SYLLABUS Class: - B.B.A. II Semester. Subject: - Business Communication

Transcription

1 SYLLABUS Class: - B.B.A. II Semester Subject: - Business Communication UNIT I Communication-Defining communication, Process of communication, Communication Model, Objectives of communication, Principles of communication, Importance of Business communication, Importance Feedback, UNIT II Channels of communication, Types of communication, Dimensions of communication, Barriers to communication Verbal, Non-Verbal, Formal, Informal communication. UNIT III UNIT IV Fundamental of Business writing, Format of Business, Types of Business letter, Inquiry letter, complaint letter Persuasive letter, Proposal, Report Writing. Employment Messages Writing Resume, Application letter, Writing the opening paragraph, Writing the closing paragraph, summarizing UNIT V Spoken skills Conducting Presentation, Oral presentation, Debates, Speeches, Interview, Group Discussion, English Pronunciation, Building Vocabulary. UNIT-VI Barriers to Effective Communication and ways to overcome them, Listening: Importance of Listening, Types of Listening, Barriers to Listening and overcoming them, Listening situations, Developing Listening Skills, 1

2 Unit 1 INTRODUCTION The word communication originates from the Latin word communis, which means common and the word business stands for any economic activity which is undertaken with a view to earn profit and the communication undertaken in the process of this activity is termed as "business communication. DEFINITION Communication is a process of passing information and understanding from one person to another. Keith Devis Communication is generally defined as the activity of conveying information. Communication has been derived from the Latin word "communis", meaning to share. Wikipedia Communication is something people do. To understand human communication process, one must understand how people relate to each other. Wilbur Schramm MEANING Communication is defined as The flow of material information perception, understanding and imagination among various parties. Business includes those organizations, which are engaged in the production and distribution of goods and services to earn profit. Therefore Business communication means, Flow of information, perception etc. either within a business organization or outside the organization among different parties. OBJECTIVES &PURPOSE OF COMMUNICATION The objectives of business communication would include the following: To give and receive information To provide advice To educate and train customer To issue orders and instruction To persuade target audience To receive suggestion To motivate and to integrate To relate and to entertain Importance of Business Communication Persuasion is one of the factors of marketing communications. Persuasion is the main reason companies engage in marketing: to persuade their target audience to take action, as in, buy their product or subscribe to their services, make a phone call, or donate money. All marketing communication is goal oriented, as the predetermine objective helps to create effective marketing communication strategy. Every successful marketing communications helps plan the marketing message at every contact point that are received by the target audience. It facilitates in controlling the performance and take necessary remedial actions on the basis of feedback information from them. Communication creates a meeting of minds and improve industrial relations. It helps to develop mutual co-operation and understanding thereby improving industrial productivity. Communication is indispensable for every organization to develop and maintain reputation or goodwill with its customers, investors, dealers, suppliers etc. 2

3 Principles and Nature of Communications A business Organization is a group of people associated to earn profit. Various kinds of activities have to be performed by the people of an organization so as to earn profit. Business Communication is know n as back bone of any Organization thus various activities in business need an effective and systematic communication. Without efficient communication, one cannot even imagine to do work and hence will be unable to earn profit. Since the aim of business organization is to earn profit, the organization will die without profit and this death is a result of the absence of communication. This is why communication is called life blood of a business organization. We can prove this statement more clearly through following points. Gain clarity over - WHO? WHERE? WHAT? HOW MUCH? FORM, CHANNEL, PERIOD and WHAT WAS IT? Communication involves plurality of persons Existence of message is essential which may be the orders, instructions or information about the managerial plans, policies, programmes It s a two way and continuous process Its primary purpose is to motivate a response Communication may be formal controllable or informal uncontrollable It can be in vertical, horizontal or diagonal The Seven Cs of Communication help overcome barriers: 1. Consideration: consideration states that every message should be prepared keeping in mind the person who will be the receiver of the message. Receiver's interest should be kept in mind while drafting the message. Specific ways to indicate candidness are: - Focus on "you" attitude instead of "I" on "We" Material or content of the message should be from reader's point of view. Use of positive words should be allowed so that positive reaction could be received by the readers. Benefits of readers should be the prominent part of message. Examples: We Attitude: I am delighted to announce that there will be extra classes for the students in college to clarify their problems. You Attitude: You will be able to clarify your problems in the extra classes organized in college. 2. Clarity: Clarity is most important characteristic of communication especially in case or oral Communication/Presentation. Clarity in words, language of expression is very important to ensure proper presentation of ideas, message one wants to communicate during conversation. Clarity can be achieved through following ways: Precise, familiar use of words or language during communication, Effective sentences should be framed, There should be unity in all one words of message so that the main idea of message can be properly communicated. Short length sentences of average 17 to 20 words should be preferred. 3. Completeness: Complete message is very important to communicate the main idea or information behind the message. Oral presentations should be as far as possible planned on restructured and all the information related to message should be properly communicated. Guidelines for ensuring completeness are as follows: Provide all necessary information required for accurate understanding of message. All Questions asked by the audience should be properly answered by presenter during oral presentation/communication. Some extra information when ever desirable should be given to audience to make the presentation topic more clear, specific of complete. 4. Conciseness: Conciseness is the essential requirement of oral communication. Concise message saves time on expense for both sender on receiver concise means brief, short on informative message which is able 3

4 to explain the idea of message with minimum words. Words in message should not be repetitive in nature & only relevant information should be communicated in message. 5. Correctness: In oral communication grammatical errors should be avoided. Right level of language should be used both in formal & informal communication. Use of accurate words and spellings should be considered. 6. Concreteness: it means specific, definite on valid use of information than vague or general. Concrete facts on figures should be used to make the receivers know exactly what is required or desired. Concrete language on information helps in interpreting the message in same way as communicate intend to communicate the message. 7. Courtesy: A proper decorum of speaking should be maintained while making oral communication/ presentation. One should say things with force of assertive without being rude. Polite or humble language shall be used which should not be insulting, against the religious, social as personal values of listener. Discriminatory language based, on gender, race, age, colour, cost creed, religion etc should be avoided. ELEMENTS IN COMMUNICATION 1. Sender: Someone who is sending the message to someone lese. For example, in ad the brand being advertised is Pantaloons. Naturally, the maker of this brand is the sender of the advertising message. 2. Encoding: When we address someone, we use language, visuals, body gestures, etc. to communicate. All these are called symbols. The process of putting our thought into symbolic forms is called encoding. In a following Ad, you see a face full of wrinkles. Then you read the headlines which simply say: Wrinkle free. This process of communication is called encoding. 3. Message: The symbols themselves constitute the message. Hence, the visuals, headlines body copy, tag line, brand name, logo, etc., are all parts of the message. If you have already heard the name of Pantaloons, then the message being given to you is that are dealing with a known company. 4. Media: The channels used for sending the message across to the receiver (customer) is called medium (or media; note that media is also singular). This Ad has appeared in the print media (just for the sake of knowledge, TV is an audio-visual medium, radio is an audio medium, etc. You will learn more about media in the second year). An individual member of the medium is called a vehicle. Here, India Today is the vehicle. A vehicle is the carrier of the message. 5. Decoding: Once we receive the message, we start interpreting it. For example, when you look at the wrinkled face shown in the Ad, you realize how bad it looks. The implication is that your clothes will also look as bad if they were not wrinkle free. Likewise, there are visuals of a shirt and a pair of trouser. These immediately give you the message that the Ad is perhaps for readymade clothes. At the bottom, the message given is that the brand is available at various cities and Pantaloon Shoppes. 6. Receiver: A receiver is one who reads/listen hears the message of the communicator. For example, any reader of India Today who is likely to see this Ad, is the receiver of the message. It may be noted, however, that the communicator (in our example, the manufacturer of Pantaloons) is not interested in just any receiver (i.e. any reader of India Today) but only those who would be interested in using his product. Thus, if never wear trousers, then the company will not be interested in me. 7. Response: After having read the ad, I will react to the message. My reaction (alternatively known as response) could be objective (if I accept what the sender of the message is saying) or negative (If I don t accept the message). For example, the body copy in the Ad says: Pantaloons presents T I may get impressed by the fact that the range has T 2000 choices available! But I may also reject the claims made in the body copy in case I find them unbelievable. 4

5 8. Feedback: Every communicator waits to know whether the message (a) has reached the target audience or not, and (b0 whether it has been accepted or not. In other words, one waits for feedback from the audience. The most desirable form of feedback from the marketer s point of view, of course, would be the purchase of the product by the customers. Thus, after this Ad is released in the media, if the sale of such trousers goes up significantly, the feedback is said to be positive. Similarly, if the company conducts a surveys and questions about the intention to buy; and customers say that they will buy the brand, again, the feedback is positive. PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION The process of communication involves two or more persons participating through a medium that carries the information or message for a particular purpose which is mutually understood by both the sender and receiver. Only when these conditions are fulfilled, a significant communicative situation will take shape 4. Noise (Physical and Psychological Distraction 1. Source (Encoding) 2. Message and content 3. Communication Channel media TV. Radio, Newspapers, Magazines, Internet, Mail, Phone 5. Receiver (Decoding) 6. Feedback-Interactivity Immediate Response Delayed Response No Response The receiver is anyone who is exposed to a message. Once receiver, receive a message, they decode it. Decoding is the process of interpreting what a message means. After customers decode a message, they respond in some way, indicating to what extent the message was received, properly decode, and persuasive. This response is called feedback, which is a response that conveys a message back to the source. The communication process occurs in a context or environment where other things are going on-competitive brand message, people walking by, a telephone ringing, as well as thoughts inside customers heads. These other things are called noise-interferences or distractions that can negatively affect the transmission and reception of a message. FEEDBACK AND MEASURING COMMUNICATION RESULTS After implementing the communications plan, the communications director must measure its impact on the target audience. Members of the target audience are asked whether they recognize or recall the message, how many times they saw it, what points they recall, how they felt about the message & their previous & current attitude towards the product & the company. The communicator should also collect behavioral measures of audience response such as how many people bought product, liked it & talked to others about it. 5

6 COMMUNICATION MODELS SHANNON WEAVER MODEL In 1948, Shannon was an American mathematician, Electronic engineer and Weaver was an American scientist both presented this model. It was specially designed to develop the effective communication between sender and receiver. Also they find factors which affecting the communication process called Noise. At first the model was developed to improve the Technical communication. Later it s widely applied in the field of Communication. Message Signal Received Signal Message INTERACTIVE MODEL With slighter change in Shannon weaver model, the interactive model can me developed. Feedback is an avoidable stage in communication by introducing this phase to the above model we get interactive model of communication which is as follows. Message Signal Received Signal Message Feedback INTERMEDIARY MODEL An intermediary model of communication was developed by Katz and Lazarsfeld in it focuses on the important role held by the intermediaries in the communication process. Many of these intermediaries have the ability to decide and influence the messages, the context and ways in which they are seen. They often have the ability, to change messages or to prevent them from reaching an audience. 6

7 TRANSACTIONAL MODEL The transactional model of communication takes into account noise or interference in communication as well as the time factor. The outer lines of the model indicate that communication invalves both systems of communicators and personal systems. It also takes into account changes that happen in the fields of personal and common experiences. The model also labels each communicator as both sender as well as receiver simultaneously. There is this interdependence where there can be no source without a receiver and no message without a source. Communicators depends on factors like background, prior experiences, attitudes, cultural beliefs and self-esteem. 7

8 UNIT II CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION INTRODUCTION: In an organization, information flows forward, backwards and sideways. This information flow is referred to as communication. Communication channels refer to the way this information flows within the organization and with other organizations. In this web known as communication, a manager becomes a link. Decisions and directions flow upwards or downwards or sideways depending on the position of the manager in the communication web. For example, reports from lower level manager will flow upwards. A good manager has to inspire, steer and organize his employees efficiently, and for all this, the tools in his possession are spoken and written words. For the flow of information and for a manager to handle his employees, it is important for an effectual communication channel to be in place. The Working of a Communication Channel Through a modem of communication, be it face-to-face conversations or an inter-department memo, information is transmitted from a manager to a subordinate or vice versa.an important element of the communication process is the feedback mechanism between the management and employees.in this mechanism, employees inform managers that they have understood the task at hand while managers provide employees with comments and directions on employee's work. Importance of a Communication Channel A breakdown in the communication channel leads to an inefficient flow of information. Employees are unaware of what the company expects of them. They are uninformed of what is going on in the company. This will cause them to become suspicious of motives and any changes in the company. Also without effective communication, employees become department minded rather than company minded, and this affects their decision making and productivity in the workplace. Eventually, this harms the overall organizational objectives as well. Hence, in order for an organization to be run effectively, a good manager should be able to communicate to his/her employees what is expected of them, make sure they are fully aware of company policies and any upcoming changes. Therefore, an effective communication channel should be implemented by managers to optimize worker productivity to ensure the smooth running of the organization. Types of Communication Channels The number of communication channels available to a manager has increased over the last 20 odd years. Video conferencing, mobile technology, electronic bulletin boards and fax machines are some of the new possibilities. As organizations grow in size, managers cannot rely on face-to-face communication alone to get their message across challenge the managers face today is to determine what type of communication channel should they opt for in order to carryout effective communication. In order to make a manager's task easier, the types of communication channels are grouped into three main groups: formal, informal and unofficial. 8

9 Formal Communication Channels A formal communication channel transmits information such as the goals, policies and procedures of an organization. Messages in this type of communication channel follow a chain of command. This means information flows from a manager to his subordinates and they in turn pass on the information to the next level of staff. An example of a formal communication channel is a company's newsletter, which gives employees as well as the clients a clear idea of a company's goals and vision. It also includes the transfer of information with regard to memoranda, reports, directions, and scheduled meetings in the chain of command. A business plan, customer satisfaction survey, annual reports, employer's manual, review meetings are all formal communication channels. Informal Communication Channels Within a formal working environment, there always exists an informal communication network. The strict hierarchical web of communication cannot function efficiently on its own and hence there exists a communication channel outside of this web. While this type of communication channel may disrupt the chain of command, a good manager needs to find the fine balance between the formal and informal communication channel. An example of an informal communication channel is lunchtime at the organization's cafeteria/canteen. Here, in a relaxed atmosphere, discussions among employees are encouraged. Also managers walking around, adopting a hands-on approach to handling employee queries is an example of an informal communication channel. Quality circles, team work, different training programs are outside of the chain of command and so, fall under the category of informal communication channels. Unofficial Communication Channels Good managers will recognize the fact that sometimes communication that takes place within an organization is interpersonal. While minutes of a meeting may be a topic of discussion among employees, sports, politics and TV shows also share the floor. The unofficial communication channel in an organization is the organization's 'grapevine.' It is through the grapevine that rumors circulate. Also those engaging in 'grapevine' discussions often form groups, which translate into friendships outside of the organization. While the grapevine may have positive implications, more often than not information circulating in the grapevine is exaggerated and may cause unnecessary alarm to employees. An example of an unofficial communication channel is social gatherings among employees. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION People communicate with each other in a number of ways that depend upon the message and its context in which it is being sent. Choice of communication channel and your style of communicating also affects communication. So, there are variety of types of communication. Types of communication based on the communication channels used are: 1. Verbal Communication 2. Nonverbal Communication 1. Verbal Communication - Verbal communication refers to the the form of communication in which message is transmitted verbally; communication is done by word of mouth and a piece of writing. Objective of every communication is to have people understand what we are trying to convey. When we talk to others, we assume that others understand what we are saying because we know what we are saying. But this is not the case. usually people bring their own attitude, perception, emotions and thoughts about the topic and hence creates barrier in delivering the right meaning. Verbal Communication is further divided into: 9

10 Oral Communication Written Communication Oral Communication -In oral communication, Spoken words are used. It includes face-to-face conversations, speech, telephonic conversation, video, radio, television, voice over internet. In oral communication, communication is influence by pitch, volume, speed and clarity of speaking. Advantages of Oral communication are: It brings quick feedback. In a face-to-face conversation, by reading facial expression and body language one can guess whether he/she should trust what s being said or not. Disadvantage of oral communication In face-to-face discussion, user is unable to deeply think about what he is delivering,. Written Communication - In written communication, written signs or symbols are used to communicate. A written message may be printed or hand written. In written communication message can be transmitted via , letter, report, memo etc. Message, in written communication, is influenced by the vocabulary & grammar used, writing style, precision and clarity of the language used. Written Communication is most common form of communication being used in business. So, it is considered core among business skills. Memos, reports, bulletins, job descriptions, employee manuals, and electronic mail are the types of written communication used for internal communication. For communicating with external environment in writing, electronic mail, Internet Web sites, letters, proposals, telegrams, faxes, postcards, contracts, advertisements, brochures, and news releases are used. Advantages of written communication includes: Messages can be edited and revised many time before it is actually sent.written communication provide record for every message sent and can be saved for later study.a written message enables receiver to fully understand it and send appropriate feedback. Disadvantages of written communication includes:unlike oral communication, Written communication doesn t bring instant feedback..ittake more time in composing a written message as compared to word-ofmouth. and number of people struggles for writing ability. 2. Nonverbal Communication - Nonverbal communication is the sending or receiving of wordless messages. We can say that communication other than oral and written, such as gesture, body language, posture, tone of voice or facial expressions, is called nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication is all about the body language of speaker. Nonverbal communication helps receiver in interpreting the message received. Often, nonverbal signals reflects the situation more accurately than verbal messages.sometimes nonverbal response contradicts verbal communication and hence affect the effectiveness of message. Nonverbal communication have the following three elements: Appearance - Speaker: clothing, hairstyle, neatness, use of cosmetics Surrounding: room size, lighting, decorations, furnishings Body Language- facial expressions, gestures, postures Sounds- Voice Tone, Volume, Speech rate Types of Communication Based On Purpose And Style Based on style and purpose, there are two main categories of communication and they both bears their own characteristics. Communication types based on style and purpose are: 1. Formal Communication - In formal communication, certain rules, conventions and principles are followed while communicating message. Formal communication occurs in formal and official style. 10

11 Usually professional settings, corporate meetings, conferences undergoes in formal pattern.in formal communication, use of slang and foul language is avoided and correct pronunciation is required. Authority lines are needed to be followed in formal communication. 2. Informal Communication - Informal communication is done using channels that are in contrast with formal communication channels. It s just a casual talk. It is established for societal affiliations of members in an organization and face-to-face discussions. It happens among friends and family. In informal communication use of slang words, foul language is not restricted. Usually.informal communication is done orally and using gestures.informal communication, Unlike formal communication, doesn t follow authority lines. In an organization, it helps in finding out staff grievances as people express more when talking informally. Informal communication helps in building relationships. Types of Communication Based On Direction In an organization, communication flows in 5 main directions- 1. Downward Flow of Communication: Communication that flows from a higher level in an organization to a lower level is a downward communication. In other words, communication from superiors to subordinates in a chain of command is a downward communication. This communication flow is used by the managers to transmit work-related information to the employees at lower levels. Employees require this information for performing their jobs and for meeting the expectations of their managers. Downward communication is used by the managers for the following purposes Providing feedback on employees performance Giving job instructions Providing a complete understanding of the employees job as well as to communicate them how their job is related to other jobs in the organization. Communicating the organizations mission and vision to the employees. Highlighting the areas of attention. Organizational publications, circulars, letter to employees, group meetings etc are all examples of downward communication. In order to have effective and error-free downward communication, managers must: Specify communication objective Ensure that the message is accurate, specific and unambiguous. Utilize the best communication technique to convey the message to the receiver in right form 2. Upward Flow of Communication: Communication that flows to a higher level in an organization is called upward communication. It provides feedback on how well the organization is functioning. The subordinates use upward communication to convey their problems and performances to their superiors. The subordinates also use upward communication to tell how well they have understood the downward communication. It can also be used by the employees to share their views and ideas and to participate in the decision-making process. Upward communication leads to a more committed and loyal workforce in an organization because the employees are given a chance to raise and speak dissatisfaction issues to the higher levels. The managers get to know about the employees feelings towards their jobs, peers, supervisor and organization in general. Managers can thus accordingly take actions for improving things. Grievance Redressal System, Complaint and Suggestion Box, Job Satisfaction surveys etc all help in improving upward communication. Other examples of Upward Communication are -performance 11

12 reports made by low level management for reviewing by higher level management, employee attitude surveys, letters from employees, employee-manager discussions etc. 3. Lateral / Horizontal Communication: Communication that takes place at same levels of hierarchy in an organization is called lateral communication, i.e., communication between peers, between managers at same levels or between any horizontally equivalent organizational member. The advantages of horizontal communication are as follows: It is time saving. It facilitates co-ordination of the task. It facilitates co-operation among team members. It provides emotional and social assistance to the organizational members. It helps in solving various organizational problems. It is a means of information sharing It can also be used for resolving conflicts of a department with other department or conflicts within a department. 4. Diagonal Communication: Communication that takes place between a manager and employees of other workgroups is called diagonal communication. It generally does not appear on organizational chart. For instance - To design a training module a training manager interacts with an Operations personnel to enquire about the way they perform their task. 5. External Communication: Communication that takes place between a manager and external groups such as - suppliers, vendors, banks, financial institutes etc. For instance - To raise capital the Managing director would interact with the Bank Manager. BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION Q.EXPLAIN IN DETAIL VERBAL AND NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION? Ans: VERBAL COMMUNICATION:Verbal communication means such a communicationthat takes place by means of a language or words. It includes the following contents. a. Oral communication (Speaking & listening) b. Written communication (writing & reading) 1. Speaking:- In order to send message in business, speaking plays a vital role. Giving instruction, conducting interviews, attending meetings, sending orders through telephone calls are very common in today s business. 2. Writing:- 12

13 It is used when a complex message is sent. Placing order through letters, informing employees through circulars, sending reports and memos, filling different government forms, keeping records in writing are some examples of this aspect of verbal communication. 3. Listening:-People in business spend more time in obtaining information then transmitting it. Listening is the most important way to receive information: information regarding order of employers, instruction, rules and regulation, customer trend etc, are obtained through listening. But in listening, people generally forget 75% of the message after few days. 4. Reading:-Reading reports, memos, policies, circulars, and different business statements are essential for an organization: Reading involves understanding and interpreting the material. NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION:It means communication without the use of languageor words. It includes appearance, body language, silence, etc. Its explanation is as follows; 1. Facial Expressions:-Face and eyes are helpful means of nonverbal communication. They reveal hidden emotions such as anger, confusion, enthusiasm, fear, joy etc. 2. Gestures, postures & movement:-postures means the language primarily composed of hand deaf people and signal given by traffic constable are the example movement also indicate many things. Shaking hand with firmness moving back and forth reveals nervousness.and fingers. Communication of of posture. Gestures and body indicates a warm relationship. Q.EXPLAIN DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION AND STATE THEIR IMPORTANCE IN COMMUNICATION PROCESS WITH SUITABLE EXAMPLES. Ans: NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION: Communication may be verbal by written or spoken symbols (usually words) or it may be nonverbal without words. Non-verbal messages are sometimes more clear, accurate and effective as compared to verbal communication, because they are internationally used and understood. Nonverbal communication may be divided into the following three categories: 1. Appearance 2. Body Language 3. Silence, Time and Sounds 1.APPEARANCE:Appearance affects the quality of written and spoken messages as follows: i.written Messages: The envelope s overall appearance size, colour, weight, postage and the letter s overall appearance length stationary, enclosures, layout, etc. may convey significant information and impressions. ii.spoken Messages: Personal appearance of the speaker-clothing, jewelry, hair-style, neatness, etc. may tell about the age, sex occupation, nationality, social, economic and job status. Similarly, appearance of the surroundings roomsize, location, furnishings, lighting, etc. may tell a lot about the message. 2.BODYLANGUAGE:Facial expressions, gestures, posture, smell, touch, voice etc are included in body language. 13

14 Facial Expression: The eyes and face may express the hidden emotions e.g. anger, fear, joy, love, surprise, sorrow, interest etc. Posture and Gestures:The message can effectively be communicated by actions. Deaf people and traffic constables make use of actions. In our daily life clenched fists may indicate anger, leaning forward to the speaker may reveal interest and repeatedly glancing at the watch may be a sign of being bored. Smell: Good or bad smell often expresses the situation e.g. smell because of oil or gas leakage warns the danger. Similarly, fragrance and perfume convey emotions and feelings better than spoken or written words. Touch:Touching people in different ways (and places) can silently communicate friendship, love approval, anger or other feelings. Silence, Time and Sounds Silence: Silence is an effective medium of expressing serious feelings and emotions e.g. death of relative or loss in business. A mistake may be admitted by silence. Silence may also confirm a statement. Time: Time communicates in many ways, e.g. waiting for a long time may indicate interest or love and giving a short notice means urgency. Sounds and Para-language:The style of speaking and the volume of voice (Intonations and Modulations) of voice may produce variations between what is said and what is meant, e.g. the words how prompt you are may criticize a person arriving too late. Q. DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION: 1. Reliability:- Non verbal communication is more reliable then verbal communication. Words can be controlled more easily but it s difficult to hide facial expressions like sadness, gladness, joy etc. So non-verbal communication is regarded as a more reliable means for transmitting message. 2. Support to verbal communication:- Body language and appearance support the verbal communication. A wave of hand, smile etc might be very useful to explain and understand a particular point of view. 3. Quickness:- A denial or acceptance expressed by moving head saves lot of time. So, it is important in this respect that non-verbal communication transmits the message quickly. FUNCTION OF NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION: There are following six functions of it. (1) To provide information either consciously or unconsciously. (2) To regulate the flow of conversation. (3) To express emotion (4) To qualify, complement, contradict or expand verbal message. (5) To control or influence others. (6) To facilitates specific tasks, such as teaching a person. 14

15 Q. DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION; Ans: The difference between oral and written communication can be enumerated as under: 1. Ratio:-According to a rough estimate, about 75% of total communication is oral whereas the rest is written. 2. Data Safety:-Data and information are safe in written communication while most of information is forgotten in oral communication. 3. Nature of message:-written communication is used when the message is complex and oral communication is used for simple message. 4. Legal Aspect:-From legal point of view, oral communication is least reliable and written communication is much more reliable. For example, an oral promise may not be challenged in a court in general but a written promise can be challenged. 5. Flow of information:-information can be transferred within a short period of time in oral communication but it takes more time in written communication. 6. Non verbal facilities:-oral communication can be supported by non verbal facilities like gestures, postures etc. but such a support is impossible in written communication. 7. Grammar & Accent:-Oral communication required consideration for accent and pronunciation whereas written communication needs correct grammar and spelling. 15

16 UNIT III FUNDAMENTALS OF BUSINESS WRITING ADAPTATION AND THE SELECTION OF WORDS :The study of clear business writing logically begins with adaptation. By adaptation we mean fitting the message to the specific reader. You should form your message to fit that person s mind. This process of adaptation begins with visualizing what the reader imagine, what he feels, thinks and such. In many business situations, adapting to your reader means writing on a level lower than the one you would normally use. In writing to less educated workers, for example you may need to simplification, for highly educated people you may write differently. At times adapting to multiple reader, if you write for one person in the group, you may miss the others. To communicate with all of them, write for the lowest member of the group. Therefore adaptation is a basic rule which underlines all writing aspects. SUGGESTIONS FOR SELECTING WORD: Selecting the right word is a part of an adaptation. Following are some suggestions to help you select words. These suggestions stress simplicity for three reasons (1) Many people tend to write at a difficult level (2) The writer usually knows the subject better than the readers and (3) The results of research based on writing skills support simplicity. SUGGESTION FOR WORD SELECTION :Using familiar words to communicate related to the language that most of us use in everyday conversation. Example Instead of using the terminate, use end. Instead of using endeavor use try. At the same time the suggestion to use familiar words does not rule out some use of more difficult words. Difficult words are not all bad. Use them when they fit your needs and are understood. USE SLANG AND POPULAR CLICHES WITH CAUTION :At any given time in any society same slang words and clichés are in vogue. Use popular slang and clichés when meaningful. Thus you should use such expressions always only in informal communication with people who know and appreciate them. CHOOSE SHORT WORDS: Generally short words communicate better than long words. Some times exceptions exist. You should concentrate on short words and use long words with caution. Use a long word only when you think you reader knows it. USE TECHNICAL WORDS AND ACRONYMS WITH CAUTION :Every field of business, accounting, information systems, and finance has its technical language. This language can be so complex that is some cases specialized dictionaries are compiled. These words are useful when you communicate with people inn your field. But they do not communicate with outsiders. SELECT WORDS WITH RIGHT STRENGTH AND VIGOR:In a way, words are like people, they have personalities some words are strong and vigorous. Some are weak and dull and some fall between these extremes. Good writers know these differences and they consider them carefully. They use the words that do the best job of carrying the intended meaning. As a rule, they make the stronger words stand out. To select words wisely, you should consider shades of difference in meanings. USE CONCRETE LANGUAGE: Good communication is marked by words that form sharp and clear meaning in the mind. These are concrete words and you should prefer them in your writing. They stand for things that exist in the real world: deck, chair, and road. Abstract nouns on the other hand cover broad meanings concepts, ideas and the like. Their meaning is general, as in their example administration, communication etc. Concreteness also involves how we put words to gather. Exact or specific wordings are concrete, vague and general wordings are abstract. USE ACTIVE VOICE :While writing prefer the active voice than passive voice. In active the subject does the action, in passive voice it receives the action. Active voice is stronger and shorter. Example: Passive voice: The result were reported in our JULY 9 letter Active voice: we reported the result in our JULY 9 letter. At times passive voice is better when the doer of the action is not important. Passive voice helps avoid accusing the reader and passive voice is better when the performer is not known. Your decision on whether 16

17 to use active or passive voice is not simply a matter of choice. It is also better when the writer prefer not to name the performer. SELECT WORDS FOR PRECISE MEANING:Writing requires some knowledge of language. In fact, the greater your knowledge of language, the better you are likely to write. You should study language and learn the shades of the difference in meanings of other words. Use correct idiom. By idiom we mean the ways things are said in a language you can use idioms for certain reasons but violations of idiom rule affect the reader. SUGGESTIONS FOR NON DISCRIMINATORY WRITING:By discrimination (or) discriminatory words we mean words that do not treat all people equally and with respect. Avoid words that discriminate against sex, race, nationality, age, sexual orientation or disability. We often use discriminatory words without bad intent. a) Use gender neutral words : Avoid using masculine pronouns for both sexes (he, his,him) b) You can make the reference plural (their, them, they) c) You can express neutral by ( he or she, he/she, you, they etc) d) Avoid words suggesting male dominance ( Man-made to manufactured, Businessman to business executive, salesman to sales executive) e) Don t use words which lower the status of women f) Avoid words that stereotype by race, nationality, gender orientation, old age, disability. THE STEPS FOLLOWED IN PLANNING AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION. PLANNING STEPS: 1. Knowing the purpose of the message. 2. Visualizing the reader (receiver). 3. Choosing the ideas to be included. 4. Getting all the facts to back up the ideas. 5. Outlining and organizing the message. FORMAT BUSINESS COMMUNICATION- 5 Different Formats of Business Communication Businesses commonly use multiple communication formats to reach the widest audience possible when conveying messages. Each communication format offers advantages or disadvantages depending on the message being delivered and the individuals receiving the message. Also, different communication formats may cost more than others. Many small businesses are interested in the cost of business communication because they may not have large amounts of capital for administrative services. Businesses must tailor their message carefully so the least amount of confusion occurs when individuals receive the message and interpret its meaning. Letters and Memos - Letters and memos are the most traditional written business communication. Letters are commonly used to present official business information to other businesses, to individuals or to outside business stakeholders. Organizations can also use letters to communicate business contracts or build professional relationships with other companies in the business environment. Memos are usually an internal written communication format used to convey information to managers and employees. Companies may be using fewer memos in today s business environment, especially given the increase in use of business . Meetings -Meetings offer organizations a way to convey information using a personal format. Meetings may include managers, employees or customers. Businesses use meetings to ensure that little or no confusion exists in the conveyed message; they allow individuals listening to the speaker to have an opportunity for asking questions or providing feedback. This communication format may be used more for business owners, directors or managers, who often meet to discuss major business ideas before making a decision. Small businesses may not use meetings if they have very few or no employees. 17

18 - is an electronic form of written communication. This communication format has become more popular as organizations increase the use of personal computers in their business operations. offers businesses a near-instant format to convey a message or transfer information to individuals inside or outside the business organization. While business communication through was seen as less formal in its early days, many companies have developed formal formats for business communication to maintain a standard level of professionalism. Small businesses commonly use communication because it is an inexpensive option for contacting internal and external business stakeholders. Social Media - Social media websites and networks have presented a relatively new business communication format. Social media networks allow organizations to create websites or fan pages and develop a following of customers. Businesses may be able to convey important company information through these networks, offer individuals coupons and other discounts for products or use them to reach different target markets or demographic groups in the economic marketplace. While small, home-based businesses may not find social media useful, more established businesses may have better social media results. Online Chat - Online chatting is another relatively recent feature companies are adding to their websites. Chat allows organizations to take advantage of individuals viewing the company s website and present a response system consumers can use if they have questions regarding the company or its products. Rather than having consumers look for contact information, such as phone numbers or addresses, businesses may use an online chat link on their website homepage to connect consumers directly to a customer service representative. TYPES OF BUSINESS LETTER Purpose of a Business Letter - A business letter (or formal letter) is a formal way of communicating between two or more parties. There are many different uses and business letters. Business letters can be informational, persuasive, motivational, or promotional. Business letters should be typed and printed out on standard 8.5 x 11 white paper. Elements of a Good Letter - The most important element of writing a good letter is your ability to identify and write to your audience. If you are addressing your letter to the department of human resources, avoid using highly technical terms that only engineers would understand, even if your letter is addressed to an engineering company, chances are that the personnel in human resources does not have an engineering background. The next element is that you make sure your present your objective in a clear and concise manner. Don t be vague about your objective, most people will not have the patience to sit there and guess at the meaning of your letter or the time to read a long-winded letter, just get to the point without going into unnecessary details. Another important element to remember is to remain professional. Even if you are writing a complaint letter, remain polite and courteous, simply state the problem(s) along with any other relevant information and be sure to avoid threats and slander. Business Letter Format Block Format: Business Letter Return Address Line 1 1 Return Address Line 2Date (Month Day, Year) 2 Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient. 3 Title/Position of Recipient. Company Name Address Line 1 Address Line 2 Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name: 4 18

19 Subject: Title of Subject 5 Body Paragraph Body Paragraph Body Paragraph Closing (Sincerely ), 7 Signature 8 Your Name (Printed) 9 Your Title Enclosures (2) 10 Typist Initials. 11 The block format is the simplest format; all of the writing is flush against the left margin. Your Address 1 - The return address of the sender of the letter so the recipient can easily find out where to send a reply to. Skip a line between your address and the date. (Not needed if the letter is printed on paper with the company letterhead already on it.) Date 2 -Put the date on which the letter was written in the format Month Day Year i.e. August 30, Skip a line between the date and the inside address (some people skip 3 or 4 lines after the date). Inside Address 3- The address of the person you are writing to along with the name of the recipient, their title and company name, if you are not sure who the letter should be addressed to either leave it blank, but try to put in a title, i.e. Director of Human Resources. Skip a line between the date and the salutation. Salutation 4-Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name:, Dear Director of Department Name: or To Whom It May Concern: if recipient s name is unknown. Note that there is a colon after the salutation. Skip a line between the salutation and the subject line or body. Subject Line (optional) 5- Makes it easier for the recipient to find out what the letter is about. Skip a line between the subject line and the body. Body 6- The body is where you write the content of the letter; the paragraphs should be single spaced with a skipped line between each paragraph. Skip a line between the end of the body and the closing. Closing 7- Let s the reader know that you are finished with your letter; usually ends with Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Thank you, and so on. Note that there is a comma after the end of the closing and only the first word in the closing is capitalized. Skip 3-4 lines between the closing and the printed name, so that there is room for the signature. Signature 8-Your signature will go in this section, usually signed in black or blue ink with a pen. Printed Name 9- The printed version of your name, and if desired you can put your title or position on the line underneath it. Skip a line between the printed name and the enclosure. Enclosure 10- If letter contains other document other than the letter itself your letter will include the word Enclosure. If there is more than one you would type, Enclosures (#) with the # being the number of other documents enclosed that doesn t include the letter itself. Reference Initials 11 - If someone other than yourself typed the letter you will include your initials in capital letters followed by the typist s initials in lower case in the following format; AG/gs or AG:gs. Modified Block Format: Business Letter Return Address Line 1 1 Return Address Line 2Date (Month Day, Year) 2 Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient. 3 Title/Position of Recipient. 19

20 Company Name Address Line 1 Address Line 2 Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name: 4 Subject: Title of Subject 5 Body Paragraph Body Paragraph Body Paragraph Closing (Sincerely ), 7Signature 8 Your Name (Printed) 9 Your Title Enclosures (2) 10 Typist Initials. 11 In the modified block format, your address, date (the date can actually go on either the left or the right side), the closing, signature, and printed name are all indented to the right half of the page (how far you indent in is up to you as long as the heading and closing is lined up, use your own discretion and make sure it looks presentable). Addressing an Envelope Addressing an envelope should be fairly simple. In the upper-left hand corner should be your name, and underneath that should be your return address. In the upper-right hand corner should be the postage stamp (with the correct postage amount). In the middle-center should be the recipient s name and recipient s address. Envelope Format Your Name Return Address Line 1 Return Address Line 2 Stamp Recipient Name Recipient Address Line 1 Recipient Address Line 2 <> Helpful Tips Print/write all the information on the envelope before stuffing and sealing it so it will be written/printed on a flat surface. If you are writing to a different country, make sure you put it at on the last line of your return address and the recipient s address. If you are writing a friendly letter with a small envelope, you can write the return address on the flap of the envelope if there is no room on the top-left hand corner. TYPES OF LETTERS- With Explaination 1. LETTER OF INQUIRY A well-written letter of inquiry can be crucial to securing funding for your project. Many foundations now prefer that funding requests be submitted first in letter format instead of a full proposal. Others are using 20