedMonitoredSupported
ComparedForecastedMotivatedSurveyed
CompiledFormulatedNegotiatedTaught
CompletedGathered ObservedTested
CoordinatedGeneratedOrganizedTrained
ConductedGuidedParticipatedTranslated
Created HandledPerformedUpdated
1. Resumesshouldbetailoredtotheneedsofdifferentemployers.
2. Inachronologicalresume,onlythemostrecentjobislisted.
3. Afunctionalresumeismoreapplicableforexperiencedcandidates.
4. Thecomponentsincludedinaresumewilldependonthetypeofresume.
5. Thereisnoprescribedlengthforaresume.
14.3 WritingJobApplicationLetters
Ajobapplicationletterisalsoknownasacoverletter,sinceitintroducesorcoversthemajor
pointsmentionedintheresume.Itispreparedaftertheresume.Aresumebyitselfisincomplete,
unlessitisaccompaniedbyacoverletter.Thecoverletter,liketheresume,shouldbewellwritten
andpresented,sinceitcreatesafirstimpressionandcangetyouaninterview.
Coverlettersshouldbewrittenmuchlikesalesletters,usingallthetechniquesofpersuasion.You
havetosellyourselftoaprospectiveemployer,inthesamewaythatyousellaproducttoa
prospectivecustomer.Coverletterscanalsobeusedtopersonalizeyourqualificationsforaspecific
job.
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Everyjobapplicationorcoverlettershouldincludethefollowingstandardcomponents
1.AddressandsalutationThelettershouldbeaddressedtoaspecificindividualandnottothe
organization.Theindividualshouldbeaddressedformally,byhis/herlastname.
ExampleDearMr.Johnson/Ms.Johnson
Ifthenameoftheindividualisnotknown,he/sheshouldbeaddressedbyhis/herdesignation.
ExampleDearHRManager/SalesManager.
2.OpeningTheopeningstatementorparagraphshouldbestraightforwardandbrief,mentioning
thepurposeoftheletter.
3.BodyHighlightyourstrongestqualificationsinacoupleofparagraphs,explaininghowtheywill
benefittheemployer,usingwordsthataredifferentfromthoseintheresume.
4.ClosingAskfortheopportunityofapersonalinterview,showingflexibilityintimeandlocation.
Whilethestandardpartsoftheletterwillremainthesame,theformatmayvary,dependingonthe
typeofletter.Wewilldiscussthetypesofcoverlettersbriefly.
14.3.1TypesOfJobApplicationLetters
Jobapplicationlettersmaybeclassifiedintotwobroadcategories1)Solicitedapplicationletters
and2)Unsolicitedapplicationletters.
1.Asolicitedapplicationlettermaybedefinedasaletterwrittentoaprospectiveemployer,in
responsetoanadvertisedjob.Sometimesjobapplicationlettersmayalsobesenttoprospective
employers who have not advertised for an immediate position. A candidate may havea list of
preferredemployersandsendjobapplicationstothem,inthehopeofbeingcontacted,asandwhen
apositionbecomesavailable.Theseareknownasunsolicitedapplicationorcoverletters.
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A solicited application letter is easier to write and is more direct and straightforward than an
unsolicitedapplicationletter.Itiswrittenfollowingthedirectorganizationalplanorformat,whichwe
discussed in detail, in an earlier unit on business letter writing. The direct organizational plan, to
recapwhatwediscussedearlier,consistsinpresentingthemainideafirst,followedbyreasonsand
anexplanationandthenafriendlyclosing.Asolicitedletterwouldbewritteninthefollowingpattern
Includeasubjectline,statingthepurposeoftheletter.
ExampleApplicationforthepositionofManagementTrainee.
Mentionrightinthebeginningthatyouareapplyingforaspecificpositionthatisavailable,stating
howyoulearnedabouttheopening example,throughanadvertisement,throughfriends,or
throughheadhunters.
Statethereasonsforapplyingforthisparticularposition,i.e.,whyyourqualificationsand
experiencemakeyousuitedforthejob.
Closeinacordialmannerandaskforapersonalinterviewattheconvenienceoftheemployer.
Anexampleofasolicitedcoverletter,writteninthedirectorganizationalformat,isshownbelow
TheHRManager
EastWestInfotainment
BidadiIndustrialArea
Bangalore560035April8,2008
DearHRManager,
Sub:ApplicationforthepositionofManagementTrainee
IamwritingthiswithrespecttoyouradvertisementintheTimesofIndiaAscent,dated
April5
th
,2008,forthepositionofManagementTraineewithspecializationinHuman
Resources.
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Ibelievethatmyqualificationsandexperiencewillmatchtheneedsoftheabove
position.IhaverecentlycompletedmyMBAfromSikkimManipalUniversityviadistance
education,withspecializationinHumanResources.MyfinalMBAprojectwasonHR
RecruitingPoliciesinAmpersandInformationSystems,Bangalore.Inaddition,Ihave
alsoworkedonaparttimebasiswithanITrecruitmentfirminBangalore,foraroundsix
months.
Iamenclosingmyresume,alongwithanexecutivesummaryofmyprojectreport,for
yourreview.Irequestyoutogivemetheopportunityofaninterviewwithyouatyour
earliestconvenience.
Thankingyou,
Sincerely,
Enclosures(2)
Asolicitedcoverletter,suchastheoneshownabove,shouldbeaccompaniedbyasolicited
resume,wherethecareerobjectiveistailoredtotheadvertisedpositionandtherelevantexperience
ifany,ishighlightedandfollowsthecareerobjective.
2.Theunsolicitedjobapplicationletterhascertainadvantagesfromtheapplicantspointofview
Bysendingoutanumberofunsolicitedletterstopotentialemployers,thejobseekerincreases
thenumberofjobopportunitiesavailabletohim/her.
Thereislesscompetitionforthejobseekerthantherewouldbeinthecaseofsolicitedjob
applicationletters,whicharesentinresponsetoanadvertisement.
Iftheletterispersuasiveenoughandmeetsapotentialemployersrequirements,itcouldeven
besuccessfulincreatingajob.
Itsuggestsinitiativeonthepartofthejobseeker.
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Theunsolicitedjobapplicationletteralsoofferssomeadvantagestopotentialemployers
Itsavesadvertisingcostsfortheorganization.
Itsavestime,sincehavingareadyfileofresumeshelpstheHRdepartmenttoshortlistand
contactapplicantsimmediately,insteadofadvertisingandwaitingforresponses.An
advertisementmayalsofetchhundredsofresponses,allofwhichmaytaketimetoscreenand
shortlist.
Itincreasesthelikelihoodofgettingcandidateswithinitiativeandforesight.
Theunsolicitedjobapplicationletterisnotasdirectasasolicitedletter.Thisisbecauseithastobe
much more persuasive and convince the prospective employer to select you for a job that is not
currentlyavailable.Itisessentiallyasalesletterandfollowsthefundamentalstepsofselling,orthe
Attention,Interest,Desire,Actionformat,thatwasdiscussedinanearlierunit.TheAIDAformatis
onetypeofindirectorganizationalplan.Letusdiscussthisformatwithregardtounsolicitedletters.
1.GettingAttentionSimilartoasalesletter,anunsolicitedcoverlettermustgettheattentionof
theprospectiveemployer.Therearedifferentwaysofdoingthis.
Onewayistoshowfamiliaritywiththecompany.
ExampleIhaveresearchedITcompaniesandidentifiedyoursasoneoftheleadersinthefieldof
microprocessordesign,usingadvancedtechnology.
Anotherattentiongettingtechniqueistohighlightsomeofyouroutstandingqualifications.
Example If you need an executive assistantwho can type at a speed of100 words per minute,
contactme.
Referring to the source of job information could also serve as an attention getter, especially if the
sourceishighlyregardedbytheemployer.
Example When your Vice President, Marketing visited our campus to give a guest lecture last
semester, he mentioned that you hired a few management trainees with marketing specialization,
everyyear.
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Referencestomagazineandnewspaperarticlescanalsobeusedasattentiongettingdevices.
ExampleIreadinthelatestissueoftheAdvertisingandMarketingmagazinethatyouragency
haswonaprestigiousnewaccountandunderstandthatyoumaywanttohiresomeclientservice
executivestoservicetheaccount.
2. Creating Interest This can be done by highlighting your strongest qualifications and relating
them to the needs of a specific position. Prospective employers are most interested in your
qualificationsandexperiencethatarerelatedtothejobandexpectyoutopointoutthatrelationship
Thiswillassurethemthatyouunderstandwhatthejobinvolves.
Inordertocreateinterest,thecoverlettershouldavoidrepeatingfactsfromtheresume.Instead,it
shouldinterpretthefacts.
Example From the business courses taken during my MBA program and from three years
experienceasacollectionagent,Ihavelearnthowtotackleanumberofcustomerrelatedproblems
such as legal, psychological and sales promotional. These problems are similar to what a claims
adjuster wouldhave toface acting within the limits of the law anda codeofethics, choosingthe
words that are most likely to influence a particular client and constantly promoting the companys
products.
Theaboveparagraphcreatesinterest,byrelatingthequalificationsandexperiencetotheneedsofa
specificposition,namely,aclaimsadjuster.Notethatitdoesnotrepeatfactualdetailswhichcanbe
foundintheresume,suchasthenameofthecollegewheretheapplicantdidhis/herMBA,thename
of the courses taken, or the firm where he/she worked as a collection agent. It conveys to the
prospectiveemployerthattheapplicantknowswhatthejobofaclaimsadjusterwouldinvolve.
3. Inducing Desire Similar to convincing a consumerthat aproduct is relevant tohis/her needs,
theprospectiveemployermustbeconvincedthattheapplicantistherightpersonforthejobathand.
This can be done by providing concrete evidence and by stressing the benefits to the prospective
employer.
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Thetechniqueforsellingaproductistoemphasizetheprominentfeaturesofaproduct,alongwith
supporting evidence. Similarly, the job applicant must choose his/her major strengths (such as a
particularqualificationorapartofhis/herjobexperience)andprovideenoughdetailsaboutthemto
soundconvincing.
ExampleMyMBAfinalprojectworkwaswithaleadinginternationalbank.Ihavealsocompleteda
PostGraduateDiplomainBankManagement,offeredviadistanceeducationbyareputedinstitute.I
amcurrentlypursuingaparttimecourseintheprogrammingoftheXXXcomputerthesamemodel
thatyourbankisnowintheprocessofinstalling.
4.AskingforActionThelastparagraphofthelettershouldaskforactiononthepartofthe
prospectiveemployer.Inasolicitedletter,thedesiredactionisusuallyarequestforapersonal
interview.However,inanunsolicitedletter,itconsistsingettingtheprospectiveemployertoindicate
whethertheremightbeanopeningforaspecificpositioninthenearfuture.Thisisaspertheindirect
organizationalplan,wherethemainidea(askingforasuitableopening)isstatedlast.
Thefollowingpointsshouldberememberedwhenaskingforaction
Askforthespecificactionpolitely,withoutmakingdemands.
Expressgratitude,becauseyouareseekingafavor.
Emphasizeyourstrengthsagaininthelastparagraph.
ExamplePleasecontactthereferencesinmyenclosedresume,fortheircommentsonmy
knowledgeofaccountingandmyinterpersonalskills.Iwouldbegratefulifyoucouldindicatewhether
therewouldbeanopeningforanauditorinyouresteemedorganization,inthenearfuture.
Matchthefollowing
1.Solicitedapplicationlettera.Providingevidenceandbenefits
2.Lesscompetitionforapplicantb.Relatingqualificationswithjob
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3.Attentiongettingopeningc.Subjectline
4.Creatinginterestd.Unsolicitedapplicationletter
5.Convincingprospectiveemployer e.Showingfamiliaritywith
employer
14.6 OtherLettersRegardingEmployment
Apartfromjobapplicationletters,businessexecutivesoftenhavetowriteotherlettersrelatedto
employmentortoajobapplication.Someofthesewillbediscussedbriefly.
1.RecommendationLetters
These are letters written to prospective employers about an applicants suitability for a
particularjob.Theymaybewordedpositivelyornegatively.Iftheletterrecommendstheapplicant
with enthusiasm, it isgenerally writtenfollowing thedirect organizational plan orformat, stating the
main ideafirst. Inother words,the applicant is endorsed right inthe beginningofthe letter. On the
otherhand,iftherecommendationisnegative,theindirectorganizationalplanisfollowed,givingthe
reasonsfirstandthenstatingthattheapplicantisnotsuitableforthejob.
Thefollowingpointsmustbeconsidered,whenwritingrecommendationletters
Fairnesstoapplicantsandprospectiveemployersmustbeshown.Helpinganapplicanttogeta
job for which he is not suitable, is being unfair to a prospective employer. Similarly, giving a
negativerecommendationtoaworthyapplicantbecauseofpersonalbias,isnotbeingfairtothe
applicant.
Relevant information must be provided in the letter. This includes the length of the applicants
current employment,thenatureofthe job,performance, his/her strengthsand weaknessesand
anyotherinformationthatwouldhelptoevaluatetheapplicant.
Legal safeguards must also be included in the letter. For example, a statement should be
included that the information provided is confidential, or used only for professional purposes.
Failuretostatethiscouldleadtoalawsuitbeingfiledagainstthewriter.
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Someemployersuseformsforgettinginformationaboutjobapplicants,insteadofaskingfor
recommendationletters.Thishelpsthemtogettheneededinformationfaster,sincefillingout
formsiseasierthanwritingaletter.
1. JobAcceptanceLetters
These are similar to letters that convey good news and should be written following the direct
organizational plan. They should begin by accepting the job rightaway,followed by anynecessary
details, such as documents to be submitted and then a friendly closing, indicating that you are
lookingforwardtoworkingwiththeemployer.
3.JobRefusalLetters
Prospective employers like to knowas soonaspossible, whethera jobofferhas beenacceptedor
not. When a job offer is rejected, they would like to know the reasons why it has been declined.
Therefore,ajobrefusallettershouldstatethereasonsfirst,althoughitshouldbetactfullyworded,so
astoretainthegoodwilloftheemployerforfuturepurposes.Thebadnews,orthenewsthatthejob
isbeingrejected,shouldbestatedtowardstheend,followingtheindirectorganizationalplan.
Example
DearMr.Harrison,
YourswasoneofthemostchallengingjobinterviewsthatIattendedinmysearchfora
taxaccountingrelatedjob.Ifoundyourideasonthepercentagedepletionproblem
particularlyinteresting.
Asyouyourselfmentionedduringourmeeting,opportunitiesinyourorganizationare
goodforthosewhoareinterestedincosts.However,myspecialareaofinterestand
expertiseistaxaccounting.
Therefore,Ihaverecentlyacceptedajobwiththe2Mcompany,wheremy
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responsibilitieswillliesolelyintheareaoftaxaccounting.
Ithankyouforyourtimeandtheopportunitygiventometoexplorecareerprospectsin
yourorganization..
Sincerely,
4.ThankYouLetters
These letters are appropriate after the applicant has attended a job interview. As a matter of
courtesy,they should be sent out, even ifthe applicant does not stand a chanceof gettingthe job.
Thisretainstheprospectiveemployersgoodwillandincreasesthechancesofbeingconsideredfor
future jobs. If the applicant is being considered for the present job, a thank you letter may be the
decidingfactorinhis/herfavor.
Thankyoulettersarerelativelyshorterthanotheremploymentletters.Writingintoomuchdetailde
emphasizestheappreciationandgratitudethattheyaremeanttoconvey.
1.Lettersofrecommendationshouldcontain_____________________and
_______________________________________.
2.Theindirectorganizationalplanisusedtowrite______________________________
lettersand__________________________________letters.
3.A_____________________________letterconveysgoodnews.
14.7 Summary
This unit dealt with two important aspects of employment communication resumes and job
applicationletters,orcoverletters.
The resume is basically a summary of ones qualifications, experience, interests and aptitudes.
However, from a job applicants point of view, it also projects an overall image and provides an
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insight into his/her personality. It is used by prospective employers to screen and shortlist job
applicantsforaninterview.
Theresumeiswrittenbeforethejobapplicationletteranddeterminestheideastobehighlightedin
thejobapplicationletter.Itmayalsobetailoredtotheneedsofaspecificposition.
Resumes are of two types 1) Chronological resumes and 2) Functional resumes. Chronological
resumesareappropriatewhenqualificationsandexperiencearedirectlyrelatedtothejobforwhich
oneisapplying.Itliststhequalificationsandexperienceinreversechronologicalorder,i.e.,starting
withthemostrecentjoborqualification.Functionalresumesareappropriatewhenapersonhashad
variedexperience indifferentfunctional areas, or has switched careers. Inthiscase,all the related
workexperienceisgroupedtogether.
Allresumesshouldincludethefollowingstandardcomponents
Basicdata
Aspecificcareerobjective
Education
Workexperience
Skills/Otherknowledge
OrganizationsandActivities
References
Theappearanceandlanguageusedinaresumeisasimportantasthecontentofaresume.
Jobapplicationorcoverlettersaresimilartosalesletters,sincetheirpurposeistoselloneselftoa
prospectiveemployer.Likeresumes,theymaybetailoredtotheneedsofaspecificposition.They
shouldincludethefollowingstandardcomponents
Dateandaddress
Salutation
Opening
Body
Closing
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Cover letters are of two types1)Solicited letters and2) Unsolicited letters. Solicited cover letters
are written in response to a position that is currently available. It is written in a straightforward
manner, following the direct organizational plan. Unsolicited cover letters are written to potential
employerswhodonotcurrentlyhaveaspecificjobopening,butmayconsidertheapplicantatalater
date. They have to be highly persuasive and are written following the AIDA format, or the indirect
organizationalplan.
Apart from job application letters, other letters regarding employment include letters of
recommendation,jobacceptanceandrefusallettersandthankyouletters.
TerminalQuestions
1. Preparearesumeinchronologicalformat,summarizingyoureducation,experienceandinterests.
Includeallthestandardresumeparts.
2. Gothroughtheappointmentpagesofalocaldailynewspaperandselectanadvertisementfora
positionthatyouwouldliketoapplyfor.Writeasolicitedapplicationletter,inresponsetothisad.
3. SelectanorganizationofyourchoiceandwriteanunsolicitedletteraddressedtotheHR
Manager,enquiringaboutapossibleopeninginyourareaofinterestorexpertise.
1. True
2. False
3. True
4. False
5. False
1. c
2. d
3. e
4. b
5. a
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1. Relevantinformationlegalsafeguards
2. Jobrefusalnegativerecommendation
3. Jobacceptance
1.Refer14.2,14.2.1,14.2.2,14.2.3
2.Refer14.3,14.3.1
3.Refer14.3,14.3.1
EmploymentCommunicationGroupDiscussionsAndInterviews Unit15
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Unit15EmploymentCommunication GroupDiscussions
AndInterviews
Structure
15.1 Introduction
Objectives
15.2 WhatisaGroupDiscussion?
15.2.1SkillsrequiredforaGroupDiscussion
15.2.2TypesofGroupDiscussions
15.3 AttendingJobInterviews
15.3.1 BeforetheJobInterview
15.3.2 DuringtheJobInterview
15.3.3 AftertheJobInterview
15.3.4 TheInterviewersPerspective
15.4 Summary
15.5 TerminalQuestions
15.6 AnswerstoSAQsandTQs
15.1Introduction
While resumes and cover letters are used by prospective employers to screen and shortlist
candidates, the actual process of evaluation and selection is done through group discussions and
personal interviews. The new model of business is based on the group, rather than the individual.
Thereforegroupdiscussionsareusefulinassessingtheapplicantsabilitytocommunicateeffectively
in a group situation, rather than in isolation.Personal interviews assess theapplicants knowledge,
skills andaptitudes, in afacetoface,oneonone situation. GDs and interviews requirea separate
setofskills,aswellasextensivepreparation.Thisunitwillfocusontheseexclusiveskillsandoffer
someguidelinesforthepreparationofGDsandjobinterviews.
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LearningObjectives:
1. Understandthemeaningandpurposeofgroupdiscussions
2. Participateactivelyandeffectivelyingroupdiscussions
3. Improveyouroverallteamskills
4. Conductyourselfandperformbetterinjobinterviews
5. Understandhowtoturninterviewsintojoboffers
15.2WhatIsAGroupDiscussion?(GD)
A group discussion is a forum where people discuss a topic, with the common objective of
finding a solution to a problem. The members are expected to arrive at a common consensus.
Duringthediscussion,itisimportantthattheintentionofthemembersistofacilitatetheexchangeof
views.Allthemembersofthegrouparerequiredtoparticipateandtolistentotheviewsoftheother
members. As a speaker, you should modify what you say, based on the points that the other
membersofthegroupmake,whilethediscussionisinprogress.
Thepurposeofgroupdiscussionsistomeasurecertaintraitsoftheparticipants,whichareotherwise
difficult to identify and take time to assess. It is common for people who can communicate their
ideaswellanddiscusseffectivelywithothers,inaonetoonesituation,tobecomesilentinagroup
situation.Theywillnotbeabletopresentordiscusstheirideaswiththeothermembersofthegroup.
Agroupdiscussionhelpstoidentifypeoplewhohavesuchgroupskillsandpeoplewhodonot.
Today,itisveryessentialforjobapplicantstohavegroupcommunicationskills.Whenyouenterthe
realworld,youdonotworkinisolation.Decisionmakingtakesplaceafterdiscussingrelevantissues
withothersbeitsuperiors,peersorsubordinates.Veryoften,youwillneedtointeractwithmore
thanonepersonatthesametime,whichisverysimilartoaGDtypeofsituation.
Agroupdiscussioniscoordinatedbyapersonknownasthemoderator.Sometimes,theremaybe
morethanonemoderator.Themoderatorisaneutralperson,eitherfromtheorganizationconducting
the GD, or a professional. He is normally an experienced person who has the ability to judge the
performanceofeverymemberofthegroup,evenifitisalargeone.Hisprimaryroleistoevaluate
theperformanceofeveryparticipant. Heistheonewhoannouncesthetopicandkeepstrackofthe
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time and the way in which the GD progresses. Generally, he does not interfere during the GD.
However,hemayinterveneintwosituations
i) Whenthegroupdiscussespointsthatarenotrelevanttothegiventopic.
ii) Whenthediscussiondoesnottakeplaceinanorderlymanner..
Inthefirstcase,themoderatormayinterferetobringthediscussionbackontrack.Inthesecond
case,hemaystoptheGDtemporarily,tillordersettlesin.Themoderatoralsohastherighttoaska
participant to stop talking, when he dominates the GD. In other words, the moderator is only a
facilitator or an observer, who is present to help the smooth functioning of the GD and to
evaluatetheparticipantsduringtheprocess.
The GD is highly structured. The seating arrangement for a GD is decided by the moderator.
Generally, the participants are made to sit in a circular/ semicircular fashion, a u shape, or in a
rectangular boardroom seating arrangement. In most cases, the group size ranges from 8 to 15
participants per group. However, it may also be larger, depending on the organization which is
conductingtheGD.TheparticipantsareallottedspecificseatsintheGD.
Thetimethatisnormallyallottedtoagroupfordiscussingthetopicis1520minutes.However,it
is up to the moderator to terminate the discussion much earlier, or to extend it by a few more
minutes.
15.2.1SkillsRequiredForAGroupDiscussion
There are certain specific parameters on which the participants of a GD are evaluated by the
moderator.Theyare:
1. Content
2. Communication
3. GroupBehavior
4. Leadershipskills
1. Content:Youwillbetestedforwhatyouhavetosayaboutthetopic.Themoderatorwilltest
howwellversedyouarewiththeselectedtopic,theextentofyourknowledgeandyourgeneral
awareness. So content becomes an important aspect of the evaluation process. It is very
importantforyoutoclearlydisplayyourunderstandingofalltheissuesrelatedtothetopic.
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In a GD, the group should gain from its interaction with you, because of what you have to
contribute. You should take every opportunity to exhibit your knowledge of the topic in a GD.
However,youshouldlimityourideastothetopicunderdiscussionandnotgooverboard,justto
showthatyouarewellread.
2. Communication:Thisreferstohowyousaysomething,whichisasimportantaswhatyou
say.Therearethreeaspectstocommunication
i) Convey what you want to say correctly Very often, the listener interprets the message
differentlyfromwhatweintendedtoconvey.Thissuggeststhatwehavenotputacrossourideas
properlyandcorrectly.OneoftheskillsrequiredinaGDistoensurethattherearenosuchgaps
duringcommunicationandtoconveythemessageclearly,sothatitisunderstoodinthewayin
whichitisintended.
ii)ListenThisisasimportantinaGDasspeaking.AGDdoesnotmeanthatyouhavetomaster
the skills of speaking alone. It is as much about listeningto others ideas,asabout telling them
yourideas.Youhavetomakesurethatyoufocusyourattentiononwhatothergroupmembers
aresaying,insteadofconcentratingonlyonspeaking.
iii) Pay attention to language Correct use of language is another important aspect of
communication. This does not mean using flowery language just to impress. It means using
wordsintherightcontext.AGDshouldnotbeaforumtoshowoffyourlanguageorvocabulary
skills.SimpleEnglishshouldbeused,avoidingcomplexwordsandlongwindedsentences.
3. GroupBehavior:ThisisthethirdparameteronwhichyouareevaluatedinaGroupDiscussion.
Howeachparticipantinteractswiththeothermembersofthegroupisveryimportant.Even
in a real life situation in an organization, all interaction is between superiors, peers and
subordinates. You should listen to and understand the views expressed by the other group
members,integratethemwithyourideasandhelparriveataconsensusinthediscussion.There
is also a certain etiquette, or code of conduct to be observed during a GD. Shouting or
interrupting to gain attention, or making rude remarks about others contributions are to be
avoidedandwillonlydisqualifyyourchancesofsuccess.
4. LeadershipSkills: Participantswithleadershipskillswillbeeasilynoticed. Leadershipmeans
showing direction to the group. It means displaying your knowledge, communicating
effectively and behaving maturely with your group members. What is required of you is an
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objectiveandbalancedapproach.Youhavetokeepinmindthatyouarenotparticipatinginthe
GDtomakeanypolicydecisions,ortoconvinceallyourfellowgroupmembersthatyourpointof
viewistheonlyonethattheyshouldfollow.
15.2.2TypesOfGroupDiscussions
BasedonthetopicsthataregivenforGDs,theymaybedividedintotwobroadcategories:
1.TopicbasedGDs
2.CasebasedGDs
1. Topicbased GDs In this type of GD, themoderator gives a topic to the candidates,or they
maybeallowedafewminutestoselecttheirowntopicfordiscussion.Bytheendofthediscussion,
thegroupshouldattempttoarriveataconclusionontheissuethatiscoveredbythetopic.
The topics that are chosen for a GD are generally of two types i)Knowledge based topics and
ii)Abstracttopics.
i) KnowledgebasedtopicsThesetopicsrequireextensiveknowledgetobeabletocontributeto
theGD.Takeforexample,thetopicTheUSAismoreinterestedinthepetroleumoftheMiddle
East,ratherthaninrealpeacethere.UnlessyouknowaboutthetroopssentbytheUSduring
theGulfWar,theoutcomeofthewarandtheviewsaboutotherneighboringcountries,including
India, you will not be able to speak effectively on the topic. Knowledgebased topics cover
current economic issues, as wellasnoneconomic issues. Althoughpast issues are alsogiven
as GD topics, the focus is usually on topics of current relevance. Some of the important
categoriesofknowledgebasedtopicsare
Economic related topics: These may be related to domestic or international issues and
account for the majority of topics given for GDs. They require good content knowledge and
familiarity with facts and figures about the national and international economy. For example,
familiarity with critical economic indicators such as Gross Domestic Product, the plan outlay,
sectoral allocations from the budget, trade and fiscal balances, export and import items and
values,bankingconceptsandinterestrates,stockindices,etc.,isneeded.
SocialTopics:Examplesofsuchtopicsinclude,Prostitutionshouldbelegalized,orReligion
is the opium of masses. While social topics generally have a greater national content base,
some amount of content may be regionspecific. Therefore, when you are discussing social
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topics, you should be clear about both the general nature of the topic, as well as the specific
manifestationsofthesocialissue.
Political Topics: Such topics should be discussed in an objective manner. You should not
restrict your discussion to the problem that is mentioned in the topic, but should also include
connected topics. For example, What if the communists came to power?, or Plans to attract
foreigninvestmentsareinterdependentaspectsthatwillhavetobestudiedandnoteddown,so
thattheycomeinhandyinaGD.
Sports/Film related topics: These are also common in a number of GDs, since they are an
integralpartofIndiansociety.Ageneralawarenessaboutsportsandfilmsisneededtobeable
to participate effectively. Sports topics are usually selected from recently concluded
tournaments, such as World Cups and Olympics. They may be general in nature, such as
Should companies announce holidays during International Games?, or specific to a particular
gameorsportsperson,suchasSachinTendulkarscricketdaysareoverThesameistrueof
filmbasedtopics.Anumberoffilmsarenowbeingusedascasestudiesinbusinessschools.
IT based: IT being a prominent sector, topics based on information technology often feature
among the list of topicsfor discussion.While IT indicatestechnology,adiscussionon IT based
topicsdoesnotmeanthatyouneedtohaveathoroughknowledgeofprogrammingorcomputer
hardware. However, a general awareness of topics such as egovernance or networking would
beneeded.
ii) Abstracttopics: Thesearetopicswhichrequirecommonsense,morethancontentknowledge.
Topics such as Black is black and white is white and A thing of beauty is a joy for ever are
examples of abstract topics. By nature, they lend themselves to varied and widespread
discussion.Theycanbebestdiscussedusingappropriateexamples.
2.CasebasedGDThistypeofGDismorestructuredandthedirectionofthediscussionisalmost
predetermined by the identified problem. Unlike topicbased GDs, these GDs essentially move
towardsasolution. Theyrequirelessregulationofthediscussionbythemoderator,sincethereis
lessscopefordeviatingfromthetopic,comparedtothetopicbasedGDs.
WhilediscussingthecasebasedGDs,youwillberequiredtoassumetheroleofthepersoninthe
casewhoneedstotakeadecision.InatopicbasedGD,youpresentyourownviewsandopinions,
withoutassumingtheroleofanybodyelse.
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Acaseusuallyhasaproblem,whichrequiresasolutionordecisiontobetaken.Yourapproachto
takingthedecisionandyourinteractionwiththeothermembersofthegroupintheprocessoftaking
thedecision,willbeevaluatedbythemoderator.Sometimes,themoderatormightaskyoutowritea
summaryofthecasediscussionattheend.
1.AGDisafreewheelingdiscussion,withfullfreedomgiventoparticipantstoselecttopicsof
theirchoice.
2.AGDevaluatesparticipantsbasedonthesolutionofferedtoaproblem
3.WhatyousayinaGDisasimportantashowyousayit.
4.Groupcommunicationskillsincludelisteningskills.
5.AcasebasedGDrequiresgreateranalyticalskillsthanatopicbasedGD.
15.3JobInterviews
ThewordinterviewisderivedfromLatinandFrenchwordsmeaningtoseebetweenorseeeach
other.Interviewsareconductedbyorganizationsforvariousreasonsforhiringemployees,inthe
exit process when an employee is retiring, resigning or being fired, for employee performance
appraisalsandsoon.
A job interview is the logical outcome of an effective resume and cover letter, as well as good
performance in a GD. It has the specific purpose of determining how well the applicant will
meetthejobrequirementsandperformonthejob.Itisstructured,sincethetime,venue,duration,
number of participants and matter to be discussed are all determined in advance. It is generally
conductedinaformalmanner,withtheinterviewerfollowingapredeterminedagenda,suchasalist
ofquestionstobeasked.
Thesuccessofthejobinterviewdependsonthecommunicationskillsoftheparticipants,namelythe
interviewer(s)andtheinterviewee.Boththeinterviewerandtheintervieweeshouldfollowastepby
stepprocess,tomaketheinterviewasuccess
Preparation
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Meetingfacetoface
Evaluatingtheinterview
Takingaction
Wewilldiscussthesestepsindetail,fromthepointofviewofboththeintervieweeandthe
interviewer.
15.3.1TheIntervieweesPerspectiveBeforeTheJobInterview
As a job applicant, you will have to do some groundwork before the interview, prepare to do well
duringtheinterview,assessyourperformanceanddosomefollowupaftertheinterview.
Preinterviewplanningissimilartopreparingforasalespresentation.Youwillhavetosellyourselfto
theprospectiveemployer,byhighlightingyouruniquestrengthsandbyconvincingtheemployerthat
you are the right person for the job. It also involves doing a thorough study of the organization for
whichyouareinterviewing.Employersexpectapplicantstogatherinformationabouttheorganization
inadvanceanddonotwanttowastepreciousinterviewtimeprovidingsuchinformation.
Several sources are available for researching an organization, including business publications,
financial newspapers, annual reports, company websites and interviews with company employees.
Theinformationthatajobapplicantneedstogatheraboutacompanyincludesthefollowing
Nameofthecompany
Itsstatusintheindustry,intermsofmarketshare,ranking,sales,assetsandnumberof
employees
Recentdevelopmentsinthecompany
Scopeofthecompanywhetheritislocal,nationalorinternational
Namesofthetopmanagement
Productsandservicesoffered
Plansforfuturegrowth,suchasexpansionanddiversification
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Inaddition,youwillneedtogatherjobrelatedinformation,suchasthefollowing
Jobtitle
Requiredqualifications,knowledgeandskills
Jobcontent
Thereportingstructuretowhomwouldyoureportandwhowouldreporttoyou?
Opportunitiesfortraininganddevelopment,foracquiringnewskills
Opportunitiesforcareeradvancement
Preparation before the interview also involves doing a selfanalysis, to assess your own abilities,
strengths, weaknesses, interests and preferences. For example, are you a team player, or do you
work better alone? Would you prefer a traveling job or a desk job? Do you enjoy interacting with
people? You should list out the company and job requirements in one column and your own
qualificationsandneedsinanothercolumn,toseeifthereisagoodfit.Thiswillhelpyoutoprepare
betterfortheinterview.
Part of preinterview preparation is to anticipate the kinds of questions that might be asked by the
interviewer and to prepare answers to these questions. A list of commonly asked questions is
providedinalatersection,undertheInterviewersPerspective.
Last,butmostimportant,isplanningyourpersonalappearanceandattire.Youneedtofindoutifthe
companyhasadresscodeandtrytolookanddressasifyoualreadyworkforthatcompany.
15.3.2DuringTheJobInterview
Onceyouhavegonethroughthepreparationstage,youarereadytofacetheactualinterview.This
isthemostimportantstageofthejobapplicationprocess,duringwhichattentionshouldbepaidto
thefollowingaspects
OpeningformalitiesSinceitisimportanttocreateagoodfirstimpression,thewayyougreet
and introduce yourself is important. Using the name of the interviewer correctly, giving a firm
handshake,waitingtillyouareaskedtobeseatedandsittingwithanerectposture,arecommon
courtesiesthatshouldbeobservedtoprojectagoodimage.
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NonverbalcommunicationThiswasdiscussedindetailinanearlierunit.Itwasemphasized
that infacetoface communication,nonverbal cues canenhance communicationand conveya
positive message. Apart from a firm handshake and erect posture, your nonverbal behavior
shouldindicatethatyouareconfidentandattentivetowhattheinterviewerissaying.Directeye
contact,facial gesturesandnodding to showthat youare listening, are all importantaspects of
nonverbalcommunicationthatshouldbeobservedduringtheinterview.
Group interviews A group interview is one where a panel of interviewers interview a single
applicant. The group may comprise people from different functional areas in the organization,
suchasHR,MarketingandFinance.Whenaskedaquestionbyoneofthegroupmembers,itis
commoncourtesytomakeeyecontactwithandtoaddressyourresponsestoalltheinterviewers.
TwowayinterviewAlthoughtheapplicantstaskisprimarilytolistenandtheinterviewersjob
isprimarilytoaskquestions,itisinthehandsoftheapplicanttomakethecommunicationatwo
wayprocess.Apartfromansweringquestions,theintervieweeshouldshowinterestinthejoband
thecompany,byaskingrelevantquestions,whereverpossible.
HonestyandhumilityItisimportanttobehonestandtoavoidbluffingorbeatingaroundthe
bush, if you do not know the answer to a particular question. Employers appreciate honesty,
rather than over smart answers. Humility is equally important. For example, when asked about
your weaknesses, do not state that you have no weaknesses. Another point to remember is to
avoidexaggeration.Forexample,ifyouarebeinginterviewedbyatopexecutiveofthecompany,
donotsuggestthatyoucanturnthecompanyaround!
Positive answers Do not speak ill of your previous employers. If asked about your previous
experiences,youmaygivehonestfeedback,butyoushoulddosotactfully.Youranswersshould
alwaysendonapositivenote.
SalarydiscussionAnydiscussiononsalaryshouldbeinitiatedbytheinterviewerandnotby
the interviewee, especially during the initial interview. When asked about your salary
expectations, you should indicate a range, rather than a specific figure. Therefore, you should
274
havefoundout thegeneralsalary rangefor candidates withyour qualifications andexperience,
beforetheinterview.
Only then can you give a reasonable response to the question. You also need to assess your
own experience, qualifications and whether you have other job offers, before responding to a
questiononsalaryexpectations.
Closing the interview How you close the interview is as important as how you open it.
Normally,theinterviewergivesasignalwhentheinterviewisover,eitherthroughbodylanguage,
orbymakingacommentonthenextstepforaction.Atthispoint,youmustthanktheinterviewer,
give another firm handshakeand saythat you lookforward tohearingfrom the company soon.
Sometimes, the interviewer may conclude by inviting you to ask questions. In this case, you
should only ask questions that are relevant to the job or the organization and avoid asking
questionsrelatedtoyourperformanceintheinterview.Itwouldbeagoodideatopreparealistof
questionstoaskandtoreservesomeofthesequestionsfortheendoftheinterview.
15.3.3AfterTheJobInterview
Thisstageinvolvesthethirdandfourthstepsintheinterviewingprocessevaluatingtheinterview
andtakingappropriateaction.
Fromtheapplicantspointofview,itisimportanttodoaselfassessmentofperformanceduringthe
interview.Eveniftheapplicantisnotexpectingafavorableoutcome,itisimportanttosendathank
youlettertotheinterviewerimmediately,expressinggratitudeforhavingbeengiventheopportunity
ofafacetofacemeeting.Thiswillretainthegoodwilloftheemployerandincreaseanychancesof
being considered for future openings. If the applicant has been given an indication of a favorable
outcome, the followup action should be even more prompt. Any documents or certificates to be
submitted should be sent withoutdelay. If a second interview has to beattended, it is importantto
startthepreparationandgroundworkforthisimmediately.
15.3.4TheInterviewersPerspective
Justliketheinterviewee,theinterviewerisequallyresponsibleforthesuccessoftheinterviewand
needstofollowthefourstepsintheinterviewingprocess.
275
1.Preparation This stage includes deciding the purpose of the interview ( for example, a
preliminaryintervieworafinalinterview),thestyleoftheinterview
(formalorinformal,structuredorunstructured)andthephysicalsetup
(e.g., seating arrangements).If the interview is to be a structured one for example, the interviewer
shouldmakesurethatallthequestionsarearrangedinapropersequenceandareadequatetoget
sufficientinformationfromtheapplicant.
The interviewer also needs to assess and understand his own communication and listening skills,
personal prejudices, perceptions and other barriers that may come in the way of effective
communication.Similarly,heshouldstudythebackground,aspirationsandvaluesoftheinterviewee
inadvance.
2.MeetingfacetofaceTheinterviewershouldshowflexibilityandtrytomaketheapplicantfeelat
easeduring the interview. Heshouldestablish good rapport withtheapplicantandensurethatthat
thecommunicationisatwowayprocess.
Mostjobinterviewsarestructuredandtheinterviewergoesthroughalistofquestionsthathavebeen
predetermined.Somecommonlyaskedinterviewquestionsareshowninthetablebelow
COMMONLYASKEDINTERVIEWQUESTIONS
1. Whatareyourlongtermandshorttermcareergoals?Howareyoupreparingto
achievethem?
2. Whatdoyouseeyourselfdoingfiveyearsfromnow?
3. Whatdoyouconsidertobeyourmainstrengthsandweaknesses?
4. Whatmotivatesyoutoputforthyourbesteffort?
276
5. Whydoyouthinkyouaresuitableforthisposition?
6. Inwhatwaysdoyouthinkyoucancontributetoourcompany?
7. Whatarethequalitiesofasuccessfulmanager?
8. Whatisyourleadershipstyle?
9. Whataccomplishmenthasgivenyouthegreatestsatisfaction?Why?
10. Describeyourmostrewardingcollegeexperience.
11. Describeanymajorproblemthatyoufacedandhowyoudealtwiththeproblem.
12. Howdoyoucopewithpressure?
13. Whatdoyouknowaboutourcompany?
14. Whattwoorthreethingsaremostimportanttoyouinyourjob?
15. Howwouldyoudescribetheidealjob?
16. Whatacademicsubjectsdidyoulikebestandleast?
17. Whathaveyoulearntfromparticipationinextracurricularactivities?
18. Howwouldyoudescribeyourself?
277
3. Evaluation This stage arises at the end of the interview. The interviewer should assess the
interview, as well as the applicants performance, based on certain parameters. The specific
parametersandthemethodofassessmentshouldhavebeendecidedinadvance.
4. Action Based on the evaluation of performance,the interviewer should decide whether toask
the applicant to attend further interviews, or to make a decision based on a single interview. The
interviewer should also decide how to communicate further with the interviewee for example, by
sendinghimanofferletter,aletterofrejection,orbycallinghimforanotherinterview.
Theinterviewerwoulddowelltofollowcertainoverallguidelines,tomaketheintervieweffective
Takebriefnotesduringtheinterview,sothatimportantpointscanbereferredtolater,ifrequired.
Use body language appropriately, to put the applicant at ease for example, a friendly tone,
directeyecontacttoindicateinterest,arelaxedbodypostureandnoddingoftheheadtoindicate
acknowledgement,canmaketheinterviewlessstressfulfortheapplicant.
Organize questions in the right sequence avoid asking the difficult questions first, since they
maymaketheapplicanttense.
Ask questions that allow the applicant to speak freely and to open up a discussion. Questions
that may be answered with a yes or no donot contribute much, whereasquestions thatask
how,whatorwhy(suchasthosementionedintheabovetable)willelicitelaborateanswers
fromtheapplicant.
Matchthefollowing
1. Preinterviewpreparationa.Bodylanguage
2. Duringtheinterview b.Thankyouletter
3. Commonlyaskedinterviewquestionc.Opportunityforcareer
278
advancement
4. Actionstage d.Strengthsandweaknesses
5. Jobrelatedinformatione.Structuringtheinterview
15.4Summary
Employment communication also includes participating in and conducting group discussions and
attendingandconductingjobinterviews.Groupdiscussionsandjobinterviewsareusedtoevaluate
and select job applicants who have been screened and short listed, based on their resumes and
coverletters.
A group discussion is a discussion on a specific topic among a group of participants, with the
objectiveofarrivingatasolutiontoaproblem,oratacommonconsensus.Thepurposeofagroup
discussion is to evaluate the group communication skills of a job applicant, as opposed to his/her
individualcommunicationskills.Agroupdiscussionsimulatestherealworldsituation,sinceworking
inanorganizationandtakingdecisionsrequireinteractionwithothers,ratherthanactinginisolation.
Thegroupdiscussioniscoordinatedbyamoderator,whoisaneutralpersonfromtheorganization
conductingthe interview. The moderators role is one of an observer andafacilitator, who ensures
thesmoothconductofaGD.He/shemayinterveneatanypoint,ifthediscussionisnotfocusedon
thetopic.Themoderatormustalsoevaluatetheperformanceofallparticipantsinthegroup.
ParticipantsofaGDaregenerallyevaluatedbasedonthefollowingcriteria
1. Content
2. Communication
3. GroupBehavior
4. LeadershipSkills
GDsareoftwodifferenttypes1)TopicbasedGDsand2)CasebasedGDs.
TopicbasedGDsinturnmaybea)knowledgebased,suchaseconomic,political,social,sports/film
based, or IT based topics, or b) abstract topics. Case based GDs are more difficult, since they
requireanalytical,decisionmakingandproblemsolvingskills.
279
Ajobinterviewisgenerallystructuredandrequiresboththeinterviewerandtheintervieweetofollow
four steps preparation, meetingface toface, evaluation and action. The success of the interview
dependsonboththeinterviewerandtheinterviewee.
Beforetheinterview,theintervieweehastodosomegroundwork,includingthefollowing
Gathercompanyandjobrelatedinformation
Doaselfanalysis
Anticipatethequestionsthatmightbeaskedandprepareanswers
Planhis/herpersonalappearance
Duringtheinterview,theintervieweemustpayattentiontothefollowingaspects
Openingandclosingformalities
Usingbodylanguagecorrectly
Makingtheinterviewatwowayprocess
Addressingallinterviewersinagroupinterview
Handlingsalarydiscussiontactfully
Showinghonestyandhumility
Givingpositiveanswers
Aftertheinterview,theintervieweemustassesshis/herperformanceandtakeappropriateaction,
suchassendingthankyouletters.
The interviewer on his part, must alsopreparefor the interview, by determining the purpose, style,
physicalsetupandthenumberandtypeofquestionstobeasked.Duringtheinterview,he/shemust
follow certain guidelines such as note taking, positive body language and proper organization of
questions,soastoputtheapplicantatease.
280
TerminalQuestions
1.PrepareacodeofconductforaGD,listingoutthedosandthedontsforparticipants.
2.Selectapositionthatyouwouldliketoapplyfor,inacompanyofyourchoice.Describehow
youwouldgoaboutpreparingforaninterviewforthisspecificposition.
3.ImaginethatyouaretheHRManageroftheabovecompany,conductingthisinterview.
Describehowyouwouldpreparefortheinterviewintermsofpurpose,style,physicalsetup
andorganizationofquestions.
1. False
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. True
1. e
2. a
3. d
4. b
5. c
1.Refer15.2,15.2.1,15.2.2
2.Refer15.3.1
3.Refer15.3.4

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