BUSINESS COMMUNICATION TERM REPORT

LEARNING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

DECEMBER 21, 2014 MBA WEEKEND PROGRAM

MUHAMMAD ALI JINNAH UNIVERSITY KARACHI

ANUM ARSHIA

FA14-EX-0060

SEMESTER: FALL-14

a

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 1

Objective ....................................................................................................................................................... 2

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 3

Communication In Business ......................................................................................................................... 3

Communication ......................................................................................................................................... 3

Business Communication .......................................................................................................................... 3

Types Of Business Communication .......................................................................................................... 3

Assertive Communication ......................................................................................................................... 4

Importance Of Business Communication ................................................................................................. 4

Different Forms Of Communication ......................................................................................................... 4

Communication Model ............................................................................................................................. 5

Business Writings ......................................................................................................................................... 6

Writing A Business Letter ........................................................................................................................ 6

Writing A Resume .................................................................................................................................... 6

Writing A Notice/ Memo .......................................................................................................................... 6

Writing An Agenda ................................................................................................................................... 6

Sentence Structures ....................................................................................................................................... 7

Simple Sentences ...................................................................................................................................... 7

Compound Sentences ................................................................................................................................ 7

Complex Sentences ................................................................................................................................... 7

Compound-Complex Sentences ................................................................................................................ 7

Guffey’s 3x3 Writing Process ....................................................................................................................... 7

Prewriting .................................................................................................................................................. 7

Writing ...................................................................................................................................................... 8

Revising .................................................................................................................................................... 8

Persuasive Messages ..................................................................................................................................... 8

Preparing To Write Persuasive Messages ................................................................................................. 8

Organizing The Message .......................................................................................................................... 9

Writing A Successful Persuasive Request ................................................................................................ 9

Negative Messages ........................................................................................................................................ 9

Bad News .................................................................................................................................................. 9

a

Report Writing ............................................................................................................................................ 10

Types Of Business Reports ..................................................................................................................... 10

Informal Reports ..................................................................................................................................... 10

Formal Reports........................................................................................................................................ 11

Difference Between Formal & Informal Reports.................................................................................... 11

Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 12

1 | P a g e

TERM REPORT ON LEARNING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The main idea behind this report is to share the knowledge, I gained during my course of Business

Communication in an effective and efficient manner. Communication is necessary to convey an idea,

knowledge and information successfully, this can be intentional or unintentional and can take place in

several forms like verbal, non-verbal, signs, symbols and in written form therefore Business

Communication is essential for any MBA graduate to become a successful manager since it aids in learning

effective communication skills.

Communication is life blood of an organization, when communication stops, organized activity ceases to

exist. Business Communication.

Business Communication Skills gives you a clear insight into what constitutes effective oral and written

business communication in a fast-paced global business environment, and provides you with the

opportunity to develop your own workplace communication skills.

In Business, parties communicate with the help of several means like business letters, memos, notice,

agenda, publications and emails. Business Messages can be positive with convincing facts and figures and

they can be negative with critical points.

Sometimes it is also needed to right reports either informal or formal in an organization these reports can

be memos, show cause, incidental report, request for proposals and quotations etc.

All above are formal business documents, written with the intention to grow business and achieve the

desired objective. Business Communication is an essential tool and an art to convey any sort of message

clearly positively and under pressure. If one learn this art, can become a successful manager in his/ her

career.

2 | P a g e

TERM REPORT ON LEARNING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

OBJECTIVE

The main objective of writing this report is to convey my knowledge and understanding which I

have gained regarding business communication in classes conducted at Muhammad Ali Jinnah

University by Mr. Ramman Rajput.

Telling the benefits of learning this course and its importance in the business organizations as well

as non-profit organizations.

With the help of this proposal I recommend and put forward a necessary need of business

communication to become successful manager or an entrepreneur in the modern business world.

3 | P a g e

TERM REPORT ON LEARNING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

INTRODUCTION

Every student striving to seek higher degrees must have some dreams, similarly I took admission in

Muhammad Ali Jinnah University to become a successful manager after getting my MBA degree. Although

I have done B.E in Industrial Engineering & Management but it gives me technical skills to deal with work

and people in work life, for conceptual and human skills to develop and for becoming a successful and

knowledgeable manager MBA has become very important now a days in this competitive world.

During my course of study I am required to learn many managerial skills out of them one is Communication

Skills, which is the basic need today to get a separate identity and to highlight yourself in a crowd. Business

Communication is the course which aids Graduates in developing effective communication skills. In

Business Communication, I learned several techniques and skills of listening, speaking, communicating,

writing and responding. Every mean of communication in business has separate importance and

requirements. For example while writing an email, memo, letter, tags and brochures there is a separate

requirement of each, having alike patterns, methods and most importantly audience.

Every document in business should have positive appeal, attention grabbing tactics and a proper format.

This report is based on all these techniques and methods which I learned during four months trimester,

required to seek the attention of audience and making message clear, concrete, concise and complete.

COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS

Communication is a life blood of any business. If we somehow remove communication from the

organization it would be dead since businesses all around the world are running on the basis of information

flow with the help of several means and channels like

internet, media, advertisements, publications and

campaigns.

COMMUNICATION It is exchange of information from one to one or one to

many. It is an act by which one person gives or receives

from another person, information, ideas and opinions in

written, verbal, symbolic and signs form.

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION Business Communication is any communication held

with an aim of the promotion of product, service or organization to fulfill the objective of making sale.

Communication in businesses take place for several other purposes too but all has the same goal of making

business profitable.

TYPES OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

There are two types of business communication in an organization

1. Internal Communication

2. External Communication

4 | P a g e

TERM REPORT ON LEARNING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Internal Communication

Communication held within the organization is called internal communication. For Example

communication between employees, managers and other staff. This communication is helpful to achieve

the goal of the organization. Internal Business Communication is further divided into sub types

a. Upward Communication: This communication is sort of requests, feedback and outcome which

a subordinate give to its supervisor. When a first line or lower level employee communicates with

his/ her superior such type of communication is referred to as upward communication.

b. Downward Communication: When Manager, top level managers commands their subordinates

than downward communication takes place.

c. Horizontal/ Literal Communication: When two equal level employees have conversation and

communicate with each other they are in literal communication with each other.

External Communication

Communication with people outside the organization is called External Communication, For example,

purchase managers talking to vendors and sales force communicating with customers etc.

ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATION It is a communication tool used to express positive and negative ideas and information in an open, honest

and direct way. This method of communication can be perceived as aggressive at times when one deliver

some negative message openly and directly. It gives self-satisfaction to the sender of information and

reduces anxiety of the receiver. It enables sender to express any sort of feelings and thoughts, verbally and

non-verbally but assertive communicates does not has warranty of successful positive desired feedback.

IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION Business Communication has big significance in any business to achieve its goals;

Flattened Management Hierarchies: If an employee has good communication skill he can easily

communicate with the vendor or the customer and can make decision himself and no need to convey

messages to the superiors and wasting time is transferring information.

More Participative Management: Management now a days are more participative rather than

commanding therefore they expect their subordinates to be more intellectual and participating in the main

goals of the organization.

Globalization: As world is now a global village and business has crossed the geographical boundaries

therefore interacting with people belonging to different cultures is now very necessary.

Innovative Communication Technologies: Email, fax, internet, social networking all need effective

communication skills to communicate more rapidly than ever before therefore writing and speaking skills

are becoming essential for one to must learn.

Increased Emphasis on Project Teams: Work organization are structured in matrix and team forms now

a days and working in those teams need an effective communication skills for the purpose of interacting,

listening and sharing ideas, solutions, managing conflicts and implementing decisions.

DIFFERENT FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

1. Announcements

5 | P a g e

TERM REPORT ON LEARNING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

2. Publications.

3. Emails

4. Memo

5. Notice

6. Agenda

7. Resume

8. Policies

9. Minutes of Meeting

10. Public Addressing

11. Press Releases

12. Media

13. Newspapers

14. Presentations

15. Declarations

COMMUNICATION MODEL

PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION

Sender: Person having an idea and an intention to share an information

Sender Encodes an idea in a message: Sender converts his/ her idea into a verbal written or any other

transferable form.

Message travels over a Channel: Channel or medium is the means through which message is transferred

from encoder to decoder

Receiver Decodes Message: Receiver as gets message his/her brain converts the message into

understandable form.

Feedback: It is a response from the receiver after getting the message. It is the sign of completion of any

communication.

Noise is the disturbance or distortion which stops message to successfully deliver to the receiver and as

a result required feedback is not received by the sender.

6 | P a g e

TERM REPORT ON LEARNING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

BUSINESS WRITINGS

Business Writing are referred to as the documents we write for the transfer

of information within or outside the organization. Such documents are

named as business letters, notice, memo, agenda, minutes of meeting and

resume.

WRITING A BUSINESS LETTER It is document often used for communication in between two organizations.

A formal letter written to social, political and other business organizations

for achieving some objective is a business letter. A formal business letter consist of six parts; heading,

inside address, salutation, body, close and signature. Business letter are written in full blocked and semi-

indented formats.

Business letter are sent in an envelope with the sender’s address at the

top left corner and receiver’s address in the right in the center. Business

Letter writing involves selection of appropriate format and composing

by fulfilling the pattern requirement and finally it should follow the

communication Cs.

WRITING A RESUME Resume showcases an individual in an efficient manner. Resume writing is an essential part of job search.

It consist of summary on education, experience, contact details, skills and bio data of the job seeker. Resume

writing is also an effective communication skill necessary to get an ideal job. Business Communication

helps in writing a good resume. In a competitive world one must know how to write a complete and concise

resume so that he/ she can be chosen among several candidates on the basis of the effectively written

summary of work life.

WRITING A NOTICE/ MEMO Notice and memos are written for transferring an information inside the organization. It consist of 5 parts;

To: addressed to the concerned people or the audience it is mostly written as “to whom it may concern”.

From: Sender can be MIS department or the manager who routes the message.

Date: Date on which document is written.

Subject: Main idea behind writing the notice or memorandum.

Body: It consist of message in which information is encoded by the sender.

WRITING AN AGENDA An agenda is a list of the items to be discussed at a meeting. Agenda is as important as a captain is important

for a ship. Agenda serves as a guide to the members of the meeting, it is routed in an email or is displayed

before a presentation to acknowledge the participants of the main idea behind the discussion and meeting.

A well written agenda serves many functions like participants prepare before the meeting with necessary

deliverables and updates.

7 | P a g e

TERM REPORT ON LEARNING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

SENTENCE STRUCTURES Written Communication needs a good vocabulary and grammar knowledge therefore in business

communication it is also taught to the graduates to write messages correct without any spelling and

grammatically mistakes.

SIMPLE SENTENCES

Simple Sentences are independent sentences having a complete thought and expressing a complete idea in

simple words. Simple sentences have one subject and one predicate.

Example; I have my own car

COMPOUND SENTENCES Two or more independent sentences join to form a compound sentence.

Example; It is a cloudy day today and it is expected to rain heavily.

COMPLEX SENTENCES One independent clause when joins with one or more dependent clauses they form a complex sentence.

Example; He reached late to school because van came late.

COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCES When two or more independent clauses and one or more dependent clauses join together they form a

compound complex sentences.

Example; Mr. Ahmed was a good cricket player and he played for international team but leg injury caused

him to retire.

GUFFEY’S 3X3 WRITING PROCESS

Marry Ellen Guffey, introduced this writing method in which there are three steps and each steps consists

of further three steps. These steps are prewriting, writing and revising as mentioned in the picture

PREWRITING It is the stage before writing when sender Anticipate of the audience and analyze the purpose of writing

and finally adapt the best possible method to appeal the audience with effective writing.

8 | P a g e

TERM REPORT ON LEARNING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

WRITING It is the process of scripting when sender research using several means the best possible ways and words

and sample scripts and then organize the material in a suitable manner and compose an attention seeking

document for the audience.

REVISING After writing the draft version sender/ writer revise the document and edit and remove the further

irrelevancies and make a document fulfilling the 7Cs of communication and then again proofread the

written script after editing for grammar, punctuation, format and overall appearance and finally evaluate

the document as per the reader’s perspective and anticipate that whether the final document will achieve its

objective of writing or not.

PERSUASIVE MESSAGES Persuasive messages are information for convincing audience with the help of facts and figures. For

example, suggesting a more efficient production process to the manager with research and past data

graphical represented so that manager’s belief can be frequently change after viewing the message.

Persuasive requests are to two types:

1. Persuasive requests for action

2. Persuasive requests for adjustments.

PREPARING TO WRITE PERSUASIVE MESSAGES Here are some vital points of persuasive writing, and an explanation of the human nature that makes these

points pertinent to persuasive writing. As you study these tactics, you will come to better understand your

readers, enabling you to perhaps get more effective in writing persuasive copy.

Make an Emotional Appeal: The object is to get his core emotions into play (fear, anger, guilt, passion,

etc.). When using emotions in your writing, the reader will react almost automatically and will be hooked

on reading the copy, and if done right, moved to action.

Tell a Story: Storytelling is the art of creating a scenario that moves forward, conveying events with words..

Starting sales copy with a story is a well-known technique to pull in the reader and enable him to better

relate to the message.

Use Analogy and Comparisons: Without becoming too “literary,” you can use analogies and comparisons

to make the topic clearer and more compelling

Repeat Important Factors: Repeating important concepts in an article or within web copy is effective in

persuasion.

Tell the Reader the Reason Why: Relating the benefits of some product or service is one way to

communicate the reason a person should buy or take some action.

Be Consistent: Changing your message mid-stream is destructive of obtaining agreement since valued

social trait is being consistent in thoughts and actions. Readers agree and associate with copy that is rational

and stable.

9 | P a g e

TERM REPORT ON LEARNING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Provide Authorities or Proof: Using testimonials or quoting authority is a way to lend importance to what

you are communicating. This is a great force in social media marketing today. Mentioning a well-known

personality, aligning him with your message, can give more credence to your writing. Name-drop if you

must. It’s effective in persuasion.

ORGANIZING THE MESSAGE

A-Attention

The main idea serves as the attention grabber.

I-Interest

The writer could build interest with the reasoning and explanation. Showing the

problem and revealing the solution.

D- Desire

The desire would be created through evidence. Back up your claims, and give

examples of how the audience would benefit.

A-Action

Again restate the main idea, and detail the exact action you would like your reader

to take.

WRITING A SUCCESSFUL PERSUASIVE REQUEST A successful persuasive request is one having all appealing tactics along with accomplishing the AIDA

requirements. If any message containing all these components is a successful persuasive request or a claim

for any action or adjustment.

NEGATIVE MESSAGES

In business writing, a letter, memo, or email that conveys negative or unpleasant information or information

that is likely to disappoint, upset, or even anger a reader is termed as negative messages.

Should have an indirect approach

Need to be empathetic

Must contain a reason

Need to be explained very clearly

BAD NEWS Bad-news messages include rejections (in response to job applications,

promotion requests, and the like), negative evaluations, and announcements

of policy changes that don't benefit the reader.

A bad-news message conventionally begins with a neutral or positive buffer

statement before introducing the negative or unpleasant information. This

approach is called the indirect pattern.

10 | P a g e

TERM REPORT ON LEARNING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

The introductory paragraph in the bad-news message should provide a buffer to cushion the bad news.

Deliver the bad news in the body of the message. State it clearly and concisely, and explain the reasons

briefly and unemotionally. Avoid apologies; they weaken your explanation or position. Try to embed the

bad news in a supporting, not the topical, sentence of a paragraph. Furthermore, try to embed it in a

subordinate clause of a sentence. The purpose is not to conceal the bad news, but to soften its impact

The closing of a message containing negative news should be courteous and helpful. The purpose of the

closing is to maintain or rebuild good will. The closing should have a sincere tone. You can even offer the

receiver another option, presenting another option shifts the emphasis from the negative news to a positive

solution.

REPORT WRITING

Report is a self-explanatory statements of facts relating to a specific subject and serves the purpose of

providing information for decision making. Reports are a commonplace way of communicating in a variety

of professions and academic disciplines. Many scientists, for example, write lab reports and research

reports; social scientists write field reports and research reports; and people in business write a range of

formal and informal reports. Each type of report has its own conventions, its own customary ways of

communicating.

Characteristics of Reports

Complete & Compact document

Systematic Presentation of Facts

Prepared in writing

Provide information and guidance

Self-explanatory document

Acts as a tool of internal & external communication

Acts as a permanent record

TYPES OF BUSINESS REPORTS

Informal business reports are typically communicated via email, memos, letters, or orally.

A formal business report is customarily submitted in print and may be the final document submitted in a

series of reports--the completion report--or it may be the only document submitted in a project.

INFORMAL REPORTS Informal report is more condensed than formal but it is just as important. The writing style and audience

for the short report are the same as the formal report.

1. Activity reports

2. Minutes of meetings

3. Information reports

4. Justification/ Recommendation Reports

5. Feasibility Reports

6. Policy or procedural directives

7. Progress or status reports

8. Survey reports

9. Trip reports

11 | P a g e

TERM REPORT ON LEARNING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

10. Summaries

FORMAL REPORTS

Formal report is the term used for a group of documents that informed, analyzed or recommend.

1. Analytical reports convey information accompanied by the writer's analysis or interpretation of it.

Progress reports, for example, are usually analytical, reporting not only what has taken place but

the writer's analysis of it.

2. Informational reports convey information (results, facts, and data) alone, with no commentary.

Both formal and informal reports may be solely informational; Minutes of meetings, for example,

convey only the events and conversations of a meeting--nothing more.

3. Recommendations convey information; the writer's analysis; and the writer's ideas about

appropriate actions that might be taken. Policy directives, in which one or more people announce

policy by which the members of a group or organization will abide, are an example of this type of

business report.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FORMAL & INFORMAL REPORTS

Formal Reports Informal Reports

Often External or distant within organization

Usually long sections and sub-sections

More impersonal

Appears on separate title page

Content page is useful if report is over 5 pages

Often Internal

Usually Short several sections

Personal

Appears as subject line in Memo heading

Content page in not required

A few general guidelines are applicable to many types of business reports.

Introduction: Begin the report with a brief overview of its contents.

Summary: Summarize the situation on which you are reporting, or describe the problem or opportunity

that your report is exploring.

Discussion: Provide some explanatory detail, including the results of whatever research you may have

conducted. List the available options. Explain your methods, if appropriate. If you are writing an analytical

report or recommendation, give the criteria by which you are making judgments.

Conclusions: If you are writing an analytical report or recommendation, explain the implications of each

of the available options. If you are writing an analytical report, offer your evaluation here. If you are writing

a recommendation or feasibility study, explain which option you think is best, and why.

If your report is extensive (more than two pages), you should include descriptive headings for the major

sections, to help readers navigate the report easily.

12 | P a g e

TERM REPORT ON LEARNING BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

CONCLUSION

In order to be a successful business writer and achieve a good position in the work life it is necessary for

every graduate and even every person to be a good listener, speaker, reader and writing. Now a days, in

business world it is necessary to be an effective communicator. Business Communication embosses the

individual’s as well communication skills of corporations. It is a foundation of becoming an entrepreneur

and helpful for managers while they plan, organize, lead and control. It is a key to success if one has the

ability to write for his organization a concise and complete business letter to the peers, persuasive letter to

the customers, negative responses to the external and internal parties and the agreements, formal Request

for proposals and show cause reports. Business Communication gives knowledge of all these mandatory

letter, requests and writing to an individual so it is an obligatory course which institutes must teach their

students with and organizations also facilitate their employees with seminars, workshops and trainings to

develop effective communication skills in them.