Assosa University

Faculty of Business and Economics

Department of Management

Module Name: Fundamentals of Management

Course Name: Administrative & Business Communication
Course Code: MGMT 1063

Prepared by:

Desta Takele (MBA)

Wondem Mekuriaw (MPA)

Berihun Muche (MBA)

Dec, 2007 E.C

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 Assosa, Ethiopia

Contents
CHAPTER ONE..........................................................................................................................................4
1. COMMUNICATION: AN OVERVIEW.............................................................................................4
1.1. Introduction.................................................................................................................................4
1.1. Meaning of communication.........................................................................................................5
1.2 Significance of Communication........................................................................................................9
1.3 The Role of Communication in Management..................................................................................10
1.3.1 Role of Communication in Business......................................................................................17
SUMMARY..........................................................................................................................................18
Self-Check Exercise..........................................................................................................................20
CHAPTER TWO.......................................................................................................................................22
2. THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS..............................................................................................22
2.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................22
2.2. Elements of Communication Process..............................................................................................22
2.3. Barriers of Communication............................................................................................................28
Summary...............................................................................................................................................35
Self Check Exercise...........................................................................................................................36
CHAPTER THREE...................................................................................................................................38
4. PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION...........................................................................................38
3.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................38
3.2. Principles of Communication.........................................................................................................38
Summary...............................................................................................................................................44
Self Assessment Questions................................................................................................................45
CHAPTER FOUR.....................................................................................................................................47
4. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATION.................................................................47
4.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................47
4.2. COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATION.................................................................................48
4.3. Internal & External Communication...............................................................................................50
4.3.1External Communication...........................................................................................................50
4.3.2. Internal Communication..........................................................................................................51

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 4.4. Nonverbal Communication.............................................................................................................61
Summary...............................................................................................................................................64
Self Check Exercises........................................................................................................................66
CHAPTER FIVE:......................................................................................................................................69
5. PUBLIC RELATIONS......................................................................................................................69
5.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................69
5.2. Public relations...............................................................................................................................69
5.2.1 Important Public Relations Tools..............................................................................................70
5.2.2 Choosing Public Relations Messages and Vehicles..................................................................71
5.2.3. Evaluating Public Relations Results..................................................................................72
5.2.4. Choosing Among Chief Media Types:.....................................................................................73
5.3 . Presenting Public Relations Presentations.....................................................................................79
5.4 Social Media....................................................................................................................................80
Summary...............................................................................................................................................82
Self Check Exercise...........................................................................................................................83
CHAPTER SIX.........................................................................................................................................85
6. ORAL COMMUNICATION MEDIA...............................................................................................85
6.1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................85
6.2. ORAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS...........................................................................................86
6.2.1 Speech......................................................................................................................................88
6.2.2. Listening................................................................................................................................104
6.4. Interviews.....................................................................................................................................107
6.4.1. Types of interviews................................................................................................................108
6.4.2. Planning interviews...............................................................................................................112
6.5. Meetings.......................................................................................................................................116
6.5.1. Preparing Meeting.................................................................................................................117
6.6. Written Communication...............................................................................................................122
6.6.1. Business letter writing...........................................................................................................131
6.4.2 Memo and Report Writing......................................................................................................136
Summary.............................................................................................................................................146
References...............................................................................................................................................154

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 CHAPTER ONE
1. COMMUNICATION: AN OVERVIEW

Learning objectives
At the end of this chapter students will be able to:
 Define communication
 Describe the significance of communication
 Explain the role of communication in Management

Chapter outline

 Meaning of communication
 The significance of communication
 The role of communication in management

1.1. Introduction
Communication is one of the basic functions of management in any organization and its
importance can hardly be overemphasized. It is a process of transmitting information, ideas,
thoughts, opinions and plans between various parts of an organization. Good and effective
communication is required not only for good human relation but also for good and successful
business. Effective communication of information and decision is an essential component for
management-employee relations.

Communication is also a basic tool for motivation, which can improve morale of the employees
in an organization. Inappropriate or faulty communication among employees or between
manager and his subordinates is the major cause of conflict and low morale at work. With
effective communication, you can maintain a good human relation in the organization and by
encouraging ideas or suggestions from employees or workers and implementing them whenever
possible, you can also increase production at low cost.

Communication may be made through oral or written. In oral communication, listeners can make
out what speakers is trying to say, but in written communication, text matter in the message is a

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reflection of your thinking. So, written communication or message should be clear, purposeful
and concise with correct words, to avoid any misinterpretation of your message. Written
communication provides a permanent record for future use and it also gives an opportunity to
employees to suggest their comments in writing. So, effective communication is very important
for successful working of an organization.

1.1. Meaning of communication

Activity

Dear students you are familiar the word “communication” and you are using the word
“communication” in your day to day life. If so

What does it mean communication to you?

_____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
__ ____________________________________

Why do managers learn administrative and business communication?

_____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
__ ____________________________________

Dear students we may always want to be a good speaker and accepted by many people. For
instance you may say Mr. /Miss X is heard by many people and I wish I could be like him/her.
As a result of you were attracted by his/her communication.

Dear student let me ask you one question. What is the reason which makes them more
persuasive and influential? I hope you would say, the reason behind those people is they know

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what, how, when and to whom communicate. If you want to be like them you have to
understand what is communication is?

Dear students’ communication is a learned skill. Most people are born with the physical ability
to talk, but we can also learn to speak well and communicate effectively. Speaking, listening, and
our ability to understand verbal and nonverbal meanings are skills we develop in various ways.
We learn basic communication skills by observing other people and modeling our behaviors
based on what we see. We also are taught some communication skills directly through education,
and by practicing those skills and having them evaluated.

The word “communication” derived from the Latin word ‘communicare’ that means to impart, to
participate, to share or to make common. It is a process of exchange of facts, ideas, and opinions
and as a means that individual or organization share meaning and understanding with one
another. In other words, it is a transmission and interaction the facts, ideas, opinion, feeling and
attitudes. Communication is the transfer of information from a sender to a receiver with the
information being understood by the receiver.
On the other word, the word communication means sharing of ideas, messages and words
expressed through a language, which is easily comprehensible to the listener. Communication
starts with a sender, who has a message to send to the receiver. The sender must encode the
message and select a communication channel that will deliver it to the receiver. In
communicating facts, the message may be encoded with words, numbers, or digital symbols; in
communicating feelings; it may be encoded as body language or tone of voice.

Some important definitions of communication given by prominent writers are as follows:-

 “Communication is the means by which people are linked together in an organization to

achieve a common purpose.” Chestar I. Bernard
 “Communication is the broad field of human interchange of facts and opinions and not
the technologies of telephone, radio and the like.”Charles E. Redfield
 “Communication is the act or action of transmitting information.” Leslie W. Rue
 “Communication is a process involving the transmission and accurate replication of ideas
reinforced by feedback purporting to stimulate actions to accomplish organizational
goals.” Scott

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  “Communication is the transmission and reception of ideas, feelings and attitudes both
verbally and non-verbally eliciting a response. It is a dynamic concept underlying all
kinds of living system.” Sigbond
 Communication may be defined as interchange of thought or information between two or
more persons to bring about mutual understanding and desired action. It is the
information exchange by words or symbols. It is the exchange of facts, ideas and
viewpoints which bring about commonness of interest, purpose and efforts.
 Peter Little defines communication as, ‘Communication is the process by which
information is transmitted between individuals and/or organizations so that an
understanding response result’.
 Newman and Summer Jr. state that, ‘Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas,
opinions or emotions by two or more persons’.
 According to Keith Davis, ‘The process of passing the information and understanding
from one person to another. It is essentially a bridge of meaning between the people. By
using the bridge a person can safely across the river of misunderstanding’.

Dear students what do you notice common thing on the definitions of communication given by
several scholar above? I hope you understood that the following points. Dear students in order to
make communication, there should be the following things.

1. There should be two parties who sender and receiver of massage. If one of the parties
missed, there will be no communication. Because, communication is simply the act of
transferring information from one place to another. If so we should have sender of
information and receiver as well.
2. There should be massage (information, knowledge, data etc) which transfer to another
person. If we do not have any massage to transfer, we do have nothing communicate.
3. There should be medium / way of transferring massage or communication Channels.
There should be substance or material which carries massage from sender to receiver.
Dear students we will discuss on communication channels in later portion of this module
in brief.
4. There should be understanding of message between both parties. Communication is a two
way process of exchanging thoughts, ideas and feelings between people in a commonly

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 understandable ways. The desired outcome or goal of any communication process is
understanding. Communication is considered effective when it achieves the desired
responses or when it has an effect on the receiver if the receiver of massage do not
understand as much as sender do, it is difficult to say that there is communication both
parties. The purpose of communication is to get your message across to others clearly and
unambiguously. Doing this involves effort from both the sender of the message and the
receiver. And it's a process that can be filled with error, with messages often
misinterpreted by the recipient. When this isn't detected, it can cause tremendous
confusion, wasted effort and missed opportunity.

Dear students, you have to understand why you learn communication as a manager. The study of
communication is important, because every administrative and management function and activity
involves some form of direct or indirect communication. Whether planning and organizing or
leading and monitoring, school administrators communicate with and through other people. This
implies that every person’s communication skills affect both personal and organizational
effectiveness. Business communication is a specialized field and branch of general
communication. It is hardly possible to make a basic difference between the two. The process
and the principles that regulate them are similar. The difference lies on the scope of application.
General communication is concerned with many roles at large. On the other hand, business
communication is concerned with business activities like internal business activities: maintaining
and improving the morale of employees, giving order to workers, prescribing methods and
procedures, announcing policies and organizational changes, and etc… as well as external
business activities: selling and buying goods and services, reporting the government and
shareholders on the financial condition of the business operations and etc.

Activity

Dear students, we hope you would understand communication. If you understand as a required
level answer the following question.

What do you understand about communication?

_____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

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______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________

1.2 Significance of Communication

Importance of communication has always been realized in all times because it is the most vital
means by which people are connected together in society. However, today communication plays
a crucial role in almost all aspects of life. Work in business, government or organizations are
impossible without communication. People have to communicate with each other, exchange
information, make decisions and talk about innovations. Management is a complex practice of
communicating with other people. In an age when the business environment is turbulent in terms
of competition, new technologies political instability, workforce diversity, the need for good
communication skills is being increasingly felt by mangers at all levels.

Communication is the lifeblood of an organization. Because organization by definition is a group

of people working together to achieve a common goal, its effectiveness requires a great deal of
interaction and without communication an organization cannot function. People in organizations
exchange information, ideas, feelings and proposals, make decisions, plans, policies, rules,
contractual agreements which all require effective communication.

Communication is important in our career and personal life. Our jobs, promotions and personal
reputation often depend on the success or failure of our written and oral communications.
Especially if your job requires mainly mental work, your success will be strongly influenced by
how effectively you communicate your knowledge, ideas, proposals, reports etc.

In some jobs, communication skills are the main responsibilities. The following are some
instances where good communication skill is given emphasis. -Public relations, Customer
relation, Labor relations, Sales, Teaching etc.

The importance of communication in any managerial process can hardly be over-emphasized. If

an organization is to operate as an integrated unit, it is necessary that the top management should
keep the lower level supervisors and employees well informed of its ultimate objectives and what
it wants each person to accomplish toward their realization.

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Activity

Dear students, we hope you would understand the importance of communication.

Can you write down the importance of communication?

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________

1.3 The Role of Communication in Management

 Activity

Dear students you were define management in your introduction to management course. Did you
remember it?

What does it mean management?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________

What are the major managerial functions? What are the management functions?

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________

Dear students, communication is very crucial to individuals and organizations. For an

organization to function, individuals and groups must carefully coordinate their efforts and
activities. Waiters must take their customers' orders and pass them along to the chef. Store

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managers must describe special promotions to their sales staffs. Clearly, communication is the
key to these attempts at coordination. Without it, people would not know what to do, and
organizations would not be able to operate effectively—if at all.

An organization can be looked at from an orchestra point of view. There are various teams each
with a specific role to play. Each team must, in turn, work with other teams to produce a unitary
composed piece. This happens as planned by and under the watchful eye of the conductor. To
give the audience a masterpiece, there has to be effective communication within the band. Berko,
Aitken and Wolvin (2010) define communicationas a conscious or unconscious, intentional or
unintentional process in which feelings and ideas are expressed as verbal and/or nonverbal
messages, which are sent, received, and comprehended. Communication is dynamic, continuous,
irreversible, interactive, and contextual. Communication is a fundamental element which
contributes to the success of all business organisations. Many authors have written texts
emphasizing the importance of communication to the basic management functions. Denyer
(1968:114) says and I quote,

If we accept the view that the essential job of a manager is to get work done
through, and with other people, it follows that his effectiveness as a manager
must depend on his ability to communicate with his working group and on their
ability to communicate with him.

Fayol (1949) writes that communication plays a key role in the success of any workplace
program or policy and helps achieve the desired outcomes for the employee and the organisation
in a variety of ways. With this in mind, it should not be surprising that communication has been
referred to as "The social glue ... that continues to keep organizations tied together," and "the
essence of organizations.'' Given the importance of communication in organizations, you may
not be surprised to learn that managers spend as much as 80 percent of their time engaged in one
form of communication or another (e.g., writing a report, speaking to others, lessening etc.). We
could conclude that management and communication is opposite side of a coin.

All managerial roles and functions require effective communication. Although the degree and
amount of the communication differ among each of the roles, functions, and skills, all of the

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above require effective communication skills. The vision, mission, goals, strategies, and
philosophies of the organization need to be effectively communicated with employees,
shareholders, customers, the general public and so on.
The role of communication to business organisations can be explained under four basic
management functions which are planning, organizing, leading and controlling.

A. Planning

Planning can easily be defined as looking ahead and chalking out future courses of action that an
organization has to follow. It is a preparatory step. It is a systematic activity which determines
when, how and who is going to perform a specific task. Parks (1955 cited in Weihrich and
Koontz 1993) defined planning as a crafted tool that will examine complex issues and propose a
set of solutions that serves as a bridge towards growth and change. Planning involves the setting
of goals and targets and since the objectives of a team cannot be set by a single employee,
management interacts with all related and concerned employees to assign targets for team
members and also set goals for the organization. This is carried out in form of meetings, circulars
and notices.

Another role of communication is to link an organization with its external environment, where
many of the claimants are. Planning requires managers to scan the external environment. While it
is true that managers may have little or no power to change the external environment, they have
no alternative but to respond to it. Marketing and production managers should not forget or
ignore the fact that the customer, who is the main reason for the existence of virtually all
businesses, is outside the company. It is through communication that the needs of customers and
other stakeholders are identified. This knowledge enables an organization to plan on the best way
to provide its customers products and services at a profit. There is no doubt too that if systems
and organizations are to function well, the information concerning the mode and order of
operations must not only be well developed, but it must be well communicated. (Handy, 1993).

B. Organizing and Controlling

Organizing is the function of management that involves developing an organizational structure

and allocating human resources to ensure the accomplishment of objectives. Organizing, like

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communication, begins with an assumption of differences. Different persons, different units,
different units create overlap, redundancy and/or separation without coordination.
Communication integrates the managerial functions and links the enterprise with its
environment. The objectives set in planning have to be communicated so that the appropriate
organization of activities can be devised. Effective communication also reduces duplicity of
work. A manager must know what the other teams are up to. One needs to keep himself abreast
of the latest developments in the organization. This is possible only when an employee
communicates effectively with other people in the organization.

Organizing achieves efficiency of motion but tells us nothing about the consequence of motion.
To speak of a “well oiled” machine or team tells us that friction is reduced but not that results are
achieved. An organization whose people communicate effectively experiences fewer of the
misunderstandings that create friction between people, waste time and cause mistakes. The
strategy of the organization is clear to all and each person understands how his or her own efforts
contribute to that strategy. A primary object of communication is to achieve action, to invoke a
response- to get work accomplished. Forecasting and planning are useless unless instructions are
given to the right people to see that they are carried out. This involves downward communication
which is when information or instructions are passed down the hierarchical chain.

Fayol (1949) defined the control function in terms of ensuring that everything occurs within the
parameters of the plan and accompanying principles. The primary purpose of control is to
identify deviations from initial objectives and plans and to take corrective action.
Communication clarifies the managements’ view point for the purpose of running different
sections or departments in an organization. This is made possible mainly through the use of
policies. When policies are communicated to staff, they sanction in advance any action to be
taken in repetitive situations. Communicating policies saves time in dealing with problems as
they occur and if they are put in writing, they do not become obscured by the passage of time.
Every member of the organization is enabled to follow the same policy and this makes for co-
ordination and consistency of action. This ensures equity amongst employees and is useful in
organizing tasks as well as controlling the organization

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Communication is also concerned with discipline and reprimanding, that is seeing that staff
obeys the set rules and regulations, training of staff or teaching, which is basically
communicating and therefore it is evident that communication is so closely related to controlling
and organizing, because both controlling and organization are exercised by communicating and
by the communication of standards.

C. Leading

Management is the processes of decision making for effective utilizations of human and
materials resources to achieve the organization objectives. It is a process consisting of five basic
functions such as: planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling. In performing each of
the five functions of management, in each of the functional areas, at any of the three levels of
management, information, which is a result of communication, is required to take different
decisions. Information is the basis of decision making and in fact the lifeblood of management.
Management is a process of get things done by others. In order to get things done, we need to
communicate the goal or vision of an organization to inspire subordinates. The purposes or
function of communication in an organization is to inform the individual or group about the
particular task or company policies and procedures etc. Top management informs policies to the
lower level through the middle level. In turn, the lower level informs the top level the reaction
through the middle level. Information can flow vertically, horizontally and diagonally across the
organization. Communication is also integrating the function of several functional units function.
The integration function of communication mainly involves bringing about inter-relationship
among the various functions of the business organization. In the other words, it is called
coordination. It helps in the unification of different management functions. Besides, when a new
employee enters into the organization at that time he or she will be unknown to the organization
programs, policies, culture etc. Communication helps to make people acquainted with the co-
employees, superior and with the policies, objectives, rules and regulations of the organization.

Leading involves influencing others toward the attainment of organizational objectives. Effective
leading requires the manager to motivate subordinates, communicate effectively, and effectively
use power. If managers are effective leaders, their subordinates will be enthusiastic about
exerting effort toward the attainment of organizational objectives. Fayol (1949) argues that,

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 Effective leadership and the creation of an environment conducive
to motivation depend on communication, moreover, it is through
communication that one determines whether events and
performance conforms to plans and therefore it is communication
that makes leading possible.

Communication is essential at the workplace to achieve targets within the desired time frames. It
enables the exchange of ideas amongst employees within the organisation and this yields better,
coherent and quicker results.

In a business organisation, it is through communication that the leader establishes solid relations
with his team. Good communication skills enable, foster, and create the understanding and trust
necessary to encourage others to follow a leader. Without effective communication, a manager
accomplishes little. Without effective communication, a manager is not an effective leader. To
become effective at leading, managers must first understand their subordinates’ personalities,
values, attitudes, and emotions. Referring to how Berko, et al. (2010) defines communication
when he refers to it as a conscious and unconscious, intentional and unintentional process
whereby messages are sent and comprehended using verbal and non verbal symbols, it is evident
that effective leadership requires one to be able to understand to interpret the non verbal
messages communicated to him or her from his employees as these reflect their personalities,
morale and attitudes. In fact, being able to communicate effectively is what allows a manager to
move into a leadership position.

Through effective communication, leaders lead. Buzzard (n.d. cited in Denyer 1968:109) says
that strikes, low productivity and high labour turnover could be due partly to the insecurity felt
by employees who did not really know where they stood. The provision of the right kind of
information to workers, he added, was a crucial object, whatever the industry or patterns of the
organisation. It can be concluded that communication is really the life blood of any organisation,
formal or informal and in its absence, organisations would not exist as it serves as a means of
coordinating, controlling, leading and motivating, as well as an aid to effective planning.
Information has to be communicated fully and effectively to all whom it concerns by establishing
efficient and reliable communication systems in an organisation. Furthermore,

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communicationsystems will function more effectively if they are organized around a shared
vision and mission.

Dear students another functions of management is that leading/ directing the employees of an
organization. Leading creates enthusiasm to work hard to accomplish tasks successfully. In the
other word, it is process of influencing others to get things done. A complete communication
process is necessary in influencing others or being influenced. The individual having potential to
influence others can easily persuade others. It implies the provision of feedback which tells the
effect of communication. In addition, Communication is necessary to issue directions by the top
management or manager to the lower level. Employee can perform better when he is directed by
his senior. Directing others may be communicated either orally or in writing. An order may be
common order, request order or implied order. Effective decision-making is possible when
required and adequate information is supplied to the decision-maker. Effective communication
helps the process of decision-making. In general, everyone in the organization has to provide
with necessary information so as to enable to discharge tasks effectively and efficiently
Managers need skills that help to translate knowledge into action. As a result Robert Katz divides
the essential managerial skills into three categories— technical, human, and conceptual. These
managerial skills are opposite face of a coin with communication. In the other words,
Communication is part of the three major skills needed by managers (human skills, conceptual
skills, technical skills).

Human skills are the ability to work well with other people. They emerge as a spirit of trust,
enthusiasm, and genuine involvement in interpersonal relationships. To have good interpersonal
relationship, you have to be good at communication. You have to understand how and when you
do communicate with other, in order to achieve it. A person with good human skills will have a
high degree of self-awareness and a capacity for understanding or empathizing with the feelings
of others. People with this skill are able to interact well with others, engage in persuasive
communications, and deal successfully with disagreements and conflicts.

Managers should be able to view the organization or situation as a whole so that problems are
always solved for the benefit of everyone concerned. It is called conceptual skills. This capacity
to think analytically and solve complex and sometimes ambiguous problems is a conceptual skill.

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It involves the ability to see and understand how systems work and how their parts are
interrelated, including human dynamics. Conceptual skill is used to identify problems and
opportunities, gather and interpret relevant information, and make good problem-solving
decisions. This could be happen, when the organizations have good communication and
communication channels. This is achieved when organizations have installed good
communication system. Technical skills, an ability to perform specialized tasks, have also
requires communication as well.

1.3.1 Role of Communication in Business

The term business communication is used for all messages that we send and receive for official
purpose like running a business, managing an organization, conducting the formal affairs of a
voluntary organization and so on. Business communication is marked by formality as against
personal and social communication.
The success of any business to a large extent depends on efficient and effective communication.
It takes place among business entities, in market and market places, within organizations and
between various groups of employees, owners and employees, buyers and sellers, service
providers and customers, sales persons and prospects and also between people within the
organization and the press persons. All such communication impacts business. Done with care,
such communication can promote business interests. Otherwise, it will portray the organization
in poor light and may adversely affect the business interest.
Communication is the life blood of any organization and its main purpose is to effect change to
influence action. In any organization the main problem is of maintaining effective
communication process. The management problem generally results in poor communication.
Serious mistakes are made because orders are misunderstood. The basic problem in
communication is that the meaning which is actually understood may not be what the other
intended to send. It must be realized that the speaker and the listener are two separate individuals
having their own limitations and number of things may happen to distort the message that pass
between them.
When people within the organization communicate with each other, it is internal communication.
They do so to work as a team and realize the common goals. It could be official or unofficial.
Modes of internal communication include face-to-face and written communication. Memos,

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reports, office order, circular, fax, video conferencing, meeting etc. are the examples of internal
communication.
When people in the organization communicate with anyone outside the organization it is called
external communication. These people may be clients or customers, dealers or distributors,
media, government, general public etc. are the examples of external communication.
Key points
 Communication is the life blood of the business. No business can develop in the absence
of effective communication system.
 Communication is the mortar that holds an organization together, whatever its business or
its size.
 When people within the organization communicate with each other, it is internal
communication and when people in the organization communicate with anyone outside
the organization it is called external communication.
 Ability to work well in teams, to manage your subordinates and your relationship with
seniors, customers and colleagues depends on your communication skill.

SUMMARY
The word Communication is derived from a Latin word “cummunicare” which means “to share”.
Therefore, the word communication means sharing of ideas, messages and words expressed
through a language, which is easily comprehensible to the listener. Communication starts with a
sender, who has a message to send to the receiver. Different scholars give different definition for
communication. Some of the definitions focus on relationship that exists among different
individuals or groups. Others recognize it as a means of transmitting message or ideas or
k2anything that the sender likes to convey to the receiver. However, communication is take
place when common understanding is occur between two parties (sender and receiver)

business communication is concerned with business activities like internal business activities:
maintaining and improving the morale of employees, giving order to workers, prescribing
methods and procedures, announcing policies and organizational changes, and etc… as well as
external business activities: selling and buying goods and services, reporting the government and
shareholders on the financial condition of the business operations and etc…

18
The importance of a communication may be summarized as follows:
- Establish and disseminate goals of an enterprise.
- Develop plans for their achievement.
- Organize human and other resources in the most effective and efficient way.
- Select, develop and appraise members of the organization.
- Lead, direct, motivate and create a climate in which people want to contribute.
- Control performances.

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Self-CheckExercise
Part I Say true if the statement is correct and says false if the statement is wrong

1. Effective communication is required only for good human relation.

2. In given organization communication makes leading possible.
3. Communication is truly the life blood of any organization.

Part II Chose the best answer among the given alternatives.

1. Among the one of the following statement is true?

A. Communication may be made through oral only.

B. Communication may be made through written only.
C. Communication may be made both through oral or written.
D. None of the above

2. _______________ skills are the ability to work well with other people.

A. Communication
B. Technical
C. Human
D. Intra personal

3. Which one of the following is necessarily true related to ineffective communication by

manager with employees?

A. High productivity and low labour turnover

B. High productivity and high labour turnover
C. High productivity and low labour turnover
D. Low productivity and high labour turnover

4. Communication takes place.

A. When someone sends message

B. When someone receives message
C. When understanding takes place
D. When two people talk each other

5.___________ when people within the organization communicate with each other.

A. External communication
B. Internal Communication
20
 C. Inter organizational communication
D. None of the above

Part II Discussion questions

1. What does communication mean?

2. Discuss the importance of communication in an organization.
3. Explain the role of communication in management.

21
 CHAPTER TWO

2. THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

Learning objectives

At the end of this chapter students will be able to:

 Indentify elements of communication process

 Explain the elements of communication
 Indentify the barriers of communications

Chapter outline

 Elements of communication process

 Barriers of communications

2.1 Introduction
Communication is a process that involves steps or sequences of activities to be followed in the
exchange of messages between senders and receivers. The sharing of meaningful information
between two or more people with the goal of the receiver understanding the sender's intended
message. In business, the effectiveness of a company's internal and external communication
process is often very important to its overall success. On the other hand, Communication is a
process, and if the process breaks down, communication will fail. In this lesson, you'll learn
about the communication process. We'll also discuss how the concept of noise can disrupt this
process.

2.2. Elements of Communication Process

Activity

Dear students we hope you do define communication and understand it well in the first chapter.

When did we call communication takes place?

__________________________________________________________________________

22
__________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________

Dear student we hope you have answered the above question. In order to clarify it analyzes the
following case. Some leaders think they have communicated once they told someone to do
something, "I don't know why it did not get done...I told Jim to do it." More than likely, Jim
misunderstood the message. A message has NOT been communicated unless it is understood by
the receiver (decoder). How do you know it has been properly received? Two-way
communication or feedback will help to know if the message is properly received. This feedback
tells the sender that the receiver understood the message, its level of importance, and what must
be done with it. Communication is an exchange, not just a give, as all parties must participate to
complete the information exchange.

Dear student if you understanding communication, it is a process that involves steps or

sequences of activities to be followed in the exchange of messages between senders and
receivers. Communication is the process of conveying information between two or more people.
The communication process is the steps we take in order to achieve a successful communication.
Therefore, we could understand that communication has some basic elements. These are:

People (Senders - Receivers)

Communicators or elements are the primary elements in the communication process in an

organization. They can be managers, non-managers, departments, or the organization itself.
Managers communicate with other managers, subordinates, supervisors, client’s customers, and
parties outside the organization. When we say communication involves people, it involves the
exchange of interpersonal characteristics such as perceptions, their speaking and listening skills,
their nonverbal behaviors, etc. Communication is thus an interpersonal process. People or
senders-receivers make communication two ways.

Communications within the organization are important means for coordinating the work of
separate departments. And more and more organizations communicate with employees, unions,
the public, and government. Each of these communicators has a message, an idea, or information

23
to transmit to someone or some group. Thought: First, information exists in the mind of the
sender. This can be a concept, idea, information, or feelings.

Encoding: a message is sent to a receiver in words or other symbols.Within the communicator,

an encoding process must take place that translates the communicator’s ideas into a systematic
set of symbols expressing the communicator’s purpose. The major form of encoding is language.
For example, accounting information, sales reports, and computer data are translated into a
message. The function of encoding is to provide a form in which ideas and purposes can be
expressed as a message.

Message

The result of the encoding is the message-either verbal or nonverbal. Message is a meaningful
idea that people want to share with others. It is an encoded idea with some purpose. Managers
have numerous purposes for communicating, such as to have others understand their ideas, to
understand the ideas of others to gain acceptance of ideas, and to produce action.

The message, then, is what the individual hopes to communicate, and the exact form that the
message takes depends to a great extent on the medium used to carry it. Decisions relating to the
two are inseparable. An ideal message is that is understood by the receiver as intended by the
sender.

Channel

Activity

What are the factors to be considered in choosing between oral and written medium of
communication?

___________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________

Do you think the condition of the receiver affects the choice of a channel? How?

24
___________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________

The channel is a path, route or medium through which a message is transmitted. Organizations
provide information for their members by a variety of channels, including face-to-face
communication, telephone, group meetings, computers, memos, policy statements, reward
systems, production schedules, sales forecasts, and videotapes.

Less obvious, however, are unintended messages that can be sent by silence or inaction of a
particular issue, as well as decisions about which goals and objectives are not to be pursued and
which methods are not to be utilized. The choice between oral and written communication
channels may be determined by:

 Background of the audience such as education, sex, age, experience, etc.

 Availability and cost of the channel
 Nature of the message such as confidentiality, length, etc.

Nonverbal communication, communication that doesn’t use words, is a part of everyday life. A
friendly smile, a worried expression, the seating arrangements at a committee meeting, the size
and location of an office, the reception area, furniture all are nonverbal communicators. They
indicate a person’s power, status, position or friendliness. The interpretation of nonverbal cues is
important however; nonverbal cues are as easily misinterpreted as verb al messages (words).

Body language is fascinating nonverbal communication open body positions include leaning
forward with uncrossed arms and legs. Closed, or defensive, body positions include leaning back
with arms and legs crossed. Open positions are assumed to suggest acceptance and openness to
what is being discussed. Closed positions suggest that people are physically or psychologically
uncomfortable.

Decoding: For the process of communication to be completed, the message must be decoded by
the receiver. Decoding is the technical term for the thought processes of the receiver. Thus, it
involves interpretation. Receivers interpret (decode) the message in light of their own previous

25
experiences and frames of reference. The closer the decoded message is to the intent of the
communication, the more effective is the communication. In a business organization, if the
message that the chief executive receives from the marketing research department includes
technical terms known only to marketing researchers, no communication exists. In fact, an often
cited complaint in organizations that employ staff specialists is that they frequently cannot
communicate. Each staff group (e.g accountants, personnel, and marketing research) has a
unique language and symbols that persons outside the group cannot decode. the receiver
translates the words or symbols into a concept or information that he or she can understand.

During the transmitting of the message, two processes will be received by the receiver: content
and context. Content is the actual words or symbols of the message which is known as language -
the spoken and written words combined into phrases that make grammatical and semantic sense.
We all use and interpret the meanings of words differently, so even simple messages can be
misunderstood. And many words have different meanings to confuse the issue even more.

Context is the way the message is delivered and is known as Paralanguage - it includes the tone
of voice, the look in the sender's eye's, body language, hand gestures, and state of emotions
(anger, fear, uncertainty, confidence, etc.) that can be detected. Although paralanguage or
context often causes messages to be misunderstood as we believe what we see more than what
we hear; they are powerful communicators that help us to understand each other. Indeed, we
often trust the accuracy of nonverbal behaviors more than verbal behaviors.

Problems with communication can pop-up at every stage of the communication process (which
consists of sender, encoding, channel, decoding, receiver, feedback and context - see the diagram
below) and have the potential to create misunderstanding and confusion.

26
Activity

Can one way communication exist in organizational life?

_____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_________________________

How do you encourage feedback?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________

Dear students’ feedback does not allow One-way communication processes. Two-way
communication processes provide for such feedback. It is desirable to make provision for
feedback in the communication process. It decreases the potential for distortion between the
intended message and the received message. A feedback loop provides a channel for receiver
response, enabling the communicator to determine whether the message has been received and
has produced the intended response. For the manager, communication feedback may come in
many ways.

In face-to-face situations direct feedback is possible through verbal exchanges as well as through
such subtle, means as facial expressions that indicate discontent or misunderstanding. In
addition, communication break downs may be indicated by indirect means, such as declines in
productivity poor quality of production increased absenteeism or turnover, and conflict or a lack
of coordination between units.

Noise

In the framework of communications noise is any interfering factor that, if present, can distort
the intended message. Noise can be present in any element. i.e. the sender, channel or receiver.
Noises are of two types: Psychological noise and Physical noise. Physical noise is unwanted

27
sound created in the external environment or in transmission. On the other hand psychological
noise is created in the mind of senders-receivers. It generally refers to absentmindedness that
may be caused by pain, hunger, headache, and other factors that preoccupy human mind.

Figure 2.1 The Communication Process

2.3. Barriers of Communication

Dear students did you experience people misunderstood you? and/or you misunderstood them? If
your answer is yes did you found out the major causes?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________

List down some of the communication barriers that you encountered in communication process?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________

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Dear students did you realize the effects of barriers in your life? I hope you do understand any
factor that impedes the exchange of information between you (sender) and you massage
(receiver) is a barrier to communicate. It is not possible that every time an order, instruction,
guideline, direction programme, information, etc Transmitted by the superior is properly
understood and assimilated by those for whom it is intended.

Similarly suggestions, reports, advices recommendations, complaints etc transmitted by the

subordinates to their superiors may be misunderstood or misinterpreted. In any case, the purpose
of the communication is defeated.

The process of communication is not always smooth. Many obstacles or hindrances obstruct it.
These are referred to as barriers to communication. It refers to these factors which cause
disturbance either in the mind of the communicator (sender) or the communicate (receiver) or in
the process which will create distortion of the message leading to lack of response ignoring or
misunderstanding.

Such barriers are extremely common in everyday life, and they appear in an almost unlimited
variety of forms. The following are some of the most common barriers to effective
communication.

1. Differing perceptions

Perception is the process by an individual receives information from the environment through the
use of his sense organs and interpret them. One of the most common sources of communication
barriers is individual variation. People who have different backgrounds of knowledge,
experience, and other demographic characteristics often perceive the same phenomenon from
different perspectives.

Suppose that a new supervisor compliments an assembly line worker for his or her efficiency and
high- quality work. The supervisor genuinely appreciates the worker’s efforts and at the same
time wants to encourage the other employees to emulate his or her example. Others on the
assembly line however, may regard the worker’s being singled out for praise as a sign that he or
she has been ‘buttering up to boss” they may react by teasing or being openly hostile. The event
is the same but individual’s perspectives on it differ radically. The environment in which it

29
occurs influences the way a communication is perceived. Events that are considered appropriate
in some circumstances are inappropriate in others.

2. Language Differences & poor Expressions

Language differences are often closely related to differences in individual perceptions. For a
message to be properly communicated, the words used must mean the same thing to the sender
and the receiver.

The same symbolic meaning must be shared. Suppose that different departments of a company
receive a memo stating that a new product is to be developed in “a short time”. To people in
research and development “a short time” might mean two or three years. To people in the finance
department on the other hand, it might be three to six months, whereas the sales department
might think of it as a few weeks. Since may different meanings can be assigned to some words,
great care must be taken to ensure that the receiver gets the message that the sender intended.

Further barriers to communication may result from the use of poorly chosen words, omissions,
lack of coherence, poor organization of ideas, unnecessary jargon and so on. Communication in
the international environment becomes even more difficult because of different languages,
cultures. Etc.

3. Loss by Transmission and poor Retention

In a series of transmissions from one person to the next, the message becomes less and less
accurate when a communication is being conveyed from the higher management level to the
lower level step by step. Much of it is likely to be lost in transit. Most of the times this problem
arises in oral communication. At every successive step some of the message will drop until it
reaches the last person when it will be only a part of the original message, which might be
meaningless.

This problem may arise in case of written communication as well. At every level the superior
will interpret the message in his own way and present it accordingly. Hence the original message
is likely to be destroyed. Further the meaning will change if some words are dropped, changed or
misspell. On the other hand managers may be main causes for loss of information in
organizational communication.

30
Consciously or unconsciously, information may be lost or distorted in downward and upward
communications.

Loss of information in upward communication: In upward communication may be lost or

distorted because of mobility aspiration. Mobility aspiration is the desire of subordinates for
upward movement or promotion. It is likely that subordinates manipulate upward messages in a
way it facilitates their future promotion. Thus mobility aspiration adversely affects the accuracy
of upward messages.

Loss of information in downward communication

Generally replicating a message is difficult; there are neither perfect senders nor receivers. In
addition to this middle level managers may intentionally withhold information for several
reasons.

a) Tyrannical managers – are those who do not have confidence in their subordinates. Because
responsibility is ultimate such managers may withhold key information in their drawers in order
to make their subordinates completely dependent in making decisions or taking actions. This is
designed to prevent subordinates from making important decisions.

b) Insecure managers – are managers who do not have self confidence. Such managers try to
hide some key information from their subordinates to prevent their subordinates from making
decisions that affect the superior’s position. Less confident managers may fear that if they
release all information the subordinates may make more sound decisions and thereby threat the
superior’s position.

Some superiors may also withhold information from lack of awareness about the relevance of the
information to their subordinates

Poor retention of information is another serious problem. Most of the times there are problems in
handling and retrieving information, particularly when records management is manual. Poor
records and filing system are often major causes for loss of information in organizational
communication. This makes the necessity for repetition of the message and the use of several
channels rather obvious. Consequently, companies often use more than one channel to
communicate the same message.

31
4. Poor Listening and Pre-mature Evaluation

There are many talkers but few listeners. Listening demands full attention and self-discipline. It
also means avoiding pre-mature evaluation of what the other person has to say. A common
tendency is to judge to approve or disapprove what is being said rather than trying to understand
the speaker’s frame of reference. Yet listening without making hasty judgments can make the
whole organization more effective and more efficient. Sympathetic listening can result in better
labor- management relations and greater understanding among managers. In short, listening with
empathy can reduce some of the daily frustrations in organized life and result in better
communication.

5. Emotionality

Emotional reactions- anger, love, defensiveness, hate, jealousy, fear, embarrassment-influence

how we understand other’s messages and how we influence others with our own messages. If for
example, we are in an atmosphere where we feel threatened with loss of power or prestige we
may lose the ability to gauge the meanings of the messages we receive and will respond
defensively or aggressively.

6. Inconsistent verbal and Nonverbal Communication

We think of language as the primary medium of communication, but the messages we send and
receive are strongly influenced by such nonverbal factors as body movements, clothing, our
posture, gestures, facial expression, eye movements, and body contact. Even when our message
is as simple as

“Good morning”, we can covey different intents by our nonverbal communication. A busy
manager who does not want to be disturbed might respond to a subordinate’s greeting without
looking up from his or her work for example.

7. Noise, Distance and Time

Noise is any factor that disturbs, confuses or otherwise interferes with communication. Little
communication occurs in totally noise-free environments of course. Noise is a big menace to
communication; it creates a great barrier to communication. It is a very common experience that

32
noise proves a big hindering factor if two persons are talking. If somehow the noise is not
controlled it may not be possible for the communicators to listen anything or make out the sense.

Distance acts as barriers in the process of communication. If the two parties are far from each
other there will be difficulty in communication. Telephone solves this difficult in many cases.
But bad weather, technical defects, breakdown etc may render the telephone useless.

The effectiveness of our communication may be reduced if our timing is not right. First, we must
consider the time of the day. Our attempts at communication must be made at the appropriate
hour of the day. A telephone call will not normally be welcome at 5 o’clock in the morning and
very few of us welcome a string of requests or enquiries on matters of high importance, the
minute we arrive at our office. Second, the time of convenience is important. In other words, we
should not endeavor to communicate with another person if he is pre-occupied with other
matters: we will receive less than proper attention. For instance if the company secretary is
concentrating on arranging the agenda for a particularly important management meeting, he is
not likely to pay much attention to a request for authority to buy a new office equipment. The
request could quite well wait for a more propitious moment. Therefore, to be effective, we must
communicate at the appropriate time both by the clock and by opportunity.

8. The Medium and Method of Communication

A disregard of the medium of communication and the method used often create conditions that
lead to a lack of expected response or to a less than perfect understanding. In all cases the
medium of the communication and the method must be appropriate to the case in hand.
Generally speaking great care is required in this direction. Most people are very sensitive about
how certain subjects are approached and to ignore their sensitivity will often result in faulty
communication.

Matters of routine nature such as the opening and closing times of the canteen may well be
appropriately conveyed by a notice on a notice board. At other times a discrete personal word is
called for instance where a staff member has started habitually to arrive late in the morning. A
bold statement on a notice board about lateness would be most inappropriate.

33
A more complicated situation, such as an alteration in working conditions requires even more
care in the choice of medium and method. Personal consultations with representatives of those
affected are imperative to prevent misunderstanding and to gain the cooperation of those
concerned. In brief for effective communication, the medium and method used to carry the
communication must be appropriate to the circumstances.

9. Distrust/Lack of Credibility of the Source

Credibility refers to the confidence, faith or thrust that the receiver has on the actions and/or
words of the sender. The credibility of a message is to a large extent, a function of the credibility
of the sender in the mind of the receiver. A sender’s credibility is, in turn determined by a variety
of factors. In some cases, the fact that a message comes from a manager will enhance its
credibility, but it can also have the opposite effect. In negotiations between labour and
management, for example labour often regards the claims of managers with some suspicion. In
this situation, as in others, the perceived character or honesty of the sender is important.

Distrust can be the result of inconsistent behaviors by the superior, or it can be due to
experiences in which the subordinate was punished for honestly reporting unfavorable, but true,
information to the boss. In any case, the loss of confidence in the superior will drop the effect of
the communication.

What is needed is a climate of trust, which facilitates open and honest communication. The
above being the most common barriers to effective communication there are many others. For
instance closely related to perception is the influence of attitude, which is the predisposition to
act or not, to act in a certain way, it is a mental position regarding a fact or state, clearly. If we
have made up our minds, we cannot objectively listen to what is said. Differences in status and
power between the sender and the receiver still affect communication.

In brief, often our efforts to communicate are quite successful but at other times we fail dismally.
Many factors are at works that have a bearing on our success or failure some of which we can
control and some of which are outside our control.

34
Other barriers may include:

• Information overload
• Un-clarified assumptions
• Position awareness, etc.

Summary
Communication is the transfer of information from the sender to the receiver, with the
information being understood by both the sender and the receiver. The communication process
begins with the sender, who encodes an idea, which is sent in oral, written, visual, or some other
form to the receiver. The receiver decodes the message and gains an understanding of what the
sender wants to communicate. This, in turn, may result in some change or action. But the
communication process may be interrupted by “Noise “that is by anything that hinders
communication. In an organization, managers should have the information necessary for doing a
good job. The information may flow not only downward or upward in the organization structure
but also horizontally or diagonally. Communication can be in written form, but more information
is communicated orally. In addition, people communicate through gestures and facial expression.

35
Self Check Exercise
Part-I Say ‘true’ if the statement is correct and say ‘false’ if the statement is
wrong.

1. Effective internal and external communication process is seldom very important to the
success of a given company.
2. The function of encoding is to provide a form in which ideas and purposes can be
expressed as a message
3. The result of the encoding is the message in the form of verbal only.

Part- I I chose the best answer among the given alternatives.

1.____________ is a path, route or medium through which a message is transmitted

A. Channel
B. Decoding
C. Message
D. Encoding

2. ____________is a meaningful idea that people want to share with others

A. Medium
B. Message
C. Translation
D. all

3. Which one of the following statement is true?

A. Perception is the process by an individual receives information from the environment

through the use of his sense organs and interprets them.
B. Language differences are often not closely related to differences in individual perceptions
C. In upward communication may be lost or distorted because of mobility aspiration
D. Credibility refers to the confidence, faith or thrust that the receiver has on the actions
and/or words of the sender

36
Part III Discussion Questions

1. What are elements of communication process?

2. Discuss the elements of communication.

3. Explain the barriers of communications.

37
 CHAPTER THREE

4. PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION

Learning Objectives
At the end of this chapter students will be able to:
- Explain the seven principles that contribute to effective business communication

- Define each principle of communication.

- Write a business letter which incorporates the 7c’s of communication.

Chapter outline

 Principles of communication

3.1 Introduction
The application of business communication principles helps to communicate effectively through
letters, memorandums, reports, speeches, telephones, face-to-face conversation, etc. The
commonly used principles in business communication these principles are called 7Cs. The 7 Cs
provide a checklist for making sure that your meetings, emails, conference calls, reports, and
presentations are well constructed and clear – so your audience gets your message.

3.2. Principles of Communication

Dear students do you agree that all types of communication needs similar principles?
____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_________________________
Dear students every activity has its own principle so as communication. To compose effective
messages you need to apply certain specific communication principles. The basic business
communication principles known as seven C’s of business communication provide guidelines for
choosing content and style of presentation.

38
The principles of communication used to achieve both specific and general objectives of a
message are collectively justified as the 7Cs. The commonly used principles are:

1. Correctness
2. Conciseness
3. Clarity
4. Completeness
5. Concreteness
6. Consideration
7. Courtesy

Remember: mostly these principles have significant effect on written communication. With
consideration of this, we are going to explain each principle with giving emphasis of written
communication

1. Correctness: when your communication is correct, it fits your audience. And correct
communication is also error-free communication.

Communication is correct when it bears real information and uses formally

appropriate titles of persons, words etc to express matters.

To be correct in communication the following principles should be borne in mind.

 Use the correct level of language

1. There are three levels of language –formal, informal, and sub formal.
2. The formal level of language is used for scholarly dissertation, master and doctoral
thesis, government agreements, legal documents, etc.
The informal language refers to the language of business used for letters, memos,
reports etc.
Example: Formal: Anticipated Procure Inventory
Informal: Expect get stock

3. The subs formal level of language is incorrect.

Say Don’t Say

39
 - Isn’t, aren’t, amn’t - Ain’t
- Regardless - Irregardless
- I can hardly -I can’t hardly

 Include only facts words and figures

 Maintain acceptable writing mechanics. This refers to:

- Spelling errors
- Punctuation marks
- Capitalization
- Grammatical accuracy
- Sentences and paragraph structures

- Format for memos, letters, reports etc

 Apply the following qualities
 Choose non-discriminatory expressions

Example: - Equal treatment of sex

- Use humankind rather than mankind

- Use chairperson rather than chairman

2. Conciseness: Business executives are dead-busy. They don’t have time to go through
unnecessarily lengthy messages. The writer is also a loser if he writes wordy messages
because it involves more time and money to type and read.

Conciseness makes the message more understandable and comprehensible.

To make the message more concise, the following guide lines are important:

- Eliminate wordy Expressions eliminate words like "for instance," "you see,"
"definitely," "kind of," "literally," "basically," or "I mean."
- Include only relevant material.
- Avoided unnecessary Repetition

40
3. Clarity:Clarity demands that the business message should be correct concise complete
concrete and with consideration. When writing or speaking to someone, be clear about your
goal or message. What is your purpose in communicating with this person? If you're not sure,
then your audience won't be sure either. To be clear, try to minimize the number of ideas in
each sentence. Make sure that it's easy for your reader to understand your meaning. People
shouldn't have to "read between the lines" and make assumptions on their own to understand
what you're trying to say.
- Use the right level of language
- Proper punctuation makes the writing clear
- Check Accuracy of fact figure & Word
- Choose short, familiar & conversational words
- Achieve appropriate readability by using formal & informal language
- Include examples, illustrations & visual aids.

Clarity is getting your message understood by others. The receiver must interpret your
message with the same meaning in your (sender’s) mind.

4. Completeness: The message should be complete to bring desirable results. It should include
everything the reader needs for the reaction you desire. You must know what information our
reader wants or needs; you should be able to know the reader’s background viewpoint needs,
attitudes and emotions.
In a complete message, the audience has everything they need to be informed and, if applicable,
and take action. The following guide lines are important to make the message complete enough.
- Does your message include a "call to action", so that your audience clearly
knows what you want them to do?
- Have you included all relevant information – contact names, dates, times,
locations, and so on?

- Does your message provide all necessary information, answer all questions
asked, and give something extra when desirable.
Activity: 1

41
Dear students if the owner of XYZ Company wants to order merchandise from ABC trading
company. In order to make his message complete, how does owner of XYZ company authorize
this merchandise order? Dear students think of the W’s and H’s questions
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________

5. Concreteness:The business writing should be specific definite unambiguous and vivid rather
than vague and general. The following guidelines lead to concreteness.
- Use specific facts and figures
- Put action in your verb
- Choose vivid image building words.
- Comparison & figurative language
- Use more adjectives and adverbs.

Activity: 2

Re-write the following passive and vague sentences in to active and clear sentences?

1. Please send us the following items by the end of this month.

2. The proposal was approved.

_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________

6. Consideration refers to you attitude, sympathy, the human touch and understanding of human
nature. Consideration means the message with the receiver in mind. You should try to
visualize your readers their desires problems emotions circumstances and possible reaction to
your request.

 Show reader benefit & interest; your message should show interest in and concern for
the reader’s needs or viewpoints. Whenever possible and true, show how your

42
 receivers will benefit from whatever the message asks or announces. If so, they will
be more likely to react favorably.

 Focus on YOU instead of I & WE: People are usually concerned about themselves
than about others. They are likely to read your messages when they see their names
and the pronoun ‘you’ rather than ‘I’ or ‘we’
Examples:
- ‘We pay 8% interest’ is not preferred rather say ‘you earn 8% interest’
- Say ‘Congratulations on your successes rather than ‘I want to send my
congratulation on your success.

 Emphasize positive& pleasant: For most people negative words like no, impossible, I
cannot etc. have unpleasant emotions. By making clear what you can or will do, you
(by implication) make clear what you cannot do without using a single negative word.

Examples:
- Say-As soon as your signature card reaches us, we will gladly open an account
for you.
- Don’t say-It is impossible to open an account for you today.

 Apply integrity & ethics: integrity refers to high moral standards as honesty, sincerity,
decent character etc. Ethics on the other hand is concerned with what is right human
conduct.

Activity: 3

Can you write the following I’ or ‘We’ attitude: sentences in to “you” attitude.

We are delighted to announce

_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________

7. Courtesy:To make your message courtesy, be sincere, tactful, thoughtful and appreciative,

43
 Omit expressions that hurt, irritate, or insult. Grant apologies graciously. Use expressions
that show respect and Answer your mail promptly. Courtesy is more important and
advantageous in business writing than it is in face to face communication or conversation.
Courteous message strengthen present relations and make new friends. It is a goodwill
building.

Activity: 4

Replace the following gender specific words by bias free words which show courtesy.

Businessman, manpower, newsman, salesman chairman.

_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________

Summary
You may say that communication is important and that you’ll be spending a lot of time doing it.
But you’re pretty good at communicating. After all you talk to people, write notes, read books,
get along withother people, and make myself understood already. Why should you study
principles of communication?” because, you study principles of communication in order to
make your communication more Correct (it bears real information and uses formally
appropriate titles of persons, words etc to express matters.), Concise (makes the message more
understandable and comprehensible.), Clear (The receiver must interpret your message with the
same meaning in your(sender’s) mind.), Complete (It should include everything the reader
needs for the reaction you desire.), Concrete (your message should be specific definite,
unambiguous and vivid rather than vague and general.), Consider (i.e., understanding of human
nature and you attitude ), and Courtesy (be sincere, tactful, thoughtful and appreciative, Omit
expressions that hurt, irritate, or insult.)

44
Self Assessment Questions
1. The owner of a mutual fund stock wrote to the investment department of your bank
that he wanted to sell his shares. He asked,” Just how does your bank want me to authorize this
sale?”

How would you reply to this query keeping the five Ws and one H guideline in mind?

2. You are the president of an industry association and have received the following
inquiry from an out of town member, “I think I would like to attend my first meeting of the
association, even though I am not acquainted with your city. Will you please tell me where
the next meeting is being held? How would you reply to this letter keeping in mind
Completeness of the message?

3. Write with a ‘you’ attitude, it shows consideration. May I take this opportunity to express my
thanks for the account you recently opened with our store. We are pleased to furnish a wide
variety of products for the home of the individual customer. We want you to take full advantage
of the store services, for we have the largest store in the city. Also we make deliveries for our
customer free of charge within a 30 miles radius of our store. We welcome you to Ebony. If we
can be of additional help please let us know.

4. Avoid negative – unpleasant words to show consideration.

A. It is impossible to open an account for you today.

B. We don’t refund if the returned item is soiled and unusable.
C. When you travel on company expense, you will not receive approval for first class fare.
D. To avoid further delay and inconvenience, we are sending this report by express mail.

5. Put an action in to the words by using active instead of passive voice.

I. Tests were made by us.

45
 II. A full report will be sent to you by the supervisor.
III. The contract had a requirement ….
IV. Mr. Singh will give consideration to the report ….

6. Use vivid image building words – adjectives and adverts, and use less of abstract nouns

The camera has a system that gives good pictures.

7. Show courtesy by avoiding tactless & blunt language.

a) Your letter is not clear at all:

b) Obviously, if you would read your policy carefully you will be able to answer these
questions yourself.
c) Apparently you already have forgotten what I wrote you two weeks ago.

8. Replace the following wordy expressions with short expressions

a. Due to the fact that

b. During the year of
c. In spite of the fact that
d. Please don’t hesitate to write.

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 CHAPTER FOUR

4. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATION

Learning Objectives

After reading this chapter, the student should be able to

 Understand and recognize the main reasons for communication failure in

organizations.
 Understand and recognize the functions of communication in organizations and
see their practical applications.
 Understand the implications of Japans Approach to Management for
Communication.
 List the objectives of formal communication and see their impact in
organizational performance.
 Identify oral and written methods in downward and upward communication.
 List the problems of downward and upward communication in organizational
practices.
 Identify the channels for and means of effectively utilizing the grapevine
Chapter outline

4.1 Introduction
Communication is the lifeblood of an organization. If we could somehow remove
communication flows from an organization, we would not have an organization. It is needed for
exchanging information, exchanging options, making plans and proposals, reaching agreement,
executing decisions, sending and fulfilling orders, conducting sales and others. These purposes
are transmitted with different types of communications.

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The purpose of this chapter is to offer you comprehensive information about internal and
external communication. It focuses on formal and informal. It focuses on formal and informal
communications and verbal and non verbal communications. Moreover, written and oral
communications are discussed thoroughly.

4.2. COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATION

Activity

Dear student you have been introduced the role of communication in the first chapter. How do
you explain the role of communication in the organization?

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________

Dear students, in previous chapter you have passed through communication principles that guide
the overall system. And in this chapter we shall discuss types of communications in organization.
As you have seen communication, both oral and written is a predominant form of organizational
behavior. People in today’s organizations spend a great deal of time communicating; the higher
they go in the organizational hierarchy, the more time communication consumes. However, as
Peter Drucker points out, all is not well; “We have more attempts at communications today . . .
yet communications has proven as elusive as the unicorn. The noise level has gone up so fast that
no one can really listen anymore to all that babble about communications. But there is clearly
less and less communicating. The communications gap within institutions and between groups in
society has been widening steadily to the point where it threatens to become an unbridgeable gulf
of total misunderstanding.” In short, while people in organizations today spend a lot of time
engaged in communication-related activity, they are not very successful in communicating.

Generally, we have found five basic causes of communication failure.

1. Communication in most organizations is activity-oriented, not results-oriented.

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When consulting with hospitals for example, it is our practice to ask the hospital administrator to
show us the hospital’s employee handbook. Then we ask him or her, “Do you feel this is a good
employee handbook? Typically, their answer will be “yes” followed by such reasons as: It has
won national awards for design and layout; it costs us a lot of money to produce; my picture is
on the inside cover; consultants helped us to develop it, and so on. When we then ask, “But does
it do what is it supposed to do?” We typically receive a puzzled look and a long silence in
response. Communication is a tool designed to produce some effect upon its receiver. Too many
organizations, however, view communication as something that “ought to be done” losing sight
of the impact their communications should have.

2. Communication often is one-way

Management frequently assumes that, as long as they are sending messages regularly to the rest
of the organization, they are communicating. They therefore engage exclusively in “downward”
communication, receiving little or no feedback from lower levels of the organizations as a result
they often do not know if their downward messages were received, understood, believed, or
approved of by employees, and they cannot adjust future messages to employees needs or
characteristics. In order to be effective, communication in organizations must flow not only
downward, but upward and laterally as well.

3. The impact of communication is not measured.

This problem is related to the preceding one. In many organizations, management receives
information feedback. However, no systematic attempt is made to measure the impact of
communication in terms of the objectives or results the communication was supposed to achieve.
If, for example, the employee handbook is designed to inform employees about company benefit
programs, actual measures should be taken to determine how much information employees get
and retain about benefit plans by reading that handbook. In effect, management must clearly
define the results they want their communication systems to achieve, and then regularly measure
the extent to which those results have been produced.

4. Communications are not responsive to employee needs.

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When defining the objectives of their communication systems, management should first ask
employees what information they want or need. Then they can tailor downward messages to
meet those needs. Rarely, for example, do companies ask new employees what information they
would like to receive in the new employee orientation meetings; rather, they assume that the
information they are providing is exactly what the employees’ need. When we have interviewed
incoming employees about their concerns and desires, we find an entire body of information is
needed that company orientation programs do not provide.

5. The people who implement communication systems lack the necessary communication skills.

Department meetings cannot be effective if the department heads conducting them lack meeting
leadership skills. Employment interviews do not select the best available candidates if the
interviewers are unskilled. Communication systems and opportunities are not enough; the people
who use those systems must have skills as communicators. As the preceding discussion
indicates, communication in organizations has two basic elements; communication systems (the
meetings, publications, conversations and so on in which messages are transmitted), and
communication skills of the people participating in those communication systems.

Activity
Dear students to whom your organization has communicated to perform activies?
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________

4.3. Internal& External Communication

4.3.1External Communication
External Communication: An organization is greatly affected by its external environment.
Therefore, in order to exist, anyorganization has to adjust its activities in accordance with
external influences.Communications to persons outside the company-customers, inquirers,
suppliers and the public- canhave a far-reaching effect on the reputation and ultimate success of
the organization. The right letter,telephone call, or personal conversation can win back a
disgruntled customer, create a desire for afirm’s product or service, can negotiate a profitable

50
sale, help an inquirer who is a potential customer,and in general create goodwill.Reputable
organizations are also seriously concerned about enhancing their public image throughvarious
communications. Among these communications are public speeches by their executives,tactful
replies to comments and criticisms from consumer groups, free informative pamphlets,interviews
with news media. All these forms of communication are transmitted with a greateremphasis on
truthfulness.

Thus employees who communicate effectively can contribute in a variety of ways to the
lifeblood of their organization. Successful messages:

 Eliminate unnecessary additional correspondence.

 save time and expense
 Build favorable impressions.
 enhance goodwill, and
 Help increase company profits.

Therefore, in brief, effective internal communication integrates and facilitates the managerial
functions at all levels; and effective external communication relates and integrates an enterprise
successfully to its external environment.

4.3.2. Internal Communication

Internal Communication in the organization could be categorized as Formal and Informal
Communication

Dear student what type of communication employeed in your organization?

______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________

4.3.2.1. Formal Communication

Communication in organizations takes two forms: “formal” and Informal”. Formal
communication is that which follows prescribed channels of communication throughout the
organization-typically the chain of command. It follows the official channels of communication

51
prescribed in the organization structure. Informal communication generally is considered to be
any interaction that does not follow official channels of communication.

Formal communication is the official patterns of communication that are designed, approved,
and recognized by the management of the organization. It is an integral part of the organization
structure. Organizational chart can be regarded as anatomical drawing of the official channels
(paths) through which official messages travel. Formal communication is thus the official chains
that determine the flow and direction of official messages among individuals or divisions in an
organization. Formal channels of communication provide for the structured flow of primarily
vertical communication (upward and downward) and secondarily crosswise (horizontal and
diagonal) communication.

Activity

Dear students while you are working in your organization, your department may receive or send
letters to department or units. So do you observe the directions and the objectives of the letters?
Discusses type and objectives of formal communication in your organizations?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________

A. Downward Communication

Messages flowing upper from organizational levels to lower organizational levels constitute
downward communication. Dear students you have explained in one or another way the
objectives of downward communication. To sum up what you have discussed downward
communication has three main objectives.

i) To provide directives to subordinates.

Through downward communication, organizations;

 Assign goals and explain the reason for assignment

 Direct the activities of employees

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  Instruct them in proper behaviors and work methods
 Persuade them to adopt certain attitudes and ideas
 Evaluate their performance on the job
 Solicit upward communication, and
 Provide entertainment

ii) To indoctrinate company objectives, strategies, programs, policies and procedures.

iii) Appraise subordinates’ performance/performance feedback: Performance of subordinates

must be evaluated continuously or periodically. The performance resultmust also be
communicated to the subordinates so as to help them know whether they are meetingtheir goals
or not. Positive evaluations contribute in raising the morale of workers and therebyincrease their
productivity. Carefully communicated low evaluations also help the subordinates toovercome
their shortcomings and take corrective measures.

The most commonly used downward communication methods are the following:

i) Employee hand books- used to provide basic information about the organization, pay policies,
and benefit programs, work rules, and working facilities.

ii) Job descriptions and work procedures-used to inform an individual what is expected of him
and his work unit form the organization.

iii) Newsletters- are periodical publication about the news of the organization and other related
activities.

iv) Letters and memoranda

v) Employment interview-used to promote good relations with prospective employee.

vi) Performance appraisals- conducted as a private meeting between a superior and his
subordinate.

vii) Disciplinary interviews- conducted by managers and superiors when employees violate the
rules and regulations of the organization.

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viii) Departmental or unit meetings- often called by supervisors used to discuss with subordinate
about

 Current events in the company

 Future plans of the company
 Progress reports, (evaluation reports)

ix) New employee orientation programs-used to give employees detailed information about their
jobs and the environment at which they will work. This helps employees to feel welcome in the
organization and learn about matters that directly affect them; and adapt to the new environment
and become effective.

Limitations of Downward Communication

i) Communication often is not received

Employees often do not read the announcements, or they ignore the bulletins that are posted and
overlook the posters that announce current events. Supervisors and managers choose not to
conduct departmental meetings, or neglect to conduct the disciplinary or appraisal interviews that
are their responsibility.

ii) Communication occurs too frequently and after a time employees become saturated and
simply stop paying attention.

iii) Distortion or filtering

The sheer number of people involved makes it likely that:

Facts will be distorted

Details will be filtered out
The meaning of the message will be changed

iv) Built in resistance

Downward communication is characterized by some degree of authoritarianism. Subordinators

are expected to receive the message at its face value, i.e without questioning the validity,
reliability and appropriateness of the message.

54
Ways of Improving Downward Communication

 The message must be clearly understood by the subordinate

 The employee has to believe the order or instruction is consistent with the
organization goal.
 The subordinate must be able to comply with the order mentally and physically.
Orders and instructions have to be reasonable enough to reflect the capacity of the
subordinate with due regard to time.
B. Upward Communication

Dear students’ upward communication constitutes the flow of information from subordinates to
supervisors. It involves information about

 Subordinates performance
 Feedback on organization a policies and practices
 Problem solving suggestions opinions, complaints etc.

Importance of Upward Communication

i) Providing feedback: Managerial function is incomplete without feedback. Managers ascertain

whether:

 The policies are being followed

 The rules are being strictly respected
 The directives are properly carried out by means of feedback.

ii) Outlet for pent-up emotions

Upward communication provides employees with the opportunity to channel their problems,
complains, and grievances to superiors. This reduces frustration and enables employees develop
positive attitude.

iii) Providing constructive suggestions

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Every member of an organization has a capacity to contribute ideas or suggestions that can
promote the welfare of the organization. Every employee is endowed with some creative
capacity and wise managers utilize the creative capacity of their subordinates.

When subordinates’ constructive suggestions are accepted and implemented, they feel
encouraged and motivated because they believe are participating in decision making. This also
enables them to identify themselves with the management and the organization.

iv) Easier introduction of new schemes

Effective upward communication minimizes resistance to changes and makes them exert extra
efforts to make the new schemes successful.

v) Greater harmony between superiors and subordinates

Methods of Upward Communication: The most common methods of upward communication

are the following:

i) Employee opinion surveys: These are written questionnaires asking employees to report about
their attitudes and feelings toward all elements of their working lives. Responses are anonymous
and employees are free to express their attitudes without fear of reprisal.

ii) Letters and reports.

iii) Suggestion and complaints boxes- often effective at the beginning and their novelty quickly
wear off.

iv) Open door policies: This allows employees to stop by any manager’s office with concern,
suggestion, or complaint whenever they feel the need. Practically, however, many managers may
not have either time or willingness to listen to the ideas of subordinates and other lower level
people. Moreover, entering managers’ offices is often intimidating.

v) Open floor policies/management by walking: This is an upward communication method

through which management member’s walk around work areas talking informally with
employees individually or in-group. This method is more effective because employees are likely
to say what is in their minds when they are at work.

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vi) Departmental meetings- employees are freer to report discuss and evaluate all elements of
their work lives than using written reports.

vii) Social gatherings: Social gathering creates favorable atmosphere for informal upward
communication through employees throw away their timidity and fear and feel free to talk to
superiors about organizational and personal problems.

Limitations of Upward Communication

i) Upward communication is subject to substantial distortion: Employees are reluctant to

communicate negative information to superiors. Subordinates make every attempt to send
messages that please management and this leads to exaggerated information.

ii) By passing some organizational levels: When subordinates by pass their immediate superiors,
the possible result can be:

 Hostility between a subordinate and his/her immediate superior

 Information overload to top management resulting in distrust for lack of response
 Violation of the chain of command

iii) Many superiors discourage upward communication because of Negligence, lack of

confidence, or because they claim to be busy.

C. Horizontal Communication

Horizontal or lateral communication is communication between people or work units at the same
level of organizational hierarchy. It is designed to save time and facilitate control. Strict
adherence to the chain of command might result in the following problems.

 By the time the communication process in complete through the scalar chain, the
information may be useless.
 The communication must pass through various levels aggravating screening and
distortion.
 The communications will unnecessarily costly in terms of time and money.
D. Diagonal Communication

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Diagonal communication takes place between work units or people at different levels of
organizational hierarchy but without having direct reporting relationship. It is designed to
support the vertical and horizontal communication systems.

4.3.2.2. Informal Communication (The Grapevine)

People talk about job related or unrelated information. They talk about promotions, salary
increment, demotions, administrative policies and decisions. They also talk about local and
international affairs. They talk such situations in the form of rumors, gossips, daily friendly chat
etc. This all travel through informal networks that often develop through incidents of spatial
arrangement, similarity of personalities or compatibilities of personal skills.

Informal communication is thus, ones, aspect of organizational communication that is not

designed and recognized by management. Since every communication cannot be programmed,
grapevine is created and exists out of the will of management. It arises out of the need for social
interaction between people in the organization. Of course what they share at an informal level
will affect their ability to communicate about their jobs and their attitude towards their work and
the organization.

Most employees are involved in several networks at the same time, some grow from political
ties, other from technical interests and still others from social preferences. Grapevine is thus
made up of several information networks that overlap and interest at a number of points-that is
some well informed individuals are likely to belong to more than one informal networks. It
shows admirable disregard for rank and authority. The situations that employees may informally
discuss in the form of rumors and gossips may distort the accuracy of the information and may
even go against the interest of the organization, but managers cannot avoid it because it is not
created by management.

Four Informal Communication configurations

1. Single strand :

A B C D

2. Gossip - a person with the information passes it to every other individual in the chain

58
 A

B
D F C A
3.Random - Probability chain - each person passes on information at random, without
particular regard for who the receiver is. And the receivers use the same approach in their
communication efforts.

D
C
E

A F

G
I
H

4. Cluster chain - information is passed on selectively: the individual deliberately tells some
people and does not tell others. Some of those getting the information pass it on to others while
the remainder does not. The result is that handful of people often account for all of the
information that is passed along this information chain.

59
 B D

E F M

H J
I K L

Importance of the grapevine

i) It is used by employees as a safety value

Employees use the grapevine as a way of expressing their confined emotions use releasing their
anxieties. When people feel powerless to direct their destinies, the grapevine is a way to letting
their confined emotions thereby reducing frustration.

ii) The grapevine promotes organizational solidarity and cohesion.

People have inborn interest to interact and they satisfy their needs for friendliness, Love and
acceptance by their peers.

iii) Provides feedback to management

It enables managers to know the real responses of employees towards a policy or other parts of
the organization from the grapevine leaders informally than formal reports from supervisors. The
most negative attribute of the grapevine, however, is that it serves as a network for rumors that
cannot be supported by facts. Rumors can travel like wild fire across the boundary of an
organization thereby spoiling the public image of the organization. Besides often transmits
incomplete information resulting in possible misunderstanding, confusion and wrong action.

Ways of effectively utilizing the grapevine

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Grapevine is a natural and enviable result of people working together in groups. It cannot be
avoided because the more one tries to block the more force it will have. Therefore the following
are some of the ways through which the grapevine can be utilized effectively for organizational
purposes.

Managers should admit its existence and try to feed the leaders or the grapevine accurate
information for fast dissemination and minimize rumors that adversely affect the Organizations
productivity and public image.

The grapevine should be used to diagnose the feelings and attitudes of employees so that
Management policies, styles and other practices would be adjusted profitably according to the
common interest.

Encouraging informal organizations to build team work wand mutual understanding so that false
rumors can be prevented before they prove to be harmful and disastrous.

4.4. Nonverbal Communication

We communicate in many different ways. What we say can be reinforced or contradicted by
nonverbal communication, such as facial expressions and body gestures. Nonverbal symbols are
expected to support the verbal. But it is not always so. For example, an autocratic manager who
pounds a first on the table while announcing that from now on participate management will be
practiced certainly creates a credibility gap. Similarly, managers who state that they have an
open-door policy, but then have a secretary carefully screen people who want to see the boss
create incongruence between what they say and the way they behave. Clearly, nonverbal
communication may support or contradict verbal communication, giving rise to the saying that
actions often speak louder than words.

Nonverbal communication is any message (information) the sender communicates without using
words. This type of communication, sometimes referred to as body language, is an important part
of the communication process. It takes place through body language (body movement) such as
gesture, eye contact, facial expression, and voice intonations as well as physical appearance. A
meaning is attached to these nonverbal symbols. The meaning of nonverbal communication is in
the observer, who both reads specific signals and interprets them in the context of the particular
situation.

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Channels of nonverbal communication

1. Facial expressions and eye behavior

The face is the primary site for the expression of emotion, revealing both the type and the
intensity of a person’s feelings. A person’s eyes are especially effective as a tool of
communication. They can be used to indicate attention and interest, to influence others, to
regulate interaction and to establish dominance. Although the eyes and the face are usually
reliable sources of meaning, people sometimes manipulate their expressions to simulate an
emotion they do not feel or to mask their true feelings.

2. Gestures and Postures

By moving their bodies people can express both specific and general messages. Many gestures, a
wave of the hand, for example, have a specific and intentional meaning such as “hello” or
goodbye.” The other types of body movement are unintentional and express general messages.
These unconscious signals reveal whether a person feels confident or nervous, friendly or hostile,
assertive or passive, powerful or powerless.

3. Vocal characteristic/tones

The tone and volume of your voice, your accent and speaking pace say a lot about who you are,
your relationship with the audience and the emotions underlying your words.

4. Personal/physical/ appearance

The physical appearance and personal style contribute to our identity. People respond to use on
the basis of our physical attractiveness. Because we see ourselves as others see us. When people
think we are capable and attractive, we feel good about ourselves and this affects our behavior,
which in turn affects other people’s perceptions of us. Our grooming, clothing and our style
modify our appearance.

5. Use of time and space

This involves showing respect by being on time. Space also serves as a symbol of status and
determines how comfortable people feel talking each other. Nonverbal communication serves

62
important functions with respect to the verbal message; it can complement it, regulate it,
substitute for it, or accent it.

It is important for the receiver to understand the real message conveyed by the nonverbal
communication. Although verbal and nonverbal communication works together best when they
are complementary, nonverbal communication may take the place of or even contradict formal
communication or is misleading. One should look for nonverbal symbols as well as listen to the
literal meaning of a sender’s words; he should particularly be aware of contradictions of the
messages. For instance, a boss may say that he/she is free to talk to him about a grievance but he
may see nonverbal signals that suggest that this is not the time to discuss the subject. Regardless
of what is being said, an individual who frequently glances at his/her wristwatch is giving the
message that he/she would prefer to terminate the conversation. These contradictions suggest one
saying that “actions speak louder-and more accurately-than words.

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Summary
Verbal and nonverbal messages are the tools of effective leadership. People in business and
professional settings who use and interpret verbal and nonverbal messages effectively become
leaders. Their leadership gives them the ability to influence others and to effect change in the
workplace. Put simply, they make work happen. Three sets of verbal communication skills will
help you use and interpret verbal messages effectively:

 The first skill set focuses on making messages concrete, concise, and relevant.
 The second verbal communication skill set involves communicating supportive messages
that enhance the communication climate.
 The third verbal communication skill set is aimed at communicating assertive messages
—that is, making requests rather than demands.
 The use of text messages in workplace communication is effective when used
appropriately, and not to convey important or personal information.
 To use and interpret nonverbal messages effectively, it is important to understand the
unique characteristics, functions, and sources of nonverbal messages.
 Nonverbal messages are unique in that they convey our feelings and emotions; they
convey relational cues, which help us form relationships; they tend to be authentic and
believable; and they are culture bound.
 Nonverbal messages function on a variety of levels, which means they serve a number of
purposes. Nonverbal messages can be used to substitute, complement, repeat, regulate,
accent, or contradict.

64
 The eight sources of nonverbal messages include physical appearance; vocalic; body
movement, posture, and gestures; facial expressions and eye contact; use of space; use of
time; touch; and physical environment.
 It is essential to understand how verbal and nonverbal messages can be used in a
destructive manner to sexually harass others in the workplace.
 The two types of sexual harassment in the workplace are quid pro quo and hostile
environment sexual harassment.
 Communication strategies for avoiding sexually harassing messages include refraining
from using sexual or sex-based messages and behaviors, communicating harassing
 Management should accept the grapevine as inevitable fact organizational life. If properly
guided it can help build teamwork, company loyalty, and the kind of motivation that
makes people want to do their best. It may weld the group together more effectively than
company policy and other formal tools of the organization.
 It is, therefore, vital that managers be in touch with informal networks, participate in
them, learn from them, and use them tactfully to disseminate information.
 How you use verbal and nonverbal messages will influence your ability to lead others
effectively.
 Verbal messages are messages that use words to create meaning for others. People
interpret verbal messages in a couple of ways: denotatively and connotatively.
 Clear verbal messages are concrete, concise, and relevant.
 Supportive verbal messages are descriptive, un controlling, genuine, empathic, flexible,
and equal.
 People interpret text messages as an oral or spoken form of communication rather than a
written form of communication.
 Avoid use of sexual verbal messages such as sexual jokes and teasing and sex-based
messages, such as “This is man’s work. What are you doing here?”
 Nonverbal messages are visual and audible symbols that do rely on words or language to
create meaning.
 Nonverbal messages convey feelings, form relationships, express truth, and reflect
culture.

65
  Avoid nonverbal messages that are a form of sexual harassment, such as inappropriate
touching.

Self CheckExercises
Part I say true of false
1. Organizations can be successful without making internal communication
2. Formal communication is that which follows prescribed channels of communication
throughout the organization-typically the chain of command.
3. Informal communication is the official patterns of communication that are designed,
approved, and recognized by the management of the organization
4. Upward communication is the flow of information from subordinates to supervisors.
5. Informal communication is one of organizational communication that is not designed and
recognized by management

Part II: choose the best answer

6. Which one of the following is the important of successful external communication?

A. save time and expense
B. Build favorable impressions.
C. enhance goodwill
D. all
7. Which one of the following factors is the cause of communication failure?
A. It is take as activity orients not result oriented
B. if it is one way communication
C. The difficult to measure the impact of communication innthe organization

66
 D. All
8. Which one of the following is add?
A. Employee of the organization
B. Customer of the organization
C. Government
D. Financial institution
9. Which one of the following are the objectives of downward communication?
A. To provide directives to subordinates
B. To appraise subordinates’ performance/performance feedback
C. To indoctrinate company objectives, strategies, programs, policies and procedures
D. All

Part III answer the following questions accordingly

1. In this chapter, you learned that the words you use can enhance or detract from the
quality of your relationships. More specifically, using descriptive “I” language rather
than evaluative “you” language is helpful to prevent a defensive reaction when
addressing a conflict. Think of a specific conflict in your life and recreate the
conversation you had at the time using “you” language. Then recreate the same
conversation using descriptive “I” language.

2. Get together with some friends at a local mall or another public location. Watch the
nonverbal behavior of those around you; observe the cultural norms. Take notes and
compare yours with those of your friends, identifying any similarities and differences.
3. Start a nonverbal behavior journal, and take some time every week to reflect on the
nonverbal communication you use during your daily routine. Jot down some behaviors
you use and what they communicate. Now try an experiment: Choose some behaviors
that you do regularly, and stop doing them for one day. For example, if you meet a friend
at the same place for lunch every day, sit in a different seat or at a different table. Or,
when you talk with your supervisor, make a point to shake his hand (if you don’t
normally do that) or avoid looking him in the eye.
a. Do people notice the change in your behavior?
b. How do they react? Are they confused? Defensive? Annoyed?

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 c. What accounts for the reactions?
4. Think of a leader who has been very influential in your life. This can be someone you
know personally or a more widely known leader. Now, list some of the verbal and
nonverbal communication behaviors this leader uses.
a. What are the messages that are effective?
b. How does this person communicate his or her leadership using verbal and
nonverbal messages?

5. Demonstrate nonverbal communication and describe its role in the communication

process.
6. Understand and explain the principles of nonverbal communication
7. Describe the similarities and differences among eight general types of nonverbal
communication.

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 CHAPTER FIVE:
5. PUBLIC RELATIONS
At the end of this chapter students will be able to
 Define the roles of public relations in the promotion mix.
 Describe the main decisions involved in developing good public relations.
 Explain how publics are developed and implemented.
 Explain how companies use public relations to communicate with their publics.
 Discuss Important Public Relations Tools
 identify bases to compare among different media types

5.1 Introduction

Almost all large organizations either have a public relations department or outsource their public
relations needs to a company. Public relations are seen as a vital part of maintaining the
organization’s image and of communicating its message to its customers, investors and the
general public. A positive perception of a company or non-profit can increase its sales and
improve its bottom line. The functions and key tasks of a public relations specialist can be
varied.1 Public relations strategists will work with top executives in the organization to craft an
overview of how the company wants to be perceived, and how it is going to project a positive
image. This can involve focusing in on exactly the right message, and then deciding on the broad
outlines of a campaign to disseminate that message.

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5.2. Public relations
Dear students! So far we have learnt regarding different concepts of communication like:
communication pattern at individual and organization level, how communication quality affect
overall performance and profitability also. In successive chapters we shall deal with other forms
of communication. Try to link your previous knowledge with the upcoming ones differentiate
them based on new ideas.
Dear students you are familiar with public relations. If so what does it mean public relation
to you?
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________
Define the roles of public relations in the promotion mix
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________

Building good relations with the company's various publics by obtaining favorable publicity,
building up a good 'corporate image', and handling or heading off unfavorable rumors, stones
and events. Major PR tools include press relations, product publicity, corporate communications,
lobbying and counseling.

5.2.1 Important Public Relations Tools

There are a number of PR tools. One essential tool is news. PR professionals find or create
favorable news about the company and its products or people. Sometimes news stories occur
naturally. At other times, the PR person can suggest events or activities that would create news.
Speeches also create product and company publicity. Increasingly, company executives must
field questions from the media or give talks at trade associations or sales meetings. These events
can either build or hurt the company's image.

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Another common PR tool is special events, ranging from news conferences, press tours, grand
openings and firework displays to laser shows, hot-air balloon releases, multimedia presentations
and star-studded spectaculars designed to reach and interest target publics.
Public relations people also prepare written materials to reach and influence their target markets.
These materials include annual reports, brochures, articles and company newsletters and
magazines.
Audiovisual materials, such as films, slide-and-sound programmes and video and audio cassettes,
are being used increasingly as communication tools.
Corporate-identity materials also help create a corporate identity that the public immediately
recognizes. Logos, stationery, brochures, signs, business forms, business cards, buildings,
uniforms and even company cars and trucks make effective marketing tools when they are
attractive, distinctive and memorable.
Companies might improve public goodwill by contributing money and time to public service
activities: campaigns to raise funds for worthy causes – for example, to fight illiteracy, support
the work of a charity, or assist the aged and handicapped - help to raise public recognition.
Sponsorship is any vehicle through which corporations gain public relations exposure. In Europe,
the sponsorship industry is growing, with many firms committing huge sums of money around
the world to the sponsorship of sport and the arts because it makes good sense as a marketing
tool. A company's Web site can also be a good public relations vehicle. Consumers and members
of other publics can visit the site for information and entertainment.
In considering when and how to use product public relations, management should set PR
objectives; choose the PR messages and vehicles; implement the PR plan; and evaluate the
results.
Setting Public Relations Objectives
The first task is to set objectives for public relations. These are usually defined in relation to the
types of news story to be communicated, the communication objectives to be achieved (for
instance, awareness creation, knowledge dissemination, generation of specific publicity for target
groups) and the specific target audiences.

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5.2.2 Choosing Public Relations Messages and Vehicles

The organization next selects its major public relations message themes and the PR tools it will
use. Message themes should be guided by the organization's overall marketing and
communications strategic. PR is an important part of the organizations overall integrated
marketing communications programme, so the public relations messages should be carefully
integrated with the organization's advertising, personal selling, direct marketing and other
communications.
In some cases the choice of PR messages and tools will be clear-cut. In others, the organization
will have to create the news rather than find it. The company could sponsor newsworthy events.
Ideas might include hosting major conventions, inviting well-known celebrities and holding
press conferences. Creating events is especially important in publicizing fund-raising drives for
non-profit organizations. Fund-raisers have developed a large set of special events such as art
exhibits, auctions, benefit evenings, book sales, contests, dances, dinners, fairs, fashion shows,
Marathons and walkathons. No sooner is one type of event created - like walkathons - than
competitors create new versions, such as readathons, bikeathons and swimathons.

Implementing the Public Relations Plan: Implementing public relations requires care. Take, for
example, the placing" ofstories in the media. A great story is easy to place, but, unfortunately,
moststories are not earth shattering and would not get past busy editors. Thus one ofthe main
assets of public relations people is their personal relationships withmedia editors. In fact, PR
professionals are often former journalists who knowmany media editors and know what they
want. They view media editors as amarket to be satisfied so that editors will continue to use their
stories.

5.2.3. Evaluating Public Relations Results

Public relations results are difficult to measure because PR is used with other promotion tools
and its impact is often indirect. If PR is used before other tools come into play, its contribution is
easier to evaluate. The easiest measure of publicity effectiveness is the number of exposures in
the media.

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Public relations people give the client a "clippings book' showing all the media that carried news
about the product and a summary. The summary would also give an indication of the cost of the
time and space had they been purchased at current advertising rates.
This exposure measure is not very satisfying, however. It does not tell how many people actually
read or beard the message, or what they thought afterwards. In addition, because of the media
overlap in readership and viewership, it does not give information on the net audience reached.
Selecting Advertising Media
The advertiser must next decide upon the media to carry the message. The main steps in media
selection are:
1) deciding on reach, frequency and impact;
2) choosing among chief media types;
3) selecting specific media vehicles; and
4) deciding on media timing. Deciding on reach, frequency and impact: To select media, the
advertiser must decide what reach and frequency are needed to achieve advertising
objectives.
Reach is a measure of the percentage of people in the target market who are exposed to the ad
campaign during a given period of time.
The number of times the average person in the target market is exposed to an advertising
message during a given period.
Specific media –within each general media type, such as specific magazines, television shows or
radio.
Frequency: is a measure of how manytimes the average person in the target market is exposed to
the message. Forexample, the advertiser might want an average exposure frequency of three.
Theadvertiser must also decide on the desired media impact- that is the qualitativevalue of a
message exposure through a given medium. For example, for productsthat need to he
demonstrated, messages on television may have more impact thanmessages on radio because
television uses sight and sound. The same message ina national newspaper may he more
believable than in a local daily.

5.2.4. Choosing Among Chief Media Types:

The media planner has to know the reach, frequency and impact of each of the major media types

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  How do advertisers select appropriate media from the range of media
available? Media planners consider many factors when making their media
choices.
The media habits of target consumers will affect media choice: for example, radio and television
are the best media for reaching teenagers. So will the nature of theproduct: fashions, for
example, are best advertised in color magazines and Nikon cameras are best demonstrated on
television. Different types of may require different media: for instance, a message announcing a
big sale tomorrow will require radio or newspapers; a message with a lot of technical data might
require magazines or direct mailings or an online ad and Web site.
Cost is also an important consideration in media choice: whereas television is very expensive,
newspaper advertising costs much less. The media planner looks at both the total cost of using a
medium and the cost per thousand exposures - that is, the cost of reaching 1,000 people using the
medium. Media impact and cost must be re-examined regularly.
For a long time, television and magazines dominated in the media mixes of national advertisers,
with other media often neglected. Recently, however, the costs and clutter of these media have
gone up, audiences have dropped and marketers are adopting strategies aimed at narrower
segments.
"'Advertisers are also turning increasingly to alternative media, ranging from cable TV and
outdoor advertising to parking meters, taxis and even shopping trolleys.

5.2.4.1 Selecting Specific Media Vehicles:

The media planner must now choose the best media vehicles - that is, specific media within each
general media type. In most cases, there are an incredible number of choices. For radio and
television, and in any one country, there are numerous stations and channels to choose from,
together with hundreds, even thousands, of programme vehicles - the particular programmes or
shows where the commercial should be broadcast, Prime-time programmes are the favourites;
the costs, however, tend to escalate with the popularity of the programme.
Each country has its own high- or general-circulation magazines which reach general audience
groups. There is also an array of special-interest publications that enable advertisers to reach
special groups of audience (for instance, business magazines to reach business executives).

74
The planner selects the media that will do the best join in terms of reaching the target customer
group - that is, in terms of their selectivity towards the target.
Then he or she must evaluate each magazine on factors such as credibility, status,
reproductionquality, editorial focus and advertising submission deadlines.
The media planner considers the cost of producing ads for different media. Whereas newspaper
ads may cost very little to produce, flashy television ads may cost millions. Media costs vary
across different countries, so care must be taken not to generalize the figures. Thus the media
planner must balance media cost measures against several impact factors. First, the planner
should balance costs against the media vehicle's audience quality. For a mobile telephone ad,
business magazines would have a high-exposure value; magazines aimed at new parents or
woodwork enthusisisists would have a low-exposure value. Second, the media planner should
consider audience attention. Third, the planner should assess the vehicle's editorial quality.

Deciding on Media Timing: Another decision that must be made concerns timing: how to
schedule the advertising over the course of a year. Suppose sales of a product peak in December
and drop in March. The firm can vary its advertising to follow the seasonal pattern, to oppose the
seasonal pattern, or to be the same all year. Most firms do some seasonal advertising.
The international media comprise an extensive mix:
• Newspapers. Faster and more efficient circulation is possible with new technologies, such as
satellite printing, which allows advertising copy to be sent by satellite to the printers. In general
there have been enormous developments in local and global press, and more newspapers have
gone global to reach specific audiences.

• Magazines. There are some national and international journals which carry ads that target
regional, international or global customers (e.g. Fortune,News/week, Time, The Economist).

• Cinema. This is a relatively popular medium for reaching younger viewers, such as teenagers.
In developing and less developed nations, cinema remains important.
• Television. There are few country markets where television is not available or where
advertising is not carried via that medium. Satellite and cable opportunities have expanded
enormously and accelerated the use of TV for international advertising. A few stations - notably,
CNN, NBC Super Channel and Eurosport - are well-recognized international media channels.
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• Outdoor advertising and transport advertising. This medium is used throughout the world. In
the western developed markets, advertisers are expanding their repertoire of outside media (e.g.
park benches, trucks, taxis, bus stop shelters). This medium is used as an alternative in cases
where the product category cannot be advertised on TV, as in the case of tobacco and alcoholic
products. In some countries, such as India and the People's Republic of China, outdoor
advertising has become more important.
• Interactive communication media. Interactive systems, such as videotext!
• Radio: As a medium for international advertising, radio is constrained by availability in the
sense that most commercial radio is regional.
• Place-based media. This is a worldwide development and advertisers are increasingly
deploying the medium to reach audiences wherever they happen to be - at work, the fitness
centre, the supermarket, airports and in the airplane. The programming and advertising can be
produced internationally.
• Trade fairs and exhibitions. These can be costly, but are useful media for international
communications.
• Sponsorship. Sponsorship of sports or art events, like the Olympic (lames and the soccer World
Cup, offers vast audience reach.
• Other media. Point-of-sale materials are not easy to reproduce internationally. Invariably, they
have to be adapted to local conditions, specifically the language, regulations and distribution
outlets.
Direct mail is used in many countries, but it is primarily a local technique. As postal services
van' from country to country, including within the EU, the medium has yet to be applied
internationally. Nonetheless, credit card companies that have an international customer database
can exploit this medium for worldwide communications. Online media such as the Internet are
gaining recognition and organizations are increasingly investing in this channel given its
potential to reach a global audience
There have been important trends in media development worldwide. Most notable arc
developments in TV and telecommunications. A second force is deregulation, which results in
the proliferation of commercial TV and satellite broadcasting. In deregulated central Europe and
in Asia, as state control over media relaxes, opportunities open up for advertising. Another

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development in the 1990s is the emergence of megabrands as a result of merger activities. Such
megabrands can concentrate media buying, which in turn influences media development.
Table 5.1 Advantages and limitations of media forms
Advantages and limitations of media forms
MEDIUM ADVANTAGES LIMITATIONS
Newspapers Flexibility; timeliness; local market Short life; poor reproduction
coverage; broad acceptance; high quality; small pass-along
believability. audience.
Television (combines sight, sound and motion; high absolute cost; high
appealing to the senses; high attention; high clutter; fleeting exposure; less
reach. audience selectivity.
Radio Mass use; high geographic and Audio presentation only, lower
demographic selectivity; low cost. attention than TV; fleeting
exposure.
Magazines High geographic and demographic Long ad purchase lead time;
selectivity; credibility and prestige; high- some
quality reproduction; long life; good pass- waste circulation; no guarantee
along readership. of position.
Outdoor Flexibility; high repeat exposure; low cost; No audience selectivity;
low competition. creative limitations.
.
Publicity: Activities to promote acompany or its productsby planting news aboutit in media not
paid forby the sponsor.
Many companies fail to evaluate their sales promotion programmes, while others evaluate them
only superficially. Manufacturers can use one of many evaluation methods. The most common
method is to compare sales before, during and after a promotion.
It concerns with building good relations with the company's various publics by obtaining
favourable publicity, building up a good 'corporate image' and handling or heading off
unfavourable rumours, stories and events. The old name for marketing public relations was
publicity, which was seen simply as activities to promote a company or its products by planting

77
news about it in media not paid for by the sponsor. Public relations (PR) is a much broader
concept that includes publicity as well as many other activities.
Public relations departments use many different tools;
 Press relations or press agency. Creating and placing newsworthy information in the
news media to attract attention to a person, product or service.
 Product publicity. Publicizing specific products.
 Public affairs. Building and maintaining local, national and international relations.
 Lobbying. Building and maintaining relations with legislators and government officials
 Investor relations. Maintaining relationships with .shareholders and others in the
financial community.
 Development. Public relations with dooms or members of non-profit organizations to
gain financial or volunteer support.
Public relations are used to promote products, people, places, ideas, activities, organizations and
even nations. Trade associations have used public relations to rebuild interest in declining
commodities such as eggs, apples, milk and potatoes. Even nations have used public relations to
attract more tourists, foreign investment and international support.
Public relations can have a strong impact on public awareness at a much Lower cost than
advertising. The company does not pay for the space or time in the media. Rather, it pays for a
staff to develop and circulate information and to manage events. If the company develops an
interesting story, it could be picked up by several different media, having the same effect as
advertising that would cost a lot more money. And it would have more credibility than
advertising. Despite its potential strengths, public relations, like sales promotions, is often
described as a marketing stepchild because of its limited and scattered use. The public relations
department is usually located at corporate headquarters. Its staff is so busy dealing with various
publics - stockholders, employees, legislators, city officials - those public relations programmes
to support product marketing objectives may be ignored. Moreover, marketing managers and
public relations practitioners do not always talk the same language. Many public relations
practitioners see their job as simply communicating. In contrast, marketing managers tend to be
much more interested in how advertising and public relations affect sales and profits.

78
This situation is changing, however. Many companies now want their public relations
departments to manage all their activities with a view to marketing the company and improving
the bottom line. Some companies are setting up special units to support corporate and product
promotion and image making directly.
Many companies hire marketing public relations firms to handle their PR programmes or to
assist the company public relations team. Major corporations and multinational firmsare also
placing greater emphasis on analyzing and measuring the effectiveness of their PR activities to
provide a basis for forward planning of communication strategies.
Public relations or PR offers several unique qualities; it is all those activities that the
organization does to communicate with target audiences which are not directly paid for.
 PR is very believable: news stories, features and events seem more real and
convincing to readers than ads do.
 Public relations can reach many prospects who avoid salespeople and
advertisements, since the message gets to the buyers as 'news' rather than as a
sales-directed communication.
 And, like advertising, PR can dramatize a company or product. The Body Shop
is one of the few international companies that have used public relations as a
more effective alternative to mass TV advertising-Marketers tend to
underagepublic relations or to use it as an afterthought. Yet a well-thought-out
public relations campaign used with other promotion-mix elements can be very
effective and economical

5.3 . Presenting Public Relations Presentations

In a public relations presentation, the speaker is specifically providing information to promote a

positive public image for the person or organization the speaker is representing. People who
work for professional associations, blood banks, utility companies, government agencies,
universities, religious organizations, or charitable institutions, as well as those employed by
commercial enterprises, are often called on to speak to an audience about what their organization
does or about a special project the organization has taken on.

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Public relations (PR) speeches are designed to inform the public and improve relations with them
—either to present general impressions of the organization, or, because a particular program or
situation has raised some questions or concerns, to emphasize the positive features of the
organization. So although the purpose of many public relations presentations is to present
information, there is often a persuasive edge to public relations messages. The speaker may be
trying to enhance or maintain a positive, polished public image.
Here are some suggestions for developing PR presentations:
 Often a PR speech should simply describe the virtues and positive aspects of the policy or
program the speaker is promoting. Note how the company, organization, or policy has
significant benefits for the listener.
 If a specific problem or issue has prompted the speech, the speaker should identify the
concerns. Then he or she should go on to explain how the company or organization can
meet the need, solve the problem, or why there really is no problem.
 PR speeches should anticipate criticism and objections, especially if the primary purpose
of the speech is to change opinions or address a controversial issue. The speaker should
acknowledge the listeners’ points of view and then counter potential problems or
objections. Explain how the company or organization has carefully worked through
potential pitfalls and drawbacks and demonstrate how what may look like a problem can
easily be addressed.

5.4 Social Media

Online communities, forums, blogs, tweets, cloud computing, and avatar-activated environments
are some of the continually developing means of social media being harnessed by the business
world. The Internet is increasingly promoting tools and platforms for people to interact. From
bulletin boards that resemble the Free Net posts of years past, to interactive environments like
Second Life, people are increasingly representing and interpreting themselves online. Humans
seek interaction, and this has led to new ways to market, advertise, and interact; however,
caution is warranted when engaging in social media online.
When you use these media, remember a few simple cautions:
1. Not everything is at it appears. The individuals on the forum may not all be who they represent
themselves to be.

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2. The words you write and the images you send, regardless of how much you trust the recipient,
may become public and can remain online forever.
3. Always consider what you access and what you post, and how it represents you and your
employer, even if you think others cannot know where you work or who you are.
4. Be aware that Internet service providers (ISPs) are required by law to archive information
concerning the use and traffic of information that can become available under subpoena.
Forums: are often theme-based Web sites that gather a community of individuals dedicated to a
common interest.
Professional networking sites such as LinkedIn allow people to link to, and interact with, others
who work in their industry or related ones. More general social media sites include MySpace and
Face book, which also present threaded discussions and dynamic interfaces with groups that may
or may not be limited to those that user intends.
Interactive writing platforms such as blogs, wikis, and cloud computing involve having common
documents stored on the Internet which can be accessed from multiple sites at once, further
facilitating the interaction.
Blogs are Web pages with periodic posts that may or may not feature feedback responses from
readers.
Wikis are collaborations on Web content that are created and edited by users.
Cloud computing involves secure access of files from anywhere as information is stored
remotely.
Somewhere between a social networking site, where people gather virtually to interact, and a
computer game lies the genre of avatar-activated virtual worlds such as Second Life. In these
environments, users can meet others and make friends, participate in activities, and create and
trade virtual property and services.
Business and industry organizations may also incorporate posts and threaded discussions, but
often under a password-protected design on a company’s intranet or other limited-access
platform. Employees may use their business-provided computer equipment to access sites that
are not business related (if not specifically blocked), but all information associated with a each
business’s computer is subject to inspection, archival, and supervision.

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Every computer is assigned an Internet protocol or IP address. The IP address can be specifically
traced back to the original user, or at least to the computer itself and to who is responsible for its
use.
From an e-mail via one of the free sites (e.g., Juno, Google’s Gmail, or Yahoo! Mail) to cloud
computing and wikis, your movements across the Web leave clear “footprints.”
Whether you maintain a personal Web page, a blog, or engage with peers and colleagues via
Twitter take care when considering what personal information to make public. Privacy is an
increasing issue online and your safety is a priority. Always represent yourself and your
organization with professionalism, knowing that what you search for and how you use your
business computer can and often is subject to inspection.

Summary

Organizations use public relations to obtain favorable publicity, to build up a good 'corporate
image' and to handle or head off unfavorable rumors, stories and events. Public relations
involves setting PR objectives, choosing PR messages and vehicles, implementing the PR plan
and evaluating PR results. To accomplish these goals, PR professionals use a variety of tools,
such as news, speeches and special events. Or they communicate with various publics through
written, audiovisual and corporate identity materials, and contribute money and time to public
relations activities.

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Self Check Exercise
Part I: say true or false

1. Public relation is important in building the organization image

2. Companies might improve public goodwill by contributing money and time to public
service activities
3. Publicity is activities to promote acompany or its productsby planting news aboutit in
media not paid forby the sponsor
4. In public relation, the massage themes determine the communication tools.
5. It is difficult to measure the impact of public relations.

Part II: choose the best answer

6. Which one of the following is true about public relations

A. It build positive image to organizations and products
B. It is important to disseminate knowledge/information
C. It increases market opportunity to the organization
D. All
7. Which one of the following written materials used in public relation activity
A. annual reports,
B. brochures,
C. company newsletters
D. All

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 8. Which one of the following is disadvantages of newspaper?
A. Flexibility
B. short life spam
C. Broad acceptance
D. High believability

Part III: answer the following questions accordingly

1. Comparison advertising is not permitted in some countries. What are sonic of the benefits
and drawbacks of comparison advertising? Which has more to gain from using
comparison advertising – the leading brand in a market or a lesser brand? Why?
2. Surveys show that many people are skeptical of advertising claims. Do you mistrust
advertising? Why or why not? What should advertisers do to increase credibility?
3. Companies often run advertising, sales promotion and public relations efforts at the same
time. Can their efforts be separated? Discuss how a company might evaluate the
effectiveness of each element in public relations?
4. Many companies are spending more on trade promotions and consumer promotions than
on advertising. Why do you think this is so? Is heavy spending on sales promotions a
good strategy for long-term profits? Why or why not?
5. Try to find ads from two direct competitors. Are these brands using similar promotional
tools in similar ways?
6. Look out for two current television ads that you think are particularly effective and two
that you feel are ineffective,
7. Describe precisely why you feel the better ads are effective and explain why the
ineffective ones fall short,
8. How would you improve the less effective ads? If you think they are too poor to he
improved, write an alternative ad for each, describing why these would he more effective.

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 CHAPTER SIX

6. ORAL COMMUNICATION MEDIA

At the end of this chapter students will able to

 Explain listening and its purposes in communication..

 Discuss two important first steps in preparing effective oral presentations.
 Explain the major elements of a presentation: the introduction, body, and conclusion.
 Identify techniques for gaining audience rapport, including using effective imagery,
providing
 Verbal signposts and sending appropriate nonverbal messages.
 Explain how to design an impressive multimedia presentation, including adapting
template and color schemes; organizing, composing, and editing your slideshow;
rehearsing your talk; and keeping audiences engaged.
 Specify delivery techniques for use before, during, and after a presentation.
 Describe the methods of ensuring effective listening in communication.
 Discuss the contribution of telephone communication in the present business world.
 Explain the methods of conducting effective telephone communication.
 Describe the steps in the interview process.
 Explain the different types of interview.
 Explain the purpose of a meeting.
 Explain the steps involved in the planning and conducting of productive meetings.
 Explain the qualities of a good meeting leader.
 Explain the purpose and application of speech in business

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6.1 Introduction
Oral communication is the process of expressing information or ideas by word of mouth. Oral
communication is the process of verbally transmitting information and ideas from one individual
or group to another. In the other words, Oral communication can be either Formal or Informal.
Examples of informal oral communication include Face-to-face conversations, Telephone
conversations, Discussions that take place at business meetings, more formal types of oral
communication include: Presentations at business meetings, Classroomlectures, Commencement
2
speech given at a graduation ceremony With advances in technology, new forms of oral
communication continue to develop such as Video Phones and Video Conferences.Oral
communication is skill which include both speaking and listening skills. These skills need to be
development if you want to transfer massages clearly. In this chapter explains the oral
communication skills.

6.2. ORAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Dear students before we discuss about oral communication skills, you need to memorize what do
you know about oral communication?
Activity:
A. Define oral communication and differentiate it from other means of communication.
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_____________________
B. List and define each of the different types oral communication, and describe the various
sequences in communication

__________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_____________________

To be successful in communication, students require more than the formal ability to present and
a range of formulaic expressions. Successful communication is context dependent and therefore

2
Donna Swarthout
http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/oral-communication-definition-types-advantages.html#lesson

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embedded in its particular discourse community. Oral communication reflects the persistent and
powerful role of language and communication in human society. Communication is more than
merely an exchange of words between parties; it is a “…sociological encounter” (and through
exchange of meanings in the communication process, social reality is “created, maintained and
modified”).

Such a capacity of language is also evident in Speech act theory, concerned with the
communicative effect, that is, the function and effect of utterances, dissects an utterance into
three components: the actual utterance (the locution); the act performed by the utterance (the
illocution); and the effect the act has on the hearer (the per locution). Communication is a
dynamic interactive process that involves the effective transmission of facts, ideas, thoughts,
feelings and values.

It is not passive and does not just happen; we actively and consciously engage in communication
in order to develop information and understanding required for effective group functioning. It is
dynamic because it involves a variety of forces and activities interacting over time. The word
process suggests that communication exists as a flow through a sequence or series of steps. The
interaction is far more complex than it seems. Oral communication is composed of multiple
elements which, when taken as a whole, result in the success or failure of the interaction. Not
everyone is an effective communicator. In order to function successfully academically and
professionally, one needs to learn effective oral communication skills. For many, conversational
speech comes naturally. However, in more formal speech, effective communication skills are
essential.

A poorly conducted interview, sales presentation, or legal argument could have ramifications that
affect many more people than the speaker. By becoming an effective communicator one will be
able to conduct himself in a variety of personal, professional, and academic environments with
confidence. Oral communication is a unique and learned rhetorical skill that requires
understanding what to say and how to say it. Unlike conversational speech, speech in more
formal environments does not come naturally. What should be learnt is how to critically think
about how to present oneself as a speaker in all occasions and then how to function in a variety
of speaking environments?

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Oral communication can take many forms, ranging from informal conversation that occurs
spontaneously and, in most cases, for which the content cannot be planned, to participation in
meetings, which occurs in a structured environment, usually with a set agenda. As a speaker
there are several elements of oral communication of which one needs to be aware in order to
learn how to use them to his advantage. Apart from the language used for communication, there
are several skills which the speaker should learn to communicate effectively.

The Skills are eye contact, body language, style, understanding the audience, adapting to the
audience, active and reflexive listening, politeness, precision, conciseness, etc. At tertiary level it
is assumed that the learners know the basics of the language. At this level ,teaching speaking
skills is irrelevant.

6.2.1 Speech
Dear student in this chapter we will not discuss about speaking but to make you effective
speaker. Dear students you may have said I wish I could be just like Mr. X. in making speech.
But to make effective speech you have to follow some certain procedures. Then you can make
effective speech.
Activity
Dear students did you make presentation in large group of people? If so who did you conduct it?
___________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________

6.2.1.1. Preparing Effective Oral Presentations

Perhaps you have admired the speaking skills of such well-known orators. Few of us will ever
talk to an audience of millions—whether face-to-face or aided by technology. We won’t be
introducing a spectacular new product or motivating millions. At some point, however, all
businesspeople have to inform others or sell an idea. Such information and persuasion are often
conveyed in person and involve audiences of various sizes. If you are like most people, you have
some apprehension when speaking in public. That’s normal. Good speakers are made, not born.
The good news is that you can conquer the fear of public speaking and hone your skills with
instruction and practice. Many future businesspeople fail to take advantage of opportunities in

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college to develop speaking skills. However, such skills often play an important role in mastering
speaking skills.

A. Knowing Your Purpose

The basic question you should answer when you make presentation id what do you real want to
transfer? In other words, objectives you speech/presentation is the key for your effectiveness.
The most important part of your preparation is deciding what you want to accomplish.
 Do you want to sell a health care program to a prospective client?
 Do you want to persuade management to increase the marketing budget?
 Do you want to inform customer service reps of three important ways to prevent
miscommunication? Whether your goal is to persuade or to inform, you must have a clear
idea of where you are going. At the end of your presentation, what do you want your
listeners to remember or do?
B. Knowing Your Audience
A second key element in preparation is analyzing your audience, anticipating its reactions, and
adjusting to its needs if necessary. Audiences may fall into four categories, as summarized in
table 6.1 By anticipating your audience, you have a better idea of how to organize your
presentation. A friendly audience, for example, will respond to humor and personal experiences.
A neutral audience requires an even, controlled delivery style. You would want to fill the talk
with facts, statistics, and expert opinions. An uninterested audience that is forced to attend
requires a brief presentation. Such an audience might respond best to humor, cartoons, colorful
visuals, and startling statistics. A hostile audience demands a calm, controlled delivery style with
objective data and expert opinion. Whatever type of audience you will have, remember to plan
your presentation so that it focuses on audience benefits. The members of your audience will
want to know what’s in it for them

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Table 6.1: Four Audience Types

Succeeding With Four Audience Types

Audience Organizational Delivery Style Material
Members Pattern Supporting
Friendly Use any pattern. Be warm, Include humor,
They like you Try something pleasant, and personal
and your topic. new. Involve the open. Use lots of Examples, and
audience eye contact and experiences
smiles.
Neutral Present both Be controlled. Use facts,
They are calm, sides of the issue. Do nothing statistics, expert
rational; their Use pro/con or Showy. Use opinion, and
minds are made problem/solution confident, small comparison and
up, but they think patterns. Save gestures contrast. Avoid
they are time for audience humor, personal
objective. questions stories, and
flashy visuals.
Uninterested Be brief—no Be dynamic and Use humor,
They have short more than three entertaining. cartoons, colorful
attention spans; points. Avoid Move around. visuals, powerful
they topical and Use large quotations, and
Maybe there pro/con patterns gestures. startling
against their will. that seem lengthy statistics.

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 to the audience.
Avoid darkening the room, standing motionless, passing out handouts, using
boring visuals, or expecting the audience to participate.
Hostile Organize using a Be calm and Include objective
They want to noncontroversial controlled. data and expert
take pattern, such as a Speak evenly and opinion. Avoid
charge or to topical, slowly anecdotes and
ridicule the chronological, or humor
speaker; they geographical
may be strategy.
defensive, Avoid a question-and-answer period, if possible; otherwise, use a moderator
emotional. or accept only written questions.
Other elements, such as age, gender, education, experience, and the size of the audience will
affect your style and message. Analyze the following questions to determine your organizational
pattern, delivery style, and supporting material.
 How will this topic appeal to this audience?
 How can I relate this information to my listeners’ needs?
 How can I earn respect so that they accept my message?
 What would be most effective in making my point? Facts? Statistics? Personal
experiences? Expert opinion? Humor? Cartoons? Graphic illustrations?
Demonstrations? Case histories? Analogies?
 What measures must I take to ensure that this audience remembers my main points?
If you have agreed to speak to an audience with which you are unfamiliar, ask for the names of a
half dozen people who will be in the audience. Contact them and learn about their backgrounds
and expectations for the presentation. This information can help you answer questions about
what they want to hear and how deeply you should explore the subject.
You will want to thank these people when you start your speech. Doing this kind of homework
will impress the audience.
C. Organizing the Content for a Powerful Impact
Once you have determined your purpose and analyzed the audience, you are ready to collect
information and organize it logically. Good organization and conscious repetition are the two

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most powerful keys to audience comprehension and retention. In fact, many speech experts
recommend the following deliberately repetitious, but effective, plan:
Step 1: Tell them what you are going to tell them.
Step 2: Tell them.
Step 3: Tell them what you have just told them.

In other words, repeat your main points in the introduction, body, and conclusion of your
presentation. Although it is redundant, this strategy works well because most people retain
information best when they hear it repeatedly. Let’s examine how to construct the three parts of
an effective presentation: introduction, body, and conclusion.
D. Capturing Attention in the Introduction
How many times have you heard a speaker begin with, it’s a pleasure to be here. Or, I’m
honored to beasked to speak. Boring openings such as these get speakers off to a dull start.
Avoid such banalities by striving to accomplish three goals in the introduction to your
presentation:
o Capture listeners’ attention and get them involved.
o Identify yourself and establish your credibility.
o Preview your main points.
If you are able to appeal to listeners and involve them in your presentation right from the start,
you are more likely to hold their attention until the finish. Consider some of the same techniques
that you used to open sales letters: a question, a startling fact, a joke, a story, or a quotation.
Some speakers achieve involvement by opening with a question or command that requires
audience members to raise their hands or stand up. To establish your credibility, you need to
describe your position, knowledge, or experience—whatever qualifies you to speak. Try also to
connect with your audience. Listeners respond particularly well to speakers who reveal
something of themselves and identify with them.
Use humor if you can pull it off (not everyone can); self-effacing humor may work best for you.
However, a joke at one’s own expense can also backfire and defeat its purpose, which is to allow
the audience to identify with the speaker who thus demonstrates that he or she is not pompous or
arrogant.

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After capturing attention and establishing yourself, you will want to preview the main points of
your topic, perhaps with a visual aid.
You may wish to put off actually writing your introduction, however, until after you have
organized the rest of the presentation and crystallized your principal ideas. Ten techniques to
gain and keep audience attention are presented below:
Gaining and Keeping Audience Attention

Activity

How do you get the attention of your audience?

______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________

Audience and how to maintain that attention during a presentation, you can spruce up your
presentations by trying these ten proven techniques.
1) A promise: Begin with a realistic promise that keeps the audience expectant (for
example, By the end of this presentation, you will know how you can increase your sales
by 50 percent!).
2) Drama: Open by telling an emotionally moving story or by describing a serious problem
that involves the audience. Throughout your talk include other dramatic elements, such as
a long pause after a key statement. Change your vocal tone or pitch. Professionals use
high-intensity emotions such as anger, joy, sadness, and excitement.
3) Eye contact: As you begin, command attention by surveying the entire audience to take
in all listeners. Give yourself two to five seconds to linger on individuals to avoid
fleeting, unconvincing eye contact. Don’t just sweep the room and the crowd.

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 4) Movement: Leave the lectern area whenever possible. Walk around the conference table
or down the aisles of your audience. Try to move toward your audience, especially at the
beginning and end of your talk.
5) Questions: Keep listeners active and involved with rhetorical questions. Ask for a show
of hands to get each listener thinking. The response will also give you a quick gauge of
audience attention.
6) Demonstrations: Include a member of the audience in a demonstration (for example, I’m
going to show you exactly how to implement our four-step customer courtesy process, but
I need a volunteer from the audience to help me).
7) Samples/props: If you are promoting a product, consider using items to toss out to the
audience or to award as prizes to volunteer participants. You can also pass around
product samples or promotional literature. Be careful, though, to maintain control.
8) Visuals: Give your audience something to look at besides yourself. Use a variety of
visual aids in a single session. Also consider writing the concerns expressed by your
audience on a flipchart or on the board as you go along.
9) Dress. Enhance your credibility with your audience by dressing professionally for your
presentation. Professional attire will help you look more competent and qualified, which
will make your audience more likely to listen to you and take you seriously.
10) Self-interest: Review your entire presentation to ensure that it meets the critical What’s-
in-it-for-me audience test. Remember that people are most interested in things that benefit
them.
E. Organizing the Body
The biggest problem with most oral presentations is a failure to focus on a few principal ideas.
This is why the body of your short presentation (20 or fewer minutes) should include a limited
number of main points, say, two to four. Develop each main point with adequate, but not
excessive, explanation and details. Too many details can obscure the main message, so keep your
presentation simple and logical. Remember, listeners have no pages to leaf back through should
they become confused. How to organize and sequence main ideas may not be immediately
obvious when you begin working on a presentation.
The following patterns provide many possible strategies and examples to help you organize a
presentation:

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 1. Chronology: Example: A presentation describing the history of a problem, organized
from the first sign of trouble to the present.
2. Geography/space: Example: A presentation about the changing diversity of the
workforce, organized by regions in the country (East Coast, West Coast, and so forth).
3. Topic/function/conventional grouping: Example: A presentation discussing mishandled
airline baggage, organized by names of airlines.
4. Comparison/contrast (pro/con): Example: A presentation comparing organic farming
methods with those of modern industrial farming.
5. Journalistic pattern (the six Ws): Example: A presentation describing how identity
thieves can steal your money and ruin your good name. Organized by who, what, when,
where, why, and how.
6. Value/size: Example: A presentation describing fluctuations in housing costs, organized
by prices of homes.
7. Importance: Example: A presentation describing five reasons a company should move
its headquarters to a specific city, organized from the most important reason to the least
important.
8. Problem/solution: Example: A company faces a problem such as declining sales. A
presentation offers a solution such as reducing staff.
9. Simple/complex: Example: A presentation explaining genetic modification of plants
such as corn, organized from simple seed production to complex gene introduction.
10. Best case/worst case: Example: A presentation analyzing whether two
companies should merge, organized by the best-case results (improved market share,
profitability, employee morale) as opposed to the worst-case results (devalued stock, lost
market share, employee malaise).
F. Summarizing in the Conclusion
Nervous speakers often rush to wrap up their presentations because they can’t wait to flee the
stage. However, listeners will remember the conclusion more than any other part of a speech.
That’s why you should spend some time to make it most effective. Strive to achieve three goals:
 Summarize the main themes of the presentation.
 Leave the audience with a specific and memorable take-away.
 Include a statement that allows you to exit the podium gracefully.

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Some speakers end limply with comments such as I guess that’s about all I have to say or that’s
it. Such lame statements show little enthusiasm and are notthe culmination of the talk that
listeners expect. Skilled speakers alert the audiencethat they are finishing.
They use phrases such as, In conclusion, as I end this presentation, or, it’s time for me to sum up.
Then they proceed immediately to theconclusion. Audiences become justly irritated with a
speaker who announces theconclusion but then talks on for ten more minutes.A straightforward
summary should review major points and focus on whatyou want the listeners to do, think, or
remember. You might say, in bringing my presentation to a close, I will restate my major
purpose . . . , or, in summary, my major purpose has been to . . . . In support of my purpose, I
have presented three major points. They are (1) . . . , (2) . . . , and (3) . . . .
A conclusion is like a punch line and must be memorable. Think of it as the high point of your
presentation, a valuable kernel of information to take away.
The valuable kernel of information, or take-away, should tie in with the opening and present a
forward-looking idea. Avoid merely rehashing, in the same words, what you said before. Instead,
ensure that the audience will take away very specific information or benefits and a positive
impression of you and your company. The take-away is the value of the presentation to the
audience and the benefit audience members believe to have received. The tension that you built
in the early parts of the talk now culminates in the close.

6.2.1.2. Building Audience Rapport like a Pro

Good speakers are adept at building audience rapport. They form a bond with the audience; they
entertain as well as inform. How do they do it? Based on observations of successful and
unsuccessful speakers, we learn that the good ones use a number of verbal and nonverbal
techniques to connect with the audience. Their helpful techniques include providing effective
imagery, supplying verbal cues, and using body language strategically.

A. Effective Imagery
You will lose your audience quickly if you fill your talk with abstractions, generalities, and dry
facts. To enliven your presentation and enhance comprehension, try using some of the following
techniques. However, beware of exaggeration or distortion. Keep your imagery realistic and
credible:

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Analogies: A comparison of similar traits between dissimilar things can be effective in
explaining and drawing connections. For example, Product development is similar to the
process of conceiving, carrying, and delivering a baby. Or, Downsizing or restructuring
is similar to an overweight person undergoing a regimen of dieting, habit changing, and
exercise.
Metaphors: A comparison between otherwise dissimilar things without using the words
like or as results in a metaphor. For example, our competitor’s CEO is a snake when it
comes to negotiating, or my desk is a garbage dump.
Similes: A comparison that includes the words like or as is a simile. For example, our
critics used our background report like a drunken uses a lamppost—for support rather
than for illumination. Or: She’s as happy as someone who just won the lottery.
Personal anecdotes: Nothing connects you faster or better with your audience than a
good personal story. In a talk about e-mail techniques, you could reveal your own
blunders that became painful learning experiences. In a talk to potential investors, the
founder of a new ethnic magazine might tell a story about growing up without positive
ethnic role models.
Personalized statistics: Although often misused, statistics stay with people—
particularly when they relate directly to the audience. A speaker discussing job searching
might say, Look around the room.
Only one in four graduates will find a job immediately after graduation. If possible,
simplify and personalize facts. For example, The sales of Coca-Cola beverages around
the world totaled nearly 24 billion cases last year. That means that every man, woman,
and child on this planet consumed 3.5 cases of soda and other Coca-Cola products.
Worst- and best-case scenarios: Hearing the worst that could happen, can be effective
in driving home a point. For example, If we do nothing about our computer backup
system now, it’s just a matter of time before the entire system crashes and we lose all of
our customer contact information.
Can you imagine starting from scratch in building all of your customer files again?
However, if we fix the system now, we can expand our customer files and actually
increase sales at the same time.

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 B. Verbal Signposts
Speakers must remember that listeners, unlike readers of a report, cannot control the rate of
presentation or flip back through pages to review main points. As a result, listeners get lost
easily. Knowledgeable speakers help the audience recognize the organization and main points in
an oral message with verbal signposts. They keep listeners on track by including helpful
previews, summaries, and transitions, such as these:
 Previewing:
The next segment of my talk presents three reasons for . . . .
Let’s now consider two causes of . . . .
 Summarizing
Let me review with you the major problems I have just discussed.
You see, then, that the most significant factors are . . . .
 Switching directions
Thus far we have talked solely about . . . ; now let’s move to . . . .
I have argued that . . . and . . . , but an alternate view holds that . . . .
You can further improve any oral presentation by including appropriate transitional expressions
such as first, second, next, then, therefore, moreover, on theother hand, on the contrary, and in
conclusion. These transitional expressions build coherence, lend emphasis, and tell listeners
where you are headed.

C. Nonverbal Messages
Although what you say is most important, the nonverbal messages you send can also have a
powerful effect on how well your audience receives your message. How you look, how you
move, and how you speak can make or break your presentation. The following suggestions focus
on nonverbal tips to ensure that your verbal message resonates with your audience.
 Look terrific! Like it or not, you will be judged by your appearance. For everything but
small in-house presentations, be sure you dress professionally. The rule of thumb is that
you should dress at least as well as the best-dressed person in the audience. However,
even if you know that your audience will be dressed casually, showing up in
professional attire will help you build credibility. You will feel better about yourself too!

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 Animate your body: Be enthusiastic and let your body show it. Stand with good
posture to show confidence. Emphasize ideas to enhance points about size, number, and
direction. Use a variety of gestures, but don’t consciously plan them in advance.
 Speak extemporaneously: Do not read from notes or a manuscript, but speak freely.
Use your presentation slides to guide your talk. You will come across as more
competent and enthusiastic if you are not glued to your notes or manuscript. Use note
cards or a paper outline only if presenting without an electronic slideshow.
 Punctuate your words: You can keep your audience interested by varying your tone,
volume, pitch, and pace. Use pauses before and after important points. Allow the
audience to take in your ideas.
 Use appropriate eye contact: Maintaining eye contact with your audience shows that
you are confident and prepared. In addition, looking at audience members, rather than
looking at your notes or your computer screen, helps them feel more involved.
 Get out from behind the podium: Avoid being planted behind the podium. Movement
makes you look natural and comfortable and helps you connect more with your
audience. You might pick a few places in the room to walk to. Even if you must stay
close to your visual aids, make a point of leaving them occasionally so that the audience
can see your whole body.
 Vary your facial expression: Begin with a smile, but change your expression to
correspond with the thoughts you are voicing. You can shake your head to show
disagreement, roll your eyes to show disdain, look heavenward for guidance, or wrinkle
your brow to show concern or dismay. To see how speakers convey meaning without
words, mute the sound on your TV or streaming video clips online and watch the facial
expressions of a talk show personality, newscaster, or politician. Whenever possible,
beginning presenters should have an experienced speaker watch them and give them tips
as they rehearse. Your instructor is an important coach who can provide you with
invaluable feedback. In the absence of helpers, record your talk and watch for your
nonverbal behavior on camera.

D. Planning Visual Aids and Multimedia Presentations

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Before you make a business presentation, consider this wise proverb: “Tell me, I forget. Show
me, I remember. Involve me, I understand.” Your goals as a speaker are to make listeners
understand, remember, and act on your ideas. To get them interested and involved, include
effective visual aids. Some experts say that we acquire as much as 85 percent of all our
knowledge visually:
Good visual aids serve many purposes. They emphasize and clarify main points, thus improving
comprehension and retention. They increase audience interest, and they make the presenter
appear more professional, better prepared, and more persuasive. Well-designed visual aids
illustrate and emphasize your message more effectively than words alone; therefore, they may
help shorten a meeting or achieve your goal faster. Visual aids are particularly helpful for
inexperienced speakers because the audience concentrates on the aid rather than on the speaker.
However, experienced speakers work hard at not allowing their slideshows to eclipse them.
Good visuals also serve to jog the memory of a speaker, thus improving self-confidence, poise,
and delivery.
i. Types of Visual Aids
Today, speakers have many forms of visual media at their fingertips if they wish to enhance a
presentation. Following table 6.2:describes the pros and cons of several visual aids and can guide
you in selecting the best one for any speaking occasion. Three of the most popular visuals are
multimedia slides, overhead transparencies, and handouts.
Table 6.2:the pros and cons of several visual aids
Pros and Cons of Visual Aid Options

Medium Pros Cons

Multimedia Create professional appearance Present potential

slides with many color, art, graphic, incompatibility issues.
. and font options. Require projection equipment
Easy to use and transport via and practice for smooth
removable storage media, Web delivery.
download, or e-mail attachment. Tempt user to include razzle-
Inexpensive to update. dazzle features that may fail to
add value

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Transparencies Give professional appearance Appear to some as an outdated
with little practice. presentation method.
Easy to (a) prepare, (b) update Hold speaker captive to the
and maintain, (c) locate reliable machine.
equipment, and (d) Limit Provide poor reproduction of
information shown at one time. photos and some graphics.
Handouts Encourage audience Increase risk of unauthorized
. participation duplication of speaker’s
Easy to maintain and update. material.
Enhance recall because Can be difficult to transport.
audience keeps reference May cause speaker to lose
material. audience’s attention

Flipcharts or Provide inexpensive option Require graphics talent.

whiteboards available at most sites. Difficult for larger audiences to
Easy to (a) create, (b) modify or see.
customize on the spot, (c) Prepared flip charts are
record comments from the cumbersome to transport and
audience, and (d) combine with easily worn with use.
more high-tech visuals in the
same presentation
Video Gives an accurate Creates potential for
representation of the content compatibility issues related to
and a strong indication of computer video formats.
forethought and preparation. Expensive to create and update.

Props Offer a realistic reinforcement Lead to extra work and expense

of message content. in transporting and replacing
Increase audience participation worn objects.
with close observation. Limited use with larger

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 audiences.
ii. Preparing a Visually Appealing PowerPoint Presentation
 Analyzing the Situation and Purpose.
 Anticipating Your Audience
 Adapting Text and Color Selections
 Organizing Your Slides
 Working With Templates
 Composing Your Slideshow
 Designing for Optimal Effect
 Revising, Proofreading, and Evaluating Your Slideshow
iii. Eight Steps to Making a Powerful Multimedia Presentation
1. Start with the text
2. Select background and fonts
3. Choose images that help communicate your message
4. Create graphics
5. Add special effects
6. Create hyperlinks to approximate the Web browsing experience
7. Engage your audience by asking for interaction
8. Move your presentation to the Internet

6.2.1.3. Cautions for Presentation

A. Before Your Presentation
Speaking in front of a group will become less daunting if you prepare adequately and practice
sufficiently. Interacting with the audience and limiting surprises such as malfunctioning
equipment will also add to your peace of mind. Review the following tips for a smooth start:

 Prepare thoroughly
 Rehearse repeatedly
Conquer Stage Fright with These Techniques

Ever get nervous before giving a speech? Everyone does! And it’s not all in your head, either.
When you face something threatening or challenging, your body reacts in what psychologists call

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the fight-or-flight response. This physical reflex provides your body with increased energy to
deal with threatening situations. It also creates those sensations—dry mouth, sweaty hands,
increased heartbeat, and stomach butterflies— that we associate with stage fright. The fight-or-
flight response arouses your body for action—in this case, making a presentation. Because
everyone feels some form of apprehension before speaking, it is impossible to eliminate the
physiological symptoms altogether. However, you can reduce their effects with the following
techniques:
 Breathe deeply
 Convert your fear
 Know your topic and come prepared
 Use positive self-talk
 Take a sip of water
 Don’t admit you are nervous.
 Feel proud when you finish.
 Time yourself.
 Dress professionally
 Request a lectern
 Check the room
 Greet members of the audience.
 Practice stress reduction
B. During Your Presentation:
To stay in control during your talk, to build credibility, and to engage your audience, follow
these time-tested guidelines for effective speaking:
Begin with a pause
Present your first sentence from memory
Maintain eye contact
Control your voice and vocabulary
Skip the apologies: Don’t begin with a weak opening, such as I will not take much
time. I know youare busy. Or: I know you have heard this before, butwe need to
review it anyway. Or: I had trouble withmy computer and the slides, so bear with
me. Dynamic speakers never say they are sorry.

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 Put the brakes on
Incorporate pauses when appropriate.
Move naturally.
Use visual aids effectively
Avoid digression
Summarize your main points and arrive at the high point of your talk
Show enthusiasm

C. After Your Presentation

As you are concluding you presentation, handle questions and answers competently and provide
handouts, if appropriate. Try the following techniques:
Distribute handouts
Encourage questions
Repeat questions
Reinforce your main points
Keep control. . .
End with a summary and appreciation.

In general, everyone feels some apprehension about speaking in public. Here are some of the
most powerful tips to help you manage your speech:
 Don’t procrastinate
 Know your audience
 Be well-prepared
 Visualize your success
 Use breathing techniques to help you relax
 Look for and respond to positive listener support

6.2.2. Listening
Listening is one of the most important skills managers should have. It enables them to gain and
understand information, ideas, and suggestions of others during oral communication.

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Active listening helps:

 People to help themselves make better choice and better informed decisions.
 People admit to themselves things they usually avoid.
 People to take power over their own lives.
 The manager to know more and to understand better.

Active listening is the most effective way of gathering information in:

 Appraisal Interviews
 Selection Interviews
 Disciplinary Interviews
 Counseling Interviews
 Grievance Interviews

However, it may have some of the following common problems:

 Prejudice against the speaker.

 External distractions such as horning cars, shouting people, etc.
 Losing attention – shifting attention from the words of the speaker. This
involves missing some important words.
 Premature evaluation.
 Delivery problems; for instance, a monotone can put listeners to sleep or
cause them to lose interest and attention.

Then, to solve the above problems and achieve good listening objectives the listener needs to use
active listening to:

Show that you are interested and care by sitting openly

Be reassuring- you’re there for them
Show you are listening with nods, ‘ahas’, etc
Use questions- but don’t overuse them
But do question to the depth you need to understand the issues
important to the interviewee.
Paraphrase what they say regularly

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Moreover, the following points are important to remember in using active listening

 Please remember that it is in the listener’s interest that the speaker feels able to be frank.
 You need their information, even in a disciplinary interview.
 Don’t try to interpret- ASK What they mean
 Don’t make assumptions – ASK what they mean
 Don’t jump to conclusions –ASK what they mean
 Don’t impose your views – LISTEN to theirs
 ASK for their solution

Results of good listening

Positive and purposive listening results the following benefits:

 Leads to helpful and positive attitudes. This is to say that because of the understanding
the hindrances that lie in the way of good listening are eliminated.
 Permits the speaker and listeners to improve communication because each side is more
aware of a receptive to the other’s viewpoint.
 Indicates the speaker that listeners are interested in listening and should try to give his/her
best presentation.
 Helps listeners to obtain useful information on which they can make accurate decisions.
 Creates better understanding of others and thus, help listeners work with others.
 Assists the speaker (especially in interview) in finding out a problem.

Good listening is demanding, requiring omission of personal biases as well as external

distractions, with a positive attitude and active involvement through personal summaries and
evaluation, you can have fruitful listening experiences.

6..3 . The Telephone

Business couldn’t run without the telephone. Telephone enables businesspersons to communicate
quickly and personally with people all over the world to exchange information. Telephone
communication is characterized by the following.

 It is brief or short
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  K2Speakers may be in different environments making it susceptible to
disruptions.
 Deprived of nonverbal communication.

Thus, to ensure good use of the telephone practice the following guidelines are important for
consideration.

Planning telephone discussion

 Have positive attitude towards the receiver

 Ensure telephone is the best means
 Determine appropriate time for calling
 Outline the important points for discussion
 Make sure you have the right number before you dial

Conversing in telephone

 when the receiver responds identify yourself immediately

 Ask whether it is convenient to talk
 Be attentive and active in listening
 Close your call courteously (say thanks)

Receiving calls

 Be prepared to receive calls psychologically and get writing materials

 Answer the call immediately when it rings
 Identify yourself or your organization
 Make every effort go get the message correctly
 Explain any delays (if any)

6.4. Interviews
Activity

Dear students you have familiar about interview. If so define interview and differentiate
interviews from ordinary conversation?

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_____________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________

The term interview refers to all types of planned, face-to-face encounters in which at least one of
the participants has a specific objective in mind. Interviewing includes gathering or giving
information.

6.4.1. Types of interviews

Job applicants generally face two kinds of interviews: screening interviews and hiring/
placementinterviews. Yk2ou must succeed in the first to proceed to the second. Once you make
it to the hiring/placement interview, you will find a variety of interview styles, including one-on-
one, panel, group, sequential, and stress interviews. You will be better prepared if you know
what to expect in these types of interviews.
A. Screening Interviews
Screening interviewshelps to eliminate those who fail to meet minimum requirements.
Companies use screening interviews to save time and money by weeding out lesser-qualified
candidates before scheduling face-to-face interviews. Although some screening interviews are
conducted during job fairs or on college campuses, most take place on the telephone. Some
companies computerize their screening interviews.
Increasingly, employers use videoconferencing to interview candidates. This allows multiple
hiring managers in distant locations to participate in the interview. Workplace experts predict
that in the future job seekers will need video capability on their computers for interviewing.
During a screening interview you will likely be asked to provide details about the education and
experience listed on your résumé, so you must be prepared to sell your qualifications. Remember
that the person conducting the screening interview is trying to determine whether you should
move on to the next step in the interview process.
A screening interview may be as short as five minutes. Even though it may be short, don’t treat it
casually. If you don’t perform well during the screening interview, it may be your last interview
with that organization. You can use the tips that follow in this chapter to succeed during the
screening process.

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 B. Hiring/Placement Interviews
The most promising candidates selected from screening interviews will be invited to
hiring/placement interviews. Hiring managers want to learn whether candidates are motivated,
qualified, and a good fit for the position. Their goal is to learn how the candidate would fit into
their organization. Conducted in depth, hiring/placement interviews may take many forms. The
following are some common types of interviews that may show the characteristics of other forms
of interviews.
- Employee appraisal interview

In employee appraisal interview, both the employer and the employee are expected to evaluate
the employee’s performance and set future goals. This helps to recognize and reward employee
contributions and motivate employees. The interviewer summarizes employee’s performance
ratings, establish clear goals for the next appraisal period and maintain positive tone. On the
other hand, the interviewee has to listen and discuss any problems and understand goals for next
appraisal period.

- Grievance interview

Grievance interview is a type of one-to-one encounters involving conflict and its resolution. For
example, employer-employee disputes over working hours. This interview is unique in that
emotions often run at a much higher level than in most other types of interviews. The interviewer
in the grievance interview must be both a good listener and a problem solver.

- Exit interview

An interviewer conducts exit interview to find out why an employee is leaving a job and to
obtain the employee’s assessment of the job and organization.

An exit interview can be conducted by auditors, evaluators and supervisors. This helps the
interviewer to identify an organization's potential problems and take corrective actions. The exit
interview is also helpful to create goodwill for the organization because the employee explains
reasons for leaving.

- Disciplinary interview

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Disciplinary interview is conducted to understand employee problems when they violate rules
and regulations or when they engage in an act of misconduct and identify their causes, explain
disciplinary action and try to improve employee’s attitudes.

- Persuasive interview

This interview is conducted to influence a person. Many employee customer situations are
persuasive (example sales) interviews. It influences the choices the customer makes, but not
through coercion or trickery. A successful persuasive interviewer must appeal to the values and
needs of the interviewee very much like persuasive speaker.

- Counseling interview:

It is conducted to identify problems and suggest solutions.

- Sequential Interviews
Sequential interviews allow a candidate to meet individually with two or more interviewers over
the course of several hours or days. For example, job candidates seeking tenure-track academic
positions undergo sequential interviewing. You must listen carefully and respond positively to all
interviewers. Sell your qualifications to each one; don’t assume that any interviewer knows what
was said in a previous interview. Keep your responses fresh, even when repeating yourself many
times over.
- Stress Interviews
Stress interviews are meant to test your reactions during nerve-wracking situations. You may be
forced to wait a long time before being greeted by the interviewer, you may be given a test with
an impossible time limit, or you may be treated rudely by one or more of the interviewers.
Another stress interview technique is to have interviewers ask questions at a rapid rate. If asked
rapid-fire questions from many directions, take the time to slow things down. For example, you
might say, I would be happy to answer your question, Ms. X, but firstI must finish responding to
Mr. Z. If greeted with silence, another stress technique, you might say, Would you like me to
begin the interview? Let me tell you aboutmyself. Or ask a question such as Can you give me
more information about the position? The best way to handle stress questions is to remain calm
and give thoughtful answers. However, you might also reconsider whether you would want to
work for this kind of organization. No matter what interview structure you encounter, you will

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feel more comfortable and better prepared if you know what to do before, during, and after the
interview.
- Panel Interviews
Panel interviews are typically conducted by people who will be your supervisors and colleagues.
Usually seated around a table, interviewers may take turns asking questions. Panel interviews are
advantageous because they save time and show you how the staff works together.
For these interviews, you can prepare basic biographical information about each panel member.
In answering questions, keep eye contact with the questioner as well as with the other team
members. Try to take notes during the interview so that you can remember each person’s
questions and what was important to that individual.
- Group Interviews
Group interviews occur when a company interviews several candidates for the same position at
the same time. Some employers use this technique to measure leadership skills and
communication styles. During a group interview, stay focused on the interviewer, and treats the
other candidates with respect.
- Using Professional Phone Techniques
Even with the popularity of e-mail, most employers contact job applicants by phone to set up
interviews. Employers can get a better sense of how applicants communicate by hearing their
voices over the phone. Therefore, once you are actively looking for a job, anytime the phone
rings, it could be a potential employer. Don’t make the mistake of letting an unprofessional voice
mail message or a lazy roommate ruin your chances. Here’s how you can avoid such problems:
a). Invest in a good answering machine or voice mail service. Make sure that your outgoing
message is concise and professional, with no distracting background sounds. It should be
in your own voice and include your full name for clarity.
b) Tell those who might answer your phone at home about your job search. Explain to them
the importance of acting professionally and taking complete messages. Family members
or roommates can affect the first impression an employer has of you.
c) If you have children, prevent them from answering the phone during your job search.
Children of all ages are not known for taking good messages!
d) If you have put your cell phone number on your résumé, don’t answer your cell phone
unless you are in a good location to carry on a conversation with an employer. It is hard

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 to pay close attention when you are driving down the highway or eating in a noisy
restaurant!
e) Use voice mail to screen calls. By screening incoming calls, you can be totally in control
when you return a prospective employer’s call. Organize your materials and ready
yourself psychologically for the conversation.
Making the First Conversation Impressive
Whether you answer the phone directly or return an employer’s call, make sure you are prepared
for the conversation. Remember that this is the first time the employer has heard your voice.
How you conduct yourself on the phone will create a lasting impression. Here are tips to make
that first impression a positive one:
 Keep a list near the telephone of positions for which you have applied.
 Treat any call from an employer just like an interview. Use a professional tone and
businesslike language. Be polite and enthusiastic, and sell your qualifications.
 If caught off guard by the call, ask whether you can call back in a few minutes.
Organize your materials and yourself.
 Have a copy of your résumé available so that you can answer any questions that come
up. Also have your list of references, a calendar, and a notepad handy.
 Be prepared for a screening interview. As discussed earlier, this might occur during
the first phone call.
 Take good notes during the phone conversation. Obtain accurate directions, and
verify the spelling of your interviewer’s name. If you will be interviewed by more
than one person, get all of their names.
 Before you hang up, reconfirm the date and time of your interview. You could say
something like I look forward to meeting with you next Wednesday at 2 p.m.

6.4.2. Planning interviews

Most interviews are planned before hand and evaluated afterwards. When planning an interview
exercise the following:

i) Determine goals for the interview: An interview has clear goals; such as, to select job
candidates, to appraise employee's performance or to resolve conflicts, etc. Besides it has to

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consider the approaches or strategies that will best achieve your goals. This involves evaluating
the needs, goals and interests of both the interviewer and the interviewee.

ii) Choose appropriate question

There are four common types of interview questions. These are described below.

Open-ended questions – They are broad general questions that allow the respondent maximum
freedom in deciding how much and what kind of information to give. Open-ended questions also
enable the interviewer to freely talk. They can help the interviewer discover unexpected
information. However, they have the following disadvantages:

 The interviewee’s vague or irrelevant responses may waste time.

 The interviewer may have a problem to sort out the key points of the interviewee’s
responses.
 Interviewer may lose control of the interview.
 Some interviewees may become nervous because they don’t know where to begin.
Examples of open-ended questions are:
 What skills would you bring to this job?
 Tell me about your complain?
 Why are you living our company?

Closed questions – These questions completely limit the respondent’s choice of answers by
requiring him to select one of the answers supplied in the question.

Example:

o Have you written the sales report?

o Do you smoke?
o Is your main goal to make money, or are you more interested in serving humanity?

Advantage

The interviewer can get maximum control over the questions and answers.
The answers are easy to interpret and more questions can be asked in less time

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Disadvantage

They do not allow for any detailed explanations

They do not allow respondent to impart real feelings when the choices given do not
include his/her preferred choice.

iii) Conducting the interview:

Conducting the interview involves the following three phases:

Opening phase

In addition to establishing rapport in the opening of an interview, the interviewer should give
clear orientation. The orientation should include the following information.

 Verification of the interviewee’s name.

 The interviewer’s name and why he/she is conducting the interview.
 The purpose and/or desired outcome of the interview.
 What information is needed and how it will be used.
 Approximate length of the interview.

Establish a pleasant atmosphere unless you are conducting a stress interview, you can establish a
rapport with your interviewee by greeting the person pleasantly and briefly talking about matters
unrelated to the interview.

This warm-up period helps the parties to the interview to relax, but it should be short. In
addition, the interviewee can create good first impression by being on time (punctual) dressing
appropriately, being well-prepared and appearing confidant and relaxed.

Question - response phase

This phase is the heart of the interview. Both the interviewer and interviewee have the
opportunity to ask questions, respond to statements and provide feedback. The interviewer
should anticipate possible interview responses and be prepared to change the type of questions
and the organization of the questions if necessary. Similarly, the interviewee should anticipate

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possible questions from the interviewer. Active listening is essential on the part of both parties.
The interviewer should be aware of the interviewee’s nonverbal and verbal communication.

During the Interview

During the interview you will be answering questions and asking your own questions. Your
demeanor, body language, and other nonverbal cues will also be on display. The interviewer will
be trying to learn more about you, and you should learn more about the job and the organization.
Although you may be asked some unique questions, many interviewers ask standard, time-
proven questions, which means that you can prepare your answers ahead of time.
-Sending Positive Nonverbal Messages and Acting Professionally
You have already sent nonverbal messages to your interviewer by arriving on time, being
courteous, dressing professionally, and greeting the receptionist confidently. You will continue
to send nonverbal messages throughout the interview.
Remember that what comes out of your mouth and what is written on your résumé are not the
only messages an interviewer receives from you. Nonverbal messages also create powerful
impressions. Here are suggestions that will help you send the right nonverbal messages during
interviews:
- Control your body movements
Keep your hands, arms, and elbows to yourself. Don’t lean on a desk. Keep your feet on the
floor. Don’t cross your arms in front of you. Keep your hands out of your pockets.
- Exhibit good posture
Sit erect, leaning forward slightly. Don’t slouch in your chair; at the same time, don’t look too
stiff and uncomfortable. Good posture demonstrates confidence and interest.
- Practice appropriate eye contact
A direct eye gaze, at least in North America, suggests interest and trustworthiness. If you are
being interviewed by a panel, remember to maintain eye contact with all interviewers.
- Use gestures effectively
Nod to show agreement and interest. Gestures should be used as needed, but don’t overdo it.
- Smile enough to convey a positive attitude
Have a friend give you honest feedback on whether you generally smile too much or not enough.
- Listen attentively

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Show the interviewer you are interested and attentive by listening carefully to the questions
being asked. This will also help you answer questions appropriately.
vi).Evaluating Interview

When the interview is over, evaluate the result. The closing phase of any type of interview
should begin with a summary of the major points covered in the interview and of any
conclusions reached important topics have been discussed and that no informal errors have been
made. The interviewee should get a chance to ask questions. Finally, the interview should always
end with each participant’s thanking the other for the time given and the cooperation shown.

6.5. Meetings

As businesses become more team oriented and management becomes more participatory, people
are attending more meetings than ever. Despite heavy reliance on e-mail and the growing use of
wireless devices to stay connected, meetings are still the most comfortable way to exchange
information. However, many meetings are a waste of time. Regardless, meetings are here to stay.
Our task, then, is to make them efficient, satisfying, and productive.
Meetings consist of three or more individuals who gather to pool information, solicit feedback,
clarify policy, seek consensus, and solve problems. For you, however, meetings have another
important purpose. They represent opportunities. Because they are a prime tool for developing
staff, they are career-critical. The inability to run an effective meeting can sink a career.
At meetings, judgments are formed and careers are made. Therefore, instead of treating meetings
as thieves of your valuable time, try to see them as golden opportunities and respect its
privileged information.
They should not discuss with outsiders any sensitive issues without permission. In addition,
teams have a broader obligation to avoid advocating actions that would endanger members of
society at large. The skills that make you a valuable and ethical team player will serve you well
when you run or participate in professional meetings. So that you can make the most of these
opportunities, here are techniques for planning and conducting successful meetings. You will
also learn how to be a valuable meeting participant.
When to call meetings

First, you should call a meeting when:

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 a) You need to reach a group judgment as the basis for a decision.
b) You need to discover analyze or solve a problem.
c) You need to gain acceptance from the group for an idea, program, or decision.
d) You need to achieve a training objective.
e) You need to reconcile conflicting views.
f) You need provide essential information for work guidance or for the relief of insecurities
or tensions.
g) You need to assure equal understanding or company policy, methods, or decisions.
h) You need to obtain immediate reactions to a problem that requires a speedy response.

On the other hand you should not call meeting

a) When other communication, such as telephone telegram, letter, or memo, will produce
the desired result.
b) When there is not sufficient time for adequate preparation by participants or the meeting
leader.
c) When one or more key participants cannot be available.
d) When the meeting is not likely to produce satisfactory results because of personality
conflicts or conflicts with overall management strategy.
e) When expected results do not warrant spending the money it will cost to hold the
meeting.

6.5.1. Preparing Meeting

Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” If you are in
charge of a meeting, give yourself plenty of preparation time to guarantee the meeting’s success.
Before the meeting, determine your purpose, decide how and where to meet, organize an agenda,
decide who to invite, and prepare the meeting location and materials.
a) Determining Your Purpose. Before you do anything else, you must decide the purpose of
your meeting and whether a meeting is even necessary. No meeting should be called unless
the topic is important, can’t wait, and requires an exchange of ideas. If the flow of
information is strictly one way and no immediate feedback will result, then don’t schedule a

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 meeting. For example, if people are merely being advised or informed, send an e-mail,
memo, or letter.
Leave a telephone or voice mail message, but don’t call a costly meeting. Remember, the real
expense of a meeting is the lost productivity of all the people attending. To decide whether
the purpose of the meeting is valid, it is a good idea to consult the key people who will be
attending. Ask them what outcomes are desired and how to achieve them. This consultation
also sets a collaborative tone and encourages full participation.
b) Deciding How and Where to Meet: Once you have determined that a meeting is necessary,
you must decide whether to meet face-to-face or virtually. If you decide to meet face-to-face,
reserve a meeting room.
If you decide to meet virtually, make any necessary advance arrangements for your voice
conference, video conference, or Web conference.
c) Organizing an Agenda: Prepare an agenda of topics to be discussed during the meeting.
Also include any reports or materials that participants should read in advance. For
continuing groups, you might also include a copy of the minutes of the previous meeting. To
keep meetings productive, limit the number of agenda items. Remember, the narrower the
focus, the greater the chances for success. Consider putting items that will be completed
quickly near the beginning of the agenda to give the group a sense of accomplishment. Save
emotional topics for the end. You should distribute the agenda at least two days in advance of
the meeting. A good agenda covers the following information:
 Date and place of meeting
 Start time and end time
 Brief description of each topic, in order of priority, including names
of individuals who are responsible for performing some action
 Proposed allotment of time for each topic
 Any pre-meeting preparation expected of participants

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Sample agenda

e. Inviting Participants: The number of meeting participants is determined by the

purpose of the meeting, as shown in the following table6.4.

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 Table 6.4 Meeting, Meeting Purposes and Number of participants
Meeting, Meeting Purposes and Number of participants
Purpose of Meeting Number of participant
Intensive problem solving 5 or fewer

Problem identification 10 or fewer

Information reviews and presentations 30 or fewer
Motivational Unlimited

If the meeting purpose is motivational, such as an awards ceremony for sales representative then
the number of participants is unlimited. But to make decisions, the best number is five or fewer
participants. Ideally, those attending should be people who will make the decision and people
with information necessary to make the decision.
Also attending should be people who will be responsible for implementing the decision and
representatives of groups who will benefit from the decision. Let’s say, for example, that the
CEO of rugged sportswear manufacturer Timberland is strongly committed to community
service. He wants his company to participate more fully in community service. So he might meet
with managers, employee representatives, and community leaders to decide how his employees
could volunteer to refurbish a school, build affordable housing, or volunteer at a clinic.
f) Fixing the Place and Time

If you are meeting face-to-face, decide the layout of the room. To maximize collaboration and
participation, try to arrange tables and chairs in a circle or a square so that all participants can see
one another. Moreover, where you sit at the table or stand in the room signals whether you wish
to be in charge or are willing to share leadership. Set up any presentation equipment that will be
needed. Make copies of documents that will be handed out during the meeting. Arrange for
refreshments. The time and place of a meeting can affect the success of the meeting. Use neutral
conferenceroom and avoid the number of interruptions such as the telephone calls. Consider the
seatingarrangement such as, rows of chairs, conference tables, etc, room temperature,
lighting,ventilation, and refreshments. As far as the choice of the right time is concerned, it
dependson the common sense of the chairperson. Usually morning meetings are productive.

Moreover the following questions may be helpful in planning meetings

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  How much time will the meeting probably take?
 What information, if any, do members need before the meeting?
 What follow-up, if any, do members need before the meeting?
 What agenda will the meeting follow?
 What physical arrangements need to be made for the meeting?

The facility in which the meeting is to be held should also be given careful consideration as a
part of the planning process. This may include equipment and several aspects of the
environment, temperature and ventilation.

g) Conducting and chairing the Meeting

When a meeting is conducted, as a participant, arrive on time and be well prepared. Be attentive
and give others their due. Don’t be calm or a shrinking violet. If you have something relevant
and worthwhile to say, say it. Don’t interrupt other speakers discourteously, but if you need to be
assertive to get past someone’s blocking action, do so with calm authority. When you are asked
direct questions, give direct answers.

During the meeting, the job of the chairperson is to control the discussion without dominating it.
Since the group is in his/her charge, he/she will need to assist the weak, draw out the silent, and
actively encourage the exchange of ideas. To do so, he/she has to be a good observant and a good
listener and steer a careful path.

When all viewpoints on a controversial issue have been heard, the chairperson has to call for a
consensus and summarize the accomplishments of the meeting at its close.

h) Preparing Minutes

Minutes are official records of discussions and decisions made at a meeting. A secretary of a
meeting usually writes them. Minutes objectively summarize the discussions made, the
conclusions reached, recommendations made and the tasks assigned to members and groups.
Minutes should be accurate and empirical. The emotions and feelings if any expressed by
members during the course of discussion are not recorded. However, the names of those who
contributed major points and ideas should be recorded. The writer of the minute has to take down
notes carefully at the meeting. Soon after it is over, he/she has to prepare the draft of the minutes.

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Then let the chairperson check it to ensure accuracy. The minute are reflects the agenda of the
meeting and should include the following information.

 The name of the organizational unit/group e.g. Board of directors, promotion

committee, budgeting committee.
 The date, time and place of the meeting.
 The number of the meeting if it is in series e.g. Sixth Meeting of the Board of
directors.
 Name of the chairperson and name of persons attended (present).
 Names of persons unable to attend.
 Names of person who attended by special invitation.
 Any motions and the names of the people who made and seconded them.
 Summary of agenda items covered general responses to each item any
recommendations or decisions that were made and the names of people who made
significant contributions.
 Any items that will be covered in future meetings.
 Signature of the secretary and the chairperson.

The minute becomes final only when it has been read at the end of the meeting or next meeting,
approved by the members, signed by the members or chairperson. Often, it is circulated
beforehand, and then it is confirmed at the second meeting including amendments and
suggestions of members, if any.

i) Following up meetings

Minutes should be distributed to respective members and concerned individuals for

implementation and consistent follow up.

6.6. Written Communication

Dear student, in order to carry out the objectives of organization, the managers should know how
to communicate in written form over oral communication skills. In this section you will be
introduced to some of the more important skills for business writing and the preparation of
business reports. The chapter focuses primarily on Principles of Effective use and interpretation

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of verbal messages. We examine the general rules and styles used for business documents and
stress the benefits of clear and effective writing. We examine the customary format of business
reports and the tone, content, and purpose of their component parts. Samples of various business
documents are provided to give you the opportunity to develop and sharpen your written
communication skills.
Leaders must know how to write in an effective manner. Poor writing skills among business
leaders were putting companies at risk. Executives have identified a lack of writing skills among
job candidates interviewing for jobs.
Developing Business Writing Skills
Certain business writing skills apply to a number of different types of business documents.
Writers must be able to organize and develop paragraphs. They must be able to write in a style
that reflects appropriate tone and use vocabulary that is adapted to the organization. They must
be able to write clearly using appropriate terminology while being concise. Finally, writers must
be sure to use correct spelling and grammar. All these skills require planning and preparation
before the writing process begins.
Organizing and Developing Paragraphs: Maintaining a clear organizational pattern that flows
naturally and is easy for the reader to understand will increase the effectiveness of your written
communication. Making the document pleasing to look at and easy to read means “chunking” the
information into visually distinct sections, using paragraphs.
Organize the Document: Appropriately organizing a document is the first step a business
writer can take to make sure the reader understands the message. There are several methods for
organizing a document, depending on the type of document, its content, and the audience. The
following paragraphs discuss some options for organizing a business document:
Problem-solution: development begins with a description of a problem and moves on todiscuss
possible solutions or a proposed solution to the problem. A variation on this methodis the cause-
and-effect style of development, which outlines a cause and its possible effects.For example, if
you were writing a report on employee turnover, you would start by describingthe problem of
turnover and its magnitude, then move on to discuss some possible waysto retain employees and
minimize turnover. You would then outline the proposed best solutionand offer reasons for
selecting this solution.

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The chronological or sequential: organizational pattern begins with the first in a series of events
or steps and moves on to the second, third, and so on. This organization pattern allows you to
report on events or steps in the order in which they occurred or will occur. Using sequential
development is helpful when writing a training manual, for example. When training someone in
how to perform a skill, the steps must be enacted in a particular order. A team leader overseeing
fifteen service agents at a customer service call center may need to develop a short training
program on how to process a call. The training manual would likely include a step-by-step
description of each behavior involved in processing a call effectively and successfully.
Priority: development focuses on the most urgent or important information first, then moves on
to less important or urgent information. This style would work well when developing an agenda
for a business meeting. An agenda lists the items to be discussed in the meeting in the order they
will be discussed. If, for example, an increase in customer complaints were an important priority
item to discuss in a meeting, then that would be listed first on the agenda.
General-to-specific: development is a format that allows you to begin with the big picture and
move on to specific details. When preparing a sales proposal, for example, you may want to start
by discussing the overall goals and move on toward the specifics of the product or service you
are offering. Another way to use this method is to go from specific to general. For example, a
restaurant chain marketing agent might describe a recent drop in sales at one store location and
move on to outline the larger, global effects of this decline on the entire organization. Although
this list of organizational patterns is not exhaustive, it can give you an idea of the various
methods used to organize information. While organizing your document, you need to be aware of
the reader and to select a method that best fits with the subject matter. An effective way to
determine a method that works well for your message is to first develop an outline, or a basic
skeleton of the information you want to write about. You can review the format to ensure that it
fits with your message and makes sense to the reader before you fully develop the document.
Develop Paragraphs: The paragraphs in your document are important tools that you can use to
divide your information into logical sections. Paragraphs also provide visual breaks on the page,
making the message easier to read. Three factors to consider when developing a paragraph are
the topic sentence, length, and coherence.
The topic sentenceof a paragraph is generally the first sentence, and it states the main idea. In
other words, the topic sentence informs the reader about the content of the paragraph. The

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sentences that follow the topic sentence support the idea asserted in the topic sentence. For
example, when writing in support of a proposed travel budget increase, you could start with the
following sentence: “As a result of the rising cost of fuel, transportation costs have nearly tripled
in the last quarter.” The sentences following the topic sentence in the paragraph describe and
offer evidence of the increased cost.
The second factor to consider in developing a paragraph is length, which again depends on your
subject matter, reader, and the type of document. A memo, for instance, may have short
paragraphs. In a letter or report, making the paragraphs too short could result in an
underdeveloped message and information that is not clear to the reader. Paragraphs that are too
long are not visually appealing and can be difficult to read if they fail to chunk information into
manageable sections for the reader.
The third factor to consider when constructing paragraphs is coherence. Coherence refers to
unity created by common underlying concepts, logical organization, and clear,natural
development of the content. Coherence can be created, for example, by writing inone tense or
from one point of view. To make the information easier to read, headers can be used when
separating paragraphs or main ideas. Headers also help to break the page up into visually distinct
and easy-to-read sections.
Using Appropriate Writing Style: When writing for business, consider both style and clarity.
Writing style refers to the tone, language, voice, and overall viewpoint of the sentences.
Compared to other forms of writing, business writing style is generally more precise, brief, and
direct. Also, the style of business writing has evolved from a previously formal and elaborate
style to one that is more personal, although this may vary depending on the organization. The
business writer also needs to take into consideration the tone and bias of the language used.
Use Appropriate Tone and Vocabulary: Whatever the type of document they are preparing,
writers should consider the tone of their message. Tonerefers to the attitude of the writer toward
both the reader and the subject matter. In many ways the tone of a written document has an effect
similar to that of the tone of voice in face-to-face communication— the tone of a document
(courteous, brusque, demanding, deferential, or friendly) complements the words used in the
document. The following questions will help you to determine the appropriate tone for your
message:
 Why am I writing this document?

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  Who am I writing to and what do I want them to understand?
 What kind of tone will complement and reinforce my written message?
Fortunately, you can use the same tone for most business messages. Remember that the main
goal is to adapt your message to your reader. Using difficult vocabulary or phrases that
demonstrate a lack of confidence, such as “I think you will find our product to be useful and
beneficial to your organization,” may not effectively communicate to your reader that you are
convinced of the benefits of your product. Follow these general guidelines when considering
what kind of tone to use in your letters and how to present information in that tone:
 Be confident.
 Be courteous and sincere.
 Adapt to the reader by stressing benefits.
 Write at an appropriate level of difficulty.
Use Unbiased Language: One of the ways you can make your business writing effective is to
avoid biased messages. Biased messages include words and expressions that offend because
they make inappropriate assumptions or repeat stereotypes about gender, ethnicity, physical or
mental disability, age, or sexual orientation. Although some people dismiss the notion that they
should use unbiased messages as mere “political correctness,” in reality, it is what most parents
have been teaching their children for years—to be considerate of others.
Following are several ways to use unbiased verbal messages:
Avoid use of the generic he. Generic verbal messages include words that may apply to only one
sex, race, or other group, as though that group represents everyone. For example, using the word
he to include both men and women is no longer appropriate in the diverse professional
workplace. Some people argue that the use of he automatically includes both men and women.
But research does not confirm this widely held belief. The use of he is exclusionary; it leaves
women out. Using he/she is awkward in many situations; it’s best to use plural pronouns. Rather
than writing “A manager is effective because he is a competent communicator,” write “Managers
are effective because they are competent communicators.” Contrary to popular belief, when
writers use the generic man to refer to men and women (as in the word mailman), women feels
excluded.
In fact, research suggests that people usually visualize men when they hear that label.
Additionally, when job titles end in “man,” individuals in those positions are assumed to have

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stereotypically masculine personality traits. Rather than using the generic word man, try using
the following to make your business writing style more effective and appropriate:

Instead of . . . Use . . .
Chairman Chair
Freshman First-year student
Fireman Firefighter
Salesman Sales representative
Mailman Mail carrier

Parallel verbal phrases use language and phrases that are symmetrical. Nonparallel verbal
messages treat groups differently and therefore are perceived negatively, as biased. Here are a
few examples to clarify the difference between parallel and nonparallel verbal messages:
Nonparallel Phrases Parallel Phrases
Ladies and men Ladies and gentlemen
Men and girls Men and women
Boys and women Boys and girls
Writing with Clarity
Clarity refers to the specificity of a message and how easily the reader can comprehend the
information. Many of the ideas discussed in this section were also discussed in Chapter 3, which
examined how to use and interpret verbal messages. However, Chapter 3 discussed clarity as it
pertains to oral, or spoken, messages. In this section, we discuss clarity as it relates to the written
word
When writing for business, as opposed to other forms of writing (such as creative writing),
clarity of message and thought is very important. Ambiguous messages or unclear sentences can
prevent your writing from communicating to the reader. A clear paragraph is coherent; it has a
logical sequence and smooth transitions between the sentences. Another consideration in
achieving clarity is the choice of words. Abstract phrases, such as “use a bright color palette,”
will not communicate as much or as clearly as concrete phrases, such as “use bright oranges,
yellows, and reds.” The business writer should also be cautious about jargon.

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As defined in Chapter 3, jargon is language used by a particular group, profession, or culture
that may not be understood or used by other people. Jargon is common in the workplace, and it
tends to become overused. If you’ve ever worked as a restaurant server, for example, you
probably recognize the phrase “in the weeds,” which you have used anytime you are so
overwhelmed with customers that you feel like you can’t catch up. But for those who haven’t
worked in the food industry, that statement holds little meaning. Phrases such as “Let’s dialogue”
(instead of “Let’s discuss this”) can become clichéd and can seem inappropriate to a reader
outside of the organization.
Jargon can be effective if readers are familiar with the terms. When writing for an outside
audience, however, avoid jargon. A final consideration when writing for clarity is to be concise.
Concise writing avoids unnecessary words and phrases but does not sacrifice clarity or
necessary detail. A report need not be brief to be concise, and making something shorter is not
appropriate if clarity is sacrificed. Here are some suggestions for writing concisely.
Use subordination: Instead of writing “We received the sales report this afternoon. It was five
pages. The report clearly illustrated a drop in sales marketwide,” subordinate, using conjunctions
to combine the ideas from these sentences to make one coherent, concise sentence: “This
afternoon we received the five-page sales report, which clearly illustrates a marketwide drop in
sales.”
Avoid redundancy:Even if you are not repeating whole phrases and sentences, a report can still
be redundant. Eliminate qualifying terms that are not necessary, such as “first and foremost” or
“basic and fundamental.”
Don’t overuse intensifiers:Sometimes intensifiers are relevant and help convey the importance
of an idea. However, their overuse can become redundant and cause your writing to lose some of
its clarity. It is not necessary to write “The report was perfectly clear and completely accurate.”
Instead, just say “The report was clear and accurate.” Although intensifiers are sometimes
appropriate, take caution to avoid overusing them because they lose their intensity.
Avoid telegraphic language: One pitfall in attempting to write concisely is the tendency to
oversimplify.
Telegraphic styleis a writing style that condenses a message by eliminating articles, pronouns,
conjunctions, and transitions. Although telegraphic style may make a document brief, the
document may not necessarily remain clear. Consider the following examples:

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Telegraphic style: Per May 5 memo, meeting agenda attached. Supervisor wants report by
Houston office. Meeting as soon as report received. August almost full, please advise to set date.
Clear message: As I mentioned in my May 5 memo, I have attached the next meeting agenda.
The supervisor wants the report to be completed by the Houston office. As soon as we get the
report, we can schedule a meeting. Our August calendar is almost full, so please suggest a date
soon.
Biased messages: messages that include words or expressions that offend because they make
inappropriate assumptions or repeat stereotypes about gender, ethnicity, physical or mental
disability, age, or sexual orientation.
Using Correct Spelling and Grammar
Readers often view how you communicate in written messages as a measure of your
effectiveness. Paying close attention to spelling and grammar will help you develop credibility
with your readers. A document that contains spelling or grammatical errors can be difficult to
read and may fail to communicate the message completely. Mistakes generally reflect poorly on
the writer and often on the organization as well.
The spell-check tool on most word-processing programs is a good place to start when you want
to identify spelling errors. Spell-checkers are not foolproof, however, and relying solely on a
spell-check tool may not give effective results. It is always a good idea to go over a hard copy of
any document yourself and then pass it on to a friend or a colleague to proofread before
delivering it to readers. Reread your notes to confirm the spelling of names and places; a
proofreader often cannot catch such mistakes. For example, Mr. Schmitt; may not appreciate
receiving a letter addressed to Mr. Schmidt; but because the latter is a more common spelling, it
will likely not be identified as an error by a spell-check program or a proofreader. Examine the
following sentences to see if you can identify the mistakes that a spell-checker would miss.
 Of all the perspective employees we have interviewed, you have the most impressive
resume and work experience. (prospective)
 A background in education training has proven to be a real compliment to my experience
as a trainer. (complement)
 . . . identified potential roadblocks to ensure that project operations preceded smoothly.
(proceeded)

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  . . . organized and lead a fifteen-member customer service team who processed all the
calls in the customer retention department. (led)
All the words in these four sentences are spelled correctly and would not be caught by a spell-
checker. However, the indicated words are not appropriate for the context. Although helpful, a
spell-check program is no replacement for editing and proofreading.
Equally important in business writing is proper usage of grammar. Grammarrefers to the
functions of words and the way they work together to form coherent language. Standard English
grammatical rules apply in business writing, and being familiar with these rules will help in the
writing process. Many word-processing programs have grammar check tools, but be aware that
these programs may not correct all mistakes. Once again, proofreading a hard copy of your
document for grammatical errors is always a good idea.
The skills discussed in this section apply to all forms of business writing. They help make your
writing clear, precise, effective, logical, and accurate. The first skill is to clearly develop and
organize your document, using structure and clear paragraphs. The second skill is to use the
appropriate writing style for your document, audience, and subject. A third skill is to write
clearly, using concise, effective messages to enhance communication. The fourth skill we
discussed is to make sure your spelling and grammar are correct, which can develop your
credibility with the reader and ensure you have effectively communicated your message. Use
these skills when developing any business document.
Table 6.6 Skills for Effective Business Writing
Skills for Effective Business Writing
Skills Strategies Examples
Organize the document  Decide on an  A persuasive sales proposal
organizational structure or might use a problem-solution
format. format.
 Use paragraphs with topic  Start a new paragraph with a
sentences. new topic sentence for new
 Develop an outline ideas, to highlight the main
ideas and make the document
easy to read.
 Lay out your main ideas first

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 to see how they fit together.
Then support with sub-points
where necessary.
Use appropriate style  Select appropriate tone “Hi, how are you doing, Sarah?”
and vocabulary works well for an informal greeting,
 Avoid biased language whereas “Good afternoon, Dr.
Strong,” strikes a more formal tone.
Say police officer instead of
policeman, or cop.
Write with clarity  Be concise The statement “Please come to the
 Avoid jargon. meeting which will be today at 5
o’clock in the afternoon.” is too
wordy. A more concise statement
would be “Please come to the
meeting at 5 P.M. today.”
Don’t use words or phrases that only
certain people might understand,
particularly when composing for an
audience outside the organization.
Use correct spelling and  Use more than word- Have a friend, family member, or
Grammar processing programs’ coworker assist by proofreading; read
spell-check tools. the document aloud; and double-
check the spelling of proper nouns.

6.6.1. Business letter writing

Business letters are standard communication formats that are important and common in the
workplace. As a leader, you will likely need to communicate with those outside of your
organization—for example, with clients or those in other organizations. Being able to apply the
skills discussed earlier to business letters is important and valuable.

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Correspondence: refers to business letters sent to customers, coworkers, superiors, and
subordinates.Because business correspondence often is more personal than formal proposalsand
reports, it should generally be written in a conversational style. Suggestions for writingeffective
correspondence include the following.
Develop goodwill: Goodwill is a positive perception of the author on the part of the audience. A
good way to build goodwill is to keep correspondence audience focused. Put simply, adapt to
your reader. Rather than saying, “We need to see a receipt before we can process a return or
exchange of the merchandise,” say, “You may receive a full refund or exchange of the
merchandise if you mail or fax a receipt.” The two sentences say essentially the same thing, but
the focus in the second sentence is on the needs of the customer. In this case you could build
even more goodwill by sending an acknowledgment letter letting the person know the receipt
arrived and thanking the person for being prompt.
Include standard elements of correspondence:Although the general appearance and format of
correspondence may vary, following is a list of elements present in most business
correspondence. Use this list as a guideline when deciding what to include in your business
letter.
a. Return address. The return address contains the sender’s address and the date the letter
was written. If the letter appears on letterhead that includes an address, a date is enough
for the return address.
b. Inside address. Include the name and address of the recipient of the letter before a
salutation.
c. Salutation. A salutation should address the recipient of the letter directly and
appropriately. A letter intended to be social and friendly can have a comma after the
salutation; a more formal letter should include a colon. Avoid “Dear Sir” unless you are
certain the recipient is male. The overused “To Whom It May Concern” is too impersonal.
Take the time to determine exactly to whom the letter should be addressed.
d. Body. The body contains the content of the letter. It should be written in paragraph form.
Including a non–task-related message at the beginning of the letter can help to build
rapport, for example, “Thank you for expressing interest in exploring the employment
options offered at our institution.” Then enter into the main message.

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 e. Closing. The end of the letter should include a closing expression before your signature.
This can be the common and effective “Sincerely,” “Cordially,” or something more
personal such as “Best,” or “Respectfully yours.” The letter should include both a
handwritten signature and a typed signature block. The block usually contains your name,
as well as your title and the name of your organization (unless your letter appears on
letterhead).
Deliver bad news tactfully:Occasionally correspondence must contain bad news. This must be
handled tactfully. A general rule for handling bad news is to deliver it gently and courteously.
When presenting bad news through correspondence, consider: Opening with a description of the
context, to provide a buffer. For example, you might begin a letter with “Thank you for applying
for the position of service manager at ABC Company”.

Sample business letter

1532 1st Lane
Addis Abeba, Dembal City Center 78541
July 5, 20XX

Mr. Kebede Djabesa

InnoTech Associates
817 Freddy Gonzalez Drive
Addis Abeba, DCC 78539

Dear Mr. Kebede Djabesa:

We appreciated the customer service training program you provided to our company last month.
This letter is intended as a follow-up to that training and to thank you for your time and attention
to detail.

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The training was effective and productive. Our customer service agents have greatly increased
morale and motivation when interacting with customers. We have seen great results from your
training just in the last month.

We are considering a telephone etiquette course as a follow-up to the customer service training
you provided. We were impressed with your demeanor, training style, and attention to detail, and
would like InnoTech Associates to conduct the training program. If you are interested in
providing us with a training program in customer service telephone etiquette, please contact me.
Once again, thank you for your interest in helping our employees work to improve their customer
service skills. You have taught us some invaluable lessons and our company and workers are
grateful.

Sincerely,
Kamiso Guyo
Training Department Supervisor
PemCo Inc., ABC
Phone: (011) 551-3347
Fax: (011) 551-3300k2
[email protected]

Explaining the bad news rather than simply stating it: For example, an explanation of a hiring
decision might be, “Because of the extensive pool of applicants, we have chosen to place
someone in the position with ten years of experience who will need minimum training to begin.”
Closing with a goodwill message that reinforces a positive relationship with the recipient: For
example, you might close with a statement such as, “With your excellent academic record and
ability to put others at ease, we have no doubt you will be successful in finding a position with
another organization.”
Use a standard format: When developing a business letter, you also need to consider the format.
A common format for correspondence is the full-block, or standard letter style. Although
organizations may have their own preferred correspondence format, this format (above) is
standard for any letter. Many word-processing programs contain templates for correspondence. If

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you are using letterhead paper, consider the bottom of the letterhead to be the top of the page
when creating margins. Although the length of the letter may vary, it is a good idea to center the
letter on the page. A short one- or two-sentence correspondence may be better sent by email. The
main consideration with format is that once an organization has developed a standard for outside
correspondence, you should be consistent in following the standard in all your correspondence.
Complaint Letters: There will be times when you are not satisfied with a product or service and
believe somerestitution is in order. A complaint letter expresses dissatisfaction with a product
or service.A letter of complaint can be an effective method for resolving a dispute, if it is
writtenwith the appropriate tone and does not sound as though you are being accusatory or
whining.You might even get more than you expected. Many businesses appreciate knowingwhen
something is going wrong, and they will do what they can to create goodwill with adissatisfied
customer.The following suggestions will help you write a letter of complaint that’s likely to be
readand acted on.
Complain only when appropriate: Sending numerous frivolous letters of complaint will get you
nowhere. Send your letters only for genuine problems and only after initial communication with
company representatives has failed. In other words, if the widget you bought didn’t work as
expected, ask the salesperson or the customer service department to correct the problem before
you fire off a letter of complaint to the head office.

Address the letter to the correct person: You need to reach the person who has the authority to
correct the problem. If your complaint is with a local business, address the letter to the owner or
manager. If you’re dealing with a local branch of a large corporation, you’ll need to find out
whether your complaint should be sent to the local branch or if the problem was created by
policies set by a corporate office. It might take some detective work to find out who should
receive your letter. If you can’t find out by asking, try the company website, annual reports, or
business directories in your local library.

Be courteous and professional: Avoid sarcasm. No matter how angry you are, sending a rude,
discourteous, inflammatory letter will not help you get the problem corrected.
Keep it short: One page is all you need. A recipient is more likely to read and act on your letter if
you keep it brief and to the point. No one has time or patience to wade through a six-page tome.

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Be factual: Identify the problem and outline the efforts you have made to correct the problem.
Remember the questions journalists typically try to cover in their writing: Who, What, When,
Where, and How.
Identify what you want: You have a complaint. What will it take to make things right? Do you
want your money refunded? The product exchanged? A service contract extended? An apology?
Stipulate what you want, and you are more likely to get it.
Remember to date your letter and include full contact information, including an email addresses
and account numbers or any other information that the recipient might need to trace your
problem.
State consequences only if previous letters have failed to get the problem corrected: It is both
unnecessary and ineffective to start out with threats of punitive action. Remember, other people
dislike receiving threats as much as you do. But, when previous attempts have failed, it’s time to
state what you are prepared to do, and when. Leaders regularly communicate through written
correspondence to those outside of the organization. Equally important as writing letters to those
outside the organization or team is learning effective strategies for writing other types of
business documents, especially interoffice documents.

6.4.2 Memo and Report Writing

Writing Business Documents

As a leader, you will be responsible for organizing and developing a number of business
documents, including memorandums (more commonly known as memos), progress and activity
reports, sales proposals, and formal reports. This section outlines the basic components of each
type of document, as well as considerations for their appropriate use. The sample documents
provided are only guidelines; organizations may have their own procedures and formats for the
various types of business documents.
Memos
A memo is a short and usually informal written communication to others within an organization.
Memos are used as reminders or to pass along information. Memos can be as simple as a
sentence written on a sticky note, but they are usually printed on company letterhead. An
example of a memo appears in the following page. Although there is no standard format for
memos, they should generally contain at least some form of each of the following elements:

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Heading: The heading should note the sender and the recipient, the date, and the subject. Ensure
that all names of individuals who need to receive the memo are included following the word TO.
If the subject of the memo is relevant to only one person, do not send the memo to the entire
office. Also, be certain that material is not too sensitive to put in a memo; sometimes a face-to-
face conversation or a phone call is preferable. For example, a memo is an inappropriate way to
notify employees of a layoff. Memos are most effective when they communicate company or job
objectives, such as a change in a standard procedure or a department reorganization.

Body: Although a memo’s length can vary, depending on the content, a good rule is to keep it
under one page. Many organizations have standard memo formats, so it’s best to check with your
organization first and follow established standards.

Sample Memo
ABC Company
TO: Kajela Amante, Service Manager
FROM: Lalise Chala, Local Store Marketer
DATE: May 17, 20XX
SUBJECT: Opportunity for local adv campaign
ABC has been offered an opportunity to participate in a local advertising campaign in
conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce’s “Local Tastes” program. “Local Tastes” is an
annual program featuring community restaurants and other businesses, including a two-week
mailer campaign and events at local stores. This campaign culminates in a well-attended day-
long event at the convention center featuring products from each participating business.
Participating businesses will be featured on a front page of the mailer, get a 30-second spot with
a local news outlet, and be given a booth with banner at the “Local Tastes” event on July 3.

I think this would be an excellent opportunity to get the company recognized in the community
and interact with the Chamber of Commerce as well as work with other businesses in the area.

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Please respond by May 25 with a decision regarding participating in this event. I need to respond
to the Chamber of Commerce and turn in a deposit by June 1.

cc: Abdisa Tufa, Managing Partner

Closing: Most memos don’t require the standard signature you would find in a letter or other
correspondence. It is helpful, however, to include notation of any attachments and a list of people
who received copies of the memo. When considering who within the organization should receive
copies of your memo, keep in mind that in most companies this can be a highly political issue.
Send copies only to those who need the information.

Progress and Activity Reports

A progress report gives updates on the status of a project. An example of a progress report is
shown below. Most project reports are generated by a company that has been contracted to do a
particular job or provide a service. In such cases, it is appropriate to submit project reports at
regular intervals to communicate the project’s status and keep all personnel on task. Although
the format for project reports varies depending on the project, the policies of the organization
providing the report, and the requirements of the client or customer, all reports should maintain
the same format for any particular project. Progress reports may contain information about
whether a project is within budget. If you anticipate going over budget, mention that and discuss
some possible reasons and solutions. A progress report should also include information about
how the work is progressing—what has been completed as well as what is anticipated. If you
expect you may not complete the work on schedule, discuss this in the progress report and
explain what arrangements need to be made to complete the project.

When communicating the status of a project within an organization, an activity report is most
appropriate. An activity reportis a document that communicates progress and achievements to
others within an organization or on a team. Most activity reports give information on the status
of one or several ongoing projects. If several departments are working on the same project, a
manager may combine all the activity reports; the combined reports could be the basis for a
progress report to send to a client.

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Activity reports are typically issued regularly (biweekly or monthly in most organizations) and
normally do not require a formal structure because the material is familiar to the readers.
Although progress reports and activity reports contain similar content, they differ in audience
and often in tone. Progress reports are most often written to clients or an audience outside the
organization, and they are more formal; an activity report is commonly an internal document,
with a less formal structure and tone.

Sample progress report

Date: August 17, 20XX
To: Totoba Adugna, Managing Partner, ABC trading.
From: Buta Caro, general Services
Subject: Progress Report for July 1–29, 20XX

Dear Mr. Totoba,

I am happy to say the parking lot and building refinishing project is on schedule. At this point we
are somewhat over budget in terms of materials, but I am confident we will finish early enough
to save you money in labor costs.
Costs: The truck rental went over cost by approximately $1700 because of two extra days’
rental. The other materials are costing out at the price originally quoted to you.
Work Completed: The building has now been completely refinished. Work on the outside work
area and parking lot still needs to be completed.

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Work Schedule: With the addition of two crew members, we should be able to complete the
work by August 30.
If you have any questions, please contact me.
Sales Proposals
A sales proposal is a document intended to persuade possible clients of their need for your
product or service. An effective sales proposal demonstrates to prospective clients that they have
a problem and your product or service will help to solve that problem. The writer of a sales
proposal must first determine the selling points, or the most attractive features of the product or
service, and then construct a document that clearly illustrates these points. The proposal should
highlight the specific benefits that customers will receive from the use of the product or service.
For example, the owner of a landscaping business might notice that a local restaurant is
surrounded by dry dead grass and overgrown shrubbery. In a proposal offering landscaping
services, the business owner would try to persuade the restaurant manager of the appeal of a
well-kept, lush, green exterior and convince him that landscaping could increase his bottom line.
Keep in mind that in many states, sales proposals are legally binding documents,which means
that any incentives or benefits offered in the sales proposal must be reasonableand must be
delivered as promised.
It is not uncommon for organizations to be sued overfailing to deliver on the promises offered in
a persuasive sales proposal.If you choose to use a former client’s testimony or image in a sales
proposal, make sureyou have permission to do so and that you have not fabricated the testimony.
For example,if the landscaping business owner wanted to include comments from current or
formercustomers about the quality of her company’s landscaping work in her sales proposal,
shewould first need to get the customers’ permission in writing to use the testimony or picturesof
the work in the proposal.

Following are some guidelines for creating an effective salesproposal that is adapted to the needs
of the client.
Outline the problem:Although you may have already discussed the problem with the client, a
good sales proposal reminds the potential client of the problem and a need for some solution.
Include any requirements the client has mentioned, such as for cost or procedure. Keep your
message client focused, aligning yourself with the client’s needs.

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Discuss your approach:Your sales proposal should discuss exactly what you suggest as an
effective solution to the problem. Discuss what particularly needs to be done and how those
actions will address the problem. Discuss as well why you and your organization are the best
choice for implementing this solution. Mention any support and training you will provide (if
necessary) and guarantees on your work or products. The landscaping company owner, for
example, could discuss what type of vegetation she proposes to plant around the restaurant, how
the plants might be combined and arranged, and possibly a contract for continuing maintenance
to keep the outside looking well-cared for.
Describe the benefits: Although they may seem obvious, it is a good idea to identify for the
client the biggest benefits of your proposal. Indirect outcomes such as an increase in customer
base or employee morale should be outlined. The landscaping business owner could describe
what a well-maintained exterior communicates to customers and other business owners about the
restaurant. Keep in mind, however, that this section should not promise anything that may not be
within your power to fulfill. You can expose yourself and your organization to legal
consequences if promised benefits are not realized.

Mention schedule and costs: A sales proposal should outline a proposed schedule and cost
estimate. These things will later be detailed more formally in a contract but should be discussed
in a sales proposal so there will be no surprises later. The restaurant manager may expect the job
to start tomorrow and be completed in two days; the landscaping company owner needs to
communicate clearly about whether that timeline fits with her schedule. Most clients will not be
willing to move on to the contract stage of the process without a clear outline of proposed costs
and schedule.

Formal Reports: is a highly detailed and comprehensive report on an ongoing project or

acompleted project that is often coauthored by several writers. For example, if you were
implementingnew procedures in your organization over a twelve-month period, you mightsend
out a status report midway through the implementation process to those affected bythe changes.
Once the implementation process was completed, you would send out a finalreport detailing the
process and the effectiveness of the implementation. Reports are morestrictly formatted than
most other forms of business correspondence, and the format variesaccording to company

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policies. Reports are divided into three main parts: the front matter,the body, and the back
matter. Each part contains several elements whose order and lengthvary according to company
recommendations. Following are basic descriptions of the componentsof a formal report.

Front matter:consists of those aspects of a report that come at the beginning and serve to prepare
the reader for the main information. The report title, the authors’ names, lists of the report’s
contents, and a brief summary should all be a part of the front matter.
Title page: A title page contains the full title of the report, a list of the writers’ or researchers’
names, date(s) of the report, the organizational affiliations of the writers, and the organization to
which the report is being submitted.
Abstract: An abstract is a summary (two or three paragraphs) that highlights the major points of
the report.
Table of contents: This should list all the major sections of the report along with page numbers.
List of figures and tables.
Foreword or preface: A foreword is an optional introductory statement about the report written
by someone other than the authors; a preface is an introduction written by an author.

Body: The body of a formal report contains the main information in the report, including the
reasons for researching the topic, how it was researched, and what was discovered.
Executive summary: This summary provides a more complete overview than the abstract.
Introduction: The introduction provides readers with the report’s purpose and scope.
Text: The text presents details on how the topic was researched.
Conclusions and recommendations: This section discusses the findings of the research and
consequent recommendations that are offered. Conclusions may be discussed in a separate
section from recommendations.

Back matter:refers to those components of a report that traditionally come at the end of the
report, after the main body, and that provide further detail and references.
Appendixes: Any appendixes clarify or supplement information in the body of the report with
information that is detailed or lengthy and is not necessarily relevant to all audiences.

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Bibliography: This is an alphabetical list of all the sources that were cited and consulted in
researching the report.
Glossary: This is an alphabetical list of terms and their definitions.
Index: An index is an alphabetical list of all the major topics and subtopics discussed in a report,
citing page numbers in the report where the reader can find those discussions. If you work for an
organization that requires you to write regular formal reports, it is a good idea to use a word-
processing program style sheet to create a format for the report. You can then save it as a
template and create future reports with the same format. You won’t have to refigure font styles
and sizes, margins, and the like. Leaders have many opportunities to write various kinds of
business documents. Letters are generally more formal and addressed to those outside the
organization. Memos and activity reports are common interoffice communication forms.
Progress reports, sales proposals, and formal reports are common business documents that most
leaders will frequently compose or help to compose.

Table 6.7. Common Date Forms used in different business and non-business writings

Convention Order Examples

U.S. standard Month day year July 14, 2012

7/14/2012
7-14-2012

Japan Year month day 12/07/14

Europe (most countries) Day month year 14 July 2012

14/07/12
14.07.12

international (ISO) format Year month day 2012-07-14

Table 6.8 Forms of Address

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Person In Address In Salutation

Personal Titles

Man Mr. [first & last name] Dear Mr. [last name]:

Woman* Ms. [first & last name] Dear Ms. [last name]:

Two men (or more) Mr. [first & last name] and Dear Mr. [last name] and Mr.
Mr. [first & last name] [last name]
or Messrs. [last name] and
[last name]:

Two women (or more) Ms. [first & last name] and Dear Ms. [last name] and Ms.
Ms. [first & last name] [last name]
or Mses. [last name] and [last
name]:

One woman and one man Ms. [first & last name] and Dear Ms. [last name] and Mr.
Mr. [first & last name] [last name]:

Couple (married with same Mr. [husband’s first name] Dear Mr. and Mrs. [last
last name) and name]:
Mrs. [wife’s first name]
[couple’s last name]
Couple (married with different Mr. [first & last name of Dear Mr. [husband’s last
last husband] name]
names) Ms. [first & last name of wife] and Ms. [wife’s last name]:

Couple (married professionals [title in plural form] Dear [title in plural form] [last
with same [husband’s first name] name]:
title and same last name) and [wife’s first name]
[couple’s last name]

Couple (married professionals title] [first & last name of [Dear [title] and [title] [last
with different husband] and name]:

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titles and same last name) [title] [first & last name of
wife]

Professional Titles

President of a college or [title] [first & last name], President Dear [title] [last
university name]:

Dean of a school or college [first & last name] or Dr., Mr., Dear Dean [last name]: or
Dean or Dear Dr., Mr., or Ms. [last
Ms. [first & last name], Dean name]:
of [title]
Professor Professor or Dr. [first & last name] Dear Professor or Dr. [last
name]:

Physician [first & last name], M.D. Dear Dr. [last name]:

Lawyer Mr. or Ms. [first & last name], Attorney at Dear Mr. or Ms. [last name]:
Law
Military personnel [full rank, first & Dear [rank] [last name]:
last name, abbreviation
of service designation] (add
Retired if
applicable)
Company or corporation [name of organization] Ladies and Gentlemen: or
Gentlemen and
Ladies:

Governmental Titles

President of the United States The President Dear Mr. or Madam President:

145
 Senator of the United States The Honorable [first & last Dear Dear Mr. or Madam
name] Secretary:

Cabinet member The Honorable [first & last Senator [last name]:
name]

Attorney General The Honorable [first & last Dear Mr. or Madam Attorney
name] General:

Mayor The Honorable [first & last Dear Mayor [last name]:
name], Mayor
of [name of city]
Judge The Honorable [first & last Dear Judge [last name]:
name]

Summary

Writing is a vital skill for business professionals, and learning to write well can be the key to an
individual’s success in the workplace. Professionals with effective, well-developed writing skills
assist their leaders in fostering and maintaining an image of a competent organization with
competent people. In addition, effective writing can lead to improved communication within an
organization. To develop or enhance your basic writing skills, make sure to:
 Organize your document using paragraphs to identify the main ideas, and chunk your
information.
 Use a writing style appropriate for the topic, audience, and occasion. Pay attention to the
tone of the document.
 Write clear, concise messages to ensure understanding.
 Be sure to proofread the document for spelling and grammatical errors, which can
damage your credibility. Do not rely on word-processing spell-check programs alone.
In our media-saturated workplace, we need to understand the importance of using technology
effectively in written communication at work. Focus on using technology thoughtfully, selecting
the correct medium for the message.

146
  Use media-rich channels for more emotional or personal messages.
 Use email thoughtfully, considering such details as spelling and grammar, tone,
appropriateness of the message, and including a subject line.
 Professionals at every level of the corporate ladder will likely find themselves writing
letters. Even with the advent of new technology to assist us in the writing process, it
remains important to understand the basics of standard business letters.
 When writing correspondence, take a moment to develop goodwill, deliver bad news
tactfully, and develop or follow a standard format for all letters.
 Complaint letters are a specific form of business letter. Effective complaint letters often
produce results. Make sure to ask for what you specifically want, and avoid being
offensive in how you describe the problem.
Business professionals will also learn to write other forms of inter-organization communication,
including:
 Memorandums, or memos, are one of the more common types of interoffice
communication.
 Progress and activity reports are effective for keeping all parties informed as a project
develops.
 Sales proposals, when written effectively, can increase an organization’s outcomes, such
as number of clientele and profits.
 Formal reports use more structure and are often developed for clients, coworkers,
supervisors, and stakeholders.

The four types of delivery are manuscript, memorized, impromptu, and extemporaneous
speaking. In most business and professional settings, extemporaneous speaking—using
an outline and speaking conversationally—is best.

Regardless of the specific delivery method used, these several principles will serve you
well when speaking to listeners:
a) Look up: Maximize your eye contact with your listeners and don’t look over their heads
or bury your eyes in your notes.

147
 b) Move meaningfully: Use appropriate gestures, movement, and posture to reinforce key
ideas in your presentation.
c) Express emotions: The key source of expressing your emotion to your listeners will be
via your facial expressions and your voice.
d) Look good: If you’re not sure about the dress code, ask others who know the audience
expectations what you should wear.
e) Speak clearly: Use appropriate volume, inflection, and intensity.
f) Speak up: Use a microphone appropriately when needed.
g) Pay special attention to your use of visual as well as auditory aids when delivering a
presentation.
h) Presentation aids include objects, models, people, drawings, photographs, maps, charts,
graphs, video images, and audio.
i) The most ubiquitous method of displaying images (as well as sound) in professional
settings is through the use of Power Point.
Guidelines for using any type of presentation aid include:
 Select the right presentation for the audience, occasion, and room.
 Make the presentation aid simple, clear, and big.
 As you prepare to use any presentation aid rehearse with it and look at your
audience, not at your presentation aid, both during rehearsal and during your
presentation.
When leading meetings, your primary task is to consider how you can provide a balance between
needed structure to keep a meeting on track and meeting interaction—the give and- take talk that
occurs during a meeting.
To manage meeting structure: Develop a well-organized meeting agenda, giving consideration to
placement of high priority items and information items. To facilitate interaction during a
meeting:
 Be a gatekeeper by encouraging quieter members to participate and more talkative
members to balance their talk with listening.
 Focus on the goal.
 Be aware of the time left for conversation.
 Structure interaction (such as using silent brainstorming or nominal-group technique).

148
One of the most traditional ways of structuring a problem-solving discussion is to use the
standard problem-solving agenda, which consists of:
 Identifying and defining the problem.
 Analyzing the problem.
 Generating possible solutions.
 Selecting the best solution.
 Testing and implementing the solution.
 Teams are often called on to develop creative solutions when making decisions or solving
problems.
 Brainstorming is one of the most used techniques to structure creative conversation in
meeti

Assosa University
Faculty of Business and Economics
Department of Management

Module Name: Fundamentals of Management

Course Name: Administrative & Business Communication
Course code: MGMT 1063

149
Assignment (60%) for First Year Summer Program Management Students

Name __________________________________ID.No ________________

Part I: Say “True” if the statement is correct or “False” if the statement is incorrect(15pt)
.

1. The result of the encoding is the message in the form of oral only
2. The function of encoding is to provide a form in which ideas and purposes can be
expressed as a message
3. Communication is really the life blood of any organization
4. Formal communication is that which is not follows prescribed channels of
communication throughout the organization-typically the chain of command
5. Downward communication is the flow of information from subordinates to supervisors
6. Well planned, designed and neatly typed business letters result reputation and goodwill.
7. Since the address of the sender of a business letter will be written on an envelope, no
need of a letterhead inside the letter.
8. The inside address of a business letter consists the name and address of the writer of the
letter.
9. Salutation is similar to greeting.
10. Complementary close is a polite way of ending a letter.
11. Enclosure refers to any document attached to the letter.
12. Communication is a dynamic interactive process that involves the effective transmission
of facts, ideas, thoughts, feelings and values.

150
13. Poor communication skills may hurt other persons
14. Determining the objective is a basic thing to prepare effective meeting.
15. A memois a short and usually informal written communication to others within an
organization.
Part II: choose the best among the given alternatives (30pt)

1. Which one of the following statement is correct?

A. In upward communication may be lost or distorted because of mobility aspiration

B. Perception is the process by an individual receives information from the environment
through the use of his sense organs and interprets them.
C. Language differences are often not closely related to differences in individual perceptions
D. Credibility refers to the confidence, faith or thrust that the receiver has on the actions
and/or words of the sender

2.Which one of the following is essentially true related to ineffective communication by manager
with employees?

A. Low productivity and high labour turnover

B. High productivity and low labour turnover
C. High productivity and high labour turnover
D. High productivity and low labour turnover

3. One of the following factors is needed while you make oral communication.

A. Body language
B. Eye contact
C. Active and reflective listening
D. All

4.___________ when people within the organization communicate with each other.

A. External communication
B. Internal Communication
C. Inter organizational communication
D. None of the above

5. Which one of the following factor is not important in preparing effective presentation?

A. Knowing purpose
B. Knowing audience
C. Knowing ways of capturing audience attention

151
 D. None

6.Which one of the following factors is affecting the listening skill of a person

A. Prejudice against the speaker.

B. External distractions such as horning cars, shouting people, etc
C. Premature evaluation
D. All

7.Which one of the following is false about memo?

A. Memo is usually printed on company letterhead

B. Memo has standard format across organizations
C. Memo should note the sender and the recipient of it.
D. All

8. Which one of the following is the aim of downward communication?

A. To appraise subordinates’ performance/performance feedback

B. To indoctrinate company objectives, strategies, programs, policies and procedures
C. To provide directives to subordinates
D. All

9. Which one of the following factors is the cause of communication failure?

A. if it is one way communication

B. It is take as activity orients not result oriented
C. The difficult to measure the impact of communication innthe organization
D. All

10. Which one of the following is the important of successful external communication?

A. Build favorable impressions.

B. save time and expense
C. enhance goodwill
D. all

152
11.Among the one of the following statement is correct?.

A. Communication may be made through written only.

B. Communication may be made through oral only
C. Communication may be made both through oral or written.
D. Al

12. Which one of the following written materials used in public relation activity

A. company newsletters
B. brochures,
C. reports,
D. All
E. None
13. Which one of the following is not true about public relations

A. It is important to disseminate knowledge/information

B. It increases market opportunity to the organization
C. It build positive image to organizations and products
D. None

14. Which one of the following is disadvantages of newspaper?

A. short life spam
B. Flexibility
C. Broad acceptance
D. High believability
E. None

15.___________ when organizations communicate with each other.

A. Internal Communication
B. External communication
C. Inter organizational communication
D. None of the above

Part II Discussion questions (15pt)

1. What does external communication mean by a given organization?

2. When does communication takes place.

153
 3. Discuss the role of communication in an organization.
4. Write and then describe elements of communication process?
5. Discus the barriers of communications.

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