BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

ASSIGNMENT
ASIA E UNIVERSITY

1) List at least 5 major barriers to Business Communication abd explain briefly how to
make it more effective. Give example of your own organization.
There are many barriers to communication and these may occur at any stage in the
communication process. Barriers may lead to your message becoming distorted and you
therefore risk wasting both time and/or money by causing confusion and
misunderstanding. Effective communication involves overcoming these barriers and
conveying a clear and concise message. Below is the example of the barriers in my
company Southern Perak Plantations.

a. Non-verbal signals
Non-verbal signals, often referred as body language , can provide valuable feedback
where verbal communication is concerned. Such signals include facial expressions,
gestures, movement, eye-contact and nodding the head.
b. Language
Choice of words is vital to the effectiveness of any communication .Many words have
different meanings. Our backgrounds knowledge and experience affect our understanding
.

Foreign languages, dialects, regional accents and the use of technical/ specialist language
should always be considered

c. Listening
Anyone who has something valid to say deserves attention. Listening, however ., is a
skill. Careful concentration is demanded if a communication is to be understood.
Success at gaining attention may be depend on the word used, the way the
communication I

s expressed, our interest in the speaker, our interest in the

communication and various other factors.

d. Pre-judgement
What is understood is often conditioned by what we already know and by our background
knowledge and experience .Often we hear what we want to hear , or what we think we
have heard , instead of what has actually been said.

e. Relationships
The effectiveness of any communication may depends on our relationship with the person
giving the message.
If the relationship between people are not good , communication may fail to be effective
or may break down altogether.

b) Use the model of communication process to explain how information is

exchanged.
Transactional Model
The main drawback in the interactive model is that it does not indicate that
communicators can both send and receive messages simultaneously. This model also fails
to show that communication is a dynamic process which changes over time.
The transactional model shows that the elements in communication are interdependent.
Each person in the communication act is both a speaker and a listener, and can be
simultaneously sending and receiving messages.
There are three implications in the transactional model:
i.

Transactional means that communication is an ongoing and continuously

changing process. You are changing, the people with whom you
arecommunicatingare changing, and your environment is also continually
changing as well.

ii.

In any transactional process, each element exists in relation to all the other
elements. There is this interdependence where there can be no source without a
receiver and no message without a source.

iii.

Each person in the communication process reacts depending on factors such as

their background, prior experiences, attitudes, cultural beliefs and self-esteem.

Figure 1 shows a transactional model of communication that takes into account noise
or interference in communication as well as the time factor. The outer lines of the model
indicate that communication happens within systems that both communicators share (e.g.,
a common campus, hometown, and culture) or personal systems (e.g., family, religion,
friends, etc). It also takes into account changes that happen in the communicators fields

of personal and common experiences. The model also labels each communicator as both
sender as well as receiver simultaneously.

Figure 1: A transactional model of communication

Source: Wood, J. T. (2009). Communication in our lives (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: ThomsonWadsworth.

Question 2

a) Verbal and non verbal messages are inter-related. State the similarities and differences of
these 2 messages. Describe both with examples.
Verbal Communication
All forms of communication can be categorized as either verbal or nonverbal. In turn, both
verbal and nonverbal communication can be subdivided into either vocal or nonvocal.
Much of the communication that takes place between people is verbal; that is, it is based on
language. Verbal communication of the vocal category includes spoken language. Nonvocal
verbal communication involves written communication as well as communication that is

transmitted through transmitted through sign language, finger spelling, Braille, or other similar
alternatives to verbal language.
Communication has been called the transfer of meaning from one mind to another.
definition: Communication is a sharing of meaning through the transmission of information via
mutually understood signs.
Because meanings exist in the human mind, they cannot be shared or communicated except
through some external vehicle. The human body is capable of making sounds and movements
which in turn can create a system of vehicles for sharing inner meanings and ideas with others. In
general terms, such elements that codify meaning are called signs.

Nonverbal Communication
While verbal communication is much studied and is the focus of much applied attention in areas
ranging from journalism to governance to entertainment, the fact is that human beings
communicate more through nonverbal means. Some estimates are that so-called body language
accounts for 65, 70, even 90 percent of human communication. Using the 70-percent figure for
body language, the voice accounts for another 20 percent or so, and specific words only about 10
percent. Research conclusions may vary a bit, but the consensus is clear: Nonverbal
communication is hugely important in human interaction.
Nonverbal communication also is bound to culture. In particular, there are differences among
cultures and nationalities about the relative value of speech versus silence, the relative value of
talk versus action, the social role of small talk or gossip, and the role of animation, rhyme and
exaggeration in speech. Because of these differences, the study of verbal and nonverbal
communication always must be done within a social or cultural context.
As noted above, nonverbal communication may be vocal (focusing on vocal characteristics such
as pitch, rate, and so on) or nonvocal (focusing on body language, environment, attire and the
like).

Some linguists identify an aspect of nonverbal communication called paralanguage. This refers
to a range of nonlinguistic elements of speech, such as facial expressions, gestures, the use of
time and space, and so on.

Question 2 (a)
You are the sport club president write a speech to represented for your members
importance of family day participation (in report format)

32nd ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING, SPP SPORT CLUB

FRIDAY, 12 SEPTEMBER 2015, 6:00PM
LEVEL 3 VIP LOUNGE, JALAN BESAR STADIUM
ADDRESS BY MR PRABU,
PRESIDENT, SPP SPORT CLUB

Introduction
1.
A very good evening, Council Members, Club Representatives, Affiliates, Sponsors,
Friends of SPP Sport Club, Ladies & Gentlemen.

2.

Welcome to the Monthly Meeting of the Southern Perak Plantation Sport Club (SPPSC).

3.
First, I would like to place on record my sincere thanks to our stakeholders, including the
fans, clubs, sponsors, government agencies, media, volunteers and everyone in this room for the
commitment and hard work towards the development of Southern Perak sport in recent years.
The growth and progress of SPP Sport Club would not have been possible without your efforts
and continued support, and we are thankful to each and every one of you.

Key Highlights : Importance of family day participation among members and staff of
Southern Perak Plantation workers and family members.

1.0 As workers in SPP enjoyed the Family Day holiday this week, industry experts say the
holiday reinforces the importance of remembering that optimum employee contribution comes
from a work/life balance.
2.0 While its a balancing act to ensure business requirements are met and workers have
sufficient flexibility, not getting it right can have disastrous consequences for both productivity
and worker engagement. A poor work-life balance can result in unhealthy levels of stress,
unhappiness, and even reduced productivity.
3.0 Striking the right balance between work and rest makes a significant difference to employee
performance and happiness. When you are overworked, the level of high quality, timely work
drops significantly. When the home front is taken care of, you are less distracted at work.
4.0 Stress and wellness expert Beverly Beuermann-King uses the analogy of a car engine you
cant keep revving it without the necessary maintenance. Staff describe returning to work
rejuvenated and refreshed.
5.0 Many employers are looking at putting together health and wellness programs, but vacation
time is a health and wellness program thats already in place.
Tips to balance between works and family
1. Decide what's important. Focus on what you want to achieve and dont let the small stuff
get in the way.
2. Get organized. Clear your desk and living area of clutter. Organise your calendar. By
knowing what you have to do in any given day or week, you're taking steps towards
achieving balance.
3. Manage your time well. Focus on what is important and manage how you spend your
time.
4. Diet and exercise. Make sure to eat healthy meals and get plenty of exercise during the
week. You'll feel more energized and refreshed.

5. Get plenty of sleep. When we exhaust our bodies and our minds, we lack the energy to
come up with positive ways to resolve our daily challenges.
6. Have a strong support network. Your interactions with family and friends help replenish
your personal happiness and energy. The more similar those around you are in goals and
beliefs, the easier it will be to achieve your goals.

Conclusion
This I firmly believe: TOGETHER, with passion and commitment, WE can make our vision a
reality. Going forward, our continued success will depend on new members willing to join the
Committee to contribute to the future growth of the Club. I urge all members to consider
standing for the Committee because it is a really rewarding experience, not just in seeing to the
development of our Club, but also for your personal development. I can't recommend it highly
enough.
Finally let me thank you for all your contributions over the past year and ask for your continuous
support through the 2014/15 season. I will present the next part of my plan after the election of
the incoming office bearers, which will be held next.
Prabu
Founding President
SPP Sport Club

Question 4 (a)

Write a letter of complaint to a Diesel supplier on behalf of your manager on late delivery
for the month of June 2014.

June 10 2014
Southern Perak Plantation Berhad
Hutan Melintang Perak
Lot 1190 Jalan Kelapa Biru
34509 Hutan Melintang Perak
RE: Delay in Diesel Delivery - Order No. PN-234567
To whom it may concern ( Mega Agro Supplier Enterprise),
I am writing this letter regarding delay in delivery of the item Product Diesel (PN-2345670 that I
ordered on 4TH May 2014. According to your quotation, the product should have been delivered
by 3rd June 2014, but as of June 10th I have received neither the product nor any letter of
explanation from you about the delay.
Please deliver the item within 10 days of the date of this letter. If you fail to do so, consider this
order as cancelled and issue me a full refund immediately.

---------------------------------Prabu
Assistant Manager
Southern Perak Plantation Berhad.

Question 5

Write an accident report of your organization to be presented to Department of safety and health
on behalf of your safety manager (Give your own working experience)
Sungai Emas Construction Sdn Bhd
Lorong 5 , Jalan Wayang Kulit
Simpang 4, Hutan Melintang Perak.
Phone : 05-6788888
Fax : 05 -67888880

May 5 - 2014
Pengarah
Jabatan Kesihatan dan pekerjaan Perak
Tingkat 3, Bangunan Sri Kinta
Ipoh Perak
Dear Sirs,
I regret to report that on May 2, at 5 P.M. the outer wall and a portion of the roof of the
premises owned and occupied by the Company, collapsed all of sudden resulting in the killing
of tow dailywagers who were on the work.
The collapse was quite unexpected, since it was checked up thoroughly about two months ago
at the time of redecoration of the building. The architect who was summoned immediately after
the collapse attributes it to two decayed beams and excessive vibrations which the weak walls
were not able to sustain.

Of course, it is a great tragedy, but fortunately it is fully covered by insurance for the material

and human loss. I have accordingly informed the Insurance company and submitted a formal
claim.

The Managing Director has announced all assistance to the families of the victims and he is
calling a meeting of the Board (copy enclosed) to obtain confirmation of his action and decide
on the further course of action.

Yours Truly,

(V. RAJAN PETER)

Secretary
Sungai Emas Construction Sdn Bhd