Winter / November 2011 Master of Business Administration

Master of Business Administration-MBA Semester 1

MB0039 Business Communication - 4 Credits (Book ID: B1128)

Assignment Set- 1 (60 Marks)

MB0039 Business Communication - 4 Credits (Book ID: B1128) Assignment

Set- 1 Q1. List the importance of effective communication in the workplace. Ans: Effective communication in the workplace means improving employee communication skills Effective communication in the workplace is the backbone of any business. Without it, you could miss out on important opportunities, waste time and cause your employees and customers to become frustrated. But not everyone is a born communicator, and there is always room to improve. That's why it's important to train your staff to create effective communication in the workplace. Removing roadblocks to effective communication in the workplace When a problem arises, it's often due to poor communication in the workplace. Particularly in this digital age when we rely so heavily on emails and phone calls to get things done, vital information can become lost or misinterpreted if not communicated clearly. Arming your staff with good communication skills enables them to work efficiently, effectively and navigate any potential issues that may arise. Everyone is different People have different styles of communication in the workplace. And while there is no right or wrong way to go about it, you can ensure that your staff are understood by teaching them how to adapt their style to the needs of others. With appropriate training, your employees will be able to identify their own communication style in the workplace, understand how this influences the process, and develop strategies to get the best results. Effective communication in the workplace is a two-way street Communication skills don't simply mean the ability to talk and write effectively - they also rely heavily on listening and negotiation. Through training, employees will be able to practice their active listening and problem-solving skills and develop the means to influence outcomes. A professional training organisation can help your employees develop effective communication in the workplace by teaching:

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the importance of effective communication different styles of communication awareness of non-verbal communication, such as body language how to improve written communication skills how to communicate with confidence how to tailor communication for an intended audience how to manage workplace conflicts or issues negotiation and influencing skills active listening skills and how to ask the 'right' questions.

Benefits of training to improve communication in the workplace

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By developing better rapport with co-workers, employees are likely to be happier and more successful in their roles. Improving employees' morale will make them more likely to remain loyal to your business. Improving communication between individuals, teams or departments within your organisation will streamline business processes and activities. Customer retention will be improved through better customer service. Staff will learn how to handle difficult situations and resolve conflict before it becomes a problem.

Opening the channels By promoting better communication in the workplace, you'll not only increase the efficiency of your team, but your organisation too. Talk to a training specialist today about how you can improve the communication skills of your staff to create a more successful business.

Q2. Explain the different aspects of non-verbal communication. Ans: Facial Expressions Of all the types of nonverbal communication, this may be one of the most noticeable. We all examine each others' faces as we talk, gleaning information to confirm that the meaning is received as it is delivered. Smiling is one facial expression that is likely to put other people at ease and make them feel accepted and comfortable. You exude happiness and encouragement when you smile, so try to add it to more of your conversations. Scowling, chewing your lip, and raising your eyebrows can all signal different meanings, so it is important to be aware of how your face looks during a conversation. Eye Contact

This is a big one. We learned all about it in Speech class! The hard part is that it can feel uncomfortable. For some it may feel too intimate, for others it may feel challenging. No matter how it makes you feel, though, it is an essential tool in your nonverbal communication toolbox as it makes the other person feel heard, respected, and important. Of course, I don't advocate staring as that can be rude! But making good, consistent eye contact can elevate your status as a great conversationalist. Gestures Gestures are another one of the types of nonverbal communication. They can add warmth and personality to a conversation. If you're not a big hand gesture person, remember at least to nod your head appropriately. This is an easy way to show that you are listening to, understanding, and connecting with the speaker. Posture and Body Orientation How you walk, talk, stand, and sit sends a lot of messages to others. Think of the times you've felt nervous at a partyyour posture most certainly gave you away. Letting your body relax, having fluid smooth movements, and facing your conversation partner all indicate confidence and engaging conversation skills. Proximity The physical distance between you and others signals your level of intimacy and comfort. If someone you don't know stands too close or touches too often, you will probably begin to feel uncomfortable. Make sure you're aware of others' body language in response to your presence -- this can be especially important for those who want to impress! Time Do you know what time it is? How aware you are of time varies by culture and normative expectations of adherence (or ignorance) of time. Some people, and the communities and cultures they represent, are very time-oriented. The Euro Railways trains in Germany are famous for departing and arriving according to the schedule. In contrast, if you take the train in Argentina, youll find that the schedule is more of an approximation of when the train will leave or arrive. Time is money is a common saying across many cultures, and reveals a high value for time. In social contexts, it often reveals social status and power. Who are you willing to wait for? A doctor for an office visit when you are sick? A potential employer for a job interview? Your significant other or children? Sometimes we get impatient, and our impatience underscores our value for time. When you give a presentation, does your audience have to wait for you? Time is a relevant factor of the communication process in your speech. The best way to show your audience respect is to

honor the time expectation associated with your speech. Always try to stop speaking before the audience stops listening; if the audience perceives that you have gone over time, they will be less willing to listen. This in turn will have a negative impact on your ability to communicate your message. Suppose you are presenting a speech that has three main points. Your audience expects you to regulate the time and attention to each point, but if you spend all your time on the first two points and rush through the third, your speech wont be balanced and will lose rhythm. The speaker occupies a position of some power, but it is the audience that gives them that position. By displaying respect and maintaining balance, you will move through your points more effectively. Physical context You didnt choose your birth, your eye color, the natural color of your hair, or your height, but people spend millions every year trying to change their physical characteristics. You can get colored contacts; dye your hair; and if you are shorter than youd like to be, buy shoes to raise your stature a couple of inches. You wont be able to change your birth, and no matter how much you stoop to appear shorter, you wont change your height until time and age gradually makes itself apparent. If you are tall, you might find the correct shoe size, pant length, or even the length of mattress a challenge, but there are rewards. Have you ever heard that taller people get paid more? There is some truth to that idea. There is also some truth to the notion that people prefer symmetrical faces (where both sides are equal) over asymmetrical faces (with unequal sides; like a crooked nose or having one eye or ear slightly higher than the other). We often make judgments about a persons personality or behavior based on physical characteristics, and researchers are quick to note that those judgments are often inaccurate. Regardless of your eye or hair color, or even how tall you are, being comfortable with yourself is an important part of your presentation. Act naturally and consider aspects of your presentation you can control in order to maximize a positive image for the audience. Paralanguage Paralanguage is the exception to the definition of nonverbal communication. You may recall that we defined nonverbal communication as not involving words, but paralanguage exists when we are speaking, using words. Paralanguage involves verbal and nonverbal aspects of speech that influence meaning, including tone, intensity, pausing, and even silence. Perhaps youve also heard of a pregnant pause, a silence between verbal messages that is full of meaning. The meaning itself may be hard to understand or decipher, but it is there nonetheless. For example, your coworker Jan comes back from a sales meeting speechless and with a ghostwhite complexion. You may ask if the meeting went all right. Well, ahh may be the only response you get. The pause speaks volumes. Something happened, though you may not know what. It could be personal if Jans report was not well received, or it could be more systemic, like the news that sales figures are off by 40 percent and pink slips may not be far behind.

Silence or vocal pauses can communicate hesitation, indicate the need to gather thought, or serve as a sign of respect. Keith Basso quotes an anonymous source as stating, It is not the case that a man who is silent says nothing.[167] Sometimes we learn just as much, or even more, from what a person does not say as what they do say. In addition, both Basso and Susan Philips found that traditional speech among Native Americans places a special emphasis on silence.[168]

Q3. Write short notes on (a) Upward communication (b) Downward communication (c) Horizontal communication. Ans: a) Upward Communication Upward communication is the flow of information from subordinates to superiors, or from employees to management. Without upward communication, management works in a vacuum, not knowing if messages have been received properly, or if other problems exist in the organization. By definition, communication is a two-way affair. Yet for effective two-way organizational communication to occur, it must begin from the bottom. Upward Communication is a mean for staff to:
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Exchange information Offer ideas Express enthusiasm Achieve job satisfaction Provide feedback

b) Downward Communication Information flowing from the top of the organizational management hierarchy and telling people in the organization what is important (mission) and what is valued (policies). Downward communication generally provides enabling information which allows a subordinate to do something. e.g.: Instructions on how to do a task.

Downward communication comes after upward communications have been successfully established. This type of communication is needed in an organization to:
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Transmit vital information Give instructions Encourage 2-way discussion Announce decisions Seek cooperation Provide motivation Boost morale Increase efficiency Obtain feedback

Both Downward & Upward Communications are collectively called Vertical Communication

c) Horizontal/Literal communication Horizontal communication normally involves coordinating information, and allows people with the same or similar rank in an organization to cooperate or collaborate. Communication among employees at the same level is crucial for the accomplishment of work. Horizontal Communication is essential for:
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Solving problems Accomplishing tasks Improving teamwork Building goodwill Boosting efficiency

Q4. Explain the different barriers to listening .List the differences between discriminative listening and comprehension listening. Ans: Listening is not easy and there are a number of obstacles that stand in the way of effective listening, both within and outside the workplace. These barriers may be categorized as follows 1. Physiological Barriers This was discussed earlier under the barriers to communication. Some people may have genuine hearing problems or deficiencies that prevent them from listening properly. Once detected, they can generally be treated. Other people may have difficulty in processing information, or memory related problems which make them poor listeners. Another physiological barrier is rapid thought. Listeners have the ability to process information at the rate of approximately 500 words per minute, whereas speakers talk at around 125 words per minute. Since listeners are left with a lot of spare time, their attention may not be focused on what the speaker is saying, but may wander elsewhere. 2. Physical Barriers These refer to distractions in the environment such as the sound of an air conditioner, cigarette smoke, or an overheated room, which interfere with the listening process. They could also be in the form of information overload. For example, if you are in a meeting with your manager and the phone rings and your mobile beeps at the same time to let you know that you have a message; it is very hard to listen carefully to what is being said. 3. Attitudinal Barriers Pre-occupation with personal or work related problems can make it difficult to focus ones attention completely on what a speaker is saying, even if what is being said is of prime importance. Another common attitudinal barrier is egocentrism, or the belief that

you are more knowledgeable than the speaker and that you have nothing new to learn from his ideas. People with this kind of closed minded attitude make very poor listeners. 4. Wrong Assumptions The success of communication depends on both the sender and the receiver, as we have seen in an earlier unit. It is wrong to assume that communication is the sole responsibility of the sender or the speaker and that listeners have no role to play. Such an assumption can be a big barrier to listening. For example, a brilliant speech or presentation, however well delivered, is wasted if the receiver is not listening at the other end. Listeners have as much responsibility as speakers to make the communication successful, by paying attention, seeking clarifications and giving feedback. Another wrong assumption is to think that listening is a passive activity, in which a listener merely absorbs the thoughts of the speaker. On the contrary, real listening or active listening is hard work it requires speaking sometimes to ask questions, agree or disagree with the speaker, give feedback, etc. Yet another barrier of this type is to assume that speakers are more powerful than listeners. Speakers are seen as being in command of things, whereas listeners are seen to be weak and lacking authority. According to communication experts however, the reverse is true. Listeners are as important and as powerful as speakers. In fact David J. Schwartz, writer and management professor, emphasizes the importance of listening by saying Big people monopolize the listening. Small people monopolize the talking.

5. Cultural Barriers Accents can be barriers to listening, since they interfere with the ability to understand the meaning of words that are pronounced differently. The problem of different accents arises not only between cultures, but also within a culture. For example, in a country like India where there is enormous cultural diversity, accents may differ even between different regions and states. Another type of cultural barrier is differing cultural values. The importance attached to listening and speaking differs in western and oriental cultures. Generally, Orientals regard listening and silence as almost a virtue, whereas Westerners attach greater importance to speaking. Therefore this would interfere with the listening process, when two people from these two different cultures communicate. 6. Gender Barriers Communication research has shown that gender can be a barrier to listening. Studies have revealed that men and women listen very differently and for

different purposes. Women are more likely to listen for the emotions behind a speakers words, while men listen more for the facts and the content. Example A salesperson giving a demonstration of a new type of office equipment may be asked by two colleagues if the equipment will work without any problems and respond by saying Sure. A male user may take his answer at face value, whereas a female user may detect some hesitation in his voice. This is because the male user listens for the content of the message, whereas the female user listens for the tone of the message. 7. Lack of Training Listening is not an inborn skill. People are not born good listeners. They have to develop the art of listening through practice and training. Lack of training in listening skills is an important barrier to listening, especially in the Indian context. Lee Iacocca, former Chairman of the Chrysler Corporation in the US, was one of the first to recognize the need for organized training programs in listening skills. Today, many organizations both in India and abroad incorporate listening skills in their training programs. 8. Bad Listening Habits Most people are very average listeners who have developed poor listening habits that are hard to shed and that act as barriers to listening. For example, some people have the habit of faking attention or trying to look like a listener, in order to impress the speaker and to assure him that they are paying attention. Others may tend to listen to each and every fact and, as a result, miss out on the main point. Yet another habit is to avoid difficult listening and to tune off deliberately, if the subject is too technical or difficult to understand. Sometimes, the subject itself may be dismissed as uninteresting, because the listener does not want to listen. Difference between discriminative listening and comprehension listening. Discriminative listening Discriminative listening is the most basic type of listening, whereby the difference between difference sounds is identified. If you cannot hear differences, then you cannot make sense of the meaning that is expressed by such differences. We learn to discriminate between sounds within our own language early, and later are unable to discriminate between the phonemes of other languages. This is one reason why a person from one country finds it difficult to speak another language perfectly, as they are unable distinguish the subtle sounds that are required in that language. Likewise, a person who cannot hear the subtleties of emotional variation in another person's voice will be less likely to be able to discern the emotions the other person is experiencing.

Listening is a visual as well as auditory act, as we communicate much through body language. We thus also need to be able to discriminate between muscle and skeletal movements that signify different meanings. Comprehension listening The next step beyond discriminating between different sound and sights is to make sense of them. To comprehend the meaning requires first having a lexicon of words at our fingertips and also all rules of grammar and syntax by which we can understand what others are saying. The same is true, of course, for the visual components of communication, and an understanding of body language helps us understand what the other person is really meaning. In communication, some words are more important and some less so, and comprehension often benefits from extraction of key facts and items from a long spiel. Comprehension listening is also known as content listening, informative listening and full listening.

Q5. Discuss the principles of business writing.

Ans: Business writing is different Writing for a business audience is usually quite different than writing in the humanities, social sciences, or other academic disciplines. Business writing strives to be crisp and succinct rather than evocative or creative; it stresses specificity and accuracy. This distinction does not make business writing superior or inferior to other styles. Rather, it reflects the unique purpose and considerations involved when writing in a business context. When you write a business document, you must assume that your audience has limited time in which to read it and is likely to skim. Your readers have an interest in what you say insofar as it affects their working world. They want to know the "bottom line": the point you are making about a situation or problem and how they should respond. Business writing varies from the conversational style often found in email messages to the more formal, legalistic style found in contracts. A style between these two extremes is appropriate for the majority of memos, emails, and letters. Writing that is too formal can alienate readers, and an attempt to be overly casual may come across as insincere or unprofessional. In business writing, as in all writing, you must know your audience. In most cases, the business letter will be the first impression that you make on someone. Though business writing has become less formal over time, you should still take great care that your letter's content is clear and that you have proofread it carefully.

Simple vs. Complex Words As far as possible the sender should select words that are within the receivers vocabulary. If the words used are outside the vocabulary of the receiver, the latter may either not get the message at all, get the wrong message by guessing the meaning incorrectly or wonder whether the sender intentionally selected a complicated word for making an impression. Therefore, it is better to rely on plain, simple words. Jargon, Slang and Metaphors Jargon refers to technical terms that belong to a particular subject area or discipline. For example, medical jargon would include terms that only medical practitioners and not lay person might understand. Slang refers to casual words that are not accepted and recognized in a Standard English dictionary. A metaphor is a figure of speech and refers to colorful comparisons which evoke visual images. Pronouns and active versus passive voice Personal pronouns (like I, we, and you) are important in letters and memos. In such documents, it is perfectly appropriate to refer to yourself as I and to the reader as you. Be careful, however, when you use the pronoun we in a business letter that is written on company stationery, since it commits your company to what you have written. When stating your opinion, use I; when presenting company policy, use we. The best writers strive to achieve a style that is so clear that their messages cannot be misunderstood. One way to achieve a clear style is to minimize your use of the passive voice. Although the passive voice is sometimes necessary, often it not only makes your writing dull but also can be ambiguous or overly impersonal. Focus and specificity Business writing should be clear and concise. Take care, however, that your document does not turn out as an endless series of short, choppy sentences. Keep in mind also that "concise" does not have to mean "blunt"you still need to think about your tone and the audience for whom you are writing. Consider the following examples: After carefully reviewing this proposal, we have decided to prioritize other projects this quarter. Nobody liked your project idea, so we are not going to give you any funding. Business letters: where to begin Reread the description of your task (for example, the advertisement of a job opening, instructions for a proposal submission, or assignment prompt for a course). Think about your purpose and

what requirements are mentioned or implied in the description of the task. List these requirements. This list can serve as an outline to govern your writing and help you stay focused, so try to make it thorough. Next, identify qualifications, attributes, objectives, or answers that match the requirements you have just listed. Strive to be exact and specific, avoiding vagueness, ambiguity, and platitudes. If there are industry- or field-specific concepts or terminology that is relevant to the task at hand, use them in a manner that will convey your competence and experience. Avoid any language that your audience may not understand. Your finished piece of writing should indicate how you meet the requirements you've listed and answer any questions raised in the description or prompt.

Q6. Explain the advantages of oral communication with the help of suitable example. Ans: Advantages of Oral Communication Oral communication has several advantages over written communication for most day-to-day, routine transactions: Oral communication is faster: Two or more people talking can deliver a message, discuss an issue, reach an agreement, or ask a question and receive an answer much more quickly than they could using written communication. Oral communication permits immediate feedback: When the receiver does not understand a message, he or she can ask for clarification right away. Oral communication a usually more effective for conveying messages with emotional content: When people communicate orally, the message consists of more than the spoken words. A nonverbal message accompanies every oral communication. Facial expressions, body movements, gestures, tone of voice, rate of speech, and voice inflection all add meaning to the words actually spoken. These nonverbal components help the receiver interpret the emotional significance of the message. Oral communication helps establish human relationships: Through oral communication, people working together are able to develop team spirit and a sense of mutual responsibility. By communicating with each other orally, people are able to improve each other's morale.

Much oral communication consists of asking questions and providing answers. Most questions asked in the office environment are informal. You will ask questions as they occur to you without worrying about how your listener might interpret them. For example, while arranging office furniture, you might ask or be asked, "Should we move the filing cabinet to- the east wall?" Few people would look for hidden meanings in such questions, and questions of this sort rarely present problems.

MB0039 Business Communication - 4 Credits (Book ID: B1128) Assignment

Set- 2 Q1. List the differences between extensive reading and intensive reading. Ans: One concept that i had an intuition of on my own, but never really explicitly thought

about, was the difference between "intensive" and "extensive" reading, as Iverson calls them. Extensive is when you try to cover vast amounts of materials, but just skip over the parts you don't know and try to get the general gist of things. It's all about context and the big picture. Once you get awesome, you can just sit down and read a book and understand everything, and you're doing an extensive exercise still. Intensive is about studying minute details and trying to wring absolutely every drop of information out of a section of text. The easy way to compare these two types is reading the same paragraph 100 times (intensive) vs. reading 100 different paragraphs (extensive). These two aspects of reading can play off each other. Extensive reading gives you a sense of familiarity, and can help you get curious about the language. You see things many times in different places, and start to wonder about how they work, and you get a mild sense of how they work. You slowly pick up the meanings of hundreds of words in parallel. When you then do some intensive work, you can connect each new word to a lot of dots already from your experience. There's an existing web in which to place that new word. Alternately, when you've done some intensive work and have a very precise meaning for certain words, but not much connection in the web, then extensive reading will provide a place for that intensive word to live, and will also help you understand the rest of the context when you see it out in the field.

Q2. Explain the different advantages and disadvantages of intranet. Ans: This article will discuss several of the advantages of Intranets in businesses environments. Overview: In part one of this series of articles discussing Intranets, we explained what an Intranet is. This article will cover advantages of Intranets in business. The following is a list of some of the biggest benefits of the Intranet when used in a business environment.

The Three C's: The biggest reasons for implementing an Intranet are collaboration,

communication and organization.

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Collaboration Intranets allow users to interact with each other across departmental borders. Need help writing a multi-departmental procedure? Use document management features of most Intranets to host the document, keep track of revisions and even apply a document workflow to seek approvals and feedback for your document. Communication Intranets allow for easier communication. Some Intranet portals allow you to host a single portal yet customize the data each employee sees based on which departmental groups they are members of. Organization Intranets make it easier to find things first by bringing organization. Most Intranets have a centralized search function so even if a document or tool is posted to a different departments page, you should be able to find it.

Additional Benefits
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Cost Intranets can be set up with a very limited budget. Since most small Intranets are a single website or portal, the software you use can be run on a PC or low-end workstation. Also, many software packages are available for free or low cost. Check into Liferay Portal or Metadot for some full-featured, low to no cost options. If you like Microsoft products and already have a Windows 2003 or 2008 server, you can easily install SharePoint Services for a slimmed down version of the popular SharePoint Server 2007. Management managing Intranets used to be a pretty painful experience requiring full time web administrators to manage the web components. With todays Intranet software, most vendors offer an easy to use graphical user interface to perform most every-day functions. Flexibility Intranets let you decide what information is important for your business and how you want that information displayed. Should each department have a portal, or do you want a single centralized portal that houses everyones information? How should that information be displayed to maximize efficiency? Its all up to you and with most portal products you really can design the layout of your Intranet just the way you want. Support business processes some portal software includes the ability to build automated workflows that will shuffle documents around for review or approval based on your business process. Web Based with Intranets being primarily web based, you dont need to worry about setting up software for each user. As long as they have network access and a browser, you should be good to go. Another nice thing about portals being web based is that if you are missing a component or tool, you can typically build one yourself. Need a special view of your yearly sales goals set up? Develop a web application to do just that.

These are just a few of the benefits of Intranets to businesses. Intranets can be a hugely beneficial addition to a corporate online presence. However, there are pros and cons to developing an Intranet based on feasibility, security and performance. This article will discuss several of the disadvantages of Intranets in a business environment.

Overview: As discussed in part two of this series, designing, implementing and supporting an Intranet can be an excellent way for a company to communicate and manage internal process, procedure, efficiency and effectiveness of workflow. However, there are also drawbacks that must be considered. Below is a list of some of the biggest limitations of Intranets. Time, Cost and Organization
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Time and human resource requirements can be significant. Depending on the complexity of your design and the number of users of your portal, setting up and maintaining the Intranet can be costly. Be sure to start small maybe with a single corporate portal before branching out to include departmental Intranets. If you have more than a few hundred users and want to take full advantage of an Intranet, youre probably going to need to add additional personnel to manage the infrastructure. Cost in addition to time, Intranets can be costly to set up as well. Again, this depends on the specific software solution you use, but to take advantage of some of the more advanced features of an Intranet (such as workflows, unified search and audience targeting), youll need to be ready to spend some money. A SharePoint 2007 site with 100 users would be just over $20,000 not including hardware. The good news is that there are free alternatives, including SharePoint Services 3.0 a slimmed down version of the popular SharePoint Server 2007. Catch-22 you probably want to implement an Intranet to better organize your corporate files which Intranets are great for, but you need to realize that just implementing a portal will not solve all of your issues. Youll need to come up with naming schemes for documents, a hierarchy for storing files and creating portals. It takes a lot of work to keep up maintenance of the site in order to provide the benefits you are seeking.

Complexity and Buy-In

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Complexity in some environments, Intranets can become complex monsters consisting of web based portal software, file services and databases. Managing these components can be both costly and time consuming especially if you dont have dedicated staff to devote to IT administration. Getting Buy-In if youve never had an Intranet before, getting end-user and even management buy-in may be difficult. When it comes to technology and the way people work, most people hate change no matter how much the change may benefit them. Again, make sure you start small and be sure to include a representative group of people to run a pilot project. This will help build user acceptance while you determine the best way to design the site.

Although these potential Intranet disadvantages may sound overwhelming, many can be mitigated by proper planning and by starting small. Part four in this five part series will discuss some simple designs to get you started.

Q3. List the different principles of business letter writing.

Ans: Courtesy is the key features of business letter writing, guided by the principles of courtesy letter to set a good image of the enterprise, thus promoting business activities smoothly. Author pragmatics of politeness in business starting in the use of English in order to better play its role in business communication. First, the politeness principles Politeness requires that people in the communication to minimize the damage to others, enabling their views; minimizing the depreciation of others, the appreciation of their own; minimize inconsistencies in the views of others and feelings of the opposition. Broadly speaking, politeness is in the other conditions being equal, the less impolite beliefs to a minimum, some of the hearer or a third party who is not polite, then do not say or omitted, or mildly, indirectly, say so. Politeness details are as follows: 1 tact maxim: minimize the expression of detrimental to the views of others. 2 generosity maxim: to reduce the expression of self-interest point of view. 3 approbation maxim: less derogatory expression to others. 4 modesty maxim: to reduce their praise. 5 agreement maxim: reduce their own and other inconsistencies in point of view. 6 sympathy maxim: to reduce their own and others, the emotional opposition. Thus we can conclude: the courtesy of communication under the guidance of the principles of both sides should try to give each other some convenience or benefit to each other, respect each other, but also to get the other side of their goodwill, thereby helping to promote bilateral business activities carried out smoothly, so Politeness Principles in Business Letter Writing in English plays a strong guiding role. Second: the use of polite language Language is the carrier of information and tools to express emotion. In order to listen and speak more smoothly between the exchanges to build a bridge, in order to establish a good personal image, in order to avoid embarrassment or conflict communication , people want to use polite language. English business writing should be more active use of the rich emotional polite language. For example: 1. We are pleased to make the following offer, subject to your reply reaching us by April 30. 2. We shall appreciate it if you will endeavor to ship the consignment as the following. 3. Kindly send us 2 Bills of Lading by separate mail, together with your draft at 30 days for accept 2 ace. Listen as shown above, "be pleased to, appreciate? "if, kindly "and other such polite language use, not only to pass each other happy, grateful, joy and other positive emotions can also make further demands tactful, so that the success of business cooperation can play a positive role in promoting. B to highlight the other base

Highlight the other so-called standard, that is, to place themselves on each other's position, fully consider each other's interests, needs, desires, respect, understanding, praise each other's point of view, from each other, understand each other's problems, situation, this could make their own more realistic requirements, so as to lay a more co-operation between a good foundation. Therefore, in order to reflect the principles of politeness in English business writing tips, the person I try not to use or should we start with you, to highlight you attitude. 1 If you are interested in any of the items, please don't hesitate to tell us. 2 The items you order have been ready. Please let us known when we can receive the covering L/ C, upon receipt of which, we will effect shipment without delay [3]. 3 To meet your requirement we are willing to make some concessions to cut 3% of our price if the quantity of your individual purchase is not less than 50 tons. Easy to see from the above examples, whether your goal is to provide information, persuade others or to enhance friendship, the most touched people's word is "you" and "your". C the use of euphemistic tone In business communication, both sides will inevitably be differences, in order not to offend others by direct discourse; it is recommended in writing business letters in English to make use of gentle, tactful tone. To express the tone of euphemism in the business letter writing in English can be the proper use of semantic ambiguity of words such as "I'm afraid, I think, I believe" or the use of the subjunctive, the form of questions. business writing tips For example: 1 I'm afraid we can't accept "Cash Against Document on arrival of goods at destination". 2 As the sale was on CIF basis, we suggest that you should contact the forwarding company with regard to compensation. 3 Could you make payment by irrevocable L / C?

Apart from the above Table A few other ways, modal verbs, conditional sentences, passive voice, the use of past tense can also play a role in easing tone. Euphemistic tones avoid the direct command or blame each other, easily accepted by, play a catalytic role of business communication. Third, the conclusion In business dealings, business correspondence is not only a medium for communication, is to establish friendship means to attract customers. Features and functions business letter business letter determines the principles that must be courteous, and its written on the company's business success has extremely important implications.

Q4. Write short notes on (a) corporate identity advertising (b) institutional advertising. Ans: (a) Corporate identity advertising This type of corporate advertising is done purely to communicate the organizations corporate identity, such as its name, logo (e.g. the Nike swoosh), trademark or brand name and slogan. When the organizations identity changes, this is communicated through corporate advertising. Example: The American fast food outlet, Kentucky Fried Chicken, changed its name to KFC, to remove the association with fried, greasy chicken. This name change was communicated through corporate advertising. (b) Institutional advertising This type of corporate advertising is aimed at special publics such as the media, suppliers and dealers, to correct communication problems with them.

Q5. Discuss the different types of business reports Ans: Different types of reports used in business: After thorough study, collection of all relevant facts and information and proper scrutiny and analysis of a problem relating to past or present, submission of the conclusions supported by statements and other relevant data etc. is called a report, which offers suggestions for solution of the problem studied. The following are the two bases of classifying the reportsy y

According to function, and According to formality. According to functions the reports may be divided into three parts: Informational reports. Analytical reports Research reports. According to formality the reports may be divided into two parts: Statutory reports Non statutory or voluntary reports.

y y y

y y

The above two may further be divided into two parts again, i.e. (i) routine reports and (ii) special reports. Informational reports: These reports present facts about certain given activity in detail without any note or suggestions. Whatever is gathered is reported without giving any thing by way of either explanation or any suggestion. A vice-chancellor asking about the number of candidates appearing at a particular examination naturally seeks only information of the fact (candidates taking up the examination) of course without any comment. Generally such reports are of routine nature. Sometimes they may fall under statutory routine category. A company registrar asking for allotment return within the stipulate period is nothing but informational routine, falling under statutory but routine report. Analytical reports: These reports contain facts along with analytical explanations offered by the reporter himself or may be asked for by the one who is seeking the report. Such reports contain the narration of facts, collected data and information, classified and tabulated data and also explanatory note followed by the conclusions arrived at or interpretations. A company chairman may ask for a report on falling trends in sale in a particular area. He will in this case be naturally interested in knowing all the details including that of opinion of any of the investigator. Research reports: These reports are based on some research work conducted by either an individual or a group of individuals on a given problem. Indian oil company might have asked its research division to find some substitute for petrol, and if such a study is conducted then a report shall be submitted by the research division detailing its findings and then offering their own suggestions, including the conclusions at which the division has arrived at as to whether such a substitute is these and if it is there can the same be put to use with advantage and effectively. All details shall naturally be asked and has to be given. In fact such a report is the result of a research. Statutory reports: These reports are to be presented according to the requirements of a particular law or a rule or a custom now has become a rule. The auditor reports to company registrar has to be submitted as per the requirements of country legal requirement. A return on compensation paid to factory workers during a period by a factory has to be submitted to competent authorities periodically. These reports are generally prepared in the prescribed form as the rules have prescribed. Non statutory reports: These reports are not in the nature of legal requirements or rules wants, therefore, the reports are to be prepared and submitted. These reports are required to be prepared and submitted: (i) for the administrative and other conveniences,(ii) for taking decision in a matter (iii) for policy formulations, (iv) for projecting the future or (v) anything alike so that efficient and smooth functioning maybe assured and proper and necessary decision may be taken with a view to see that everything goes well and the objectives of the organization are achieved with assured success.

Routine reports: These reports are required to be prepared and submitted periodically on matters required by the organization so as to help the management of the organization to take decisions in the matters relating to day to day affairs. The main objectives of routine reports are to let the management know as to what is happening in the organization, what is its progress where the deviation is, what measures have been taken in solving the problems and what to do so that the organization may run smoothly and efficiently. Routine reports are generally brief. They only give the facts. No comments or explanations are usually offered in such reports. Generally forms are prescribed for preparation and submission of such reports. Special reports: Such a type of report is specially required to be prepared and submitted on matters of special nature. Due to an accident a death of the foreman has occurred in a factory. The factory manager may ask for a detail report from the head foreman. Such a report is classified as special reports. These reports contain not only facts and details but they may contain suggestion, comments and explanations as well.

Q6. List the different steps involved in report preparation. Ans: Report writing is an essential skill for professionals in almost every field.

Stages in report writing Terms of reference Planning your report Collecting information Organising information Structuring your report Style of writing Layout Presentation Redrafting and checking Checklist Writing reports A report is a statement of the results of an investigation or of any matter on which definite information is required. The following stages are involved in writing a report: clarifying your terms of reference planning your work collecting your information organising and structuring your information writing the first draft checking and re-drafting. Different types of reports Stages in report writing

Step 1 The terms of reference of a report are a guiding statement used to define the scope of your investigation. You must be clear from the start what you are being asked to do. You will probably have been given an assignment from your tutor but you may need to discuss this further to find out the precise subject and purpose of the report. Why have you been asked to write it ? Knowing your purpose will help you to communicate your information more clearly and will help you to be more selective when collecting your information. Step 2 Planning: Careful planning will help you to write a clear, concise and effective report, giving adequate time to each of the developmental stages prior to submission. Consider the report as a whole Break down the task of writing the report into various parts. How much time do you have to write the report? How can this be divided up into the various planning stages? Set yourself deadlines for the various stages. Draw up an outline structure for your report and set the work within a sensible time scale for completion by the given deadline. Some of the most time-consuming parts of the process are collecting and selecting your information, and checking and revising your report. Step 3 Collecting Information: There are a number of questions you need to ask yourself at this stage: What is the information you need? Where do you find it? How much do you need? How shall you collect it? In what order will you arrange it? You may have much of the information you need already such as results from a laboratory experiment or descriptions of your methods of data collection. However, there may be other material which is needed such as background information on other research studies, or literature surveys. You may need to carry out some interviews or make a visit to the university library to collect all the information you need. Make a list of what information you need. Make an action plan stating how you are going to gather this. The Information Technology Skills Guide contains much useful advice on the use of electronic information sources. This guide is available from the University's Flexible Learning Initiative. Step 4 Organising Information: One helpful way of organising your information into topics is to brainstorm your ideas into a spider diagram. Write the main theme in the centre of a piece of paper. Write down all the ideas and keywords related to your topic starting from the centre and branching out along lines of connecting ideas. Step 5 Each idea can be circled or linked by lines as appropriate.

 When you have finished, highlight any related ideas and then sort topics. Some ideas will form main headings, and others will be sub-sections under these headings. You should then be able to see a pattern emerging and be able to arrange your main headings in a logical order. Further advice concerning the organising of material can be found in another section of this Study Guide, Taking notes. Step 6 Structuring your report: there are different types of report such as laboratory reports or reports on an industrial placement. Always check with the person commissioning the report (your tutor, your placement supervisor) to find out precisely what your report should include and how it should be presented. The following common elements can be found in many different reports: Title page Acknowledgements Contents Abstract or summary Introduction Methodology Results or findings Discussion Conclusion and recommendations References Appendices We shall now look at each of these in turn. y Title page: This should include the title of the report (which should give a precise indication of the subject matter), the authors name, module, course and the date. y Acknowledgements: You should acknowledge any help you have received in collecting the information for the report. This may be from librarians, technicians or computer centre staff, for example. y Contents: You should list all the main sections of the report in sequence with the page numbers they begin on. If there are charts, diagrams or tables included in your report, these should be listed separately under a title such as List of Illustrations together with the page numbers on which they appear. y Abstract or summary: This should be a short paragraph summarizing the main contents of the report. It should include a short statement of the main task, the methods used, conclusions reached and any recommendations to be made. The abstract or summary should be concise, informative and independent of the report. Step 7 Introduction: This should give the context and scope of the report and should include your terms of reference. State your objectives clearly, define the limits of the report, outline the method of enquiry, give a brief general background to the subject of the report and indicate the proposed development.

Methodology: In this section you should state how you carried out your enquiry. What form did your enquiry take? Did you carry out interviews or questionnaires, how did you collect your data? What measurements did you make? How did you choose the subjects for your interviews? Present this information logically and concisely. Results or findings: Present your findings in as simple a way as possible. The more complicated the information looks, the more difficult it will be to interpret. There are a number of ways in which results can be presented. Here are a few: Tables Graphs Pie charts Bar charts Diagrams Step 8 Discussion: This is the section where you can analyze and interpret your results drawing from the information which you have collected, explaining its significance. Identify important issues and suggest explanations for your findings. Outline any problems encountered and try and present a balanced view. Conclusions and recommendations: This is the section of the report which draws together the main issues. It should be expressed clearly and should not present any new information. You may wish to list your recommendations in separate section or include them with the conclusions. References: It is important that you give precise details of all the work by other authors which has been referred to within the report. Details should include: Authors name and initials Date of publication Title of the book, paper or journal Publisher Place of publication Page numbers Details of the journal volume in which the article has appeared. References should be listed in alphabetical order of the authors' names. Make sure that your references are accurate and comprehensive. Appendices: An appendix contains additional information related to the report but which is not essential to the main findings. This can be consulted if the reader wishes but the report should not depend on this. You could include details of interview questions, statistical data, a glossary of terms, or other information which may be useful for the reader. Step 9 Style of writing: There are several points that you will need to consider when you are writing your report: Active or passive? Your tutor will be able to advise whether the report should be written in the active or passive voice. The active voice reads as follows: I recommend ... The passive voice reads:

It is recommended that ... The active voice allows you to write short, punchy sentences. The passive appears more formal and considered. Be aware of these differences and avoid mixing the two voices. Simplicity: Most written reports should avoid using overly complicated language. If a report is to persuade, brief or justify, it's message must be clear. Furthermore, the factual presentation of data should not be swamped with sophisticated, lengthy sentences. Avoid using unnecessary jargon. This confuses even the most informed reader. Ensure that your abbreviations are standardized. All too often authors invent their own jargon to ease the pressure on writing things in full. Be cautious of confusing your reader. Use of language: Most reports should avoid the use of subjective language. For example, to report on a change in colouration from a "stunning green to a beautiful blue" is to project your own values onto a measurable outcome. What does the term "beautiful" mean to you? What will it mean to your reader? Such subjective, or personal language commonly has no place in the more objective field of report writing. Step 10 Layout: Most reports have a progressive numbering system. The most common system is the decimal notation system. The main sections are given single arabic numbers -1, 2, 3 and so on. Sub-sections are given a decimal number - 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and so on. Sub-sections can be further divided into - 1.11, 1.12, 1.13 and so on. An example structure would look as follows: 1. Introduction 1.1 1.11 1.2 1.21 2. Methodology 2.1 2.11 2.12 Step 11 Presentation: The following suggestions will help you to produce an easily read report: Leave wide margins for binding and feedback comments from your tutor. Paragraphs should be short and concise. Headings should be clear - highlighted in bold or underlined. All diagrams and illustrations should be labelled and numbered. All standard units, measurements and technical terminology should be listed in a glossary of terms at the back of your report. Step 12 Redrafting and Checking: Once you have written the first draft of your report you will need to check it through. It is probably sensible to leave it on your desk for a day or so if you have the time. This will make a clear break from the intensive writing period, allowing you to view your work more objectively. Assess your work in the following areas: Structure Content

 Style Look at the clarity and precision of your work. Use the report writing checklist at the end of this section to check your report. Step 13 Checklist: Title page: Does this include the: Title? Authors name? Module/course details? Acknowledgements: Have you acknowledged all sources of help? Contents: Have you listed all the main sections in sequence? Have you included a list of illustrations? Abstract or summary: Does this state: The main task? The methods used? The conclusions reached? The recommendations made? Introduction: Does this include: Your terms of reference? The limits of the report? An outline of the method? A brief background to the subject matter? Methodology: Does this include: The form your enquiry took? The way you collected your data? Reports and findings: Are your diagrams clear and simple? Are they clearly labelled? Do they relate closely to the text? Discussion: Have you identified key issues? Have you suggested explanations for your findings? Have you outlined any problems encountered? Have you presented a balanced view? Conclusions and recommendations: Have you drawn together all of your main ideas? Have you avoided any new information? Are any recommendations clear and concise? References: Have you listed all references alphabetically? Have you included all the necessary information? Are your references accurate? Appendices: Have you only included supporting information? Does the reader need to read these sections? Writing style: Have you used clear and concise language? Are your sentences short and jargon free? Are your paragraphs tightly focused? Have you used the active or the passive voice?

 Layout: Have you clearly labelled each section? Is your labelling consistent throughout the report? Presentation: Have you left sufficient margin space for binding/feedback? Are your headings clear? Have you checked your spelling?