LeSikar’S

BuSineSS
Commun iCat ion
Connecting in a Digital World o n n e c t i n g i n a Di g i t a l Wo 13e
 Ka
thryn Rentz | Paula Lentz
Lesikar’s Business
Communication CONNECTINGINADIGITALW
ORLD

T H I RT E E N T H E D I T I O N
 Kathryn Rentz
U N I V E R S I T Y O F C I N C I N N AT I

Paula Lentz
UNIVERSITYOFWISCONSIN–EAUCLAIRE
LESIKAR’S BUSINESS COMMUNICATION: CONNECTING IN A DIGITAL
WORLD, THIRTEENTH EDITION
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Rentz, Kathryn.
Lesikar’s business communication : connecting in a digital world / Kathryn Rentz, UNIVERSITY
OF CINCINNATI, Paula Lentz, UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, EAU CLAIRE. — THIRTEENTH
EDITION. pages cm
Includes index.
ISBN 978-0-07-340321-2 (alk. paper) — ISBN 0-07-340321-0 (alk. paper)
1. Commercial correspondence. 2. English language—Business English. 3. Business
communication. I. Lentz, Paula. II. Title.
HF5721.L37 2014
651.7—dc23
2012049183

Th e Internet addresses listed in the text were accurate at the time of publication. Th e inclusion of a
website does not indicate an endorsement by the authors or McGraw-Hill, and McGraw-Hill does not
guarantee the accuracy of the information presented at these sites.

www.mhhe.com
 Dr. Kathryn Rentz is a Professor of English at the University of
Cincinnati. She taught her fi rst business writing class as a
doctoral student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
in the early 1980s and has been teaching workplace writing ever
since. She helped establish the University of Cincinnati’s
professional writing program and has served as its coordinator.
She has also won the English Department’s teaching award,
directed the department’s graduate program, and helped direct the
composition program.
Dr. Rentz’s affi liation with the Association for Business
Communication goes back to her beginnings as a business writing
teacher. She has performed many roles for the ABC, including
serving on the board of directors and chairing the publications
board. She served two terms as an Associate Editor of the Journal
of Business Communication and was Interim Editor from 2000–
Dr. Kathryn Rentz 2001, for which she won the Francis W. Weeks Award of Merit. In
2008 she won the ABC’s Meada Gibbs
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Outstanding Teacher Award. In 2011 she was elected Second Vice President for the association, and
she will serve as its president in 2013–2014.
Dr. Rentz has published articles on business communication pedagogy and research in such
journals as Business Communication Quarterly, the Journal of Business Communication, Technical
Communication Quarterly, and the Journal of Business and Technical Communication . She has
participated in many professional meetings and seminars over the years and is always learning from
her colleagues and her students.

Dr. Paula Lentz

Dr. Paula Lentz is an Assistant Professor and Academic Program Director in the
Department of Business Communication at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire.
She teaches Business Writing, Business Writing II, and Advanced Business Writing.
She is also a developer and coordinator of the department’s Business Writing Fun
damentals Program, which ensures that students have basic writing skills essential
for success in their fi rst business writing course. In addition, she chaired the College
of Business’s Writing Task Force, which developed a college-wide policy for assess
ing students’ writing skills as part of their grade on any writing assignment in any
business class.
Dr. Lentz is particularly interested in qualitative research that explores narratives
and organizational cultures, genre theory, and writing pedagogy in online
environments. She has published in such journals as Academy of Educational
Leadership Journal, Wisconsin Business Education Association Journal, Equal
Opportunities International, and Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management. She has also
presented her research at several national and regional conferences, including those of the
Association for Business Communication and the Academy of Management.
Prior to becoming a full-time academic, she worked as a technical writer and publications editor. She
continues to do freelance editing and provides consulting and writing services for several
organizations. She received a BA from Coe College, an MA from UW–Eau Claire, and a PhD in
Rhetoric and Scientifi c and Technical Communication from the University of Minnesota.

iii
A Debt of Gratitude
Our deepest respect and appreciation go to Ray Lesikar, who wrote the fi rst
edition of this book over 35 years ago and led it through 10 revisions. From
the beginning, Ray emphasized currency and realism, adaptation to the
reader, and straightforward, courteous, correct use of language. A particular
strength of his was persuasive writing, to which he brought considerable
professional experience. He was a beloved teacher as well as a busy
consultant and prolifi c author, and it is fair to say that, in these roles and as a
leader in the Association for Business Communication, he exerted as strong
an infl uence on business communication as anyone else in the fi eld before
 or since.

In 1991 Ray invited an accomplished business communication and

information systems professor at San Diego State University to join him as a
coauthor. Th us, with the 6th edition, Marie Flatley came on board. Besides
doing much of the revision work, Marie added a chapter on communication-
related technologies and integrated technology throughout the book. Ever
since then, technological currency has been a defi ning trait of Business
Communication . An expert on information systems, Marie also put her
special stamp on the graphics and research chapters, and she made Lesikar’s
book one of the fi rst to provide PowerPoint slides, Web-based material, and
online activities. Th ough she has retired from teaching and has offi cially
stepped down as an author for this book, she continues to off er her expertise
in other venues.
Ray and Marie made a great team, and they set positive examples for us in ways that
are too numerous to list. We’re enormously grateful to them and honored to
carry on their work.
PREFACE

A lot has changed in the three years since the 12th edi tion of is not that easy . . . but undertaken with creativity, intelligence,
Lesikar’s Business Communication: Connecting in a Digital and diligence, it can be ex tremely rewarding and even fun.
World was published. Twitter and tablets have now become key Toward this end, this book includes the most problem-solving
players on the technology scene, along with Facebook, email cases, by far, of any book on the market—over 150 of them. Th
marketing, smartphones, and cloud applications. Th e ese realistic scenarios make students consider specifi c
economies of the United States and many other countries have contextual factors as they shape their messages, proposals,
settled into a recession, creating a tougher job market and and reports. In addition, the cases acquaint students with goals
chang they’re likely to encounter on the job, from resolving ethical
ing business and consumer needs. Th e presence of Gen Yers issues, solving management problems, and craft ing company
in the workplace has increased, while Baby Boomers are policies to reporting information, selling a product or idea, and
prolonging their retirement. Th e bound aries between cultures managing customer relations. Th e realistic practice that these
and countries have become more permeable, making the cases provide is the key payoff of this book’s approach.
business world “fl atter” and workplaces more diverse. And
there’s more in formation overload, making incisive analysis, Technology
lucid presentation of data, and development of targeted per
suasive strategies more critical. To plan and communicate well, students must know what kinds
Th ese changes have necessitated major revisions to the book. of communication technologies are avail able, how their usage
Yet its focus on fundamentals remains. Being able to assess a diff ers, and how to use them re sponsibly. Th e medium carries
communication situation and audience, determine an its own message, and what medium one uses aff ects one’s
appropriate strategy for meeting a busi communication choices. Plus, familiarity with a wide range of
ness goal, and use words and visuals skillfully is the foundation tools enables one to write better, work more effi ciently, and
for all the other skills. Th e balance between currency and produce more professional-looking products. With out
timelessness—a distinguishing trait of this book throughout its overwhelming the students with technical details, we’ve
12 previous editions—is one we’ve worked hard to maintain. incorporated dozens of useful communication related
technologies into this book, in every chapter and on almost
every topic.
Students must also understand that technology changes. At the
THIS BOOK’S APPROACH foundation of good communication is the ability to do research,
AND FEATURES to think, to understand other people, to organize one’s thoughts
Each business communication textbook brings a some what logically and tactically, and to use well-chosen verbal and visual
unique perspective to the subject. Th is section describes our elements. We keep our primary emphasis on these skills.
approach.
Today’s Students
Th e Nature of Business Th ese days, students have a lower tolerance than ever for
longwindedness, outdatedness, and irrel evance. We believe
Communication that they have a right to expect their business communication
Our primary assumption about business communica tion is that book to practice what it preaches. Many of our edits were thus
it is a problem-solving activity . Lesikar’s was the fi rst book to intended to make this edition more reader focused, effi cient, en
take this approach, and it is still the only book with this approach gaging, and real.
at its core. From the fi rst page to the last, this book makes clear On the other hand, today’s students tend to want clear-cut,
that successful business communication requires analysis, quick answers to every question, and this is an unrealistic
judgment, imagination, and eff ort. Rules of thumb and common expectation to bring to business commu nication. Th ey need to
patterns are helpful, but preparing an eff ective docu understand what an uncertain enterprise communication is and
ment or presentation takes a lot of planning and revi sion. to be encouraged to
Students need to be told up front that business communication solve problems with their own resourceful thinking. Odd as it
 may sound, they also need to be en couraged to expand their at using a few
technological literacy. Re search shows that students are expert

v
applications (e.g., phone apps, email clients, Facebook, and chapters to promote comprehension, retention, and skillful
Twitter) but unaware of many other applications useful in use of concepts.
business. Further, students tend to be familiar only with such • An Online Learning Center (OLC) that provides online
basic soft ware features as “open,” “save,” “copy,” “paste,” quizzing, PowerPoint slides, video cases, and Bizcom Tools
“print,” and “save.” Th us, most students can even use some & Tips, a collection of business com munication Web
instruction on Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. resources.
Research shows as well that increased use of digi tal written
• A QR code at the end of every chapter that takes students
communication has reduced students’ skill with other media
(e.g., body language and facial ex pressions, oral directly to the book’s online resources.
communication). Businesses need em ployees who can
interview others, conduct an eff ective phone conference, and fi
nd information. Many of the exercises and cases in this book TODAY’S TEACHERS
require students to practice these skills. Business communication teachers face a daunting task:
Another fact we’ve kept in mind is that business communication teaching a complex set of concepts and skills in an en vironment
students’ needs and interests can vary greatly, even within the of shrinking resources, increasing class size, and sometimes
same class. Some students will want to work for major insuffi cient support from department administrators. Perhaps
corporations, while others plan to work for small businesses, the main challenge of the job is that the workload tends to
start their own, or seek work in the nonprofi t sector. Some have encourage an emphasis on surface features (e.g., correctness
modest career goals, while others want the fast track to the and formatting), while eff ective business communication
executive suite. Some will bring strong skills and experience to depends as well on higher-order skills (e.g. critical thinking,
their coursework, while others will need extra atten tion to the adap
basics. A comprehensive business commu tation to the audience, and editing one’s work). How to do it all
nication textbook should accommodate a wide range of student —and do it well?
abilities and goals. In working to make this edition appealing to students, we hope
Th is understanding of our students informs the text of the book we’ve helped with a major part of the battle. Th e student
as well as these special features: features listed above also give teachers many excellent talking
points and many resources for creating engaging activities and
• Learning Objectives at the start, at the end, and throughout assignments.
each chapter that make the main goals of the chapter clear. In addition, we include the following help for instructors:
• Introductory Challenges (formerly “Introductory Situations”)
that launch each chapter and each form of business • Annotated PowerPoint slides for each chapter that include
communication with a business scenario to draw students summaries, examples, and interactive slides.
quickly into the topic being discussed. • A downloadable Instructor’s Resource Manual , which
• Examples of good and bad solutions for the Intro ductory includes sample syllabi and rubrics, sample lectures and
Challenges. classroom activities keyed to the PowerPoint slides,
answers to end-of-chapter Critical Th inking Questions and
• Full-page Case Illustrations (real business messages, Skills Building Exercises, and sample solutions to selected
proposals, and reports), with margin notes, to show how to Problem-Solving Cases.
apply the book’s advice.
• Appendices on formatting, grading symbols, and
• Outlines and checklists to help students grasp basic documentation of sources.
organizational patterns and editing guidelines. •
• A detailed chapter on correctness , ending with a diagnostic
Communication Matters boxes that provide expert test for students (with the answers pro vided in Appendix A).
commentary, interesting facts, and helpful tips.
• A downloadable Test Bank for each chapter, along with a
• Technology in Brief boxes illustrating numerous tools and computerized test generator for building custom tests.
techniques for making the most of tech nological aids to
business communication. • An Online Learning Center (OLC) that includes resources for
every chapter along with video cases and an extensive
• Chapter summaries that distill each chapter’s con tents into collection of business communi cation Web resources,
key points. Bizcom Tools & Tips.
• Critical Th inking Questions , Skills Building Exer cises , and • A link to Bcomm Teacher Xchange (bcommteacher
Problem-Solving Cases at the end of the xchange.wordpress.com), our blog for business

vi Preface
communication instructors. As of the end of 2012, we’d topics to the more specialized ones. The chapters certainly do
posted almost 100 articles, and we post a new one every not have to be taught in the sequence in which they’re
other week. You can easily keep track of the latest news, presented (in fact, a few instructors we know swear by starting
tips, and resources in business communication by using the with the job-search chapter), but the building-blocks ap proach
RSS feed or an email subscription. represented by this plan tends to work well.
Part I introduces students to the world of business
communication. Chapter 1 describes the important role that
ORGANIZATION OF THE BOOK Like the 12 communication plays in the workplace, cur rent challenges for
editions before it, this book moves from the more foundational business communicators, main cat egories of business
communication, and the business communication process. 13TH EDITION
Chapter 2, picking up on a major trend discussed in the
previous chapter, dis cusses the special challenges posed by Th is edition of Lesikar’s Business Communication main tains
cross-cultural communication. the book’s focus on the fundamentals of successful business
Part II reviews the basic techniques of clear, cor rect, reader- communication while adapting to the current business and
adapted writing. Chapter 3 helps students choose the best academic environments and incorporat ing the advice of our
wording for their readers, while Chap ter 4 focuses on writing eff helpful reviewers.
ective sentences and para graphs. Chapter 5 ends this section Perhaps the most noticeable changes are that
with advice on managing tone and emphasis. • The cross-cultural communication and research chapters
Part III opens with a chapter on the writing pro cess, the have been moved to earlier locations in the book to better
importance of readable formatting, and special considerations refl ect their importance.
for each major medium of business writing, including social
media. This sec tion then provides patterns and advice for • The chapters on good-news and neutral, bad-news, and
preparing the most common message types: good-news and persuasive messages and proposals no longer have the
neutral messages, bad-news messages, persuasive messages words “Directness” and “Indirectness” in their titles. Th ese
and proposals, and messages related to the job search. These chapters still recommend the more common pattern of
chapters also discuss the choice of direct or indirect structure organization for each message type, but the change is meant
for the different types of messages. to allow students more latitude in choosing the pattern that
Part IV concentrates on report writing, begin ning with such best suits the situation.
basics as determining the problem and purpose, gathering and • The writing style is better adapted to today’s stu dents. It is
analyzing data, creating a logical structure, writing and less stuff y, more effi cient, and easier to comprehend.
formatting the con tents, and preparing reports collaboratively. It • Just as technology now plays a role in every facet of business,
then discusses four types of short reports and the long, formal it is everywhere in this book—in the text, in the boxed
report; business research methods, including Internet research; material, in the examples, in the exercises and cases, and in
and the use of visuals to enhance reader comprehension. the visual material. Eff ective use of communication
Part V turns to oral communication, with a chapter on technologies, which has been a special focus of Lesikar’s
interpersonal communication and meetings and a chapter on since the 6th edition, has acquired even greater prominence
oral reports and presentations. Th e topics range from the in this edition.
basics of speaking and listening to the • A QR code at the end of each chapter now makes it easy for
eff ective use of diff erent media, including presentation soft students to visit the book’s website, where they’ll fi nd many
ware and Web-conferencing tools. more resources.
Part VI provides two chapters—one on writing related
technologies and one on correctness—that can assist students • Three new executives are featured in the book’s six Part
with almost all the other chapters in the book. Openers: Stuart Crabb, head of learning and development
Appendices also provide grading checklists, addi tional at Facebook; Lynn Marmer, chief communications offi cer
guidelines for formatting written documents, and advice and for Kroger Company; and Caroline Molina-Ray, Executive
models for documenting sources. Director of Research and Publications at Apollo Research
Institute.
As with each previous new edition, the references,
WHAT’S NEW IN THE examples, visuals, and exercises have been updated in

Preface vii
every chapter. In addition, each chapter has undergone signifi communication.
cant revision, as follows: Chapter 3: Adapting Your Words to Your Readers • Updates
Chapter 1: Understanding Workplace Communication • Now the Introductory Challenge as well as the boxed material on
opens with an Introductory Challenge (a hy pothetical workplace annoying business clichés, in
scenario) to generate student interest in the chapter contents. tergenerational communication, and grammar and style
• Provides the latest statistics on the importance of checkers.
communication skills in the workplace. • Includes a reference to and definition of plain language . •
• Updates the “Current Challenges for Business Com Uses a more logical, less redundant structure and sharper
municators” section with research on workplace trends from the headings, making the chapter’s points clearer and more distinct.
experts at the Institute for the Future, Apollo Research Institute, (For example, connota tion and denotation, oft en-confused
and the Aspen Institute. words, and id ioms were all discussed in one section. Now
• Incorporates new media and genres into the discussion of they’ve been separated for better emphasis.)
types of workplace communication. Chapter 2: • Expands and updates the discussion of language referring
Communicating Across Cultures to those with disabilities.
• Now follows Chapter 1 to reflect the increasing importance of Chapter 4: Constructing Clear Sentences and
communicating well with those in or from other countries and Paragraphs
cultures. • Opens with an updated Introductory Challenge. • Trims the
• Includes Hofstede’s “power distance” factor in the discussion prefatory sections to get more quickly to the chapter’s advice.
of diff erent cultures’ attitudes toward social hierarchy. • Adds Communication Matters boxes on limiting the use of
• Includes research on the cultural infl uences on online “there is/there are” and on avoiding the use of vague “this.”
communication. • Includes clearer advice about using short sentences for
• Updates the page of additional resources on cross cultural emphasis and varying sentence structure (e.g., use of
coordination and subordination) to manage emphasis.
• Expands the discussion of faulty parallelism. viii Preface • Updates the Case Illustrations.
• Includes a section on direct claims, previously in the chapter
Chapter 5: Writing for a Positive Eff ect on negative messages, with the ratio nale that routine claims
• Makes a better case up front for paying attention to the human require an approach more like that of neutral messages than
relations dimension of business writing. • Shortens the that of bad-news messages.
discussion of “the old language of business” since today’s • Adds a Communication Matters box about a company that is
students rarely use this lan guage. Th ey do overuse clichés, so doing away with email as a com munication channel. Th is
the section on this stylistic problem has been expanded. • presents an excellent dis cussion point for instructors.
Renames the section previously labeled “Resisting the
• Includes 52 revised or new Problem-Solving Cases. Chapter
Tendency to Be Formal” to “Choosing the Right Level of
8: Maintaining Goodwill in Bad-News Messages • Shifts the
Formality” and does a better job of help ing students manage the
writer–reader relationship through appropriate word choice. title’s focus on indirectness (an organiza tional strategy) to a
focus on the category of mes sages being discussed (bad-news).
• Renames the section “Tailoring Your Message to Your
Reader,” which covered points already made in the chapter, • Cites current research on when to use the direct versus the
to “Avoid Blaming the Reader” and discusses techniques for indirect approach for communicating bad news.
being tactful. Th is new section also includes a brief • Addresses the use of apologies in bad-news
discussion of avoiding anger, replacing the unnecessarily messages.
long section on this topic. • Continues the White Label Industries narrative from Chapter
• Adds a Technology in Brief box on “Courtesy in the Age of 7 in some of the Introductory Challenges for bad-news
Mobile Devices” based on the latest advice from Emily Post’s messages, which lets instructors continue the simulation in
Etiquette . a diff erent rhetorical context.
• Better incorporates the concluding section on managing • Incorporates additional new Introductory Chal lenges
emphasis by focusing on techniques that contribute to a throughout the chapter, with new good and bad sample
positive eff ect. solutions.
Chapter 6: Choosing the Best Process and Form • Updates • Adds three new Case Illustrations of bad-news mes sages
the audience analysis checklist to ad dress what the audience written in the indirect approach: a refused re quest to an
knows; what the audi ence needs to know; and what the external audience, a refused request to an internal audience,
audience needs to think, feel, do, or believe as a result of the and a negative announcement.
communication. • Omits the discussion of direct claims (moved to Chapter 7),
• Provides current advice on letter writing, particularly on keeping the focus in this chapter on preparing claims for
avoiding the use of greetings such as “to whom it may an unreceptive audience.
concern” and other outdated expressions. • Adds a Technology in Brief box on using Quick Parts for
• Revises the discussion of email to treat it as the established messages that are sent frequently or routinely.
form of business communication it has become rather than as • Includes 36 revised or new Problem-Solving Cases. Chapter
an emerging technology. Th e sections on email content and 9: Making Your Case with Persuasive Mes sages and
structure have also been deleted to make the discussion of Proposals
email more parallel with that of letters and memos. • Includes “Proposals” in the chapter title to better signal
• Replaces outdated content on pros and cons of email with where this topic is covered.
advice on current email practices in the workplace and on the • Updates the “Sales Messages” section with a new
role of email in the context of newer communication Introductory Challenge and new bad and good ways to
technologies such as texting and instant messaging. handle it, new Case Illustrations, and ref erences to the
• Adds a Communication Matters box on the top 10 email newer sales media (e.g., Facebook pages and Twitter
mistakes. messages).
• Updates the information on text and instant mes saging and • Adds a new section, “Enhancing Your Message with
social media communication as forms of business Visuals,” to highlight the importance of planning compelling
messages. visual components for sales messages.
• Adds the content from Chapter 17 regarding print versus • Adds a Communication Matters box on Web re sources for
online documents, updates this content to refl ect the primary proposal writing.
diff erences between the two • Ends with 35 revised or new Problem-Solving Cases for
types, and off ers current advice for writing Web content. sales and proposal writing.
Chapter 7: Getting to the Point in Good-News and Neutral
Chapter 10: Conducting a Winning Job Campaign • Cites
Messages
current research on the value employers place on internships.
• Shifts the title’s focus from directness (an organiza tional
strategy) to the categories of messages being discussed • Adds a Technology in Brief box on tips for creating an eff
(good-news and neutral). ective LinkedIn profi le.
• Incorporates a running narrative about routine communication • Includes comments in various parts of the chapter on how
at a hypothetical company, White Label Industries, employers and job seekers use social net working sites in the
throughout the chapter’s Introduc tory Challenges. Th is hiring or job-search process.
enables instructors to discuss various communication tasks • Distinguishes between features of print résumés and
within a single com pany and provides a consistent scenario electronic résumés.
for address ing audience, context, and communication goals. • Clarifies the discussion of the various types of elec tronic
• Updates the good and bad examples to match the new résumés (e.g., email, scannable, Web-based). • Provides an
Introductory Challenge scenarios. extended discussion of best practices for creating electronic
• Clarifies the discussion on how to begin a message directly. résumés.
 • Clarifies when to include references with a résumé. • Adds a • Adds a Communication Matters box emphasizing the
Communication Matters box reporting a study on how much importance of thank-you notes.
time employers spend reviewing résu Chapter 11: Preparing Informative and Infl uential
més before deciding whether a candidate is a good fi t. • Business Reports
Updates the Case Illustrations for the résumé and cover letter • Clarifies the discussion of problem statements by using
examples. “problem statement” to mean a description of the situation
• Adds a Communication Matters box on the 10 toughest requiring a solution and “purpose statement” to mean the
interview questions. stated goal of the research
conducted to fi nd that solution.

Preface ix
• Adds basic guidelines for conducting research as preparation tips for improving voice quality. • Adds a Communication
for Chapter 13 (“Conducting Research for Decision Makers”). Matters box on negotia tion as an interpersonal skill.
• Includes a new Technology in Brief box on report writing soft • Includes a Technology in Brief box encouraging students to
ware. become familiar with online meeting tools such as Skype
• Reduces the overly long section on writing head ings but and to try using these tools for their group meetings.
extends the discussion of making them parallel. • Updates the discussion of phone etiquette and or ganizes the
Chapter 12: Choosing the Right Type of Report • Updates information clearly into categories of initiating calls,
the discussion of problem statements for reports to answering calls directly, and screen ing calls for others.
incorporate the distinction between “problem statement” and • Deletes the discussion on using speech-recognition soft ware
“purpose statement.” • Updates and enhances the sample for creating messages and reports. Some of the information
reports. • Adds a new sample progress report to show stu is relocated to Chapter 17, “Lever aging Technology for Better
Writing.”
dents how to prepare one about a course project. • Removes
audit reports since these are too special ized and oft en too • Updates the Communication Matters box on using a
professional handshake.
routinized to be useful to most students.
• Ends with 35 revised or new Problem-Solving Cases and • Adds information regarding current research on the
152 additional report topics. relationship between the technology use of “digital natives’”
(Gen Xers and Gen Yers) and the potential
Chapter 13: Conducting Research for Decision Makers underdevelopment of their nonverbal communication skills.
• Is now grouped with the report-writing chapters to signal the Chapter 16: Delivering Oral Reports and Business
importance of research to report writing. • Opens with a new Speeches
motivational section, “Why Research Matters,” followed by an
• Enhances and clarifies the section on oral reports. •
overview of the main categories of research.
Replaces “Making Formal Speeches” with “Giving Speeches
• Gets quickly to resources that students and professionals are and Presentations” to reduce the empha
likely to use—e.g., the Internet and other Web resources—
sis on speeches and increase the emphasis on the more
rather than getting bogged down right away in a list of
common types of talks.
reference materials.
• Adds advice on choosing the best medium/media for the
• Includes a new section on conducting research with social
presentation.
networking tools—Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, wikis,
blogs, and listservs—and social bookmarking tools. • Adds sections on planning for interaction with the audience
and choosing the means of audience feed back (e.g., Q&A,
• Explains what a database (e.g., ABI/Inform) is and how to
Twitter).
search it.
• Streamlines the discussion of reference materials by putting • Adds a Communication Matters box on TED talks. • Gives
these resources into a descriptive table and updates the better advice about planning and using visu als to support a talk.
page-long List of Resources by Research Question. • Relabels the section “Use of PowerPoint” as “Use of
• Includes more thorough, concrete advice on designing Presentation Soft ware” and presents guidelines for using
surveys. any presentation tool (e.g., Prezi, Google Docs,
SlideRocket).
• Expands the discussion of ethical guidelines for conducting
research. • Adds a section on using handouts to support a talk.
• Recasts the final section on virtual presentations as
Chapter 14: Using Visuals to Make Your Point • Changes “Delivering Web-Based Presentations” and moves it up in the
“graphics” to “visuals” throughout to bet ter refl ect that chapter to refl ect the increased popularity of webinars.
business communicators have more options than just those
Chapter 17: Leveraging Technology for Better Writing •
that graph raw data. • Adds a new Introductory Challenge.
Focuses the chapter specifically on technologies that enhance
• Adds a Communication Matters box on infographics. x Preface writing ability rather than on general communication
technologies since the latter are discussed throughout the text.
• Incorporates many new visuals to illustrate common • Eliminates redundancies between this chapter and Chapter
types of visuals used in business communication. 13 (“Conducting Research for Decision Makers”) in terms of
gathering information electronically.
• Adds a Communication Matters box on avoiding chartjunk.
• Distinguishes between, and discusses separately, the use of
Chapter 15: Communicating Eff ectively in Meetings and technology to organize a project and the use of technology
Conversations to organize a document.
• Incorporates a new Introductory Challenge. • Adds a • Reorganizes content to flow more logically. For ex ample, the
Communication Matters box providing spe cific exercises and discussion of speech-recognition soft ware is moved to the
 section on technologies for draft ing rather than on technologies Reviewers of the 12th edition:
for revising and editing.
Melissa Bakeman, California State University— San Bernardino
• Updates terminology to reflect current usage (e.g.,
“electronic calendar” rather than “personal information Charles D. Baker, Kent State University
management tool”). Donna M. Carlon, University of Central Oklahoma Andrea Deacon,
• Discusses RSS feeds and tablet or smartphone apps as University of Wisconsin—Stout
information-gathering tools.
James H. Donelan, University of California—
• Mentions multimedia tools, document design soft ware, and
Santa Barbara
Web development soft ware as options for creating and
presenting information. John S. Donnellan, The University of Texas at Austin (retired)
• Omits the discussion of print versus electronic documents Heather Duvall, University of Central Oklahoma Daniel L. Emery,
(moved to Chapter 6).
University of Oklahoma
• Adds visuals of iPad apps to refl ect current technology
used in business communication. • Provides a Connie Golden, Lakeland Community College
Communication Matters box on knowing one’s audience Lawrence W. Hahn, San Diego Miramar College Harold Hellwig,
before using texting abbreviations or other “text speak.” Idaho State University
Chapter 18: Conveying Professionalism Th rough
Correctness Richard Lacy, California State University, Fresno

• Includes 50 new practice sentences to build students’ Nancy Kathryn LeGrand, Southeast Missouri State University
skills in the use of pronoun case, pronoun–antecedent Faith McDonald, The Pennsylvania State University Gregory H.
agreement, subject–verb agreement, punctuation, and the
apostrophe. Morin, University of Nebraska—Omaha Lauren Paisley, Genesee
• Provides additional guidelines on pronoun– antecedent Community College
agreement. Richard D. Parker, High Point University
• Adds a Communication Matters box citing current news
Diana Reep, University of Akron
articles that discuss the relationship between an employee’s
use of good grammar and success in the workplace. Patty Saliba, Belhaven University
In addition, Appendix B (“Physical Presentation of Letters, Terry Sanders, Macon State College
Memos, and Reports”) and Appendix E (“Documentation and
the Bibliography”) have been updated to refl ect current Jean Anna Sellers, Fort Hays State University
practices and technologies for formatting documents and citing Ida Short, Schoolcraft College
sources.
Cecil V. Tarrant III, Western Illinois University
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Deborah Valentine, Emory University
Many dedicated business communication instructors and
business professionals have contributed to this book throughout Reviewers of previous editions:
its long history. We extend our sin
cere thanks to them for their ideas and inspiration. We are Laura Alderson, University of Memphis
especially indebted to those who have served as reviewers for Carolyn Ashe, University of Houston—Downtown Jean Baird,
this and past editions. Th ey truly de serve much of the credit for
improvements in this book. Bringham Young University—Idaho
James J. Balakier, University of South Dakota

Preface xi
Lecia Barker, University of Colorado Lu Ann Farrell, Clinton Community College
Melissa Barth, Appalachian State University Dale Fike, Redlands Community College
Rathin Basu, Ferrum College Alicen Fiosi, Lamar University
Jill M. Batson, Henderson State University Sheryl Fitzpatrick, Waldorf College
Linda Bell, Reading Area Community College Kenneth R. Bellinder, Fernando Ganivet, Florida International University Sean J. Glassberg,
National–Louis University Sandra K. Christianson, National American Horry–Georgetown Technical College Glenn Good, Front Range
University Audrey Cohen, Kingsborough Community College Community College Katherine Gotthardt, National American University
Brenda A. Cornelius, University of Arkansas Community College at Hope Diana Green, Weber State University

Sara Cushing, Piedmont Technical College Frances K. Griffi n, Oklahoma State University Susan A. Heller,
Mary Beth Debs, University of Cincinnati Reading Area Community College Guillermo A. Hernandez, De Anza
Linda Di Desidero, University of Maryland University College College

Norma J. Dexter, Florida State University—Panama City Gloria Diemer, Deborah Holder, Piedmont Technical College
Suffolk County Community College Michael E. Durkee, Miramar Community Robert Insley, University of North Texas
College Carolyn Embree, The University of Akron Jane Johansen, University of Southern Indiana Jean Kapinsky,
Donna Everett, Morehead State University Northcentral Technical College Jeanette A. Karjala, Winona State
 University Julie Simon, Clarkson College
Brian Keliher, Grossmont College Karen J. Smith, Columbia Southern University Lisa Gueldenzoph Snyder,
Susan King, Union County College North Carolina AT&T University Eric Soares, California State University,

Melinda Knight, University of Rochester East Bay Jessica Stoudenmire, El Camino College
Sandy Thomas, Kansas City Kansas Community College Traci Thompson,
Kilgore College—Longview David A. Victor, Eastern Michigan University
David Ward, University of Wisconsin—Madison Gary T. Ward, Reedley
xii Preface College
Marianna Larsen, Utah State University
Kelly Warren, Wayland Baptist University
Anita Leffel, The University of Texas at San Antonio Nancy K. Legrand,
Karen Schelter Williams, San Diego Mesa College Laura Williams,
Southeast Missouri State University Jere Littlejohn, University of
Lipscomb University
Mississippi
Bennie J. Wilson, III, University of Texas at San Antonio
John La Lone, Tarleton State University—Central Texas Jeanette S. Martin,
Robert Zackowski, Horry Georgetown
University of Mississippi Kenneth R. Mayer, Cleveland State University Technical College
Robert J. McMahon, National American University Elizabeth Metzger, In addition, we would particularly like to thank Lora Arduser for
her major contributions to the research chapter and Appendix E,
University of South Florida Richard R. Meza, Columbia College of Riley Dugan and Emily Elsner Twesme for the problem-solving
Missouri Andrea Muldoon, University of Wisconsin—Stout Rebecca Pope- cases they contributed, and Heather Smith for her excellent
work on the PowerPoint slides and Instructor’s Manual.
Ruark, Elon University
Finally, on our respective home fronts, we acknowledge the
R. Wayne Preslar, Methodist College support of our loved ones. Kathy acknowledges the support of
Dave, Caroline, and Michael Rentz; her sister, Rebecca Horn;
Zane Quible, Oklahoma State University
and friends
Windy Rachal, Nicholls State University in the English Department at the University of Cincinnati. Paula
acknowledges her husband John, family members, friends, and
Pamela L. Ramey, Kent State University
colleagues in the College of Business at the University of
Evette W. Richardson, Norfolk State University Lillie A. Robinson, North Wisconsin–Eau Claire. Your support has made this book
Carolina AT&T University Heidi Schultz, University of North Carolina—
possible.
Chapel Hill Janet Sebesy, Cuyahoga Community College Mageya R. Sharp,
Cerritos College Kathryn Rentz
Stacey Short, Northern Illinois University Paula Lentz
 Preface xiii

A Quick Look
 LESIKAR’S
BUSINESS

COMMUNICATION (13th ed.), by Kathryn Rentz and

LESIKAR’S B
Paula Lentz, brings th
Paula Lentz,
brings the contemporary perspective of two experienced teachers to Ray
Lesikar’s classic textbook. Following the standard set by the 6th edition, this
book integrates current technologies and trends throughout while
maintaining an emphasis on the fundamentals: careful analysis of the
communication problem, development of an audience-focused solution, and
clear, correct use of language and visuals. Combined with abundant realistic
examples, exercises, and cases, this approach makes Lesikar’s one of the
most pedagogically eff ective books in the fi eld.

PART OPENERS
The six sections of the book begin with part openers featuring quotes from
distinguished business leaders in such well-known companies as Facebook
and Berkshire Hathaway. These opening comments attest to the importance PART TWO
of business communication skills in the real world.
Fundamentals of
Business Writing
3 Adapting Your Words to Your Readers
4 Constructing Clear Sentences and Paragraphs
5 Writing for a Positive Effect

With a net worth of around $44 billion, War

ren Buff ett is ranked by Forbes magazine as
the second-richest person in the world, after
Microsoft Cofounder and Chairman Bill
Gates. Buff ett made his fi rst stock purchase
at the age of 11 but sold before the stock
skyrocketed. Th is early lesson taught him to
study hard and carefully analyze potential in
vestments. Th e result was the development
of one of the world’s largest holding compa
nies, Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.
Although best known for his ability to
pick stocks, Buff ett was honored in 2006 by
the National Commission on Writing for
America’s Families, Schools, and Colleges for
writing Berkshire Hathaway’s annual report.
Buff ett writes, “One way or another, you have to project your ideas to other people. Writing isn’t necessarily easy. . . . But you
get better and better at it, and I encourage everybody to do that.”

Warren E. Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.

 PART ONE

Introduction
1 Understanding Workplace Communication
2 Communicating Across Cultures

As head of Learning & Development for

Facebook,
Stuart
Crabb
knows
what
qualities
companies
look for in
a job
candidate.
He has
over 20
years’
experience
helping
companies
hire the
right
people,
develop
their talent,
and
become
more
culturally
diverse.
What
does it
take to
succeed
at

Facebook?
According to Crabb, the answers are “criti
cal thinking,” “problem solving,” “creativity,”
and “performance.” It also takes being “mo
tivated,” “individually accountable,” and a
“good fi t” with the company culture.
Th ese happen to be key traits of successful
business communicators, too. Th ey under
stand that communicating well takes analysis, judgment, and even ingenuity. It takes being attuned to people and to each
communication situation. And it takes not only verbal skill but also technological and visual literacy.
Like business itself, business communication can be challenging. But the chal lenge can be fun, and solving communication problems
can bring enormous rewards. Th is book will help prepare you for an exciting future as both a businessperson and a communicator.

Stuart Crabb, Head of Learning & Development for Facebook

 xiv Contents

at the 13th Edition

• If
appropriate, achieve a secondary goal (e.g., reselling or confi rming a mutual
understanding).
• Close with a goodwill-building comment, adapted to the topic of
the message.

Contrasting Acknowledgments
Th e following two messages show bad and good ways to acknowledge Mr. Lee’s order.
As you would expect, the good version follows the plan described in the preceding
paragraphs. messages to memos to reports—are featured throughout the text. These writing
Slow Route to a Favorable Message. Th e bad example begins indirectly, empha
sizing receipt of the order. Although intended to produce goodwill, the second sen samples allow students to learn by example. For easy reference,
tence further delays what the reader wants most to hear. Moreover, the letter is written
from the writer’s point of view (note the we-emphasis).

Dear Mr. Lee:

Your April 4 order for $1,743.30 worth of Protect-O paints and supplies has
been received. We are pleased to have this nice order and hope that it marks the
beginning of a long relationship.
As you instructed, we will bill you for this amount. We are shipping the goods
today by Blue Darter Motor Freight.

GOOD AND BAD

EXAMPLES
Numerous good and bad examples of various business documents—from
Cindy ontinue
Wooley, will call from time to time to offer whatever assistance she can. She is a will see
to develop the best possible paints—like our new Chem-Treat line. As you will see tection.
from the enclosed brochure, Chem-Treat is a real breakthrough in mildew protection. We genuinely appreciate your order, Mr. Lee. We are
determined to serve you well

This one delays the important news.

She is a
highly competent technical adviser on paint and painting.
Here in the home plant we also will do what we can to help you profi t from Protect-O

you well
in the years ahead.
Sincerely,

This direct message is better.

We look forward to your future orders.
Sincerely, good examples are highlighted with a green bulls-eye
and bad examples are denoted by a red missed target.
Fast-Moving Presentation of the Good News. The better message begins directly, telling Mr. Lee that he is
getting what he wants. The remainder of the message is a customer welcome and subtle selling. Notice the good use
of reader emphasis and positive language. The message closes with a note of appreciation and a friendly, forward
look.

otect-O
products. We’ll do our best to give you the most effi cient service. And we’ll continue

Dear Mr. Lee:

Your selection of Protect-O paints and supplies was shipped today by Blue Darter Freight and should reach you by Wednesday. As you requested,
we are sending you an invoice for $1,743.30, including sales tax.
Welcome to the Protect-O circle of dealers. Our representative, Ms. Cindy
Contrasting Negative Announcements
Good and bad techniques in negative announcements are illustrated in the following
two messages. Th e bad one is direct, which in some circumstances may be acceptable
but clearly is not in this case. Th e good one follows the pattern just discussed.

Directness Here Alarms the Readers. Th is bad example clearly will upset the
readers with its abrupt announcement in the beginning. Th e readers aren’t prepared
to receive the negative message. Th ey probably don’t understand the reasons behind
the negative news. Th e explanation comes later, but the readers are not likely to be in a
Convincing Explanation Begins a Courteous Message. Th e better example fol lows the recommended indirect pattern. Its opening words begin the task of convinc This indirect example follows the bad-news pattern.
ing the readers of the appropriateness of the action to be taken. Aft er more convincing explanation, the announcement fl ows logically. Perhaps it will not
be received positively by all recipients, but it represents a reasonable position given the facts presented. Aft er the announcement comes an off er of
assistance to help readers deal with their new situ ation. Th e last paragraph reminds readers of remaining benefi ts and reassures them that management
understands their interests. It ends on an appreciative, goodwill note.

To All Employees:
Companies all across the United States, no matter how large or small, are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of healthcare. Legislators, healthcare providers, and businesspeople everywhere
are working to fi nd a solution to the skyrocketing cost of health insurance.
We are feeling this situation here in our own company. The premiums that we pay to cover our health benefi ts have increased by 34 percent over the last two years, and they now represent a huge
percentage of our expenditures. Meanwhile, as you know, our sales have been lower than usual for the past several quarters.
For the short term, we must fi nd a way to cut overall costs. Your management has considered many options and rejected such measures as cutting salaries and reducing personnel. Of the solutions
that will be implemented, the only change that affects you directly concerns your medical insurance. On March 1
we will begin deducting 25 percent of the cost of the premium.
Jim Taylor in the Personnel Offi ce will soon be announcing an informational meeting about your insurance options. Switching to spousal coverage, choosing a less expensive
plan with lighter deductibles, or setting up a fl exible spending
Directness here
sends a negative message.

CHAPTER 8 Maintaining Goodwill in Bad-News Messages 211

Contents xv

THEMATIC BOXES
THEMATIC
Each chapter features thematic boxes to highlight and reinforce important topics.

IN T RO D U C TO R Y CH A L L ENG E Searching for New Regional Headquarters

INTRODUCTORY
Introduce yourself to routine inquiries by assuming you are the assistant to the vice president for
administration of White Label Industries (WLI). WLI is the manufacturer and distributor of an T E CHNO LOG Y IN B R I E F
assortment of high-quality products. You and your boss were recently chatting about WLI’s plans craigslist, your boss says, “Great idea! I don’t think any of us have used craigslist, though. Could you fi nd some locations and show them to us at
to relocate its regional headquarters. Your boss tells you that she and other top management have our Friday meeting?” You’re a bit intimidated by the prospect, but you know that this is a great chance to demonstrate your professional skills.
cho You visit craigslist and fi nd what you believe would be the perfect offi ce headquarters. You know you could just show the executives the ad at the
sen the city but have not been able to fi nd the perfect offi ce space. She says that they have not meeting, but having read the ad and having analyzed your audience, you know the executives will need more information. To present your best
been happy with what realtors have found for them or with what they have found in their own professional image at Friday’s meeting, you need to write a routine inquiry seeking additional details about the offi ce space.

CHALLENGE
searches of classifi ed ads and realty agencies’ websites. When you suggest that they expand their
search to something a little less traditional such as

Each box presents a realistic business scenario and

provides students with a context for the topics
discussed in the chapter.
 Using a Table of Contents Generator for Speed and Accuracy

The table of contents generator tool in today’s word processing software frees writers from both the physical formatting and the
accuracy tasks. Just a few clicks pro duce and format the table of contents, along with leaders and page numbers. Additionally,
today’s generators add links so that those reading the report on the screen rather than on paper can easily navigate to a particular
section or
page by simply clicking it in the table of contents. The table of contents generator works with Word’s built in styles, which you
use as tags to mark the different levels of headings that will be included in the table of contents. If you are using a standard
report template, styles are already

incorporated in it. If you are creating your own report from a blank document, you could use predefi ned styles or defi ne your
TECHNOLOGY IN BRIEF These boxes
own styles to create titles, headings, and subheads. Styles provide consistency so that headings at certain lev
els always appear the same, helping the reader see the re lationship of the parts of your report. refl ect how current technologies affect business
Furthermore, if you decide to change the material in your report after you have generated the table of contents, you simply
regenerate it to update page numbers with only a few clicks.
Shown here is a sample table of contents automatically created in Word 2010.
communication, covering such topics as the top 10
email mistakes, courteous use of mobile devices, and
tools and technologies that students will encounter in
the workplace.

COMM UN I C AT ION M AT T E R S The Most Annoying Business Clichés

COMMUNICATION MATTERS
 1. At the end of the day 14. At this point in time
2. 30,000-foot view 15. Synergy
3. Give 110% 16. Action item
4. Think outside of the box Cullen adds one more that particularly bothers her: “Going forward.” “Where else would we go?” she asks. “Backward?”
5. FYI
6. 800-pound gorilla SOURCE: “Top 25 Jargon and Gobbledygook Phrases 2011,” Instructional Solutions, www.instructionalsolutions.com , 2012, Web, 20 May 2012. From Instructional
Solutions, www.instructionalsolutions.com. Reprinted with permission.
7. Throw under the bus
8. My bad Communication Matters boxes contain authoritative
9. Rightsizing
10. Reaching out
11. Low-hanging fruit
and anecdotal commentary to emphasize
12. Paradigm shift
13. Take it offl ine
communication concepts from each chapter.

xvi Contents

A well-known
spokesperson can add
character appeal.

Figure 9–2
An Email That Makes the Desired Action Easy

In any given case, many appeals are available to you. You

should use those that fi t your product or service and your
readers best. Keep in mind that how the buyer will use the
product may be a major basis for selecting a sales strategy.
For example, cosmetics might well be sold to the fi nal user
through emotional appeals, but selling cosmetics to a
retailer (who is primarily interested in reselling them) would
require rational appeals. A retailer’s main questions about
the product would be “Will it sell? What turnover can

ENGAGING
PHOTOS AND
SCREEN CAPTURES
Visuals of contemporary people and companies help students relate to the
material and understand key points.

CASEILLUSTRATION
 Join 1 Ji 1 Online Order Acknowledgment (Order Confirmation with a Second Purpose) . This email message thanks the reader for her order and invites her to participate in this company’s online product review.
I expect? How much money will it make for me?” Determining the Makeup of the Mailing
CASE ILLUSTRATIONS Annotated examples of real business
messages, reports,
Men's Waterproof Gloves
Rate and
review it
Glove Set, 3 Pairs Rate and
review it
Links make participation easy
ending CHAPTER 00 Chapter Title 159
builds
goodwill

and other documents show how to apply the concepts

discussed in the chapters. What time is it in Kyoto, Japan, when it’s 9 a.m. your time? Where can you fi nd an on
line dictionary for Italian? How should you dress when doing business in Chile? Scan the QR code in the margin with your smartphone or use your Web browser to fi nd out at
www.mhhe.com/leskiar13e. Choose Chapter 2 > Bizcom Tools & Tips.

If approached patiently, humbly, and sincerely, forming international business rela

tions can be incredibly exciting. Be ready to make and acknowledge mistakes, and to
forgive them in others. Mutual respect is key—perhaps the key—to successful cross
cultural communication.
SUMMARYBYLEARNINGOBJECTIVES
THERE’S MORE . . .
Thank you again for shopping with us.

The Employee-Owners at Gardener’s Supply

Copyright @2008 America’s Gardening Resource, Inc.

QUICK ACCESS TO ONLINE RESOURCES
A QR code and URL at the end of every chapter will take
world over share many of the same goals. • Learn about others’ cultures to avoid ethnocentrism and to enhance your

1 Explain why
cross cultural communication.
3. How people use body positions and body movements varies across cultures. • How people walk, gesture, smile,
communicating clearly across cultures is
important to business.
2 Describe three major
and touch diff ers from culture to culture. • Understanding others’ body movements is important in cross-cultural
communication.

students directly to the contents of the website’s

factors that infl uence a country or region’s
Bizcom Tools & Tips. Here they’ll fi nd over a
culture.

hundred Web-based resources—from technology

videos to grammar and style tips to advice on
3 Describe cultural

differences regarding body positions and

movements and use this knowledge effectively in communicating.
proposal writing and other topics.
1. Businesses are becoming increasingly global in their operations. • Being able to communicate across cultures is
necessary in these operations. • Specifi cally, it helps in satisfying customers’ needs, gaining additional
business, getting along with co-workers, hiring good people, and avoiding misinterpretations.
2. When learning about a culture, start with the big picture . PROBLEM-SOLVINGCASES
• Learn about the infl uence of topography, history, and religion on the culture. • Remember that businesspeople the
4. People in diff erent cultures diff er in their ways of relating to people. • Specifi cally, Today you and some others were hanging around the coff eemaker with one of the owners, who mentioned that he’d
seen a new electronic sign at one of his competitor’s sites. “I wonder how much it costs to buy one of those things?”
they diff er in their practices and thinking concerning time, space, odors, frankness, he asks.
social hierarchy, workplace values, and social behavior. • We should not use our own

4
culture’s practices as standards for interpreting and evaluating the practices of those
2 Take advantage of the many career resources to research what the career outlook is in your fi eld. Research the
Describe the impact from other cultures. em ployment prospects, typical jobs, advancement opportu nity, salary range, career advantages/disadvantages,
• Instead, we should try to understand other cultures and adapt our communication typical responsibilities—whatever you can fi nd. You might start with the U.S. Government’s Occupational Outlook
Handbook ( www.bls.gov/ooh/ ). Professional societies also sometimes
of culture on views styles accordingly.
and practices
concerning human 5. Language equivalency problems are another major cause of miscommunication in “People can see us from the highway, so an electronic sign with changing messages might be a good investment.”
relations and use this knowledge effectively in communicating. cross-cultural communication, but you can minimize them. Aft er a moment of thought, he turns to you. “Will you fi nd out what kind of electronic sign businesses usually use,
• Some words in a language have no equivalent in other languages. • Languages can and what they cost?” he asks. “And see how you change the content on the sign. Is it hard to learn how to use it
once it’s set up?”
also diff er greatly in terms of grammar and syntax. • As in English most words in other You tell him you’ll look into the matter and send him an email about it. Do the appropriate research and tell your boss
everything he needs to know to decide whether to pursue this idea.
languages have multiple meanings

5 Explain the language

equivalency problem and techniques for

Shorter Reports
1
have excellent statistics on salaries and working conditions in their fi elds. And don’t neglect such job-search sites as
You started working for a local car dealership as an offi ce clerk when you were in high school. You’re in college Monster.com . If your instructor directs, interview someone in your fi eld who can give you an insider’s view. Write up
your fi ndings as a well-organized short report, and be sure to interpret your fi ndings in terms of their likely signifi
minimizing its effects. now, but you still work there part time, and you’ve noticed that the management of the company seems to respect
cance to you.
your opinion and judgment a little more each day.
Internet policies and send your fi ndings to your boss in an email report. She will use the report as the basis for a meeting with her boss next week.

the winners at the event and to present them each with a gift book.
Your boss has asked you to recommend some appropriate books for each winner. Learn more about the LLS and past Men and Women of the Year and
then choose three appro priate books to propose for each. Send your recommenda tions to your boss in an email report.

for Business Communication class. “I heard some of these

RELEVANT AND
CHALLENGING CASES
An extensive collection of scenario-based cases gives
students practice solving communication problems on
a wide range of business topics, from Internet use to
customer service to marketing research.
3 Th e insurance company where you work as assistant to the information technology (IT) manager is doing well. Just last year, the company hired 9
customer service repre sentatives and a receptionist, bringing the total number of employees to 54. But with growth come certain headaches— and one of
them is fi guring out how to regulate employees’ Internet use.
Th e company’s customer service representatives work largely on the phone to handle claims and fi eld other ques tions. Although they need to use the
Internet to do their work, during downtime they continue to use the Internet for personal reasons, including email, social networking, watch ing favorite
television shows, viewing YouTube videos, and

4 It’s almost time for the annual awards dinner for your city’s chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). Th e two most honored awardees will
be the LLS’s Man and Woman of the Year, the volunteers who have raised the most money for the cause during the society’s 10-week competition. Your
boss, who serves on the orga nization’s board of directors, has been asked to announce

5 You were recently hired as an intern at a Mayim’s, a dis

even downloading programs or fi les that have nothing to do with their jobs. Your boss is worried about three things: (1) security breaches resulting from
these downloads and from other Internet activities, (2) inappropriate content being viewed or downloaded, and (3) computers running slowly or frequently
locking up as a result of the Internet content being viewed or downloaded.
It’s time for an Internet-use policy, and your boss thinks you’re just the person to help write it. Your assignment is to study the current wisdom on workplace
 Contents xvii
tributor of high end cosmetics and skin care products Kori options were totally free and really easy to use” she contin

A Wealth of Supplements LESIKAR’S

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, THIRTEENTH EDITION, includes a variety of
supplemental materials to help instructors prepare and present the material in this textbook more eff
ectively.

INSTRUCTOR’S MANUAL
Th e downloadable Instructor’s Manual (IM) shows how to present the book’s
contents step by step. Aft er an orienting introduction, each IM chapter walks the
instructor though the corresponding book chapter, syncing the discussion with the
chapter’s PowerPoint slides. Th e IM also provides tips for teaching the fi rst day
of class, sample syllabi for the quarter and semester systems, sample answers and
talking points for the Critical Th inking Questions and Skills Building Exercises,
and sample solutions for the Problem-Solving Cases.
Th e book’s website supplements the IM with teaching notes for the video cases, a
wide range of Web-based resources, and a biweekly blog post by the authors. Even
a new instructor can get up to speed quickly while having many helpful options to
choose from.

TEST BANK AND EZ TEST

Th e Test Bank includes more than 1,000 multiple-choice, true/false, and short
answer questions. Each question identifi es the answer, diffi culty level, and Bloom’s
Taxonomy level coding. Each test question is also tagged to the Learning Objective
it covers in the chapter and the AACSB Learning Standard it falls under.

EZ TEST ONLINE
McGraw-Hill’s EZ Test Online is a fl exible and easy-to-use electronic testing
program. Th e program allows instructors to create tests from book-specifi c items,
accommodates a wide range of question types, and enables instructors to add their
own questions. Multiple versions of a test can be created, and any test can be exported
for use with WebCT, Blackboard, or any other course management system. EZ Test
Online is accessible to busy instructors virtually anywhere via the Web, and the
program eliminates the need for them to install test soft ware. For more information
about EZ Test Online, please see the website at www.eztestonline.com.

PRESENTATION SLIDES
Clear, visually appealing PowerPoint slides support every chapter. In addition to reinforcing the book’s key points, the slides
provide additional cases to discuss and other forms of interactivity (e.g., questions to answer or blanks to fi ll in).
xviii Contents
Th e instructors’ version of the slides also contains brief notes to help the
teacher emphasize the key points and explain their importance.
Instructors can easily add to or revise the slides to adapt them to a
particular approach.

MCGRAW-HILL CONNECT BUSINESS

COMMUNICATION
LESS MANAGING. MORE TEACHING.
GREATER LEARNING.
McGraw-Hill Connect Business Communication is an online assignment
and assessment solution that connects students with the tools and
resources they’ll need to understand and apply the book’s concepts.
Connect Business Communication helps prepare students for their future
by enabling faster learning, more effi cient studying, and higher retention
of knowledge.

MCGRAW-HILL CONNECT BUSINESS

COMMUNICATION FEATURES
Connect Business Communication off ers a number of powerful tools and
features to make managing assignments easier, so faculty can spend
more time teaching. With Connect Business Communication, students
can engage with their coursework anytime and anywhere, making the
learning process more accessible and effi cient. Connect Business
Communication off ers you the features described below.

DIAGNOSTIC AND ADAPTIVE LEARNING AND MASTERY OF CONCEPTS

Connect Business Communication provides personalized learning plans to
develop or improve students’ editing skills, and it empowers students to
put responsible writing into practice. Th is adaptive learning system helps
students learn faster, study more effi ciently, and retain more knowledge
for greater success.

PRACTICE OF PRESENTATION SKILLS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE

THE CLASSROOM
Th e presentation capture tool gives instructors the ability to evaluate
presentations and students the freedom to practice their presentations
anytime and anywhere.

ONLINE INTERACTIVES
Online Interactives are exercises that enable students to apply key
concepts and develop their critical thinking. Th ese Interactives, prepared
by the authors, immerse students in experiential learning by engaging
them in a variety of realistic interactive scenarios. Students receive
immediate feedback at intermediate steps throughout each exercise, as
well as comprehensive feedback at the end of the assignment. All
Interactives are automatically scored and entered into the instructor
gradebook.

Contents xix
 STUDENT
PROGRESS TRACKING
Connect Business Communication keeps instructors informed about how each
student, section, and class is performing, allowing for more productive use of class
time and offi ce hours. Th e progress-tracking function enables
you to
• View scored work immediately and track individual or group performance
with assignment and grade reports.
• Access an instant view of student or class performance relative to learning
objectives. • Collect data and generate reports required
by many accreditation
organizations, such as AACSB.

SMART GRADING
When it comes to studying, time is precious. Connect Business Communication
helps students learn more effi ciently by providing feedback and practice material
when they need it, where they need it. When it comes to teaching, your time also is
precious. Th e grading function enables you to
• Have assignments scored automatically, giving students immediate
feedback on their work and side-by-side comparisons with correct
answers.
• Access and review each response, manually change grades, or leave
comments for students to review.
• Reinforce classroom concepts with practice tests and instant quizzes.

SIMPLE ASSIGNMENT MANAGEMENT

With Connect Business Communication, creating assignments is easier than ever,
so you can spend more time teaching and less time managing. Th e assignment
management function enables you to
• Create and deliver assignments easily with selectable end-of-chapter
questions and Test Bank items.
• Streamline lesson planning, student progress reporting, and assignment
grading to make classroom management more effi cient than ever.
• Go paperless with the eBook and online submission and grading of
student assignments.

INSTRUCTOR LIBRARY
Th e Connect Business Communication Instructor Library is your repository for
additional resources to improve student engagement in and out of class. You

xx Contents
 can
select and use any asset that enhances your lecture. Th e
Connect Business
c
Communication Instructor Library includes
C
• Instructor’s Manual
• Bizcom Tools & Tips, an extensive collection of Web resources
• PowerPoint fi les
• Test Bank
• Bcomm Teacher Xchange, the authors’ blog
• Management Asset Gallery, which contains 23 Self-Assessments and
Manager’s Hot Seat Videos
• eBook

STUDENT STUDY CENTER

Th e Connect Business Communication Student Study Center is the place
for students to access additional resources. Th e Student Study Center
• Off ers students quick access to lectures, practice materials, Web
resources, eBooks, and more.
• Provides instant practice material and study questions, easily accessible
on the go.
• Gives students access to the personalized learning plan, described above,
and more.

LECTURE CAPTURE VIA TEGRITY CAMPUS

Increase the attention paid to lecture discussion by decreasing the
attention paid to note taking. For an additional charge Lecture Capture off
ers new ways for students to focus on the in-class discussion, knowing
they can revisit important topics later. See below for further information.

MCGRAW-HILL CONNECT PLUS BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

McGraw-Hill reinvents the textbook learning experience for the modern
student with Connect Plus Business Communication. A seamless
integration of an eBook and Connect Business Communication, Connect
Plus Business Communication provides all of the Connect Business
Communication features plus the following:
• An integrated eBook, allowing for anytime, anywhere access to the
textbook.
• Dynamic links between the problems or questions you assign to your
students and the location in the eBook where that problem or question
is covered.
• A powerful search function to pinpoint and connect key concepts in a snap.

Contents xxi
 In short, Connect Business Communication off ers you and your students
powerful tools and features that optimize your time and energies,
enabling you to focus on course content, teaching, and student learning.
Connect Business Communication
also off ers a wealth of content resources for both instructors and
students. Th is state-of-the-art, thoroughly tested system supports you in
preparing students for the world that awaits.
For more information about Connect, go to www.mcgrawhillconnect.com,
or contact your local McGraw-Hill sales representative.

TEGRITY CAMPUS: LECTURES 24/7

TEGRITY CA
A

Tegrity Campus is a service that makes class time available 24/7 by

®
T
Teg
automatically capturing every lecture in a searchable format for students
to review automatically captu
ur
when they study and complete assignments. With a simple one-click start-
 and-stop when they study an
nd
process, you capture all computer screens and corresponding audio.
Students can process, you captur
re
replay any part of any class with easy-to-use browser-based viewing on a
PC or Mac. replay any part of an
ny
Educators know that the more students can see, hear, and experience
class Educators know
w
resources, the better they learn. In fact, studies prove it. With Tegrity
Campus, resources, the bett
ter
students quickly recall key moments by using Tegrity Campus’s unique
search students quickly re
ec
feature. Th is search helps students effi ciently fi nd what they need, when
they need feature. Th is search
hh
it, across an entire semester of class recordings. Help turn all your students’ study
it, across an entire se
time into learning moments immediately supported by your
lecture. time into learning m
m
Lecture Capture enables you to
Lecture Capture
ee
• Record and distribute your lecture with a click of a button.
•R
R d d di

• Record and index PowerPoint presentations and anything shown on your

•R
computer so it is easily searchable, frame by frame.
co
• Off er access to lectures anytime and anywhere by computer, iPod, or
•O
mobile device.
m
• Increase intent listening and class participation by easing students’
 • In
concerns about note taking. Lecture Capture will make it more likely that
co
you will see students’ faces, not the tops of their heads.
y
To lear
To learn more about Tegrity, watch a two minute Flash demo at
http://tegritycampus .mhhe.com.
.m
mhhe.

A
ASS
ASSURANCE-OF-LEARNING READY
M
Many
Many educational institutions today are focused on the notion of
assurance of learning, an important element of some accreditation
standards. Lesikar’s Business
l earnin
Communication is designed specifi cally to support your assurance-of-
learning C
Comm
initiatives with a simple, yet powerful, solution.

xxii Contents
Each Test Bank question for Lesikar’s Business Communication maps to a specifi c
chapter learning outcome/objective listed in the text. You can use our Test Bank
soft ware, EZ Test and EZ Test Online, or Connect Business Communication to
easily query for learning outcomes/objectives that directly relate to the learning
objectives for your course. You can then use the reporting features of EZ Test to
aggregate student results in similar fashion, making the collection and presentation
of assurance-of-learning data simple and easy.

AACSB STATEMENT
Th e McGraw-Hill Companies is a proud corporate member of AACSB
International. Understanding the importance and value of AACSB accreditation,
the authors of Lesikar’s Business Communication, Th irteenth Edition, recognize the
curricula guidelines detailed in the AACSB standards for business accreditation by
connecting selected questions in the text and/or the Test Bank to the six general
knowledge and skill guidelines in the AACSB standards.
Th e statements contained in Lesikar’s Business Communication, Th irteenth
Edition, are provided only as a guide for the users of this textbook. Th e AACSB
leaves content coverage and assessment within the purview of individual schools,
the mission of the school, and the faculty. While Lesikar’s Business Communication
and the teaching package make no claim of any specifi c AACSB qualifi cation
or evaluation, we have tagged selected questions according to the six general
knowledge and skill areas.

MCGRAW-HILL AND BLACKBOARD

McGraw-Hill Higher Education and Blackboard have teamed up. What does this
mean for you?
1. Your life, simplifi ed. Now you and your students can access McGraw
Hill’s Connect and Create right from within your Blackboard course—all
with one single sign-on. Say goodbye to the days of logging in to multiple
applications.
2. Deep integration of content and tools. Not only do you get single
sign-on with Connect and Create, but you also get deep integration of
McGraw-Hill content and content engines right in Blackboard. Whether
you’re choosing a book for your course or building Connect assignments,

all the tools you need are right where you want them—inside Blackboard. t where you want them—
inside Blackboard

Contents xxiii
3. Seamless gradebooks. Are you tired of keeping multiple
gradebooks and manually synchronizing grades into
Blackboard? We thought so. When a student completes an
integrated Connect assignment, the grade for that assignment
automatically (and instantly) feeds into your Blackboard grade
center.
4. A solution for everyone. Whether your institution is already
using Blackboard or you just want to try Blackboard on your own,
we have a solution for you. McGraw-Hill and Blackboard can now
off er you easy access to industry-leading technology and
content, whether your campus hosts it or we do. Be sure to ask
your local McGraw-Hill representative for details.

MCGRAW-HILL CAMPUSTM
McGraw-Hill Campus™ is a new one-stop teaching and learning
experience available to users of any learning management
system. Th is institutional service allows faculty and students to
enjoy single sign-on (SSO) access to all McGraw-Hill Higher Education
 materials, including the award-winning McGraw-Hill Connect platform,
from directly within the institution’s website. McGraw-Hill Campus™
provides faculty with instant access to all McGraw-Hill Higher Education
teaching materials (e.g., eBooks, Test Banks, PowerPoint slides,
animations and learning objects), allowing faculty to browse, search, and
use any instructor ancillary content in our vast library at no additional cost
to instructor or students. Students enjoy SSO access to a variety of free
products (e.g., quizzes, fl ash cards, narrated presentations) and
subscription based tools (e.g., McGraw-Hill Connect). With this program
enabled, faculty and students will never need to create another account
to access McGraw-Hill products and services. Learn more at
www.mhcampus.com.

xxiv Contents
MCGRAW-HILL CUSTOMER CARE CONTACT
INFORMATION
At McGraw-Hill, we understand that getting the most from new technology
can be challenging. Th at’s why our services don’t stop aft er you
purchase our products. You can email our Product Specialists 24 hours a
day to get product training online. Or you can search our knowledge bank
of Frequently Asked Questions on our support website. For Customer
Support, call 800-331-5094, email hmsupport@mcgraw
hill.com, or visit www.mhhe.com/support. One of our Technical Support
Analysts will be able to assist you in a timely fashion.

OUTCOMES-BASED ASSESSMENT SOLUTIONS

PERSONALIZED
Connect’s presentation capture
gives instructors the abil
ity to evaluate presentations and
students the freedom
to practice their presentations
anytime, and anywhere.
With its fully customizable rubric,
instructors can mea
sure students’ uploaded
presentations against course
outcome and give students specifi
c feedback on where
improvement is needed.

ADAPTIVE
Connect provides personalized learning plans to
develop or improve editing skills and empowers
students to put responsible writing
into practice. Th is
adaptive learning system helps
students learn faster,
study more effi ciently, and retain
more knowledge for
greater success. It pinpoints
concepts the student does
not understand and maps a
 personalized study plan
for success. With interactive documentation tools,
it helps students master the foundations of writing.
Developed through hours of ethnographic qualitative
and quantitative research, it addresses the needs of
today’s classrooms, both online and traditional.

Contents xxv
ONLINE LEARNING CENTER (OLC)
www
www.mhhe.com/rentz13e
Find a variety of online teaching and learning tools that are designed to
reinforce and build on the text content. Students will have direct access to
the learning tools, while instructor materials are password-protected.

A BLOG FOR BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

TEACHERS
Instructors can keep track of the latest business communication news,
trends, tips, and tools by following the authors’ blog, Bcomm Teacher
Xchange, at www.bcommteacherxchange.wordpress.com. Th e articles
are searchable by subject, and a new one is posted every other week.

eBOOK OPTIONS
eBooks are an innovative way for students to save money and to “go
green.” McGraw-Hill’s ebooks are typically 40 percent off the bookstore
price. Students have the choice between an online and a downloadable
CourseSmart eBook.
Th rough CourseSmart, students have the fl exibility to access an exact
replica of their textbook from any computer that has Internet service,
without plug-ins or special soft ware, via the online version or to create a
library of books on their hard drive via the downloadable version. Access
to the CourseSmart eBooks lasts for one year.

xxvi Contents
Features even allows you to personalize your book’s appearance by
CourseSmart eBooks allow students to highlight, take notes, selecting the cover and adding your name, school, and course
organize notes, and share the notes with other CourseSmart information. Order a Create book and you’ll receive a
users. Students can also search for terms across all eBooks in complimentary print review copy in three to fi ve business days
their purchased CourseSmart library. CourseSmart ebooks can or a complimentary electronic review copy (eComp) via email in
be printed (fi ve pages at a time). about one hour. Go to www.mcgrawhillcreate.com today and
register. Experience how McGraw-Hill Create empowers you to
More Info and Purchase teach your students your way.
Please visit www.coursesmart.com to learn more and to
purchase access to our eBooks. CourseSmart allows students
to try one chapter of the eBook, free of charge, before
purchase.

Binder-Ready Loose-Leaf Text

Th is full-featured text is provided as an option to the price-
sensitive student. It is a full four-color text that’s three-hole
punched and made available at a discount to students. It is also
available in a package with Connect Plus.

CREATE Special Binder-Ready Version

t 5IJT MPPTF MFBG BMUFSOBUJWF
XJMM TBWF ZPV NPOFZ

Craft your teaching resources to match the way you teach! With t 0GGFST B ýFYJCMF
GPSNBU

t /POSFGVOEBCMF JG

McGraw-Hill Create, www.mcgrawhillcreate.com, you can

easily rearrange chapters, combine material from other content
sources, and quickly upload content you have written, like your
course syllabus or teaching notes. Find the content you need in
Create by searching through thousands of leading McGraw-Hill
textbooks. Arrange your book to fi t your teaching style. Create TISJOL XSBQ JT
SFNPWFE
 Contents xxvii

Preface v Adapting Your Words to Your Readers 48

PART ONE CHAPTER FOUR

Introduction 1 CHAPTER ONE Constructing Clear Sentences and
Paragraphs 70
BRIEF CONTENTS CHAPTER FIVE
Writing for a Positive Effect 94

PART THREE
CHAPTER TWELVE
Basic Patterns of Business Messages 113
Choosing the Right Type of Report 374
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Choosing the Best Process and Form 114
Conducting Research for Decision Makers 453
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Getting to the Point in Good-News and Neutral Messages
Understanding Workplace Communication 2
141
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER EIGHT
Communicating Across Cultures 25
Maintaining Goodwill in Bad-News
Messages 189
PART TWO
Fundamentals of Business Writing 47 CHAPTER NINE
Making Your Case with Persuasive Messages and Proposals 226
CHAPTER THREE
 CHAPTER TEN Technological Profi ciency
Conducting a Winning Job Campaign 284 and Correctness 573
PART FOUR CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Fundamentals of Report Writing 341 Leveraging Technology for Better Writing 574

CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Preparing Informative and Infl uential Business Reports 342 Conveying Professionalism Through
Correctness 592
Using Visuals to Make Your Point 493
APPENDIXES
PART FIVE
Oral Forms of Business Communication 523 A Corrections for the Self-Administered Diagnostic Test of Correctness
624
CHAPTER FIFTEEN B Physical Presentation of Letters, Memos, and Reports 626
Communicating Effectively in Meetings and Conversations
524 C General Grading Symbols: Punctuation, Grammar, Numbers,
Spelling, Proofreading, Technique, Strategy, and Formatting 641
CHAPTER SIXTEEN D Grading Codes and Checklists: Messages and Reports 645
Delivering Oral Reports and Business Speeches 547
E Documentation and the Bibliography 649
PART SIX
Photo Credits 669
Elements of Professionalism:
Index 670

xxviii

Preface v Business Communication as Problem Solving 15 A Model of Business

Communication 16
PART ONE
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION: THE BOTTOM LINE 20
Introduction 1 CHAPTER ONE
THERE’S MORE . . . 21
CONTENTS SUMMARY BY LEARNING OBJECTIVES 21 KEY TERMS 22
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 22
SKILLS BUILDING EXERCISES 23

Communication Matters: Peter Drucker on the Importance of

Th ree Major Factors Th at Aff ect Culture 27 Communication in Business 4
Body Positions and Movements 29
Communication Matters: What One CEO Looks for in Job Candidates 7
Views and Practices Concerning Factors
of Human Relationships 31 Communication Matters: Channel Choice Aff ects Message Success 19
Eff ects on Business Communication 36

Understanding Workplace Communication 2 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER TWO

CHALLENGE 3 Communicating Across Cultures 25
INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 26
THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATION
IN BUSINESS 3 THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF
Th e Importance of Communication Skills 3 Why Business Depends CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION 26
upon Communication 4 DIMENSIONS OF CULTURAL
Current Challenges for Business DIFFERENCE 27
Communicators 5 PROBLEMS OF LANGUAGE 36
Main Categories of Business Communication 8 Communication Lack of Language Equivalency 36
Networks of the Organization 12 Diffi culties with English 38
Variation in Communication Activity by ADVICE FOR COMMUNICATING
Business 14 ACROSS CULTURES 41
THE BUSINESS COMMUNICATION Do Your Research 41
PROCESS 15
 Know Yourself and Your Company 41
Be Aware—and Wary—of Stereotypes 41 Adapt Your
English to Your Audience 43 Be Open to Change 43
THERE’S MORE . . . 44
SUMMARY BY LEARNING OBJECTIVES 44 KEY TERMS 45
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 45
SKILLS BUILDING EXERCISES 45

Technology in Brief: Web Tools for Cross-Cultural Communication 28

Communication Matters: Carefully Present and Receive a Business
Card in Japan 30
Communication Matters: High-Context versus Low-Context Cultures:
Edward T. Hall 33
Communication Matters: Five Dimensions of Culture: Geert
Hofstede 34
Communication Matters: Linear-actives, Multi actives, and Reactives:
Richard D. Lewis 35

Communication Matters: Blundering with Words 37

PART TWO
Fundamentals of Business Writing 47
CHAPTER THREE
Adapting Your Words to Your Readers 48 INTRODUCTORY
CHALLENGE 49

THE IMPORTANCE OF ADAPTATION 49 Adaptation Illustrated

49
Adapting to Multiple Readers 50
 xxix
SUGGESTIONS FOR SELECTING WORDS 51 Use Familiar Words Limit Sentence Content 71
51 Economize on Words 74
Prefer Short Words 52 Manage Emphasis in Sentence Design 78 Give Sentences
Use Slang and Popular Clichés with Caution 53 Unity 81
Use Technical Words and Acronyms Word Sentences Logically 82
Appropriately 53 CARE IN PARAGRAPH DESIGN 85
Use Precise Language 54 Give Paragraphs Unity 85
Select Words for Appropriate Usage 56 Keep Paragraphs Short 86
Prefer Active Verbs 57 Make Good Use of Topic Sentences 86
Avoid Overuse of Camoufl aged Verbs 60 Leave Out Unnecessary Detail 87
SUGGESTIONS FOR NONDISCRIMINATORY WRITING 61 Make Paragraphs Coherent 88
Use Gender-Neutral Words 61 THERE’S MORE . . . 89
Avoid Words Th at Stereotype by Race, Nationality, or Sexual
Orientation 64 SUMMARY BY LEARNING OBJECTIVES 89 KEY TERMS 90
Avoid Words Th at Stereotype by Age 64 CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 90
SKILLS BUILDING EXERCISES 91
Avoid Words Th at Typecast Th ose with
Disabilities 65
Some Final Words about Words 65 Technology in Brief: Readability Statistics Help Writers Evaluate
Document Length and Diffi culty 72
THERE’S MORE . . . 66
Communication Matters: Avoiding Stringy and See-Saw Sentences 73
SUMMAR Y BY LEARNING OBJECTIVES 66 KEY TERMS 67
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 67 Communication Matters: Is Th at a Surplus Word? 75
SKILLS BUILDING EXERCISES 68
Communication Matters: Th ere Is, Th ere Are . . . Do You Really Need
Th em? 77
Communication Matters: Th e Most Annoying Business Clichés 52 Communication Matters: Don’t Make Me Laugh 83
Communication Matters: Lost in Translation 54 Communication Matters: Beware the Vague or Illogical “Th is” 87
Technology in Brief: Grammar and Style Checkers Help Writers with
Word Selection 55
CHAPTER FIVE
Communication Matters: Th e Trouble with Idioms 58
Writing for a Positive Effect 94
Communication Matters: Everything You Wanted to Know about Active
INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 95
and Passive Voice 59
THE IMPORTANCE OF A POSITIVE EFFECT 95
Communication Matters: How Diverse Is Too Diverse? 63
USING A CONVERSATIONAL STYLE 96 Choosing the Right
Communication Matters: Understanding the Diff erent Generations
Level of Formality 96 Cutting Out “Rubber Stamps” 98
in the Workplace 65
USING THE YOU-VIEWPOINT 98
Sample Uses of the You-Viewpoint 99
CHAPTER FOUR Ethical Use of the You-Viewpoint 100
Constructing Clear Sentences and
ACCENTUATING THE POSITIVE 100 Use Positive Words
Paragraphs 70
100
INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 71
Focus on What You Can Do 101
THE IMPORTANCE OF ADAPTATION 71 CARE IN BEING COURTEOUS 103
SENTENCE DESIGN 71 Avoid Blaming the Reader 103
Refrain from Preaching 104

xxx Contents
Do More Th an Is Expected 104 CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 110
Be Sincere 106 SKILLS BUILDING EXERCISES 110

MANAGING EMPHASIS FOR

A POSITIVE EFFECT 106 Communication Matters: Business Etiquette—It Depends on Where
Emphasis by Position 107 You Are 96
Sentence Structure and Emphasis 107 Communication Matters: Parent, Child, or Adult? 102
Space and Emphasis 108
Technology in Brief: Courtesy in the Age of Mobile Devices 105
THE ETHICS OF POSITIVE EMPHASIS 108 THERE’S
MORE . . . 108

SUMMARY BY LEARNING OBJECTIVES 109 KEY TERMS 109 PART THREE

Basic Patterns of Business Presenting the Content 135
Messages 113 Making Your Web Writing Accessible 136 THERE’S MORE . .
. 136
CHAPTER SIX
SUMMARY BY LEARNING OBJECTIVES 136 KEY TERMS 138
Choosing the Best Process and Form 114 INTRODUCTORY
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 138
CHALLENGE 115
SKILLS BUILDING EXERCISES 138
THE IMPORTANCE OF SKILLFUL
WRITING 115
Technology in Brief: Using Good Email Etiquette Helps Writers
THE PROCESS OF WRITING 116 Achieve Th eir Goals 129
Planning the Message 116
Communication Matters: Composing an Email: Th e Top 10 Mistakes
Drafting 119 130
Revising 120
Communication Matters: “Twitiquette”: New Technologies, New
THE IMPORTANCE OF READABLE Expectations 131
FORMATTING 121
LETTERS 123
CHAPTER SEVEN
Letters Defi ned 123
Getting to the Point in Good-News and Neutral Messages 141
Letter Form 123
Letter Formality 124 THE PREVALENCE OF GOOD-NEWS AND NEUTRAL
MESSAGES IN BUSINESS 142
MEMORANDUMS (MEMOS) 124
Memorandums Defi ned 124 PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT 142
Memorandum Form 125 THE GENERAL DIRECT PLAN 142
Memorandum Formality 126 Beginning with the Objective 142

EMAIL 126 Covering the Remaining Part of the

Objective 142
Email Defi ned 126
Ending with Goodwill 143
Email Form 127
Email Formality 128 ROUTINE INQUIRIES 143
THE NEWER MEDIA IN BUSINESS INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 143
WRITING 130 Choosing from Two Types of Beginnings 143 Informing and
Text Messaging 130 Explaining Adequately 144 Structuring the Questions 144
Instant Messaging 132 Ending with Goodwill 145
Social Media 132 Reviewing the Order 145
PRINT VERSUS ONLINE DOCUMENTS 133 Comparing Print and Contrasting Examples 145
Online Text 134 FAVORABLE RESPONSES 150
Organizing Content 134 INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 150

Contents xxxi
Identifying the Message Being Answered 150 Beginning with the INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 162
Answer 150 Using Directness for Claims 163
Logically Arranging the Answers 151 Organizing the Direct Claim 163
Skillfully Handling the Negatives 151 Reviewing the Plan 163
Considering Extras 151 Contrasting Examples of Claim Messages 163 ADJUSTMENT
Closing Cordially 151 GRANTS 165
Reviewing the Plan 152
INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 165
Contrasting Illustrations 152
Considering Special Needs 166
ORDER ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND OTHER THANK-YOU
Reviewing the Plan 166
MESSAGES 155
Contrasting Adjustments 168
INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 155
INTERNAL-OPERATIONAL MESSAGES 169 INTRODUCTORY
Order Acknowledgments 155
CHALLENGE 169
Directness and Goodwill Building in Order Acknowledgments
156 Casual Operational Messages 169
Tact in Order Acknowledgments 156 Moderately Formal Messages 169
Strategies for Other Th ank-You Messages 157 Summarizing the Formal Messages 170
Structure of Order Summarizing the Structure of Internal
Acknowledgments and Other Th ank-You Messages 157 Operational Messages 171
Contrasting Acknowledgments 158 Contrasting Examples of Internal-Operational Messages 171

DIRECT CLAIMS 162 OTHER DIRECT MESSAGE SITUATIONS 173 THERE’S

 MORE . . . 173 REFUSED REQUESTS 192

SUMMARY BY LEARNING OBJECTIVES 173 KEY TERMS 175 INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 192

CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 175 Developing the Strategy 193

SKILLS BUILDING EXERCISES 175 Setting Up the Explanation in the Opening 193 Presenting the
PROBLEM-SOLVING CASES 176 Explanation Convincingly 193 Handling the Refusal Positively 193
Using a Compromise When Practical 194 Closing with
Communication Matters: Choosing the Right Font 146
Goodwill 194
Technology in Brief: Shortcut Tools Help Writers Improve Productivity
Fitting the General Plan to Refused Requests 195 Contrasting
and Quality 147
Refusals 195
Technology in Brief: Tables Help Writers Organize Data for Easy
Reading 156 INDIRECT CLAIMS 196

Communication Matters: A Workplace without Email? One Company’s INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 196
Strategy 162 Choosing the Right Tone 197
Leading into the Problem in the Beginning 197 Describing the
Problem Clearly 197
CHAPTER EIGHT
Requesting the Correction 198
Maintaining Goodwill in Bad-News Messages 189
Building Goodwill with a Fair-Minded Close 198 Outlining the Indirect
APPROACHES TO WRITING Claim Message 198
BAD-NEWS MESSAGES 190 Contrasting Examples of Indirect Claim
THE GENERAL INDIRECT PLAN 190 Using a Strategic Messages 199
Buff er 190 ADJUSTMENT REFUSALS 202
Setting Up the Negative News 191 INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 202
Presenting the Bad News Positively 191 Determining the Strategy 203
Off ering an Alternative Solution 191 Setting Up Your Reasoning 203
Ending on a Positive Note 192 Making Your Case 203
Apologizing 192 Refusing Positively and Closing Courteously 204

xxxii Contents
Adapting the General Plan 205 227
Contrasting Adjustment Refusal Messages 205 NEGATIVE Choose and Develop Targeted Reader
ANNOUNCEMENTS 207 INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 207 Benefi ts 227
Make Good Use of Th ree Kinds of Appeals 228 Make It Easy for
Determining the Strategy 208
Your Readers to Comply 228
Setting Up the Bad News 208
Positively Presenting the Bad News 208 PERSUASIVE REQUESTS 229
Focusing on Next Steps or Remaining INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 229
Benefi ts 209
Determining Your Strategy 229
Closing on a Positive or Encouraging Note 209 Reviewing the Plan
Gaining Attention in the Opening 231
209
Developing the Appeal 231
Contrasting Negative Announcements 211 Using Directness in
Making the Request Clearly and Positively 231 Summarizing the
Some Cases 212
Plan for Requests 232
THERE’S MORE . . . 212 Contrasting Persuasive Requests 232
SUMMARY BY LEARNING OBJECTIVES 213 KEY TERMS 214 SALES MESSAGES 237
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 214 INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 237
SKILLS BUILDING EXERCISES 214 Questioning the Acceptability of Sales
PROBLEM-SOLVING CASES 215 Messages 238
Preparing to Write a Sales Message 239
Technology in Brief: Outlook Quick Parts Tool Allows Writers to Determining the Central Appeal 239
Reuse Content 204 Determining the Makeup of the Mailing 241
Communication Matters: Balance, Not “Spin,” in Negative Gaining Attention Before the Message
Announcements 209 Begins 243
Gaining Attention in the Opening of the
Message 243
CHAPTER NINE Building a Persuasive Case 244
Making Your Case with Persuasive Messages and Proposals 226 Stressing the You-Viewpoint 246
Choosing Words Carefully 247
THE PREDOMINANCE OF INDIRECTNESS IN PERSUASIVE
MESSAGES 227 Enhancing Your Message with Visuals 248 Including All
Necessary Information 250 Driving for the Sale 250
GENERAL ADVICE ABOUT PERSUASION 227 Know Your Readers
 Adding a Postscript 252 Communication Matters:Th e Ingredients of Successful
Fundraising 232
Off ering Name Removal to Email Readers 252 Reviewing the
General Sales Plan 252 Communication Matters: Sophisticated Selling in White Papers 240
Evaluating Contrasting Examples 253
Communication Matters: Gaining—and Keeping— Readers’ Attention on
PROPOSALS 254 Facebook and Twitter 244
INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 254 Communication Matters: Th e Importance of Vividness in Sales
Types of Proposals 255 Messages 247
Proposal Format and Contents 259 Communication Matters: Persuasive Strategies Vary across Cultures
THERE’S MORE . . . 269 250

SUMMARY BY LEARNING OBJECTIVES 270 KEY TERMS 272 Technology in Brief: Web Resources for Proposal Writing 255
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 272 Communication Matters: Wise Words from a Professional Proposal
SKILLS BUILDING EXERCISES 273 Writer 259
PROBLEM-SOLVING CASES 274
Communication Matters: Th e Seven Deadly Sins of Proposal Writing 260

Contents xxxiii
CHAPTER TEN Communication Matters: Developing a
Conducting a Winning Job Campaign 284 INTRODUCTORY Professional Portfolio 321
CHALLENGE 285 Technology in Brief: Websites Off er Valuable Interview Advice
323
THE JOB SEARCH 285 Communication Matters: Answers to the 10 Toughest Interview
Building a Network of Contacts 285 Questions 327
Obtaining an Internship 286
Communication Matters: What’s the Number One Interviewing Mistake?
Identifying Appropriate Jobs 286 329
Finding Your Employer 289
PREPARING THE APPLICATION
DOCUMENTS 292 PART FOUR
CONSTRUCTING THE RÉSUMÉ 292 Résumé Content Fundamentals of Report Writing 341
292
Printed (Hardcopy) Résumés 307 CHAPTER ELEVEN
Electronic Résumés 311
Preparing Informative and Infl uential Business Reports 342
Scannable Résumés 312 INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 343

WRITING THE COVER MESSAGE 313 Cover Letters 313 REPORTS AND YOUR FUTURE 343
Email Cover Messages 325 DEFINING REPORTS 343
HANDLING THE INTERVIEW 326 DETERMINING THE REPORT PROBLEM AND PURPOSE 344
Investigating the Company 326 Th e Preliminary Investigation 344
Making a Good Appearance 326 Th e Need for Clear Problem and Purpose Statements 344
Anticipating Questions and Preparing
DETERMINING THE FACTORS 345
Answers 327
Use of Subtopics in Information Reports 345 Hypotheses for Problems
Putting Yourself at Ease 328
Requiring Solution 346 Bases of Comparison in Evaluation Studies
Helping to Control the Dialogue 329
346
FOLLOWING UP AND ENDING
THE APPLICATION 329 GATHERING THE INFORMATION
NEEDED 347
Other Job-Search Messages 330
Continuing Job-Search Activities 331 INTERPRETING THE FINDINGS 349 Advice for Avoiding
Human Error 350
THERE’S MORE . . . 332
Appropriate Attitudes and Practices 351 Statistical Tools for
SUMMARY BY LEARNING OBJECTIVES 332 KEY TERMS 334 Data Analysis 351
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 334
ORGANIZING THE REPORT
SKILLS BUILDING EXERCISES 335 INFORMATION 352
PROBLEM-SOLVING CASES 336
Th e Nature and Benefi ts of Outlining 352 Organization by
Division 353
Communication Matters: Th e Where, What, and Whys of Hiring 287 Division by Conventional Relationships 354
Technology in Brief: Make Your LinkedIn Profi le Work for You 290 Combination and Multiple Division
Possibilities 356
Communication Matters: Th e Most Important Six Seconds in Your Job From Outline to Table of Contents 357
Search 308
 WRITING THE REPORT 360 Maintaining Interest 365
Beginning and Ending 360 COLLABORATIVE REPORT WRITING 365 Determining the
Being Objective 361 Group Makeup 365
Being Consistent with Time 362 Creating the Ground Rules 366
Including Transitions 363 Choosing the Means of Collaboration 366

xxxiv Contents
Making a Project Plan 367 Progress Reports 402
Researching and Writing the Report 367 THERE’S Problem-Solving Reports 402
MORE . . . 369 Meeting Minutes 404
COMPONENTS OF LONG,
SUMMARY BY LEARNING OBJECTIVES 369 KEY TERMS 371
FORMAL REPORTS 407
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 372
Th e Report Introduction 407
SKILLS BUILDING EXERCISES 372
Th e Report Body 410
Th e Ending of the Report 411
Communication Matters: Report-Writing Practices and the Sarbanes- Appended Parts 412
Oxley Act 345
THE STRUCTURAL COHERENCE PLAN 412 THE FORMAL
Technology in Brief: Report-Writing Tools Help Businesses Succeed
348 REPORT ILLUSTRATED 414 THERE’S MORE . . . 414

Technology in Brief: Brainstorm and Outline with Visualization Tools SUMMARY BY LEARNING OBJECTIVES 431 KEY TERMS 433
353 CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 433
SKILLS BUILDING EXERCISES 433
Communication Matters: Formal, Informal, or Somewhere in
Between? 362 PROBLEM-SOLVING CASES 435
ADDITIONAL TOPICS FOR REPORTS 448
Communication Matters: Choice Lines Gleaned from Accident Reports
Submitted to Insurance Companies 364
Communication Matters: Creating a Report Title with the 5 Ws and 1 H
Communication Matters: Does Your Group Have Emotional 377
Intelligence? 366
Communication Matters: Tips from a Professional Explainer 383
Technology in Brief: Comment and Review Tools Help Writers
Track Changes to Th eir Documents 368 Technology in Brief: Using a Report Template for a Polished Look 384
Communication Matters: Knowledge Management Gives Companies the
Competitive Edge 398
CHAPTER TWELVE
Choosing the Right Type of Report 374 INTRODUCTORY Technology in Brief: Using a Table of Contents Generator for
Speed and Accuracy 410
CHALLENGE 375

AN OVERVIEW OF REPORT
COMPONENTS 375 CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Th e Report Classifi cation Plan 375 Conducting Research for Decision Makers 453 INTRODUCTORY
Th e Report Components 376 CHALLENGE 454

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SHORTER REPORTS 381 WHY RESEARCH MATTERS 454

Little Need for Introductory Information 381 Predominance of the WHAT RESEARCH IS 455
Direct Order 381 Primary versus Secondary Research 455
A More Personal Writing Style 383 Quantitative versus Qualitative Strategies 456 HOW TO FIND
Less Need for a Structured Coherence Plan 385 EXISTING RESEARCH 456 Searching the Web 456
FORMS FOR SHORT TO MID-LENGTH REPORTS 385 Evaluating Websites 463
Th e Short Report 385 Taking Advantage of Social Networks 464 Using the Library
Letter Reports 395 469
Email and Memo Reports 395 HOW TO DO NEW RESEARCH 474
Written Reports in Other Forms 398 Conducting a Survey 474
COMMON TYPES OF SHORT REPORTS 398 Routine Operational Conducting an Experiment 480
Reports 399 Using Observation 482
Conducting Qualitative Research 482

Contents xxxv
CONDUCTING ETHICAL BUSINESS RESEARCH 484 Honestly 484
Treating Research Participants Ethically 484 THERE’S MORE. . . 485
Reporting Information Accurately and
SUMMARY BY LEARNING OBJECTIVES 485 KEY TERMS 490
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 490 Visual Integrity 512
SKILLS BUILDING EXERCISES 491 PLACING AND INTERPRETING
THE VISUALS 517
Technology in Brief: Managing Citations with Zotero 462 THERE’S MORE. . . 518
Technology in Brief: Web-Based Survey Tools Help Writers Design, SUMMARY BY LEARNING OBJECTIVES 518 KEY TERMS 520
Analyze, and Report Results of Questionnaires 478 CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 520
SKILLS BUILDING EXERCISES 520

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Using Visuals to Communication Matters: Infographics: Everything Old Is New Again 497
Make Your Point 493 Communication Matters: Avoiding Chartjunk 514
INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 494
Communication Matters: Th e Periodic Table of Visualization Methods
PLANNING THE VISUALS 494 516
DETERMINING THE GENERAL MECHANICS OF
CONSTRUCTION 494
Size 495 PART FIVE
Orientation 495 Oral Forms of Business
Type 495 Communication 523
Rules and Borders 495
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Color and Cross-Hatching 496
Communicating Effectively in Meetings
Clip Art 496
and Conversations 524
Background 496
INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 525
Numbering 496
Construction of Titles and Captions 497 Placement of Titles THE PREVALENCE OF ORAL
and Captions 498 COMMUNICATION ON THE JOB 525 INFORMAL
Footnotes and Acknowledgments 498 WORKPLACE TALKING 526 Elements of Professional Talking
526
CONSTRUCTING TEXTUAL VISUALS 499 Tables 499
Courtesy in Talking 528
Pull Quotes 500
Bulleted Lists 501 CONDUCTING AND PARTICIPATING IN MEETINGS 528
Flowcharts and Process Charts 501 Techniques of Conducting Meetings 529 Techniques for
CONSTRUCTING CHARTS, GRAPHS, AND OTHER Participating in a Meeting 533 USING THE PHONE 533
VISUALS 503 Professional Voice Quality 533
Bar and Column Charts 503 Courtesy 533
Pictographs 506 Eff ective Phone Procedures 535
Pie Charts 506 Eff ective Voice Mail Techniques 535
Line Charts 507 Courteous Use of Cell Phones 535
Scatter Diagrams 508 LISTENING 536
Maps 509 Th e Nature of Listening 536
Combination Charts 510
Improving Your Listening Ability 536
Th ree-Dimensional Visuals 510
THE REINFORCING ROLE OF NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
Photographs 511 539
Other Visuals 512

xxxvi Contents
Th e Nature of Nonverbal Communication 539 Types of Nonverbal CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Communication 540 THERE’S MORE . . . 542 Delivering Oral Reports and Business Speeches 547
INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 548
SUMMARY BY LEARNING OBJECTIVES 542 KEY TERMS 544
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 544 MASTERING FORMAL SPEAKING 548 REPORTING
SKILLS BUILDING EXERCISES 544 ORALLY 548
Defi ning Oral Reports 548
Communication Matters: Finding Your Professional Voice 526 Understanding the Diff erences between Oral and Written
Reports 549
Communication Matters: Th e Art of
Negotiation 527 Planning the Oral Report 549
GIVING SPEECHES AND
Technology in Brief: Collaborative Tools Support Virtual Meetings 529
PRESENTATIONS 550
Communication Matters: What ’ s in a Determining the Topic and Purpose 550
Handshake? 537 Preparing the Presentation 551
 Choosing the Presentation Method 554 Being Th ere 565
Choosing the Means of Audience Feedback 554 PREPARING
YOURSELF TO SPEAK 555 Appealing Personal Traits 555
Appropriate Appearance and Physical Actions 557 Pleasant Voice and PART SIX
Speaking Style 559 Elements of Professionalism:
SUPPORTING YOUR TALK WITH Technological Profi ciency
VISUALS 560 and Correctness 573
What Kinds of Information to Present
Visually 560 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Techniques for Using Visuals 561 Leveraging Technology for Better Writing 574 INTRODUCTORY
Use of Presentation Software 562 CHALLENGE 575
Use of Handouts 564 TECHNOLOGICAL SUPPORT FOR WRITING TASKS 575
DELIVERING WEB-BASED TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTING
PRESENTATIONS 564 MESSAGES 575
Varieties of Web Presentations 564 Computer Tools for Planning a Writing
Special Guidelines for Web Presentations 566 Project 575
GIVING TEAM (COLLABORATIVE) Computer Tools for Gathering
PRESENTATIONS 566 and Organizing Information 576
THERE’S MORE . . . 568 Computer Tools for Presenting Information 580 Computer Tools for
Drafting 581
SUMMARY BY LEARNING OBJECTIVES 568 KEY TERMS 570
Computer Tools for Revising and Editing 583
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 570
SKILLS BUILDING EXERCISES 571 COMPUTER TOOLS FOR
COLLABORATION 587
Collaborative Writing Programs 587
Communication Matters: Have You Met TED? 552
Discussion Boards 588
Technology in Brief: Presentation Delivery Tools Help You Convey
A LOOK TO THE FUTURE 588
Your Message Eff ectively 556
THERE’S MORE . . . 590
Communication Matters: Look Like a Pro with PowerPoint Keyboard
Shortcuts 559 SUMMARY BY LEARNING OBJECTIVES 590 KEY TERMS 591
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 591
Technology in Brief: Virtual Presentations: Th e Next Best Th ing to
SKILLS BUILDING EXERCISES 591

Contents xxxvii
Technology in Brief: Backing Up Frequently Is the Writer’s Responsibility Cma 4–4 599
585 Cma 5–1 599
Communication Matters: Do U Txt? 589 Cma 5–2 599
Cma 6–1 600
Cma 6–2 600
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Dash: Dsh 1 600
Conveying Professionalism
Dsh 2 600
Through Correctness 592
Exclamation Mark: Ex 600
INTRODUCTORY CHALLENGE 593
Hyphen: Hpn 1 601
THE IMPORTANCE OF CORRECTNESS 593 THE NATURE OF Hpn 2–1 601
CORRECTNESS 593 STANDARDS FOR PUNCTUATION 594 Hpn 2–2 601
Apostrophe: Apos 1 594 Hpn 2–3 601
Apos 2 595 Italics: Ital 1 601
Apos 3 595 Ital 2 601
Brackets: Bkts 595 Ital 3 601
Colon: Cln 1 596 Parentheses: Parens 603
Cln 2 596 Period: Pd 1 603
Comma: Cma 1 597 Pd 2 603
Cma 2–1 597 Pd 3 603
Cma 2–2 597 Question Mark: Q 603
Cma 3 597 Quotation Marks: QM 1 603
Cma 4–1 598 QM 2 604
Cma 4–2 598 QM 3 604
QM 4 604
Cma 4–3 598
 Semicolon: SC 1 604 Tns 5 613
SC 2 604 Word Use: WU 614
SC 3 606 Wrong Word: WW 614
SC 4 606 STANDARDS FOR THE USE OF NUMBERS 614
STANDARDS FOR GRAMMAR 606 Adjective–Adverb Numbers: No 1 615
Confusion: AA 606 Subject–Verb Agreement: Agmt SV 606 No 2 615
Adverbial Noun Clause: AN 608 No 3 615
Awkward: Awk 608 No 4 615
Dangling Modifi ers: Dng 608 No 5 615
Misplaced Modifi ers: Mispl 609 No 6 615
Mixed Construction: MixCon 609 Incomplete Constructions: No 7 616
IncCon 609 Sentence Fragment: Frag 609 No 8 616
Pronouns: Pn 1 610 No 9 616
Pn 2 610 No 10 616
Pn 3 611 No 11 616
Pn 4 612 SPELLING: SP 616
Parallelism: Prl 612 Rules for Word Plurals 617
Tense: Tns 612 Other Spelling Rules 617
Tns 1 613
CAPITALIZATION: CAP 618
Tns 2 613
Tns 3 613 THERE’S MORE . . . 619
Tns 4 613 KEY TERMS 619

xxxviii Contents
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS 620 B Physical Presentation of Letters, Memos, and Reports 626
SKILLS BUILDING EXERCISES 621 C General Grading Symbols: Punctuation, Grammar, Numbers,
A SELF-ADMINISTERED DIAGNOSTIC TEST OF CORRECTNESS 623 Spelling, Proofreading, Technique, Strategy, and Formatting 641

D Grading Codes and Checklists: Messages and Reports 645

Communication Matters: Can You Detect the Diff erence that
Punctuation Makes? 594 E Documentation and the Bibliography 649
Communication Matters: Good Grammar: Your Ticket to Getting and
Keeping a Job 596
Communication Matters: Quotation Marks, Citation, Both, or
Technology in Brief: Using the Internet to Improve Your Grammar 602 Neither? 650

Technology in Brief: Hyphen, Small Dash, or Big Dash? 605 Technology in Brief: Using Microsoft 2010 to Add Footnotes 657
Communication Matters: Citation Management Tools: Use with
Caution 663
APPENDIXES

A Corrections for the Self-Administered Diagnostic Test of Correctness

624 Photo Credits 669
Index 670
 Contents xxxix

PART ONE

Introduction
1 Understanding Workplace Communication
2 Communicating Across Cultures

As head of Learning & Development for

Facebook, Stuart Crabb knows what qualities
companies look for in a job candidate. He has
over 20 years’ experience helping companies
hire the right people, develop their talent,
and become more culturally diverse.
What does it take to succeed at Facebook?
According to Crabb, the answers are “criti
cal thinking,” “problem solving,” “creativity,”
and “performance.” It also takes being “mo
tivated,” “individually accountable,” and a
“good fi t” with the company culture.
Th ese happen to be key traits of successful
business communicators, too. Th ey under
stand that communicating well takes analysis, judgment, and even ingenuity.
It takes being attuned to people and to each communication situation. And it
takes not only verbal skill but also technological and visual literacy.
Like business itself, business communication can be challenging. But the
chal lenge can be fun, and solving communication problems can bring
enormous rewards. Th is book will help prepare you for an exciting future as
both a businessperson and a communicator.

Stuart Crabb, Head of Learning & Development for Facebook

CHAPTER ONE

Understanding
Workplace
Communication
 Learning Objectives
Upon completing this chapter, you will understand the role and nature of communication in
business. To achieve this goal, you should be able to

1 Explain the importance of communication to you and to business. 2

Describe the main challenges facing business communicators today. 3
Describe the three main categories of business communication.
4 Describe the formal and informal communication networks of the business
organization.

5 Describe factors that affect the types and amount of communicating that a
business does.

6 Explain why business communication is a form of problem solving. 7

Describe the various contexts for each act of business communication. 8
Describe the business communication process.

IN T RO D U C TO R Y CH A L L ENG E
Demonstrating Your Value on a High-Profile Team

You were thrilled to be hired a few months ago as a cus tomer service representative because communica tion is a major part of the work of business.
for OrgWare.com, a com pany that sells management software specially designed Th e overview that follows will help you prepare for the
for professional associations. The software enables orga nizations like the American communication challenges that lie ahead.
Marketing Association and the Association for Business Communication to manage
their fi nances, keep track of their members, schedule events, and much more.
The company is doing well. In 12 years, it has grown from a fi ve-person business
Th e Importance of Communication Skills Because
into one that employs 120 people. There are now six regional sales teams located
communication is so important in business, businesses want and
across the U.S., and there’s even a development team in Malaysia. But this growth need people with good communication skills. Evidence of the
has created a problem: The extensive face-to-face communication that helped make importance of communication in business is found in numerous
OrgWare.com a thriving business has, in many cases, become diffi cult or surveys of executives, managers, and recruiters. Without
impossible. As a result, the sense of teamwork in the organization is weakening. exception, these surveys have found that communication ranks at
And it is clear that phone calls, emails, and instant messaging or near the top of the business skills needed for success.
are not suffi cient to keep employees engaged and well informed. For example, the 431 managers and executives who participated
The CEO has formed a task force to fi nd an internal communication solution. Will in a survey about graduates’ preparedness for the workforce
it be an intranet? An elec tronic newsletter? A secure social networking site? Virtual named “oral communications,” “teamwork/ collaboration,”
meetings? A combination? Which would the employees be most likely to read and “professionalism/work ethic,” “written communications,” and “criti
use? How should the solution be implemented, and what will it cost? cal thinking/problem solving” as the top “very important skills” job
To your surprise, you were asked to help fi nd the an swers. The CEO felt that your applicants should have. Th e employers surveyed for the National
1

familiarity with new media could be an asset to the team. You’ll also be expected to Association of Colleges and Employers’ Job Outlook Survey for
represent the customer service area and the viewpoints of young employees like 2011 rated “communication” as the most valuable soft skill, with
yourself. “teamwork skills” and “analytical skills” following closely behind. 2
Everyone on the team will need to research the pros and cons of different media, Why is communica tion ability so highly valued? As one
acquire employees’ opinions, write progress reports, share ideas, and ultimately professional trainer explains, “you will need to
help present the team’s recommendation to the top executives. Are you ready?

1
Th e Conference Board, Corporate Voices for Working Families, the Partnership for 21st
Century Skills, and the Society for Human Resource Management, Are Th ey Ready to
Work? Employers’ Perspectives on the Basic Knowledge and Applied Skills of New Entrants
into the 21st Century Workforce , 21, Partnership for 21st Century Skills , Partnership for 21st
THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATION Century Skills, 2 Oct. 2006, Web, 22 Apr. 2012.
2
NACE, National Association of Colleges and Employers, 2011, Web, 22 Apr. 2012.
IN BUSINESS LO1 Explain
Your work in business will involve communication—a lot of it— the importance of communication to you and to business.
 CHAPTER 1 Understanding Workplace Communication 3
COMM UN I C AT ION M AT T E R S

Peter Drucker on the Importance of Communication in Business

Peter Drucker, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Free dom and one of the most As soon as you move one step from the bottom, your effectiveness depends on your
respected management consul tants, educators, speakers, and writers of our time, made ability to reach others through the spoken or the written word. And the further away
these observations about communication: your job is from manual work, the larger the organi zation of which you are an
employee, the more important it will be that you know how to convey your thoughts in
Colleges teach the one thing that is perhaps most valu able for the future employee to writing or speaking. In the very large organization . . . this ability to express oneself is
know. But very few stu dents bother to learn it. This one basic skill is the ability to perhaps the most important of all the skills a person can possess.
organize and express ideas in writing and speaking.

request information, discuss problems, give instructions, work in teams, and

interact with colleagues and clients” to achieve cooperation and team effi
ciency. To advance, you’ll also need to be able to “think for yourself,” “take
initiative,” and “solve problems.” 3 On the managerial level, you’ll fi nd that
communication skills are even more essential. In the words of an
international business consultant, “nothing puts you in the ‘poor
leader’ category more swift ly than inadequate communication skills.” 4
Unfortunately, businesses’ need for employees with strong communication
skills is all too oft en unfulfi lled. When NFI Research asked senior
executives and managers what areas of their companies they’d most like to
see improved, they put “effi ciency” and “communication” at the top of the list.
5
According to Solari Communications, “poor communication costs business
millions of dollars every single day” in the form of wasted time,
misunderstandings, eroded customer loyalty, and lost business. 6 SIS In
ternational Research found that poor communication is a problem for small
and mid sized businesses, not just for big corporations. Its data indicated that
in 2009 a business with 100 employees spent an average downtime of 17
hours a week on clarifying its communications, which translated into an
annual cost of $524,569. 7 Th e communication shortcomings of employees
and the importance of communica tion in business explain why you should
work to improve your communication skills. Whatever position you have in
business, your performance will be judged largely on the basis of your ability
to communicate. If you perform and communicate well, you are likely to be
rewarded with advancement. And the higher you advance, the more you will
need your communication ability. Th e evidence is clear: Improving your
commu nication skills improves your chances for success in business.

Why Business Depends upon Communication Every

business, even a one-person business, is actually an economic and social
system. To produce and sell goods and services, any business must
coordinate the activities of many groups of people: employees, suppliers,
customers, legal advisors, community

3
Shirley Taylor, “Why Are Communication Skills Important?,” ST Training Solutions , ST Training Solutions
Pte Ltd, n.d., Web, 22 Apr. 2012.
4
Jonathan Farrington, “Th e MOST Important Leadership Trait?—It’s a ‘No-Brainer,’ ” Blogit ,
Jonathan Farrington, 26 Sept. 2008, Web, 22 Apr. 2012.
5
Chuck Martin, “NFI Research Result: Wish List,” Forbes.com , Forbes.com, 4 Feb. 2010, Web, 22
Apr. 2012. 6 Rich Maggiani, “Th e Costs of Poor Communication,” Solari , Solari Communication, 2012,
Web, 22 Apr. 2012. 7 SIS International Research, “SMB Communications Pain Study White Paper:
Uncovering the Hidden Cost of Communications Barriers and Latency,” SIS International Research ,
SIS International Research, Market Intelligence Journal, 10 Mar. 2009, Web, 22 Apr. 2012.

4 PART 1 Introduction
representatives, and government agencies that might be involved. customers.
Th ese connections are achieved through communication. • Executives use written and oral messages to conduct business
Consider, for example, the communications of a pharmaceutical with customers and other companies, manage company
manufacturer. Th roughout the company, employees send and
operations, and perform strategic planning. • Production
receive information about all aspects of the company’s business:
supervisors receive work orders, issue instructions, receive status
• Salespeople receive instructions and information from the home reports, and submit production summaries.
offi ce and submit orders and regular reports of their contact with
• Shop floor supervisors deliver orders to the employees on the Email is still the most heavily used medium in business, but many
production line, communicate and enforce guidelines for safety other media have appeared on the scene. In addition to instant
and effi ciency, troubleshoot problems that arise, and bring any messaging and text messaging, businesses are now using blogs,
concerns or suggestions to management. tweets, podcasts, social networking, virtual meetings, videos, ani
• Marketing professionals gather market information, propose new mation, simulations, and even online games. Collectively referred
directions for company production and sales eff orts, coordinate to as new media, these forms of communication and the mobile
with the research and development staff , and receive direction devices with which people access them are causing another
from the company’s executives. revolution.
• Research specialists receive or propose problems to investigate,
make detailed records of their research, monitor lab operations for
compliance with government regulations, and communicate their fi
ndings to management.
• Public relations professionals use various media to build the
company’s brand and maintain the public’s trust.
Numerous communication-related activities occur in every other
niche of the company as well: fi nance and accounting, human
resources, legal, information systems, and other departments.
Everywhere, employees receive and send information as they
conduct their work, and they may be doing so across or between
continents as well as between buildings or offi ces.
Oral communication is a major part of this information fl ow. So,
too, are various types of written communication—instant
messaging, text messaging, online postings and comments, email,
memos, letters, and reports, as well as forms and records.
All of this communicating goes on in business because
communication is essen tial to the organized eff ort involved in
business. Simply put, communication enables human beings to
work together.

Current Challenges for Business Communicators

While communication has always been central to business, the
nature of work today presents special communication challenges.
Here we discuss four interrelated trends that are likely to infl uence
how you will work and communicate.

The Need for Expanded Media Literacy. When email arrived

on the scene in the late 1980s, it created something of a
revolution. Instead of being restricted to letters, memos, and
printed reports and proposals, business writers could now corre
spond electronically. As a result, many tasks formerly conducted
via the “old” forms— memos in particular—were performed through
email instead, and email replaced many phone and face-to-face
conversations as well. Email has also had the eff ect of speeding
up communication and of enabling a communicator to reach many
more readers simultaneously. It has increased what we can LO2 Describe the main challenges facing business communicators today.
achieve—and are expected to achieve—each day.

CHAPTER 1 Understanding Workplace Communication 5

Th e impacts of this change are many and far reaching. It is easy now to
 network with others, even on the other side of the world, and to tap the
intelligence of those outside the boundaries of the organization. Obviously,
these “new ways for groups to come together and collaborate” will require
that employees be “highly conversant with digital networking and virtual
collaboration.” 8 But new media are also increasing the need for employees
who have social intelligence —the ability “to quickly assess the emotions of
those around them and adapt their words, tone, and gestures accordingly.” 9
With information coming in so fast and from so many sources,
organizations are becoming less hierarchical and more brain-like, with each
employee acting as a kind of sensor. As a result, front-line employees now
have a higher level of decision-making power than ever before. 10 Performing
well in such an environment takes “novel and adaptive thinking,” 11 a
willingness to “embrace change,” and “fi erce problem- solving skills.” 12 Th e
approach to business communication that this book takes will help you
develop these strengths.

Increasing Globalism and Workplace Diversity. Countries and cultures

continue to grow more interconnected as businesses expand their reach
around the world. Ac cording to a panelist for a recent webinar on workplace
trends, we are seeing “the emer gence of the truly globally integrated
enterprise,” which means that the likelihood of working on a global team is
increasing, as is the importance of “global social networks.” 13
Cross-cultural competency should thus be a part of your skillset. 14 You
will need to be aware that your assumptions about business and
communication are not shared by everyone everywhere. As the next chapter
explains, businesspeople from other coun tries may have distinctly diff erent
attitudes about punctuality and effi ciency. Th ey can also diff er from you in
their preference, or lack thereof, for directness and the show of emotion. And
the core features of their culture—such as their preference for indi vidualism
or collectivism, their religious beliefs, their political environment, their ideas
about social hierarchy, and their attitudes toward work itself—can make their
view of how to do business quite diff erent from yours.
You will encounter other kinds of diversity as well. To have adequate
retirement income, the so-called Baby Boomers—those born soon aft er
World War II—are extending their careers. Th is means that organizations
are likely to have employees in their twenties, in their sixties and seventies,
and every age in between. 15 Th e infl ux of women into the workplace has
meant increased gender diversity. And according to a diversity offi cer for a
major health-care fi rm, each generation of U.S. workers has grown more
ethnically diverse, with the so-called Generation Y cohort (those born aft er
1979) having the most ethnic diversity. 16 Th is trend is making organizations
more innovative and productive, 17 and it means that “cultural agility” will need
to fi gure into your workplace communications. 18

8
David Bollier, Th e Future of Work: What It Means for Individuals, Businesses, Markets and Governments
, 15, Th e Aspen Institute , Aspen Institute, 2011, Web, 22 Apr. 2012.
9
Institute for the Future for Apollo Research Institute, Future Work Skills 2020 , 8, Apollo Research
Institute , Apollo Research Institute, 2011, Web, 22 Apr. 2012.
10
Bollier 19.
11
Institute for the Future for Apollo Research Institute, Future of Work Report: Executive Summary , 4,
Apollo Research Institute , Apollo Research Institute, Mar. 2012, Web, 22 Apr. 2012.
12
Bollier 22.
13
Jim Keane, President, Steelcase Group, Future of Work Webinar , Apollo Research Institute, Apollo
Research Institute, n.d., Web, 7 May 2012.
14
Institute for the Future for Apollo Research Institute, Future Work Skills 2020 , 9.
15
According to Ross C. DeVol, chief research offi cer for the Milken Institute, one in fi ve Americans will
have hit 60 in 2030, and many of these will be staying in the workforce ( Future of Work Webinar , Apollo
Research Institute, Apollo Research Institute, n.d., Web, 7 May 2012).
16
Katherine Haynes Sanstad, Regional Executive Director, Diversity, Kaiser Permanente, Future of Work
Webinar , Apollo Research Institute, Apollo Research Institute, n.d., Web, 7 May 2012.
17
Institute for the Future for Apollo Research Institute, Future Work Skills 2020 , 9.
18
Sanstad.

6 PART 1 Introduction
COMM UN I C AT ION M AT T E R S
What One CEO Looks for in Job Candidates
In a New York Times interview, Delta CEO Richard Anderson highlighted the There is so much going on in the world today, you’ve got to know what’s going on
importance of communication skills and contextual awareness. globally, what’s going on around you, particularly today with what’s going on in this
When asked if there had been any change in the quali ties he looks for in a job economy.
applicant over the last several years, he responded with these comments: And third, you’ve got to have not just the business skills, you’ve got to have the
emotional intelligence. It’s just not enough to be the best person operating an HP
I think this communication point is getting more and more important. People really calculator. You have to have the emotional intelligence to understand what’s right
have to be able to handle the written and spoken word. . . . culturally, both in your company and outside your company.
The second thing is, I think you’ve got to have what our pilots call operational
awareness. You’ve got to have your head up . . . and you’ve got to have situational
SOURCE: Adam Bryant, “He Wants Subjects, Verbs and Objects,” The New York Times 25 Apr.
awareness of everything that’s going on around you. 2009: BU2, The New York Times, Web, 30 Apr. 2012.

An Increased Need for Strong Analytical Skills. Adapting to a quickly

chang ing business landscape requires being able to assess information
quickly, focus on what’s relevant, and interpret information reliably and
usefully. As data-gathering de vices are built into more objects, there will be
more numerical data for us to process. Th e need for computational
thinking —the ability “to interact with data, see patterns in data, make data-
based decisions, and use data to design for desired outcomes” 19 — will
increase. So will the need for visual literacy , the ability to create and
interpret graphics. 20
Th e value of interpretive skills extends beyond interpreting numbers. As
we’ve pointed out, being able to understand other people is critical. As “smart
machines” automate many workplace tasks, employees will spend more time
on tasks that require “sense-making,” or “the ability to determine the deeper
meaning or signifi cance of what is being expressed.” 21 As one expert put it,
“We’ve got to recognize that the real high
value work . . . may actually have an imaginative component.” 22 Th is quality
is required to discern the key facts, to explore “what if,” and to choose the
best solution—all central components of successful business communication.

An Increased Focus on Ethics and Social Responsibility One more

widespread trend under way in business will likely aff ect the goals of the
organization you work for: an increased focus on ethical and socially
responsible behavior.
While ethical scandals have plagued businesses throughout modern
history, the Enron and WorldCom scandals of 2002, in which false reports of
fi nancial health cheated employees and shareholders alike, seemed to
usher in a new era of concern. Th at concern was well founded: With 2008
came unprecedented discoveries of mis
management and fraud on the part of some of the United States’s largest fi
nancial in stitutions. Accounts of predatory lending, business espionage, and
exploitative labor

19
Institute for the Future for Apollo Research Institute, Future Work Skills 2020 , 4.
20
Institute for the Future for Apollo Research Institute, Future Work Skills 2020 , 10.
21
Institute for the Future for Apollo Research Institute, Future Work Skills 2020 , 8.
22
Bollier 8.

CHAPTER 1 Understanding Workplace Communication 7

Nongovermental
organizations (NGOs)
such as CorpWatch
attest to the growing
importance of social
responsibility in
business.

SOURCE: CorpWatch, Home page, CorpWatch, n.d., Web, 30 Apr. 2012. From http://www.corpwatch.org.

practices continue to shake the public’s confi dence in business. On a moral

level, doing business in a way that harms others is wrong. On a practical
level, doing so undermines trust, which is critical to the success of business.
Th e more an organization builds trust among its employees, its
shareholders, its business partners, and its community, the better for the
business and for economic prosperity overall. A key way to build trust is
through respectful, honest communication backed up by quality goods and
services.
Lately, another important dimension of business ethics has developed: corporate
social responsibility . Th e Internet has brought a new transparency to
companies’ busi ness practices, with negative information traveling quickly
and widely. Nongovern mental organizations (NGOs) such as CorpWatch,
Consumer Federation of America, and Greenpeace can exert a powerful infl
uence on public opinion and even on govern ments. Businesses now operate
in an age of social accountability, and their response has been the
development of corporate social responsibility (CSR) departments and
initiatives. While the business benefi ts of CSR have been debated, the public
demand for such programs is strong. You may well fi nd that social issues
 will infl uence how you do business and communicate in business.

LO3 Describe the three main categories of business communication. either internal operational, external operational, or personal. Th
Main Categories of Business Communication ese categories, while not completely distinct, can help you
understand your purposes for communicating.
Such newer media as blogs and social networking have weakened
the boundary between “inside” and “outside” the organization. Internal-Operational Communication. All the communication
One post on a company’s blog, for example, could draw comments that occurs in conducting work within a business is internal
from employees, from employees in a similar organiza tion or operational. Th is is the communication among the business’s
industry, or from potential customers. employees that is done to perform the work of the business and
Even so, most communication on the job can still be categorized as track its success.

8 PART 1 Introduction

SOURCE: © Randy Glasbergen/ glasbergen.com

Internal-operational communication takes many forms. It includes the

ongoing discussions that senior management undertakes to determine the
goals and processes of the business. It includes the orders and instructions
that supervisors give employees, as well as written and oral exchanges
among employees about work matters. It includes reports that employees
prepare concerning sales, production, inventories, fi nance, maintenance,
and so on. It includes the messages that they write and speak in carrying out
their assignments and contributing their ideas to the business.
Much of this internal-operational communication is performed on computer
net works. Employees send email, chat online, and post information on
company portals and blogs for others throughout the business, whether
located down the hall, across the street, or in other countries. And today,
much of this communication takes place via smartphones and other mobile
devices.

External-Operational Communication. Th e work-related communicating

that a business does with people and groups outside the business is
external-operational communication. Th is is the business’s
communication with its publics—suppliers, service companies, customers,
government agencies, the general public, and others.
External-operational communication includes all of the business’s eff orts
at selling—from sales letters, emails, and phone calls to Web and television
ads, trade show displays, the company website, and customer visits. Also in
this category is all that a business does to gain positive publicity, such as
promoting its community-service activities, preparing appealing materials for
current and prospective investors, writing press releases for the media, and
contributing expert insights at professional meetings and on webinars. In fact,
every act of communication with an external audience can be regarded as a
public-relations message, conveying a certain image of the company. For this
reason, all such acts should be undertaken with careful attention to both
content and tone.
Th e importance of these kinds of external-operational communication
hardly needs explaining. Because the success of a business depends on its
ability to attract and satisfy customers, it must communicate eff ectively with
those customers.

CHAPTER 1
Understanding
Workplace
Communication 9
Search option
in header

Banner
linking to
company
tools /

services

4 top stories rotate with

headline and lead-in,
refreshed every 2–3
days or as warranted

All other articles appear

in list with title and lead
in, comment count and
rating.

Option to sort by
theme, most recent,
highest rated, etc...

Featured videos /
content

Site “how to” areas

Links to company
social media
 Stock ticker linked with
external provider

SOURCE: Reprinted with permission.

Companies often use carefully designed portals or intranets, such as this one at Procter & Gamble, to communicate
with employees and enable them to communicate with each other.

But businesses also depend on one another in the production and distribution of
goods and services. Coordinating with contractors, consultants, and suppliers
requires skillful communication. In addition, every business must
communicate to some extent with a variety of other external parties, such as
government agencies and public- interest groups. Some external audiences
for today’s businesses are illustrated in Figure 1–1 . Like internal
communication, external communication is vital to business success.

Personal Communication. Not all the communication that occurs in

business is operational. In fact, much of it is without apparent purpose as far
as the operating plan of the business is concerned. Th is type of
communication is personal. Do not make the mistake of underestimating its
importance. Personal communication helps make and sustain the
relationships upon which business depends, and it is more important
than ever.
Personal communication is the exchange of information and feelings in which we
human beings engage whenever we come together—or when we just feel like
talking to each other. We are social animals, and we will communicate even
when we have little or nothing to say. Although not an offi cial part of the
business’s operations, personal communication can have a signifi cant eff ect
on their success. Th is eff ect is a result of

10 PART 1 Introduction

Core Business (community groups, citizen groups, Your Industry Partners (competitors, similar
Partners nongovernmental company Figure 1–1
(suppliers, contract
workers, manufacturers, shippers, Likely External Audiences for Today’s
distributors . . . ) Customers
(consumers, Businesses
business customers, the government . . . )

The Public at Large (Internet surfers, social

networkers, potential employees, potential
Public Groups investors . . . )

organizations, schools and foundations . . . ) alliances, union officials,

businesses, lobbyists . . . ) national and international
Regulatory Agents (the government, trade
legal experts . . . )

the infl uence that personal communication can have on the attitudes of the
employees and those with whom they communicate.
Th e employees’ attitudes toward the business, one another, and their
assignments directly aff ect their productivity. Th e nature and amount of
personal talk at work aff ect those attitudes. In an environment where heated
words and fl aming tempers are oft en present, the employees are not likely
to give their best eff orts to their jobs. Likewise, a rollicking, jovial workplace
can undermine business goals. Wise managers cultivate the optimum
balance between employees’ focus on job-related tasks and their freedom to
 engage with others on a personal level. Chat around the water cooler or in the
break room encourages a team attitude and can oft en be the medium in
which actual business issues get discussed. Even communication that is

largely internal-operational will oft en

Personal
communication in
business is both
inevitable and
important.

CHAPTER 1 Understanding Workplace Communication 11

Figure 1–2 manager Department manager

Formal and Informal Communication Networks in a

Division of a Small Business

Division
manager

Black lines = Formal network (slow to change) Red

lines = Informal network (frequently changing)

Department
 LO4 Describe the and personal), we see an extremely complex system of
formal and informal information fl ow and human interaction. We see dozens,
communication networks of the business organization. hundreds, or even thousands of individuals engaging in untold
include personal elements that relieve the tedium of daily routine numbers of communication events throughout each workday.
and enable employ ees to build personal relationships. In fact, as Figure 1–2 shows, there are two complex networks of
Similarly, communication with external parties will naturally include information in virtually any organization—one formal and one
personal remarks at some point. Sometimes you may fi nd informal. Both are critical to the suc cess of the business.
yourself writing a wholly personal message to a client, as when he
or she has won a major award or experienced a loss of some kind. The Formal Network. In simplifi ed form, information fl ow in a
Other times, you may compose an external-operational message modern business is much like the network of arteries and veins in
that also includes a brief personal note, perhaps thanking a client the body. Just as the body has blood vessels, the business has
for a pleasant lunch or refer major, well-established channels for information exchange. Th is is
ring to a personal matter that came up in the course of a business the formal network —the main lines of operational
meeting. Using both online and face-to-face networking, you will communication. Th rough these channels fl ows the bulk of the
also cultivate business related friends. Your relationships with communication that the business needs to operate. Specifi cally,
these contacts will not only help you do your current job; they will the fl ow includes the upward, lateral, and downward movement of
also be an important resource as you change jobs or even careers. infor
Research shows that “the idea of the steady, permanent job is mation in the form of reports, memos, email, and other media
becoming a relic of an other era.” 23 Employees are now taking “an within the organization; the downward movement of orders,
entrepreneurial approach” to their lives and skills, considering instructions, advisories, and announcements; and the broad
carefully where to work, what work to do, how much to work, and dissemination of company information through the organization’s
for how long. 24 Th e personal connections you make in your current newslet ter, bulletin boards, email, intranet, or blogs.
employment will contribute to your future success.

Bollier 3.
Communication Networks of the Organization
23

24
Institute for the Future for Apollo Research Institute, Future of Work Report 6.
Looking over all of a business’s communication (internal, external,

12 PART 1 Introduction

Internal-operational
communication
enables employees to
work together toward
business goals.

Th ese offi cially sanctioned lines of communication cause certain forms of

commu nication, or genres , to exist within the organization. For example, it
may be customary in one company for project leaders to require a weekly
report from team members. In another company, the executives may hold
monthly staff meetings. Whatever the established form, it will bring with it
certain expectations about what can and cannot be said, who may and may
not say it, and how the messages should be structured and worded. You will
need to understand these expectations in order to use the approved lines of
communication to get things done.

The Informal Network. Operating alongside the formal network is the

informal network . It comprises the thousands upon thousands of personal
 communications that may or may not support the formal communication
network of a business. Such com munications follow no set pattern; they form
an ever-changing and infi nitely complex structure linking the members of the
organization to each other and to many diff erent external audiences.
Th e complexity of this informal network, especially in larger organizations,
can not be overemphasized. Typically, it is really not a single network but a
complex rela tionship of smaller networks consisting of certain groups of
people. Th e relationship is made even more complex by the fact that these
people may belong to more than one group and that group memberships and
the links between groups are continually changing. Th e department you
belong to, the other employees with whom you come in contact in the course
of your workday, and the many connections you make with those outside
your organization can cause links in this network to form.
Th e informal network inside an organization is oft en referred to as the
grapevine. Th is communication network is more valuable to the company’s
operations than a fi rst impression might indicate. Certainly, it carries much
gossip and rumor. Even so, the grapevine usually carries far more
information than the formal communication system, and on many matters it is
more eff ective in determining the course of an organization. Skillful
managers recognize the presence of the grapevine, and they know that the
powerful people in this network are oft en not those at the top of the

CHAPTER 1 Understanding Workplace Communication 13

Th e business’s relation to its environment also infl uences its

LO5 Describe factors that affect the types and amount of communicating that a
business does. communication prac tices. Businesses in a comparatively stable
formal organizational hierarchy. Th ey fi nd out who the talk leaders environment, such as textile manufacturing or food processing, will
are and give them the information that will do the most good for tend to depend on established types of formal communication in a
the organization. Th ey also make management decisions that will set organizational hierarchy, whereas those in a volatile
cultivate positive talk. environment, such as soft - ware development or online commerce,
Employees’ personal relations with external audiences add will tend to improvise more in terms of their communications and
another dimension to a company’s informal network. Th e company structure.
widespread use of social media has dramatically increased Yet another factor is the geographic dispersion of the operations of
employees’ informal communication with outsiders. Such a business. Obvi ously, internal communication in a business with
communication can either help or hurt the company. Here again, multiple locations diff ers from that of a one-location business.
wise managers will be sensitive to the informal network and Enabling employees to work from home, requiring them to travel,
manage in such a way as to encourage talk that is benefi cial to or relying on outside contractors can also increase a company’s
the company. geographical reach and thus aff ect its communication. Related to
As an employee, you need to be careful about how you participate this factor is how culturally diverse the company is. Th e
in the infor mal network. Unwise remarks can get you known as a communication of a multicultural organization will require more
troublemaker and even get you fi red, whereas representing adaptation to participants’ values, perspectives, and language skills
yourself and your company well can result not only in more than that of a rela tively homogeneous organization.
pleasant relations but also in professional success. Each business can also be said to possess a certain
organizational culture , which has a strong eff ect upon, and is
Variation in Communication Activity by Business strongly aff ected by, the company’s communication. Th e concept
of organizational or corporate culture was popularized in the early
Just how much and what kind of communicating a business does 1980s, and it continues to be a central focus of management
depends on several factors. Th e nature of the business is one. consultants and theorists. 25 You can think of a given company’s
For example, insurance companies have a great need to culture as its customary, but oft en unstated, ways of perceiv
communicate with their customers, especially through letters and ing and doing things. It is the medium of preferred values and
other mailings, whereas housecleaning service companies have practices in which the company’s members do their work.
little such need. Another fac tor is the business’s size and Recall places you’ve worked or businesses you’ve patronized. In
complexity. Relatively simple businesses, such as repair services, some, the employees’ demeanor suggests a coherent, healthy
require far less communication than complex businesses, such as culture in which people seem to know what to do and be happy
automobile manufacturers. doing it. At the other extreme are companies where employees
exhibit little affi liation with the business and may even be a company are not necessarily the same. Offi cially, the company
sabotaging it through poor customer service or lack of knowledge management may announce and try
about their jobs. Th e content and quality of the company’s
communication have a great deal to do with employees’ attitudes
and behavior.
Take care to note that the offi cial culture and the actual culture in See Edgar H. Schein, Organizational Culture and Leadership, 4th ed. (San Francisco:
25

Jossey-Bass, 2010), print, which reviews the literature on this important concept.

14 PART 1 Introduction
to promote a certain culture through formal communications such given situation. For example, if a customer has complained, what
as mission state ments and mottoes. But the actual culture of a will you do about it? Nothing? Apologize? Imply that the customer
company is a dynamic, living realm of meaning constructed daily was at fault? Give a conciliatory discount? Refuse to adjust the
through infi nite behaviors and communications at all lev els of the bill? Even a “simple” problem like this one requires thinking
company. Having your antennae out for the assumptions that through the likely short- and long-term eff ects of several pos sible
actually drive people’s conduct in your or your client’s workplace solutions.
will help you become a more eff ec tive communicator. Solving ill-defi ned problems involves combining existing resources
with innova tion and good judgment. Although this book presents
basic plans for several common types of business communication
messages, you will not be able to solve particular communication
THE BUSINESS COMMUNICATION problems by just fi lling in the blanks of these plans. Th e plans can
PROCESS be thought of as heuristics —“rules of thumb” that keep you from
While business communication involves many diff erent skills, reinventing the wheel with each new problem. But the plans do not
from verbal and visual literacy to technological know-how, none tell you all you need to do to solve each unique communication
are more important than problem-solving skills and people skills. problem. You must decide how to adapt each plan to the given
Th ese are central to the business communication process. situation.

Business Communication as Problem Solving

Virtually every signifi cant communication task that you will face will
For discussions of problem solving, see the following print resources: John R. Hayes, Th e
26

involve analyzing a unique set of factors that requires at least a Complete Problem Solver, 2nd ed. (Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1989); Morgan D.
somewhat unique solution. For this rea son, it makes sense to think Jones, Th e Th inker’s Toolkit (New York: Th ree Rivers Press, 1998); Janet E. Davidson and
Robert J. Sternberg, eds., Th e Psychology of Problem Solving (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge
of business communication as problem solving . University Press, 2003); Dan Roam, Th e Back of the Napkin (London: Portfolio, 2008); John
Researchers in many fi elds—management, medicine, writing, Adair, Decision Making and Problem Solving Strategies , 2nd ed. (London: Kogan Page,
psychology, and others—have studied problem solving. In 2010).
general, they defi ne problem as a gap be tween where you are
now and where you want to be. 26 Within this framework, a problem
isn’t always something negative; it can also be an opportunity to
improve a situation or do things in a better way. As a goal-focused
enterprise, business is all about solving problems, and so,
therefore, is business communication.
Th e problem-solving literature divides problems into two main
types: well de fi ned and ill defi ned. Th e former can be solved by
following a formula, such as when you are computing how much
money is left in your department’s budget. But most real-world
problems, including business communication problems, cannot be
solved this way. Th ey do not come to us in neat packages with
the path to the best solution clearly implied. Instead, they require
research, analysis, creativity, and judgment. One reason why this
is the case in business communication is that, as in any commu
nication situation, people are involved—and people are both
complex and unique. But the business context itself is oft en
LO6 Explain why
complex, presenting you with multiple options for handling any
business communication is a form of problem solving.
 CHAPTER 1 Understanding Workplace Communication 15

communication event. Even though people can, and oft en do,

LO7 Describe the various contexts for each act of business communication.
communicate inadvertently, this communication model focuses on
what happens when someone deliberately communicates with
Figure 1–3 someone else to achieve particular business-related goals.
What this means is that successful business communication is You’ll notice that the two communicators in the fi gure are labeled
both more challeng ing and more exciting than you may have simply Com municator 1 and Communicator 2 instead of Sender
thought. You will need to draw on your own powers of and Receiver or Communica tor and Audience. Certainly any
interpretation and decision making to succeed with your human communication event begins with someone deciding that
communi cation partners. communication is needed and initiating that communication, with
Of course, people will handle communication tasks somewhat diff an intended recipient on the other end. But in many situations,
erently depend ing on who they are, how they interpret the especially those involving real-time conversation, the two parties
situation, and who they imagine their recipients to be. Does this work together to reach a mutual understanding. Even in situations
mean that all communication solutions are equally valid? Not at all. where a communicator is attempting to deliver a complete, carefully
While there is no perfect solution, there can be many bad ones that pre pared message—as in a letter, report, or oral presentation—the
have been developed without enough analysis and eff ort. intended recipients have already participated in the construction of
Focused thinking, research, and plan ning will not guarantee the message because the writer or pre senter has kept them in
success in the shift ing, complex world of business communica mind when composing and designing the message. Th e labels in
tion, but they will make your chances of success as high as this model are thus intended to convey the cooperative eff ort
possible. Th e next section will help you perform this kind of behind every success ful communication event.
analysis.
The Contexts for Communication. Certain features of the
communication situ ation are already in place as the
A Model of Business Communication communicators in our model begin to communicate.
Figure 1–3 shows the basic elements of a business

The Business Communication Process communication need Communicator 2 …

7. Receives the message 8. Interprets the
Communicator 1 …
1. Senses a The Larger Context
Business-Economic, Sociocultural, Historical
2. Defines the problem 3. Searches for possible 4. Selects a course of contents, style, format, 5. Composes the message
solutions action (message type, channel)
6. Delivers the message 1–6 resp essage 7-10
chosen channel onding m
Communicator 1’s World The Communicators’ Communicator 2’s World message
Organizational Professional Relationship Organizational Professional
Personal Personal 9. Decides on a response
10. May send a responding
c nnel
initial message hosen cha message

16 PART 1 Introduction
Th e larger context includes the general business-economic climate; the
language, values, and customs in the surrounding culture; and the historical
moment in which the communication is taking place.
Th ink about how these contexts might infl uence communication. For
example, when the country’s economy or a particular industry is fl ourishing,
a communica tor’s message and the recipient’s response may well be diff
erent from what they would be during an economic slump. Th e sociocultural
context also aff ects how individuals communicate. Whether they are
communicating in the context of U.S. urban culture, for instance, or the
culture of a particular region or another country, or whether they are
communicating across cultures, their communication choices will be aff ected.
Th e particular historical context of their communication can also be a factor.
Consider how recent fi nancial scandals in the United States or the increased
focus on the envi
ronment are infl uencing the language of business. Th e skillful communicator
is sensi tive to these larger contexts, which always exert an infl uence and, to
some extent, are always changing.
Th e relationship of the communicators also forms an important context
for com munication. Certainly, communication is about moving information
from point A to point B, but it is also about interaction between human
beings. Your fi rst correspon dence with someone begins a relationship
between the two of you, whether as indi viduals, people in certain business
roles, or both. All future messages between you will continue to build this
relationship.
Th e communicators’ particular contexts exert perhaps the strongest infl
uence on the act of communication. Th ese interrelated contexts can be
• Organizational contexts. As we’ve discussed, the type and culture of
the organization you represent will shape your communication choices
in many ways, and the organizational contexts of your audiences will, in
turn, shape their responses. In fact, in every act of business
communication, at least one of the parties involved is likely to be
representing an organization. What you communicate and how you do
so will be strongly shaped by the organization for whom you speak. In
turn, the organization to which your audience belongs—its priorities, its
current circumstances, even how fast or slow its pace of work—can
strongly infl uence the way your message is received.
• Professional contexts. You know from school and experience that diff
erent professionals—whether physicians, social workers, managers,
accountants, or those involved in other fi elds—possess diff erent kinds
of expertise, speak diff erently, and have diff erent perspectives. What
gets communicated and how can be heavily infl uenced by the
communicators’ professional roles. Be aware that internal audiences as
well as external ones can occupy diff erent professional roles and
therefore favor diff erent kinds of content and language. Employees in
management and engineering, for example, have been demonstrated to
have quite diff erent priorities, with the former focusing on fi nancial
benefi t and the latter on technological achievement. 27 Part of successful
communication is being alert to your audiences’ diff erent professional
contexts.
• Personal contexts. Who you are as a person comes from many sources:
the genes you inherited, your family and upbringing, your life experiences,
 your schooling, the many people with whom you’ve come in contact, and
the culture in which you were reared. Who you are as a person also
depends to some extent on your current circumstances. Successes and
failures, current relationships, fi nancial ups and downs, the state of your
health, your physical environment—all can aff ect a particular
communicative act. Since much business communication is between
individuals occupying organizational roles, personal matters are usually
not disclosed. But it is well to keep in mind the eff ect that these can have
on the communicators. If you’re

27
See research by Dorothy A. Winsor, especially Writing Power: Communication in an Engineering
Center (Albany: SUNY Press, 2003), print.

CHAPTER 1 Understanding Workplace Communication 17

LO8 Describe the business communication process. 4. Selecting a course of action. Considering the situation as you’ve
aware, for example, that the intended recipient of your message is defi ned it and looking at your communication options, you will
under stress or having a bad day, you can adapt your consider the potential costs and benefi ts of each option and select
communication accordingly. the optimum one. Your decision will include preliminary choices
about the message type, contents, structure, verbal style, and
visual format, and about the channel you will use to deliver the
The Process of Communication. No one can know exactly message.
what occurs inside the minds of communicators when they 5. Composing the message. Here is where you either craft your
undertake to create a message, but researchers generally agree written message or plan your presentation or conversation. If you
that the process includes the following steps : have decided to convey your message orally, you will make careful
1. Sensing a communication need. A problem has come to your notes or perhaps even write out your whole message and also
attention, or you have an idea about how to achieve a certain goal. design any visuals you need. If you have decided to write your
Perhaps someone has written an email of complaint and you must message, you will draft it and then revise it carefully so that it will
answer it, or perhaps you’ve noticed that the company could get the job done and refl ect well on you (see Chapter 6 for helpful
benefi t from automating a certain procedure. Whatever the case, writing and revising techniques).
you fi nd that an action is in order, and you believe that some form 6. Sending the message. When your message is prepared or
of communication will help you achieve the desired state. carefully planned, you are ready to deliver it to your intended
2. Defi ning the situation. To create a successful message or plan recipients in the channel you have chosen. You choose a good
a communication event, you need to have a well-informed sense time to deliver it, realizing, for example, that Monday morning may
of the situation. For example, if you have received a letter of not be the best time to make an important phone call to a busy
complaint from a customer, what exactly is the problem here? executive. You also consider sending auxiliary messages, such as
Does the customer have a legitimate point? What further a “heads-up” phone call or email, that could increase your main
information might you need to acquire in order to understand the message’s chances of success. You want to do all you can to
situation? In what ways is this problem like or unlike others you ensure that your message doesn’t get lost amidst all the other
have solved? How might your or your organization’s goals be stimuli competing for your intended audience’s attention.
hindered or helped depending on your communication choices? While these activities tend to form a linear pattern, the
3. Considering possible communication strategies. As your defi communicator oft en needs to revisit earlier steps while moving
nition of the situation takes shape, you will start considering diff through the diff erent activities. In other words, solving a
erent options for solving it. What kind of communication event will communication problem can be a recursive process. Th is is
you initiate, and what will you want to achieve with it? What image particularly true for situations that have many possible solutions or
of yourself, your company, and your communication partners heavily involve the audience in the communication process. A
might you project in your message? To generate a good solution, communicator may begin a communication event with a certain
you will need to think about and research your potential audiences view of the situation and then fi nd, upon further analysis or the
and their contexts, your own goals and contexts, your relationship discovery of
with each audience, and any relevant larger contexts.

18 PART 1 Introduction
COMM UN I C AT ION M AT T E R S
Channel Choice Affects Message Success

“Its offi cial, you no longer work for JNI Traffi c Control and u have forfi ded any overdue bill? While some might think of that as a service, others would regard it as
arrangements made.” Can you imag ine getting such a text message? The Sydney invasive and inappropriate.
employer was sued over this inappropriate choice of a communica tion channel for Historically, the importance of channel choice has been disputed, with some
fi ring an employee. In settling the matter the commissioner went further in stating arguing that it is simply a means for transmitting words and others arguing that the
that email, text messages, and even answering machines were inappro priate for offi chosen channel is, in itself, a message. However, today most peo
cial business communication. Or what about being notifi ed by text message of an ple realize that the appropriate choice of communication
 channel contributes signifi cantly, along with the words, to the success of the In selecting a channel, a communicator needs to weigh several factors. These
message. While research has provided guidelines for understanding when to use include the message content, the communicators’ levels of competency with the
very lean (printed material) to very rich (face-to-face) channels, new tech channel, the recipient’s access to the channel, and the assump
nologies and laws have added new elements to consider. Not only are there no tions associated with the channel. Appropriate choice of a communication channel
clear-cut rules or guidelines, but the smallest change in context may make one helps people communicate clearly, improving both their productivity and personal
choice better than another. relationships.

additional facts, that this view needs to be revised in order to accommodate

all the involved parties and their goals.
If all goes as planned, here is what will happen on the recipient’s end:
7. Receiving the message. Your chosen channel has delivered your
message to each intended recipient, who has perceived and decided
to read or listen to your message.
8. Interpreting the message. Just as you had to interpret the situation that
prompted your communication, your recipient now has to interpret the
message you sent. Th is activity will involve not only extracting information
from the message but also guessing your communication purpose, forming
judgments about you and those you represent, and picking up on cues about
the relationship you want to promote between yourself and the recipient. If
you have anticipated the recipient’s particular contexts and interests
successfully, he or she will form the impressions that you intended. Th e
recipient may prompt the initiating communicator for help with this
interpretive act, especially if the communication is a live conversation.
9. Deciding on a response. Any time you send a message, you hope for
a certain response from your recipient, whether it be increased
goodwill, increased knowledge, a specifi c responding action, or a
combination of these. If your message has been carefully adapted
to the recipient, it has a good chance of achieving the desired
response.
10. Replying to the message. Th e recipient’s response to your message
will oft en take the form of replying to your message. When this is the
case, the receiver is acting as communicator, following the process that
you followed to generate your message.
Figure 1–4 lists the main questions to consider when developing a
communication strategy. Taking this analytical approach will help you think
consciously about each stage of the process and give you the best chance of
achieving the desired results.

CHAPTER 1 Understanding Workplace Communication 19

Figure 1–4 • What will be the best message type, contents, structure, style, and format for your message? •
What channel will you use to deliver it?
Planning Your
Communication Strategy: A Problem-Solving What is the best way to design the chosen message?
Approach
What is the situation? • Given your goals for each recipient, what information should your message include? • What
logical structure (ordering and grouping of information) should you use?
• What has happened to make you think you need to communicate?
• What kind of style should you use? How formal or informal should you be? What kinds of
• What background and prior knowledge can you apply to this situation? How is this situation associations should your language have? What image of yourself and your audience should you
like or unlike others you have encountered? try to project? What kind of relationship with each recipient should your message promote?
• What do you need to fi nd out in order to understand every facet of this situation? Where can • How can you use formatting, graphics, and/or supporting media to make your message easier
you get this information? to comprehend?
What are some possible communication strategies? • What are your recipients’ expectations for the channel you’ve chosen?
• To whom might you communicate? Who might be your primary and secondary audiences? What is the best way to deliver the message?
What are their different organizational, professional, and personal contexts? What would each
care about or want to know? What, if any, is your prior relationship with them? • Are there any timing considerations related to delivering your message?
• What purpose might you want to achieve with each recipient? What are your organizational, • Should you combine the main message with any other messages?
professional, and personal contexts? • How can you best ensure that each intended recipient receives and reads or hears your
• What are some communication strategies that might help you achieve your goals? message?
• How might the larger business-economic, sociocultural, and historical contexts affect the
success of different strategies?
Which is the best course of action?
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION:
• Which strategies are impractical, incomplete, or potentially dangerous? Why? • Which of the
remaining strategies looks like the optimum one? Why? THE BOTTOM LINE
 Th e theme of this chapter might be summed up this way: Th e verbal worlds—wording the information so that it will be
goal of business com munication is to create a shared understood can be a challenge. You and your audience may even
understanding of business situations that will enable people to attach completely diff erent meanings to the same words (a
work successfully together. problem that the communication literature calls “bypassing”).
Timely and clear transfer of information is critical to businesses, Complicating this picture is the fact that communication is not just
now more than ever. But fi guring out what kind of information to about informa tion transfer. Th e creation and maintenance of
send, whom to send it to, how to send it, and what form to use positive human relations is also essential to business and thus to
requires good decision making. Since every person has his or her business communication. Every act of communication conveys
own mental “fi lters”—preconceptions, frames of reference, and

20 PART 1 Introduction
an image of you and of the way you regard those to whom you’re 5. Th e kind and amount of communicating a business does
speaking or writing. Successful business communicators pay depend upon such factors as • Th e nature of the business.
careful attention to the human relations di mension of their
messages. • Its size and complexity.
Yes, business communication can be challenging. It can also be • Its environment.
extremely rewarding be cause of the results you achieve and the • Th e geographic dispersion of its members.
relationships you build. Th e advice, examples, and exercises in
this book will jump-start you toward success. But it will be your
ability to ana lyze and solve specifi c communication problems that
will take you the rest of the way there.

THERE’S MORE . . .
What codes of ethics do major companies and professional
organizations use? What are 10 qualities of an eff ective team
member? How can you become a better problem solver? Scan the
QR code with your smartphone or use your Web browser to fi nd
out at www.mhhe.com/lesikar13e . Choose Chapter 1 > Bizcom
Tools & Tips.

SUMMARYBYLEARNINGOBJECTIVES

1. Because communication is vital to business operations,

businesses need and reward people who can communicate.
• But good communicators are scarce. 1 Explain the importance

• So, if you can improve your communication skills, you increase of communication to you and to business.
your value to business and advance your own career as well.
2. Today’s business communicators face special challenges:
• Th e need for expanded media literacy.
• Increasing globalism and workplace diversity. 2 Describe the main

• An increased need for strong analytical and interpretive skills. • challenges facing
An increased focus on ethics and social responsibility. business communicators today.
3. Communicating in business falls into three main categories:

3
• Internal-operational communication is the communication inside
a business that enables the business to perform its work and track Describe the three main
its success. • External-operational communication is the
communicating a business does with outsiders (customers, other categories of business communication.
businesses, the public, government agencies, and others).
• Personal communication consists of informal exchanges of
information not formally related to operations but nevertheless
important to an organization’s success.
4. Th e fl ow of communication in a business organization forms a
complex and ever changing network.

4
• Th e communicating that follows the formal structure of the
business comprises the formal network. Operational information fl Describe the formal and
ows upward, downward, and laterally through this network, which
is sustained by established forms of communication ( genres ). informal communication networks of the business organization.
• Th e fl ow of personal communication forms the informal network.
Th e internal version of this network is known as the grapevine.
But the use of social media is including more outsiders in
companies’ informal networks.
 that affect the types

5 Describe factors
and amount of
communicating that a business does.

CHAPTER 1 Understanding Workplace Communication 21

• Its degree of cultural diversity.

6 Explain why business

communication is a form of problem solving.

• Its organizational culture (an organization’s customary, oft en
unstated, ways of perceiving and doing things).
6. Business communication can be thought of as a problem-
solving activity. • Finding communication solutions requires
analysis, creativity, and judgment. • Heuristics (problem-solving
devices such as common communication plans)

7
can help make your communication problem solving more effi cient.
Describe the various • Th e common communication plans must still be adapted to each
situation. • While there is no one perfect solution, a poorly
contexts for each
act of business
prepared one is likely to fail. 7. Business communication takes
communication. place in these contexts:

8
• Th e larger business-economic, sociocultural, and historical
Describe the
contexts. • Th e relationship of the communicators.
• Th e communicators’ own worlds: organizational, professional,
communication process. KEYTERMS and personal. 8. Th e process of communication involves these
activities, which tend to be linear in nature but are oft en recursive
(require revisiting earlier steps):
Th e initiator
• Senses a communication need.
• Defi nes the situation.
• Considers possible communication strategies.
• Selects a course of action (message type, contents, style, format,
channel). • Composes the message.
• Sends the message.
Th e intended recipient
• Receives the message.
• Interprets the message.
• Decides on a response.
• May send a responding message.

new media, 5 communication, 9 organizational culture, 14 problem solving,

social intelligence, 6 external-operational 15
communication, 9
cross-cultural competency, 6 computational heuristics, 15
personal communication, 10 formal network,
thinking, 7 visual literacy, 7 relationship of the
12 communicators, 17
interpretive skills, 7
genres, 13 organizational contexts, 17 professional
corporate social responsibility, 8
informal network, 13 contexts, 17 personal contexts, 17 recursive,
internal-operational
grapevine, 13 18

CRITICALTHINKINGQUESTIONS

1 “If there’s no defi nitive solution, then all ways of han dling a business communication problem are equally good.” Using the
 discussion of business communica tion problem solving in this and how signifi cant the impact is on busi ness, list all the information
chapter, explain why this statement is false. LO6 technologies (devices and applications) that you’ve learned to use over
the last fi ve years. Now refl ect on how your communication,
2 To get a feel for how rapidly information technologies are changing

22 PART 1 Introduction
work, and life have changed as a result of these tech nologies. com
LO2 munication with the employees or members? To what extent were
these uniquely adapted to the needs of the organization? LO5
3 “People need to leave their cultures and values at the door when
they come to work and just do business.” Dis cuss the possible merits 10 Using this chapter’s discussion of communication, ex plain how
and fl aws of this attitude. LO2 people reading or hearing the same message can disagree on its
4 In what ways is imagination important in business? In business meaning. LO7
communication? LO2
5 Times are hard for Robo Solutions, a small local company that SKILLSBUILDINGEXERCISES
creates assembly-line robotics . Lately, the clients have been few
and far between. But today the sales staff got encouraging news: 1 Using the Internet, fi nd a company that has a corporate social
James Pritchett, president of a nearby tool and die company, has responsibility program and study what the com
in
quired about the possibility of the company’s design ing a series of
computer-run robots for key processes in the plant. Th ere’s a
hitch, though; it’s Sara McCann’s turn to try to snare his business and how successfully it seems to meet the business’s needs. LO4
(and the commis sion)—and Pritchett is known to prefer dealing pany’s website says about that program. What kind of image as a
with men. Do you, as Robo Solutions sales manager, send corporate citizen is the company trying to project, and how? How
Sarah anyway, or do you send one of your male sales people to convincing is this eff ort, in your opinion, and why? LO2
get Pritchett’s business, giving Sarah a shot at the next potential 2 Choose a certain national or regional culture, ethnicity, or
client? How would you solve this
generation—one diff erent from your own—and fi nd out what values
communication—and ethics—problem? LO2 6 “Never mix business the people in this demographic are gen erally known for. How might
with personal matters—it just leads to damaged relationships, poor working or doing business with a person from one of these groups
business deci sions, or both.” In what ways might this be a fair state require you to adapt your own values and communication style? LO2
ment? In what ways is it unwise advice? LO3 7 List the types of 3 List the types of external-operational and internal operational
companies requiring many kinds of communication. Th en make a list communication that occur in an organi zation with which you are
of types of compa nies requiring few kinds. What explains the diff familiar (school, fraternity, church, etc.). LO3
erence
between these two groups’ amount and types of com munication? 4 Describe the formal network of communication in an organization,
LO5 division, or department with which you are familiar (preferably a
simple one). Discuss why you think the communication network
8 In Images of Organization, 2nd ed. (Th ousand Oaks, CA: Sage, has taken this form
1997), management scholar Gareth Morgan has analyzed
companies using various metaphors. For example, he has looked 5 Find two websites of companies in the same industry— for example,
at those elements of a company that make it appear to run like a two manufacturers of household products or two wireless service
machine (with rig providers. Using the evidence pre sented on their websites,
idly organized, specifi c job roles), an organism (with elements compare their company cultures. Look at their stated mission (if
that make it dependent upon and responsive to its environment), any), their history (if pro vided), the gender and qualifi cations of
a brain (with self-managing teams and employees who can do a their personnel (if given), their employee benefi ts, their information
variety of jobs as needed), and a political system (with employees for job applicants, their information for investors, the company
vying for power and infl uence). Th ink of an organization you image projected by the visual elements on the site—any thing that
know well and decide upon its dominant cultural metaphor. Is it suggests who they are or want you to think they are. Write up your
one of Morgan’s? Or is it a family? A team? A com munity? A comparison in a well-organized, well supported message to your
prison? A mixture of several kinds? Once you settle on your instructor. LO5
metaphor, be prepared to explain how this organization’s culture
aff ects, and is aff ected by, its communication practices. LO5 6 Megan Cabot is one of 12 workers in Department X. She has
strong leadership qualities, and all her co-workers look up to her. She
9 As noted in this chapter, companies develop specifi c forms of dominates conversations with them and ex presses strong viewpoints
communication, or genres, that enable them to get their work on most matters. Although she is a good worker, her dominating
done. In a place where you have worked or another organization personality has caused problems for you, the new manager of
in which you have been a member, what were the main forms of Department X.

CHAPTER 1 Understanding Workplace Communication 23

Today you directed your subordinates to change a certain work It is apparent that many of you are not giving the com pany a full
procedure. Th e change is one that has proven su perior in the past day’s work. Th us, the following procedures are implemented
whenever it has been tried. Soon aft er giving the directive, you immediately:
noticed the workers talking in a group, with Megan the obvious a. Aft er you clock in, you will proceed to your worksta tions and will
leader. In a few minutes she appeared in your offi ce. “We’ve be ready to begin work promptly at the start of the work period.
thought it over,” she said. “Your production change won’t work.”
Explain what is hap b. You will not take a coff ee break or consume coff ee on the job
at the beginning of the work period. You will wait until your
pening. How will you handle this situation? LO4, LO6 7 Aft er designated break times.
noticing that some workers were starting work late and fi nishing early,
c. You will not participate in social gatherings at any time during
a department head wrote this mes sage to subordinates:
 the workday except during designated break periods. with a staff person at your school. Describe the contexts of your
d. You will terminate work activities no earlier than 10 minutes prior communication, from the larger contexts (business-economic,
to the end of the work period. You will use the 10 minutes to put sociocultural, or historical) to the personal (to the extent you know
up equipment, clean equip ment, and police the work area. them). How did these infl uence the outcome of your communication?
LO7
Th e message was not well received by the workers. In fact, it led
to considerable anger and confusion. Using the discussion of 9 Find an article in the business press or general news about a
communication planning in this chap ter, explain where the recent incident involving a company—for example, a merger or
department head’s problem-solv ing process went awry. What did acquisition, a scandal or crisis, or the launch ing of a new product.
he or she fail to take into account? LO6–LO8 What kind of communication chal lenges might this event have posed
for the company, both internally and externally? What kinds of
8 Th ink of a recent transaction you had with a business person or messages prob ably needed to be written, and to whom? LO1–LO7

24 PART 1 Introduction

CHAPTER TWO

Communicating
Across Cultures
 Learning Objectives
Upon completing this chapter, you will be able to describe the major issues in cross cultural
communication and prepare yourself to communicate with international partners. To reach
these goals, you should be able to

1 Explain why communicating clearly across cultures is important to business. 2

Describe three major factors that infl uence a country or region’s culture.
3 Describe cultural differences regarding body positions and movements and use
this knowledge effectively in communicating.

4 Describe the impact of culture on views and practices concerning human

relations and use this knowledge effectively in communicating.

5 Explain the language equivalency problem and techniques for minimizing

its effects.

6 Describe what one can do to enhance one’s cross-cultural communication skills.

IN T RO D U C TO R Y CH A L L ENG E
Preparing for Cross-Cultural Communication

To introduce yourself to this chapter, assume that you’re a recently hired trainer for major trends in busi ness. Th e spread of the Internet, social media,
a U.S. company that has a new branch offi ce in Sweden. You’ve been sent to the and mobile devices has only fueled this trend. And it isn’t just for
offi ce to facilitate the training of new employees. big businesses. According to Laurel Delaney, founder of
After what seemed a fruitful brainstorming session with the leadership team, you GlobeTrade.com, “It’s the small business owners of the world who
ask the Swedish head manager, Andreas, to appoint a contact person in the group to are busting borders, discovering unlimited potential for growth and
help you launch the training project. Andreas turns to the HR manager, Prasan, profi t, and changing the shape of the world economy.” 1
who is from India, and says that he will be your key contact from here on out. You Both large and small businesses want you to be able to
describe the process you want to follow and the documents you’ll need in order to communicate clearly with those from other cultures, for several
go forward. Then you ask Prasan if you can expect the documents by the next day. reasons. A primary reason is that many busi nesses sell their
Hesitating, Prasan replies, “Yes, I can send everything to you by the end of the day products and services both domestically and internationally. Being
tomorrow.” His boss sud denly intervenes: “No, that’s not going to happen. You able to communicate cross-culturally will help you be more
know you have a lot of work right now and won’t be able successful in understanding customers’ needs, communicating
to meet that deadline.” Turning to you, the Swedish man ager continues, “You can how your company can meet these needs, and win ning their
expect the material you need in two weeks.” Prasan looks somewhat embarrassed business. Another reason is that you will be a more eff ective
but nods in agreement. employee within your company. According to the U.S. Bureau of
Back in Andreas’s offi ce, you ask, “What just hap pened? Why did Prasan agree to Labor Statistics, the number of non native civilians in the U.S.
such an unrealistic dead line?” Andreas explains that the Indian wanted to save face workforce has reached almost 25 million, and this number is on
by giving a pleasing answer. Such an answer would keep you from appearing to be the rise. 2 If you can work harmoniously with those from other
demanding and would keep him from appearing to be slow. “He values face saving cultures, you will help create a more comfortable and productive
more than accuracy,” the Swede says—implying that he himself does not. You workplace. Furthermore, if cultural bar riers are minimized, your
wonder if such clashes of cultural preference could be handled more gracefully than company will be able to hire a wider variety of good people. Also,
the one you just witnessed. This chapter will introduce you to cross-cultural you will minimize problems stemming from misinterpretations. A fi
communication issues that may arise in business situations and help prepare you to nal reason is that your attention to communicating clearly with
meet them successfully. those from other cultures will enrich your business and personal
life.
In preparing to communicate with people from other cultures, you
might well begin by heeding the advice in the chapters that follow.
Adapting your words, sentences,
LO1 Explain why
communicating clearly across cultures is important to business.
THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF 1
Laurel Delaney, Th e World Is Your Market: Small Businesses Gear up for Globalization,

CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION Scribd, Scribd, 2004, Web, 2 May 2012.

2
Economic News Release: Table A-7 , Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, 4
As Chapter 1 points out, increasing globalization is one of the May 2012, Web, 6 May 2012.

26 PART 1 Introduction
and overall message to your audience is always important, and communication. In addition, you must look at the spe cial problems
never more so than in cross-cultural situations. Clarity, courtesy, that our language presents to those who use it as a second
and correctness are appreciated every where. But how to achieve language. It is around these two topic areas that this review of
these goals can vary by culture. In one culture, for example, it cross-cultural communication is organized.
might be appropriate to imply the main point, while in another you
should state the point directly. Th us, learning about the ways
cultures diff er is an important founda tion for successful business DIMENSIONS OF CULTURAL
 And what is the country’s history with your country?
DIFFERENCE Dutch sociologist Geert Hofstede,
probably the most respected expert on cross-cultural diff erences,
defi nes culture as “the collective programming of the mind which Geert Hofstede, “National Cultures and Corporate Cultures,” Communication Between
3

distin guishes the members of one category of people from Cultures, ed. Larry A. Samovar and Richard E. Porter (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1984) 51,
another,” and national culture as print.
“that component of our mental programming which we share with Fons Trompenaars and Peter Woolliams, Business Across Cultures (London: Capstone,
4

more of our com patriots as opposed to most other world citizens.” 2003) 53, print. Th omas L. Friedman, Th e World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First
5

Century (New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2005), print.

3
In other words, cultures are “shared ways in which groups of John Mattock, ed., Cross-Cultural Communication: Th e Essential Guide to International
6

people understand and interpret the world.” 4 Business , rev. 2nd ed. (London: Kogan Page, 2003) 15–23, print.
Our dominant culture aff ects almost everything about us—from
the way we think and communicate to the way we hold our bodies
or establish our personal space. Certainly the spread of
capitalism, advances in technology and science, and the explo sive
growth of electronic media have eroded national diff erences. Th e
title of a popular book on international business claims that “the
world is fl at,” 5 and many would agree that we have more in
common globally than ever before. But cultural diff erences are still
strong in many places and situations.
Of course, even within one culture there can be many subcultures.
With only a moment’s refl ection on regional, ethnic, and even
gender diff erences within any cul ture, you will realize that this is
true. Plus, the person with whom you are communicat ing may be
completely unrepresentative of his or her culture of origin. National
borders are more permeable and workplaces more diverse than
they have ever been. Still, an understanding of your
communication partner’s cultural roots will greatly enhance your
interpretive and interaction skills.

Th ree Major Factors Th at Aff ect Culture

Following the advice of Canning, a UK-based communication
consulting fi rm, we rec ommend starting your cross-cultural
education with the big picture. 6 Instead of trying to memorize such
isolated facts as a culture’s typical greeting or attitude toward punc
tuality, try to gain a holistic understanding, starting with these basic
questions:
• What is the topography of the country you are studying? In our
Internet-infl uenced age, it may be diffi cult to believe, but
topography still has a profound infl uence on what types of people
live in a certain place. For instance, many natural borders around
a country make for a more insular culture than changing, indistinct
borders, and life under a broiling sun creates diff erent habits and
values than life in a darker, colder environment.
• What is the country’s history ? Have there been certain events or
systems of government that have aff ected the national memory? LO2 Describe three major factors that infl uence a country or region’s culture.
 CHAPTER 2 Communicating Across Cultures 27
TECHNOLOGY IN BRIEF Web Tools for
Cross-Cultural Communication

The Internet is a rich

source of cross
cultural information for
business com
municators. Not only can
you fi nd
information about places
where you
might be doing business,
but you can
also use some Web-based
tools to
help you with your
communication.
One of these, shown right,
is a cur
rency converter, allowing
you to convert
from one currency to another. In this
example, U.S. dollars are converted to
Indian rupees. These converters are set
up to use regularly updated exchange
rates, so you can quote prices in both
U.S. dollars and other currency.
The Web also offers free translation
tools. Google has a built-in translation
feature that lets you easily translate webpages. In the screens shown below, a French SOURCE: From http://www.xe.com/ucc. The XE.com. Universal Currency Converter, Copyright ©
2012 XE Corporation. XE and Universal Currency Converter are registered trademarks of XE
website about writing cover letters has been translated into English. Corporation.
 28 PART 1 Introduction

• What role does religion play in the culture? Th ink for a moment
about how religious values have shaped the Middle East, diff erent
Asian countries, or even the United States. Even when many of a
country’s people have stopped observing traditional religious
practices, the infl uence of religion can linger, surfacing in certain
behaviors and attitudes.
Th ese broad cultural factors can have a major eff ect on
businesspeople’s communi cation practices and preferences. If you
know your audience is Islamic, for example, you will be prepared
to interpret their behavior when they do not take notes at an
important business meeting (they tend to favor oral communication
and the use of memory rather than writing) or when they resist
detailed planning of a project (since, in Islam, the success of
human projects always depends on God’s will).
Keep in mind, though, that businesspeople the world over share
many goals and problems. All are interested in keeping their
businesses fi nancially viable, hiring and retaining good
employees, developing marketable products, fi nding reliable
suppliers, and so forth. Your eff orts to understand your cross-
cultural audience—like those to understand communication
partners from your own culture—can lead to many mutually benefi
cial relationships.
Th e next two sections will assist you in these eff orts by
discussing important dimen sions of cultural diff erence, starting
with physical diff erences and then moving to mental and social
ones. Sensitivity to these dimensions will help you avoid
ethnocentrism — the tendency to see only your own cultural
programming as “normal”—and make you a better cross-cultural
communicator.

Body Positions and Movements

One might think that the positions and movements of the body
would be much the same for all people. However, physical
behaviors diff er by culture, and the diff erences can aff ect
communication. For example, in the United States most people sit
when they wish to remain in one place for some time, but many of
the world’s people squat when relaxing or even when doing
business. Because we do not squat, we tend to view squatting as
primitive. Th is view could adversely aff ect our communication with
people from such countries as Indonesia and Zimbabwe, to whom
squatting is a very normal body position.
To take another example, people from the United States who visit
certain Asian countries may view the fast, short steps taken by the
inhabitants as peculiar and their
LO3 Describe cultural differences regarding body positions and movements and
use this knowledge effectively in communicating.
 Remember that, differences,
despite cultural businesspeople around the world share many of the same goals.

CHAPTER 2 Communicating Across Cultures 29

COMM UN I C AT ION M AT T E R S Carefully

Present and Receive a Business Card in Japan

In Japan, it is considered bad manners to go to a busi ness meeting without a customer. Be careful not to fi ddle with the card or put it in your rear pocket—that
business card, or meishi. There are a number of ways to present the card, but is considered crude. Put it in a distinctive case. Those who do business in both
receiving it is an art, too. If you want to make a good impression on the presenter, countries often have their business cards translated on the back, as the examples
receive it in both hands, especially when the other party is senior in age or status or here show.
a potential

own longer strides as normal. And when people from those countries
encounter U.S. natives who do not bow on meeting and leaving each other,
they are likely to interpret the omission as rude. Similarly, people from the
United States see standing up as the ap propriate thing to do on certain
occasions (as when someone enters the room), whereas people from some
other cultures do not.
As you know, movements of certain body parts (especially the hands) are
a vital form of human communication. Some of these movements have no
defi nite meaning even within a culture. But some have clear meanings, and
these meanings may diff er by culture. In the United States an up-and-down
movement of the head means “yes” and a side-to-side movement of the head
means “no.” Th ese movements may mean nothing at all or something quite
diff erent to people from cultures in which thrusting the head forward, raising
the eyebrows, jerking the head to one side, or lift ing the chin are used to
convey similar meanings.
Hand gestures can have many diff erent meanings. Th e two-fi ngered sign
that means “victory” or “peace” in the United States is considered vulgar in
Australia, and the “OK” sign is insulting in such diverse countries as Russia,
 Germany, and Brazil. 7 Even the use of fi ngers to indicate numbers can vary
by culture. In the United States, most people indicate “1” by holding up the
forefi nger, whereas in parts of Europe, “1” is the thumb,

7
Roger E. Axtell, Gestures: Th e Do’s and Taboos of Body Language around the World (New York:
John Wiley & Sons, 1998) 43, print.

30 PART 1 Introduction
“2” is the forefi nger, and so forth. To point to themselves, the space, odors, frankness, social hierarchy, workplace values, and
Japanese point to their faces, while the Chinese point to their expression of emotions.
noses and Americans point to their chests. 8 And holding up both
hands with the palms facing outwards can mean either “ten,” “I sur Time. In the United States, people tend to be monochronic. Th
render,” “I’m telling the truth,” or “up yours—twice!” depending on ey regard time as some thing that must be planned in order to be
where you are. 9 Even meanings of eye movements vary by used as effi ciently as possible. Th ey strive to meet deadlines, to
culture. In North America, we are taught not to look over the heads be punctual, to conduct business quickly, and to work on a
of our audience but to maintain eye contact when giving formal schedule.
speeches. In informal talking, we are encouraged to make eye
contact but not to stare. In Indonesia, looking directly at people, Wang De-hua and Li Hui, “Nonverbal Language in Crosscultural Communication,” Sino-US
8

especially those who are older or in higher positions, is considered English Teaching 4.10 (2007): 67, www.linguist.org.cn, Web, 5 May 2012.
disrespectful. On the other hand, our practices of eye contact are Allan Pease and Barabara Pease, Th e Defi nitive Book of Body Language (New York:
9

less rigorous than those of the British and Germans. Unless one Bantam, 2006) 111, print.
under stands these cultural diff erences, how one uses eye
movement can be interpreted as being impolite on the one hand or
being shy on the other.
Touching and particularly handshaking diff erences are important
to understand in cross-cultural communication. Some cultures, like
the Chinese, do not like much touching. Th ey will give a
handshake that Westerners might perceive as weak. Other
cultures that like touching will give greetings ranging from full
embraces and kisses to nose rubbing. Here are some additional
examples:

Culture Handshakes
Americans Firm, three to fi ve pumps
Germans Brusque, fi rm, single pump, repeated upon arrival and departure
French Light, quick, not offered to superiors, repeated upon arrival and departure, may include a
double kiss
British Soft, three to fi ve pumps
Hispanics Moderate grasp, repeated frequently
Latin Americans Firm, long-lasting
Middle Easterners Gentle, repeated frequently
Asians Gentle; for some, shaking hands is unfamiliar and uncomfortable (an exception to this is
the Korean, who generally has a fi rm handshake)
Arabs Gentle, longlasting, sometimes with kisses on both cheeks

How people greet each other is a major indicator of their social

norms. Instead of criti cally judging others because of their diff
erent greeting styles, seize the opportunity to gain insight into their
cultures.
In our culture, smiles are viewed positively in most situations. But
in some other cultures (notably African cultures), a smile is
regarded as a sign of weakness in cer tain situations (such as
bargaining). Receiving a gift or touching with the left hand is a
serious breach of etiquette among Muslims, who view the left hand
as unclean, but many cultures attach no such meaning to the left
hand. And so it is with other body movements—arching the
eyebrows, positioning the fi ngers, raising the arms, and many
more. All cultures use body movements in communicating, but in
diff erent ways.

Views and Practices Concerning Factors

of Human Relationships
Probably causing even more miscommunication than diff erences
in body positions and movements are the attitudes of diff erent
cultures toward various factors of human re lationships. For LO4 Describe the impact of culture on views and practices concerning human
relations and use this knowledge effectively in communicating.
illustrative purposes, we will review seven of these factors: time,
 CHAPTER 2 Communicating Across Cultures 31
In some other cultures (especially those of the Middle East and some parts
of Asia), people are polychronic, viewing time in a more relaxed way. Th ey
see extensive plan ning as unwise and unnecessary. Being late to a meeting
or a social function is of little consequence to them. In fact, some of them
hold the view that important people should be late to show that they are
busy. In business negotiations, the people in these cultures move at a
deliberately slow pace, engaging in casual talk before getting to the main
issue. It is easy to see how such diff erent views of time can cause people
from diff erent cultures to have serious communication problems.

Space. People from diff erent cultures oft en vary in their attitudes toward
space. North Americans tend to prefer about two feet or so of distance
between themselves and those with whom they speak. But in some cultures
(some Arabian and South American cul tures), people stand closer to each
other, and not following this practice is considered impolite. To take another
example, North Americans view personal space as a right and tend to
respect this right of others; thus, they stand in line and wait their turn. People
from some other cultures view space as belonging to all. Th us, they jostle for
space when boarding trains, standing at ticket counters, or shopping. In
encounters between people whose cultures have such diff erent attitudes
toward space, actions are likely to be misinterpreted.

Odors. People from diff erent cultures may have diff erent attitudes toward
body odors. To illustrate, Americans work hard to neutralize body odors or to
cover them up and view those with body odors as unsanitary. On the other
hand, in some Asian cultures people view body odors not as something to be
hidden but as something that friends should experience. Some of the people
from these cultures believe that it is an act of friendship to “breathe the
breath” of the person with whom they converse and to feel their presence by
smelling. Clearly, encounters between people with such widely diff er ing
attitudes could lead to serious miscommunication.

Frankness. North Americans tend to be relatively frank in their relationships

with others, quickly getting to the point and perhaps being blunt and sharp in
doing so. Germans and Israelis are even more frank than Americans. Asians
tend to be far more reticent or implicit and sometimes go to great lengths to
save face or not to off end. Americans belong to a low-context culture, a
culture that explicitly shares all relevant background information when
communicating. Asians, on the other hand, belong to a high-context
culture, which leads them to limit background information and com municate
more implicitly. 10 (See the Communication Matters box on the next page for
more about these terms.) Th us, Asians may appear evasive, roundabout,
and indecisive to North Americans; and North Americans may appear harsh,
impolite, and aggressive to Asians. Phone customs may be an exception,
especially among the Chinese, who tend to end telephone calls abruptly aft
er their purpose has been accomplished. North Americans, on the other
hand, tend to move on to friendly talk and clearly prepare the listener for the
end of the call.

Social Hierarchy. In many cultures, strict social classes exist, and class
status de termines how intimately people are addressed and treated in
communication. For this reason, a person from such a culture might quiz a
person from another culture to de termine that person’s class status.
Questions concerning occupation, income, title, and origin might be asked.
People from cultures that stress human equality are apt to take off ense at
such questioning about class status. Th is diff erence in attitude toward class
status is also illustrated by diff erences in the familiarity of address. Some
Americans are quick to use fi rst names. Th is practice is off ensive to people
from some other cultures, notably the English and the Germans, who expect
such intimate address only from long-standing acquaintances.

10
Iris Varner and Linda Beamer, Intercultural Communication in the Global Workplace, 5th ed. (New York:
McGraw-Hill/ Irwin, 2011) 101–102, print.

32 PART 1 Introduction
COMM UN I C AT ION M AT T E R S High-Context
 versus Low-Context Cultures: Edward T. Hall

An extremely infl uential model of cross-cultural differ ences comes from U.S. expect you to be able to interpret their points by draw ing on your knowledge of
anthropologist Edward T. Hall. With Beyond Culture (1976), as well as two earlier their cultural context. French, Japanese, Indian, Irish, British, and Arabic people
books ( The Silent Language [1959], about perceptions of space and time, and The tend to be high-context communicators—though of course their contexts can differ
Hidden Dimension [1966], focusing on the use of space), Hall essentially launched dramatically.
the fi eld of cross-cultural communication. His most lasting contribu tion to this fi Lately Hall’s model has come under fi re for being un supported by formal
eld has been his dividing of the cultures of the research. In an extensive review of the topic, Peter Cardon has shown that Hall’s
world into low- and high-context communicators. Low-context communicators, in generaliza tions arose from unsystematic observation and have often been
Hall’s model, tend to express themselves in concrete, direct, and explicit ways. The contradicted. On the other hand, Cardon’s study also shows that Hall’s theory about
gist of the message and everything one needs in order to interpret it are all there in low and high contexts is the most cited theory in cross-cultural communication. The
the message. American, Ger man, Scandinavian, Swiss, and Finnish people tend to fact that so many researchers, teachers, and consul tants have found it useful
fall into this category. They use and value a straightforward communication style. suggests that, despite its fl aws, the model has a certain tried-and-true appeal. So
High-context communicators use a more multimodal style. Rather than putting put it into your cross-cultural communication tool box—and apply it with caution.
everything they mean into words, they use eye movements, body language, tone of
voice, and other nonverbal elements to give interpre SOURCE: Peter W. Cardon, “A Critique of Hall’s Contexting Model: A Meta-Analysis of Literature on
Intercultural Business and Technical Communication,” Journal of Business and Technical Communication
tational cues. Though they communicate implicitly, they 22.4 (2008): 399–428, print.

Similarly, how people view superior–subordinate relations can vary by culture. Hof
stede calls this dimension power distance. (See the following
Communication Matters box.) Th e dominant arrangement in Latin America,
for example, is a strong boss with weak subordinates doing as the boss
directs. In other words, these cultures tend to exhibit “high power distance.” In
contrast, Israel, New
Zealand, and Denmark
have “low power

Greetings vary among

cultures, as do many
other behaviors.
Consult authoritative
resources, including
those with international
experience, to learn
the preferred ways of
interacting in different
cultures—and take
a cue from your
communication partner
as well.

CHAPTER 2 Communicating Across Cultures 33

COMM UN I C AT ION M AT T E R S Five

Dimensions of Culture: Geert Hofstede

Between 1967 and 1973, Dutch sociologist Geert Hof stede collected 116,000 expectation, it means that the company or culture exhibits “high power
questionnaires about business practices and attitudes from IBM employees in over distance” and values hierarchy and obedience. If not, the company or culture
50 countries. The result was the hugely infl uential Culture’s Consequences has “low power distance.”
(1980), one of the most cited works on cross-cultural communication. • Individualism vs. collectivism. An individualistic culture is one in which people
The book identifi ed four dimensions of culture, to which a fi fth was later added. are expected to look after themselves and their families, while a collectivist
These have become mainstays in the fi eld of international business. Here they are culture promotes strong identifi cation with social groups.
briefl y explained:
• Masculinity vs. femininity. At the feminine end of the spectrum is a “modest,
• Power distance. To what extent do the less powerful members of a culture or caring” attitude, while at the masculine end is assertiveness and
organization expect that power will be distributed unevenly? If this is a normal competitiveness.
 • Uncertainty avoidance. This label refers to the extent to which “a culture dimensions. But as with other models, one must use this one only as a rough,
programs its members to feel either uncomfortable or comfortable in unstructured preliminary guide. As one business executive puts it, “In my own practice, I look
situations.” Uncertainty-avoiding cultures try to upon Hofstede’s data as would an airplane passenger looking down upon mountain
prevent such situations with strict rules and core values. Uncertainty- ranges. . . . These represent country cultures. Smaller ranges represent subcultures
accepting cultures tend to be more relaxed, more tolerant of differences, and within countries. But to understand individuals, you have to land at the nearest
less rule-bound. airport and meet them at the ground level, taking into account their unique
• Long-term vs. short-term orientation. This dimension was found in a study qualities.”
conducted by Chinese researchers. People with a long-term orientation are
oriented toward the future. They value persistence and thrift. Those with a SOURCES: Geert Hofstede and Jean-Claude Usunier, “Hoftstede’s Dimensions of Culture and Their
Infl uence on International Business Negotiations,” 1989, International Business Negotiations , ed.
short-term orientation value the past and present—respecting traditions, fulfi Pervez N. Ghauri and Jean-Claude Usunier, 2nd ed. (Amsterdam: Pergamon, 2003) 137–153, print; John
lling social obligations, and saving face in social situations. W. Bing, “Hofstede’s Consequences: The Impact of His Work on Consulting and Business Practices,”
Academy of Management Executive 2004 (18.1): 80–87, print.
It is tempting to see whole cultures as falling at one end or the other on these

distance,” which means that authority is widely shared and decisions are oft
en made by consensus. Th e U.S. falls somewhere in between. 11 Th ese
widely diff ering practices have led to major communication problems in joint
business ventures involving people from these cultures.
Th e role of women varies widely by culture. In North America, we
continue to move toward the generally shared goal of gender equality. In
some Islamic cultures or subcul tures, the allowable behaviors for women are
very restricted. To many in our culture, the practices of the people of these
other cultures violate basic human rights. In the view of the people of these
cultures, their practices are in accord with their heritage and religious
convictions. Th e increasing spread of Western values has made such
cultures more hospitable to businesswomen, but they may still encounter
serious barriers.

Workplace Values. Also diff ering by culture are our values regarding work.
Americans, for example, have been steeped in the Protestant work ethic. It is
the belief that if one puts hard work ahead of pleasure, success will follow. Th
e product of this

11
“Power Distance Index,” ClearlyCultural, ClearlyCulural.com, n.d., Web, 2 May 2012.

34 PART 1 Introduction
COMM UN I C AT ION M AT T E R S Linear-actives,

Multi-actives, and Reactives: Richard D. Lewis

British linguist Richard D. Lewis, founder of a highly suc cessful cross-cultural with it.” He puts Italians, Latin Americans, and Arabs in this group.
communication consulting fi rm, has developed a three-part model for categorizing Then there are the reactives—those who listen and ponder carefully and move with
the world’s many cultures. He believes they can be generally de caution. In Lewis’s words, they “prioritize courtesy and respect, listening quietly
scribed as linear-active, multi-active, or reactive. Linear-actives are those who tend and calmly to their interlocutors and reacting carefully to the other side’s
to follow a linear path toward a desired goal. They “plan, schedule, organize, proposals.” The Chinese, Japanese, and Finns would be in this group.
pursue action chains, do one thing at a time.” Lewis cites the Germans and Swiss as Knowing which style your communication partner prefers can help you adjust your
exemplars of this group. expectations and com munication style accordingly. But as with all categorizing
Multi-actives are those who have several things going at the same time—and not schemes, use this one only as a general guide, paying careful attention to the actual
all of them overtly business related. According to Lewis, they are “lively, situation you’re in.
loquacious people who do many things at once, planning their priori
ties not according to a time schedule but according to the relative thrill or SOURCE: Richard D. Lewis, When Cultures Collide: Leading Across Cultures , 3rd ed. (Boston:
importance that each appointment brings Nicholas Brealey International, 2006), print.

thinking is an emphasis on planning, working effi ciently, and maximizing

production. Of course, not all of us subscribe to this ethic, but it is a strong
force in our culture. Th e prevailing view in some other cultures is quite diff
erent. In Spain, for example, business is more relaxed because of the
emphasis placed on interpersonal relationships and the view that planning
can be futile. 12
Views about the relationships of employers and employees also may diff er
by cul ture. North American workers expect to move freely from job to job, and
they expect employers to hire and fi re as their needs change. Expectations
are quite diff erent in some other cultures. In Japan, for example,
employment tends to be for a lifetime. Th e company is viewed much like a
family, with loyalty expected from employees and em ployer. Such diff
erences have caused misunderstandings in American–Japanese joint
ventures.

Expression of Emotions. From culture to culture, norms for personal

expres sion diff er. To illustrate, some Asian cultures strongly frown upon
public displays of aff ection—in fact, they consider them crude and off ensive.
Westerners, on the other hand, accept at least a moderate display of aff
ection. To Westerners, laughter is a spon taneous display of pleasure, but in
some cultures (Japanese, for one), laughter also can be a controlled
behavior—to be used in certain social situations. Even such emotional
displays as sorrow are infl uenced by culture. In some Middle Eastern
cultures, sor row is expressed with loud wailing. In similar situations,
Westerners typically respond with more controlled emotions, which could be
seen as cold and uncaring by Middle Easterners.
A whole culture can tend one way or another regarding the show of
emotion. For exam ple, people of the Mediterranean cultures oft en speak
with passion and animation, while Northern Europeans lean toward a more
subdued style. Without an understanding of this diff erence, the fi rst group
might see the second as uninterested and lacking in friendliness. Th e
second may see the fi rst as excitable, emotional, and perhaps even unstable.

12
“Business Culture in Spain,” WorldBusinessCulture, Global Business Culture, 2012, Web, 5 May 2012.

CHAPTER 2 Communicating Across Cultures 35

 LO5 Explain the language equivalency problem and techniques for minimizing its social networking preferences were found to line up with cultural
effects. diff erences. Th e U.S. users who were studied formed
Many more such diff erences exist. Some cultures combine connections that were much broader and looser than those of their
business and social pleasure; others do not. Some expect to Chinese and South Korean counterparts, who cultivated online
engage in aggressive bargaining in business transactions; others relationships more carefully and maintained them longer. 14
prefer straightforward dealings. Some talk loudly and with emotion; Another researcher found that Asians, fearful of overstepping their
others communicate orally in a subdued manner. Some authority and reluctant to speak to strangers, can be hesitant to off
communicate with emphasis on economy of expression; others er comments during online conversations. 15
communicate with an abundance of verbiage. To be eff ective in the contemporary workplace, you have no
Th ere are countless diff erences between cultures. But it is not choice but to become a student of culture. Learn the cultures of
necessary that you know them all. What is important is that you those with whom you communicate, and don’t expect them to
recognize their existence, respect them, and study them when understand your culture, although many of them will. With eff ort
necessary. Only then can you adapt your communication style and patience, you can develop cross-cultural competency and
accordingly. enjoy its many benefi ts.

Eff ects on Business Communication PROBLEMS OF LANGUAGE

Because cultural diff erences will aff ect communication between Th e people on earth use more than 3,000 languages. Because
people of diff erent cultures, the communication advice presented few of us can learn more than one or two other languages well,
in the remaining chapters of this book should be modifi ed to fi t problems of miscommunication are bound to occur in international
the cultures involved. communication.
Keep in mind that this book was written largely for U.S. readers.
Much of what we say may not apply to other cultures. People in
Asian cultures, for example, generally favor a somewhat indirect Lack of Language Equivalency
approach for messages we would treat directly. Th ey begin with Unfortunately, wide diff erences among languages make precisely
an identifi cation of context—that is, a description of the situation equivalent trans lations diffi cult. One reason for such diff erences
the message concerns. Th ey use what appears to us as is that languages are based on the concepts, experiences, and
exaggerated politeness and slowness in mov views of the particular cultures that developed them. Th us,
ing to the point. In fact, some of our direct messages would be
regarded as rude by people in these cultures. 13
Even the British, whose culture we think of as resembling our own, 13
Richard M. Hodgetts, Fred Luthans, and Jonathan Doh, International Management: Culture,
have communi cation practices that diff er from ours. Th ey Strategy, and Behavior (New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2006) 190, print.
especially diff er in the treatment of negative situations. Th ey 14
Sejung Mariana Choi, Shu-Chuan Chu, and Yoojung Kim, “Culture-Laden Social
prefer an approach that we would regard as blunt and calloused. Engagement: A Comparative Study of Social Relationships in Social Networking Sites among
Th ey would regard our goodwill strategies as insincere and American, Chinese and Korean Users,” Computer-Mediated Communication across Cultures,
ed. Kirk St. Amant and Sigrid Kelsey, IGI Global, 2012, Web, 2 May 2012. 15 Kirk St. Amant,
evasive. “Culture, Context, and Cyberspace: Rethinking Identity and Authority in the Age of the Global
Online communication is also aff ected by culture. In one study, Internet,” Association for Business Communication Southeast Regional Conference, St.
Petersburg, FL, Mar. 2012, conference presentation.

36 PART 1 Introduction
COMM UN I C AT ION M AT T E R S
Blundering with Words

Companies can make blunders in international business through their products, • Toyota’s MR2 did well in most countries, but in France it is often pronounced
practices, and words. Here are some of those where words were the culprit. merde, meaning human waste. • Ford encountered problems when it introduced a
• When Coca-Cola fi rst attempted to market its drink in China, the characters low-cost truck it named Fiera into Latin American countries. The name translates
representing it sounded like Coca-Cola but translated to a wax-fl attened to ugly old woman. • Bacardi developed and launched a fruity drink, calling it
mare. Now the characters that represent it translate to happiness in the Pavian. In German it means baboon .
mouth. • When Nike attempted to place a graphic of fl ames on its shoes, it discovered that
• Olympia tried to introduce a copier in Chile under the name Roto, which is the illustration resembled the Arabic script meaning Allah, the word for God. The
the Spanish word for broken. Council on American–Islamic Relations demanded an apology and withdrawal of
the shoes from the market.
• American Motor Company’s Matador translated into killer in Puerto Rico,
clearly not a good name in a place with high traffi c fatality rates. Selected from David A. Ricks, Blunders in International Business, 4th ed. (Malden, MA: Blackwell
Publishing, 2006), print.

even a word that seems the same in two languages may have diff erent
meanings. For example, we think of a fl orist as someone who sells fl owers
and related items in a store. In some cultures, however, fl owers are sold by
street vendors, mainly women and chil dren. Obviously, our fl orist does not
have a precise equivalent in the language of such cultures.
Sometimes a word in one language has no corresponding word in another.
 For ex ample, supermarket has no equivalent in some languages. Th e
French have no word to distinguish between house and home, mind and
brain, and man and gentleman. Th e Spanish have no word to distinguish
between a chairman and a president, while Italians have no word for wishful
thinking. And Russians have no words for effi ciency, challenge, and having
fun. However, Italians have nearly 500 words for types of pasta. And so it is
with words for many other objects, actions, and concepts (for example,
roundup, interview, strike, tough, monopoly, domestic, feminine, responsible,
aloof ).
Another explanation for the lack of language equivalency is that there are
grammati cal and syntactic diff erences among languages. Some languages
(Urdu, for example) have no gerunds, and some have no adverbs and/or
adjectives. Not all languages deal with verb mood, voice, and tense in the
same way. Th e obvious result is that even the best translators oft en cannot
fi nd literal equivalents between languages.
Adding to these equivalency problems is the problem of multiple word
meanings. Like English, other languages have more than one meaning for
many words. Th ink, for example, of our numerous meanings for the simple
word run (to move fast, to com pete for offi ce, a score in baseball, a break in
a stocking, a fading of colors, and many more). Th e Oxford English
Dictionary uses over 15,000 words to defi ne what. Unless one knows a
language well, it is diffi cult to know which of the meanings is intended.
Within a culture, certain manners of expression may be used in a way that
their dic tionary translations and grammatical structures do not explain. Th
ose within the cul ture understand these expressions; those outside may not.
For example, we might say, “Business couldn’t be better,” meaning business
is very good. One from another culture might understand the sentence to
mean “Business is bad” (impossible to improve). Or we might say, “We could
never be too nice to our customers,” meaning that try as we

CHAPTER 2 Communicating Across Cultures 37

may, we couldn’t be overly nice. To one from another culture, the sentence
might mean “We cannot be nice to our customers.” 16
Similarly, like-meaning words can be used in diff erent ways in diff erent
cultures. One example is the simple word yes, a word that has an equivalent
in all languages. “Th e Chinese yes, like the Japanese yes, can oft en be
understood by Americans and British as their English yes. But the Chinese
yes oft en means ‘I am listening.’ Or it may be un
derstood in English as the opposite. For example, when an American says to
a Chinese counterpart, ‘I see you don’t agree with this clause,’ the Chinese
will usually reply, ‘Yes’ meaning a polite agreement with the negative
question: ‘Yes, you are right. I do not agree with the clause.’ ” 17
Overcoming such language problems is diffi cult. Th e best way, of course,
is to know your partner’s language well, but the competence required is
beyond the reach of many of us. Th us, your best course is fi rst to be aware
that translation problems exist and then to ask questions—to probe—to
determine what the other person understands. For very important messages,
you might consider using a procedure called back translating.
Th is procedure involves using two translators, one with fi rst-language skills
in one of the languages involved and one with fi rst-language skills in the
other language. Th e fi rst translator translates the message into his or her
language, and the second transla tor then translates the message back into
the original. If the translations are good, the second translation matches the
original.

Diffi culties with English

English is the primary language of international business. Th is is not to say
that other languages are not used. When business executives from diff erent
countries have a com mon language, whatever it may be, they are likely to
use it. For example, an executive from Iraq and an executive from Saudi
Arabia would communicate with each other in Arabic, while an executive from
Venezuela would use Spanish in dealing with an execu tive from Mexico.
However, when executives have no common language, they are likely to use
English. Th e members of the European Free Trade Association conduct all
their business in English. In the words of one international authority, “English
has emerged as the lingua franca of world commerce in much the same way
that Greek did in the ancient world of the West and Chinese did in the East.”
18
 We must keep in mind, though, that English is not the primary language of
many of those who use it. Since many of these users have had to learn
English as a second language, they are likely to use it less fl uently than
native speakers and to experience problems in understanding it. Some of
their more troublesome problems are reviewed in the following pages.

Two-Word Verbs. One of the most diffi cult problems for nonnative
speakers of English is the use of two-word verbs. By two-word verbs we
mean a wording consist ing of (1) a verb and (2) a second element that,
combined with the verb, produces a meaning that the verb alone does not
have. For example, take the verb break and the word up . When combined,
they have a meaning quite diff erent from the meanings the words have
alone. And look how the meaning changes when the same verb is combined
with other words: break away, break out, break in, break down. Figure 2–1
lists some of the more common words that combine with verbs.
Of course, nonnatives studying English learn some of these word
combinations, but many of them are not covered in language textbooks or
listed in dictionaries. For this reason, we should use these word
combinations sparingly when communicating

16
Jensen J. Zhao, “Th e Chinese Approach to International Business Negotiation,” Journal of Business
Communication 37 (2000): 225, print.
17
Zhao 225.
18
Naoki Kameda, Business Communication toward Transnationalism: Th e Signifi cance of Cross-Cultural
Business English and Its Role (Tokyo: Kindaibungeisha Co., 1996) 34, print.

38 PART 1 Introduction
Verb Plus Away give away run down run off wear out hang up
keep away shut down send off work out hold up
lay away sit down slow off keep up
Verb Plus Over check over
pass away wear down shut off look up
do over
throw away Verb Plus In cash in sound off mix up
hold over
cave in start off pick up
Verb Plus Back cut back pass over
close in take off save up
feed back put over
dig in write off shake up
keep back Verb Plus Out blow out roll over
give in shut up
play back run over
run in clean out slow up
read back stop over
take in crowd out wrap up
take back take over
throw in cut out
turn back talk over Verb Plus
die out Miscellaneous Words
win back Verb Plus Off break off think over
dry out
brush off win over bring about
Verb Plus Down calm down even out
buy off Verb Plus Up blow up catch on
die down fi gure out
check off build up get across
hand down fi ll out
clear off call up pass on
keep down fi nd out
cool off catch up put across
let down give out
cut off cover up put forth
lie down hold out
fi nish off dig up set forth
mark down lose out Figure 2–1
let off end up
pin down pull out
mark off fi ll up Some Two-Word Verbs That
play down rule out Confuse Nonnative Speakers
pay off get up
put down tire out
with nonnative speakers of English. Following are some two-word verbs and
suggested substitutes:

Two-Word Verbs Suggested Substitutes

give up surrender
speed up, hurry up accelerate
go on, keep on continue
put off defer, delay
take off depart, remove
come down descend
go in, come in, get in enter
go out, come out, get out exit, leave
blow up explode
think up imagine
fi gure out solve
take out, take away remove
go back, get back, be back return

CHAPTER 2 Communicating Across Cultures 39