ASSIGNMENT-01/02

Name:

Registration No: 1

Learning Center:

Learning Center Code:

Course: MBA

Subject: Business Communication

Semester: 1

Subject Code: MB0039

Date of submission: 22.08.2012

Marks awarded:

Directorate of Distance EducationSikkim Manipal UniversityII Floor, Syndicate House

Manipal – 576 104

Signature of Coordinator Signature of Center Signature of Evaluator

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Important Note to the Students:-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The student must submit all the assignments given per course per semester to thelearning Center.

Assignment marks will be accounted for your Internal Assessment. Assignments should be submitted within the time given. Please answer all the Assignments on ruled sheets. Write in your own handwriting.

Write in your own words. Do not copy. Assignments which are not original /copied shall be awarded zero marks.

Write neatly and legibly in the prescribed format.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Comments by the Subject Evaluator: (Subject expert will give comments onoverall content, reliability, correctness and appropriateness of informationprovided)-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Suggestions for improvement: (Subject expert will give areas of improvement andpossible ways/ methods to follow to improve)MBA-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q1. Describe a situation that you experienced where

communication went wrong because the non-verbal

behaviour sent conflicting signals. Which aspect of

non-verbal communication was responsible for the

communication failure? How would you rectify this?

Answer:

When I was working in my previous company (almost a year back),

team of our offshore resources in India visited the client’s office in

Netherlands. The client was explaining his processes and technical

difficulties and was seeking for a solution. There were several members

from the client side who are Dutch attending this with our team. After

the briefing the client asked if they have understood the issue and are

we able to provide a solution.

The answer from our three-member team was nodding their

head side ways!

The person who took the meeting minutes recorded this non-verbl

communication interpreted as they did not understand the issue

and cannot provide a solution!

The failure to understand Non-verbal Communication Varies

Across Cultures is responsible for the communications failure.

This can be rectified by the following ways.

1. The first step is to educate one with Non-verbal communication,

its impact in business etc.

Non-Verbal communication is defined as

communication without words. It refers to any way

of conveying meanings without the use of verbal

language.

2. The next step is to understand the following aspects

a. Non-verbal Communication Cannot Be Avoided

b. Non-verbal Communication is Powerful

c. Non-verbal Communication is Ambiguous

d. Non-verbal Communication Cannot Express All

Messages

e. Non-verbal Communication Varies Across Cultures

3. The last step is to learn to express verbally and avoiding

Miscommunication by following a few simple guidelines like

a. Avoid Words with Multiple Meanings

b. Ensure Clarity through Highly Specific Statements

c. Avoid overuse of Jargon: Jargon refers to technical terms or

specialized vocabulary.

d. Avoid Biased Language and Offensive Words

Q2. Explain why Public Relations is an important part

of external business communication.

Answer:

Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing the flow of

information between an individual or an organization and the

public. Public relations provides an organization or individual exposure

to their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that

do not require direct payment. The aim of public relations by a

company often is to persuade the public, investors, partners,

employees, and other stakeholders to maintain a certain point

of view about it, its leadership, products, or of political

decisions. Common activities include speaking at conferences,

winning industry awards, working with the press, and employee

communication.

External business communication can be easily pointed out from

the above activities which includes - speaking at conferences,

winning industry awards, working with the press.

This means that Public Relations is directing External Business

Communication. Following are some of the reasons why Public

Relations is an important part of external business communication.

For Successful Marketing – Organizations need to inform and create

awareness among consumers about their existing and new products.

This is largely done through advertising, which is a form of mass

communication. This is very much a part of external business

communication.

To build a Favorable Corporate Image – Today, organizations need

to focus on projecting themselves as responsible corporate and social

citizens. This is known as corporate social responsibility. For example,

they need to communicate the fact that they are involved in social

development or in environmental protection. This involves being in

touch with various external stakeholders, especially consumers, media

and the society at large.

To Increase Shareholder Value – If customers have a positive image

of the company, the company’s share price will go up and

shareholders’ wealth increases, thereby enhancing shareholder value.

Shareholder confidence in the company also drives shareholder value.

When shareholder value increases, they will participate in the

company’s expansion and growth.

To Overcome a Crisis – Sometimes when a company is facing a crisis,

a public relations campaign may be needed to manage the situation,

put things in a proper perspective and restore the image of the

company in the eyes of consumers, the media and society at large.

Public relations require effective communication with various external

stakeholders.

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

campaign against the government, where they told the truth, gave the

facts and figures and denied the allegations made against them. This

helped them to regain lost confidence and salvage their image.

Similarly, when Coke and Pepsi were accused of pesticides in their soft

drinks, they had to undertake a massive public relations exercise to set

right their image in the eyes of the public.

To Enhance Credit Rating – An organization’s credit rating will also

go up if it maintains good external communication. This way its

borrowing ability will increase and more money can be raised for

expansion and growth.

Having emphasized the importance of external business

communication, let us now go into the reasons for communicating with

external stakeholders and the channels used to communicate with

them, just as we did with internal communication. The wheel of

business communication illustrates that external business

communication involves interaction with the following stakeholders –

Consumers – Organizations need to communicate with consumers to

provide information about their products and services, special

promotional offers and new product developments. They also need to

redress consumer complaints, so as to maintain consumer preference

and confidence in their brands.

The written channel is the most appropriate medium for

communicating with consumers. This could take the form of letters, or

mass media advertising.

Intermediaries – This refers to the trade – distributors, wholesalers,

retailers, franchisees, etc. It is necessary to communicate with them to

provide information about product availability, special offers, incentives

and allowances, contractual aspects, order processing, delivery aspects

and 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 for the success of any product.

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 review meetings and continuous communication

through sales staff are examples of oral channels.

Suppliers – These are suppliers of raw material, components, power,

water or other utilities. Communication with suppliers is essential to

give technical specifications, ensure quality and timely 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, on-going relationship with

suppliers. The internet now plays an important role in communication

with suppliers, through “Business to Business” (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 staff of a

supplier of automotive components, in order to improve the quality of

the components. The supplier on his side, may suggest a change in the

company’s specification process.

Direct, one-to-one communication is required with suppliers to ensure

transparency and clarity, with respect to specifications. The oral face-

to-face channel is most appropriate, although the online channel is

being increasingly used in supplier communication.

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, borrowing

from overseas banks, foreign exchange requirements and so on.

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, most of the time,

written communication through formal letters is more appropriate. This

is because clearances for various activities have to be sought in

writing.

Society – As pointed out earlier, organizations need to communicate

with the community at large to project themselves as responsible

corporate citizens. “Corporate social responsibility” as it is called, is top

priority with many organizations today. Supporting women’s education,

building hospitals for the disabled, schools for children, family planning

and non-pollution of the environment are some of the ways in which

companies are participating in social development and then

communicating this to society.

The channels of communication with society could be oral and direct –

for example, talking to elders in a village or locality, about family

planning or schools for children. Mass media advertising in the form of

“public service advertising” could also be used to spread these social

service messages

Example – United Breweries ran a public service campaign with the

caption “Drinking and driving don’t mix”, to spread the message of

avoiding drunken driving.

There is a large element of public relations in communication with

society.

Bankers – Like shareholders, organizations need to communicate with

bankers both in good times and bad times. The reasons for

communicating with bankers are the same as those for shareholders. In

addition, advance notice needs to be given to bankers regarding any

dislocation in repayment schedules and justification has to be provided

for any additional fund needs. The overall purpose is to build rapport

with the bank, so as to increase borrowing ability.

Communication with bankers could take place through oral channels –

for example, periodic meetings with the Finance Manager of the

company to keep them informed of stock build up trends, or future

trends that could affect working capital needs. Special meetings may

also be held to keep them posted about expansion, contraction and

diversification plans, lockouts, strikes and anything else that may affect

cash flow.

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 informed

could lead to the company’s collapse.

Example – The Enron Company did not communicate with their

shareholders and bankers about the difficult times that they were going

through. This ultimately led to the company’s ruin.

Media – Today, the media are becoming more powerful and

investigative and are intruding into people’s 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 a favorable image to

the media, the media in turn will carry a positive story about the

company for free. This is known as “publicity” and is part of public

relations.

For example, a press release in a newspaper may highlight some of

the achievements or awards won by the company. This type of publicity

is highly credible and can have a powerful influence on public opinion.

Communication with the media takes place through both oral channels

such as press conferences, as well as written channels such as letters

and news releases.

External business communication in the form of the matrix is given

below-

Stakeholder Channel Overall Objective Consumers Advertisements

Letters Awareness Information Persuasion

Intermediaries Written Contracts Awareness

Newsletters Advertisements Review Meetings

Information Motivation

Suppliers Direct Oral Communication Online Communication

On-going Relationship Partnership

Government Periodic Meetings Formal Letters

Government Cooperation

Society Direct Oral Communication Advertisements

Corporate Social Responsibility

Bankers Periodic & Special Meetings Written Reports

Good Rapport More borrowing ability

Media News conferences News Releases

Good Relations

Q3. Select a company of your choice in a sector that

you would like to work in. Imagine that you have to

make a brief presentation on this company to

business school students. Develop – a) A general and

specific statement of purpose b) The key idea c) Your

style of delivery.

Answer:

The company I have selected is Verizon Business, and the sector is

Technology Consulting.

a) A general and specific statement of purpose

Before preparing for the presentation, it is important to be clear on the

goal of the presentation. A “statement of purpose”, expressing what I

want to achieve through the presentation should be framed, so that it

becomes easy to measure whether the goal has been accomplished or

not.

The purpose of the presentation may be stated in broad or general

terms, or in more specific terms. A general statement of purpose could

be expressed in terms of one of the following –

To Inform or To Persuade or To Entertain

As this is specifically for the Business School Students I will the first

one – To Inform them about the benefits of joining my company.

Although it is useful to define the general purpose of a presentation, it

is more important to frame a specific statement of purpose, which

clearly spells out the answers to the following questions –

1. Whom do I want to influence?

2. What do I want them to do at the end of the presentation?

3. How do I want them to do it?

4. When?

5. Where?

Example – “I want 37% of my audience to be convinced enough

to apply for new openings, within the next one week.”

The above statement of purpose describes the reaction that you are

seeking from my audience and also describes the goal in measurable

terms. The number of applications form school during the one week

period would indicate whether the goal has been achieved or not. As

far as possible, the goal should be quantified, so that it is measurable.

b) The Key Idea

The key idea of a presentation is a statement that expresses the main

message to be conveyed to the audience. It is different from a

statement of purpose, in that the purpose is generally meant for myself

as the presenter, while the key idea is mentioned to the audience at

the beginning of the presentation.

Example – As purpose is to inform school students about my company’s

brand of vacuum cleaner, the key idea or message may be to

explain how my company is superior to other companies,

benefits, career paths etc.

Once the key idea is clearly stated, it becomes easy to develop the rest

of the presentation.

c) Style of delivery

There are five different delivery styles available– The one I will

select form the below will be Speaking from Notes as this is the most

successful one.

Speaking Impromptu – In this case, the speaker is called upon to say

a few words without any warning or advance notice. Since there is little

or no time given for preparation, it is suited for only expert speakers.

Impromptu speeches should be brief, simple and direct, compared to

prepared speeches.

Speaking Extemporaneously – This is different from speaking

impromptu. While impromptu speeches are delivered on the spot and

not rehearsed, an extemporaneous speech is prepared and rehearsed

in advance, but delivered naturally, without the support of notes or

other aids. This is the delivery style used by experienced professionals,

who have sufficient knowledge of the subject to be able to speak

without relying on notes.

Memorizing the Presentation – This is the least appealing style of

delivery, since it comes across as unnatural and monotonous to the

audience. A speaker who memorizes and delivers a presentation word

for word will also be at a disadvantage if he forgets a part of the

speech, since he or she will be unable to speak naturally.

Reading from Written Notes – This consists in reading the entire

presentation from notes. It is a method used by government or

business officials and may be appropriate when the material to be

presented is highly technical or complex. However, it has some

limitations. First, it gives the impression that the speech is very long

and heavy. Secondly, it prevents the presenter from making eye

contact with the audience.

Speaking from Notes – This is generally the most effective style of

delivery. It consists in jotting down the main ideas in point form on

index cards and then referring to these cards merely as a trigger while

speaking. If the main ideas are put down briefly on the cards, the

speaker can elaborate on these ideas in his own words and speak for

any length of time. The presentation is likely to be more effective, since

it comes across as natural and permits eye contact with the audience.

Q4. Discuss the principles of business writing

Answer:

Written messages must be made as readable as possible, by making

them uncomplicated and easy for even the average person to

understand. Readability in turn is largely determined by the length of

words, sentences and paragraphs.

A common mistake made by writers, especially Indian writers, is to try

and impress the reader by using flowery language and an oratory style

of writing. Two broad principles of writing are ‘Write to express,

not to impress” and “Keep it short and sweet.” A good writer is

one who follows these principles and asks himself/herself even before

framing a sentence “What am I trying to say? What words will express

it?”

Below are some tips on writing style, followed by some specific rules

regarding English language usage, spelling and punctuation.

Tips on Writing Style

Writing style can be vastly improved through the choice of words.

Some of the common problems of word choice include use of

complicated words, use of jargon, slang and colorful language and

mistakes in various part-of-speech categories.

1. Simple vs. Complex Words

As far as possible, the sender should select words that are within the

receiver’s vocabulary. If the words used are outside the vocabulary of

the receiver, the latter may either not get the message at all, get the

wrong message by guessing the meaning incorrectly, or wonder

whether the sender intentionally selected a complicated word for

making an impression. Therefore, it is better to rely on plain, simple

words, such as the ones shown in the left column, rather than in the

right column below, even though they mean the same thing –

About = Approximately

Do = Accomplish

Improve = Ameliorate

Show = Demonstrate

Change = Modify

Ask = Interrogate

This is because short, simple words convey ideas more effectively and

require less time and space. They also invite the sender to concentrate

on ideas, rather than calling attention to the words themselves.

2. Jargon, Slang and Metaphors

Jargon refers to technical terms that belong to a particular

subject area or discipline. For example, medical jargon would include

terms that only medical practitioners and not the lay person might

understand. Such terms are to be avoided in general writing, since they

would be out of context. The only instance where jargon can be used

and might be essential, is in reports of a highly technical nature, where

the reader is in a position to understand these terms.

Slang refers to casual words that are not accepted and

recognized in a Standard English dictionary. While they could be

used in a limited way in general or informal writing, they are to be

avoided in business writing, which needs to be formal in nature.

A metaphor is a figure of speech and refers to colorful comparisons

which evoke visual images.

Examples –

1. He is rock solid in his support.

2. We provide an umbrella of insurance products for your security.

While such comparisons may be used in informal writing or in the

language of advertising, they are to be avoided in business

communication which has to be objective and formal.

3. Parts of Speech

In the same way that use of big, complicated words may result in

receipt of the wrong message, use of small words in the wrong way

grammatically could have the same result. Such problems exist in all

part-of-speech categories-

Nouns

Just as the main actor in a film is the most important character, the

subject in a sentence is the most important noun. There are two

categories of nouns – “abstract nouns” or nouns that cannot be

visualized and “concrete nouns” or nouns that can be

visualized. A message will be understood more clearly if concrete

nouns are used as subjects in a sentence, rather than abstract nouns.

Example

Cancellation of the contract will be done in March. (use of abstract

noun as subject)

The contract will be cancelled in March. (use of concrete noun as

subject)

In the above example, the second sentence, using “contract” as the

subject, is likely to be understood more clearly by the receiver. Not

only is “contract” something which can be visualized, it also

emphasizes the main idea in the sentence.

Consider another example –

That decision can be made only by the supervisor. (abstract noun as

subject)

Only the supervisor can make that decision. (Concrete noun as

subject)

Pronouns

Sometimes, using the masculine form of a pronoun might be taken in

an offensive way by the receiver, especially if the receiver happens to

be a woman. Even if the receiver is not a woman, the use of a

masculine pronoun may convey the impression of being sexist.

Consider the following example –

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 that professors can only be men and not

women, which could be taken as an offense. Such offensive pronouns

can be avoided in the following ways-

1. Avoid use of the pronoun completely

Example – You need to consult your professor on that subject, but a

specialist in the area of Finance is required.

2. Repeat the noun

Example – You need to consult your professor on that subject, but the

professor has to be a specialist in the area of Finance.

Use a plural noun

Example – You need to consult some of your professors on that

subject, but they have to be specialists in the area of Finance.

(The use of “they” avoids implying that professors can be only men).

4. Use pronouns from both genders

Example – You need to consult your professor on that subject, but he

or she has to be a specialist in the area of Finance.

Another principle regarding use of pronouns is to avoid excessive use

of the first person pronoun “I”, since this gives the impression that one

is always talking about oneself. Never sound too pleased with yourself

or boast of your own achievements. This is especially true of business

writing, where it is important to be objective, rather than subjective.

The second person pronoun “you” also needs to be used with care. A

rule of thumb is to use the second person pronoun when emphasizing a

positive idea or message and to avoid the second person when

presenting a negative idea.

The following example illustrates this –

You made a good presentation.

You made a number of mistakes in the report.

The first sentence contains a positive idea. Therefore, the second

person pronoun should be 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 avoided by framing the sentence differently, such as

“The report contained a number of mistakes.”

Verbs

Since verbs are action words and action is an essential part of a

sentence, correct use of verbs is important. Senders of messages must

use verbs that agree in number with the subjects of the sentence.

The following examples illustrate the misuse of verbs in

sentences –

1. Only one of the students are present. (Wrong usage)

Only one of the students is present (right usage)

2. Each of the following reports have been modified. (Wrong usage)

Each of the following reports has been modified. (Right usage)

Note that the singular form of the verb and not the plural should be

used in both the above sentences, to agree with the subject which is in

singular form (“Only one” and “Each”).

Verbs must also agree in person. The most common errors are made in

agreement with the third person and the second person –

1. He don’t like to work late (wrong)

He doesn’t like to work late.(correct)

2. You was informed that the exams begin next week (wrong)

You were informed that the exams begin next week. (Correct)

Thirdly, since verbs indicate the time of action – past, present or future,

they should be used in the correct tenses. The tenses should also be

used consistently.

Consider the following examples –

1. He listens to the presentation and gave his feedback.

2. The manager spoke to the customer, but does not respond to his

complaint.

In both the above sentences, it is not clear whether the event is past or

present, since the tenses are not used uniformly. It is better to use two

present tense verbs or two past tense verbs, but not one of each in the

same sentence –

1. He listens to the presentation and gives his feedback.

2. The manager spoke to the customer but did not respond to his

complaint.

Adjectives

Adjectives give information about or describe nouns. Although they

play a less important role in a sentence compared to verbs and nouns,

they must be used with care. A common tendency is to use very strong

adjectives, too many adjectives, or superlatives.

Examples

1. Sales this year have been absolutely incredible.

2. That is the most wonderful, powerful and moving speech that I

have heard in a long time.

3. Ours is the best product in the market today.

In the first sentence, if a sales report is being written or presented, it

would be better to give details about sales figures, rather than describe

sales as “incredible”. In the second sentence, a single adjective could

have been used in place of three adjectives, which are too many. The

third example is a claim that needs to be defined ( i.e., best in what

way?), or supported with adequate proof.

Adverbs

In the same way that adjectives describe nouns, adverbs describe or

modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs. Therefore, the same

principles apply when using adverbs – i.e., avoid use of adverbs that

are too strong, or are superlatives –

Examples –

1. Sales have been fantastically high this year.

The adverb “fantastically” describes the adjective “high” and is too

strong to be credible.

2. This secretary types the fastest.

Here, the adverb “fastest” describes the verb “types” and is a

superlative, which is to be avoided, unless it can be defined or

supported with proof.

Q5. Write a short note on the SQ3R technique of

reading.

Answer:

SQ3R technique of reading was developed by Robinson in his book

"Effective Study" (1970). SQ3R stands for the initial letters of the five

steps in studying a text-

Survey S

Question Q

Read R

Recall R

Review R

Let us briefly go through these steps in the given order.

1. Survey: Survey refers to a quick glance through the title page,

preface and chapter headings of a text. By surveying, you will be

able to gauge the main ideas of the text. Besides, the author’s name,

date, place of publication and title page can give you an idea of the

general subject area. The table of contents, preface or foreword in a

book would give you an idea of the themes and how they are

organized. A survey of the index or bibliography tells you immediately

whether the book contains what you need.

Let us take an example. Choose the appropriate reference by a quick

survey:

Here is a bibliography (list of books) on POLIMERIZATION. Decide which

of the publications in the list are likely to give you: (encircle the

appropriate letter)

A brief introduction to the subject: a b c d e f

Current developments in the field a b c d e f

Historical study of the subject a b c d e f

Various opinions by experts on the subject a b c d e f

Bibliography

(a) Billmeyer, F.W. 1962. A Text Book of Polymer Science

New York: John Wiley and Sons

(b) A condensed Chemical Dictionary

(c) International Encyclopaedia of Sciences

(d) Encyclopaedia Britannica

(e) Stille, J. K. 1962. Introduction to Polymer Chemistry: New York: John

Wiley and Sons. Wassermann, Leonard G., 1974

(f) Chemistry: Basic Concepts and Contemporary Applications

California: Wadsworth Publ Co. Inc.

(Adapted from ELT Documents, 1980)

2. Question: The second step in the SQ3R technique of reading is

“question.” A survey of the text will surely raise a few questions in

your mind regarding the text. Some of the questions could be-

Is the book useful or relevant to my study ?

Does it provide some guidelines/information on the subject at

hand ?

However, as you go through the individual chapters, you might have

specific questions regarding the topic. This will surely lead to gaining

some insights into the text, topic and the author'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 conscious and deliberate,.with a

definite purpose, where you interact with the topic and the author.

3. Reading: After surveying and questioning, you begin the actual

reading. You need to develop a critical approach to reading anything

for that matter. Read the text over and over again, each time with

a different question and a different purpose in mind. "I read it once and

understand everything" kind of attitude is nothing but a myth. Hence,

while reading for the first time, you should just focus on the main

points/ideas and supporting details.

4. Recall: The fourth stage in reading comprehension is recalling.

Reading is not an isolated activity. Every reading exercise increases

your background knowledge. You should be able to connect the

information gained with the already existing background

knowledge. Recalling whatever you have read will enable you to

connect and relate the content with the previous and future learning of

the subject. This leads us to the next stage in reading i.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 recalled the most significant details or information

required for our study? These are questions that should be asked in the

final stage of reading. Review will sharpen your critical ability, enable

you to form your own opinions on the topic and express them to others.

Try to practice these stages consciously in your reading and research

and you will find this to be a highly rewarding experience.

Q6. (a) List the importance of effective communication in the

workplace

(b) Explain the advantages of oral communication with the help

of suitable example.

Answer:

a) List the importance of effective communication in the

workplace

Communication in simple terms is a transfer of information between

people, resulting in common understanding between them.

Communication has been defined differently by different writers and

behavioral theorists.

According to Newman and summer, “Communication is an

exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more

persons.”

Communication is the nerve center of business today. As you go up

the corporate ladder, you will find that communication skills are

required, more than technical skills. Communication research has

revealed that among the factors most important for managerial

success, communication skills rank above technical skills. Several

surveys conducted among people who have been successful in

their professions have indicated that communication skills are

more vital to job success than subjects taken in college.

Communication has assumed even greater importance today, since the

new model of business is based on teamwork, rather than on individual

action. Teamwork requires greater coordination and 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, communication is required to explain a new

computer program or software. While computers can perform routine

tasks, jobs like responding to customers’ needs require a

high degree of communication skills.

Effective communication serves the following specific purposes

in an organization –

Greater Awareness of Organizational Goals and Teamwork –

When there is open communication between superiors, co-workers 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 common organizational goal, rather than working in

isolation.

Better Employer-employee Relationships – By listening to

employees, showing empathy and giving them the freedom to express

their opinions without fear of being repressed, a manager can create a

climate of openness that leads to better work relationships. Employees

will then feel more comfortable in approaching their superiors and

discussing any matter with them.

Problem-solving – Effective communication can help resolve conflicts

between co-workers, work related and performance related problems.

Face–to-face communication is especially suited for achieving this task,

since it is one to one and highly personalized in nature.

Improved Performance – Effective communication by managers at

the time of appraising the performance of their employees can point

out areas for improvement. A constructive review of performance,

through which a manager gives positive feedback and counsels the

employee, instead of criticizing him for poor performance, can motivate

the employee to perform better.

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 aware of the presence of quality suppliers of

material, of government regulations and of the expectations of the

community at large, only through proper communication.

(b) Explain the advantages of oral communication with the help

of suitable example.

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 day-

to-day basis with your superiors, peers and subordinates within the

organization. Your oral communication skills often reveal your

personality. Speaking effectively also gives you great visibility and

confidence and can contribute to your career success.

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 determines your

success. Surveys have revealed that business executives spend a good

deal of time making presentations of different types. Whatever the

nature of the presentation, it requires planning, developing a structure

and strategy and using supports, to make it effective.

Oral communication has some advantages compared to written

communication. These include its personal quality, high

interactivity, possibility of making immediate contact,

instantaneous feedback and control over the receiver’s

attention.

Oral communication was also classified into oral face-to-face

communication (meetings and presentations) and oral non face-to-face

communication (teleconferencing, telephone and voice mail).While

face-to-face meetings are more effective than non face-to-face

communication in most ways, they are expensive and impractical

sometimes, due to the distance factor. Thanks to advances in

technology, meetings today can still take place without being face-to-

face, through teleconferencing. Teleconferencing allows participants at

distant locations to speak and sometimes to see each other. Apart from

the high cost and the difficulty in setting it up, teleconferencing has the

same advantages as oral face-to-face communication.

Example – Several retailers like Walmart, the world’s largest retailer,

make use of teleconferencing to keep their US headquarters in touch

with their store managers worldwide. Some headhunters also make use

of the facility to conduct preliminary interviews and shortlist candidates

based in other countries, before inviting them for a face-to-face

interview.

Many multi-national corporations and large Indian organizations also

use this facility extensively.

In spite of its advantages, teleconferencing will not replace face-to-face

meetings completely, since it is unsuitable for certain types of

communication that involve brainstorming, negotiations, persuasion

and problem solving.

Telephone communication, another form of non face-to-face

communication, has the biggest advantage of being able to contact a

receiver who would be impossible to reach in person. Today, 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 non-verbal cues such as tone of voice, to

enhance the communication.

Voice mail is a type of telephone communication and is similar to an

answering machine. Although it 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, or having the

other person talk back. Thus, there is greater control over how the

message is composed and delivered. Besides, voice mail also makes it

possible to keep a permanent record of the communication, unlike

other types of oral communication. In spite of these advantages

however, voice mail has not caught on in India.