mb0039-summer drive assignment-2012 1
TRANSCRIPT
ASSIGNMENT-01/02
Name:
Registration No: 1
Learning Center:
Learning Center Code:
Course: MBA
Subject: Business Communication
Semester: 1
Subject Code: MB0039
Date of submission: 22.08.2012
Marks awarded:
Directorate of Distance EducationSikkim Manipal UniversityII Floor, Syndicate House
Manipal – 576 104
Signature of Coordinator Signature of Center Signature of Evaluator
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Assignment marks will be accounted for your Internal Assessment. Assignments should be submitted within the time given. Please answer all the Assignments on ruled sheets. Write in your own handwriting.
Write in your own words. Do not copy. Assignments which are not original /copied shall be awarded zero marks.
Write neatly and legibly in the prescribed format.
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Comments by the Subject Evaluator: (Subject expert will give comments onoverall content, reliability, correctness and appropriateness of informationprovided)-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Suggestions for improvement: (Subject expert will give areas of improvement andpossible ways/ methods to follow to improve)MBA-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q1. Describe a situation that you experienced where
communication went wrong because the non-verbal
behaviour sent conflicting signals. Which aspect of
non-verbal communication was responsible for the
communication failure? How would you rectify this?
Answer:
When I was working in my previous company (almost a year back),
team of our offshore resources in India visited the client’s office in
Netherlands. The client was explaining his processes and technical
difficulties and was seeking for a solution. There were several members
from the client side who are Dutch attending this with our team. After
the briefing the client asked if they have understood the issue and are
we able to provide a solution.
The answer from our three-member team was nodding their
head side ways!
The person who took the meeting minutes recorded this non-verbl
communication interpreted as they did not understand the issue
and cannot provide a solution!
The failure to understand Non-verbal Communication Varies
Across Cultures is responsible for the communications failure.
This can be rectified by the following ways.
1. The first step is to educate one with Non-verbal communication,
its impact in business etc.
Non-Verbal communication is defined as
communication without words. It refers to any way
of conveying meanings without the use of verbal
language.
2. The next step is to understand the following aspects
a. Non-verbal Communication Cannot Be Avoided
b. Non-verbal Communication is Powerful
c. Non-verbal Communication is Ambiguous
d. Non-verbal Communication Cannot Express All
Messages
e. Non-verbal Communication Varies Across Cultures
3. The last step is to learn to express verbally and avoiding
Miscommunication by following a few simple guidelines like
a. Avoid Words with Multiple Meanings
b. Ensure Clarity through Highly Specific Statements
c. Avoid overuse of Jargon: Jargon refers to technical terms or
specialized vocabulary.
d. Avoid Biased Language and Offensive Words
Q2. Explain why Public Relations is an important part
of external business communication.
Answer:
Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing the flow of
information between an individual or an organization and the
public. Public relations provides an organization or individual exposure
to their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that
do not require direct payment. The aim of public relations by a
company often is to persuade the public, investors, partners,
employees, and other stakeholders to maintain a certain point
of view about it, its leadership, products, or of political
decisions. Common activities include speaking at conferences,
winning industry awards, working with the press, and employee
communication.
External business communication can be easily pointed out from
the above activities which includes - speaking at conferences,
winning industry awards, working with the press.
This means that Public Relations is directing External Business
Communication. Following are some of the reasons why Public
Relations is an important part of external business communication.
For Successful Marketing – Organizations need to inform and create
awareness among consumers about their existing and new products.
This is largely done through advertising, which is a form of mass
communication. This is very much a part of external business
communication.
To build a Favorable Corporate Image – Today, organizations need
to focus on projecting themselves as responsible corporate and social
citizens. This is known as corporate social responsibility. For example,
they need to communicate the fact that they are involved in social
development or in environmental protection. This involves being in
touch with various external stakeholders, especially consumers, media
and the society at large.
To Increase Shareholder Value – If customers have a positive image
of the company, the company’s share price will go up and
shareholders’ wealth increases, thereby enhancing shareholder value.
Shareholder confidence in the company also drives shareholder value.
When shareholder value increases, they will participate in the
company’s expansion and growth.
To Overcome a Crisis – Sometimes when a company is facing a crisis,
a public relations campaign may be needed to manage the situation,
put things in a proper perspective and restore the image of the
company in the eyes of consumers, the media and society at large.
Public relations require effective communication with various external
stakeholders.
Examples – A few years ago, Reliance was prosecuted by the
government for irregularities in the stock market. Shareholders lost
confidence in the company. Reliance then mounted a counter
campaign against the government, where they told the truth, gave the
facts and figures and denied the allegations made against them. This
helped them to regain lost confidence and salvage their image.
Similarly, when Coke and Pepsi were accused of pesticides in their soft
drinks, they had to undertake a massive public relations exercise to set
right their image in the eyes of the public.
To Enhance Credit Rating – An organization’s credit rating will also
go up if it maintains good external communication. This way its
borrowing ability will increase and more money can be raised for
expansion and growth.
Having emphasized the importance of external business
communication, let us now go into the reasons for communicating with
external stakeholders and the channels used to communicate with
them, just as we did with internal communication. The wheel of
business communication illustrates that external business
communication involves interaction with the following stakeholders –
Consumers – Organizations need to communicate with consumers to
provide information about their products and services, special
promotional offers and new product developments. They also need to
redress consumer complaints, so as to maintain consumer preference
and confidence in their brands.
The written channel is the most appropriate medium for
communicating with consumers. This could take the form of letters, or
mass media advertising.
Intermediaries – This refers to the trade – distributors, wholesalers,
retailers, franchisees, etc. It is necessary to communicate with them to
provide information about product availability, special offers, incentives
and allowances, contractual aspects, order processing, delivery aspects
and merchandising, or the visual display of products. Keeping
intermediaries aware and informed and motivating them to meet
targets through competitions, prizes and incentives is extremely
important for the success of any product.
The appropriate channels of communication with intermediaries could
be both oral and written channels. Written contracts, advertisements
announcing special offers and incentives and dealer newsletters
inviting dealers to share their experiences, are examples of written
channels. Periodic review meetings and continuous communication
through sales staff are examples of oral channels.
Suppliers – These are suppliers of raw material, components, power,
water or other utilities. Communication with suppliers is essential to
give technical specifications, ensure quality and timely delivery. Today,
due to “outsourcing” or relying on outside sources for raw materials
and components, there is need for more sophisticated and direct
communication and a more continuous, on-going relationship with
suppliers. The internet now plays an important role in communication
with suppliers, through “Business to Business” (B2B) communication.
Many organizations today enter into a partnership with their suppliers,
whereby there is total involvement on both sides. For example, a
company engineer might train the shop floor technical staff of a
supplier of automotive components, in order to improve the quality of
the components. The supplier on his side, may suggest a change in the
company’s specification process.
Direct, one-to-one communication is required with suppliers to ensure
transparency and clarity, with respect to specifications. The oral face-
to-face channel is most appropriate, although the online channel is
being increasingly used in supplier communication.
Government – Communicating with the government is particularly
important in the Indian context and is a part of public relations. Many
Indian companies even appoint a PR officer for maintaining good
relations with the government. The reasons for communicating with the
government include compliance with tax matters and legal aspects,
seeking clearances for new activities such as joint ventures, borrowing
from overseas banks, foreign exchange requirements and so on.
Communication with the government could take place through both
oral and written channels. Periodic meetings may be held with regard
to statutory compliances such as licensing. However, most of the time,
written communication through formal letters is more appropriate. This
is because clearances for various activities have to be sought in
writing.
Society – As pointed out earlier, organizations need to communicate
with the community at large to project themselves as responsible
corporate citizens. “Corporate social responsibility” as it is called, is top
priority with many organizations today. Supporting women’s education,
building hospitals for the disabled, schools for children, family planning
and non-pollution of the environment are some of the ways in which
companies are participating in social development and then
communicating this to society.
The channels of communication with society could be oral and direct –
for example, talking to elders in a village or locality, about family
planning or schools for children. Mass media advertising in the form of
“public service advertising” could also be used to spread these social
service messages
Example – United Breweries ran a public service campaign with the
caption “Drinking and driving don’t mix”, to spread the message of
avoiding drunken driving.
There is a large element of public relations in communication with
society.
Bankers – Like shareholders, organizations need to communicate with
bankers both in good times and bad times. The reasons for
communicating with bankers are the same as those for shareholders. In
addition, advance notice needs to be given to bankers regarding any
dislocation in repayment schedules and justification has to be provided
for any additional fund needs. The overall purpose is to build rapport
with the bank, so as to increase borrowing ability.
Communication with bankers could take place through oral channels –
for example, periodic meetings with the Finance Manager of the
company to keep them informed of stock build up trends, or future
trends that could affect working capital needs. Special meetings may
also be held to keep them posted about expansion, contraction and
diversification plans, lockouts, strikes and anything else that may affect
cash flow.
In addition to oral channels, periodic written reports need to be
submitted to the bank on overall business conditions. Transparency is
needed in dealings with the bank and failure to keep them informed
could lead to the company’s collapse.
Example – The Enron Company did not communicate with their
shareholders and bankers about the difficult times that they were going
through. This ultimately led to the company’s ruin.
Media – Today, the media are becoming more powerful and
investigative and are intruding into people’s personal lives. If wrongly
informed, the media can destroy an institution. Therefore, the primary
reason for an organization to communicate with the media is to
maintain good relations. If the company projects a favorable image to
the media, the media in turn will carry a positive story about the
company for free. This is known as “publicity” and is part of public
relations.
For example, a press release in a newspaper may highlight some of
the achievements or awards won by the company. This type of publicity
is highly credible and can have a powerful influence on public opinion.
Communication with the media takes place through both oral channels
such as press conferences, as well as written channels such as letters
and news releases.
External business communication in the form of the matrix is given
below-
Stakeholder Channel Overall Objective Consumers Advertisements
Letters Awareness Information Persuasion
Intermediaries Written Contracts Awareness
Newsletters Advertisements Review Meetings
Information Motivation
Suppliers Direct Oral Communication Online Communication
On-going Relationship Partnership
Government Periodic Meetings Formal Letters
Government Cooperation
Society Direct Oral Communication Advertisements
Corporate Social Responsibility
Bankers Periodic & Special Meetings Written Reports
Good Rapport More borrowing ability
Media News conferences News Releases
Good Relations
Q3. Select a company of your choice in a sector that
you would like to work in. Imagine that you have to
make a brief presentation on this company to
business school students. Develop – a) A general and
specific statement of purpose b) The key idea c) Your
style of delivery.
Answer:
The company I have selected is Verizon Business, and the sector is
Technology Consulting.
a) A general and specific statement of purpose
Before preparing for the presentation, it is important to be clear on the
goal of the presentation. A “statement of purpose”, expressing what I
want to achieve through the presentation should be framed, so that it
becomes easy to measure whether the goal has been accomplished or
not.
The purpose of the presentation may be stated in broad or general
terms, or in more specific terms. A general statement of purpose could
be expressed in terms of one of the following –
To Inform or To Persuade or To Entertain
As this is specifically for the Business School Students I will the first
one – To Inform them about the benefits of joining my company.
Although it is useful to define the general purpose of a presentation, it
is more important to frame a specific statement of purpose, which
clearly spells out the answers to the following questions –
1. Whom do I want to influence?
2. What do I want them to do at the end of the presentation?
3. How do I want them to do it?
4. When?
5. Where?
Example – “I want 37% of my audience to be convinced enough
to apply for new openings, within the next one week.”
The above statement of purpose describes the reaction that you are
seeking from my audience and also describes the goal in measurable
terms. The number of applications form school during the one week
period would indicate whether the goal has been achieved or not. As
far as possible, the goal should be quantified, so that it is measurable.
b) The Key Idea
The key idea of a presentation is a statement that expresses the main
message to be conveyed to the audience. It is different from a
statement of purpose, in that the purpose is generally meant for myself
as the presenter, while the key idea is mentioned to the audience at
the beginning of the presentation.
Example – As purpose is to inform school students about my company’s
brand of vacuum cleaner, the key idea or message may be to
explain how my company is superior to other companies,
benefits, career paths etc.
Once the key idea is clearly stated, it becomes easy to develop the rest
of the presentation.
c) Style of delivery
There are five different delivery styles available– The one I will
select form the below will be Speaking from Notes as this is the most
successful one.
Speaking Impromptu – In this case, the speaker is called upon to say
a few words without any warning or advance notice. Since there is little
or no time given for preparation, it is suited for only expert speakers.
Impromptu speeches should be brief, simple and direct, compared to
prepared speeches.
Speaking Extemporaneously – This is different from speaking
impromptu. While impromptu speeches are delivered on the spot and
not rehearsed, an extemporaneous speech is prepared and rehearsed
in advance, but delivered naturally, without the support of notes or
other aids. This is the delivery style used by experienced professionals,
who have sufficient knowledge of the subject to be able to speak
without relying on notes.
Memorizing the Presentation – This is the least appealing style of
delivery, since it comes across as unnatural and monotonous to the
audience. A speaker who memorizes and delivers a presentation word
for word will also be at a disadvantage if he forgets a part of the
speech, since he or she will be unable to speak naturally.
Reading from Written Notes – This consists in reading the entire
presentation from notes. It is a method used by government or
business officials and may be appropriate when the material to be
presented is highly technical or complex. However, it has some
limitations. First, it gives the impression that the speech is very long
and heavy. Secondly, it prevents the presenter from making eye
contact with the audience.
Speaking from Notes – This is generally the most effective style of
delivery. It consists in jotting down the main ideas in point form on
index cards and then referring to these cards merely as a trigger while
speaking. If the main ideas are put down briefly on the cards, the
speaker can elaborate on these ideas in his own words and speak for
any length of time. The presentation is likely to be more effective, since
it comes across as natural and permits eye contact with the audience.
Q4. Discuss the principles of business writing
Answer:
Written messages must be made as readable as possible, by making
them uncomplicated and easy for even the average person to
understand. Readability in turn is largely determined by the length of
words, sentences and paragraphs.
A common mistake made by writers, especially Indian writers, is to try
and impress the reader by using flowery language and an oratory style
of writing. Two broad principles of writing are ‘Write to express,
not to impress” and “Keep it short and sweet.” A good writer is
one who follows these principles and asks himself/herself even before
framing a sentence “What am I trying to say? What words will express
it?”
Below are some tips on writing style, followed by some specific rules
regarding English language usage, spelling and punctuation.
Tips on Writing Style
Writing style can be vastly improved through the choice of words.
Some of the common problems of word choice include use of
complicated words, use of jargon, slang and colorful language and
mistakes in various part-of-speech categories.
1. Simple vs. Complex Words
As far as possible, the sender should select words that are within the
receiver’s 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, such as the ones shown in the left column, rather than in the
right column below, even though they mean the same thing –
About = Approximately
Do = Accomplish
Improve = Ameliorate
Show = Demonstrate
Change = Modify
Ask = Interrogate
This is because short, simple words convey ideas more effectively and
require less time and space. They also invite the sender to concentrate
on ideas, rather than calling attention to the words themselves.
2. 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 the lay person might
understand. Such terms are to be avoided in general writing, since they
would be out of context. The only instance where jargon can be used
and might be essential, is in reports of a highly technical nature, where
the reader is in a position to understand these terms.
Slang refers to casual words that are not accepted and
recognized in a Standard English dictionary. While they could be
used in a limited way in general or informal writing, they are to be
avoided in business writing, which needs to be formal in nature.
A metaphor is a figure of speech and refers to colorful comparisons
which evoke visual images.
Examples –
1. He is rock solid in his support.
2. We provide an umbrella of insurance products for your security.
While such comparisons may be used in informal writing or in the
language of advertising, they are to be avoided in business
communication which has to be objective and formal.
3. Parts of Speech
In the same way that use of big, complicated words may result in
receipt of the wrong message, use of small words in the wrong way
grammatically could have the same result. Such problems exist in all
part-of-speech categories-
Nouns
Just as the main actor in a film is the most important character, the
subject in a sentence is the most important noun. There are two
categories of nouns – “abstract nouns” or nouns that cannot be
visualized and “concrete nouns” or nouns that can be
visualized. A message will be understood more clearly if concrete
nouns are used as subjects in a sentence, rather than abstract nouns.
Example
Cancellation of the contract will be done in March. (use of abstract
noun as subject)
The contract will be cancelled in March. (use of concrete noun as
subject)
In the above example, the second sentence, using “contract” as the
subject, is likely to be understood more clearly by the receiver. Not
only is “contract” something which can be visualized, it also
emphasizes the main idea in the sentence.
Consider another example –
That decision can be made only by the supervisor. (abstract noun as
subject)
Only the supervisor can make that decision. (Concrete noun as
subject)
Pronouns
Sometimes, using the masculine form of a pronoun might be taken in
an offensive way by the receiver, especially if the receiver happens to
be a woman. Even if the receiver is not a woman, the use of a
masculine pronoun may convey the impression of being sexist.
Consider the following example –
You need to consult your professor on that subject, but he has to be a
specialist in the area of Finance.
In the above sentence, the use of the masculine pronoun “he” conveys
the unintentional message that professors can only be men and not
women, which could be taken as an offense. Such offensive pronouns
can be avoided in the following ways-
1. Avoid use of the pronoun completely
Example – You need to consult your professor on that subject, but a
specialist in the area of Finance is required.
2. Repeat the noun
Example – You need to consult your professor on that subject, but the
professor has to be a specialist in the area of Finance.
Use a plural noun
Example – You need to consult some of your professors on that
subject, but they have to be specialists in the area of Finance.
(The use of “they” avoids implying that professors can be only men).
4. Use pronouns from both genders
Example – You need to consult your professor on that subject, but he
or she has to be a specialist in the area of Finance.
Another principle regarding use of pronouns is to avoid excessive use
of the first person pronoun “I”, since this gives the impression that one
is always talking about oneself. Never sound too pleased with yourself
or boast of your own achievements. This is especially true of business
writing, where it is important to be objective, rather than subjective.
The second person pronoun “you” also needs to be used with care. A
rule of thumb is to use the second person pronoun when emphasizing a
positive idea or message and to avoid the second person when
presenting a negative idea.
The following example illustrates this –
You made a good presentation.
You made a number of mistakes in the report.
The first sentence contains a positive idea. Therefore, the second
person pronoun should be used, since it gives credit to the person who
made the presentation. On the other hand, the second sentence
contains a negative idea and emphasizes that “you” are responsible.
This should be avoided by framing the sentence differently, such as
“The report contained a number of mistakes.”
Verbs
Since verbs are action words and action is an essential part of a
sentence, correct use of verbs is important. Senders of messages must
use verbs that agree in number with the subjects of the sentence.
The following examples illustrate the misuse of verbs in
sentences –
1. Only one of the students are present. (Wrong usage)
Only one of the students is present (right usage)
2. Each of the following reports have been modified. (Wrong usage)
Each of the following reports has been modified. (Right usage)
Note that the singular form of the verb and not the plural should be
used in both the above sentences, to agree with the subject which is in
singular form (“Only one” and “Each”).
Verbs must also agree in person. The most common errors are made in
agreement with the third person and the second person –
1. He don’t like to work late (wrong)
He doesn’t like to work late.(correct)
2. You was informed that the exams begin next week (wrong)
You were informed that the exams begin next week. (Correct)
Thirdly, since verbs indicate the time of action – past, present or future,
they should be used in the correct tenses. The tenses should also be
used consistently.
Consider the following examples –
1. He listens to the presentation and gave his feedback.
2. The manager spoke to the customer, but does not respond to his
complaint.
In both the above sentences, it is not clear whether the event is past or
present, since the tenses are not used uniformly. It is better to use two
present tense verbs or two past tense verbs, but not one of each in the
same sentence –
1. He listens to the presentation and gives his feedback.
2. The manager spoke to the customer but did not respond to his
complaint.
Adjectives
Adjectives give information about or describe nouns. Although they
play a less important role in a sentence compared to verbs and nouns,
they must be used with care. A common tendency is to use very strong
adjectives, too many adjectives, or superlatives.
Examples
1. Sales this year have been absolutely incredible.
2. That is the most wonderful, powerful and moving speech that I
have heard in a long time.
3. Ours is the best product in the market today.
In the first sentence, if a sales report is being written or presented, it
would be better to give details about sales figures, rather than describe
sales as “incredible”. In the second sentence, a single adjective could
have been used in place of three adjectives, which are too many. The
third example is a claim that needs to be defined ( i.e., best in what
way?), or supported with adequate proof.
Adverbs
In the same way that adjectives describe nouns, adverbs describe or
modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs. Therefore, the same
principles apply when using adverbs – i.e., avoid use of adverbs that
are too strong, or are superlatives –
Examples –
1. Sales have been fantastically high this year.
The adverb “fantastically” describes the adjective “high” and is too
strong to be credible.
2. This secretary types the fastest.
Here, the adverb “fastest” describes the verb “types” and is a
superlative, which is to be avoided, unless it can be defined or
supported with proof.
Q5. Write a short note on the SQ3R technique of
reading.
Answer:
SQ3R technique of reading was developed by Robinson in his book
"Effective Study" (1970). SQ3R stands for the initial letters of the five
steps in studying a text-
Survey S
Question Q
Read R
Recall R
Review R
Let us briefly go through these steps in the given order.
1. Survey: Survey refers to a quick glance through the title page,
preface and chapter headings of a text. By surveying, you will be
able to gauge the main ideas of the text. Besides, the author’s name,
date, place of publication and title page can give you an idea of the
general subject area. The table of contents, preface or foreword in a
book would give you an idea of the themes and how they are
organized. A survey of the index or bibliography tells you immediately
whether the book contains what you need.
Let us take an example. Choose the appropriate reference by a quick
survey:
Here is a bibliography (list of books) on POLIMERIZATION. Decide which
of the publications in the list are likely to give you: (encircle the
appropriate letter)
A brief introduction to the subject: a b c d e f
Current developments in the field a b c d e f
Historical study of the subject a b c d e f
Various opinions by experts on the subject a b c d e f
Bibliography
(a) Billmeyer, F.W. 1962. A Text Book of Polymer Science
New York: John Wiley and Sons
(b) A condensed Chemical Dictionary
(c) International Encyclopaedia of Sciences
(d) Encyclopaedia Britannica
(e) Stille, J. K. 1962. Introduction to Polymer Chemistry: New York: John
Wiley and Sons. Wassermann, Leonard G., 1974
(f) Chemistry: Basic Concepts and Contemporary Applications
California: Wadsworth Publ Co. Inc.
(Adapted from ELT Documents, 1980)
2. Question: The second step in the SQ3R technique of reading is
“question.” A survey of the text will surely raise a few questions in
your mind regarding the text. Some of the questions could be-
Is the book useful or relevant to my study ?
Does it provide some guidelines/information on the subject at
hand ?
However, as you go through the individual chapters, you might have
specific questions regarding the topic. This will surely lead to gaining
some insights into the text, topic and the author's comments. You will
be surprised to see how your questions are answered in the process of
reading and understanding the text. Therefore, don't treat reading as
an automatic process. It has to be conscious and deliberate,.with a
definite purpose, where you interact with the topic and the author.
3. Reading: After surveying and questioning, you begin the actual
reading. You need to develop a critical approach to reading anything
for that matter. Read the text over and over again, each time with
a different question and a different purpose in mind. "I read it once and
understand everything" kind of attitude is nothing but a myth. Hence,
while reading for the first time, you should just focus on the main
points/ideas and supporting details.
4. Recall: The fourth stage in reading comprehension is recalling.
Reading is not an isolated activity. Every reading exercise increases
your background knowledge. You should be able to connect the
information gained with the already existing background
knowledge. Recalling whatever you have read will enable you to
connect and relate the content with the previous and future learning of
the subject. This leads us to the next stage in reading i.e., review.
5. Review: Reviewing is nothing but checking whether we have
followed the earlier stages promptly and efficiently. Have we
surveyed the book, article, or magazine properly? Have we asked the
appropriate questions relating to the content, have we read it critically
and have we recalled the most significant details or information
required for our study? These are questions that should be asked in the
final stage of reading. Review will sharpen your critical ability, enable
you to form your own opinions on the topic and express them to others.
Try to practice these stages consciously in your reading and research
and you will find this to be a highly rewarding experience.
Q6. (a) List the importance of effective communication in the
workplace
(b) Explain the advantages of oral communication with the help
of suitable example.
Answer:
a) List the importance of effective communication in the
workplace
Communication in simple terms is a transfer of information between
people, resulting in common understanding between them.
Communication has been defined differently by different writers and
behavioral theorists.
According to Newman and summer, “Communication is an
exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more
persons.”
Communication is the nerve center of business today. As you go up
the corporate ladder, you will find that communication skills are
required, more than technical skills. Communication research has
revealed that among the factors most important for managerial
success, communication skills rank above technical skills. Several
surveys conducted among people who have been successful in
their professions have indicated that communication skills are
more vital to job success than subjects taken in college.
Communication has assumed even greater importance today, since the
new model of business is based on teamwork, rather than on individual
action. Teamwork requires greater coordination and communication.
Communication is also required all the more in this age of information
and technology. Without communication and human skills,
technology will overwhelm an organization. Communication
helps to make sense of technology and to manage all this
information. For example, communication is required to explain a new
computer program or software. While computers can perform routine
tasks, jobs like responding to customers’ needs require a
high degree of communication skills.
Effective communication serves the following specific purposes
in an organization –
Greater Awareness of Organizational Goals and Teamwork –
When there is open communication between superiors, co-workers and
subordinates, there is smooth flow of information regarding the goals of
the organization. Coordination between the different departments in
particular, leads to greater motivation to work together towards
achieving a common organizational goal, rather than working in
isolation.
Better Employer-employee Relationships – By listening to
employees, showing empathy and giving them the freedom to express
their opinions without fear of being repressed, a manager can create a
climate of openness that leads to better work relationships. Employees
will then feel more comfortable in approaching their superiors and
discussing any matter with them.
Problem-solving – Effective communication can help resolve conflicts
between co-workers, work related and performance related problems.
Face–to-face communication is especially suited for achieving this task,
since it is one to one and highly personalized in nature.
Improved Performance – Effective communication by managers at
the time of appraising the performance of their employees can point
out areas for improvement. A constructive review of performance,
through which a manager gives positive feedback and counsels the
employee, instead of criticizing him for poor performance, can motivate
the employee to perform better.
Stronger Link between Managers and the External Environment
– Apart from internal communication within the organization, effective
communication by managers with external audiences such as
customers, government, bankers, media and suppliers leads to a better
rapport with them. A manager will be able to understand the needs of
his customers, be aware of the presence of quality suppliers of
material, of government regulations and of the expectations of the
community at large, only through proper communication.
(b) Explain the advantages of oral communication with the help
of suitable example.
Irrespective of your field or the type of job that you choose to take up,
developing good oral communication skills is a must. Oral skills are
needed for making effective presentations, participating in and
conducting meetings, dealing with customers and interacting on a day-
to-day basis with your superiors, peers and subordinates within the
organization. Your oral communication skills often reveal your
personality. Speaking effectively also gives you great visibility and
confidence and can contribute to your career success.
As you go up the corporate ladder, presentation speaking skills become
more important than technical skills. Your ability to organize your
ideas, present them and sell them to others is what determines your
success. Surveys have revealed that business executives spend a good
deal of time making presentations of different types. Whatever the
nature of the presentation, it requires planning, developing a structure
and strategy and using supports, to make it effective.
Oral communication has some advantages compared to written
communication. These include its personal quality, high
interactivity, possibility of making immediate contact,
instantaneous feedback and control over the receiver’s
attention.
Oral communication was also classified into oral face-to-face
communication (meetings and presentations) and oral non face-to-face
communication (teleconferencing, telephone and voice mail).While
face-to-face meetings are more effective than non face-to-face
communication in most ways, they are expensive and impractical
sometimes, due to the distance factor. Thanks to advances in
technology, meetings today can still take place without being face-to-
face, through teleconferencing. Teleconferencing allows participants at
distant locations to speak and sometimes to see each other. Apart from
the high cost and the difficulty in setting it up, teleconferencing has the
same advantages as oral face-to-face communication.
Example – Several retailers like Walmart, the world’s largest retailer,
make use of teleconferencing to keep their US headquarters in touch
with their store managers worldwide. Some headhunters also make use
of the facility to conduct preliminary interviews and shortlist candidates
based in other countries, before inviting them for a face-to-face
interview.
Many multi-national corporations and large Indian organizations also
use this facility extensively.
In spite of its advantages, teleconferencing will not replace face-to-face
meetings completely, since it is unsuitable for certain types of
communication that involve brainstorming, negotiations, persuasion
and problem solving.
Telephone communication, another form of non face-to-face
communication, has the biggest advantage of being able to contact a
receiver who would be impossible to reach in person. Today, mobile
phones have made it even easier to contact people who are on the
move. Telephone communication also has a personal quality and
permits the use of some non-verbal cues such as tone of voice, to
enhance the communication.
Voice mail is a type of telephone communication and is similar to an
answering machine. Although it is generally inferior to speaking in
person to the other party, it has some advantages. When you leave a
recorded message, you can make your point felt and save time that
might be wasted in exchanging pleasantries. Invitations can also be
declined without having to give an explanation or reason, or having the
other person talk back. Thus, there is greater control over how the
message is composed and delivered. Besides, voice mail also makes it
possible to keep a permanent record of the communication, unlike
other types of oral communication. In spite of these advantages
however, voice mail has not caught on in India.