Business Communication Mod(1-5)

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. Prcpared by lVlahnk Balani.t.,..i-. . Facult$,,. JTI-CMSI1"' : ..

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Introduction to Business CommunicationIVIODULE 1

Structure:

l.l InhoductionObjectives

1.2 Meaning of Communication1.2.1 Definition of Business Communication

1.3 Objectives of Communication'1.4 Process of Communication

1.4.1 Elements of Communication1.5 Types of Communication

1.5.1 Methods of Communication-Verbal and Non-verbal1.5.2 Channels of Cgmmunication-Formal and InformalI . 5.3 Dinnensions of Communication-Vertical and Horizor.tal

l.lSummaryl$ TerminalI $ Terminal Questionsl.filAnswers

1.1 Introduction:

As you study this course, you may be thinking how 'BusinessCommunication' relates to your interests as a student and a career aspirant. it is importantfor you as a student to know the importance of this couqsp in your curriculum. Thelsuccess of a student greatly depends upon how clear he is in his own :nind about his basicneeds und how effrciently he can transfer or clariff his thoughts to others. A studentmust have a f:.li kncwledge of Communication as it is the greatest power of self-expression in all spheres of human life - personal, social and professional. f he stud! oiBtminess Communication w:ll help you to acquire proficiency, both in spoken (oral) andlvritten'lang'rugs which in turn will make you pioficient to handle thi frrnre jo6s inindustry. r

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Communication is the life blood of business and is gaining momeqtumbecause business activity has become extremely complex vvith the increase in size andscnle of cperations. Communication has also become significant as a result ofintbrrnation technology revolution.

As a future manager ),ou may have to use different forms and means ofcommunication at your workplace. Effective Communication rvill not only arid to yor:r

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success as a manager but will also promote a spirit of understanding and cooperation at

the workplace. I

In this unit we start off with understanding the concept of Communication with itsobjectives. Thereafter the process of Communication and its elements are described indetail. I

The types of Communication and the Ba:riers which can hamper the process ofCommunication have also been discussed in this unit.

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After stud4fai$thh'rtanittypostrould be able tb :

Know the concept of CommunicationDescribe the objectives of Business CommunicationExplain the process and elements of CommunicationExplain the Types of CommunicationDescribe the Barriers to Communication and ways to overcome the ba*iers

1.2 Meaning of Business Communication:

Let us first, know the meaning oi'Co--*ioation' before we learn about themeaning of 'Business Communication'. The word 'Communication' represents the basicurge of living being to share feelings and information with oihers, Even the non-livingthings around a person or things spread out in space convey a message. However,communication is not just'about sharing feelings and information. Communication alsoinvolves transfer of emotions, interests, experiences, ideis And attitudes.

The English word 'Communication' has been derived from the Latin word'Communis'. 'Communis' means 'common', which implies that communication iscoilrmon understanding between two oi'more'individuals.

Thus Communication is the process by which a message or information istransferred from a sender to a receiver.

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Communicationunderstanding bis a very important aspect of business. Nefi'e{tive internal and external. communication. Internal communichtion refers tocomlnunication between e;nployees' of a business undertaking or between the

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management and the employees. For example a Marketing manager (sender) may send dmessage to an Area manager working irnder him (receiver) asking for sales figures for the

last one year. The Area manager would then submit a report (feedback) to the Marketingmanager with the appropriate figures.

A business will of course need to communicate with people outside the

organisation. This is known as External communication. For example a marketingmanager will have to tell customers of special pricing offers during festive season or thefinance director may need to ask banks for a loan. Communication therefore linkstogether the different activities involved in a business and ensures that all employees are

working towards the same goal. Effective communication is therefore fundamental to thesuccess of a business.

Let us now define 'Communication'.

1.2.1 Definition of 'Communication' :-'

Various scholars have come up with different definitions of communication. Theessence of all the definitions, however, remains the same. The following are the threeimportdnt definitions.

rng information a1d unddrstanding ftom'one

Keith Davis

"Communication may be broadly defined as thd process df meaningful interactionamong human beings, More specifically it is the process by which meanings areperceived and understanding is reached among human beings."

D.E. Mc Farland

"Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two ormore persons."

r W.H. Norman & Summer

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1.3 Objectives of Business Communication: AAs o H P6)

' After studying the features of Communication you need to understand theobjectives of Communication in an organization. Let us now go through tlie basicobj ectives of Communication.

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1) INI'ORMATION: One of the objectives of cbmmunication isinformation. need information to. discharge 6-asic

needplanningan@to have regarding

consumer response towards itstrends in the field of science andabout company4olicies and procedurfi the nature of every employee's jobresp ation could be mass media, meetings,

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2. AD\[CE: Giving advice is an important objective of communication. Advice

,ffito seek

advice of experts or specialists in related fields. This is so as a businessman cannot be anexpert in all the fields like finance, engineering, public relations etc. Advice is given tosomeone to influence his opinion. Since advice involves personal opinions it can betermed as subjective in nature.

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3. SUGGESTION: The come from people at thenot necessarilThe lower levelbe rdfened-tffi

. In organizations there arewhere employees cafi drop theii . Workers are encouraged

their suggestion in these boxes. This also helps the employees to be free in giving

4. ORDER: An order is a directive issuedtakine a course of action. Order is authnffi.rir.EI-r,uIE

s. MoTrvAlroN:goals. Motivation is done in

EIana-gers always try to improve performantingbutlike

job satisfaction, prestige, a sense of belonging to the organization can also induce ormotivate workers to work effrciently.

suggestions as otherwise they may be status conscious.

, Orders are considered. Order is always internal

and moves downward. It may be written or qral, general or specific. Simple language,clarity and completeness are some of the features of an effective order. )---

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ersuading others is an art which needsconviction on one's part. If communic rtion is persuasive in naftue it works better as forceis always resented by employees,

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7. EDUCATION: Education implies ment of knowledge and skills bymeans of teachins and learnins. Education ilng arrung. 10n ls mofeE well ag_gmployees. Education can beca:ried out for managers through books, le , ,.-in*{-ilFFru-dies etc. Employeescan be educated through talks, demonstrations, etc. It is also necessary to educate thecustomers. Customer education is offered tluough advertisements, informative talks andarticles etc.

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1.4 Process of Communication


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L4Jffirs of communication Process-22,:

The basic elements in any communication process are as follows:

/-:\'e SOURCE/SENDER: The person or group who wants to tansmit the message to

anather parson or gtoup is the ssndsr.

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6)WASSAGE: Message is the substance in the communication process. MessagesV

are-not the meanings but indicative of meanings.

@ ENCODING: Converting a communication message in a symbolic form is called

encoding.

O CHANNEL: Medium through which a communication message travels is calledCh-annet. For example: telephones, e-mails, letters, memos etc.

@ *"EIVER: T'he person who attends to the message and attaches some meaningto it is the receiver.

O DECODING: Retranstating a sender's communication message is calledde-coding.

@ I'EEDBACK: The final link in the communication process is the feedback [oop.

It-puts the message back into the system as a check against misunderstandings.

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Communication can be one-way ortwo-way.ONE WAY COMMTINICATION: ln one-way communication, there is no

feedback from the receiver to the sender. The sender is not sure ofthe receipt ofinformation.

Example: Listening to radio or watching television.

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TWO WAY COMMITNICATION; There is active feedback fromthe receiver

to the sender. ;

* The following factors may affect the encoding prgcess.

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sender may affect lhe encoding process.

nder and the receiver towards a particular

the knowledge levels of the sender and the

/,. . rreceiver will alter the way the message is encoded.L-*ocro-cuLTURAL sYSTEM:

-The socio-cultural differences may also

cohpel the sender to fashion his or her message in a particular way

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4.for taking a course of action.

1.5 Types of Communication : ,

After going through the functions and importanie of communication let us nowunderstand the types of communication. We can classiff communication on the basis o{methods, channels and dimensions.

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1.5.1 Methods of Communication-Verbal and Non-verbal1.5.2 Channels of Communication-n'ormal and Informal1.5.3 Dimensions of Communication-Vertical and Horizontal

1.5.1 Methods of Communication-Verbal and Non-verbalVerbal Communication signifies the use of words spoken or written. It is worth

mentioning here that human beings are gifted as they can use words or language as ameans of communication. Good verbal communic'ation. is an inseparable part ofbusiness communication.

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Verbal comrirunication is further divided into wriffen and oral communication.

Oral communicqtion- Oral communication refers to the spoken words in thecommunication process. Oral communication cm either be face-to-face communicationor over the phone. Oral communication is influenced by voiee modulation, pitch, volumoand even the speed and clarity of speaking.

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Examples of Oral communication- Meetings, Seminars, Conferences,Lectures, Speeches, Presentations are some examples of oral communication.

Written communication- Written communication is vrriting the words whichyou want to communicate. E-mdils, reports,.articles and memos are some of the ways ofusing written communication in business. The effectiveness of written communicationdepends on the style of writing, vocabulary used, gramrnar, clarity and precision oflanguage.

Examples of Written communication- Written letters, Reports, ArticlesE-mails, Memos, Newspapers, Journals are some examples of oralcommunication.

I Noo-".rbal communichtion- N Iudes the overallbody hnguage of the person who is spe borlyjosttue, thetr944{4Bll;9s,und b@nts. Non vr lso beiffie formofpictorial representationq signboards, or even photographs, sketches and paintings.

Examples of Non-verbal communication-

) Raise of eyebrows express astonishment.) A shy person becomes red in face when attention is focussed on him.) Clenched hands shows frustration.) A lighted cigarette with a crossed mark stands for No Smoking(Sign Language)

Types of Non Verbal Communication

personal feelings, attitudes, thoughts expressed through different pans of thebody.

' meaning. This includes pictorial representations, paintings, maps etc.

rate and the manner of speaking beyond the said words.

important aspect d*ing the process of communication". Space (proxemics)o Surroundings (room size,location, etc.)o Time (punctuality, waiting time, time given to a task)

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PS- Proxemics is the study of holv we use space around to communicate themessage.

1.5.2 Channels of Communication-f,'ormal and InformalA channel is the path through which information flows in the organization. Based

on the style of communication, there can be two broad categories of communication,which are formal and informal communication.

Formal Communication- Communication takes place through the formalchannels of the organization stmcture. This can include all sorts of business

on. Such comniunications are generally informs like rule books, written memos, official meetings;o

reports,etc.Formalcommunicationi',tuightfo*..a,preciseandh@fih@rigid tone to it.

Examples of F'ormalduring a particular period,statementsformal communication.

communication- Writing a report on saleson the company's policies are examples of

Informal Communication- Informal Communication is built around the sociallines of autfioriilIt arises due to the

personal needs of the of an oreanization.Examples of Informal communication-Having a conversation with

close friend, Online chatting are examples of informal communication.

TYPES OF GRAPEVINE

o Single strand-This involves a long line of people where information is passedfrom one person to another till the ultimate recipient.

o Gossip-ln this type one person actively seeks information and tells everyone.

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Grapevine- It is the most commonly used informal communication network. Itexists outside the formal channels and,is used to transfer and Social inteto satisff an individual's natural urge to ls very

oI gossips and rumors.

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PS- Proxemics is the study of holv we use space around to communicate theInessage.

1.5.2 Channels of Communication-f,'ormal and InformalA channel is the path through which information flows in the organization. Based

on the style of communication, there can be two broad categories of communication,which are formal and informal communication.

Formal Communication- Communication takes place through the formalchannels of the organization stnrcture. This can include all sorts of business ,

Such comniunications are generally inke rule books, written mernos, official meetings;o

reports,etc.Formalcommunicationisstraightforward,preciseandh@

Examples of Formal communication- Writing a report on salesduring a particular period,statements on the company's policies are examples of

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formal communication.

Informal Communication- Informal Communication is built around the socialn 'and does.not follow lines. of ?utf,o@

It:rises du9-.1!1l theperso44 n994q _9!b9 r'qg of an

ples of Informal communication-Having a conversationclose friend, Online chatting are examples of informal communication.

Grapevine- It is the most commonly used informal communication network. Itexists outside the formal channels and,is used to transfer personal and social ito satisff an individual's natural urge to ne is very

gossips and rumors.

TYPES OF GRAPEVINE

o Single strand-This involves a long line of people where information is passedfrom one person to another till the ultimate recipient.

o Gossip-ln this type one person actively seeks information and tells everyone.

with a

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Probabitity-Here information is passed randomly where one person transmits theinformation to others randomly and these peoplt, give out the information toothers in a similar way. ECluster-Here information is passed from one person to other selected people whoin turn pass it on to other r.glp.o:I..

1.5.3 Dimensions of Communication-Vertical,and Horizontal

, Vertical Communication- Vertical Communication includes all the messagesthat move between subordinates and their superiors. Messagds flowing from subordinatesto superiors are termed as upward communication.

Upward communication is important as it helps the top management to knowabout the feelings, attitudes and opinions of the subordinates. This may help themanagement to bring about the required changes in the organization and the subordinatescan also give out their grievances and suggestions

Examples of Upward communication A business report from the marketingexecutive to the marketing manager of the company is an example of upwardcommunication

Downward communication occurs when messages flow from top managementto the subordinates. This helps the subordinates to know what is expected of them and inturn leads to job s .

I Exampte rder issued from theProduction Man ction during the festiveSeason is an example of downward 'r communication.

Horizontal Communication- Horizontal Communication refers toiommunication among people at the same hierarchical level. This serves the purpose ofexchanging information and coordinating related activities, Horizontal communicationcan occur between people working either in the same department or other departments ofthe organization.

Examples of Horizontal communication-An HR manager discussing the.progress of employees with a Marketing Manager is an example of HorizontalCommunication.

, Each of the Types of Communication discuss'ed above has certain merits anddemerits.The merits and demerits of the various types of Communication are discussedbelow-

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MERITS OT' ORAL COMMTINICATION

a Saves timeo Allows immediate feedbacko Speech-powerful means of persuasion and controlo Supplemented by non-veibal clues.

DEMERITS OT bN^IL COMMTINICATION

o Lengthy messages not suitable for oral transmissiono Fixing responsibility is difficulto Does not have legal validityo Poor expressions make it ineffective

MERITS O[' WRITTEN COMMT'NICATION

o More accurate and precisea Serves as a pennan(nt recorda Facilitates assigningresponsibilityo Can be repeatedly referred

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DEMERITS OX' WRITTEN COMMI]MCATION

o Time consuminga Quick clarification not possibleo Encouraged excessive formality and rigiditya May lead to misinterpretation and confusion

MERITS OF FORMAL COMMU\ICATION

a Highly structured and well definedo Facilitates co-ordination and conhola Ensures maintenance of authoriff and accountabilityO p.eliability and accuracy of i.nformation

DEMERITS OF FORMAL COMMT'MCATION

a Time consuminga Increases workloado Creates communication gap

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Impersonal in natue

MERITS OF INI'ORMAL COMMTJNICATION

Quick transmissionEasy access of communication to a large number of employeesHelps to give out negative emotions (catharsis)Satifies social needs ,

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DEMERITS OT' INF'ORMAL COMMUNICATION

MisleadingDistortions :

Lack of authentioityDifficult to fix responsibility

MERITS OF UPWARD COMMTJNICATION

Provides insights into problems of employeesHelps to build trust and opennessGives rise to good suggestionsEmployees are motivated if they are listened and rewarded properly

DEMERITS OX' TIPWAR.D COMMUMCATION

Hesitation on part of employees.Concealment on part of irirmediate bossDelaysDistortions

MERITS OF DOWI\TWARD COMMT'MCATION :

Helps to explain policies and procedtuesActs as a means of contolHelps to convey expectations of managementEmployees oan be motivated for better performance

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DEMERITS OF DOWNWARD COMMT'NICATION

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Delays in transmission of messageDistortion of message

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Overloading and underl rading of messageMisuse of power and positions against employeei

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MERITS OF HORIZONTAL

Better co-ordinationResolves conflict ,

Better exchange of informationPromotes social relations

COMMI.'NICATION

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DEMERITS OX' HORIZONTAL COMMTINICATION

Insecurity because of competitionSpecialjargonsPhysical barriersLack of motivation to work and cooperate with other employees

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Self Assessment'Questions :

5. Verbal Communication signifies the use oiwords -ggJ----or -14?-ELUPr-\,

6. {erbal communication is furttrer divided into and ----Q#--------- and ucrti<tYcommunication.7. Downward cplnmunication occurs when messages flow from top management1s1tLs--iffi--.8. tnformal communiqation does not have ^t -*=fiA-7--- rules and guidelines.' gh'\*;,

o1.6 Barriers to Communication

Let us now study the barriers which can hamper the process of communication.

Communication is the key factor in ttre success of any organization. Whento'effective communication, there are certain barriers that affect the flow

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communication in an organization. These barriers intemrpt the flow of communication (from the sender to the receiver, thus making communisation ineffective. It is essential forrnanagers to overcome these barriers. The main barriers r,f commturication are listedbelow,

o OrganizationalBarriers. Physical Barrierso Semantic Barrierso Socio-psychologicalBarriersc Cross-culturilBarriers

o OrganizationatBarriers

The different channels'of communication have their own merits and demeritsweather it is oral written or any other means a properly chosen medium can makecommunication effective whereas an unsuitable medium may hamper the process ofcompunication for example an employee who wants to express his regrets for hismisbehavior should choose the face to face mode of communication as his expressionsmay re in force what he wants to convey through oral communication

, Organization structtue has importance influence on the comrnunication process in' an organization It may create problem of communication break down at any level

because of complexity in the organization structwe. most of the organizations have a' complex structure which makes communication difficult because of several layers of' supervision and long comrnunication lines.

. Physical Barriers

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Noise refers to any kind of disturbance that obstructs the process ofcommunication. Oral communication is difficult because of the noise of machines in v

factories. Any kind of disturbance in electronic devices like a telephone is also e

referred to as noise.

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:f, Distance can also act as a barrier in the smooth flow of communication. Although- the recent revolution in the IT industry has make communication easy and fast

- mechanical break downs may sometimes make these facilities ineffective. In such' i cases the distance between the sender and receiver becomes a barrier in the- oommunication process.

o Semantic Barriers

pommturication is carried on words weather spoken or written, it is impotant tonote that words can communicate a variety of means

It is also possible that the receiver of the message does not assign the samemeaning to a word as the sender this might became a barrier to the communicationprocess

Jargons referred to Technical words used in the prooess of communication .Such:'terms are limited to the grip of persons who either work together or are in the sanid,:.kind of profession. If Technical terms are used in the communication process it m,aybe differently understood by people who do not belong to the same professionalgroup and may act as a banier in the communication process. r':i

, . Socio-psychological Barriers

' Any kind of communication needs objectivity but people have a tendency to see

- and hear everything according to there own interest and needs. This prevents us from' , understanding the point of view of other people. This leads to missing out some usefull_ information and also develops narow ideas. This is a great banier in the process of

Communication

- A closed minded person refuses to listen to other person and holds his opinionquite rigidly. Similarly a person who is status Conscious finds it difficult to receive any

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mindedrtess and Status Consciousness

o Cross-culturalBarriers

Non Verbal Communication is a inajor barrier in cross cultural communic'ationthe use of body language is different in different cultures. What is correct under bodylanguage according to Indian cultue may be incorrect in the Japanese culture. Even thestyle of dressing and appearance varies according to culnual differenc6s. Therefore NonVerbal Communication can also result in cross cultural barrier.

Value systems

Value refers to what is good and what is considered inconect in a particularculture. Tliis becomes basis of an individual behaviors and action. According to the value

systems the behavior expected from various cultures may be different and this might actas a barrier in cross cultural c'ommunication. ,

1.6.1 Overcoming Barriers to Communication

Organizational-Barriers can be overcome by simpliffing organization structureand choosing the right medium of communication. People ho,ding positions of authorityand subordinates can be helped to overcome barriers by training in effectivecommunication,

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Physical Barriers can be overcome by reducing the interferences incommunication created by noise and bridging the communication gap by creatingunderstanding between the sender and the receiver.

Semantic Barriers can be oveicome by being careful with the use of languageand by using word.which have clarity in meaning.

' Socio-psychological Barriers can be overcome by having an open mind andrespecting the attitudes and opinions of people working at the lower level in theorganization hierarchy,

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- culture and trying to have a positive attitude towards non verbal forms of communication

- 1.7 'l'HIt IISSEN'I'IALS OI'EI,'FECTM COMMUNICATION'l'he lbllowing are the principles of effective communicatign/ 7 C's of

communication-l. Clarity2. Completeness

3. Conciseness

4. Concreteness

5. Correctness

6. Courteousness

7. Candidness

CLARITY: The message, to be communicated, whether oral or written, should beclear. For this not only clarity of expression is must, but also clarity of thought. Since themessage t6 be communicated is first produced in the mind of the sender, it is imperativethat scndcr's mind should have clear thought about. the objectives of communication,their cl'l'ect on thc rcceivcr and the channels to be used. The sender should present thethoulhts with expressions to avoid ambiguity and confusion. fhe transmitter should bevery careful about the meanings and the organization of the words and symbols used incommunication. The sender should consider the following points to make the expressiirnsclear:

a. lJse simple and short words than heavy and pompous wordsb. Avoid ambiguity in words and punctuations

c. Avoid double entry and use of single words for long phrases ;

COMPLETENESS: Completeness is necessary for effective communication.Incomplcte message breads misunderstanding and misinterpretations. It leads to furtherqueries resulting into wastage of time and resources and irritates the receiver. ThereforeJevery aspect and relevant detail should be incorporated in logical sequence. Moreoveilcompleteness contributes to clarity of the me;sage.

a. Provide all the necessary informati6n that the reader needs tbr thorough and

accurate understanding. Check whether the message provides answer to all the

fivc 'Wh' questions - Who, What, When, Where, Why and also I-Iow. Forexample, while cilculating the notice of conference, specify when the conference

will be held, where will it be held, why is it being conducted, what are the matters

to be discusses, who are going to address.and hqw many members are expected toreach there.

b. Answer all the stated and implied questions which may arise in thc mind of thcreader. iror example, while drafting letter offering sale of goods, first anticipate

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customer's possible questions regarding price, quality, quantity, usagc, ctc. and

then draft the letter in such a way that it answers all these questions.

CONCISENESS: Too retain the attention as wcll as to savc thc timc of thcrcader, it is esscntial that the message should be concisc. Conciscncss mcans convcyingthe message in fewest possible words without sacrificing its completeness and clarity. ltcontinues to make the importanl ideas stand out; on thc othcr hand, aimlcss andunnecessary details dislract the reader's attention anr,l consequently recluce thceffeetiveness of communication.

I fherefore, communicated message should clariff the meaning in t'ewest

. possible words, include only relevant facts, and avoid needless repetition of thcsame ideas and words in organized form.a. Avoid repetition.

b. Omit unnecessary expressions.

c. Includc only rclcvant material related to the main purposc of thc mcssagc.

CONCRETENESS: The communicated statement should not be vague. It shouldbc concrctc and spccific. Concrctc cxprcssions crcatc spccific visual imagcs in thc mindof the receiver which vague br generalized statements cannot. h'or example:

I. The price of the washing machine is high.

IL The price of automatic washing machine is Rs. 23000

The first statement is vague and general. The second statement specifying"automatic machine" and "Rs.23000" is concrete and spCcific in exprcssion as it prcsentsdcfinite facts.

QORI{ECDIESS: The message to be communicated should be correct inspellings, grammiu, format, contents, statistical information etc. lncorrect and inaccuratestatements mislead the reader, lower his conftdence in the communicator and tarnish the

.image of the organization.'l'hese may sometimes lead the management to erroneous anddisastrous decisions. Therefore it is imperative that the sender should verify thecorrectness of the information before presenting to the receiver.

. The following points need to be kept in mind before sending the messagc:

a. Ensure that facts and figures are accurate and veriff statistical data, tools etc,

b, Ensure that you are sending the message at the correct time and correct style

COUITTEOUSNESS: Congenial and healthy communication environment isessential to ensue the effectiveness of communication..Courtesy, in the message as wellas the manners, plays a dominating role in this regard. While communicating, it isnecessary that we should be considerate, compassionate and friendly. We should avoidbecoming sarcastic, impatient and initated by being aware of ourselves. If it necessary tocriticize, we must be tactful in approach

While communicating,.a. Use polite and respectful tone.

b. Always 'thank' the other person for his generosity.

c. Do not florget to use the'word 'please' for requesting something

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d. Ilnsure that the other person's self respect is not hurt

-- CANDIDNESS: The message, to be communicated, should be straight forwardand frank. It should not be indirect, multi vocal or untrue. When someone offers a candid- opinion, that person does not hide behind any kind of mask or fagade--a candid person isopen and honest. A candid person speaks ooenly without reservation

Usage Examples:

. We need to have a candid conversation about the state of our company anddiscuss the good, the bad, and the ugly. (frank, sincere)

She was very candid with the journalist during the interview and revealed manypcrsonal dctails ofhcr lifc. (forthright, carnest)

Self Assessmcnt Questions:

9. Noise refcrs to any kind of disturbance that obstructs the process of-------- - | ,

10. lJsc ofjargons comes under -----barricrs

. Let us sum up what we discussed in this unit.

o Communication is a process of passing information and undcrstandingfrom one person to another.

o 'l'he basic elemenls in any communication process are as follows:

SOURCE/SENDER: The person or group who wants to transmit the message to- another person or group is the sender. I

' MESSAGE:Messagd is the substance in the communication process.Mcssagcs are not thc meanings but indicative of meanings.

encoding.

' CIIANNEL: Medium through which a communication message travels is calledChannel. For example: telephones, e-mails,letters,memos etc.

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RECEIVdR:The person who attends to the messagc and attachcs somc mcaningto it is the receiver. i

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DECODING: RetranslatinB a sender's communication message is called. decpding.

FEEDBACK: The final link in the communication process is the feedback loop. It'puts the message back into the system as a check against misunderstandings.

. Some of thc objectives of Business Communication arc:

Conveying informationGiving and receiving adviceSuggesting somethi.gIssuing orderMotivating othersPersuading othorsEducation and training

. Communication can be classified on the basis of methods, channels anddimensions

Methods of Communication-Verbal and Non-verbalChanncls of Communication-Formal and Informal

: Dimensions of Communication-Vertical and Horizontal

o The main barriers of communication are listed below.

-Organizational Barriers-Physical Barriers-Semantic Barriers-S ocio-psycholo gical Barriers-Cross-cultural Baniers

1.9 Terminal Questions: '. '

l. Define Communication?2. What are the objectives of Business Communication?3. Explain the process of Communication?4, Flxplain the types of Communication?5, What are the merits and demerits of informal communication?6. Describe the different barriers to communication?

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I-ist the merits and demerits of horizontal communication.Classify communication on the basis of methods.

1.10 Answers:

Answers for the Self Assessment Questions:

l. Information, Understanding.2. Encoding.3. Dccoding4. Ordcr.5. Spoken, Written i

6. Oral, Writlen?. Subordinatcs8. Rigid9. , Communication10. Scmantic

Answcrs for the Terminal Questions:

l. Refer to section I .2.1.2. Refer to sectiqn 1.3.

3. Refer to seetion 1.4.4. Refer to Section 1.5.

5. Refer to Section 1.5.

6. Ret'erto Sectlon 1.6.

7 . Refer to Section 1.58. Refer to Section 1.5.1

Case Study:-

Mr. Ashish Gupta inhcrited his father's business of carpets which are sold all overIndia. I-Ie completed his graduation in 1990 and because of his father's poor health, hehad to come in the business. When he came to business, his routine used to start withcoming to office at 10 am and holding meetings of his staffmembers and conveying themthe day's work by lecturing. For this, he has to devise the flow of work at home and planlit ahead.

In the.carly ycars ofbusiness operations, he used to ignore the feedback ofhis staffmembers. Rut with passage of time, he realized that employee at give useful andsuitable suggestions that can benefit their business in manifold ways. With passage oftime , he changed his style and encouraged his stalf members to talk more. As hisbusiness expended, he interacted with different types of professionals like designers,

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architecfures,chartedaccounts,advocates,etc.Byobsewingtheirstyleoffunctioning,he felt the need top develop himself. With this his style of communication improved.

I With lnformation Technology revolution, his business could not remainunatfected. To expand his business, he created his own website of brands Kalpa as

www.kalpa.com that exhibits various products and price list of various products. Now hc

has to reccivc various e-mail and have to .give appropriatc rcply in short timc to variousiustomers, suppliers and employees, Presently his business has grown substantially.because of receipt of orders from different countries and as a result he has to corne to I

office at 8a.m and has to work for 14 hours a day. Bccause of rush ordcrs productions, hcsometimes loose temper with his employees when his demand of meeting the targets arenot met.

Source : Business Communication, Varinder Kumar, 2OOg, P g. 3 6.

Questions

a) Do you think that two way communication and his learning havecontributed to the success of Mr. Ashish Gupta's business?

b) Explain suggestion as a cxample of upward communication

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I Module 2Organizational Communication

1.1 lntroductionObjectives

I .2 Or ganizational Structures1.2.1 Basics of Organization structure1.2.2 Comrton Organizational structures in use

1.3 Communication Network1.4 Formal and Informal Communication in an orlanization

1.4. 1 Formal Communication Netv,ork1.4.2 Merits of Formal CommunicationNetwork1.4.3 Demerits of Formal Communication NetworkI .4.4 Informal Communication Network1 .4.5 Merits of Informal Communication Network1,4. 6 Demerits of Informal Communication Network1.4.7 Grapevine as most commonly used informal communication network1.4.8 Features of grapevine

l.5 Communication in today's work place1.6 Work place Diversity

1

1.7 Communicating across cultures I

1.8 Technical, Ethical and legal considerations1.9 Summary:l.l0 Terminal Questions: ',1.1 lAnswers:

1.1 Introduction

In the first module you have studied the basic foundations of communication which would havegiven you An or"*i"* of the concept of communication, its tlpes and barriers. Now let us movetowards a bigger picrure which involves communicating in an organizational set-up. When youstart working you will be engaged in a network of internal and external co'mmunication.

Today's organizations are moving from a tall organizational structure to a flatter one. Theflattening of organizations coupled with the revolution in the field of infonnation technology hasgxeatly changed the way we communicate. Communication therefor6 has become a challenge foran organization to be successful.

If you have a close look you would find a complex network of information flowingwithin the organization and al'so outside the organization. Communication that occurs in' conducfing work within an organization is Intemal communication. An example of intemalcommunication would be the issue of orders to subordinates regarding nranufacturing goods or

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providing services. An organization is also engaged in work -related communication with peopleoutside the organization, this is known as Extemal Communication. An example of eitemalcommunication would be business related communication with suppliers and customers.Communication flow in an organization can be through the formal lines for example the CEO ofa large manufacturing enterprise announcing a new produet plan or through informal channelsfor example the office staff discussing about misbehavior of a lower level worker with theimrnediate boss.

As both the above mentioned forms of communication are seen in any kind of organization, itbecomes important to have an understanding of formal and informal communication networksexisting in organizations. It is also critical for you to know that the structure of an orgailiz-atroninfluences the various forms of communication in an organization. In this unit we will first gothrough the basics of Organizational structure before moving to the commwrication network.

Thereafter we will study the formal and informal comrnunication network in an organizationwith its relative merits and demerits. The importance of communication in foday's work placewith spbcific reference to diversity, cross cultural communication and technical, eihical andiegalconsiderations have also been described in this unit.

Objectives-

After studying this module, you will be able to- , '

Know the basics of Organizational structureExplain formal and informal communication network.Discuss relative advantages and disadvantages of formal and informal communication.Explain grapevine as a fornr of informal communication nt',tworkDescribe the importagrce of communication in today's worl placeExplain work place diversity and the reasons to communicate effectively in a multi-culturalenvironment.Analyze technical, legal and ethical considerations in communication: ,

1.2 Organizational Structu re

Organizational Structure is the formal division of tasks, responsibilities and authority in anorganization set -up.Pardeep N.I(handwalla defines organization stnrcture as "the formal or quasi-formal net'work ofrep.ortirig or controlling relationships in an organization and the powers and duties associatedwith each role in this network"

1.2.1 Basics of Organization Structure

DifferentiationIntegration


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_ Differentiation refers to the breakdown of a work related tasks where each individual is- responsible for a set of activities. Differentiation occurs in trvo directions-vertical and horizontal.

Venical Differentiation is represented by organizational hierarchy moving from top to bottohthat is from President to Vice president , managers and supervisors and ultimately to the'operative level. The Vertical Differentiation may be with tall or flat structures. Figure I given

' below depicts a tall and flat stucture.

X'igure l-Tall and f,'lat Sructure

In a tall stnrcture there are many hierarchical levels which may result in communicationproblems. Some of the problems noticed in such structures are cornmunication gaps, delays anddistortions at any level and the process is time consuming because of the various levels involved.

In a flat structure there are a few hierarchical levels because of which there are fewercommunication problems and the flow of communication is smooth and speedy althoughcommunication is still a challenge.

Tall Organizational Structure

Flat Organizational Structure

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Horizontal Diflerentiation refers to the allocation of tasks among different departments so thatsimilar and logically related activities occrrr together.

. Both Vertical and Horizontal differentiation set the formal structure of the organization,, '

Let us now understand the meaning of lntegration. Once the jobs have been classified throughwork specialization there has to be some coordination and control so that the goals of the

. organization are met.is

1.2.2 Common Organization Structures In Use

l) Line OrganizationLine Organizations |av9 Ell-structurein which line o1'":gg flows from to bottomthroughout the otgggzationl Here_-TtfiFmeans a superior hashis/her work and is to his/trer

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Departmental Line Organization.

\\,'orliers \Vorkers \\:ollsers \\rolkels

Figure 2- Departmental Line Organization

(Source- Business Management by R.K Sharma & Shashi K.Gupta,Kalyani Publishers, Pg 64)

2) F'unctionalOrganizationAs business grows in size it is better to work according to specialization. The line officer cannotbe an expert in every field therefore it becomes necessary to appoint functional experts.

In functional organization all activities are

m4trlqting, finance, persofffel etc.

Cieneral l\,Ianager

erpga Tbeates are also accountable to their

. Specialist for the performance of different functions. Fig 3 depicts a functional Organization

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Functional Organization

F igure 3- X'unctional Organization

(Source -Management Principles and Practices by Dr M.sakthivel \rlirugan, New AgeInternational Publishers (2007) Pg 157)

3) Line and staff OrganizationIn this type of organization balances the features of both line and functional forms. Line and staff

rt? --t-/-.-

organization aims at combining the advantages of specialization and un-igr of cornmand. Here ali{rq manager exercises authority and 1s responsibldEffiff draishfiG;aaition there are

to lrnebut caru:ot

to advise of staffvaluable tions and expErt

advidepicts a Line and

havE or reject .FIs4

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LegdIVIanager

FinanceI\,Ianager

Forernal-I

I\\iolliers

Forernau-Il

I\l'orkers

SalesIlfanager

Forernarrlll

IWorliers

4)

-5)

Figure 4- Line and Staff Organisation I

(Source - Business Management by R.K,Sharma & Shashi K.Gupta (2003) Kalyani PublishersPg172)

Committee form of OrganizationA Committee is a group of peoplc, appointed and entrusted with the task of taking collectivedecisions on any matter. The contmittee jointly holds authority but no single member canexercise his authority outside the committee. For example the Board of directors can exerciseauthority jointly while taking a decision but no director has authority'outside the committee.Oiganizations may not be for.med entirely as committeei'but commitiees can exist along withother forms of organizations like line or line and staff.

Matrix Structure

Bonrtl of Dilectors

where an individual under vertical as well as

This structure combinesis seen as permanent in matrix stnrcfire and authority for operation of the

functional units is also retained. Project teams are created for a specific duration and are drAwnfrom functional departments. When assignments are complete the project teams return to thefunctional departments. Functibnal departments create a vertical chain of command and projectteams form the horizontal chain. Employees here have two immediate bosses their functional

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deparhnent managers and their project managers, Therefore dual chain of command can be seenln matrix structure. Figure 5 depicts a Matrix structure,

Matrix Structure

(Source- Business Communication by Varinder Kumar and Bodh Raj(2003) Kalyani publishersPe76)

1.3 Communication Networks

Today's organizations have a complex network of information flow. Information withinorganization flows ttuough formal and informal communication channels; This is done throughfollowing a proper pattern which is called network.

Communication network refers to the regular pattern, system or structure designed or build upalong hierarchical or person to person relationship through which information flows in anorganization.(Definition Source -Business Communication by Varinder Kumar and BodhRaj(2003) Kalyani Publishers Pg55.

6bb06ggt5.Eto

$8o'IL

Figure 5- Matrix Structure

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1.4 Formal and Informal Communication in an

Communication network can be formal or informal


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organization

which is depicted below in figure 6.

Lateral

Figure 6- Communication Network

(Source- Business Communication by Varinder Kumar (2009), Kalyani Publishers, Pg37)'

1.4.1 Formal communication NetworkFormal Communication networks are systems designed by management where the floui ofinformation is along formal organizatiohal sttcture. Information through fomal structuretypically flows in three directions: Downward, upward and horizontally.Formal Communication network is depicted in Fig 7 given below.

C ornrnufic fltioll Ne trr ork

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Figure 7- Formal Communication Network

(Source:-Business Communication by Varinder Kumar and Bodh Raj (2003) Kalyani PublishersPg'57)

1.4.2 Merits of Formal communication Netwoi'k

Ensures maintenance of authority and accountability-Formal communication channels are designed to cater to the informational needs of theorganization. This passes ttrough a proper organizational structure where the responsibilities foreveryone are well defined. Since information flows though formal channels this system ensuresthe maintenance of authority and accountability.

Better fo-ordination and control -Formal lcommunication network provides information needed t various levels at the requiredtime and place. The smooth flow of information results in better coordination and control.

Reliability and raccuracy of information-Information moving through the formal channels is more reliable and accurate as people whopass the information are responsible for it and since they hold authority they take care of theauthenticity of information.

Uniformity in dissemination of information- r

Formation communication helps to avoid confixion uhd rniri.rterpretations among peopleworking at various levels. This facilitates the free flow of information leading to uniformity indissemination of information.

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Form al Communication Network

Accounting & Finance

Manager

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- 1.4.3 Demerits of Formal Communication

l) Time consuming-Information flows through a number of levels in formal communication. ln a fonnal structuresince various levels cannot be skipped, information takes time to travel across.

2) Creates commrinication gap-Formal communication creates communication gap between people working at the top in theorganization hierarchy and subordinates working at the lower level. This affects the relationshipsbetween superiors and subordinates.

3) Concealment on part of the immediate bossAs information passes through the formal channels, the immediate boss may take advantage ofthis by filtering and distorting tl. information and diluting the accuracy of the message.

4) Increases Work loadThe formal channels of communication increases the workload more at the middle managementlevel as managers have to devote more time in passing messages. This makeb them busy withforwarding messages and they are left with little time to look into other organizational functions:

Formal Communication can flow in the following Direcfions-

. Dowhwardo' UPwardo Horizontal

. Downward communication refers to communication flowing from superiors to subordinates.

,

The basic objectives of downward communication are to give direction and instruction toemployee regarding their job, to motivate employees towards better performance, to explain thepolicies a.ud programmes of the organization etc.

- Upward cqmmunication refers to communication flowing from subordinates to superiors.

. The basic objectives of upward communication are to give feedback, provide suggestions orconvey ideas.

' Horizontal communication refers to communication flowing between individuals at the same

- hierarchical level.

-- The basic objectives of horizontal communication are to exchange ideas or information, to solveproblems, to co-ordinate different activities and promote social relations.

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firlote: - The Merits and Demerits of Downwrd, Upward and Horizontal communication.trave .

been discuss€d in the first modulel

1.4.4 Informal coumunieirtion Network -Communication in orgrrizations go€$ beyonrd .tlre fom&l..messages at times.t Oftuncommunieation flows thtough infsmal charmels withorm auy forrrally imposed ressietions. Theinformal commrurication network.is thus the transmission of infrrmatlon dnough nonofficlal

urce- Co iness communication by Scot

-t,. Pg 16)' bel'ow depicts an tnfnnal

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,.Informal Communication Network

Manaejng

Director

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Figure 8- Informal Communication Network .

(Source - Business Communication by Varinder Kumar and Bodh Raj (2003) KalyaniPublishers, Pg62)

1.4.5 Merits of Informal communication Neh rorks

tr'aster speedInformal communication moves at a faster speed as against the formal communication network.The information flow is quite fast as it doeJ not follow any set rules and regulations. Anybodycan cornmunicate information to anyone breaking the various hierarchical levels.

Satisfies the need for interaction -As a social being man needs to have social interactions. Informal communication provides agood platfom to express v.iews and thoughts freely"

Helps in Releasing negative emotions -Informal communication relieves an employee of negative emotions and feelings which arediffrcult to coinmunicate through formal channels. This creates a positive impact as an individualgives out his feelings to others and gets tension free.

Reduces communication gap

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Informal conrmunication helps to reduce communication gaps which are created by, a formalstructure where too much rigldtty is followed.Since the flow of informal communication is multidirectional and without.any restrictions it fills all possible gaps which arises as a result of formalnetwork.

Demerits of Informal Communication Networks

Lack.of authenticityInfoniral communication messages have more chances of being distbrted as everyone getting themessage colors or filters it accordingly to their own needs and wishes. Therefore it lacksauthenticity.

F ixing responsibility is difficu[t-As messages in informal communication are transmitted orally it becomes diffrcult to fixresponsibility in case of any misinterpretations,

1)

2)

3) Creates misunderstanding- ,

Informal communication moves in the form of *o*i, and gossips. As messages tfuoughinformal channels are not accurate it can create misunderstandings among employees.

4) Incomptete information may be hisleading-Information passed though the informal network may be misleading as communication in thiscase is generally incomplete. It carriers half -truths and sometimes employees react to suchmessagls without realizing that the original communication would have been lost in the wake ofdifferent opinions.

"If the formal organization [communication] i s the skeleton of a company, theinformal is the central nervous system"

-David Krachardt and Jeffery Hanson

1.4.7 Grapevine as the most commonly used informal Communication Network

Grapevine is the most commonly used informal communication network. It consists of rumorsand gossips, and exists outside the formal channels. The speed of grapevine is very fast and itcan move in any direction and any degree.

1.4.8 Features of Grapevine

l) It exists at all the levels in the organization :

2) The flow of information along grapevine is rapid.3) It arises'out of an individual's urge to communicate.4) It is the most active and vital part of every organization.

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s)5)

It is non{ocumented and without any pre planningIt just spreads like a grapevine without being confrned to a particular direction.

Fig 9 given below shows the types of Grapevine.

Types of Grapvine

aII

Stur$e lShaml

@nch telts (

seleet*lone otheD

Probability

@ach raudourf'tells otherx)

C'hBter(Soure tell

others: uost[picaf

Aggarawal

. Figure 9- Types of Grapevine

(Source-Business Conimunication and Organization and Management(2004) published by Taxmann Aitiea Services Plrt Ltd- Pg 30)

by Rohini

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Self-Assessmetrt Questions :

Organizational Structure is the formal division of tasks,organization set -up"

responsibilities and -----in an

2. Matrix is a two directional structure where an individual woks under vertical as well as ---------------lines of command.

3. Formal Communication networks are systems designed by management where the flow ofinformation is along ---organizational structurel,

4. Informal communication moves at --speed as against the formal comrnunicationnetwork.

5, Informal communication moves in the form of -----------'-----and------------

1.5 Communication in Today's Work Place i

Communication is not only required at the entry level when recruiters are searching for l

prospective employees, it is also necessary when an individual is hired as an employee andcontinues to play a pivotal role in his career advancement.

,

ThefollowingtipsleadtoeffectiveCommunicationattheworkpIace.

Follow open communication PolicyOpen Communication between the superiors and subordinates, between employees in a

deparEnent or between the management of the organization and its employees helps to create agood professional environment. It leads to better relationships at all levels where everyone feelscomfortable sharing personal 'and professional issues which ultimately leads to betterproductivity.

Improve Listening SkillsListening proves to be trdtpru in removing barriers to communication. It is important forsubordinates to be a good listener but at the same superiors should also be always ready tg listento what the employees working under them have to say. Better listening resolves problemd at theworkplace and is also helpful in dealing with conflicts.

Have the right mix of formal and informal communicationFormal channels of communication are important for proper functioning of an organization andinformal communication serves the purpose of a human being's urge to communicate outside theformal rletrvork. There should be a piopir mix of both formal eina informal communication as toomuch rigidity can sometimes obstruct the free flow of communication, at the same time too muchflexibility can be harmful to a workplace.

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Understand that clarity and bonsideration are the key to successful communicationClarity of thought and expression make communication effective. It is essential that you ensurethat the receiver has completely understood the meaning of what you intend to say. Claritycomes with the use of simple words rather than pompous words, with ooncrete expressions ratherthan vague statements and with the use of single words instead of long phrases. Also learn tofollow the principle of consideration. This indicates that the receiver's time is importanttherefore communication should be precise and crisp.

Always encourage two-way communicationTwo-way commuhication always leads to effective communication. The sender of informationshould give importance to'the opinions and views of the receiver once the message has been putacross. Communication is said to be complete only when the receiver gives feedback to thesender.

1.6 Workplace Diversity-Managing workplace diversity is a challenge for organizations and for employees working in theorganization. Harmony and acceptance should be the keywords in a diverse workplace.Employees must learn to communicate effectively with those who differ from them in gender,race and ethnicity.A diverse work envirorunent can have many benefits. Employees with different backgrounds aremore creative in catering to the demands of the consumers. ' 'i

An organization benefits from diversity in terms of an eatrpowered work force and increasedproductivity. Although managing diversity is challenging but it is worth the benefitsithat it givesto the employees and organization. Learning to interact effectively with those differ in gender,color, race or ethnicity not only enhances employee skills but also develops a better attitude.

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Suggestions for effective communication in a diverse Workplace

Learn to explore and understand issues of diversity by attending workshops and seminars ondiversity.Accept differences and leam to work in harmony.Get advantages out of diversity in terms of individual and organizational growth.Avoid stereOtyping and leam by your own experiences instead of applying cultural patterns toindividualsHave an open-mind and priictice the art of listening.Learn about cultures and avoid ethnocentrism (belief in the superiority of one's own culture) ,

Make feedback a critical element in your day to day communication with people in your personaland work life.Try to seek a cortmon ground by sharing experiences having similar goals and respecting eachother's value- systems.

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" 1,7 Communicating across culturesMulticultural communication is gaining.momentum because of globalization of markets,

, technological advancements in communication and a multicultural work force. The trendsmentioned are expected to continue in future and this is a good enough reason for you to learn tocommunicate with people ftom other cultures.

I

Reasons to communicate effectively in a multi-cultural environment-

l) Your present or future work environment may require that you interaCt with employees from ,

differenl counEies., 2) You w{uld have a better understanding of customer's need as business today is donedomestically and intemationally.

3) You will be able to work harmoniously in a multicultural environment creating a moreproductive work.environment. !

4) It will help you tb reduce conflicts and misunderstanding in your day to day dealings with peoplefrom other cultures.

5) Communicating effectively with people from other cultures will help you to be successful inyour professional life.

Dimensions of Culture

Culture may be defined as the complex system of values, taits, morals and customs shared'by. the society. (Definition Source -Business communication by Mary Ellen Guffey(2005) published

by Thomson Asia Pvt Ltd Pg72)

" IJnderstanding the dimensions of culture will give you a better multicultural perspective.Therefore key dimensions of culture are described below-

1) Context

The most significant cultural dimension is 'Context'. Context refers to the environment oranrbience strrounding an event. Communication in low-context cultures (North American,German, French, Spanish, Greek, Western Europe) depend little on context of a situation toconvey their meaning. They take it for granted that the receivers must be given all background

inforrration regarding whatever message has to be conveyed. In contaSt to this communicators :in high context cultures (Japanese, Chinese, Italians, Mexicans, Arabs, and Asians) are already ;aware of the context and receivefs here may not be given background information.

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Table I gives a comparison of low and high context cultures.

Low Context Hish ContextTends to orefer direct verbal interaction

c-

Tends to understand meaning at one level only

Is generally less proficient in reading non verbal clues

Values IndMdualism

Communicates in highlyStmctured(contexted)messages, provide details, stresses literalmeaning, gives authority to written information.

Relies more on logic

Says no directly

Tends to prefer indirect verbal interaction

embeddedat many socio cultural levels.I@inreadingnon verbal clues.

Values srouD membershio :

Relies more on context and feelings ,

'I

Avoids saying no directly I

Communicates in simple, ambiguous noncontexted messages, understand visualmessages readily.

Table I - Comparing low to high context cultures.

(Source -Business Commtmication by Mary Ellen Guffey (2005), published by Thomson AsiaPvt Ltd Pg 75)

2) IndividualismIndividualism refers to freedom from any kind of control. Communicators of low-contextcultures specially Americans value individualism. They take individual action and personalresponsibility. Communicators of high context cultures value group membership and resistindependence. In China and Japan organizational communication is done through consultations

- and discussions instead of individual or self assertion.

3) Formality' Some cultures do not emphasize on social rules and formalities. For example Americans come to

.' the point immediately without wasting time, they soon start calling people by the first name. Ih- contrast to this in Europe first names are never wed without invitations; Mexicans also engage in

a lot of formalities for example in case of a business meeting they begin with handshakes, coffee,- conversations about topics like weather, sports etc.

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Communication stylePeople in low and high context cultures communicate differently with regard to verbalcommunication. For example Americans and Germans place more emphasis on words inconEacts and negotiations whereas people in high context cultures concentrate more onsurrounding context than words in negotiations. Americans value candidness and cannot takedelays. Asian have realized that the impatient Americans are likely to make concessions in case

they see Asians dragging negotiations.

Time Orientation :

North Americans respect deadlines and appointments as'time is precious for them They takespeedy,decisions. Asians need time for contemplation and do not rush for taking decisions.Japanese also take time for considering a business proposal which clashes with Americans styleof deciding speedily in this regard.

Non Yerbal communicationBody movements which are acceptable in some countries may be inappropriate in othercountries.For example crossing the legs is acceptable as a social gesture in America which may be

offensive elsewhere. The thumb up symbol is used to indicate approval in North America but inIran and Ghana it is a vulgar gesture.

In western cultures silence is taken as negative which indicates depression, rejection or ignorancewhereas Japanese admire silence and equate it with Wisdom. A Japanese pfoverb says "Thosewho know do not speak , those who speak do not know". People in US stand five feet apartduring business conversations however the same distance is uncomfortably close for Germansand Japanese. People in US say no by shaking their heads back and forth whereas Japanese useright hand to say No.In Amefica lack of eye contact is a sign on evasiveness and dishonesty whereas in many part ofAsia" kdeping one's eye lowered is a sign of respect,

Tips for improving Multicultural communication

Avoid ethnocentrism which acts as a barrier to multi cultural communication as it causes us tojudge others by our own values.Learn to change attitudes through exposure to other cultures which help in bridging gaps

between cultures.Learn the art of tolerance by being open minded towards other cultures.Be less judgmental and more eager to seek common groundMove beyond stereotypes and judge people on individual qualities.

Example- Indians are not punctual (As an Indian you may be punctual) Americans are loud andimpatient (As an American you may not be impatient and Ioud)

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1.8 Technical, Ethical and legal Considr:rations

The approach to communication and the content is the essence in any kind of communication.This helps iri bringing qlarity in communication and is a backbone for maintaining customerrelationships. Yet in today's context of globalization where business is done domestically and

internationally it becomes necessary to go beyond the words and substance of communication. Itbecomes essential to look into the Technical, Ethical and legal considerations of communication.

Business Communication today is facing a number of challenges with regard to ethics, legalityand technology.Although examining ethicalcommunication of messagescommunication.

issues is not thelprimary domain of communication studies, the'in an ethical way definitely falls into the domain of business

Companies today are interested in ethics as they wish to be more socially responsible, It is alsoseen that ethical companies endure less into litigation. Ethics relates to following the principle ofhonesty on one side and concern for others on the other side. Companies often use flashy wordstoretaincustomersastheyhavenochoiceasprofitsgovemtherulesofbusiness

Comparries should show an ethical dimension to communioation when it comes to understandingthe spirits behind the flashy words.

Technology has also brought new concem about ethics and communication. It is possible to get.desiglrs scanned easily and quickly with high resolution. Laws are relatively clear regarding.copynght issues but still much needs to be done.In business legal requirements have to be met but the relationship with customers extendsbeyond the legal aspect. Many companies prefer out of court settlements as othenrise this maylead of loss of goodwill and image.Businesses today are moving towards corpomte governance. Corporate govemance is saih toencompass formal and informal interactions of the corporate sector with society at large. Thisaspect of interaction in corporate governance is particularly relevant to bring about propercommunication and customer relations.

2t

Prepared by Mahak BalauiFaculty

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Self Assessment Questions: r

6. Clarity of thought and----..--- make communication effective.7. Employees must learn to commtuicate effectively with those who differ from them in gender,

race and--8. Low Context cultures tend to prefer ---verbal interaction.9. High Context cultures value ----------------membership,

. 10. Individrlalism refers to freedom from any kind of.

l'.9 Summary:Let us sum up what we discussed in this unit.

o Organizational Structure is the formal division of tasks, responsibilities and authority in an

organization set -up. Common organization structtue in use are., - Line Organization

-Functional Organization- Line and staff Organization

, -Committee form of Organization-Matrix Structure :

't. Commur-rication network refers to the regular pattem, system or structue designed or build up

along hierarchical or person to person relationship through which information flows in anorgdrnization. Communication network can b.e formal or informal.-Formal Communication networks are systems designed by management where the flow ofinformation is along formal organizational structure.-The informal communication network is the transmission of information through nonoffrcialchannels within the organization.

o Grapevine is the most commonly used informal commur'dcation network. It consist of rumorsandgossips,andexistsoutsidetheformal.channels.

o The following tips lead to effective Communication at the work place.-Follow open communication Policy-Improve Listening Skills-Have the right mix of formal and informal communication-Un{erstand that clarity and consideration are the key to successful communication.-Al*ays Encourage two way Communication

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-r'I Managing workplace diversity is a challenge for organizations and for employees working in the.

r Multicultural communication is gaining momenhxn because of globalization of marltets,technological advancements in.communicAtion and a multicultural work force.

. Key dimensions of culture are-Context, lndividualism, Formaligy, Communication style, Time '|

orientation and non verbal commrrnication.

. Business Communication today is facing a number of challenges with regard to ethics, legalityand technology.

, 1.10 Terminal Questions: I

l. What is a Matrix structure?2. What is a communication network?3. Give four merits of a formal stntcture? I4. Explain grapevine as a form of informal commurication.5. Give some tips that lead to effective communication at the work place.6. Write a short note on Workplace diversity?7, Explainthe various dimensions of culture , '8. Write a short note on technical, legal and ethiceil considerationd of communication? , ]

I

l.llAnswers:

Answers for the Self Assessment Questions:

l. authority.2. horizontal3. formal

.4. faster5. rumors,gossips--. 6. expression.7. ethnicity

. 8. direct- 9. group= 10. control

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Answers for the Tenninal Questions:

Ref,er to section 1.2.2Refer to section 1.3

Refer to section 1.4.2Refer.to section 1.4.7Refer to section 1.5

Refer to Section 1.6



Case Study I

In Hyderabad a maintenance employee of the Brigade constructions company asked for threemonth leave of absence for personal reasons. The request was granted because it was in accordwith the company and union policy. A few weeks later, Mr.Sudheer the industrial relationsmanager of the Bridge Constructions heard by grapevine that Mr.Raju actually has taken hisleave to work on a construction project in another part of the state. The report was that Mr.Rajuneeded $ome extra money and he had taken his job in order to earn contract construction wagesas an electrician because these wages were nearly twice th.rse earned on his regular maintenancejob.The act of taking leave for personal reasons, with the hidden purpose of working for anotheremployer during the leave period was conhary to the labour contract and the penalty for thiscould be dismissal. After investigation to determine that the grapevine probably was correctlMr.Sudheer prepared a notice of hearing concerning dismissal action to be mailed to Mr.Raju athis local address where his wife and children remained. The letter of notice was dictated byMr.Sudheer on Monday morning.The same night Raju called Sudheer at his home, saying that he had heard that the notice wasbeing prepared and that he felt there was misunderstanding. He said that he wanted to returnimmediately, because he did not want to give up his permanent jc b.When Sudheer pressed him to learn how he know about his pending disririssal notice, Raju saidthat his wife had called him that evening telling him that at the local super market the mother oftheir son's friend had told her about the pending dismissal order.

do*.r- business Communication by Varinder Kumar, Kalyani Publisher (2009) Pg272

QuestionsIs there any evidence in this case that both management and employees use the grapevine fortheir benefit? DiscussExplain various uses and disadvantages of grapevine in the organization.

a)

b)


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,

, MODULE 3 LISTENING


1.2 Meaning of Listening1.3 The Listening Process

1.4 Value ol Listening in Oral Communication

1.4,1 lmportance of Listening in Business settings

1.5 Types of Listening

1.5 Barriers to Effective Listening

1.7 Guidelines to make Listening Effective

1.8 Summary1.9 TerminalQuestions1.10 Answers

1.1 Introduction"ih=Ee-tter you tisten, the luckier you will get" -Kevin Murphy

Communication is a process which involves both

sender has to take care that the message is passed

receiver also has to put in effort to be a good liSener.is used the still it is the leastis th'c most importdnt skill in

U$sains-It has been noticed that in an organizational set up the higher you move in the organizational

the sreater is ibilitv to listen better.a * A gild manager needs to listen at least as he needs talk. Too many people fail to reahze

that real iommunication goes in both directions."- Lea Iacocca

Companies today are emphasizing on the importance of listening as it is considered the most

critical skill at the managerial level. It has been obserrred that companies where good listeners

arc found turn out to become more effective organizations.

the sender and the receiver. Althoughwith clarity of thought and expression,

thethe

Ir

,r. :. ..ii.:;: i;ij; . .,


Faculty

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One may not be born as a good listener but can develop the art of listening. A good listener. knows the art of listening 'between the lines' and gets more than what the ipeakir intends to

,, sonvey. A good listener also puts the speaker at ease so that'the speaker can give the best even ifthe speaker is not a good communicator.ln this unit we start off with understanding the concepti of Listening wilh its basic steps andtypes. I

The value of Listening is also discussed in detail, This unit also explains the barriers to Listenangand the guidelines which can make listening effective.

Learning bbjectives:After studying this unit; you should be able to:Know tfe concept of ListeningExplain the process of ListeningDescribe the value of Listening in oral communicationExplain the Types of ListeningDescribe the Barriers to ListeningKnow the guidelines to effective ListeningLet us know understand the meaning of Listening.

1.2 Meaning of Listening.l

Let us first understand the difference between hearing and listening.

When you are hearing, sound waves stike the eardrum and you sense sound. Therefore hearingcan be termed as a passive process whereas listening not only involves sensing sounds butinterpreting those sounds to understand the meaning in the message. Thus listening meanshearilrg with attention and concentation so that proper interpretations can be made.Now let us define listening. '

"Listening means receiving message in a thoughtful manner that leads to,an understanding of themeanihg in the message". L

(Source: -Business Communication by Varinder Kumar and Bodh Raj, Kalyani publishers 2003,pg ll4)

z

"In order to thrive in highly competitive rapidly changing environment services employees mustlearn to listen well"- Judi Bronwall

"Hearing is with the ears, Listening is with the mind" -Davis

Johnson defines Listening "as the ability to turderstandcommunication"It becomes necessary to understand the process of listeningli.stening. T,et u.s now go through the process of Listening.


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and respond effectively to oral

in order to learn the art of good.

1.3 The Listening ProcessThcrc arc four stcps in thc process of listening

l. Ilearing- This is the first step in listening. Hearing means using the sense organs andreceiving the words sent by the speaker.

2. Interprctation -.The next step in listening is interpretation. This means decoding l.he

message and underptanding the message in your own way. This depends on-ifrdlifGnlrs

-

k-nowledge,at@etc3. tlvaluation - After interpreting the meaning of a message, the next step is evaluation.

This relates to A messageshould be eval umping to quick conclusions.

4. Response - R99 to the . This helps the speaker toknow whethEr the . Response to the message can bethrough verbal or non-verbal means.

l.

1.4 Value of Listening in Oral CommunicationListening holds value in oral communication because listening accounts for about 45

percent of the time that we spent for verbal communication. Listening is also the firstskill that we acquire in our ability to use language which is followed by speaking, readingand witing.Listening is important at the entry level and also at the managerial level in thd course of aperson's work life. It also plays a significant role for career advancement.

g can be summed up as follows- |

cant skill among all the four 'skills

of communication narJrcly.and speaking as the time spent 6n listening is substantial

whether you are a student or a professional, 4l ,a stuqent you havE to attend lectures,workshops, seminars etc. As a ilrofessional you have to enter into conversations ordiscussions with subordinates and superiors or you mziy have to attend seminars andconfcrenccs which require you to be a good listener.l,istening is vital for profefsibnal growtl]. It has been observed that an executive spendsmost of his working time in listening. As you move up the career graph, the time spent onlistening increases, listening is most important at the managerial level as a manager has tolisten to his subordinates as well as his superiors.

2.


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3. Good listening leads to better iglerpersonal rqlatjlons, It builds an environment of trustand openness. Good listening opbns the door for free flow of communication and makescommunication effective.

4. Good listening is beneficial as it helps to understand and analyze the views expressed byothers. It facilitates decision making, helps build good rapport with superiors andsubordinates and makes an organization more effective.II

1.4.1 Importance of listening in Business settingso Most significant for entry-level position. Mos! important for promotion to upper management i

o Most critical in distinguishing effective ftom ineffective subordinateso Most critical for managerial competencyo Most needed for improvement in communicationo Most important for career competencec Most important for organizational success

Self Assessment Questions:1, Hearing is with the ears, Listening is with the---------------.2. Johnson defines Listening "as the ability to understand and respond effectively to

---communication"3. -----------is the first step in listenirtg.4. Response is the listencr's ------------------to the speaker.5. Good listening leads to better -------relations.

1.5 Types of ListeningListening can be of following types-

1. Active ListeningActive Listening is the most desirable type of listening where the listeneractively to the speaket. Flere the listenercorhfortable in deliverine the messase br

the listencr

xerlikenotthe

Selective ListeningSelective Listening means hole

that part othat part olthe sp@im. Here the listening process i!_pAE4tindthe listener does not concentrate fully to the message. 'lhis may be because of yarious

also retains it for ieca-flinp

and listening to only those parts

reasons like the speaker not being good communicatoylremature evaluation etc.


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3. SuperficialListeningSuperficial Listening means pJg!9!ding._Jo listen. This type listening is

thecharacterized by hearing alone where there isof

to

4.

for better understanding. Here listener isThc rcasons

gue etc. eM-9\>:ao*t-

Empathic ListeningEmpathic Listening means to understand by entering

e

s essage and reflecting on ithr-TlsoTnffiding the head and heart of the speaker. '.

Let us now study the different baniers which hinder the process of listening.

1.6 Barriers to Effective Listening (nettt O1

l. Physical Distractions- The physical environment affects the listening process. Thisincludes extraneous noises like noise from vehicular traffic, noise of fans, noise ofmachines in factories, loud music, any kind of disturbing conversations happeningaround or any kind of mechanical disturbancb while using telephone, defeotivemicrophone or transmission failures.Prematurc evaluation- It is human tendency to arrive at hasty conclusions. Listenersintemrpt the speakers before letting them to cornplete the message. 'l'his breaks thethought process ofthe speaker and acts as a hindrance in the process oflistening.Egotism - Egotism is the greatest barrier in the process of listening. This is becausethe receiver considers himself as superior and refuses to listen to the speaker. Thcattitude of the listeners is negative towards the speaker and the listener considers hisown thought and ideas as important. The receiver here has a closed mind which'makes listening difficult.Gap in speaking-thinking rate - The speaker speaks around 125 words per mi4uteand the thinking capacity of an individual is about 400-500 words per minute. Thusthe mind processes the information faster than it is being said. This leads towandering attention'and acts as a barier to listening.Selective Listening- Selective Listening can also be a barrier in communication. Thelistener listens to what interests him and leaves the rest of the message as undesired.This can be because of negative feelings or emotional blocks.Inadequate Training -Listening is an art which can be cultivated through piactice.Among the tbur skills in communication namely Reading, Writing, Listening and'Speaking, Listening is the most important and requires conscious effort and patience.

the

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

5.


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As educational institutes lay more emphasis on i'eading, Writing and Speaking,Listening remains the most undeveloped skill.

1.7 Guidelines to make Listening Effectivei. The first rule of listening islo stop talking2. Listen with a positive attitude and open mind

' 3. Remove all distractions such as putting the cell phone off, reducing noise by closingdoors etcl

4. Make listening whole rather than selective.5. Make the speaker comfortable.6. Pay attention to verbal messagcs also look for non-verbal clucs.7, Do not arrive at hasty conclusions and avoid prejudging.8. Be patient and show a desire to listen.9, Make your listening active and attentive.10, Ask clarifying questions lmd take notes to ensure retention.

Self Assessment Questions:

6.------------Listening means selecting and listening to only those parts of the whole

I speech which appeal to the listener.

d. SuperficiJ Listening *.*r -------to listen.

. 8. --------------------Listening means listening with the intention to understand by enteringanother person's frame of reference,

9. The speaker speaks around words per minute and the thinking capacityof an individual is about 400-500 words per minute.10. The first rule of listening is to stop--------------------.

1.8 Summaryo Listening is the most important skill in communication and is used the most

the least developed skill among all the four skills in communicationReading, Speaking and Listening.

e "Listening means receiving message in a thoughtful manner that. understanding of the meaning in the message". I

. There are four steps in the process of listening

o Importance of listening in Business settings-

leads to an

but still it isi.e. Writing,

Prepared by Mahak Balanl

Faculty

JU.CMS,l

;I

. Listening can be of following rypes-

F Active Listening ' . {

) Selective Listening

o Barriers to Effective ListeninD Physical DistractionsFPremature evaluationFEgotism

D Gap in speaking-thinking rateF Selective ListeningDlnadequate Training

1.9 Terminal questions.:2. Define Listening? ii,'3. What are the steps inf,istening?4. What is the value of Listening?5. What are the types of'Listening?6. Wha't are the barrlers to effectlve Llstening??. Glve some guldellnes to make llstening effectlve.

1.11 Answers:

- Answers for the Self Assessment Questions:, 1, Mind

2. Oral3. Hearing

r

.' 4. F:edback' 5. interpersonal

6. Selective- 7. Pretending

p. Empathic- 9. 125


Faculty

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10. talkingI

Answers for the Terminal Questions:

Refer to section 1.2.Refei to section 1.3.Refer to section 1.4.Refer to section 1,5,Refer to section 1.6,Refer to Section 1.7.

Case StudyFarewell SpeechThe farewell dinner was on. The vice president was being given a frrewell by the employeeswith whom he Camaraderie, reflebtions, sharing of thoughtsand memories uld sum up the mood of the party, f'he C]EOwalked in to j uested to deliver a short ,p...fi tooting at themood and the spirit of the occasion. The CEO, an eloquent speakei, stood up and delivered agreat speech, marked with gcntle humor, about life aftcr retiremint, what thc vicc prcsidcntmeant to the company and to him personally, h6w he had reached such heights and yet nevercompromised his values, and that his. exit would be a difficult space to fill in, As the CEO spoke,all eygs were fixed on him. Most employees were serious, watchful and paying full attention.Some were clearly indifferent. A few proactive listeners hoWever, enjoyed every bit of what theCEO said which was quite evident from their body language. Their smiling faces, twinkling eycsand occasional head nods, in agreement with what the speaker said, were indicative of their levelof involvement and enjoyment. In other words, they had tumed themselves to whatever the CEOwas saying. However midway through his speech, the CEO sensed that his speech was becominga little too stretched he cut short his speech and wished the vice piesident all the good health andpeacc.

1. Did everybody receive the message the same way? Why?2, How do listening skills differ according to place, person and time? Explain in the context

t-

dft: for.

situation.f

- Module 4


JU-CMS

Oral Communication


1.2 The Business Presentation1.3 Types of Presentationsl.4Types of Delivery1.5 Process of delivering Prescntatioris1.6 Summary

i

1.7'l'erminal Questions1.8 Answers

t.

1.1 lntroduction

' ln module 3, we studied the importance rf 'listening skills'. Now let us know the valueof speaking through studying 'presentation skills'. As you move up the ladder oforganizational hierarchy you need the ability to present your ideas and plans effectively.This is significant not only in terms of your organization's reputation but also for your,career progress. Depending on the kind of organization you work for and thetresponsibilities that come under the purview of your area of work, you would beexpected to make a number of presentations in business meetings, seminars andconferences.

The basic objective behind any presentation is to attract the attention of the audienceand maintain their interest and enthusiasm throughout the presentation. Thus deliveringpresentations successfully is an art, which is worth learning.

This unit will facilitate you to understand business presentations through studying thetypes of presentations and types of delivering a presentation. This unit also guides youthrough each stage of delivering a presentation from the initial preparation to thesuccessful completion of a business presentation.

After studying this unit, you will be able to-

r.2 THE BUSINESS PRESENTATTONt

A Business Presentation is a formal talk addressed to one or more people and presents'- ideas or information in a clear, structured way.


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(Definition Source: - Business Communication by Meenakshi Raman, Prakash Singh,Oxford University Press (2008))

As a presenter you need to learn the skills required to make an effective presentation.Piesentations would be made to internal or external audiences. Presentations within theorganization include briefings, project proposals etc. Presentations outside theorganization include selling products and services to potential customers.

1.3 ryPES OF PRESENTATIONS

1. lnformative presentations- lnformative presentations are knowledge based innature. The basic purpose of an informative presentation is to give informationrtothe audience or to teach the audience something which they are unaware of.Example - Orientation for new employees.

2. Persuasive Presentations- Presentations which are made to persuade theaudience to act or believe in a particular manner are known as pe6uasive

I presentations. These presentations provide information and help the audience indecision-making.Example - A sales presentation to convince a potential customer to buy a

. product.

1.4 TYPES OF DELIVERY

I,et us now study, the types of delivering presentations. Presentations can be deliveredin the following ways- ,

I

1. The Manuscript Delivery I

2. The Memorized Presentation3. The Impromptu Presentation j'

4. Extemporaneous Speaking.

. fJ THE MANIJSCRTPT DELIVERY

. A Manuscript Presentation is read 'word for word' from a typed manuscript. Asmanuscript presentation is delivered from a typed script the presenter has good controlover its content. This proves to be advantageous only wherr manuscripts are read with .suffioient vocal expressiveness and good eye contact. Manuscript presentations aresuitable when a policy statement by government has to be read out to the public oi'atthe time of presenting testimony at the court of law or in case of message that has to be ,

broadcast.


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2. THE MEMORIZED PRESENTATION

The Memorized Presentation requires the presenter to memorize the presentation'word for word' and recite it thereof, A full presentation if memorized may lead toskipping important points when interrupted by the audience. Moreover there might be aninherent fear in the mind of the speaker of suddenly forgetting the content, going blankor loosing the chain of thought.

Memorizing a presentation is a time consuming process and lacks the natural flow ofthoughts, which is a necessary feature of a good presentation.

3. THE IMPROMPTU PRESENTATION I

lmpromptu presentations are to be delivered on the spot without preparation insituations where the callto speak comes unexpectedly. There.might be situations whereyou get an unexpected call by your boss to speak in a meeting briefing about a projectthat you are working on or talking about a problem that needs to be addressed. Thesesituatiortrs can be handled properly without putting your job reputation at stake byanticipating and preparing in advance.

4. EXTEMPORANEOUS SPEAKING

An Extemporaneous presentation is carefully planned and is delivered with the helpof an outline. This type of preserrtation is delivered in a natural manner in aconversational tone. You can have good control over the conteirt if you practice the artof delivering such presentations. Here the presenter is able to adapt and modify thepresentation according to the audience. A Business presentation deliveredextemporaneously has good impact on the audience as the presenter is relatively freeof written material since the presenter delivers the content from an outline and not acomplete text.

Self Assessment Questions :

Orientation for new employees is an example for ... presentations.A Manuscript Presentation is read 'word for word' from a typedThe ...Presentation requires the presenter to memorize thepresentation 'word for word' ahd recite it thereof.

.....presentations are to be delivered on the spot without preparationin situations where the call to speak comes unexpectedly.An Extemporaneous presentation is carefully planned and is delivered with the

1.

2.3.

4.

5.


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1.5 PROCESS OF DELIVERING PRESENTATIONS

1" Plan and organize the presentation

The first step is planning and organizing the presentation. This covers basic parts of aspeech namely-introduction, body and conclusion.

(i) lntroduction

' The main goal of an effective introduction is to get the attention of the audience, statethe purpose of the presentation and preview the main points.You can attract the attention of the audience through a quotation, story or humour,

.After getting audience attention make sure to clearly state the topic of yourpresentation without creating suspense for long. After stating the topic of yourpresentation the n-ext element for your introduction is to the preview your topic. Thisprepares the audience for the rest of your speech.. Thili is where the audience considersthe main points covered in yoyr presentation.

(ii) Body of the presentation

The message to be conveyed has to be well organized. The presentation shouldideally consist of three kleas. The whole message should be divided into various sub-topics for clear understanding. The main idea should consist of the facts that arerequired to support the message. I

(iii) Conctusion

Conclusion is the last impression you make in the mind of the audience. Here themain points of the presentation have to be reviewed, The conclusion also holdsimpo5tance as the introduction. Therefore attention getters can be used while concludinga pre'sentation. A good ending helps to create a positive impression and also ends on afavorable note towards the speaker.

2.. Compose the content of your presentation

. The second step is tb compose the content of your presentation as a full text. Youshould try using simple and short sentences while preparing the content of yourprdsentation. You should also try using familiar words instead of jargons. The main ideashould be to make people understand what you intend to say using simple languagerather then making it ornamental.

3. Prepare an outline of your presentation

The full text of your presentation should now be transformed into an outline.Outlines will help you to deliver your presentation effectively. The outline can be in theform of key points and key words. These key points and,key words can be typed on index

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cards to be used as supporting material during the delivery of your presentations. Thesecards should also be numbered. You can also write instruction for yourself like "showslide Nol5 here" or reminders like 'look up " etc.

4. Memorize the beginning and end of your presentation

It is not a good idea to memorize the entire presentation but you can memorize thebeginning and the end of your presentation.Memorizing the beginning of your presentation will create a positive impression on theaudience, as you would start off by looking directly at your audience. Hereafter you canrefer to the outline prepared on the index cards. While you are concluding yourpresentation be relatively free of the written outline by directly conversing with theaudience. This would leave a favorable impression and showcase your control overcontent.

5. Practice your presentation

This step is the most significant and should not be skipped. lt is known fact that"Practice makes a man perfect'.You should practice your presentation from the beginning till the end. Remember to timeyour presentation considering that you tend to speak faster in front of the audience. lfpossible ask your friends or colleagues to give feedback on your practice session. Themore you practice the better will be the delivery of your presentation.

6. Deliver your presentation

'While delivering a presentation both body language and paralanguage plays acritical role. Body language includes the use of eye contact and body movements.Regular eye contact with the audience helps a presenter to know whether the audiencels getting the message properly. Other body movements like using facial expression,hand gestures, relaxed posture etc also contribute in making a presentation effective.Paralanguage includes the quality of voice, rate of speech, volume, pronunciation etq

You should'take care of 'paralanguage' in order to make your voice expressive.

7. Evatuate your presentation :

After delivering a presentation you should always evaluate your performance. Achecklist can be prepared to know the effectiveness of your presentation in terms o!content or delivery. I

The areas to be checked in terms of content can bei Proper lntroductionii Proper organizationiii Use of supporting material

I

iv Proper use of language . {

v Proper conclusionThe areas to be checked in terms of delivery can bei Proper Eye contactii Gestures


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iii Facial Expressionsiv Volume of Speechv Pitch and rate of speechvi Stress on wordsvii Plonunciation

I

i


6. The first step in delivering a presentation is .., ...and organizing, presentation.

7. is the last impression you make in the mind of the audience8. The second step is to compose the content of .your presentation as a

9. The outline of the presentation can be in the form of key points and key10. While delivering a presentation both body language a;td ...... plays a

critical role.

,, 1.6 Summary

presents' ideas or information in a clear, structured way.

' Informative presentationsPersuasive Presentations

1. The Manuscript Delivery2. The Memorized Presentation

.3. The lmpromptu Presentation4. Extemporaneous Speaking.

L Plan and organize the presentationll,Compose the content of your presentationlll.Prepare an outline of your presentationlV.Memorize the beginning and end of your presentationV. Practice your presentationVl, Deliver your presentation

. ' Vll.Evaluate your presentation

l.TTerminal Questions :

l. What is a Business presentation?2. What are the types of presentations?3t What is a manuscript delivery?

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JU.CMS

- 4. What do you mean by extemporaneous presentation?

- ., 5. Explain the process of delivering presentation.

l.SAnswers:

Answers ti.-ir?:ffi,lTsment Questions :

2. Manuscript3. Mcmorized4. Impromptu5. Outline6. Planning7. Conclusion8. F'ull Text9. Words10. Paralanguage

Answeru for the Tenminal Questions:' Refer to section 1.2.

Refer to section 1.3,

Refer to section 1.4.Refer to section 1.4.

Referto section 1.5.

:!

Prepared by lllahak BalaniFaculty

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Module 5 Employment Communication

1.1 lntroduqtionObjectives

1.2 Resumes1.2.1 Parts of a Resume1.2.2 Types of Resume/Resume Styles i

1.3 Cover Messages' 1.4 lnterviewing1.4.1 Types of lnterviews1.4.2 Tips for conducting yourself during an lnterview1.5 Follow-up Letters1.5.1 Application or Resume follow-up letter1.5.2 lnterview follow-up letter

1.7 Terrninal Questions1.8 Answers

1.1 lntroduction

ln module 4, we studied the importance of 'presentation skills'. Now.let us know the

importance of 'Employment Communication'. Afler you graduate, you would have to

prepare for employment by identifying your interest and choosing a career path that best

suits your interest. Therefore it becomes essential for you to learn'how to promote

yourself by writing a persuabive resume and an effective cover letter.

A successful application will be followed by an interview with a

progpective employer. At times you need to write a follow-up letter if the prospective

employer is not responding to your application.

This unit will help you in preparing for employment taking you through

the first step of writing a persuasive resume and an effective cover letter followed by

preparing for an interview and writing follow- up letters.

Learning objectives

After studying this unit, you should be able to-

Know the basics of resume writing

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>l Underrtand the basics of lnterviewing

1.2 Resumes

A resume is a record of one's personal details prepared by an applicant for seeking a

job. The purpose of the resume is to get a job interview.

1.2.1 Parts of a Resume

,1, Main Heading- The main heading should be kept simple. The drst item on the resume

' should be your name. Your address, phone number and e-mail address shoutd be. clearly written.

2 Career Objective- This is a short statement of your expertise and interest. The objective

, ,helps the recruiter to find where the applicant can fit into the company.

. 3 Education- The next irnportant component on your resume is your education. This

would include your degree, college name and address, course and marks.

t1 Work Experience-lf your work experience is related to your job objective and significant.\

enough, this information should be given before education. Write the employer details,

dateg of employment, job title, duties and accomplishments for each position stated.,l(l.) Capabilities and Skills- List your special skills and capabilities that you have acquired

through training or experience.t.

b Awards and Honors-State the details of the awards, scholarships, honors and

recognitions that you have received.

I

Personal Data- lnformation about gender, religion, marital status should not be given.s\ Hobbies, interests and willingness to relocate can be given since some companies

. would want to have such details.

2

I

Prepared by Mahak nutun{Faculty

JU.CMS

fteferences-The names and addresses of references need not be included on the

resume but should be produced on demand.

1.2.2 Types of Resumes / Resume Styles

1. Ghronological I ,

This style may be preferred by some recruiters as it reveals education and

experience record of a candidate quickly. ln this style work history is given

starting with the most recent job first. Candidates who have considerable work

experience and a good career growth without gaps opt for a chronological'

resume. Figure 1 showcases a sample chronological resume.

2. Functional

This style is preferred by fresh graduate,; and also those who lack considerable work

experience. ln this style candidate's skills are emphasized. These skills can be listed

under different categories like management skilis, marketing skills or communication

skills. Figure 2 showcases a sample functional resume,

3. Combination

This style is preferred by candidates who have recently graduated as it gives

them a choice to list what they are capable of doing for a prospective employer.

This style is a combination of the best features of both the above styles. lt not

only emphasizes a candidate's capabilities but also job experience. Figure 3

showcases a sample combinational resume.

Prepared by Mahak Balanitr-aculty .

JU.CMS

tr'igurel : Sample Chronological resume

ROBERTA M.SANCHEZ1148 Lambert Road

' Napewille,II60144Phone: (708)814-9322 E-mail : [email protected]

OBJECTMS Position wit\ financial services organization installing accountingsoftware and providing user support, where computer experience andproven communication and interpersonal skills can be used to improve

' operation.EXPERIENCE Accounting software consultant, Financial Spccialists, Elmhurst,

IllinoisJune 2002 to present

. Design and install accounting systems for business such as 21ttCentury real Estate,Illinois Insurance, Aurora LumberCompany, and others

r Provide ongoing technical support and consultation for regularclients

. Help write proposals , such as recent one that won $250,000contract

Office Manager (part-time), Post Premium, Naperville, Illinois' August 1998 to may 2002

. Conceived and implemented improved order processingand filling system :. $anaged computerized accourting system; trained new

. r employees to use it. Helped install local area network

Bookkeeper (part-time), Sunset r\vionics, Downers Grove, IllinoisAugust 1996 to May 1998 i

. Kept books for small airplane rental and repair service.. r

Llr*ffiffiibookkeeping tunctions including quarterly

Prepared hy Mahak BalaniFaculfy

JU-CMS,

EDUCATION College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, IllinoisAssociati of Arts degree in business administration, June 2002

- GPA in major 3.614.0

Computer Associates training seminar, summer and fall 2002Certificate of completionSeminars in consulting ethics, marketing and ACCPAC accountingsoftware

SPECIAL . Proficient in Word, PageMaker, Lotus and EXCELSKILLS . Skilled in ACCPAC plus, MAS90, and Solomon IV

accounting softwareHONOR AND Dean's list, 3 semestersACTMTIES Member, Beta Alpha Gamma (business student honorary)

Member, Academic Affairs Advisory Committee, College of IDupage, 1999-01

(Source - Essehtials of Business Communication by Mary Ellen Guffey,ilhomson, Soutli Western,2004 pg 37 l)

I

I

Figure2: Samplc Functional rcsumc

Phone (412) 724-4981

DONALD W. VINTON2250'turtle Creek DriveMonroeville, Pennsylyania 15 146

E-mail :[email protected]

OBJECTIVE Position in sales or marketing with opportunity for advancementand travel ,,- SALES/ r Demonstrated lawn care equipment in central and westem

-- MARKETING Pennsylvania

. SKILLS . Achieved product sales amounting to 120 percent offorecast in competitive field

- . Personally generated over $25,000 in telephone' subscriptions as part ofpresident's task Force for the Penn

COMMUNICATIONSKILLS

ORGANIZATIONAL/MANAGEMENTSKILLS

EDUC4TTON

EMPLOYMENT

INTEREST

I

I


JU.CMS

FoundationConducted telephone survey of selected business in twocounties to determine poteirtial users of farm equipmentand to promote company service

)

Successfully served 40 or more retail customers daily as

clerk in electric appliance department of national homehardware store

Conducted survey, analyzed results, and wore a 20 -pagereport regarding the need for developing a recyclingprogram at Penn statePresented talks before selected campus classes andorganization encouraging snrdents to participate inrecycling program

, Spoke for award -winning delegation defending U.S.policies before mock U.N meetingAnnounced sports news for WGNF, college radio stationHelped conceptualize, organizb and conduct highlysuccessful campus campaign to register student votersSchedule events and ananged weekend student retreat forNewman Club I I

Trained and supervised two counter employees atPizzaBob'sOiganized courses, extracurricular activities and part timeemployment to graduate in seven semesters, earned 3.4grade point average (A=4.0)Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA. B.S,2002 Major: Business Administration with sales andmarketing emphasis GPA in major 3.6 (A:4.0)Community College of Allegheny County Monroeville, PAcourses in General studies and ljusiness Administration

2000-2002, Pizza Bob's, state college, PennsylvaniaSummer I 9 99, Bellefonte Manufacturer Representatives,PittsburghSummer 1996, Home Depot, Inc, PittsburghBasketball, soccer, mountain biking skiing

(Sotrce - Essentials of Business Communication by Mary Ellen Guffey,Thomson, South Western,20 04 pg 372)

Prepared by Mahak BalaniFaculty '

JU.CMS

f igure3: Samplc Combination Resumc

SUSAN R SNOWRoute 2, Box 180Dodgeville, Wlsconsin 53533

Residence (608) 938-3195 Message (608) 938-4399

SKILLS and . Keyboard 70 wpm with accuracyCAPABILITIES . Take symbol shorthand at 90 wpm with accurate

transcription. Skilled in the production of legal documents and

correspondencer Competent in producing mail able copy from machine

transcriptioni 1 Experienced in personal computer use, including thefollowing software: Word, Lotus and Excel

. Ability to perform office tasks and interact, effectively usingexcellent written and oral communication skills

EXPERIENCE r Word Processing Operator 1, Limited-term employeeUniversity of Wisconsin -Madison, May 2002.to August2002' r Transferred confidential letters, memo, reports and otherdocuments from machine dictation using Word Me

. Proofread documents for other operator, marking grammar ',and content errors

Student ,\ssistantSouthwest Wisconsin Technical College, Pennimore, WI

53809, June 2001 toAugust 2001

. Typed memos and input financial aid data on terminal tomainframe, printed and verified monthly report

\ totals for $70,000 budget. Helped financial aid applicant understand and completefive-page form

. Screened inconring telephone calls for supervision ahd threecounselors

Part -Time Cook and CashierSoupttr Subc, Fennimore, WI 53809 May 2000 to May 2001. Prepared menu items, accepted iustomers payments and

balanced cash drawer

, EDU.d,o*

. Spience

,, University ofWisconsinMadison, WI53489 (608) 822-8931(413) 390-44e1


JU.CMS : .

Fennimore, WI53809(608) 822-8749

Southwest Wisconsin Technical colleen !-ennimore, WI 53809Major : Office assistant and word processing specialist programsA.A degree expected May 200. GPA in major: 3.6 (4.0 =A)

ACTIVITIES AND . Received the Fennimore Times award from SouthwestAWARDS Wisconsin

Technical college Foundation for academic excellence andcontribution to campus lifeElected secretary of Business Professional of America club;Represented SWTC chapter at sales and nationalcompetitions i

REFERENCESMs. Shirley A. Yost Professor Lois Wagner Mr. James W.LoyCollege of Letters & SW Wisconsin technical SW Wisconsin

College technical CollegeHighway 18 East Highway l8 East '

Fermimore, WI53809

(Source - Essentials of Business Communication by Mary Ellen Gutfey,Thomson, South Westem,20}a pg374)

1.3 Cover Messages

Your resume should be accompanied by a persuasive cover letter. This letter is a

communication from the applicant to the prospective employer, which highlights the

applicant's interest and qualifications with respect to a job position.

The cover letter introduces the major aspects covered in the resume and highlig\ts

the strengths of the applicant with the goal of getting a call for an interview. A cover

letter should have attractive opening, an interesting continuation given in the body of

the letter and an ending which compels or motivates the prospective employer to

take action.I


JU-CMS

Figure 4: Sample Gover Letter

Kendra A. Hawkins

1770 Hawthorne Place, Boulder, CO 80304

May 23, 2003

Ms. Courtney L.Donahue

Director, Human Resou!'ces

Del Rio Enterprise

Denver, CO 82511

Dear Ms. Donahue

Your advertisement for an assistant, product manager, appearing May 22 in seciion C of

the Denver Post, immediately caught my attention because my education and training

closely parallel your needs. I

According to your advertisement the job includes'assisting in the coordination of a wide

range of marketing programs as well as analyzing sales results and tracking marketing

budgets'. A recent internship at Ventana Corporation introduced me to'similar task.

Assisting the marketing manager enabled me to analyze the promotion, budget and

overall sales success of two products Ventana was evaluating. My ten page report

examined the nature of the current market, the product's life cyctes and their sales/profit

return. ln addition to this research, I helped formulate a product rnerchandising plan and

answered consumer's question at a local trade show

lntensive course work in marketing and management, as well as proficiency in computer

spreadsheets and databases, has given me the kind of marketing and computer training

that Del Rio probably demands in a product manager. Moreover, my recent retail sales

9

i

\

Prepaied by Mahak BalaniFaculty

' I JU-CMS

experience and participation in campus organizations fave helped me develop the kind ; - i

of customer service and interpersonal skills necessary lror an effective product manager. :

After you have examined the enclosed resume for details of my qualifications, I would be

happy to answer questions. Please call.me to arrange an interview at your convenience

so that we may discuss how my marketing experience, computer training and

interpersonal skills could contribute to Del Rio Enterprise.

Sincerely, I

Kendra A Hawkins

II

(Sdurce - Essentials of Business Communication by Mary Ellen Guffey, Thomson,

South Westerp,2004)


1, A.,.,.. .is a record of one's personal details prepared by an applicant for

seeking a job.

2. Candidates who have considerable work experience and a good career growth

without gaps opt for a ... resume.

,, 3 Style is preferred by candidates who'have recently graduated

as it gives them a choice to list what they are capable of doing for a prospective

mployer..

4. The ... ......letter introduces the major aspects covered in the resume and

. highlights the strengths of the applicant with the goal of getting a cal! for an

interview.

l.4lnterviewing

An 'interview' may be defined as a conversation between two parties that is the

interviewer and the intervievrree that is structured and prepared to achieve a purpose

through exchange of information.

r0I


JU.CMS

1.4.1 Types of lnterviews

Employment interviews are generally oi two types: Screening interviews andI

Hiring/Placement interviews.

Screening lnterviews

Screening interviews screen candidates to eliminate all those who do not meet minimum

requirements. Companies either use professionals or screening tools like computer

programs to screen out unqualified candidates.

Hiring /Placement lnterviews

Hiring /Placement interviews are conducted for candidatds who are seleoted from

screening interviews. These interviews are conducted io kqow whether the candidates

would fit into the job position.

1.4.2 Tips for conducting yourself during the interview

1. Establish and maintain eye contact and be confident.

2. Do not showcase your knowledge. Answer to the point.

3. Have a positive approach towards the organization.

4. Focus on your strengths.

5. Do not criticize ybur previous employer.

6, Be prepared to answer the salary question.

' 7. Be prepared to ask any question about the job and the oigailization if the

interview has gone well.

8. Conclude on a positive note by thanking the interviewer and expressing

interest for obtaining the job.

1.5 Follow -up Letters

Employment communication may also involve writing follow-up letters. Follow-up letters

can be written io know the status of your application when one's resume has not got any

response after a reasonable period of time or after a job interview.

1l


JU.CMS :

1.5.1 Application or Resume follow-up letter

When a prospective employer has not responded to a resume, a follow-up letter can be

written to check the status of your application.

Figure5: Specimen Application or Resume foltow-up tetter

'l

Dear Ms, Lopez:

Please know I am still interested in becoming an administrative support specialist with

: auad, lnc.

Since I submitted an application in May, I have completed my schooling and have been

employed as a summer replacement for office work'ers in several downtown offices. This

experience has honed my word processing and communication skills. lt has also

introduced me to a wide range of office procedures.

tPlea{e keep my application in your active file and let me know when I may put my formal

training, technical skills, and practical experience to work for you.

Sincerely,

Randa Adwin

(Source - Essentials of Business Communication by Mary Ellen Guffey, Thomson,'

South Western,2004 pg 415)

t2


JU.CMS

I

1.5.2 lnteruiew follow-up letter

An interview follow -up letter is a brief letter of thanks written after a job interview. lt also

acts as a reminder of your visit to the company for an interview.

Figure 6: Specimen lnterview Follow-up Letter

i

{

Dear Ms. Cogon:

Talking with you Thursday, May 23, about the graphic designer position was both' ' ,

informative and interesting.'

Thanks for describing the position in such details and for introducing me to. Ms. Thomas,

the senior designer. Her current project designing the annual report in four'colors on a

Macintosh sounds fascinating as well as quite challenging

Now that l've learned in greater detail the specific tasks of your graphic designers, l'm

more than ever convinced that my computer skills can make a genuine contribution to

your grdphics productions. My training in Macintosh design and layout ensures that I

could be immediately productive on your staff.

I

You willfind me an enthusiastic and hard-worker member of any team effort. I 'm eager

to join the graphics staff at your Santa Barbara headquarters, and I look forward to

hearing frorn you soon.

Sincerelv.t''

Raymond Adio

t3

Prepared by Mahak Balanif,'aculty

JU.CMS

(Source - Essentials of Business Communication by Mary Ellen Gufiey, Thomson,

South Western,2004 pg 41 5)

Self Assessment Questions:

5. Employment interviews are generally of two types: ...interviews and,t

' Hiring/Placementinterviews.

6. ..letters can be written to know the status of your application when

_ one's resume has not got any.response after a reasonable period of time or after

. ajob interview.

7. An intervibw follow-up letter is a brief letter of thanks written after a

....interview.

{.6 Summary

A resume is a record of one's personal details prepared by an applicant for

seeking a job.

Resumes can be of three types -Chronological ,Functional, Combination

The cover letter introduces the major aspects covered in the resume and

highlights the strengths of the applicant with the goal of getting a call for an

interview.

An 'interview' may be defined as a conversation between two parties that is the

interviewer and the interviewee that is structl'red and prepared to achieve a

purpose through exchange of information, ' ,

Employment interviews are generally of two types: Screening interviews and

Hiring/Placement interviews,

Follow-up letters can be written to know the status of your application when one's

resume has not got any response after a reasonable period of time or after a job

interview.

r4


. JU_CMS.

t.

1.7 Terminal Questions:

1. Whatis a resume?

2. What is a functionalyesume?

3. What is a cover message?

4. Elaborate on the types of interview.

5. Gfve th€ tips for conduc,ting yourseff during the lntervbw.,

6. \Mrat are follow-up letters?

1.8 Answerg:I

Answers for the Self Aseessment Questions:

1. resume

2. chronological I

3. Combination ,

4. cover

5. screening I

| 6. Follow-up . ,

7. job

Ansrerc for the Terminal Questlons:

Refer to section 1.2. ' ,.:

Refer to section 1.2.2

Reler to section 1.3

REferto secilion 1.4.1

Refer to section 1,4.2

Refer to eection 1.5t

15

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