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F.Y.B.SC.(IT), SEMESTER - I (CBCS), , COMMUNICATION SKILLS, SUBJECT CODE : USIT105
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CONTENTS, Chapter No., , Title, , Page No, , Unit I, Chapter 1 Understanding Business Communication....................................................................01, Chapter 2 Non-Verbal Communication, Seven Cs Of Communication....................................... 13, Chapter 3 Cross-Cultural Communication, Technology-Enabled, Communication........................................................................................................ 32, Unit II, Chapter 4 Writing Business Messages And Documents..............................................................44, Chapter 5 Career Building And Resume Writing........................................................................ 63, Chapter 6 Developing Communication Skills For Business.........................................................72, Unit III, Chapter 7 Meetings, Conferences & Group Discussions............................................................87, Chapter 8 Team Presentations & Team Briefing.......................................................................102, Chapter 9 Communication Across Functional Areas.................................................................113, Unit IV, Chapter 10 Corporate Communication..................................................................................... 123, Chapter 11 Persuasive Strategies & Ethics In Business Communication..................................... 149, Chapter 12 Business Communication Aids................................................................................ 172, Unit V, Chapter 13 Planning The Presentations..................................................................................... 190, Chapter 14 Executing The Presentations................................................................................... 200, Chapter 15 Impressing The Audience By Performing.................................................................205, , *****
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Syllabus, B. Sc (Information Technology), Course Name: Communication Skills, Periods per week (1 Period is 50 minutes), Credits, Evaluation System, , Semester – I, Course Code: USIT105, 5, 2, Hours Marks, Theory Examination 2½, 75, Internal 25, , Unit, Details, I, I The Seven Cs of Effective Communication:, Completeness,, Conciseness,, Consideration,, Concreteness, Clarity, Courtesy, Correctness, Understanding Business Communication:, Nature and Scope of Communication, Non-verbal, Communication,, Cross-cultural, communication,, Technology-enabled Business, Communication, II, Writing Business Messages and Documents:, Business writing, Business Correspondence, Instructions, Business Reports and Proposals, Career building and, Resume writing., Developing Oral Communication Skills for Business:, Effective Listening, Business Presentations and Public, Speaking, Conversations, Interviews, III, Developing Oral Communication Skills for Business:, Meetings and Conferences, Group Discussions and, Team Presentations, Team Briefing,, Understanding Specific Communication Needs:, Communication across Functional Areas, IV, Understanding Specific Communication Needs:, Corporate Communication, Persuasive Strategies in, Business Communication, Ethics in Business, Communication, Business Communication Aids, Presentation Process: Planning the presentations,, V, executing the presentations, Impressing the audience by, performing, Planning stage: Brainstorming, mind maps, / concept maps, executing stage: chunking theory,, creating outlines, Use of templates. Adding graphics to, your presentation: Visual communication, Impress stage:, use of font, colour, layout, Importance of practice and, performance., , Lectures, 12, , 12, , 12, , 12, , 12, , Books and References, Sr., No., , 1., , Title, , Business, Communica, tion, , Author/s, , Edited, Meenakshi, Raman and, , Publisher, , by Oxford, University, Press, , Edition, , Second, , Year
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Rajendra P. Das, , House, , B. Sc (Information Technology), Course Name: Communication Skills, , Semester – I, Practical Course, Code: USIT1P5, Periods per week (1 Period is 50 minutes), 3, Credits, 2, Theory Examination, Hours Marks, Evaluation System, Practical Examination 2½, 75, Internal 25, , 1., , List of Practical Questions, Communication Origami Guessing Game, , 2., , Body Language, Follow All Instructions, Effective Feedback Skills, , 3., , The Name Game, Square Talk (Effective Communication), Room, 101 (Influential and persuasive skills), , 4., , Back to Back Communication, Paper Shapes (Importance of two-way, communication), Memory Test(Presentation Skills), , 5., , Exercises on Communication Principles, , 6., , Exercises on communication icebreakers, , 7. Communication exercises, For the following practicals, Microsoft Office, Open Office, Libre, Office or any other software suite can be used.., 8., Use of word processing tools for communication, 9., 10., , Use of spreadsheet tools for communication, Use of presentation tools for communication.
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UNIT I, , 1, UNDERSTANDING BUSINESS, COMMUNICATION, Unit Structure, 1.1 Objectives, 1.2 Introduction, 1.3 Concept of Communication, 1.4 Concept of Business Communication, 1.5 Nature of Communication, 1.6 Process of Communication, 1.7 Channels of Communication, 1.8 Directions of Communication, 1.9 Summary, 1.10 Unit End Questions, 1.11 References, 1.12 Web Resources, , 1.1 OBJECTIVES, After studying this chapter, you will be able to understand:, • The concept of communication, • Nature of communication, • Process of communication, • Channels of communication, • Directions of communication, , 1.2 INTRODUCTION, Dear students, welcome to the first chapter of this course. In this, chapter, we will discuss the theoretical concepts of communication and the, key components in the communication process. Broadly speaking, the, process of learning to communicate begins from an individual’s childhood, and it continues as he or she grows up. Communication is a continuous, process. It is used in both formal and informal situations. Every individual, communicates to express his/her ideas, thoughts, and opinions or to meet, his/her needs in different ways. It is a unique and a significant activity of, every individual. An individual learns to communicate in day to day life, 1
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with the help of parents, people around him, through school lessons etc., However, mere speaking ability doesn't help an individual to communicate, effectively in professional life. An untrained person may speak well but, may not communicate effectively at the workplace. It may happen mostly, because of his/her lack of knowledge about the basic concepts, process, and modes and mediums of communication. After your graduation, you, will be placed in different companies and you will have to communicate, with your clients and colleagues in a professional manner. At that time,, you should not feel the handicap of effective communication skills. To, prepare yourself to face such situations, it is important to learn the skills of, professional communication. So, let’s begin with the basics of, communication., , 1.3 CONCEPT OF COMMUNICATION, Communication is a continuous and dynamic process. It involves, dissemination and understanding of information in the right context. In, day to day communication, people express ideas, emotions, opinions and, thoughts in a casual manner by using colloquial language and non-verbal, cues. In such communication, there is a great possibility of, misunderstanding and misinterpretation. Whether it is a formal or informal, situation, communication should be meaningful, effective and correct., Effective communication requires appropriate use of words, correct, pronunciation, speed in delivery of words, suitable tone and befitting body, language. Appropriate use of tools to communicate the message makes, communication meaningful. Effective communication motivates people to, respond correctly to the messages and work together in tune with each, other. However, it requires intentional efforts to develop those skills., The word communication is derived from Latin word, “communicare” that means "to share" (Matthew 2018). In general sense,, communication is defined as a meaningful exchange of thoughts, opinions,, ideas, views or messages between at least two or more than two people. It, can also be interpreted as a transmission of ideas and information to, develop common understanding for smooth functioning of business, association. In simple words, communication is an exchange of, information among people to draw common understanding between them., In order to understand the concept of communication more clearly, let's, refer to some of the definitions given by scholars in this field:, 1. Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines Communication as, “A, process by which information is exchanged between individuals, through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior”., 2. Louis Allen: “Communication is the sum of all the things one person, does; when he wants to create understanding in the mind of another. It, involves a systematic and continuous process of telling, listening and, understanding.”, 3. Koontz and Weihrich: “Communication is the transfer of information, from a sender to a receiver, with the information being understood by, the receiver”., 2
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4. Katz and Kahn: “Communication is the exchange of information and, the transmission of meaning. It is the very essence of a social system, of an organization”, 5. Robert Anderson: “Communication is an interchange of thoughts,, opinions or information by speech, writing or signs.”, All the definitions mentioned above highlight the fact that, communication is a continuous, dynamic, and systematic interaction, initiated for a specific purpose. The main purpose of communication is to, convey messages clearly and it becomes possible only when it is done, systematically. Although communication is considered as a continuous, process, there is difference in day to day communication and Business, Communication. So, let’s understand the concept of business, communication., , 1.4 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, Communication is considered as the backbone of every, organization. It enables the organization to exchange information between, different parties and streamline the functioning of the organization. This, very process of sending and receiving data from one person to another,, within and outside the business organization is called ‘Business, Communication’. It is an exchange of business related views, ideas,, opinions, etc between business related people., Every organization is formed with certain objectives and the, success of every organization lies in the collective efforts of its, stakeholders that are put in to accomplish the organizational objectives. It, becomes possible only when the organization develops an effective, communication system. Effective communication system means a process, through which information is collected, analyzed and circulated through, various channels. It includes various aspects like marketing, public, relations, internal and external communication etc. As per the growth of, the organization, it should be upgraded. Speedy and systematic, communication updates the employees about current happenings and that, helps them achieve their goals. Through the communication system, all the, updates about production, sale, financial status, needs, demands, obstacles,, challenges etc are shared with employees. It gives a clear picture of the, current situation and enables them to set goals. In addition to it, with an, effective communication system, the daily operations can be streamlined, and everyday results can be achieved., , 1.5 NATURE OF COMMUNICATION, In the above discussion, we understood the concept of, communication and its importance in the business organizations. You, must be wondering, how exactly communication is done, when it happens,, what are its benefits and what is its nature? You can get answers to all, 3
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these questions after reading the following points. The nature of, communication can be explained with some of its important aspects in the, following manner., 1. Interactive Process:, Communication is an interactive process in which ideas, thoughts,, opinions or messages are passed on by using signs, symbols and verbal, and non-verbal expressions that are known to both sender and receiver. It, requires more than two people., 2. An Unending Process:, Communication is a continuous process. It goes on through verbal, and non-verbal cues in personal and professional life. It could be, intentional or unintentional. In different firms and organizations,, information or messages are continuously exchanged to promote, understanding. In order to achieve desired results, one interaction is, repeated after another and it goes on and on by using different modes and, mediums of communication., 3. Dynamic:, The word dynamic means continuously changing. In the, communication process, data, information, perceptions, perspectives,, findings, recommendations etc are shared between people. The sharing, and receiving of information depends upon the situations and moods of the, sender and the receiver. Therefore, it keeps on changing as per the, requirement of situations, medium, mode or the mood of the receiver and, sender., 4. All-encompassing:, Communication takes place at every level from bottom to top and, top to bottom. Every act of human beings communicates something. Even, our silence also carries symbolic meanings in different situations., Therefore, communication is considered as all encompassing. Without, communication, nothing can be done in a business organization., 5. Verbal and Non-verbal:, Communication is done in both verbal and non-verbal ways. In day, to day life, colloquial language and non-verbal cues are used to, communicate. On the other hand, in professional set ups, communication, is done in a professional manner by using appropriate words, proper tone,, speed, pronunciation and befitting body language. Every attempt of, communication carries a specific goal and it is archived by using both, verbal and non-verbal cues., 4
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6. Connecting String:, Communication is a connecting string in every organization. Clear, and meaningful communication enables people to understand the, messages clearly and act accordingly. It helps people understand each, other and decide the course of action to achieve expected results. Without, proper communication no organization can function smoothly. Through, communication, an organization can execute its policy, inspire employees, to accomplish goals and manage all activities. It’s communication that, connects different departments in an organization and acts as an invisible, string in an organization., 7. A Means to Accomplish Goal:, Communication is a means to achieve desired goals. Without, communication, no business organization can work properly. Effective, communication system is considered as the soul and backbone of every, business organization because it helps the employees to exchange real, time data that can enable them to prepare action plans to achieve desired, goals. Therefore, communication is considered as an important means to, accomplish goals., 8. Intentional as well as Unintentional:, Communication can be intentional or unintentional. Unintentional, communication means the things we don’t wish to communicate. Most of, the time, it happens due to misuse of verbal and nonverbal cues. On the, other hand, the communication that is done for specific purposes is called, intentional communication. Intentional communication is done by using, suitable means and modes to draw the expected outcome., 9. Promotes Socialization:, All human beings, as a natural tendency, prefer to live in groups., This natural urge to be with others is fulfilled by communication. It is a, process that helps us to interact with each other. Communication, promotes as well as accelerates the process of socialization., 10. Avoids Misunderstanding:, Communication can be done by using verbal and non-verbal cues., Proper use of verbal and non-verbal cues makes communicating, meaningful. If the sender and the receiver of messages are trained to use, verbal and non-verbal cues appropriately, it can help them avoid, misunderstandings. Effective communication reduces the possibility of, misunderstanding and misinterpretation. It provides clear understanding of, the messages and thus creates a bond of understanding between sender and, receiver., 5
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1.6 PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION, Communication is a two-way process. It requires a sender and a, receiver who can understand the signs, symbols and language of each, other. The process of communication begins with ideation. The sender, thinks of an idea, gives it a shape, decides the mode and medium to, convey the idea, and conveys it. On the other hand, the receiver receives, it, tries to decode and understand it, and finally gives feedback., Communication does not happen abruptly. It happens systematically., There are different steps of communication. The steps involved in the, process of communication play an important part in sending and receiving, messages clearly. So, let’s understand the process of communication in, detail., 1. Ideation:, The very first step in the process of communication is ideation. It, means generation of thought in the sender’s mind. Ideation consists of, what is to be communicated. It could be a request, an order, an inquiry or, any other such activity. It depends on the sender’s knowledge,, experiences, perceptions as well as context of the communicative, situation., The ideas formed or encoded using specific codes of language are, called a message. Generally, a message carries a logical or emotional, content. Logical messages comprise factual details whereas emotional, messages carry one’s feelings and emotions. Ideation turns into a message, when a particular idea is formed by considering its type and source using, code of a particular language., 2. Sender:, Sender is the person who selects a thought or an idea, encodes it, into a set of symbols and transmits it to the receiver by using suitable, medium. Sender is an important element in the process of communication, because he makes the idea understandable for the receiver. The entire, responsibility of encoding the message rests upon the sender. For the, meaningful delivery and successful transmission of message, the sender, has to keep in mind the purpose of the message and accordingly, as per the, abilities of the receiver, has to select the words, images, medium, and time, for each transmission. The sender has to cope with internal and external, factors., The external factors like physical surroundings, weather, noise,, cultural customs etc. and the internal factors like the sender’s physical and, mental state, his attitudes, and opinions, past experience, likes and dislikes, also influence the way the sender communicates the ideas. Along with it, a, sender also has to frame and transmit the message considering the, receiver's needs, skills, status, mental ability and experience. In short,, sender is of prime importance in the process of communication., 6
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3. Encoding:, Encoding is the next step in communication. It means, transformation of the idea into a set of symbols that are known to both, sender and receiver. It could be words, symbols, pictures, diagrams,, gestures etc. It is a process of converting ideas into a coded message. The, very purpose of encoding is to formulate ideas or thoughts into the known, language to produce meaningful interaction. Application of known media, decides the success of the encoding. Ultimately, the sole purpose of, communication is sharing information or ideas in a clear and, understandable manner. Therefore, selection of language is of utmost, importance. If the receiver is not able to decode the message,, communication cannot take place. For example- if a receiver does not, know Marathi, he cannot decode the message transmitted in Marathi. It, becomes an unproductive exercise., Along with language, selection of the right mode and medium for, communication also determines the effectiveness of decoding. Commonly,, interpersonal messages are communicated through verbal or non-verbal, cues. Verbal communication includes spoken and written messages and to, decode them the sender should be aware of the codes of that particular, language. Use of non-verbal cues, generally, depends on the senderreceiver relationship. It may include body movements, facial expressions,, touching patterns etc. To decode non-verbal cues is a challenging task for, a receiver because it requires mutual understanding of the non-verbal cues., Therefore, to make decoding easy for the receiver, appropriate use of, language and medium of communication is must., 4. Medium and Transmission:, Another significant element in the process of communication, is selection of appropriate medium for the transmission of a message., Medium can be called as a channel used to pass on the message. It could, be oral, written or non-verbal. It is always better to choose the right, medium well in advance before the composition of the message. It should, be known to the receiver. On the other hand, Transmission means flow of, message over the chosen medium. Selection of suitable medium/channel, transmits the information uninterruptedly so that the receiver finds it easy, to decode the message correctly. In short, success of communication, depends on the choice of medium. For instance, displaying instructions in, Marathi to Tamil people would not be an appropriate medium of, communication., 5. Receiver:, Receiver is the person or a group of persons who listen to the, message and find some meaning by decoding it. The communication, process becomes successful only when the receiver recognizes the, symbols of the code and understands its meaning. If the sender encodes, 7
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the message by using codes known to the receiver, the messages, transmitted become more receptive. In short, the receiver is the decoder of, the message who uses his skills and tries to understand its meaning to, achieve the expected goal of the communication., 6. Decoding:, Decoding means converting the received message into a, comprehensive thought by analyzing the signs, symbols and non-verbal, cues used by the sender. It is important to note that messages can be, transferred from sender to receiver but its meaning has to be revealed by, decoding the message. It involves interpretation and analysis of the, message. In written communication, decoding is done by reading and, understanding the written words whereas in oral communication, it is done, by listening to and understanding of the spoken words. Correct decoding is, the soul of communication. If it is not done correctly, the message can be, misinterpreted and that can lead to misunderstanding., 7. Feedback, Aim of every communication is to send a message to the receiver, and get feedback on it. Feedback completes the circle of communication., It is an indicator of successful delivery of a message. It is a response of the, receiver to the received message. If the receiver could decode and, understand the message, he gives positive feedback. Positive feedback is a, good sign to continue communication in the same manner. But, if the, sender gives bad feedback, the speaker has to refer to the feedback and, make necessary changes wherever required. Without feedback, the sender, cannot understand whether his ideas are understood by the receiver or not., There could be verbal or non- verbal feedback. It is a key component in, the process of communication because effectiveness of communication is, reflected through the degree of accuracy in the receiver’s response to the, intended meaning of the sender’s message., , Fig. 1.1 Process of Communication, Source: Rathod, S.(ed.).2017.Professional Communication Skills. B.Sc IT, Sem-I. Mumbai: IDOL, University of Mumbai, Mumbai, 8
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Dear learners, the process of communication can be understood with the, example of a Poet. Suppose he presents a poem in a gathering and people, appreciate his poem., In this example, the elements of communication are:, 1., Sender:, Poet, 2., Message:, Poem, 3., Medium:, Verbal (oral), 4., Channel:, recitation , gathering, 5., Receiver:, Audience, 6., Feedback:, Appreciation, , 1.7 CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION, Communication is defined as transmission of information, ideas,, perspectives, plans etc. It is a must component to gain proper, understanding of the messages and thereby to attain pre- decided goals of, the organization. It is a prerequisite for every organization to decide and, develop channels of communication. These channels maintain a smooth, flow of information. In fact, for meaningful transmission of messages, the, flow of information is to be managed, regulated and structured; and, therefore, communication channels are required. Generally, they are, categorized as External and Internal., External communication includes exchange of business messages, with people outside an organization. The goal of external communication, is to spread a specific message amongst the people outside the, organization. It can be done through press releases, advertisements, email, customer communications etc. On the other hand, internal, communication includes transmission of messages within an organization., As it is limited to people within organization, it can be informal or formal., An informal communication is not considered as official or, authentic because information is not passed on through official channels., It, basically, happens among colleagues or friends during tea or lunch, breaks. Such informal interactions are known as ‘grapevine’- gossip, spread by spoken word. It is built on friendship, career opportunities or, among common interest groups., On the contrary, formal communication is considered as official, and authentic as it is communicated through official channels like notice,, email or circular etc. It is a systematic and structured way of, communication. Every management prefers to follow formal channels as it, sets the hierarchy and the reporting system in the organization., , 1.8 DIRECTIONS OF COMMUNICATION, Official communication takes place through set channels and, protocols; and it is expected that employees should use it for all office, 9
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related matters. The set channels of communication can be categorized as, vertical (upwards and downwards) and horizontal communication. In, simple words, in official communication, information or messages flow in, four directions i.e. downward, upward, lateral and diagonal. Let us study, the directions of communication one by one:, 1. Downward Communication:, Downward communication streams from the higher level in the, managerial hierarchy to the lower ones. It can also be understood as a, communication from a superior to a subordinate. In other words, a, communication from the general manager of a company to the branch, manager is called downward communication. The purpose of such, communication is to provide official directions, announcement of, company policies, orders, procedures, rules to the staff on the local font. It, also consists of confidential reports, performance appraisals, project, feedback etc. Usually, downward communication is clear and direct. It, may be done through circulars, notices, memos, e-mails or face-to- face, conversation., Downward communication is essential for the smooth functioning, of an organization as it sensitizes staff about new politics, decisions and, valuation and appraisal of the employees. However, biased or excessive, downward communication can lead to opposite responses from the lower, employees and it may spoil healthy employee-employer relationships., 2. Upward Communication:, The messages or information passed on from lower staff to the, higher authorities is termed as upward communication. The chain of such, communication goes up from the lower line of employees to the superior,, from supervisor to the manager, from manager to the general manager and, so on. Basically, upward communication involves problems and, difficulties faced in implementation of company policies, suggestions for, improvement, grievances, disputes, financial requirements etc, As upward communication comes from the staff working on the, ground level or on the field, it is considered as a feedback on the, effectiveness of newly implemented policies and possibilities of progress., It helps the management to revise their plans and policies and decide, further course of action. In upward communication, lower employees get a, chance to express their problems and opinions therefore; it develops a, healthy employee-employer relationship. It promotes employees', involvement in the work process and decision making. However, in any, organization, there should be balance between upward and downward, communication., 3. Lateral/ Horizontal Communication:, Lateral communication happens amongst the employees of equal, 10
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rank. It promotes exchange of information and clear understanding of, messages amongst the employees of the same position. Lateral, communication is less formal than other types of communications because, it can be carried out through informal discussions, routine meetings,, telephone calls, etc., 4. Diagonal Communication:, The communication that happens between employees at different, levels of the organization is called diagonal communication. It is, considered as a protocol-free communication of employees from two, different departments. It is considered as an outcome of an increasing, sense of equality in the corporate sector. It is done to meet the, requirements of market needs. It generally takes place between the people, who do not follow rigid rules or protocol of communication. It streams, from all directions., , 1.9 SUMMARY, Dear learners, in this chapter, we have learnt that communication is, an interactive, continuous, and multidimensional process. In, communication, messages, data or information are transferred from one, source to another through different channels. Communication happens, through a systematic process. Basic elements in the communication, process are: ideation, sender, encoding, medium of transmission, receiver,, decoding and feedback. In every business firm, internal and external, channels are used to exchange messages and information. Formal, communication is always preferred in business firms as it uses official, channels like memo, notice, email, circular etc. On the other hand,, informal communication is considered as unofficial because it intends to, pass on information unofficially. In a business organization,, communication flows from vertical or horizontal levels. However, balance, between the two is always good for maintaining a healthy employeeemployer relationship. In short, communication is like the heartbeat of, every organization. If it stops, organization can’t function., , 1.10 EXERCISES, Answer the following questions, 1. Explain the meaning and concept of communication with relevant, definitions and examples., 2. Illustrate the nature of communication., 3. Explain in detail the basic elements in the communication process., 4. Outline the differences between formal and informal communication., 5. Write a detailed note on channels of communication, 6. Comment the basic tenets of vertical and horizontal communication., 11
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2, NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION, AND THE SEVEN Cs OF, COMMUNICATION, Unit Structure, 2.1 Objectives, 2.2 Introduction, 2.3 Non-verbal Communication, 2.4 Seven Cs of Communication, 2.5 Summary, 2.6 Exercises, 2.7 References, , 2.1 OBJECTIVES, After reading this chapter, you will be able to understand:, • The concept of non-verbal communication, • Importance of non-verbal communication, • Forms of non-verbal communication, • Types of non-verbal communication, • Seven Cs of communication, , 2.2 INTRODUCTION, Dear students, in this chapter, we shall discuss in detail the concept, of non-verbal communication and the seven Cs of communication., Communication is considered as a spine of any business association. It is, done for multiple purposes and in multiple ways. However, an ultimate, aim of any communication is to exchange data in an effective and, meaningful manner. An effective communication creates a bond between, people in the organization as well as between collaborators. Effective, communication contributes in maintaining smooth functioning of the, organization and therefore, it is highly valued in professional life., Communication is an active process and it is done by using various, mediums. Commonly, language is used as the most convenient medium, for communication. Nonetheless, it is not the only medium of, communication. There are a large number of signs, symbols, images, etc, that are used to convey messages. We often see images like a lighted, 13
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cigarette with a cross mark on it; or an image of a man or a lady on, washroom entryways that clearly convey the messages: No smoking, or, which washroom is for men and which washroom is for women. It means,, without using a single word, messages can be communicated in a, meaningful way. Even your silence also conveys a significant message in, different situations., Sometimes, we cannot convey an exact message by using words, but it may be done very well just by using a sign, a symbol or a picture., Therefore, it is important to understand the concept of non- verbal, communication in detail. In this chapter, we will try to comprehend the, concept of non-verbal communication, its significance, its forms and, various types. Along with it, to make communication effective and, meaningful, we need to apply certain principles. They are termed as Seven, Cs of communication. We shall also discuss in details the Seven Cs of, communication., , 2.3 NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION, Language is not the only medium to convey our thoughts,, messages or data. Communication is possible through various mediums. It, could be verbal or non-verbal. In our day to day life, we use maximum, time for communicating information or messages with others; however we, barely notice that a lot of it is done by using non-verbal cues. It includes, eye contact, facial expressions, body movement, tone of voice, touch, etc., Even our outfits and physical appearance also convey some messages., In face to face communication, if the spoken words and non-verbal, cues do not match with each other, the communication may lose its effect., For example: If you face an interview without using any body movements, or facial expressions, you will look like a robot. In short, in our, interactions with others, we exchange wordless signals and it conveys, messages more strongly than our words. Even when you are silent, your, actual appearance, your eye to eye connection, the manner in which you, sit and how close you stand- it sends solid messages to other people and, that is called as non-verbal communication., Non-verbal communication means transmission of messages, without using any written or spoken word. It is a communication between, at least two people by using images, pictures, signs, facial expressions,, body language, postures, gestures, etc. In simple words, we can define it, as an exchange of messages by using means other than expressed or, composed words. It may include images, pictures, signs, facial, expressions, postures, gestures, signs, and so on., Non-verbal communication includes everything except spoken and, writer words. Its scope is very vast and it is stronger in conveying, messages. “Experts have also found that 55% of messages received and, processed by our brain are based on our body language and; less than it,, 14
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38% messages are processed on the basis of our tone of speech. Just 7% of, the received messages are understood based on the spoken, words.”(Mathew 2018) For example, if you say, "I'm happy", with a sad, face, nobody will believe what you said. Rather, your sad face will convey, the opposite message than the spoken words. If there is no uniformity in, verbal and non- verbal cues, the listeners certainly believe the, non-verbal cues. In short, non-verbal communication plays a vital, role in conveying messages in personal and professional life., 2.3.1 Importance of Non-verbal Communication:, For human beings, the process of communication begins with nonverbal cues. A newborn baby cries after birth. This cry of the newborn, baby is the first attempt of communication with the people around it. At, later stages, a child learns language and shortly verbal communication, becomes the main source of sending and receiving messages. But, it, doesn’t mean that the child doesn’t use any non-verbal cues. He uses it but, hardly pays any serious attention to it. It’s only after stepping into, professional life, he realizes that he is not prepared to use appropriate, body language and to comprehend the implied meanings of non-verbal, cues., In professional life, it is very important to know how messages are, passed on through non-verbal cues. If you pay attention to the verbal, message only, you may miss out a significant message conveyed through, non-verbal cues. It should be remembered that our words pass on strict, implications however non-verbal messages convey our emotions and, attitudes. Our true feelings are conveyed through non-verbal cues., Developing a skill of interpreting non-verbal messages helps you get the, exact message conveyed by the person. It can also help you avoid, conveying unintentional messages by controlling your body movements., How the message is communicated carries more importance than, what is said. Greeting your team with a pleasant smile on your face creates, a positive impression. On the other hand, greeting your team members in, an authoritative tone; or insulting someone in front of others, may create a, bad impression. So often, non-verbal cues are ignored but they are very, strong and powerful sources of communication. All professionals should, learn an appropriate use of non- verbal cues in order to succeed in, conveying messages in a meaningful and effective manner. To be a good, team leader or a manager, it is very important to know the use and, interpretation of non-verbal cues., 2.3.2 Forms of Non-verbal Communication:, Non-verbal communication includes all the impressions we receive, and interpret through our senses. Broadly speaking, there are two forms of, non-verbal communication: Conscious Non- verbal Communication and, Subconscious Non-verbal Communication, 15
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1.Conscious Non-verbal Communication:, In conscious non-verbal communication, the sender sends a, message with a specific intention and the receivers also know the intended, meaning of the sender. For example: In India, we fold our hands and join, the palms of both hands to welcome the guest. It symbolizes respectful, welcome of the guest. It is a conscious non-verbal communication; in, which both-sender and receiver- are aware of the general meaning of the, act. Conscious non-verbal communication can be effectively done by, using graphics, pictures, maps, diagrams, etc., 2. Subconscious Non-verbal Communication:, In subconscious non-verbal communication, messages are, communicated to the receiver unconsciously. Even, the receivers of such, messages are not consciously aware of it but they get impressions just, after looking at or listening to something. For example: an ambulance, siren conveys a message about casualty or medical emergency. After, looking at the uniform of a police man or an apron of a doctor, people, unconsciously get a message about their power and position. In short, the, transmission of messages happens unintentionally or subconsciously in, subconscious non-verbal communication., 2.3.3 Use of Non-verbal Communication:, Non-verbal messages are quickly grasped by the receiver and they, have an instant effect. It requires less time to see color, an image or to hear, a horn or alarm than understanding a word or a sentence. Non-verbal, communication doesn't need any conventional training. It is normal and, quick in nature. Because of its speed in passing on messages and getting, reaction, non-verbal cues are used to warn or give instructions. Some of, the uses of non-verbal cues can be listed as below:, 1. For road safety and traffic light, various signs, colors and pictures are, used. Particularly at the traffic light, rather than composed directions,, green, amber and red lights are used to send messages to stop or to, proceed and drivers follow them undoubtedly., 2. Non-verbal signs are also used to present data in an exact manner., Through maps, diagrams and charts, much significant data can be, presented in an exact, straightforward and short manner. A lot of, information can be presented in a minimized structure by using, diagrams and charts. Indeed, even a short table can contain data that, would require numerous pages to illustrate the message in words., 3. Pictures, sounds and colors catch our attention more rapidly than, composed or expressed words. Therefore, cover pages of books or, magazines are always designed in attractive colors or with catching, images. Indeed, even a cry of a newborn child or the silence of an, individual makes various impressions. Therefore, non-verbal cues like, 16
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sounds, tones, colors and pictures are used in films and on TV, channels to make it more convincing and realistic., 4. An easiest and effective medium of information transmission for, uneducated people is non- verbal communication. The pictures of, cancer tumors on cigarette and tobacco pockets intensely convey the, message even to uneducated people. By referring to the signboards on, highways, illiterate drivers also get implied messages about road safety, and speed. In a nutshell, we can say that, by using non-verbal cues, we, can overcome language barriers and can convey or receive messages, for various purposes., 5. Non-verbal cues and codes are also used in face to face, communication to accomplish various objectives. It is used to make, impressions, control communications, to express feelings, emotions, and attitudes., 2.3.4 Mediums of Non-Verbal Communication:, In the above discussion, we understood that we do not, communicate through words alone. We use various mediums to, communicate non-verbally. Interestingly, in all other ways of non- verbal, communication, our body language plays a key role. A number of, messages are conveyed through our body movements. It is studied by the, expertes and termed this domain as Kinesics‟. Lets get some insights, about kinesics., A. Body Language (Kinesics):, In order to make meaningful communication, we should learn to, interpret both verbal and non-verbal messages. Non-verbal communication, is done without words but it conveys messages more strongly than spoken, words. It reflects the communicator’s true feelings, attitude and intentions, through his/her facial expressions, gestures, postures etc. our kinesic acts, or body language is an important factor in face to face communication. It, includes nodding of neck, head, eye contact, shrugging of shoulder,, movements of legs, arms, lips, eyebrows, fingers, hands, etc. All these, movements can convey whether you are happy or unhappy, agree or, disagree, nervous or excited and so on., Every movement of our body, consciously or unconsciously,, conveys our attitudes, moods, status relationships etc. Our feelings and, emotions like- anger, pity, sympathy, horror, anger, determination, and, understanding are expressed more strongly through our body language, than our oral or written words. Though it is so, if there is no proper, equation in use of verbal and non-verbal cues, there is always the, possibility of misinterpretation and misunderstanding. Nobody can believe, what you are saying if your body movement or tone of speech doesn’t, support it. Would you believe a person who says I am sad unless his face, and sound reflect it?, 17
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Therefore, to be a successful communicator, one needs to learn the, skill of using verbal and non-verbal cues effectively. By developing the, ability to interpret body movements, one can easily point out the issues in, communication and can solve them immediately. Our body language, shows our status, role, authority, sense of superiority, inferiority and so on., So, let us see how different body parts of our body communicate, differently., 1. Facial Expressions:, It is considered that the mirror of our mind and heart is our face., Whatever we feel or think that gets reflected on our face. A number of, feelings can be expressed through our farcical expressions without uttering, a single word. In face to face communication, it is very important to read, the facial expressions of the speaker as it can reflect his attitude,, confidence, understanding, mood etc. Each change in our temperament or, mind is quickly reflected through outward appearances. Facial expressions, received in the same manner in all cultures across the globe. Facial, expressions speak louder than words. A pleasant smile on your face can, create a positive impact on others. It helps you establish rapport with, others and increases the chance of acceptance. Confidence and attention, reflected on a speaker's face shows his credibility. To be a good, communicator, one should learn to control one’s feelings and to adopt a, positive attitude in all situations., 2. Gesture:, Movements of our hands, legs, arms and head are called gestures., Like facial expressions, our gestures also convey messages effectively., We use gestures in formal and informal interactions. Despite the fact that, gestures can convey messages effectively, they can also create confusion., Pointless and irrelevant gestures like touching your face or clothes, frequently can distract participants from your presentation. Generally, we, use gestures like- rolling our eyes, raising our eyebrows, frowning,, spreading our arms, etc and each of them carry a specific message in a, specific culture. The speaker should be aware of the fact that gestures are, culture specific. They are used and interpreted differently in different, cultures. For instance, “spinning your finger around your ear is considered, as ‘you are crazy’ in America but in Algeria, it means, ‘you have got a, phone call’.” (Matthew 2018). It means, it is always good to use gestures, appropriately otherwise they may create confusion or misunderstanding., 3. Posture:, Posture means a way of bearing one’s body. It’s an arrangement of, one’s body and limbs. Every position of your body imparts specific signals, about your intention, mood, thought, emotions and feeling. If you shut, your eyes frequently while listening to someone, it means you are, 18
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disinterested in the talk. Hands rising slightly on the chin and the first, finger on your cheek indicate that you are analyzing or evaluating, something. On the other hand, if you face your audience with stretched, hands and open palm, it indicates honesty. While communicating with, others, all precautions should be taken to control unwanted movements of, body parts. Our postures shouldn’t send wrong signals to the receivers. It, is always better to face the people confidently., 4. Head:, How do you stand or sit in face to face interaction matters a lot. A, person standing with head high is considered as a confident man. On the, other hand, a man with a bent down head is considered as polite and, respectful. Assertive or negative nodding of the neck gives positive or, negative feedback to the speaker. Along with facial expressions and eye, contact, head positioning also contributes in conveying the messages, correctly., 5. Personal Appearance:, Personal appearance is a key factor in creating an impression about, one’s personality, status, credibility and capability. Our body, height,, weight, hair style, skin color, clothes, personal hygiene, use of accessories,, footwear, etc provide the primary data to judge the person. It could be, right or wrong, but a person is judged at first on the basis of one‟s, personal appearance. Therefore, one should take care of one’s appearance., Our physical fitness, body shape, weight, height also contribute in making, an impression. Personal appearance can be changed by using professional, outfits and accessories. Clothes reflect one's job, designation, value, etc., Poorly dressed people are treated poorly whereas well-dressed people are, treated respectfully., Personal appearance can change the perspective of the viewer. It, plays a vital role in business meetings. For Example: If you attend a, business meeting in unclean clothes, your client may look at you as a, casual and unprofessional person. It means, your appearance gives clues to, the viewer to form an opinion about you. To have an impressive, appearance, wear professional-looking clothes, decent accessories, have, well-combined hair, use mild perfume to cover body odor, wear well, polished shoes, etc. Avoid uncomfortable clothes, heavy jewellery, over, make-up and strong perfumes., 6. Eye Contact (Oculesics):, Eye contact is of utmost importance in face to face, communication. Subtle movements of our eyes, eyelids, eyebrows, size of, pupils also communicate our intense feelings. Eye contact is an influential, medium of communication. We can convey a number of messages through, our eyes. Use of eye contact differs in situation to situation. It plays a vital, 19
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role in professional communication. When you interact with your clients,, you can easily judge whether they are interested in your talk or not, through their eye contact. At the same time, your client can also judge, your confidence and credibility through your eye movements., Eye contact can also provide or receive feedback. A speaker can, easily understand after looking in the eyes of the audience if they are, receiving him or not. If they are looking at the students, it shows their, interest in your talk and if not, that indicates their disinterest., In face to face meetings, those who do not look directly in the, communicator's eyes, their credibility is suspected. Proper eye contact, increases the credibility of the speaker. Confident eye contact indicates, fidelity whereas shifty eye contact indicates disinterest., Usually, those who are nervous or have lack of confidence, they avoid, eye contact. Maintaining eye contact shows respect and interest; whereas, continuous gaze may give a feeling of encroaching on another's space. It, can convey emotions or signals about when to stop or when to start. How, you look at someone matters a lot. Eye is the most accurate predictor of a, speaker’s true feelings. It communicates your honesty, interest, affection,, hostility etc., B. Space Distancing (Proxemics):, Non-verbal communication is done through different mediums, related to our body movements, sounds and space. Space is of supreme, importance in every individual’s life. In fact, everyone finds his own safe, space around him and if it is encroached by others, the person feels, uncomfortable. Different reactions in relation to space have been studied, by experts and it is termed as ‘Proxemics’. It is a study of space around an, individual., Space is an important factor in personal as well as professional life., Especially in professional settings, space is used as a marker of power. It, is often seen that officers on higher positions are given excellently, furnished spaces compared to their subordinates. Even in meetings,, authorities are given a separate space to sit and subordinates are given, comparatively smaller spaces., Space is used as a tool to create rapport with the audience., Competent presenters make excellent use of space to convey messages, effectively. On the other hand, intimate space can be used to threaten a, person as it happens in examination hall. Space distance not only shows, power or position, it also shows intimacy. It’s an interesting area to know, more about it. Experts have divided space into four categories i.e., Intimate, Personal, Social and Public. Let’s know more about them., , 20
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1. Intimate Space:, Intimate space, as the name itself suggests, is very close to one’s, body. The distance from 0-18” is considered as intimate space. Most of, our body parts move in that area. As it is very close to the speaker’s body,, only intimate friends, family members or selected people can enter in that, space. Other’s entry in that space is not welcomed. However, they can be, allowed in certain special occasions e.g. to congratulate, console or, sympathies. As it is very close distance, speakers use low voices or, whispers. It is commonly used to discuss highly confidential matters., 2. Personal Space:, Personal space starts from 18” to 4ft. It goes beyond the intimate, circle. Only friends and colleagues can get into this space. Commonly,, normal volume of speech is used. However, this space can also be used to, discuss some important issues with limited people., 3. Social Space:, The area of social space extends from 4 to 12 feet from the, speaker. It is suitable for official / formal communication. Most of the, business meetings are done in this space. The speaker, as most of the time, it is used for dealings with customers or visitors, uses formal tone with a, loud or normal speech volume in this space. In the previous two spaces,, personal matters, emotions, feelings can be discussed but in social space, mostly formal or official matters are discussed., 4. Public Space:, This space extends beyond 12 feet from the speaker. In this space,, most of the time, there is one way communication in formal settings. The, speaker has to adopt an objective approach with a formal tone and loud, voice. It is always good to use a public address system to communicate, effectively in this space. It is commonly used to address large public, gatherings., C. Vocal Characteristics (Paralanguage):, Voice is a unique gift that we have received from nature. We can, convey multiple feelings through our voice. Through voice, we can easily, identify many things like the speaker's gender, socio-economic, background, intention, etc. Our emotions and feelings are also expressed, through our voice. We use words for verbal communication but along with, actual utterances, many other voice patterns are also used for non-verbal, communication. It is called a paralanguage. The term paralanguage is used, to describe vocal features like vocal quality, loudness, and tempo, pitch, variation, speed, pause etc. Through these vocal sounds, we can express, various feelings like happiness, sadness, anxiety, excitement, confidence,, 21
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enthusiasm, etc. Therefore, it is important to learn about the role of vocal, characteristics in non-verbal communication. In our day to day as well as, formal communication, we use a vast range of vocal cues. Let’s know, more about the commonly used vocal cues:, a) Volume:, The volume of a speaker determines the effectiveness of the, speech. The volume should suit the situation and the size of the audience., It should not be too low or too high. The low volume indicates lack of, confidence of the speaker. On the other hand, very high volume suggests, the speaker has less attitude. The volume should be decided as per the, requirement of the situation. In fact, the appropriate volume increases the, effective delivery of messages and therefore the speaker should take care, of it., b) Pitch:, Pitch variation means rise and fall of the voice. We use different, pitch variations while conveying different messages. In fact, pitch, variation attracts the audience towards your speech. A speech without, variations, rise and fall becomes monotones and that can distract the, audience from the message. The pitch of speech depends on the position, and mood of the person. It also reflects feelings like anger, excitement,, anxiety, enthusiasm etc., c) Pace:, Many times, high speed of speech is wrongly associated with, effectiveness, but it is not true. High speed cannot convey the message, effectively. It is said that to speak 125 to 150 words per minute is an ideal, speed to make your speech understandable. There should be a proper, combination of slow and high speed while conveying simple and complex, messages. Simple things can be spoken in little high speed but it is always, good to deliver complicated concepts in a low or medium speed. If our, speed does not match with the content, it could be an unproductive, exercise., d) Pauses:, Pause is a short gap or break that is taken during speech. Everyone, takes short pauses between sentences. The pause at the right place enables, the listener to grasp what has been said and to get ready for the next, sentence. Though it is so, the correct use of the pause is important. The, pause taken in the middle of the sentence may destroy the meaning of the, sentence. The listeners may get distracted by the wrongly taken pauses. A, pause is used to emphasize an important point or to stop and restart the, speech with a new point. “Vocalized pauses like ‘‘umm…’’ , ‘‘err..’’,, ‘‘aah’’; and repetition of expressions like ‘‘ok’’, ‘‘yes’’, ‘‘is it’’, etc also, 22
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destroy the effect of the speech. Along with it, repeated utterances like‘‘oh’’, ‘‘ah’’, you know’’ also distracts the listeners.” (Mathew 2018), e) Word Stress:, Voice modulation and proper word stress is of vital importance in, meaningful communication. Voice modulation includes volume, pitch and, tone of the voice whereas word stress is related to putting stress or, emphasis on a particular word. Voice modulation helps speakers to attract, the attention of the audience. Various emotions and sentiments can be, effectively expressed through voice modulations. On the other hand, by, using proper stress, particular meaning can be conveyed. The stress on, different words in a sentence can change the meaning of the sentence. For, example:, Have you seen my spectacles?, Have you seen my new spectacles?, Have you seen my spectacles?, Have you seen my spectacles?, The sentence is the same but the stress on different words conveys, the meaning differently. To communicate effectively, one should learn the, appropriate use of word stress. Along with word stress, proper, pronunciation of words also determines the effective delivery of messages., Omission of sounds, use of mixed language or mumbling expressions, changes the meaning of the speech., D) Silence:, It is not always necessary to communicate verbally. one can, remain silent to communicate his message. It is because our silence also, carries different meanings in different situations. Our conformation,, incongruity, disinterest, respect, disrespect and so on can be conveyed, through silence. It can be used to neglect someone or stop communication, with someone. On the other hand, with a short silence before the speech, a, speaker can drag the attention of the audience. Silence during the, presentation may convey the consent of the audience to proceed or silence, after asking a closed question (seeking agreement or disagreement) also, communicates disagreement. In short, silence can convey both positive, and negative messages and therefore, a skilled communicator should learn, how to use silence for both the purposes., E) Time Language (Chronemics):, We often say, ‘time is a precious commodity’ or ‘time is money’., It implies the value and importance of time in personal and professional, life. It is said that time management is one of the most crucial aspects in, successful business because it may generate positive or negative results., Immediate reply shows interest, preparedness and eagerness whereas late, reply shows disinterest or lack of concern. All communication should be, 23
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done on time otherwise it loses the importance. The time given to the, person also shows his importance and priority. Importance of time varies, from culture to culture., F) Haptics (Touch):, The communication that is done by using touch is called Haptic or, tactile communication. Touch is the strongest medium of non-verbal, communication. Touch can communicate your intention, attitude,, emotions, status, perception, need, etc. In informal situations, you can, communicate your affection and concern simply by holding hands or with, a warm hug. On the other hand, in a professional set up, you can, communicate your interest or attitudes with a firm handshake. A weak, handshake conveys lack of confidence and less credibility. Just a pat on, the back of an employee also communicates the positive attitude of the, boss., Mostly, touch is an intentional act but sometimes it could be an, accident or unconscious act. However, touch can be used to guide, someone, to express sympathy and to console someone. Meanings of, touch differ from culture to culture. In India, close intimacy in public, space is not accepted while in some counties it is considered as a normal, act of expressing one’s sentiments. Therefore, one should be very, particular about use of touch in professional life. It may be a boon or a, bane., G. Visuals:, Non-verbal communication is possible through both- visual and, auditory- mode. Visual means those that can be seen and auditory means, those that can be heard. Visuals like graphs, maps, charts, signs and, symbols are used for visual communication. On the other hand, bells,, tunes, whistles and sounds are used for auditory communication. Let’s, study them one by one:, a) Pictures, Posters, Maps, Graphs and Charts:, Pictures convey messages more strongly than written or spoken, words. They are understood universally. They do not demand any formal, education to understand the depicted message. On the contrary, posters, communicate messages through pictures and words. Usually, instructions, or processes are explained through posters and they are used for, educational or information purposes., Graphs, maps and charts can communicate messages in a precise, form and in a limited space. Charts and graphs depict statistical, information in a pictorial manner. They communicate information in a, quick and accurate manner. Special training is required to prepare and, understand the charts and maps. All details about a particular situation can, 24
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be presented through charts and graphs and it can be presented in a more, accurate manner within a limited space., H) Signs and Signals:, A sign is a mark that is used to signify something. Signs, communicate messages without words or sounds. They communicate, messages instantly and therefore they are commonly used to give, instruction about directions or procedures. Signs are used in various, disciplines like mathematics, science, geography etc. Even languages are, full of signs. Each sign carries a specific meaning. We often use signs like;, +,-,%,@,& etc. Signs convey messages faster than words therefore, they are often used on roads and highways. With the use of signs,, special language for dumb and deaf people is developed and is used very, confidently to communicate. Braille language is also a sign language., Signals are different from signs. Signals are a set of formerly, decided actions that are used to convey messages. They can be both visual, and auditory. The signals could be hand movements, light, colored cloths,, lamps, smoke etc. Small children also use signals to get food or drink, water. It is a kind of expressive communication. We witness effective, communication through traffic signals daily. Though it is so, previous, knowledge of uses of signs and symbols is required for a person to, respond to them., Colors:, Colors are inseparable parts of nature and of our life. Colors are, used in almost everything including cloths, toys, furniture, equipment,, food, etc. However, sometimes, they are used for specific purposes. Colors, not only increase beauty of a product but they also indicate some messages, about its use and nature. Different colors are used for classification in, industries. Even in electricity supply, wires of different colors are used to, decide the buttons and lights. In offices, files and papers with specific, colors are intentionally used for a smooth work process., Color is an important medium of non-verbal communication., Colors are also associated with human moods and emotions like- black is, associated with death, white with peace and purity, red with love and, danger, etc. Colors also affect our mind and eyes. Pleasant colors create a, positive atmosphere whereas dark colors may increase dullness. Colors, symbolize different messages in different cultures. A good communicator, should get knowledge about color symbolism while using it in non-native, culture., J. Auditory Signals:, Auditory symbols are used for specific and limited, communication. Auditory signals include sirens, alarms, bell, whistles, etc., 25
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Generally, auditory signals are used to warn or to direct. Sirens are used in, the army and police force to warn about emergencies. An ambulance and, fire engines also use sirens to warn about some casualty. Whistles are used, by police and army as a signal to convey a message. Whistles are used in, transport systems like trains and ships as a signal of arrival and departure., Along with it, bells and buzzers are also used in companies and, educational offices to inform about beginning and ending of work or class., Bells are also used in places of worship., In a nutshell, non-verbal communication is an important area of, study for the students of communication skills. The professionals who use, appropriate codes and cues in verbal and non-verbal communication can, easily succeed in conveying as well as receiving messages in professional, and personal life. To be a successful professional, skills in non-verbal, communication substantially help a person to seek information as well as, convey messages in an effective and meaningful manner. The ultimate aim, of communication is conveying and receiving messages and it can be done, effectively by using techniques of non-verbal communication., , 2.4 SEVEN CS OF COMMUNICATION, Prime objective of any communication is to convey and receive the, messages clearly. To make meaningful communication, we need to follow, certain principles of communication. They include: Completeness,, Consciousness, Consideration, Concreteness, Clarity, Courtesy and, Correctness. They are called the Seven Cs because each of the words, begins with the letter C. The seven Cs provide some important guidelines, to make communication meaningful and effective., So, let’s understand the importance of each principle in detail., 1. Completeness:, In communication, receiver and sender may have different, backgrounds, status, needs and levels of understanding. Therefore, the, sender of the message should take into account expectations and, background of the receiver and provide all the essential details to the, receiver. In business communication, when a customer enquiries for some, product, the seller should provide all the details of the product as well as, he should send additional details like cost, payment facilities, offers etc., Considering the expectations of the receiver, the sender should draft his, messages. Completeness can be achieved by answering the five ‘Wh’, Questions i.e. Who, What, When, Where, and Why?, Complete communication draws expected outcomes and also helps, to build good rapport with the receiver. The message answering five W’s, gives a complete message to the receiver and it creates a positive, impression. It develops a feeling of concern in receivers mind and it can, also save the receiver from claims of cheating or hiding the fact. It helps to, 26
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avoid misunderstandings as well. Therefore, completeness is an important, aspect of effective communication., 2. Conciseness:, Conciseness is a key aspect in effective communication. Literally,, concise means ‘brief’. In official communication, it is good to draft short, and succinct messages. It can be done by avoiding wordy, repetitive and, irrelevant expressions. A concise message highlights the key points in the, messages and it helps the reader to concentrate on it. Following strategies, can be used to achieve conciseness:, •, , Include only relevant details. For example: if you are asked for your, academic details, just send what is asked. Don’t send details about, family and profession., , •, , Focus on the purpose of the message. Avoid over elaboration., , •, , Unnecessary repetitions disturb the flow of thought. It makes the, message boring., , •, , Use abbreviations and short forms to avoid repetition., , •, , Don’t use fillers like ‘‘actually’’, ‘‘I mean’’, ‘‘sort of’’, ‘‘for, instance’’, ‘‘basically’’, etc., , 2. Consideration:, Consideration means giving importance to the receiver’s needs. It, means drafting messages considering the requirements, desires, problems,, and background of the receiver. In short, it is a receiver centric, communication. It is handling matters from the receiver's point of view., Consideration reflects sympathy, human touch and understanding nature, of the communicator., To achieve consideration, following points can be useful:, (a) You Attitude:, ‘You attitude’ means drafting a message stressing on how the, receiver will get benefited with the message. It shows that the receiver is, highly valued by the sender and the communication is done for the benefit, of the receiver., Example:, I - Attitude: We accept part payment of fee., You - Attitude: You can step in just by paying the first installment., (b) Highlight the Benefits of the Receiver:, The second way to show consideration is to highlight the benefits, of the receiver. In business, profit is the prime expectation of both seller, and purchaser. Therefore, while communicating with customers, their, 27
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benefits should be highlighted. Sender can attract receivers only when he, feels that the sender is considering his situation. So for that, while, applying “You Attitude”, do highlight the benefits of the receiver. It helps, create a positive impact on the receiver., (c) Use of Positive Vocabulary/Tone:, One can express consideration through appropriate use of positive words, and polite tone. It creates a positive impact on the receiver., Example:, Negative: It is impossible to issue you books today., Positive: As soon as we receive your library card, we will gladly issue you, books., 4. Clarity:, Clarity in communication decides the effectiveness of, communication. Clarity is must in every message as it gives a clear idea to, the receiver. Clarity can be added to the message by following some, techniques like:, • Framing effective sentences and paragraphs, • Adding suitable illustrations., • Use of short, familiar and formal words:, For example:, Formal words, Participate, Utilize, Interrogate, , Less Formal Words, Join, Use, Question, , 5. Concreteness:, Concreteness means to be specific, definite and unambiguous. A, vague and general message spoils the credibility of the sender., Concreteness can be achieved by using accurate details, putting action in, verbs and using image building words., a) Use specific facts and figures:, Example:, General: Company has suffered a great loss., Specific: Company has suffered a loss of 10 crore., b) Put action in the verb:, Use verbs to highlight the action of the subject:, Example:, Noun: They held a meeting in the office., Verb: They met in the office., 28
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c) Choose image building words:, Vivid image building words create an impression upon the reader,, Example:, He is a successful entrepreneur. (Simple word), He is a business tycoon. (Image building word), 6. Courtesy:, The prime purpose of business communication is to seek a positive, response from the recipient. Courtesy is an important factor in conveying, concern and respect to the receiver. Courteous messages develop good, relations. It helps to build goodwill. Courteousness is expressed through, being sincere, tactful, thoughtful and appreciative. To achieve courtesy, following strategies can be used:, a) Be Tactful:, Tactful means to convey messages positively. Rude and direct replies may, hurt the receiver., Example:, Tactless: Your speech does not make sense….., Tactful: If I understand your words correctly, you want to say that……., b) Avoid negative expressions:, Negative remarks and words are not liked by anyone, so avoid them. The, expressions like:, You have failed, You have no choice, You are a fool, You have no sense, c) Answer / Mail Promptly:, Your prompt response to mails or asked questions indicates your, interest and positivity. It’s always good to reply to all mails promptly. A, late reply shows your disinterest., 7. Correctness:, Correctness is very important in all communications in general and, written communication in particular. The sender should use correct, sentence structure, appropriate words, punctuations and suitable tone to, achieve correctness. It helps the sender to convey the message in the way, he/she wants to send and get expected feedback. The following points can, be helpful to achieve correctness:, a) Use correct facts:, In official correspondence clarity is given utmost importance. In, doctoral dissertations, legal documents, top-level government agreements,, 29
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clarity is maintained by using correct facts like correct bill no, cheque no,, correct spellings, double check totals, verify statistical data, avoid, guessing etc., Even in formal letters, use correct facts. For example, if you are, not aware of the educational qualifications of the person, avoid using titles, like Dr, Prof, Adv, C.A. Instead of it, use formal expressions like-Mr. Mrs., Ms. Shri. Smt.etc. Do write correct spellings of names, institutions etc., b) Appropriate words and correct tone:, Formal writing demands clarity and it can be achieved by using, appropriate words and suitable tone. Use the words that are short, wellknown and conversational. For example:, More Formal, Participate, Endeavour, Ascertain, , Less Formal, Join, Try, Find out, , Along with it, use punctuation marks correctly:, Example:, Your’s Faithfully (incorrect) Yours faithfully (correct), The appropriate tone of the write up is very important to maintain, correctness. The mood of the writer gets reflected through the tone of the, write up. Therefore, it is always good to re- read and re-edit the draft, before finalizing it., , 2.4 SUMMARY, Dear students, in this chapter, we learnt that non-verbal, communication plays an important role in formal and informal, communication. Non-verbal communication is a continuous process and it, keeps on sending signals through body language, appearance, facial, expressions, eye contact, posture, gesture etc. The sender’s and receiver’s, likes, dislikes, attitude, agreement, disagreement, interest, disinterest etc, can easily be understood through non- verbal cues. Therefore, to become a, successful communicator, the person should get proper understanding of, various non-verbal cues. Along with it, the Seven Cs: Completeness,, Conciseness, Consideration, Concreteness, Clarity, Courtesy and, correctness are important principles of communication. The seven Cs, provide important guidelines to make communication meaningful and, effective., , 2.5 UNIT END QUESTIONS, A. Answer the following questions:, 1. Define non-verbal communication with its importance in personal and, 30
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2., 3., 4., 5., 6., 7., 8., 9., , B., 1., 2., 3., 4., 5., 6., 7., 8., , professional life., Explain the term ‘‘ Kinesics’’ and write a note on six major types of, body language., Outline the importance of space distancing in non-verbal, communication., Write an essay on the paralinguistic aspects of effective oral, communication., Write a note on the role of Chronemics, Haptics and Silence in nonverbal communication., Write a detailed note on signs, symbols and signals and their, use in non-verbal communication., Explain the methods of making effective non-verbal communication., Write the importance of dress, appearance and distance in non-verbal, communication., Explain in detail the significance of seven Cs in professional, communication., Write notes on the following:, Uses of non-verbal communication., Forms of non-verbal communication, Facial expressions, Gestures and postures, Pause and word stress, Consideration and clarity, Correctness and conciseness, Completeness and concreteness, , 2.6 REFERENCES, ● Mathew, S. 2018., Communication Skills. Pune: Technical, Publications, pp.3.1- 3.7., ● Murphy, H., Hildebrandt, H., and Thomas,J., 2008.Effective Business, Communication. 7th ed. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill Publishing, Company Limited,pp. 31-68, ● Ober, S. 2008. Contemporary Business Communication 5th ed. New, Delhi: Biztantra, an Imprint of Dreamtech Press.pp. 46-50, ● Raman, M. and Prakash, S., 2012. Business Communication. 2nd, ed. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, pp. 46-86, ● Business Communication (Study Material). 2004. published by, Dr. T.P.Ghosh, Director of Studies, ICAI, Noida.pp.23-31, *****, 31
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3, CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION, AND TECHNOLOGY-ENABLED, COMMUNICATION, Unit Structure, 3.1 Objectives, 3.2 Introduction, 3.3 Concept of cross-cultural communication, 3.4 Factors affecting cross-cultural commutation, 3.4.1 Body movements, 3.4.2 Views and practices, 3.4.3 Differences in use of language, 3.5 Cross-cultural communication strategies, 3.6 Tips to improve cross-cultural communication, 3.7 Technology-enabled business communication, 3.7.1 Technology-based communication tools:, 3.7.2 Advantages of technology-enabled communication, 3.7.3 Disadvantages of technology-enabled communication, 3.8 Summary, 3.9 Exercises, 3.10 References, , 3.1 OBJECTIVES, Dear students, after reading this chapter, you will be able to understand:, •, , The concept of cross-cultural communication, , •, , Major factors that affect cross-cultural communication, , •, , Strategies to improve cross-cultural communication, , •, , Modern tools used for communication, , •, , Positive and negative impact of technology-enabled communication, , 3.2 INTRODUCTION, In this chapter, we shall discuss the concept of Cross –cultural, communication in detail and the major factors associated with technology32
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enabled business communication. Today’s world is considered as the, world of technology. With the advent of the internet, the whole world has, been transformed into a worldwide town. It has drastically increased, business interactions among professionals from different cultures., However, it is observed that cultural differences create barriers in, conveying messages correctly. In this chapter, we shall try to understand, the concept of cross- cultural communication, factors affecting crosscultural communication and shall get some tips for effective cross-cultural, communication. Along with it, we shall also get some insights about, technology assisted communication, its tools, advantages and, disadvantages. So, let’s begin with understanding the concept of Crosscultural communication., , 3.3, CONCEPT, COMMUNICATION, , OF, , CROSS-CULTURAL, , Culture is an umbrella term. It includes customs, traditions, beliefs,, socio-economic structures, languages and behavioral patterns of different, groups of people having different races, religions and geographical, locations. People belonging to their particular culture can easily, understand the meanings of verbally and non-verbally communicated, messages. But, if two persons having different cultural backgrounds are, asked to interact with each other, they face a number of difficulties. Even, after using the common language, they cannot understand the meanings of, the messages implied through non-verbal cues like body language,, posture, gesture, facial expressions, attire, physical appearance, behaviors, and so on. It happens so, because various cultures carry different sets of, meanings for different behaviors, ways of greetings, postures, gestures,, and other non-verbal cues., Culture influences everything including an individual’s thinking,, behavior, and attitude to look at problems and how to solve them. In, different cultures, we find different styles of communication including, variations in the contexts of use of words and degree of non-verbal cues., In some cultures direct context is used. For Example: “I do not agree with, you”. On the other hand, in some other cultures indirect context is, preferred. For Example: “Exploring other ideas may give us more, insights'' (Raman and Singh 2012). Such variations in use of contexts,, words and non- verbal cues play a vital role in cross-cultural, communication. If one neglects these cultural variations, one may, misunderstand and misinterpret the communication. Such cross-cultural, communication may result in misunderstandings and misinterpretations., To avoid such mistakes, let’s get some insights about the major factors, that affect cross-cultural communication., , 33
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3.4. FACTORS, COMMUTATION, , AFFECTING, , CROSS-CULTURAL, , As stated earlier, culture is a complex term and it encapsulates, everything that is related to human beings. The dominant culture in the, society affects thinking, attitudes and ways of communication. It follows, certain sets of beliefs, social practices, and behavioral patterns. Those set, patterns carry cultural and contextual meanings and those meanings, are mutually understood by the people of that culture. On the contrary,, people from other cultures may not understand them. Thus, they act as, barriers in cross-cultural communication. There are many factors that, affect cross-cultural communication. Some of the major factors are, discussed below:, a) Body Movements:, Physical behaviors vary from culture to culture and it drastically, affects communication. Physical positions like sitting and squatting carry, different meanings in different cultures. For example- “people from the, US prefer to sit when they wish to remain at some place for some time. On, the other hand, for the people from Zimbabwe and Indonesia, squatting is, a normal body position.” (Lesikar et al., 2015) It means persons from, different cultures may get different messages from body movements., Sitting could be normal for one partner in communication but the same, body position could be interpreted as unprofessional by the other, communication partner. Hand gestures also convey different messages in, different cultures. For example: “the two- fingered sign means “victory” in, the United States but it is considered vulgar in Australia; and the “OK”, sign is considered an insulting sign in countries like Russia, Germany and, Brazil.” (Lesikar et al., 2015), Eye movements and touching additionally pass on various, messages in various cultures. Looking directly in the eyes of older people, or high officers is considered as disrespect in Indonesia. On the other, hand, some cultures prefer to maintain direct eye contact while interacting, with authorities. Touching and handshakes also vary from culture to, culture. People from China do not like much touching therefore their weak, handshakes may be misinterpreted by the people who consider touching as, normal. There are different styles of handshakes in different cultures. In, India, smile is considered as a sign of happiness and positivity but in, African culture it is considered as a sign of weakness in certain business, situations. Uses of left and right hands also carry different meanings in, different religions. It means body movements are used for communication, in all cultures but they carry various meanings in various cultures. This, understanding of differences is very important in cross-cultural, communication. If they are neglected, it could result into, misinterpretations. Understanding of cultural differences help us avoid, “ethnocentrism- the tendency to see only your behavior/culture is proper, and others are improper”. (Lesikar et al., 2015), 34
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b) Views and Practices:, In each culture certain perspectives and practices are followed to, maintain interpersonal and intra- personal relationships. These views and, practices also determine the nature and meaning of communication., Therefore, this aspect should also be understood by business professionals, to avoid misinterpretations and false impressions. These factors are, commonly noted as: time, space, odors, frankness, social hierarchy,, workplace values and expression of emotions., Broadly speaking, we find monochronic and polychronic people in, different cultures. Monochronic people give excessive importance to, time. They believe in utilizing time effectively and complying with, time constraints. On the other hand, polychronic people do not give, importance to time, planning and meeting deadlines. Use of Space is also, an important factor in cross-cultural communication. For example:, “People from North America prefer to maintain two feet of distance, between themselves and their communication partner whereas people from, some Arabian and South American cultures stand close to each other.”, (Lesikar et al., 2015) Space distancing conveys meanings differently in, different cultures and it should be taken into account during cross-cultural, communication., Body odors are also perceived differently in different cultures., “People from America consider it as unsanitary and use deodorants to hide, it. Whereas people from some Asian cultures consider body odors as a, natural thing and it is something that friends should experience”. (Lesikar, et al., 2015) Such behavior may be irritating to people from other cultures;, and therefore, there could be some misunderstandings and, misinterpretations of such behaviors. Another important factor in, determining human relations is Social hierarchy. Social hierarchy in, culture determines how people from different socio-economic sections are, treated in communication. Treatment given to superiors and subordinates, also matters a lot in cross-cultural communication. Sometimes, power, equations between subordinate and superior authorities also create, communication gaps and that may become the reason for taking decisions., Workplace values and expression of feelings and emotions also vary from, culture to culture and therefore it is also to be understood in their cultural, contexts., c) Difference in Use of Language:, Thousands of languages are used in different parts of the world., Technology has made it possible to translate messages from one language, to another but such translations are not always correct. The crucial element, in use of language is the use of words and their meanings. Most of the, time, meanings of words are contextual. They are to be understood in their, cultural contexts. In addition to it, there is no uniformity in grammar and, sentence structures in different languages. It’s difficult to find equivalents, 35
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in English for many words in Indian regional languages. So, such, difficulties can affect translations and may not convey the exact meanings., There are differences in use of English as well. The spellings and, expressions that are used by Americans differ from British speakers of, English. In short, use of language is also a major problem in cross-cultural, communication., , 3.5 CROSS-CULTURAL, STRATEGIES, , COMMUNICATION, , There is always a possibility that due to cultural differences,, messages conveyed through verbal and non-verbal cues can be, misinterpreted. To avoid such problems, it is always better to take some, precautions. They can be termed as the strategies for meaningful crosscultural communication. Let’s see the strategies one by one:, 1. Understand the conveyed messages completely. Don’t hurry up to draw, conclusions by assuming other people's intentions. It’s better to ask for, a re-explanation and confirm the message that you have understood, from the discussion., 2. Have proper knowledge of the language which is to be used for, communication. There may be differences in spellings or, pronunciations of words. It should be understood clearly. Sometimes,, some words or phrases are used in specific contexts so it should not be, taken for granted. It is always better to confirm the meanings and, clarity of message before jumping to concussion., 3. Assistance of translators who are familiar with the cultures of both the, partners in communication can tremendously help to have meaningful, communication., 4. People from different cultures may have different styles of, communication. Some people prefer to talk directly about the point, whereas some people use indirect context for communication. These, variables in communication styles should be understood. Appropriate, use of communication style and non-verbal cues can help you establish, good rapport with the partner in communication., 5. In cross-cultural communication, sometimes, much attention is focused, on differences rather than similarities. It should be understood that, ways of interpretation could be different in other party’s cultures and, they should not be forced to think and interpret messages the way you, want., 6. Variations in the perceptions, attitudes, and needs of people should be, taken into account while communicating in cross-cultural settings., 7. Cultural identities get reflected through language and behaviors of the, partners in communication. Respect the cultural differences and use, appropriate language and behavior that suits the cultural context of the, communication., 36
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8. Cultures keep on changing in the flow of time. So update oneself with, the changes in cultures of different countries and follow them while, interacting with people from that country., , 3.6 ADDITIONAL TIPS TO, CULTURAL COMMUNICATION, , IMPROVE, , CROSS-, , As stated earlier, there is always a vast scope for, misunderstandings, and, misinterpretations, in, cross-cultural, communication. But by following some strategies one can reduce it to a, large extent. In addition to those, one can also follow some tips to make, cross- cultural communication more effective and meaningful., 1. Appropriate use of Language:, Use of language includes selection of words, pronunciation, speed, and tone. Though English is preferred by many people for cross-cultural, communication, everyone cannot have fluency and proficiency like native, speakers. So, while using English, it’s not good to copy others. Speak at, normal speed, maintain clarity and use correct pronunciations., 2. Improve questioning Skill:, Cross-cultural communication takes time to comprehend messages, and get replies from the other partner in communication. Therefore, avoid, asking double questions like- ‘‘Do you want to continue or should we stop, here?’’ Such double questions may not be understood by the person and so, it can be a bit difficult for the partner to answer it., 3. Take a Pause and Go Ahead:, Instead of drawing conclusions hurriedly, take a pause wherever, you find difficulties in comprehending messages. Discuss it again, listen to, the clarification and then go ahead. If you are not clear about any point,, note it down and re-discuss it., 4. Be Cooperative:, Comfort level of both the partners in communication is to be, maintained. If your partner is not comfortable in use of English, encourage, him positively. It will boost his confidence and build trust in you., 5. Summarize and conclude:, Due to cultural differences, sometimes things can be understood, wrongly. Therefore, summarize the discussed items before you conclude, your communication. Don’t assume that your partner has understood, everything. Do not end the conversation abruptly., 37
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6. Avoid colloquial expressions:, Avoid colloquial expressions while communicating with parties from, other cultures. They could understand the words but could not understand, the meanings., 7. Maintain etiquettes:, Every culture has different communication styles and etiquettes. It is, always better to know them before the actual communication. Formal, training in it can help one to be a better communicator., , 3.7, TECHNOLOGY-ENABLED, COMMUNICATION, , BUSINESS, , Technology has become an inseparable part of our personal and, professional life. It is being used in almost all disciplines. Technology has, changed the traditional modes of communication. Nowadays, information, is easily and rapidly exchanged through various devices of, telecommunication such as email, fax, voice mails, social networking, sites, blog etc. Videoconferencing and distance learning has brought in, tremendous changes in functions of business organizations and, educational institutes. Through teleconferencing and videoconferencing,, people from any part of the world can communicate audio-visually at a, rapid speed., Technology has become a backbone of communication in almost, every small and large business organization. Right from attendance of the, employees to the presentations of higher authorities, everything is done, through various technologies. Internet access to computers and laptops has, enabled employees to communicate all the time from any part of the, globe. Due to systematic use of technology, many offices have become, paperless offices. It has tremendously changed organizational, communication and that has resulted in a number of benefits. Therefore, in, this chapter, we shall take a speedy review of the technological tools that, are used for communication in various business organizations., 3.7.1 Technology-Based Communication Tools:, 1. Telephone and Mobile Phones:, The telephone is a great gadget that is used for communication in, numerous associations. Earlier, telephones were being used for verbal, communication but latest innovations have added audio-visual features to, it. On the other hand, cell phones have gained a vital space in our life, today. They enable us to call anywhere anytime; but in addition to it, they, are stacked with numerous useful applications., 38
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Mobile phones are little computers as they provide access to, emails, multimedia, contacts, calendar, games, etc. Any feature can be, added to it as per the requirement of the person. There are many, advantages of cell phones. The greatest benefit of mobile phones is the, ability to contact anyone at any time from any part of the world. It also, offers multiple communication options like text message, audio call, video, call, call recording etc. It saves time. The Internet can be connected to cell, phones and any information can be accessed through it., Options like banking, appointments, email messaging, redirection, and answering facilities, and international access have made mobile, phones a pertinent gadget in our life. We all have witnessed the change in, use of mobile phones during Covid-19 pandemic times. Earlier, cell, phones were considered as distractions in classes but the same device was, used for online lectures and examinations. In a nutshell, telephone and cell, phones are important tools that are used for communication., 2. Computers:, Computer is not a new word for today’s generation. It is an, electronic machine that can be used to find information, process, organize, and save it. Various functions in computers have made it a basic, requirement in all organizations. Its two major types are- desktops and, laptops. Desktop is a basic type of computer. It has a keyboard to type. It, can be connected to external devices like speakers and printers. Usually it, is fixed at a place. On the other hand, a laptop is a portable computer that, works with a battery. All the features of a desktop are included in a laptop., It is easy to carry. Recently launched iPads and Netbook are also very, useful technology-based devices that are used for communication in, different sectors., 3. The Internet:, The Internet is an international computer network. It can be, connected to computers, cell phones and other devices. The Internet is, called ‘‘network of networks’’. Use of the internet varies from person to, person and company to company. It can be used for basic purposes like, electronic communication or seeking information. It can also be used for, business purposes. Nowadays, the internet has become an indispensable, tool for every professional. It is used for emailing, file sharing, social, networking, marketing, education, banking, web conferencing etc. Some, of the popular applications of the internet can be discussed as follows:, a) Email:, Email means a mail that is sent and received through the internet., It is also called an ‘electronic mail’. It can be sent to anyone who has, internet connectivity and an email address. It can be sent from any part of, the globe and at any time. It is the fastest medium of communication. An, 39
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email can contain text, files, images or other attachments that can be sent, to one or many recipients at a time., b) Blog:, A blog means a write up that is commonly written in an informal, or conversational style and published on the World Wide Web. Such write, ups are called ‘‘Posts’’. It could be on any topic. They are written in a, diary-style. Along with write ups, images, links to other blogs, web pages,, etc can also be shared in a blog. Bloggers publish their content on their, blog and through it they communicate with the readers. It is used as a, communication tool. Readers post their comments and give feedback to, the posts. A blogger can use different settings to make it more secure and, safe. There could be single author or multi-author blogs. There are, different types of blogs: personal blog, collaborative blogs, corporate and, organizational blogs etc., c) Website:, Website means a set of web pages that include multimedia content, and published at least on one web server. Websites could be interactive or, static and they are designed for different purposes. Websites are also used, for communicating information to its visitors. Appearance, content,, functionality, usability and search engine optimization are considered as, key elements of an effective website., 3.7.2 Advantages of Technology-Enabled Communication:, Today, everyone is digitally connected to one another. Technology, has provided various tools to bring in tremendous change in the working, styles of various associations, business firms and educational institutions., It has immensely increased the speed of communication. In today’s, technologically interconnected world, every institution prefers to adopt, new technology. They have seen numerous positive changes in the overall, functioning of organizations and associations. Let’s discuss the advantages, of technology-enabled communication:, 1. Technology-enabled communication has reduced the distance. It has, enabled us to communicate around the world at a rapid speed at any, point of time. It is the fastest and easiest medium of communication., 2. The organizational communication becomes more effective as it, enables every employee to get access to required data or collect and, analyze data whenever required. It also creates a common platform to, directly communicate with higher authorities and do the required, actions quickly., 3. Due to increased and direct access to information, decision making, becomes more easy and quick., 4. The projects that are depending on constant communication can be, completed within limited time., 40
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5. Teamwork in organization may get increased as technology enabled, communication provides platforms to share their knowledge and, experiences whenever required., 3.7.3 Disadvantages of Technology-Enabled Communication:, Although technology has increased speed of communication, it has, created new sets of problems. These problems are physical as well as, psychological. Technology-enabled communication has tremendously, increased interactions between humans and machines. Maximum time is, being spent in the company of machines. Easy and speedy transmission of, information at any point of time has become a cause for ill health and, stress for many employees. Some of the major negative effects are listed, below:, 1. Health Issues:, Health issues is a very serious problem that technology-enabled, communication has created. Most of the employees are burdened with, overload of information. They have to be on their toes all the time as they, are always connected to their authorities through different gadgets. It has, drastically affected the health of the employees. “It is reported in surveys, that two thirds of managers suffer from the increased tension and one third, from ill-health because of information overload”. (Raman and Singh,, 2012) It has also caused psychological problems like- reduced attention, span, anxiety, difficulties in memorizing etc., 2. Effect on communication skills:, Due to excessive use of communication aids, many people,, especially the young generation, are lacking communication skills. Most, of the communication is done through texting and chatting and therefore, they hardly get any chance to have face to face interaction. It is resulting, in lack of communication skills. They lack the ability to communicate, effectively in face to face communication. It also affected the ability of, using non-verbal communication skills., 3. Disturbance in professional and personal life:, Technology-enabled communication has become a source of, disturbance in professional and personal life for many employees. Mobile, phones have become the major source of disturbance. Everyone is, connected through mobile networks and therefore anyone can be disturbed, while in a meeting or on a vacation., 4. Isolation:, One of the serious effects of technology is peoples isolation. There, are no social gatherings as earlier. People are more bothered about their, online life. The process of socialization is affected due to it. Earlier,, 41
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people used to gather together to read news papers or to chat with each, other. But, now everyone chats through whatsapp or facebook. Youngsters, are digitally connected to each other but physically and emotionally they, are isolated. Generation gas is increasing day by day., Technology-enabled communication has both negative and, positive effects. But logically thinking, technology has tremendously, changed the process of communication. Ultimately, it depends on how we, use it., , 3.8 SUMMARY, Dear students, in this chapter, we discussed the concept of crosscultural communication, factors affecting cross- cultural communication, and also discussed some useful tips for effective and meaningful crosscultural communication. Along with it, we also got some insights about, technology-assisted communication, its various tools and its advantages, and disadvantages. In cross-cultural communication, it is better to, understand the messages carefully before jumping to any conclusion., Respect the differences and be patient and flexible during communication., On the other hand, use various communication tools for specific purposes., Focus on the advantages and disadvantages of technology and use it, sanely., , 3.9 UNIT END QUESTIONS, Answer the following questions:, 1. Define the concept of cross-cultural communication and discuss the, factors that affect cross-cultural communication., 2. Discuss the strategies that can be used for successful cross-cultural, communication., 3. Explain how you will overcome the challenges in cross-cultural, communication., 4. Discuss the need for technology in business communication. Give, suitable examples., 5. Explain in detail the uses of technology-based communication, tools in business organizations., 6. Write a detailed note on advantages of technology enabled, communication., 7. Explain in detail the negative impact of technology-enabled, communication., , 3.10 REFERENCE, ● Lesikar, R., Flatley, M., Rentz, K., Lentz, P. and Pande, N., 2015., Business Communication. 13th ed. Chennai: McGraw Hill, 42
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Education (India) Private Limited, pp.28-54., ● Mathew, S. 2018. Communication Skills. Pune: Technical, Publications, pp.6.1- 6.7., ● Murphy, H., Hildebrandt, H., and Thomas,J., 2008.Effective, Business Communication. 7th ed. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill, Publishing Company Limited,pp. 118-136, ● Ober, S. 2008. Contemporary Business Communication 5th ed., New Delhi: Biztantra, an Imprint of Dreamtech Press.pp. 86-108, ● Raman, M. and Prakash, S., 2012. Business Communication., 2nd ed. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, pp.87-129, , *****, , 43
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Unit II, , 4, WRITING BUSINESS MESSAGES, AND DOCUMENTS, Unit Structure, 4.1 Objectives, 4.2 Introduction, 4.3 Business correspondence, 4.3.1 Importance of Business communication, 4.3.2 Principles of writing business letters, 4.3.3 Kinds of business letters, 4.3.4 Components of business letters, 4.3.5 Formats of business letters, 4.4 Instructions, 4.4.1 What are instructions, 4.4.2 How to write instruction, 4.4.3 Basics of writing instructions, 4.4.4 Tips for writing effective instructions, 4.4.5 Conclusion, 4.5 Business Reports, 4.5.1 Introduction, 4.5.2 Characteristics, 4.5.3 Significance, 4.5.4 Stages involved in writing of reports, 4.5.5 Formats of reports, 4.5.6 Sample reports, 4.6 Proposals, 4.6.1 Proposals defined, 4.6.2 Categories, 4.6.3 Requisites, 4.6.4 Structure, 4.6.5 Sample proposal, 4.7 Summary, 4.8 Unit End Questions, , 44
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4.1 OBJECTIVES, ● After studying this unit, you will be able to:, ● Understand the need, functions, and kinds of letters, know how to, write effective business letters, get acquainted with the components of, business letters, write business letters using different formats., ● To know what report writing is, understand and equip the art of report, writing and learn the various steps involved in report writing., , 4.2 INTRODUCTION, Every business organization, whether small or big, needs to, maintain contact with people inside the organization and outside the, organization to run business. Inside the organization with the people, working for the organization and outside with the customers, suppliers,, government officials, and policy makers etc. They need to rely on certain, methodologies to network with people. These methods can be either, letters, e-mails, information in form of reports or a suggestion or, persuasion in form of proposal or performing day to day activities by, receiving instructions., , 4.3 NATURE AND, CORRESPONDENCE, , FUNCTION, , OF, , BUSINESS, , Business correspondence is basically, exchange of information in a, written format mostly letters, for the process of business activities. It uses, formats that are widely accepted universally, and can also be used for, future reference in business settings. It helps in remaining in contact with, people. Furthermore, letters are still preferred means for professional, communication., A business letter is a written document through which companies, correspond with their customers, clients, shareholders, suppliers, and other, organizations. The complete style of the letter relies on the relation, between the parties involved. This letter is written to inform, congratulate,, request, order, enquire, and so on, and usually sent through post or, couriers., 4.3.1 Importance of Business correspondence, •, , Business-related information conveyed through letters can serve as a, permanent record of information., , •, , Letters make a lasting impression in the mind of the reader because it, stays with them., , •, , They are economical and can be reached at any place, even on to the, places where there is no mobile network or towers., 45
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•, , It is used to build goodwill of the organization., , •, , A letter signed by authority is a proof of what is said in it, it makes it, valuable and can be treated as a legal document., , 4.3.2 Principles of writing business letters:, A business letter should capture the attention of the reader and, encourage him/her to consider the message with a sense of acceptance., The best way to do so is by empathizing with your recipient and writing, the letter., While writing a business letter, it is vital to understand the reader‟s, provision and make changes accordingly. To avoid poorly written, correspondence, it is crucial to follow 7Cs of business Correspondence, and they are as follow:, (1) Clarity:, To be clear in expression one has to be clear in thought first., Clearly stating your point with the use of a simple expression can, help the reader understand your purpose. Avoid using ambiguous words,, jargon, slangs, long sentences as it can create misunderstandings to the, reader. The prime motive here is to convey the right meaning in the given, context. Basically, a business letter should contain one single idea or piece, of information, broken up into small distinct paragraphs. For example:, Instead of ‘‘purchase, residence, and release’’ replace it with ‘‘buy, house, and free’’., (2) Conciseness:, Conciseness makes a letter readable and interesting. Here,, maximum information is transmitted in minimum words. Unnecessary, details, redundant words, tautology i.e. same idea with different words, should be eliminated for example:, Verbose: As advised in our correspondence. Clear and concise: As stated, in our letter., Verbose: Enclosed herewith please find. Clear and Concise: Enclosed., (1) Completeness:, Incomplete letters keep the receiver guessing or making wrong, choices or decisions. A complete letter conveyed with all facts can bring, expected results from the receiver. Eliminate using abstract expressions,, ambiguous words & phrases. Once you complete your letter, proofreading, can help you to ensure the accuracy of grammatical usage and spellings., 46
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Try to answer 5 Ws who, what, when, where and why., (2) Concreteness:, A business letter should be specific, definite, unambiguous, and, vivid. Using correct facts and figures can make the letter concrete., Necessary details should be specifically mentioned, in addition to choice, of words that create a powerful impact., For example:, • This material is feather-light. (Vague), • This material weighs 5gms. (Concrete), • This dress is very inexpensive. (Vague), • The price of this dress is 1500 rupees. (Concrete), (3) Correctness:, Correctness stands for addressing your reader in an appropriate, manner. Inquiring and collecting authentic information before drafting the, letter will ensure the transmission of correct information. A letter should, be written keeping in mind grammatical precision i.e. correct usage,, appropriate punctuations, and no spelling errors with clear and concise, content. Inaccurate statements, facts, and typographical errors should be, avoided. In addition, Format, style of presentation, and addressing people, according to their designation should be taken care of., (4) Courtesy:, In correspondence, showing courtesy and respect towards the, recipient is a very important principle. Unpleasant information can be, conveyed with courteous words showing consideration towards recipients., Courtesy is one of the most natural and economic means of creating, goodwill in the recipients. Mostly, the letter is written by the reader’s, point of view. Courtesy can be shown by replying promptly and attending, complaints or requests immediately. Usage of words like ‘‘please’’ or, ‘‘thank you’’ can get you a favorable response., For example: “We are glad to note that”, “We regret to inform you” etc., (5) Consideration:, Consideration helps in promoting business and building goodwill., It also means to emphasize positive and pleasant facts. While writing a, letter, it is very important to consider the reader’s interest. It should, explain the reason for refusal, acceptance, etc., 4.3.3 Kinds of Business letters:, • Enquiries and replies., • Orders and their execution., • Credit and status enquiry, 47
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•, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, •, , Complaints and adjustments., Collection letters., Circular letters., Sales letters., Bank correspondence., Insurance correspondence., Import- Export correspondence., Agency correspondence., Application letters., Interview letters, references, testimonials, letters of appointment,, confirmation, promotion, retrenchment, resignation., The correspondence of a company secretary., Correspondence with state and central government., Letters to the press., , 4.3.4 Components of a business letter:, In formal letters, structure, layout, and form play a very important role., When writing the letter, the content should be organized in the correct, manner. The following are components used in formal letters., • Heading: It is also called Head Address or Letterhead. The heading, contains information related to the organization name and complete, postal address along with Email address, Telephone Numbers and fax, numbers with web address, e.g, The Supreme Industries Limited, K1 to K4, K8 and K9, Ghirongi Industrial Area, Malanpur, Distt. Bhind Madhya Pradesh 477116, 0736-45263788, 45632100, 4532100(Fax) www.sil.com, • The Date: It indicates the date, month, and the year on which letter is, written. Dateline is aligned to the extreme right side or left side of the, margin on the basis of format chosen., Dateline can be presented as:, May 3, 2020, •, , Inside address: This is the complete address of the recipient of the, letter or it can also address a department or job title. A courtesy title, should be added in front of the recipient’s, The Manager (Human Resource), Reliance Industries Limited, Koparkhairane, 48
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Thane Belapur Road, Navi Mumbai, • Reference Line (optional): This indicates details like letter number,, department from where the letter is being sent, year etc. if you are, writing a reply, place the corresponding reference number first and then, yours. The reference number helps you locate the letter's future, reference., RIL/Prod./2020/681, • Attention line (optional): it is used to draw the attention of a particular, person or a particular department to ensure quick and prompt action. It, is written as follow:, Attention: Dr. N.K Roy, • Salutation: it is used to greet the receiver of the letter. It usually begins, with the word ‘‘Dear’’ followed by name or surname and comma or, colon can be used after the salutation., For example, Dear Dr Joshi,, • Subject line: Subject line offers the motive of the letter. Also helps the, recipient to know what exactly the letter is about., • Body: it communicates business information or the intent of the letter., Use only necessary words that convey the reason for writing the letter., Body has three parts. Introductory para, Main Message, and Closing, para., e.g.:, • The first paragraph: Introduction and Statement of the purpose, • The middle paragraph contains further details about the main subject., • The Closing para: polite closing, expression or appreciation for, assistance (even in advance) and/or statement of follow-up intentions,, expected actions., • Complimentary close: This is a courteous way of ending the let, • Terms like, ‘‘Yours sincerely” is the ideal one., • Signature block: This is a mandatory part of the letter, without a, signature block the letter is useless. Signature block indicates the signed, name of the letter’s writer, with the designation. It is positioned just, below the complimentary close., • Enclosures/ attachments: It offers the documents that are attached to the, letter. Here, the type of document and its specifications are also, mentioned., Encl.: marksheets 10th and 12th, 49
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4.3.5 The layout of a Business Letter., Basically, layout refers to the arrangement of text and graphics., The basic parts of a business letter remain the same but variation in, layouts changes. It also depends on what policy the company may adopt or, an individual may choose to use a particular format which suits his, purpose. The commonly used formats are:, a. Complete block format, b. Modified format, c. Semi block format, a. Complete Block Format:, In full block business letters, every component of the letter i.e., heading, address, salutation, signature, identification, enclosures are, aligned to the left. Paragraphs beginning are unintended that are not, spaced, open punctuation is followed which means end punctuation marks, are omitted in each element except for salutation, complimentary close,, message., Heading---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Date-------Reference No.----------Inside address---------------------------------------------------------------------Subject--------------------------------------Salutation -----------Opening para-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Main message---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Closing para--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Complimentary close---Signature---------Enclosure--------Ref.Ini, • Modified Block Format:, Here, the positioning of heading, complimentary close, and, 50
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signature block are aligned to the right side of the margin. Paragraphs, beginning are not spaced and mixed punctuation is followed. The, appearance of a modified block form is more balanced and traditional., Heading--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Date-------Reference No.----------Inside address---------------------------------------------------------------------Subject--------------------------------------Salutation-----------Opening para--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Main message, ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Closing para-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Complimentary close---Signature---------Enclosure--------Ref.Ini., Semi- Block format:, The semi-block format is the combination of block and indented, form. Heading, date, complimentary close, and signature block are aligned, towards the right side of the margin. The body of the letter is in an, indented form with paragraphs and mixed punctuation is followed., Heading--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Date-------Reference No.----------Inside address---------------------------------------------------------------------51
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Subject--------------------------------Salutation-----------Opening para---------------------------------------------------------------------Main message--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Closing para------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Complimentary close---Signature---------Enclosure--------Ref.Ini., , 4.2 WRITING INSTRUCTIONS, 4.4.1 What are instructions?:, Imagine cooking for the first time, teaching drawing for the first, time or even riding a bike for the first time. How did you that, who helped, you do that, who guided you through that process. The answer can vary, from person to person but the medium of how they did remain the same., Someone had instructed them or if someone did not instruct them. Surely,, they had read instructions from somewhere. The rate of getting success in, that particular task is directly dependent on how clear the instructions, were given or how clear they were understood by the other end and, accordingly performed., 4.4.2 How to write instructions?:, Instructions are generally directions through writing. They are, guidance to the audience who is going to refer to perform certain tasks., The instructions must be clear and the writing must be easy enough for, them to get it right on the first attempt. The attention of the reader must be, carried till the end of the set., If the instructions are lengthy or long then number them so that the, reader will not get confused about the sequence of performing the task., Using pictorial representation is also a great way of making instructions to, the point. The pictures are a universal medium of communication. It is, recommended that if the tasks are to be performed internationally that it is, advisable to use pictures more. They are more convenient for everyone, irrespective of the language., , 52
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4.4.3 Basics of writing instructions:, • Title:, Remember title is a very important part of any form of writing., The reader must be clear on the task or why they are reading these, sequences. The title must deliver it accurately and precisely without taking, much space., • Information, Provide enough information regarding the topic, So the in and out, of the topic is clearly understandable. Every bare minimum must be, mentioned so the reader doesn't have to realize in the middle of the, process that they have to stop the process., • Conditions, The basic requirements, tool required, technology needed or, anything or everything that needs to be informed ahead should be clearly, mentioned. This helps the readers get ready in advance., • Sequence, The sequence of performing the activity must be clear and concise., The readers must clearly need what to perform next. Do not even miss a, very small word or use the verbs properly. The language used must be, very easy and as less complex as possible., • Safety, Notes or warnings must be clearly written with special font or, underline. The readers must know the risk of performing the particular, step if there is any step like this at all., • End, The end results of the task must be clearly stated or if at all any, other result possible also must be mentioned with proper explanation. The, chances of achieving this result and why one could have achieved this., Also, what could have gone wrong must also be clearly written., 4.4.4 Tips for writing instructions more effectively:, a. The sentences must be short and easy going. The first words of the, sentences should be written smartly. So as to keep the reader engaged., b. Be specific about what you want to deliver. One sentence must deliver, only one specific instruction., c. Avoid jargons, use technical if needed, 53
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d. Give a proper explanation for example if you think this set of, instructions is confusing or complex to perform., e. Do not omit even a single small step or anything which is even, obvious. State everything from your end., Understand the targeted audience who you are writing instructions for and, why are you writing this. Never complicate it, as guidance needs to be as, easy as possible. For instance:, How to make a cup of tea?, Ingredients:, - Indian Tea, - Sugar, - Container /utensil, - Tea strainer, - Milk, Recipe:, 1. Turn on the stove and keep a container over it., 2. Add one cup of water to it., 3. Boil it down to half, 4. Add half tablespoon tea and sugar to it., 5. After it starts boiling, add milk to it., 6. Wait for it to boil all over again., 7. Now, take a cup and put a tea strainer over it., 8. Filter your tea and enjoy your evening., Note:, For strong color add more tea to the mixture and for more sweetness add, more sugar., Caution:, At any point, do not touch the container and if you do not know how to, control the stove. Do it under adult supervision., 4.4.5 Conclusion:, Whatever you have written in the terms of the instructions, try to, perform them. Call any individual from your targeted audience and ask, someone to perform the very same activity/task and see how they are, performing it. Try to see what part is hard to guide and which is hard to, guide. Refine it again and try this technique till the instructions are as clear, as water for someone totally doing it for the first time. Improvise till you, think it is sufficient enough., The writing is short and sweet. It prepares you beforehand with, requirements. Subtly, guides you for the entire process. Less points makes, it easier for you to read and enact them. The note makes you aware of the, significant changes that can be done. You give a possibility of choice., Later, the caution avoids the chances of unforeseen accidents., 54
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4.5 BUSINESS REPORTS, 4.5.1 Introduction:, • What are reports?:, A report is a statement of the results of an investigation or of any matter, on which definite information is required. (Oxford English dictionary), Formal reports differ with organization and it is written in, professional, technical and business context. Reports are a highly, structured form of writing, followed by conventions for readers to easily, understand the purpose of the report and know about new findings., • Definitions:, Reports are written to inform about subject matter in short, sharp, and concise documents for a particular purpose and audience. Reports, present facts about the situation, project or process and analyze the issue, in detail. Following are some definitions:, “A report is a communication from someone who has information for, someone who wants to use that information”- C.A. Brown., “A report is any written or oral communication in which according to the, nature and purpose of the report, the reporter presents a collection of facts, or a number of alternate propositions, states his conclusion and (if called, upon to do so) submits his recommendations” - M.C Shukla and S.S, Gulshan., 4.5.2 Characteristics of a Good Report:, • A formal piece of writing., • Written in an organized and objective manner., • Contains relevant information., • A factual account., • Written for a specific audience., • Written with a specific purpose., • Easy to understand language., • Record findings and recommend actions., 4.5.3 Significance of reports:, Reports help professional achieve the following things:, 1. Report is a basic management tool, so it helps to plan, acquire,, execute, coordinate, organize, manage and evaluate business activities, in an effective way., 2. It facilitates the flow of information to ensure smooth conduction of, tasks so as to meet challenges successfully., 3. It enables the authorities to make timely decisions., 4. It creates awareness among shareholders or investors regarding the, market position of the company., 55
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4.5.4 Types of report:, 1. On the basis of communication, the report can be oral or written, a. Oral reports present the information orally and face to face., Example: Accident report, b. Written reports are when information is presented in writing., Example: Project report, Progress report, 2. On the basis of function report can be informational or analytical, a. In an informational report, the data is presented objectively without, analysis or interpretation., Examples: Seminar reports, conference reports., b. Analytical report has the analysis and interpretation of presented, data which is helpful in decision making. It is also known as, investigative report., Example: Project report, survey report, feasibility report, Market, research report., 3. On the basis of periodicity, a report can be called as a routine or special, report., a. Routine report presents routine information, Example: Weekly production report, Monthly sales report, annual, report, b. Special report presents specific information related to a single, condition, situation, problem or occasion, c. Example: Inquiry report, Research report, Thesis or Dissertation, The purpose of a report varies because not every field is the same and, requires a formal structure and careful planning followed by presenting the, material in a logical manner in addition with clear and concise language., Following are the categories where reports are used on a large basis., Technical reports, Recommendation reports, Annual reports, Auditor’s reports, Census reports, Feasibility reports, Progress reports, Budget reports, Appraisal reports, Workplace reports, Inspection reports, Military reports., Policy reports., 56
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4.5.5 Stages involved in writing of a report:, Basically, the report’s format depends upon the purpose of the, report and its intended readers, according to which layout is decided. The, following stages are involved in writing a report:, 1. Define the objective and audience: Before writing a report, you, should first clearly mention the objective for preparing the report. The, purpose of the report should offer the overall intent of creating the, report and define the audience of the report., 2. Gather the necessary information: Collect all the necessary, information and make a list of the sources you are taking information, for, as it will help for future purpose and also to make the list of, references., 3. Analyze the information: Analyzing the information and careful, planning requires you to write clear and concise content. Breaking, down the task of writing the report into various parts can make your, task easier. While planning the report, work with a sensible time scale,, check and revise the content once you are done with the report., 4. Organize the information: Your report should have central ideas and, keywords related to it. The ideas you state in the report should connect, to each other. Highlight the points if necessary and arrange your main, heading in a logical order. Every heading, subheading you mention in, the report should be in a sequence, organized manner., 5. Write the report: Keeping in mind all the above-mentioned points,, you can start writing your own report. While writing the report avoid, using jargons, unnecessary words, grammatical mistakes, to-the-point, content i.e. short and concrete., 4.5.6 Formats for writing report:, 1. Letter format, 2. Memorandum format, 3. Letter-text combination format, The letter format is used in case of brief and informal reports., Its main parts are:, 1. Heading;, 2. Date;, 3. Address;, 4. Salutation;, 5. Body;, 6. Complimentary close;, 7. Signature., 57
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The body of the letter can be divided into the following parts:, •, , Introduction: Here the writer states the problem., , •, , Findings: Here the findings of the investigation are presented., , •, , Recommendation: After the findings, recommendations are given in, the last paragraph of the body. (Refer components of a business letter, page no.4 to 6 for better understanding), , • Memorandum format, •, , To follow the memorandum form is a simple way of presenting the, report. Here the formalities are not maintained. The date is mentioned, at the top, it is followed by the name of the receiver, the name of the, writer, and the subject of the report. Next follows the actual text and, the conclusion., Memorandum, To: Mr…………., January 01, 2021, From:……………, Subject:……………., Here is the report on………………………………….., Findings, Solution, , • Organisation of Letter- text combination format:, Long reports are usually organized in the letter text combination form. A, report presented in this format includes three major parts., a. Front matter consists of title page, letter of authorization, letter of, transmittal, Table of contents and executive summary, b. Main matter consists of introduction, research methodologies,, presentation of facts, analysis of facts, results and recommendations, (optional), c. Back matter has reference list, bibliography, table of figures or, illustrations, appendices, Title page: It should provide precise indication of the title of report., followed by to whom it is prepared for, by whom it is prepared and date of, submission., Light water Nuclear Reactors, Prepared for,, National Atomic research Centre,, Prepared by, Mr. David A. McMurrey, Energy research Consultants, Inc., Austin, Texas May 9, 2020, 58
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•, , Letter of authorization: This is a letter through which a person or a, team of members is authorized to work on a project and submit the, report with proper findings., , • Letter of Transmittal: Formal report often includes cover letter by, the name of letter of transmittal which provides personalized, introduction to your document. It includes Reasons for writing the, report, how and what you find. Through this letter you can thank all, who helped in writing the report. Address the letter of transmittal to a, particular person. Use separate letters, each personally addressed, if, you are distributing many copies., •, , Table of Content: This section acts as a map of the report.It should, include headings with page numbers. Tab the subsection and sub-sub, sections for clarity., , •, , Abstract or summary: Summary/abstract is a short synopsis of the, important ideas, observations, problems and conclusion contained in, your report. Use the clear language to highlight main points as, appeared in your report. It should be concise and informative., Abstract/ summary should be written after you completed working on, your report., , Main matter takes 85% of the entire report. It includes a detailed, discussion of the report. It should offer the objective, scope of report,, outline of enquiry method, brief history of subject matter, and suggestions, for future development., •, , Introduction: It contains origin, purpose, scope and background of, the title or hypothesis of the report., , •, , Methodology: Here, you write about methods you used to conduct, your inquiry. No complex or twisted words/phrases should be used, it, should be simple to understand., , •, , Results or findings: Present facts or findings that are useful,, important or necessary for your readers. You can present your, findings/result through tables, graphs, pie charts, bar charts, and, diagrams for quick and better understanding., , •, , Discussion: In this part you analyze the information and interpret the, results by explaining its importance. You identify and suggest new, findings, and also outline the problems you encountered., , •, , Conclusion and recommendation: In this section, all the main issues, of the report are drawn together and consist of a list of, recommendation in separate sections., , •, , References: The work cited in the text is credited into this section., Reference list is located at the end of the report. This list includes, Author’s name and initials, Date of publications, title of book, paper or, journal publisher, place of publication, page number, detail of the, journal volume in which the article appeared. These points should be, mentioned very clearly, and it should be listed in alphabetical order., Select one of the standard ways to cite references., 59
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•, , Bibliography: If the report is based on extensive research, the works, consulted by the writer are given in the bibliography. It may also, include the work recommended for further studies., , •, , Table of figures or illustrations: A table of figures list the figure, label, figure captions and page number of each illustration., , •, , Appendices: It contains supplemental material or additional, information regarding a report which is not essential in main findings, but other users might find beneficial. It includes details of interview, questions, statistical dates, glossary of terms etc., , 4.6 BUSINESS PROPOSALS, 4.6.1 Introduction:, Into an era of globalization and rapid advancement of business,, sustained improvement is a necessity. To bring about improvements or, changes it is essential to constantly review the existing situation and ways, of effective changes. Most of the time the suggested changes are put, forward in the form of proposals., According to Dictionary.com, “Proposal is the act of offering or, suggesting something for acceptance, adoption or performance”., Collins Dictionary suggests “A proposal is a plan or an idea, often, a formal or written one which is suggested for people to think about and, decide upon”. So, any properly conceived idea, service project or plan,, whether theoretical or practical in nature, put forward for action or, implementation is a proposal., 4.6.2 Types of Proposals:, • Solicited and Unsolicited., Solicited Proposals are those proposals where a writer follows the, prescribed format for the offering his ideas or suggestions or, schemes., Unsolicited Proposals are those where the writer takes the initiative, to design the format for the submission of proposal., 4.6.3 Requisites of effective proposals:, , , Proposal is based on the AIDA plan., , , , A is attention is caught towards what is being proposed, , , , I Is Interest is created by pointing out how the plan would be executed, , , , D is desire is generated to accept by highlighting the benefits or, advantages that would accrue and finally an impulse for action is, induced by persuasive reasoning. (persuasion is an art of influencing, people to accept willingly and Idea, a position or a course of action), 60
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4.6.4 Instructions for writing effective Proposal:, , , Specify the scope clearly., , , , Be realistic in your estimate of time, money, material and personnel, required., , , , Establish your credentials for accomplishing the task., , , , Highlight the benefits that would accrue to the customer., , , , keep the proposal short and precise., , , , Use easy to understand language., , , , Ensure that the presentation and layout are neat and attractive., , 4.6.5 Structure of proposal:, 1. Title page: This page acts as a cover of the proposal and contains the, following information., a. Title of the proposal, b. Name and designation of the proposer, c. Name of the organization to which he belongs and, d. Month and year of submission of proposal, These four items are separated by the space and stand out clearly on page., 2. Table of content: This is given when the proposal is long running into, 15 or more pages. It contains headings and subheadings with page, number, 3. Executive summary: This part summarizes the entire proposal. Many, readers need to have a preview of the proposal before beginning to go, through the details. Sometimes a summary is circulated independently, for comments among the reviewers. so, it should be self-contained. In, fact, the entire proposal is condensed and given under the same, subheading as those in the main body. This is where you talk about the, main takeaways., 4. Statement of the purpose: This part states the purpose to which the, proposal addresses itself. To establish the need, you may sometimes, have to give a brief background or history in terms of the work already, done and its adequacy in the present circumstances. This section, weaves around a problem for which a solution is proposed., 5. Objectives: To what extent your proposal is going to serve the, purpose or bring the change, should be clearly specified in this part the, objectives may be listed as stated in terms of short term and long-term, goals., 6. Business plan (procedure): This describes how the proposal would, address the purpose, stated earlier. Methods used to collect statistical, data for the project, plan of action, sequence of activities, time line, 61
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Show the clear picture of phases of activities (this shows adequate, planning and preparation for various activities equipment, facilities,, products and personnel are required)., 7. Budget or cost estimate: This section is mandatory for all proposals., It is customary to include the budget justification section in paragraph, form or tabular chart. Estimates should be realistic and complete. This, section also discusses the billing procedure and legal handlings., 8. Conclusion: This section of the proposal provides a formal, opportunity to re-emphasize and persuade the recipient that you have, all the resources in terms of material expertise and enthusiasm to, accomplish the project. No new ideas should be added here. This, section should be very brief, maybe one paragraph., https://images.template.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/New-BusinessProposal-Format- Download.pdf, , 4.8 UNIT END EXERCISE, 1., , The formal greeting with which a business letter begins is called, , 2., , Reports sent at regular, specified intervals in the usual routine of, business are called ………………..reports., , 3., , An analytical report also be called an…………….. report., , 4., , Write short notes on the following., a) The letterhead, b) Complimentary close, c) Courtesy, d) Conciseness, e) You attitude, , 5., , What is the need for typing the inside address?, , 6., , Describe with illustrations different parts of the letter., , 7., , In business letters courtesy and clarity are as important as conciseness, and completeness., , 8., , Why is a written report preferred to an oral report?, , 9., , Mention at least four important characteristics of a good report, , 10. How do you define a proposal?, 11. Briefly describe the format of the long proposal, 12. Prepare a proposal for the consideration of Principal, Government, Boys college for designing software for online admission., 13. Differentiate between solicited and unsolicited proposal, 14. Write the instructions for getting a demand draft from bank, *****, 62
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5, WRITING BUSINESS MESSAGES AND, DOCUMENTS CHAPTER V: CAREER, BUILDING AND RESUME WRITING, Unit Structure, 5.1 Objective, 5.2 Introduction, 5.3 Career building, 5.4 Resume Writing, 5.4.1 Structure of Resume, 5.4.2 Resume formats, 5.4.3 To do and not to do, 5.4.4 Resume example, 5.5 Cover page, 5.5.1 Example of cover page for students, 5.6 Links for better understanding, , 5.1OBJECTIVE, After studying this unit you will be able to:, Understand the concept of career building, Designing of Resume and cover letter, , 5.2 INTRODUCTION, Career is the most important part of one's life. The planning of an, entire life depends on the path one chooses to build his/her career. It is not, only to earn the bread and butter but it is also for gaining a reputation in, the society above all it is for mental satisfaction of the human being where, he feels needed in the world and serving the society. Career is not a choice, that you have to make but rather a choice you would want to make. The, decision is going to make up 50 percent of your life. It is a choice that is, very important. To choose a correct career there is much more than just, looking at the salary. You need to create a mind map in order to have a, good career. Step by step you need to complete small tasks that keep you, on track. The task that you do must add to the quality of your resume., Anything you do should be notable in your resume. You need to know, 63
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what resume is more impactful and formal. A cover page is also an addon. The knowledge of how to use it properly is really useful. Below in the, unit all of the above requirements are mentioned in detail., , 5.3 CAREER BUILDING, Growing up we have always wondered on the topic what we want, to become or what we want to do? Even after completing our entire, education we are not satisfied with our work. There could be a whole, bunch of reasons for getting the education that may be of your choice or, maybe not. The only lesson we need today is to choose to do what we, love. The simple reason why we are not happy with our job is we never, properly pondered enough on the choices we made or never mustered up, the courage to do what we love. So, there are few things that we must, clearly think about before choosing a career or while changing a career., Research, Develop, Set, Plan, Change, Prepare, The following points are explained in detail below:, Research:, To make a decision you must understand what are the options, presented to you. What are the options that are present in your locality and, keep up with the trend. The type of job you want to do, do a broad, research and come down to which part you would like to specialise in., Always consider your future while considering anything else. The, growth in that career, will it be as important as it is today? In the future,, will your education have that much value or not? If you have a dream, company, start reading about it. Make sure it offers the exact role that you, want to work., Keep on attending the seminars related to it. Today, due to the, advancement of technology there is nothing that is not available on the, internet. So, research as much as you can before making a concrete, decision., Try to have practical experience while doing internships. Know, what exactly is present in it for you. Do internships, part-times or, volunteering, so that you can have more exposure to what you do., Develop:, Learn to write about what you want to do and make a course path, 64
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for yourself. Nobody knows what you want more than yourself. Do not let, the other negative factors differ you from your path. Make sure you know, what exactly is your aim in life. Whatever you do is exactly the same that, you wished for., Make a checklist and keep it updated. Consider all the minor and, major details like from accommodation to the where would you like to be, settled. Will all the cost be covered in it? There can be a number of, possibilities with that plan, be open to all those and try to keep it posted., Set:, Make milestones so as to know how far you are with your plan., Have monthly and yearly plans by your side. Choose the correct type of, education for yourself, Choose your first job properly. Also find the job, that adds to your experience and career growth., Every occupation needs a particular requirement and degree. There, are special training and certifications that you need to fulfill your plan, accordingly., Always remember that opportunities can be found across the, world. So, think that you will have to move and be prepared in those terms, as well. It is advised not to spend your entire life in one organisation. Try, to change it every 4 or 5 years. Always take up the training offered by, your employer. Keep on enhancing your skills. Rewards and evaluation of, an organisation is also an important way to promote your career., Change:, Change in career will always be uncomfortable but necessary for, your growth. Career change is a risk that one has to take to reach the, heights of your career. It is recommended that you take a calculated risk,, as much as the change is inevitable does not guarantee that it will be in, your favour., Compare and contrast, even if the money is the same. Ask yourself, will this help you in further journey or do you have more chances of going, higher than where you are currently working. Mental health is also a very, important influencer. If the environment is stressing you more than it, should or you are not happy. Change can be considered a blessing too., Prepare:, Every step regarding career needs to be prepared and mapped, properly. The main reason to work must always be kept in mind. You need, to prepare yourself with your own morals and rules. You need to learn to, be flexible but set a limit to that., 65
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When giving new interviews, always be ready with necessary, accessories and requirements. When leaving a job for whatever reason you, must resign with appropriate reasons and bid a farewell nicely. Leave the, grudges there and take away the good from there. Keep in check with your, accomplishments. Celebrate every single win in the journey of your, career. Provide proper notice and in advance when shall you leave., , 5.4 THE RESUME, A résumé is a career document that records your employment, history, education, training details, highlights skills, experiences, talents,, and achievements. It formally introduces you to the prospective employer., AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire & action), the same marketing principle, is applied to resumes as well., Firstly, your resume catches the attention, if proper keywords,, format, and structure are used. Secondly, the resume should create interest,, which can be achieved by showing your unique ability as a candidate and, your benefits like a product. Then, your resume should stir the desire i.e. it, should convey what exactly you want. And lastly, an action which can be, achieved via phone call, if you have met all the requirements of the, employer., 5.4.1 Resume structure:, The resume creates the first impression of you, in front of your employer,, therefore, the structure should reflect your style., 1. Heading: “Where to reach” is the foremost information in the resume., It should have your full name, current address, phone number, and email, address., 2. Job/ career objective: Mention clearly your career objective, as it, makes it easy for recruiters to classify what kind of job you are looking, for. If you are not sure or want to leave your options open forgo the career, objective., 3. Work experience/ employment history: Start with current or most, recent employment and go backward. If you have no relevant experience, you can write first about education and then work experience., 4. Education: Start with the highest degree that you hold with the mention, of the institution, college, school. Write about your specialization,, diploma, certificates received, and marks obtained., 5. Honors: If you have three or more awards you can mention them under, the heading of Honors. You can also mention scholarships, awards, and, condemnation., 66
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6. Activities: Write about the extracurricular activities you took part in, like clubs (like drama club, dance club, etc.) It can reflect your, personality., 7. Certificates & license: If you have relevant certification or license,, make sure to write it down under this heading., 8. Patents & publications: Include patent registration and books/ paper, published if they are pertinent to the job., 9. Professional membership: Professional membership with professional, bodies, trade association demonstrates your commitment towards, continuous change & constant upgrade. Mention this membership under, this heading., 10. Testimonials/ endorsement: Here, you can include positive reviews,, thank you letters from customer condemnation letters, recommendation, letters etc., 11. Special skills: Mention any special skills you may have and is relevant, to the job and describe how these skills can enhance your performance, towards your job., 12. Personal information: It includes hobbies and interests that will help, you to perform on the job. Apart from this, include basic information like, gender, age, and marital status, if these are requested by the company., 13. References: References allow the recruiters to verify the above, information. If the information is fully accurate, he may trust you with the, job. Give references only if references ask for it. Make sure the references, are accurate with name and designation. Select the person who can vouch, for you., 5.4.2 Resume format:, The chronological Format:, The chronological format of your resume requires you to enlist all, your details in reverse chronological order i.e. your most recent work and, then going backward. Here, the focus lies on work experience. This type, of resume is highly recommended when you apply for a position in the, same field, and it shows the growth and steadiness with no time gap in, between your employment., The Functional Format:, Applicable skills are highlighted in this kind of resume. Thus,, shifting the focus from your recent employment to relevant skills. This, kind of resume is mostly used when you are switching the field, or you, 67
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have a diverse experience range or you are returning to the field after a, long period of time., The Achievement Format:, Here you place an achievement statement in your resume. An, achievement addendum allows you to showcase your personal story with, more details where you talk about problem, solution, result, action &, accomplishment. Using an active voice with action words, and describing, your achievements can let your resume stand out of the box., The Hybrid Format:, When you combine chronological order with functional order it, typically leads to a hybrid format. It combines your experience and skill, sets. The hybrid format is recommended when you have varied and, unrelated work experience, short working history, or you want to highlight, certain internships., 5.4.3 To-Do & Not-To-Do:, a. To-Do - When you write down the information be sure that you write, honest information with relevant details. Offer the description of the, job you are looking for and use an action verb. If writing facts provide, evidence. Write everything in a proper format. And lastly, proofread, your resume., a. Not-To-Do – Never start your sentences with ‘‘I’’. Limit the use of, jargon, and do not exaggerate any fact. Don’t capitalize every word in, the resume, only the necessary one., Instructions for effective Resume, 1. Always use white colour background for drafting a resume., 2. Set one inch margin on all four sides., 3. Use 14 font sizes for heading and 12 for text., 4. Stick to one font style. Use single or 1.15 line spacing., 5. Divide your resume into various sections like contact details, Resume, summary, work experience, education, skills and achievements., 6. Make your resume as long as it requires to be., 7. Photos to be pasted on resume only when asked by the employer., Resume example:, Your name Expertise, Phone no., E mail: xyz@email.com, , Linked in details, , SUMMARY, 68
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Passionate and focused Marketing Executive with three years of, experience carving out new markets that quickly develop a desire for, products ed by a sharp team., EDUCATION, Year, , Degree, College details, , EXPERIENCE, Year, Name of organisation Job profile, Key achievements, SKILLS, 1, 2, 3, References, Designation, Contact details, Time for communication, Interests/Additional information, Certified…………………………., Member of………….., , Personal Information, Date of birth, Permanent address, , 5.5 UNCOVERING THE COVER LETTERS., The cover letter introduces you to the prospective employer and, compels him to buy your service. A cover letter is not the mirror image of, the resume. Paragraphs are used with highlighted content which is most, relevant to the job profile and provides substantial information to back up, these claims. Furthermore, it is important that you don‟t email the same, cover letter to different companies simultaneously. Downloading or, copying the cover letter through the internet is not the best option. Cover, letters are written in complete block format (Refer business letter formats), Five hallmarks define cover letter:, 1. Strong personality, 2. High energy, 3. Relevant information., 4. Moderately informal, 5. Interesting to read., 69
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5.5.1 Cover Letter Example for student:, XYZ, B.Sc. IT student, , Mr. ABC, Human Resource Manager, Auckland Software consultancy Ltd., Road No. 12 CAW Crossway, MNOP, India, , Dear Mr.ABC, I am writing to express my interest in your Software consultancy firm., I learned about your firm through a friend of mine who completed his, Internship from your organisation last year. I have immense interest in, software development and gaining knowledge from a reputed, organisation like yours will definitely help me to establish myself well, in the software industry., I am in the third year of my graduation and took software development, as my elective. I have experience of working in a software company for, 8 months. After my graduation I would like to get experience from an, established organisation like yours and serve the clients with, satisfaction., I have completed an online course on “Public speaking” and “Effective, Communication” to master my communication skills. Kindly look into, my resume for academic and other details., I look forward to working as an intern in your firm., Thank you, Yours truly, , 5.6 LINKS FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF, COVER LETTER AND RESUME, https://www.grammarly.com/blog/write-cover-letter/, https://resume.io/app/create-resume, https://www.thebalancecareers.com/job-resumes-4161923, 70
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5.7 SUMMARY, The learning from this unit are much more important and must be, thoroughly understood. The choice of career you want to pursue is an, important decision. Please make sure you have read enough and, researched it. Then later there are points that you need to keep while, making large changes in your career. To present yourself formally, you, need a resume. The resume outline is given in detail. Not many people are, aware but there are different types of resume. There are very common, mistakes that a lot of people make in their resume and they miss their, chance.The cover letter helps you to get the employers attention. The, format of the cover letter is mentioned and an outline is stated., , 5.7 EXERCISE, 1. Define a cover letter., 2. Prepare a detailed resume, a one page profile and a cover letter for, software developer/ software consultants profile., , *****, , 71
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6, DEVELOPING COMMUNICATION, SKILLS FOR BUSINESS, Unit Structure, 6.1 Objective, 6.2 Introduction, 6.3 Effective listening, 6.3.1 Process, 6.3.2 Advantages, 6.3.3 Strategies, 6.3.4 Outcomes, 6.4 Business Presentation and Public Speaking, 6.4.1 Format of the presentation., 6.4.2 Essentials for a presentation, 6.4.3 Key points Public Speaking, 6.5 Conversations, 6.6 Interviews, 6.6.1 Types of questions, 6.6.2 Clothing, 6.6.3 Mannerism, 6.7 Summary, 6.8 Exercises, , 6.1 OBJECTIVES, After studying this unit you will be able to:, 1. Understand the basics of effective listening., 2. Know the format of the presentation., 3. Get acquainted with essentials for public speaking., 4. How to hold good conversations., 5. Ways to ace your Interview., , 6.2 INTRODUCTION, Communication is an art of speaking. An individual must, understand that communication is a very important of many professions., 72
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Speaking in English and communicating well are two entirely different, concepts. English is simply a language whereas communication is an art., There is a misconception that it is important to speak English in order to, have good communication. You can master communication even in your, regional language. English can be learnt later. Communication has much, more to it than just speaking. Communication accounts for your body, language, gestures and postures while you deliver. How elegantly and, effectively you deliver the content is also a kind to be considered while, considering the communication skill. Communication can be improved, with continuous rehearsing but there are a lot of factors. Listening is, amongst the most underrated skills learnt which eventually helps a lot in, improving your communication. Listening gradually leads to improvement, of your public speaking. The more you listen, the more you can speak. The, more clarity you have on what to deliver and how to do it. The same helps, in having better conversations. When you have knowledge regarding, subjects, speaking comes more easily. Alongside improving the speaking, skills you will see a drastic change in your interview skills also. All the, above techniques are stated in detail below:, , 6.3 EFFECTIVE LISTENING, Listening can be recognized as the commotion to clearly, understand what has been spoken by the speaker. Hearing and Listening, are two sides of the same coin. People often tend to mix up the meaning of, both words. Hearing is merely listening without understanding what the, speaker is trying to convey., Listening is visibly different from hearing. Listening is like the, basic foundation in becoming a good communicator. Hearing does not, need a reason whereas this might not be the same for listening. Listening, is generally supported by a solid reason. Listening in general increases, your grasping and interpretation sense. Hearing and listening may seem, like a similar thing but it is not. Hearing is an action that happens, unknowingly but listening it's rather a planned action. You have to hear, and understand for it to be concluded as listening. Listening is an, underrated skill. People may think it's a natural talent but it's not., Listening requires as much practice as any other skill like writing, or acting. People tend to believe that listening comes naturally or is a part, of a person's personality. There is no such thing, listening like any other, skill is learned and should be practiced to succeed., 6.3.1 Process of Listening:, In order to be a good listener, it is necessary to understand the various, stages of listening. These are:, 1., , The Selecting Stage: The listener selects the only one that seems, important at that point in time and into a message., 73
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2., , The Interpreting Stage: The listener is mostly trying to understand, what the speaker is trying to say., , 3., , The Evaluating Stage: This is mainly the stage where the listener, draws the interference from what the speaker tried to convey to the, audience. The evidence, facts and figures are considered. The, speakers share their experiences, emotions and beliefs., , 4., , The Responding Stage: This stage generally involves the views of, the speakers and sharing the thoughts of the listener with the, speaker. This stage determines whether the listener understood the, speaker or not., , 5., , The Memory Stage: This is the final stage of listening. Effective, listening helps listeners remember whatever information has been, delivered by the speaker. The sign of a good speaker is to help its, listener carry as much as they can. People tend to remember more, about what they see rather than what they hear., , 6.3.2 Advantages of Listening:, Listening to other people is the easiest way of earning knowledge, without paying a cent. It helps you and people around you. It becomes a, simple way of bonding with people around you. If you attentively listen to, each other you can understand that there's a lot more to learn. Attentive, listening prevents arguments. The more you listen the more you, understand their point of view. That's why they say “you have two ears, and one mouth”., We listen to, a) Gather as much as information as possible, b) Come to a conclusion or reach a point that satisfies people., c) Learn from others’ experiences. Why should one listen carefully?, Sometimes a person misses the real meaning by only listening to, the facts and figures and deciphering it wrong. A person should try to talk, as less as possible because when you try to speak you are not exactly, listening to the speaker but trying to string out what you want to say., Selective listening of a person tends to create a lot of problems. They will, pick up only what they want to and ignore the rest. Some people refuse to, accept others' perception of the world. When we do something that we, disagree with we become a lot more rigid and we don't focus on what is in, front of us. Judging the speaker by their actions and not listening to them., Being only present there to find out mistakes is also a reason for having, poor listening skills. What a speaker wears, what kind of brand they wear, are not the point of which the listener should worry about., , 74
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6.3.3 Strategies for effective listening:, Sometimes we are so stuck up on facts that we do not pay attention, to what exactly the speaker wants to convey. Our understanding of what, the speaker wants to say varies from what actually could have been the, point of discussion. S, how should we listen? Here are some strategies :, 1) Aim for the conversation:, A listener should always know why they are listening to their, conversation. They must be clear on what they are trying to achieve out of, this. The listener is usually looking for knowledge from the speaker. We, may notice that mostly a speaker speaks from their experience and the, listener tries to learn as much as they can. Sometimes the speaking, listening relationship is extended to the office and can be seen between, employer and employee or mentor and mentee. The better the speaking, and listening bond is, the better their relationship is. The personal, relationships also flourish if people could just learn to listen more and, speak less. Good conversations are always a mood uplifter. The, conversation may not necessarily be about both parties speaking. Good, motivating words to brighten your day too. The same way if you can say a, few good words to someone else then their day can be good as well. So it's, always important to know why a conversation is being held in the first, place., 2) Be Mindful:, Talking and listening go in turns. A smart listener always knows, what they are speaking and when they are speaking. So it's a skill to know, where you are supposed to be speaking and where you need to let a person, speak their point first. Unless you are too sure that it has to be said, prefer, not speaking. A good listener should listen as much as they can., 3) Try to be attentive:, The more you hear properly, the easier it is to inculcate the habit of, listening. Being attentive while listening makes you aware of your, surroundings and it helps you in connecting with the speaker. Try to keep, yourself to a minimum and try to not exert yourself too much in the room, where you are supposed to be listening. Exerting yourself at the start, you, may not be able to form the bond between the listener and the speaker. At, any circumstances do not interrupt the speaker, which can change the flow, of conversation which they initially planned before starting there., 4) One work at a time:, Try to do one thing at a time. When you are listening to a person,, at that moment just listen. Do not do anything else. You may think that, you are smart enough to hide but your non-verbal actions give you away., 75
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So, try to be physically and mentally present along with the speaker. This, helps with the confidence of the speaker and he becomes more committed, to the listener., 6.3.4 Outcomes of effective listening:, A person can gather a lot of knowledge just by listening clearly., Teamwork becomes easier when you have good listeners. Showing keen, interest and listening to people can solve a lot of problems. Conflicts are, less and are easier to solve if people listen to each other for understanding, and not just for a comeback. There are a lot of things that can be avoided, if people would just listen to each other and not be unreasonable., , 6.4 BUSINESS, SPEAKING, , PRESENTATION, , AND, , PUBLIC, , Business presentation:, Business presentation is a formal exchange of ideas between two, parties irrespective of the field they belong to. The best way to conduct a, business presentation. The most formal of exchanging ideas and views., The ideas should be beneficial to both parties., The most important part of the presentation is how you present, your ideas. The presentation and your explanation must sync to give your, best. It would be great if you a prototype or any solid example for what, you just presented. If it's a complex process make sure you do something, to make it easier to understand. The goal must be clear here. You are, trying to sell your idea and you must do it gracefully. You have to prove, yourself to sell your service/idea to your audience., 6.4.1 The outline of the presentation:, Outline of presentation differs from purpose to purpose. The, presentation will have an outline based on what kind of presentation it is., The slides might change according to the situation and hence there is no, specific format for presentation. An example is given for a Business, Presentation., General guidelines for business presentations, Introduction, Company overview, Description of products and services to be offered., Presentation of your product, service, or system prototype., Present a Strategy Canvas illustrating how your product/service works., What is the size of the market you intend to enter?, 76
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Industry analysis, Description of current and potential competitors, Marketing strategy, Operations strategy, Forecasts and financials, What do your projections show for sales, profit, expense, growth, and, investment?, Capital requirements over the next 3 years., Stage of development and the implementation plan, How much venture capital funding do you need?, Summary, 6.4.2 Essentials for a presentation:, 1) Knowledge:, You must know your content thoroughly. You should know all the, little details of the idea which you are trying to sell. Your only power at, that moment is your ability to communicate. You have to maintain a good, vibe while doing the presentation., 2) Be yourself:, One of the most important things that if often neglected is being, comfortable. You have to be comfortable with your skin. Not everyone is, confident to stand in front of the audience, so practice beforehand. Take, the posture in which you are most comfortable. Decide whether you need, a microphone or not., 3) Start strong:, You have your audience's attention for a little while and you have, to make an impression that will decide whether you are worth listening to, or not. So start the presentation with a bang and make them sit tight., 4) Interact:, Sometimes you have to keep your audience on their toes, so you, have to talk to them. Talking isn't compulsory but you need to make sure, that they get exactly what you are trying to sell. You can also ask for their, opinion or ask them if they agree with you or not., 5) Use visuals:, People tend to remember what they see longer than what they hear., 77
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Use visuals or statistics wherever necessary. Try not to stuff your, presentation with all the lines and paragraphs. You have to send your point, across the audience; you can get creative as you want to., As much your non-verbal communication holds the importance to, impress the audience. Your verbal ability to communicate plays a key role, in determining how successful you deliver a presentation. Being able to, communicate is generally referred to as public speaking. Public speaking, plays an essential role. Your skills play an important role in deciding the, rate at which your career flourishes. Public speaking is a skill that is a, must in the ongoing era. It is a skill that can be learned, improvised, and, expertise to a certain level., Key points for public speaking:, Planning, Form, Deliver, Let's explore public speaking in detail:, Planning:, Some people are blessed with the talent that they can start, anywhere and can deliver beautifully. The others may not be as blessed, but they can improve with the help of proper guidance. The first basic step, for public speaking is planning. You should always write down what you, want to say. Always write what you want to say just in case you forget or, you feel like adding a point anywhere, you will remember where it is, supposed to be added. Writing the speech ahead saves a lot of time and, confusion. It's an effective way to prepare for any kind of public speaking., Public speaking is based on how good you deliver and what you deliver., Every public speaking depends on the event. You must know what, kind of event and what type of people will be present in the audience., Time also plays a major role in deciding what kind of speaking should be, done. In the morning the audience is more energetic and by the night the, mood shifts. So accordingly you should know what should be delivered to, keep them with you. You should blend in the situation. For example, if, something has happened before whether it is negative or positive, if, possible try to balance the mood so that it does not affect your, performance. The time, duration, the flow of your speech depends upon, the event's nature. The humor is inappropriate at places., You should beforehand know what kind of audience you will be, facing and in a similar way shape the flow of your speaking. Your, audience can be anyone; some may help your career or otherwise. So you, have to be respectful of all that depending on what kind of audience you, deliver to. You must also be clear of your purpose. What are you trying to, deliver there? if you are not sure for yourself then it may confuse you, 78
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later. If you are trying to influence whom you want to influence and how, you want to do. You should know what your aim for this speaking is. You, should know that your idea must be solid and whatever you speak should, be relatable. Nothing should be off- topic for the audience. What you want, to deliver to the audience must be as clear as the sky. There is no option of, being obscure while speaking., Information that you use while speaking should be true and, verified. Try to assume as little as possible, assumptions make your base, of speaking weakly. You may need comparisons, figures and statistics of, other parties. Sometimes you may need to remember large figures and all., You should collect all the information and then list them down. Read it, again and again unless you think you have included all the necessary, things., Form:, After planning comes forming the structure for your material that, has been spoken. A well- structured material will always help you keep, you away from wandering. You will know which part should be, emphasized and which should not be. A point should not take up a lot of, time and a proper explanation should be delivered after saying something, complex. All this can be managed well when you know in which form you, are going to deliver your part., Generally, every way of speaking can be categorized into 3 parts, namely introduction, main content and summary or conclusion. The, introduction should be sharp enough to grab all the attention and should, contain what you are going to present, so it's like giving a preview of what, you will be speaking for a few minutes ahead. Introduction in a simple, way is a virtual handshake in the speaking world. When you meet, someone for the first time, how do you introduce yourself in the real, world? The same way you have to introduce yourself to the people present, in front of you. After this the introduction usually depends upon the type, of speaking, it can be a question or it can also be a quote. Try to make a, smooth transition into the main context. Only you should be aware of this, transition., The main context must contain all the necessary details related to, your idea and lastly, you conclude the topic properly. There are many, ways in which you can choose the flow of your speaking. There are, mainly four patterns in which the main context can be formed:, Chronological: Arranging whatever you are going to say in a manner that, is relevant. It is written sequence wise, like how the events have occurred., An example is storytelling. Every event of the story is interrelated. If you, don't go according to the story then you will not understand the story., Categorial: You divide your speaking into different parts. You divide the, 79
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topic into parts and subparts. It is very easy and hence the most adopted, pattern for beginners. It is also easy to remember as it is divided into parts., Cause and effect: Another way of expressing your ideas. This can only be, used when there is a cause and the cause leads to an effect. The changes or, the impact of the cause is the main reason this pattern is used., Problem-solution: It is usually used when you have a problem and you, need to find the solution or when you have a possible solution for the, same. There can be many solutions to a single problem but we need to find, the best out of it and hence the pattern., These are the patterns in which you can design your context., Always try to stick to the main idea and use only four to five important, points. Just because you can speak a lot on the topic doesn't mean you, have to. Try to say less but more meaningful. Try to create a link between, each of your points and show a smooth transformation., After all the information has been given to the audience there, comes a point where you have to revise all the important points and end, your speaking. So, conclude your views one by one. Mostly the one you, want your audience to remember, or to think about it. Try not to end your, time in haste. Add something nice so that they can remember it for a little, longer, humor works too. There can be questions at the end. So, keep your, keep and try to answer the question as politely as possible. The questions, can annoy you hence; do not show that on your face. Don't spend too, much time on one question. Try to answer all the questions asked., Deliver:, The most difficult and most important part of public speaking. For, being a speaker skills are as important as the message you are trying to, convey. The way you represent your idea has equal value as what your, idea is. The values, actions and attitudes contained are equally important., When delivering face to face a lot of things matter. Your clothes, the way, you stand, your expressions, even your cologne. So, make sure to clean up, well before going anywhere to present anything., There are different types of speaking,, 1) From notes, 2) Impromptu, 3) From memory, 4) From a manuscript., Notes:, Notes can vary from an outline, cards to written references on pen, and paper. This is a very well written and rehearsed way of speaking. You, speak what you have already planned and known to you. Also, you have, 80
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objects to help you. You can practice this beforehand and deliver, gracefully. Since you know what you will be delivering you can have, confidence and control over yourself. You have the freedom to choose the, language that you are going to deliver in., Impromptu:, Impromptu is like sudden, unexpected talks that you have to, deliver in a short period and you don't have time to rehearse or prepare for, the speaking. Sometimes it's like someone calls you up and asks you to, say a few words. At that, you don't even have a small time to prepare. So, at that time, your speaking experience comes in handy. Try to recall, everything you know about the very same topic and mentally think which, should be said and which should not. Think of what is expected of you., Anything relevant is good., Memory:, Out of all the ways, this is the hardest way of delivering. Unless, you are a professional, we suggest not to use this mode. Everything is, memorized and so it is hard to maintain eye contact with the audience., You become less free and most of the time of your mind goes in, remembering the learned. Some speakers fail to keep the audience with, them as their body language doesn’t cooperate with their voice., Manuscript:, This perhaps can be called reading magnificently because you, cannot paraphrase the important documents or laws which you abide by., It's just simply reading the past or the present effectively. If you read the, important documents in your way, it might change the interpretation of the, same. Reading an amendment by the supreme court can be categorized as, the above delivery., , 6.5 CONVERSATIONS, Conversations are a very common part of human life. They happen, often and are not pondered upon. You may find that conversations are, probably the only way we can communicate properly. The basic difference, between communication and a conversation is that conversation needs to, be two- way. A comment, chat, and messaging can also be considered as, long as replies are given. From getting up from bed to coming to our bed,, we hold up numerous conversations. The conversations can be mainly, classified into two types:, Casual conversation, Business conversation, , 81
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Casual conversation:, Casual conversations are the conversation that do not follow any, rules. This communication simply means to freely communicate. You can, use any language, any kind of humor. In short, there are no rules or, regulations for this type of conversation. The conversation which you have, with your friend and family is known as casual conversation., Business conversations:, The business conversations are the building blocks of the, economy. Deals of millions are signed through these conversations., Business conversations are a very important part of the organisation., Business conversations are very formal and systematic. These, conversations are held for the commercial benefit of the organization., Sharing information between the workers of an organization is also, considered as a business conversation., In business conversation you intend to conduct the conversations, that should be pretty clear. The goal you want to achieve from having this, conversation must be achieved. Always write the notes that you need to, speak or cover in these conversations. Be prepared with the bullet points,, so that you can be in control of that conversation. Always have an active, internet connection just in case you need any data for your reference., Introduce yourself confidently and get to know about the people in, conversations too. Refer all the members of the conversations as Mr., XYZ. It is advisable not to use first names in these conversations. As it is, a conversation make sure it is a two-way conversation. Try not to sound, too monologue. Listen attentively to how they are reacting to your, conversation. It's natural to be nervous while making a conversation with, important delegates but do not let your emotions take over you. Sound as, professional as you can and try to avoid slang or jargon. Always be, thankful at the end of the conversation., , 6.6 INTERVIEWS, An interview is just a questionnaire between two people or more, than two. Usually, the person who came to give an interview is known as, an interviewee and the one who takes the interview is called an, interviewer. The interviewer can be a group of people or a single person., The interview is usually conducted in a room without any interference., Earlier interviews used to be face to face but as we have seen there is a lot, of advancement in the technology. So, Nowadays the interviews may be, conducted online. Through telephonic conversations or even video, conferencing., There are many types of interviews but we will only focus on, business-related interviews. The business-related interviews are mostly job, 82
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interviews or inhouse promotion interviews. Both the interviews are the, same except the fact that the job interviews are the basic ones. The job, interviews are mostly to evaluate your education and assess your skills., These interviews are generally conducted to test your personality, process, of thinking, and your teamwork spirit. The promotional interviews check, how much you have contributed to the organizational benefit., 6.6.1 Types of questions:, An interview is like a conversation that decides which path your, career takes. The questions can be anything. You can expect that they can, ask you anything from professionals to private life. There are usually 6, types of questions:, 1) Open, 2) Closed, 3) Probing, 4) Reflective, Open Questions:, These questions are generally the conversation starters. These are, asked to know about you. The more you can answer the better. They may, also ask you about the area you expertise in. You have to be as smooth as, possible. Explain everything that your resume tends to claim. They may, ask questions that are like “How do you rate the relevance of your, branch/trade in today’s world?”. You have to explain why you studied that, particular branch. Also, there can be basic questions like How did you, happen to come about this job?. What prompted you to apply for this job?., Why do you consider yourself suitable for this job?, Closed Questions:, These questions are usually one line or yes-no answers. You don't, have to explain yourself. The answers have to be as accurate as possible., The questions are mostly related to the branch. Any technical term can be, questioned or related to your final year project. The thought or the reason, why you choose to do it. Your graduation year and percentage are possible, questions., Probing Questions:, Questions like these are usually asked to test how smart you are in, real life. It can be related to your branch or not. It could be your views on, the ongoing external political affairs or any general knowledge question. It, can be about sharing your thoughts on a particular topic., , 83
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Reflective Questions:, These are the questions that are asking about your opinions., Usually, here your thoughts are asked. What you believe in or follow or, why do u think this is right?. These questions explain your morale and, beliefs., 6.6.2 Clothing:, In an interview how you present yourself matters the most. You, have to sell yourself out there. Your appearance had to do a lot of it with, that. How you walk, talk, and carry yourself is very important., Clothing for men:, Shirts: a good quality, white button-down or white classic collar, preferred. Most importantly, make sure the shirt is ironed properly., Suits: dark blue, grey, brown, or very muted pin-stripes. A good-quality, woven blend of natural fibers looks professional. Suits should be properly, tailored and freshly dry-cleaned., Shoes: highly polished slip-on or lace dress shoes in black, brown, or, cordovan. Dark socks. Facial hair: no beards; mustaches are a possible, negative. If you must, make sure it is neatly trimmed., Jewellery: no chains, bands, or necklaces showing. No rings other than, wedding rings or college rings. No earrings (if you normally wear one,, take it out.), Clothing for women:, Dresses, suits: conservative business suit or dress of a natural or wovenblend fabric in a soft colour complementing your skin and hair colour -blue, navy, grey, beige, tan or brown. Skirt length should be at least to the, bottom of the knee., Blouses: simple style, white or soft colours. Avoid very frilly styles and, low-cut necklines., Shoes: sensible shoes; polished pumps or medium heels in a colour that, matches your outfit. Purse: (optional) small or medium-size in a colour, that goes with your outfit., Jewellery: simple, minimal. One set of earrings only. No more than one, ring on each hand., , 84
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Mannerism:, 1) First impressions:, When you go for interviews your first impression must be the best., As they say “the first impression is the last”. You may have an excellent, academic record but if you fail to create a good first impression at first, it, might cost you a great deal. Introduce yourself properly with proper, posture. Be calm yet firm with your voice. Always sit straight., Be confident:, There may be moments in the interview where you may think it is, not going well. Keep your head high and try to answer as truthfully as you, can. Sometimes the organization only needs good character candidates and, they purposely make it hard for them. They are checking how truthful and, honest a person you are., 2) Speak less:, Always try to answer in fewer words yet gracefully. Some, questions are predictable, some are not. So, make your answers short and, yet convey whatever you wish to. Be polite and try to avoid being silent, during job interviews., 3) Resume:, Your resume is like your choice of the weapon before going to, war. So wisely design it and always be honest in your resumes. The, resume should have a standard format. Please mention the skills you have,, so that your employer trusts you the first time you meet them. Lying on a, resume won't send you anywhere, , 6.7 SUMMARY, This unit majorly covers all your needs for having a great career, start. Listening is a very essential element in career growth. You must, know how to make the best out of it. Presenting yourself well is another, milestone that one must achieve so as to be great at what they do. Public, Speaking is an art. Speaking requires techniques and a brief understanding, of the difference between holding different conversations at different, levels. To get to the career you want, You must cross the bridge by giving, several interviews. The basics of interviews is well mentioned in the above, unit., , 6.8 UNIT END QUESTIONS, 1, , Differentiate between hearing and listening?, , 2, , State the process of listening?, 85
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3, , How should you strategize your listening?, , 4, , Give an outline for a business presentation?, , 5, , What are the essentials for a presentation?, , 6, , Describe the key points of public speaking?, , 7, , State the types of speaking?, , 8, , Differentiate between casual and business conversations?, , 9, , State the types of questions asked in an interview?, , 10, , Define proper clothing for men and women during an interview?, , 11, , Explain basic mannerisms to be shown during an interview?, , *****, , 86
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Unit III, , 7, DEVELOPING ORAL COMMUNICATIONS, SKILLS FOR BUSINESS, MEETINGS, CONFERENCES & GROUP, DISCUSSIONS, Unit Structure, 7.1 Objectives, 7.2 Introduction, 7.3 Meetings, 7.3.1 Introduction, 7.3.2 Defining “Meeting”, 7.3.3 Purpose of meetings, 7.3.4 Significance of meetings in professional communication, 7.3.5 Conducting a business meeting, 7.4 Conferences, 7.4.1 Gearing Up, 7.4.2 Purpose of Conferences, 7.4.3 Significance of conferences in professional communication, 7.4.4 Conducting a business conference, 7.5 Group Discussions, 7.5.1 Gearing Up, 7.5.2 Significance of group discussion in professional communication, 7.5.3 Holding group discussions, 7.5.4 Self - check your progress, 7.6 Summary, 7.7 Unit End Questions, , 7.1 OBJECTIVES, •, , To understand the nature and significance of meeting, conferences, and group discussions in professional communication, , •, , To acquaint oneself with the process of effectively planning and, conducting meetings, conferences and group discussions in the, professional context, , •, , To acquire rudimentary linguistic skills necessary for professional, communication in meetings, conferences and group discussions, 87
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7.2 INTRODUCTION, Dear student,, Welcome to Unit III of this course. In the earlier units, we studied, •, , The factors that make communication effective,, , •, , The significance of non-verbal, cross cultural and technology enabled, communication in business,, , •, , How to write business messages and documents, and, , •, , How to develop oral communication skills for business through, effective listening, business presentations and public speaking,, conversations and interviews., , In this unit we will continue to explore oral communication skills required, in a professional set up. The unit is divided into three chapters for the, purpose of convenience., •, , In Chapter Seven, we will focus on three significant communicative, situations in business, namely, meetings, conferences and group, discussions. We will understand the nature, features and functions of, these speech events with the help of illustrations and activities., , •, , In Chapter Eight, we will explore the role and function of team, presentations and team briefings and how these can be made, effective., , •, , In Chapter Nine, we will identify communication needs that are, specific to business and how communication across functional areas, can be made effective., , 7.3 MEETINGS, 7.3.1 Introduction:, Do you think meetings are a waste of time, money and energy? Do, you think a surprise and instant meeting is an effective way of professional, communication? Do you think meetings are conducted only to give, instructions and information? Do you think that you do not really require, any specific skill in attending or conducting a meeting? If your answer to, these questions is YES, then you have certainly fallen prey to a common, misconception about business meetings. It, therefore, is necessary to, understand the nature, significance and process of meeting for better, professional communication., , 88
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Source: http://clipart-library.com/meeting-pictures-cartoon.html, After your formal training, you may either join an organisation as, an employee or start your own business. Professional communication will, require you to hold and/or attend meetings. In either case, it is important, that you understand the basic structure and purpose of a meeting and the, relevant key phrases and expressions., 7.3.2 Defining “meeting”:, Let us look at some definitions of “meeting” and find out common, elements in these definitions. Oxford dictionary defines meeting as “an, organized occasion when a number of people come together in order to, discuss or decide something”., Another definition is “an assembly of people for a particular, purpose, especially for formal discussion”., Jasmine Kim (2019) defines a business meeting as “a gathering of, two or more people for the purpose of making decisions or discussing, company objectives and operations”. According to Meeting and, Convention Planners (2009), a meeting is a gathering of two or more, people that has been convened for the purpose of achieving a common, goal through verbal interaction, such as sharing information or reaching an, agreement., Looking at the above definitions we can say that a business, meeting is a kind of group communication with a specific purpose such as, presenting information, discussing specific issues, coming to a resolution,, making decision, or creating a specific plan., 7.3.3 Purpose of meeting:, Let us now look at some of the general objectives in arranging meetings:, •, , Meetings are arranged for the purpose of informing various issues of, the organisation to its stakeholders. In this communication,, information flows from the speaker to the audiences in a one way, direction., , • Sometimes the organisation needs to negotiate with members inside or, 89
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outside the organisation. Here, the flow of communication is two way., •, , Meetings are also arranged to find solution to complex or critical, issues of the organisation. Members in such meetings have diverse, skills and experience which they use to indicate possible solutions to a, problem., , •, , Decision making is an important objective of arranging meetings. It, may involve various regular and specific professional affairs., , •, , Sometimes meetings are arranged to share information and to interact, with members outside the organisational set up, such as consumers,, suppliers, distributors or financers. This kind of interaction is very, important for the survival of any professional organisation., , •, , Government or non-government organisations arrange various, meetings as a legal requirement. For instance, private firm mandatorily, requires arranging statutory meetings, such as a board meeting, within, a specific period in a year., , 7.3.4 Significance of meetings in professional communication:, Imagine that you work at a place where you only receive, instructions about your work. How would you feel if you are not invited to, share your views, ideas and opinions? How would you feel if your, suggestions are not asked for in making certain decisions?, You will surely not consider such a work culture as encouraging., This is why ‘‘meeting’’ as a communicative event becomes important at, workplace. Once you are in a professional set up, you will notice that, meetings are vitally important. They are an important tool that helps, people in a set up feel included and trusted. It makes them feel important, team members as well as gives them a chance to contribute to the success, of the organisation. Compared to one on one conversation, meeting is a, group communication and requires you to have the ability to present your, ideas, views or specific information or reciprocate to that of others in an, effective way., 7.3.5 Conducting a business meeting:, You must note that merely conducting meetings regularly does not, guarantee success. If you do a Google search, you may come across, reports and articles that inform you that a lot of meetings are ineffective., You will realise that the affectivity of meetings depends on how the, meetings are conducted or how you perform in these meetings among, other things. We will now see how you can smoothly start and close a, meeting by following an order and using formal expressions., , 90
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Starting a meeting, A. Introductions:, Many times we conduct business meetings with new clients and, partners. It is necessary that you introduce yourself and others, appropriately. The following are some examples of formal and informal, expressions., Introducing yourself:, ● Let me introduce myself. Ajay Solanki. (Formal), ● I would like to introduce myself. I am Rohini Kale. (Formal), ● Hi, my name is Peter D’Souza. (Informal), ● I am Aziz/ Aayesha. (Informal), Introducing others:, ● Please join me in welcoming Mr. Sarag Yadav. (Formal), ● It is a pleasure to welcome Ms. Sandhya Nair. (Formal), Introducing yourself, Introducing others, Replying to an introduction, ● “Let’s go around the table and introduce ourselves. Ravi, would you, like to start?”, ● Have you met Mr. Anant Singh? (Informal) Replying to an, introduction, It is necessary that you reply to a formal or informal introduction., Thank you. Nice to meet you. (Formal), I am delighted/ pleased to meet you. (Formal), Lovely to meet you. (Informal), How are you? (Informal), B. Reviewing past business:, Sometimes there are follow-up meetings. In such cases, it is, necessary to review the earlier business. If you are the secretary of the, 91
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meeting, you need to do it immediately after introductions. Some useful, expressions are as follows., ● To begin with, I would like to quickly go through the minutes of, our last meeting., ● First, let’s go over the report from the last meeting, which was held, on 28 August 2020., ● Here are the minutes from our last meeting, which was held on 28, August 2020., C. Stating the objectives (useful expressions), ● We are here today to discuss…, ● I would like to ensure that we discuss/take up…, ● This meeting has been called in order to…, ● The purpose of today’s meeting is to …, D. Introducing the agenda, Have you received a copy of the agenda?, Let me share the agenda of this meeting. There are 10 items. First…,, second…, Shall we take the points in this order? First…, If everyone agrees, I would like to go in the following order., A. Interrupting politely:, A. Reviewing past business, B. Stating the objectives, C. Introducing the agenda, D. Interrupting politely, E. Asking Questions, F. Concluding a meeting, Sometimes, we speak over someone accidently or we feel like adding, something to what is being said. It is necessary that we do it politely., Expressions such as, “Sorry, but just to clarify….”, “Sorry, I did not quite hear that, do you mind saying it again?”, “That is an excellent point, Aniket (person’s name). Do you think it, would be a good idea to add another point as well?”, F. Asking Questions:, Any business meeting is a two way communication. To keep the, flow of the meeting all members contribute by sharing their views and, sometimes by asking questions. There are many ways in which questions, may be asked during a meeting. When asking someone for clarification,, 92
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you may say, “Could you explain how …?” or, “I do not fully understand what you mean. Could you explain it in, other words?”, In case you are leading the meeting and you wish to encourage, responses/feedback, you may ask,, “Are there any questions?”, What do you think about this…?” or, “Would anyone like to add to this point?”, G. Concluding a meeting:, The meeting should end by briefly going over the key issues, discussed or action points. The conclusion should make sure that the, individuals present in the meeting leave with a clear idea about the next, steps. Phrases such as “to wrap up”, “to sum up”, “to recap”, “action, points” are useful in ending a meeting. It is considered polite to thank the, audience for attending the meeting. The following are some useful, expressions to conclude the meeting., “Let’s summarize what we have discussed and agreed upon”., “Before we end the meeting, let me summarize the main points”., “To sum up what we have discussed…”, “This brings us to the end of the presentation/meeting. Thank you, very much for attending the meeting”., I wish to thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to be, here today. Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to, be here today., , 7.4 CONFERENCES, 7.4.1 Gearing Up:, Like business meetings, business conferences are an important, channel of professional communication. First we will understand the, meaning of a conference and then we will see its significance in, professional communication. A Conference is, What is a, Conference?, generally understood as a meeting of several people to discuss a particular, topic. It is often confused with a convention. A convention is larger than a, conference; it is a gathering of delegates representing several groups. A, conference is a meeting, often lasting a few days, which is organised on a, particular subject or to bring together people who have a common interest., 93
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At a conference, innovative ideas are thrown about and new information is, exchanged among experts., 7.4.2 Types and Purpose of Conferences:, There can be different types of conferences depending on the purpose. The, following are a few major types of conferences:, •, , An academic conference is a gathering of scientists or academicians,, where research findings are presented or a workshop is conducted., , •, , A business conference is held for people working in the same, company or industry. They come together to discuss new trends, and opportunities pertaining to the business, , •, , A trade conference takes place on a larger scale. Besides businessmen,, there are members of the public who come to network with vendors, and make new connections. Such a conference consists of workshops, and white paper presentations., , Most academic and business conferences have one or more, keynote speakers who will deliver the keynote speech. The speakers are, eminent personalities in the related field and their presence is meant to, attract more people to attend the conference., Let us talk about the business conference and main aims of such, conferences. A business conference is held for people working in the same, company or industry. In essence, a business conference is a gathering of, two or more people to discuss ideas, goals and objectives that concern the, workplace. They come together to discuss new trends and opportunities, pertaining to the business., , Source: https://media.istockphoto.com, Business conference provides a platform for business professionals, and other stakeholders from all around the world to come together to, juxtapose ideas on, for example, how to exploit business in a specific, region or area such as agriculture, health, engineering. A business, conference may consist of networking sessions, exhibitions, trade, transactions, keynote speeches, paper and business proposal presentations,, panel discussions, etc. If you are in charge of running a conference, you, may be required to come up with icebreakers for the attendees or to take, notes, at the conference., 94
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7.4.3 Significance of conferences in professional communication:, You may have a question in mind, “What do conferences, accomplish?” John Mott, one of the founders of the Student Volunteer, Movement, which sent thousands of college students to world missions in, the late 19th and early 20th centuries, said this:, “If I had to do it all over again, I would have had more conferences, because at conferences more critical decisions are made than at any, other place.”, This view of John Mott indicates the significance of conferences., In other words, conferences are facilitators of change. We get time to bond, with others professionally; besides, conferences provide opportunities, 7.4.4 How to prepare for better performance at a Conference:, Planning ahead is one of the most important things you can do to prepare, for better performance at a conference., 1. Take some time before the conference begins to set goals, plan your, agenda, and make a list of people you want to meet while you’re there., You’ll feel more prepared, go into it with increased confidence, and, find value in experiences you may have otherwise overlooked., 2. Create a schedule and plan to leave your comfort zone. Once you, know your goals for attending the conference, you can start making a, plan for what you'll do while you're there., 3. Prepare your elevator pitch and plan to ask unique questions., Everyone's go-to question when meeting new people at conferences is, “What do you do?” That's why it’s important to be prepared with an, elevator pitch: a quick, AN, ELEVATOR PITCH, explanation of who you are, what you do, and why the person you’re, talking to should be interested. Your elevator pitch doesn't need to be, fancy. Just make sure you cover the basics: your name, your role, and, where you work. Then let the person know why you're there and what you, hope to accomplish. Put together, it might sound something like this:, “Hi, I'm Renita. I'm a product manager at XYZ in Mumbai.”, It is possible that you meet someone who might ask you why you came to, the conference., You must be prepared to respond to it with confidence. A response, such as, “I traveled here because I wanted to attend the workshop on swift, development and find out how other companies handle web accessibility, standards’, helps you build a positive self- image., 95
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It is better if you develop the habit of practicing your elevator, pitch. Also you must go into the conference prepared with a list of original, and important questions to ask. This will help you stand out and generate, longer conversations. Moreover, make a point to plan your questions, around your goals for the conference. For example, if your goal is to find a, new job, you might ask manager questions such as:, “What impresses you the most when interviewing new candidates?”, If your goal is to learn new strategies, you might ask:, “Has any strategy you’ve employed surprised you with its success?”, If your goal is to prospect,, “What's the biggest challenge your department is facing right now?”, Remember that it is not always easy to come up with creative, questions spontaneously. Hence, you should plan well in advance. This, will give you an easier time striking up meaningful conversations with the, people you meet at the conference., 4. Present to your team:, When you are a part of an organisation and attend a conference,, you need to communicate what you learned to your team after you return., You must present to your team the highlights of a business conference., Many experts believe that this will help you not only in sharing the, information with your coworkers, but the accountability it requires will, help you think more critically about what you heard and how it applies to, you and the people you work with., 7.4.5 Etiquettes for business conferences:, It is necessary that one follows certain etiquettes while attending business, conferences., 1), , Prepare yourself ahead of time. You need to have a strong agenda for, your conference., , 2), , Introduce yourself and familiarise all other people in the conference., For instance:, “Hi Kiran. This is Aziz from Miraj Technology.”, [Make a point to pause to allow others to greet you]., , 3), , It’s important for you to be loud and clear when you are putting, forward your points., , 4), , You must ensure that you plan your speaking order ahead of time., , 5), , Do not save your questions for the last. Ask right questions at the, right time and correct information at the right time., 96
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7.5 GROUP DISCUSSIONS, 7.5.1 Gearing Up:, Group discussion is an important activity in academic, business, and administrative spheres. Let us now discuss the definition, structure, and significance of group discussion in professional communication. So, the first question is, “What is a Group Discussion?”, In general, it is defined as a form of systematic and purposeful oral, What is Group Discussion?, process characterised by the formal and structured exchange of views on a, particular topic, issue, problem or situation for developing information, and understanding essential for decision making or problem solving., Here the exchange of ideas, thoughts and feelings, through oral communication. The exchange of ideas takes, systematic and structured way. The participants sit facing, almost in a semi-circle and express their views on the given, problem., , take place, place in a, each other, topic/issue/, , It is essentially an interactive oral process. The group members, need to listen to each other and use voice and gesture effectively, use clear, language and persuasive style., Group Discussion involves a lot of group dynamics, that is, it, involves both person to person as well as group to group interactions., Every group member has to develop a goal oriented or group oriented, interaction. A participant needs to be aware of needs of other group, members and the overall objectives of the discussion., Debate is competitive in nature while group discussion is a coIs a Group, Discussion similar to a Debate?, operative group process. In a debate, a speaker can speak either “for” the, topic or “against” the topic whereas in a group discussion, the speaker can, express both. The final decision or result in a debate depends on voting,, while in a group discussion, the group reaches group consensus., 7.5.2 Significance, communication:, , of, , Group, , Discussion, , in, , professional, , A general question is “Why is group discussion an important, activity at professional development?” Group Discussion helps problem, solving, decision making and personality assessment. Whether one is a, 97
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student, a job seeker, a professional engineer or a company executive, one, needs effective group discussion skills. Students need to participate in, academic discussions, meetings, classroom sessions or selection GDs for, admission to professional courses. A job-seeker may be required to face, selection GDs as part of the selection process. Professionals have to, participate in different meetings at the workplace. In all these situations,, an ability to make a significant contribution to group deliberation and, helping the group in the process of decision making is required., The importance of group discussion has increased in recent times, due to its increasing role as an effective tool in a) problem solving b), decision making c) personality assessment. In any situation or problem,, the perceptions of different people are discussed, possible solutions are, suggested. The best option is chosen by the group. While taking a, decision, the matter is discussed, analysed, interpreted and evaluated., As a student training to be a professional, it helps you to train, yourself to discuss and argue about the topic given, and to express your, views on serious subjects and in formal situations. It improves your, thinking, listening and speaking skills. It also promotes your confidence, level., Group discussion is an effective tool in problem solving, decision, making and personality assessment. Group discussion skills may ensure, academic success, popularity and good admission or job offer. Thus it is, important to be able to take part in a group discussion effectively and, confidently. Participants should know how to speak with confidence, how, to exhibit leadership skills and how to make the group achieve the goals., According to experts, through a group discussion you can show:, • How good you are at communicating with other people, • How easily you behave and interact with the other group members, • How open minded you are, • How flexible or rigid you are in accepting the viewpoints of others in, the group, • Your leadership skills, • Your analytical abilities, • Problem solving and critical thinking skills, • Time management skills, • Your skills at putting forth your ideas in an unbiased manner, • Social attitude and confidence., 7.5.3 Holding group discussions:, A group discussion is not like a meeting. It is unstructured. There, is neither a chairperson/secretary nor is there any detailed agenda. The, members gather to discuss a specific problem or issue. Similarly, any, 98
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member can give a preview of what points are likely to arise, provide an, internal summary of the views expressed up to a point of time and, summaries the discussion towards the end. However it is binding on each, member to ensure that the discussion proceeds smoothly in an orderly, fashion, leading to the emergence of a solution, a common viewpoint or a, course of action. Display of anger, emotion and excitement are not, welcome in a group discussion., The process of group discussion:, Though we said earlier that there is no specific structure to a group, discussion, there is a certain process that makes it organised. This includes, initiation, development and conclusion. Let us discuss it in a little more, detail., Initiation: There is a need for someone to initiate the group discussion., To put the topic into the right perspective is the initiator’s responsibility., Hence it is advised that you should initiate a group discussion only when, know the topic well., Development: Main part where all the members express their viewpoints., May politely agree, disagree. Speaker should not be interrupted while, speaking. Entire group must be addressed., Conclusion: Generally, group discussion doesn’t have a conclusion., However, the discussion is summarised. The summary must be brief. All, important points should be covered. The focus should not be on the, personal views alone. No new points must be stated here., , Source https://www.istockphoto.com, , There are certain misconceptions about group discussion. Let us know, more about it., # Myth No.1: You should be aggressive, # Myth No.2: You should speak more., # Myth No.3: You should speak in favor., # Myth No.4: You should cut down your opponents., # Myth No.5: You should make others agree to your point, 99
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# Myth No.6: You should be an individual Speaker., # Myth No.7: You should project yourself in style., Remember, that these seven myths can block the chances of a, smooth professional communication. Hence, you need to discard while, participating in group discussion., Let us take a look at the points that can make your contribution in any, group discussion stand out., # Rule No.1: Think before you speak., # Rule No.2: Pick up hints from the discussion and judiciously add points, that come to your mind with regards to the topic, in case you don’t, know much about the topic., # Rule No.3: Back up your points with facts and figures if needed., # Rule No.4: Be gentle and sure in your presentation of views., # Rule No.5: Speak to-the-point and make sure that you do not repeat the, points., # Rule No.6: Be calm and composed while speaking., # Rule No.7: Listen to others., # Rule No.8: Have respectful attitude towards the viewpoints of others., # Rule No.9: Maintain a body language that conveys your ease of, behavior., # Rule No.10: Intervene when necessary. Especially when the discussion, may take a hostile turn, this can help in making the situation relaxed., This act of yours will show your leadership and problem solving skills., , 7.6 SUMMARY, Dear students, let us conclude now. In this chapter we studied three, significant communicative situations in business, namely, meetings,, conferences and group discussions. We understood the nature, features, and functions of these speech events. We saw how to make use of, appropriate expressions in various situations., , 7.7 UNIT END QUESTIONS, 1. What do you understand by business meeting? How is it important in, professional communication?, 2. Write a note on the use of appropriate language during a business, meeting., 3. What are the important elements of a business meeting? Briefly, discuss each element., 4. What is a “conference”? Discuss different types of conference, according to their purpose., 100
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5. Discuss the significance of a ‘‘business conference’’ in professional, communication., 6. In what ways can one prepare for a better performance at a business, conference?, 7. What verbal and nonverbal etiquettes should one follow at a business, conference?, Explain with examples:, 8. What is group discussion? How is it different from a debate?, 9. What is the significance of group discussion in professional, communication?, 10. In what ways can you make your performance at a group discussion, effective?, 11. What are the popular myths about group discussion? Which rules can, help you to avoid such myths?, , *****, , 101
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8, TEAM PRESENTATIONS &, TEAM BRIEFING, Unit Structure, 8.1 Objectives, 8.2 Introduction, 8.3 Team presentations: Gearing up, 8.4 Planning and executing a team presentation, 8.5 Use of Language, 8.6 Signposting in team presentation, 8.7 Summary, 8.8 Exercise, 8.9 Team briefings: Gearing up, 8.10 Organising a team briefing, 8.11 Presenting/ managing the team briefing, 8.12 Use of Language, 8.13 Summary, 8.14 Unit End Questions, , 8.1 OBJECTIVES, After studying this unit, you will be able to:, •, , Introduce learners to the concepts of Team Presentations and Team, Briefing, , •, , Familiarise them with the process of effectively planning and, executing team presentations and team briefings, , •, , Develop effective communication and presentation skills so as to, enable them to express confidently interpersonally as well as in large, groups, , 8.2 INTRODUCTION, This chapter introduces you to the concepts of team presentation, and team briefing and explains the skills and strategies for effective, planning and execution of the same. Beginning with the meaning of these, activities, the chapter introduces the learner to their structure, significance, in the professional arena, the language used and strategies for planning,, 102
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organisation and successful delivery of team presentations and team, briefings., The chapter also provides samples to enable better understanding, and reinforcement of the same., , 8.3 TEAM PRESENTATIONS: GEARING UP, 8.3.1 Owing the ABC of Team Presentations (What is TP):, A group presentation or team presentation is a collaborative, presenting effort in which a team of people seek out, report and explain, information concerning a specific topic to an audience. The team members, could be colleagues, start-up partners, classmates, etc., depending upon the, nature and purpose of the presentation. Giving a group presentation, requires all the participants to make decisions together, negotiate and, share responsibilities, and collaborate symbiotically to research and, develop a set of solutions to a research problem. Broadly, a group, presentation serves the following purposes:, i) To inform, ii) To persuade, iii) To build goodwill, 8.3.2 Significance of Team Presentations:, “A small group of thoughtful people could change the world., Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”, - Margaret Mead, Team presentations are a significant aspect of all academic and, business ventures today and the combined expertise of several individuals, is becoming increasingly necessary in many vocational (those which are, concerned with a specific occupation) and a vocational (those which are, beyond a specific occupation) presentations. In academics, team, presentations are commonly assigned to the learners as they combine the, co-operative learning benefits of working in groups with the active, learning benefits of speaking in front of an audience. Team presentations, in business may range from a business team exchanging sales data, the, research and development teams discussing business expansion ideas, to, annual report presentations by the boards of directors. Even in the, government, private, and public sectors there are several committees that, participate in briefings, conference presentations, and other formal, presentations. Therefore, it is nowadays becoming exceedingly common, for group presentations to be requested, created, and delivered in order, to bring together the expertise of several people in a single presentation so, as to promote efficiency and productivity., , 103
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8.3.3 Types of Team Presentations:, i) Informational:, This type of team presentation focuses on providing information, about a specific topic and explaining it to the audience. The presenters, share their expertise and exchange information., ii) Instructional:, Instructional group presentations are those that give instructions, and explain detailed steps to help the audience about a new process,, product or skill., iii) Persuasive:, •, •, •, •, , Informational, Persuasive, Instructional, Goodwill, , Persuasive team presentations are those where the presenters try to, convince/persuade an idea to the listener, specifically targeting their pain, points. This type of presentations is commonly employed for start-ups or, new projects., iv) Goodwill:, The purpose of goodwill team presentations is to build goodwill, and maintain professional relationships., , 8.4 PLANNING, PRESENTATION, , AND, , EXECUTING, , A, , TEAM, , Step One: Before the Presentation:, i) When to begin:, Planning of the logistics should begin well in advance so as to, allow sufficient time for brain-storming and development of mature and, concrete ideas. Completing the basic yet crucial tasks involved in, presenting a topic, such as division of duties, designation of a moderator,, designing the slide templates etc., at an early stage helps to save time later, and allows the team to focus solely on effectively delivering the, presentation., ii) Sharing the responsibility:, Each member of the team should be assigned an equal role in, 104
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preparation of the presentation and should be given the same amount of, information for presentation. The team must, however, unanimously elect, a moderator to lead the presentation and decide what each team member, will speak about depending upon their interests and capabilities. This, ensures that each member shares the responsibility for development of the, outline and drafting of the content in their own section., iii) Organising the content:, The presentation should be broadly organised in the following manner:, -, , Introduction: The presentation should begin with an introduction, about the team, followed by a brief description of the topic along with, its purpose, significance and limitations., , -, , The Body: This is the crucial part of any presentation and should, provide detailed information and explanation to the audience about the, topic., , -, , Conclusion: The conclusion must summarize the entire topic and state, the goals and uses of the presentation. A conclusion should be, designed such that it leaves the audience with a positive feeling about, the presenters and their ideas/ opinions., , iv) Developing the Content:, While developing content for each section of the presentation, the, following points should be remembered:, - Sequence of the speakers, - Time to be allotted to each section and each speaker, - Use and content of the PowerPoint presentation or any other audio visual aid., - Person in-charge of the use of any technology, This exercise ensures that the narrative around each section of the, presentation is in sync and flows smoothly. The team should then create a, deadline for completing the work assigned to each team member., v) Rehearsing the Presentation:, Group presentations face unique logistical challenges which are, beyond merely developing the content of the presentation. Therefore, it is, critical to practice the presentation as a group (along with the use of, technology) in order to co-ordinate transitions and to identify and make, any changes, if required. This also provides an opportunity to the team, members to offer suggestions and constructive criticism, and helps them, become more comfortable speaking in front of people., , 105
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Step Two: During the Presentation, i) Introduction:, The presentation should begin with the moderator introducing the team, by giving each member’s name and a brief description of the topic. This, sets the tone for the entire presentation and reflects team unity and, professionalism., ii) When the other team members are presenting:, The team should remember that even if another member is, engaging the presentation, the audience can observe everyone in the, group. Therefore, it is imperative that each team member appears engaged, and does not look bored or distracted while others are speaking. They, should pay attention to each other and respond positively to the presenter, using non-verbal cues such as, nodding the head, etc., so as to emphasize, the points being made by the presenter., iii) Speaker Transitions and Coordination:, The team member who is presenting should position themselves in, the foreground and the other members should stand a few steps behind., When the presenter is done speaking, s/he should step back and the next, presenter should position themselves at the fore. This choreography allows, the audience to know who the next speaker will be and ensures a smooth, and co-ordinated delivery throughout the presentation., iv) Use of Visual/ Audio-Visual Aids:, The use of slides or other multimedia aids should be planned and, choreographed in advance. The team should coordinate who in the group, handles the technology to avoid fumbling and confusion, and should have, a plan in place for passing on the responsibility to someone else in the, group, when it is that presenter’s chance to deliver., v) Conclusion:, At the end of the presentation, the moderator should step forward, to conclude and thank the audience and ask if there are any questions. If, the question is asked about a particular section of the presentation, s/he, should politely delegate it to the team member who presented that part., The team should be courteous and close all their slides or other, multimedia aids before stepping away., , 8.5 USE OF LANGUAGE, Language plays an important role in ensuring that the presentation, is effective, engaging and easy to follow. Therefore, the following points, should be kept in mind while developing the presentation content and its, 106
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delivery:, i), Use simple words and short sentences, ii) Avoid the use of jargon unless you are certain the audience is, familiar with it, iii) Talk about concrete facts rather than abstract ideas, iv) Avoid the use of passive voice as use of verbs in the active voice is, easier to understand and more impactful, , 8.6 SIGNPOSTING IN TEAM PRESENTATION, Signpost language is the use of words and phrases that guides the, audience through the presentation. The table below lists some useful, expressions that can be used to signpost the different sections of the, presentation:, Section of presentation, Signpost language, The subject/topic of my talk is ..., Introducing the topic, I’m going to talk about ..., My topic today is…, My talk is concerned with ..., Overview (outline of presentation) I’m going to divide this talk into, four parts., There are a number of points I'd, like to make., Basically/ Briefly, I have three, things to say. I'd like to begin/start, by ..., Let's begin/start by ..., First of all, I'll..., … and then I’ll go on to …, Then/ Next ..., Finally/ Lastly ..., Turning to..., Finishing a section, Let’s turn now to …, So much for..., Moving on now to …, Starting a new section, That's all I have to say about..., We've looked at..., The next issue/topic/area, I’d like to focus on …, I’d like to expand/elaborate on …, Now we'll move on to..., I'd like now to discuss..., Analysing a point and giving Where does that lead us?, Let's consider this in more detail..., recommendations, What does this mean for...?, Translated into real terms... Why, is this important?, 107
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The significance of this is..., For example,..., A good example of this is..., As an illustration,..., To give you an example,..., To illustrate this point..., To sum up ..., Summarising and concluding, Right, let's sum up, shall we?, Let's summarise briefly what we've, looked at... If I can just sum up the, main points..., Finally, let me remind you of some, of the issues we've covered..., To conclude..., In conclusion ..., So, to remind you of what I’ve, covered, in, this, talk,, …, Unfortunately, I seem to have run, out of time, so I’ll conclude very, briefly by saying that …, I'd like now to recap..., Simply put ..., Paraphrasing and clarifying, In other words ..., So what I’m saying is.... To put it, more simply.... To put it another, way ..., Invitation to discuss / ask I’m happy to answer any queries/, questions. Does anyone have any, questions, questions or comments? Please, feel free to ask questions., If you would like me to elaborate, on any point, please ask., Would you like to ask any, questions? Any questions?, Giving examples, , https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/business/talkingbusin, ess/unit3presentat ions, i) Use of appropriate non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, eye, contact, and hand gestures also impact the effectiveness and success of, a presentation., , 8.7 SUMMARY, In this section you got introduced to the concept of team, presentations and its significance in today’s professional arena. Then you, briefly got familiar with the types of team presentations. The section, 108
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detailed you the process of effectively planning and executing a team, presentation. Towards the end, you got information about the kind of, language that makes a team presentation effective, engaging and easy to, understand., , 8.8 UNIT END QUESTIONS, Form groups of three to four learners and ask them to create and, deliver a presentation about a social media (Facebook, Twitter, music, downloads, Linkedin, Photosharing, etc.) for a start-up company., , 8.9 TEAM BRIEFINGS: GEARING UP, 8.9.1 Owing the ABC of Team Briefings:, Team briefing is a type of meeting in which the entire team and the, manager come together in person with the purpose of sharing information,, asking questions and providing feedback. Broadly speaking, the purpose, of team briefing is two-fold:, i) To circulate relevant and important information to all the team, members in a timely, concise and clear manner., ii) To ensure that each team member understands the information, provided so that appropriate action can be initiated., Thus, team briefings are an efficient system that ensures upwards,, downwards and horizontal communication in an organisation., 8.9.2 Significance of Team Briefing:, I. Team briefing serves as a channel to communicate messages in a clear, and concise manner and encourage open communication., II. It helps in preventing gossips and rumours from gaining credibility and, curtails the grapevine thus, ensuring very little or no, misunderstandings., III.It promotes vertical as well as horizontal communication in an, organisation thus, ensuring its smooth functioning., IV. It helps the management identify, understand and address the, problems, questions and suggestions of the team members thus,, effectively providing regular feedback., V. It ensures that all team members are abreast about the policy, decisions, performance, problems etc. of the organisation., VI. It develops unity amongst all levels of the organisation by promoting, involvement and a shared sense of the vision and mission., , 109
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8.10 ORGANISING A TEAM BRIEFING, i) Setting the Briefing Calendar:, The manager/ individual responsible for organising and delivering, the team briefing should first try to set a series of dates and the time for, the briefing to be engaged periodically. This ensures that the team, members are aware of the briefing dates and time well in advance and can, mark them in their calendars. While setting the briefing calendar, the, manager should aim for the date and time which would be convenient to, most of the team members so as to ensure maximum attendance., ii) Size of the Team:, The number of members in a team briefing should be between four and, fifteen as larger groups hinder open communication., iii) Venue:, Based upon the number of team members, arrangements essential to, conduct the team briefing, convenience and accessibility, a suitable venue, should be finalised., iv) Agenda:, A clearly worded agenda should be prepared for each team briefing., v) Publicising the Team Briefing Notice:, Once all the arrangements for the team briefing are in place, the, members should be given the notice of the same well in advance to ensure, maximum participation., vi) Preparing the Brief:, The manager should ensure that s/he has sufficient time to prepare for, the briefing, gain familiarity with the material, and prepare to answer, anticipated questions and to provide relevant additional information if, asked for., , 8.11 PRESENTING/ MANAGING THE TEAM BRIEFING, When the team briefing is underway, the manager should ensure the, following procedure:, i), , Explain the purpose of the session to the members in clear and, concise manner, , ii), , Make a note of the absent members, 110
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iii), , Discuss each item in the agenda systematically and allow the, members to voice their opinions while ensuring that they do not, ramble aimlessly, , iv), , Address all the questions and queries raised by the participants in a, polite, clear and crisp manner, , v), , Encourage the members to give their feedback and note down, important points, , vi), , Encourage each member to actively participate in the discussion and, acknowledge all contributions, , vii) Ensure that the briefing stays on track, viii) At the end of the briefing, summarise the entire session and remind, the team of the date and time of the next briefing, , 8.12 USE OF LANGUAGE, Language plays an important role in ensuring that the team brief is, effective, engaging and easy to understand. While executing a team, briefing, the manager should keep in mind the following points:, i) Use simple words and short sentences, and avoid the use of unfamiliar, technicalities or excessive jargon., ii) Try to be informative, clear and concise. At times, a message may, have to be repeated to make sure that all the members have understood, it but, it should be done concisely., iii) Talk about concrete facts rather than abstract ideas and support your, statements with valid reasons., iv) Use examples and instances that the members will relate to and keep, the tone of the briefing fairly informal to efficiently engage the, members and to keep them interested., v) Do not be patronising or overly apologetic. It makes the speaker, appear nervous and may give the impression that s/he does not wholly, agree with the statements being made., vi) Answer all questions calmly, maintaining direct eye contact and in a, direct and positive manner., vii) Use appropriate non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, eye, contact, hand gestures etc. to emphasize the points/ statements being, made., , 8.14 SUMMARY, This section introduced you to the concept of team briefings and its, significance in today’s professional arena. You got familiar with the, factors that go into organising team briefings. The section then detailed, you the process of effectively planning and executing team briefings and, 111
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concluded with providing the learner information about the kind of, language that makes a group presentation effective, engaging and easy to, understand., , 8.15 UNIT END QUESTIONS, 1., , What do you understand by ‘‘Team Presentations’’? In what ways are, the team presentations significant in professional communication?, , 2., , Write a note on types of team presentations., , 3., , Which are two major steps in team presentations? Discuss in details., , 4., , Write a note signposting in team presentations., , 5., , What is ‘‘team briefing’’? Why is it important in professional, communication?, , 6., , How does one organise team briefings?, , 7., , Discuss ways of managing team briefing., , 8., , What kind of language should be used in team briefing?, , *****, , 112
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9, COMMUNICATION ACROSS, FUNCTIONAL AREAS, Unit Structure, 9.1 Objectives, 9.2 Introduction, 9.3 Functional areas in an, 9.4 Role of oral communication across functional areas, 9.5 Types of oral communication across functional areas, 9.6 Effective oral communication for productive organisational outcome, 9.7 Sample Situations, 9.8 Summary, 9.9 Unit End Exercise, , 9.1 OBJECTIVES, After studying this unit you will be able to:, 1. Comprehend the concept of communication, functional areas in an, organization, cross-functional team and the role of oral communication, across these functional areas, 2. Recognize the types of oral communication across functional areas, 3. Apply oral communication across functional areas, , 9.2 INTRODUCTION, Dear students, we do understand that communication is an art and, systematic way of sharing thoughts, ideas, information, experiences,, feelings, knowledge, data, etc. A good or an effective communicator, becomes successful in personal relationships and professional dealings., You might run into the challenge of communicating in a crossfunctional team if you work for a large organization. A cross-functional, team is a group of employees from different functional areas working, together. Some common functional areas are Management, Production,, Marketing/Promotion, Public Relation, Human Resource Sales, Finance, and Technology. That means you need to work and communicate with, someone from Management, Production, Marketing/Promotion and, Technology i.e. software development in the cross-functional team., Hence, you must understand the shared concepts/language used for, communication that is part of each functional area. The cross-training, 113
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programmes among the team members from different functional areas, are useful for effective communication. For example, a software developer, may not be interested in understanding conversion rates and process of, sales, but in a cross-functional team s/he has to learn all these different, concepts/terms as this shared language is an essential part of what makes, these teams effective. Alternatively, it may be very hard for salespeople to, learn about software. Thus, effective communication is much more, needed., You can make decisions quickly once you understand the shared, language and communicate effectively. You must be able to ask questions,, contribute to the group discussions so as to reach consensus. You must be, at ease while sharing or receiving the information. In all, you must exhibit, etiquettes (use of apt expressions, patience, etc.) while communicating, with other team members. You must be able to communicate and offer, small training sessions whereby you being team member communicates, some key concepts to the rest of the team., These meaningful activities can help you to communicate, effortlessly in different functional areas in an organization. The following, functional areas in an organization are discussed subsequently., , 9.3 FUNCTIONAL AREAS IN AN ORGANIZATION, 9.3.1 Identifying Functional Areas:, Students, as discussed earlier, Management, Production,, Marketing/Promotion, Public reaction/relation, Human Resource, etc. are, few of the important functional areas in an organization. Discussion over, these functional areas will enable you to identify the key people and, explain their activities within the functional area. Further, you will, understand the upward, downward and lateral communication that takes, place within these functional areas., Different functions within a business are performed and controlled, by different parts of the business just as different functions in the human, body are performed and regulated by different organs. The following are a, few aims for setting the functional areas. One of the reasons for separating, business operations into functional areas is to allow each to operate within, its area of expertise, thus building efficiency and effectiveness across the, business as a whole. Each department carries out the tasks that relate to its, particular area. The specific areas are responsible for supporting specific, types of aims and objectives, for example, human resources (HR) will be, involved in arranging staff training activities. The key functional areas of a, business discussed are the Management, Operations, Marketing,, Accounting, and Finance., 9.3.2 Management:, The primary role of managers in business is to supervise other, 114
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people’s performance. S/He deals with Planning, Organizing, Controlling,, Leading etc. Here, the communication (oral/written) with all the, stakeholders plays very important role., 9.3.3 Operations:, Operations is where inputs (factors of production) are converted to, outputs (goods and services). The operations manager is responsible for, overseeing the day-to-day business operations, which can encompass, everything from ordering raw materials to scheduling workers to produce, tangible goods. Hence, his/her communication (oral/written) plays very, important role in achieving targets., 9.3.4 Marketing:, Marketing is done in order to identify customers’ needs, design, products and services accordingly. It also includes promotion for, goods/services and their delivery, pricing strategy in order to be, competitive. Further, the production and distribution of publicity, materials, such as catalogues or brochures is also the responsibility of, Marketing. Nowadays, technology-driven communication (e.g., use of, websites, blogs, social media campaigns, etc.) is crucial for marketing., 9.3.5 Accounting:, Accountants help managers in making decisions about the, provision of resources. This area maintains financial transactions and, largely deals with costs, budgets, asset allocation, and performance, appraisal etc. Most of the times written communication is preferred., 9.3.6 Finance:, Although related to accounting, the finance function involves, planning for, obtaining, and managing a company’s funds. It deals with, producing invoices, checking payments, recording received money,, preparing the payroll and staff salaries, monitoring budgets, producing, financial reports, etc., 9.3.7 Human Resource:, Human Resources deals with the advertising job vacancies and, promotion opportunities, keeping records of all job applications and, accordingly arranging interviews, arranging staff training and encouraging, professional development, keeping records of grievances and disciplinary,, carrying out company welfare policies, and in all maintaining the staff, records. Thus, you will find that constant and effective communication, and cooperation is needed in all the functional areas in order to achieve its, aims and objectives of business. The joint decisions have to be made, among departments or in their staff to address key issues/problems., 115
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Hence, the departmental links are very essential in functional areas. These, links are established with effective communication. In view of this, the, role of oral communication across functional areas is discussed., , 9.4 ROLE OF ORAL COMMUNICATION ACROSS, FUNCTIONAL AREAS, As discussed earlier, a constant and effective communication is, crucial in all the functional areas of any business. A constant and effective, communication among all the stakeholders of a business helps in the, achievement of its aims and objectives., Joint decisions have to be made among departments or their staff, to address key issues/problems. Hence, the departmental links are very, essential in functional areas. These links are established with effective, communication. In view of this, the role of oral communication across, functional areas is discussed., Students, you might have noticed that in any business, internal, communication is used for receiving/sending messages within the, organization, keeping the employees well informed about day-to-day, schedule/information regarding operations. This helps to build a sense of, trust among the employees and further triggers their performance., Likewise, external communication too is used in order to link the, organization with the outside world. Unlike internal communication,, external communication flows outward. It addresses people outside the, organization, like prospective customers, competitors, public, press, media, and the government. External communication can take place in various, ways and through different channels. This really helps the organization to, convey to other organizations of its status and ultimately helps in building, public relations., In all, internal and external communication can prepare for, competitive spirit and quality oriented performance for the betterment of, the business. Now we will discuss important types of communication, across functional areas., , 9.5 TYPES OF ORAL COMMUNICATION ACROSS, FUNCTIONAL AREAS, , 116
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9.5.1, Upward, Communication, Organization/Management):, , (Function, , area:, , Large organizations have different hierarchical levels or tiers., Banks, finance companies, insurance businesses, railways, and such other, people-oriented organizations typically have a 3- or a 4-tier structure. The, process of communication to be complete and effective should encompass, all these levels and tiers. Upward communication is one which moves, upward, i.e., from the bottom to the top levels in the hierarchy., Any communication that moves from employees to supervisors,, supervisors to managers, managers to executives, regional manager to, general manager and so on, maybe categorized as upward communication., Similarly, communication from branches to regional offices, regional, offices to zonal offices, zonal offices to head office is also referred to as, upward communication. Employee suggestions, market reports,, performance reports, feedback on new products and requests for facilities, or instructions are all examples of upward communication in the, organizational context., 9.5.2. Downward Communication (Human Resource Management):, Downward communication moves from the top to the bottom, i.e.,, from the CEO downwards. It travels through senior executives to junior, level functionaries, from the controlling office to the branch, from the, head of the division to the head of the unit. Corporate goals, business, priorities, motivational letters, work-related instructions, newsletters,, letters from the CEO/General Manager’s desk are all typical examples of, downward communication., 9.5.3 Formal Communication:, Towards ensuring communication on an on-going basis,, organizations develop formal systems. Staff meetings, union-management, meetings, branch managers’’ conferences, periodical sales review, meetings and customer meets are examples of forums that facilitate formal, communication. (This has been discussed in chapter I), 117
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9.5.4 Lateral Communication (peer level):, Lateral communication generally takes place in an organization, and is neither upward nor downward. It proceeds in a horizontal manner, and takes place among equals and at peer level. It may also be described, as peer-level communication., Any communication that takes place, orally or in writing, from one, branch head to the other, from one division head to the other, from one, group head to the other, may be described as lateral communication. An, important point worth noting in any such lateral communication is that, there is not much difference in terms of the hierarchical levels or positions, of the sender and the receiver., 9.5.5 External Communication (Functional area: Marketing and, Promotion):, Unlike internal communication, external communication flows, outward. It addresses people outside the organization, like prospective, customers, competitors, public, press, media and the government. External, communication can take place in various ways and through different, channels., Letters, notices, brochures, demonstrations, telephone calls,, business meetings, press releases, press conferences, audio-visual, presentations, publicity films product launch events and advertisements, are all examples of external communication. It is important to note that the, external agency or person targeted through such communication quite, often forms an image or impression based on such communication and it, is, therefore, very necessary that adequate care is taken in making it clear,, intelligible and appealing., , 9.6 EFFECTIVE ORAL COMMUNICATION FOR, PRODUCTIVE ORANGANISAITONAL OUTCOME, Effective Communication is significant for managers in the, organizations so as to perform the basic functions of management, i.e.,, planning, organizing, leading and controlling. Communication helps, managers to perform their jobs and responsibilities. Communication, serves as a foundation for planning. All the essential information must be, communicated to the managers who, in turn, must communicate the, plans so as to implement them. Organizing also requires effective, communication with others about their job task. Similarly, leaders as, managers must communicate effectively with their subordinates so as to, achieve team goals. Controlling is not possible without written and oral, communication. Managers devote a great part of their time in, communication. They generally devote approximately 6 hours per day in, communicating. They spend great time on face-to-face or telephonic, communication with their superiors, subordinates, colleagues, customers, 118
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or suppliers. Managers also use written communication in form of letters,, reports or memos wherever oral communication is not feasible., Thus, we can say that “effective communication is a building, block of successful organizations”. In other words, communication acts, as organizational blood., The importance of communication in an organization can be, summarized as follows: Communication promotes motivation by, informing and clarifying the employees about the task to be done, the, manner they are performing the task, and how to improve their, performance if it is not up to the mark., Communication is a source of information to the organizational, members for the decision-making process as it helps identifying and, assessing alternative course of actions. Communication also plays a, crucial role in altering individual’s attitudes, i.e., a well- informed, individual will have better attitude than a less-informed individual., Organizational magazines, journals, meetings and various other forms of, oral and written communication help in moulding employee’s attitudes., Communication also helps in socializing. In today’s life the only, presence of another individual fosters communication. It is also said that, one cannot survive without communication., As we discussed earlier, communication also assists in controlling, process. It helps controlling organizational member’s behaviour in various, ways. There are various levels of hierarchy and certain principles and, guidelines that employees must follow in an organization. They must, comply with organizational policies, perform their job role efficiently and, communicate any work problem and grievance to their superiors. Thus,, communication helps in controlling function of management., An effective and efficient communication system requires, managerial proficiency in delivering and receiving messages. A manager, must discover various barriers to communication analyse the reasons for, their occurrence and take preventive steps to avoid those barriers. Thus,, the primary responsibility of a manager is to develop and maintain an, effective communication system in the organization., Communication within a business can involve different types of, employees and different functional parts of an organization. These patterns, of communication are called flows, and they are commonly classified, according to the direction of interaction: downward, upward, horizontal,, diagonal, external., , 9.7 SAMPLE SITUATIONS, 1. Try to visualise in what way you will communicate (while speaking), 119
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•, •, •, •, , On telephone calls with consumer, In business meetings with senior and with junior, In press releases/press conferences about the launching of new product, In audio-visual presentations made for other company to have shares, , (Notice the level of formality, use of language/vocabulary, the context,, expressions and etiquettes etc.), 2) Consider yourself as H R Manager and write down a dialogue in the, way you will communicate with other Managers in business meeting. You, must ponder over the following questions and accordingly write down the, dialogue:, How often do I get inputs from others?, Do I ask follow-up questions in the conversation?, Am I secretly bruised or defensive if the group responds, enthusiastically to someone else’s ideas over mine?, How happy are you with our work together?, How could I make your job easier?, Are you satisfied with my communication?, What’s your management style?, How do you approach feedback?, What do you do in your role and how do you see our partnership, working?, What ideas do you have for our team that we can work on together?, Does it affect the broader team?, Will process be affected?, Does it change how someone may allocate resources?, Would I want to be looped in if I were the other manager?, Have I given the other person the benefit of the doubt?, Have I Communicated directly?, Could you share your point of view?, What do you see as the root cause of this conflict?, What steps can we take together to ensure this doesn’t happen again?, Etc., , 9.8 SUMMARY, We are aware of the joint decisions that are made among, departments to address key issues/problems. Hence, the departmental links, are very essential in functional areas. These links are established with, effective communication. Thus, the constant and effective communication, is essential in all the functional areas of any business. The constant and, effective communication among all the stakeholders of the business helps, in the achievement of its aims and objectives., 120
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9.9 UNIT END QUESTIONS, 1. Visit any company/organization and list down the functional areas., Summarise the types of communication used by these functional areas., 2. Visit any company/organization and analyse the role of oral, communication, across, the, functional, areas, of, the, company/organisation. Suggest some measures/tips for effective, communication for the company/organisation., 3. What do you understand by functional areas of organization? How, does the functional area impact the nature of communication?, 4. Discuss the types of oral communication across functional areas of, organization., 5. What role does oral communication play across functional areas of, organization?, 1. Write notes on:, a) Functional Areas in an organization, b) Upward communication across functional areas in an organization, c) Downward communication across functional areas in an organization, d) Internal communication across functional areas in an organization, e) External communication across functional areas in an organization, f) Lateral communication in an organization, , REFERENCES, , , Barnard, Dom. “Common Business English Phrases for a Workplace, Meeting.” VirtualSpeech, VirtualSpeech, 12 Sept. 2018,, virtualspeech.com/blog/english-phrases-workplace-meeting., , , , Beare, Kenneth. “Here's an Overview of Phrases You Can Use to Run, a Meeting.” ThoughtCo, 1 Jan. 2018, www.thoughtco.com/phrasesfor-running-a-business-meeting-1209021., , , , Club, English. “Meetings Vocabulary.” EnglishClub, 2020,, www.englishclub.com/business- english/meetings-vocabulary.htm., , , , Contributor, Chron. “Effective Business Communication in Meetings.”, Small Business - Chron.com, Chron.com, 1 Dec. 2020,, smallbusiness.chron.com/effective-business-communication-meetings2883.html., , , , Crutweets. “The Importance of Conferences: Cru.” Cru.org, 2019,, www.cru.org/us/en/train-andgrow/leadership-training/starting-aministry/start/send/the-importance-of-conferences.html., , , , Garth, Andrew. “Lesson Share: A Business Conference.”, Onestopenglish, 5 Sept. 2016, www.onestopenglish.com/a-businessconference/555467.article., 121
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, , “Group Discussion.” WikiEducator,, wikieducator.org/Group_Discussion., , , , Harry. “How to Start a Business Meeting in English - Business English, with Harry.” English Lesson via Skype, 17 Feb. 2020,, www.englishlessonviaskype.com/how-to-start-a-business-meeting-inenglish/., , , , Harry. “Presentations in English • Learn English with Harry.” English, Lesson, via, Skype,, 15, Nov., 2020,, www.englishlessonviaskype.com/presentations-in-english/., , , , Juneja, Prachi. “MSG Management Study Guide.” Importance of, Communication, in, an, Organization,, managementstudyguide.com/importance-of-communication.htm., , , , Keyser, John. “The Importance of Effective Meetings.” Leadership, Coaching That Improves Organizational Spirit, 12 Mar. 2019,, www.commonsenseleadership.com/the-importance-ofeffectivemeetings/., , , , Kim, Jasmine. “6 Most Common Types of Business Meetings.”, Lifesize, 6 June 2019, www.lifesize.com/en/video-conferencingblog/types-of-business-meetings., , , , Kukreja, Sonia. “Types of Communication in Organization.”, Management, Study, HQ,, 28, Aug., 2019,, www.managementstudyhq.com/types-of-communication.html., , , , Learning, Lumen. “Business Communication: Communication,, Business Writing, Presentations, Employment Communication.”, Lumen,, courses., lumenlearning.com/sacbusinesscommunication/chapter/15-3-meetings/., , , , The Business Communication. “Definition of Meeting and Objective, of Meeting.” The Business Communication, 28 Nov. 2017,, thebusinesscommunication.com/definition-and-objective-of- meeting/., , , , Thompson, Kenneth. English for meetings. Oxford University Press,, 2007., , , , Sharma, R. C., and Krishna Mohan. Business Correspondence and, Report Writing: a Practical Approach to Business & Technical, Communication. Tata McGraw-Hill, 2017., , , , Sophia, et al. “Useful Expressions to Use In Group Discussions and, Conversations in English.” ESLBuzz Learning English, 16 Dec. 2019,, www.eslbuzz.com/useful-expressions-to-use-in-groupdiscussionsconversations-in-english/., , , , “What Is a Conference.” EVenues, 2019, evenues.com/event-planningguide/what-is-a-conference., *****, 122, , 4, , Sept., , 2012,, , 19:06,
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Unit IV, , 10, NEEDS CORPORATE COMMUNICATION, Unit Structure, 10.1 Objectives, 10.2 Introduction, 10.3 Defining ‘Corporate communication’, 10.4 Development of Corporate Communication., 10.5 The difference between Corporate Communications and Public, Relations., 10.5.1 Corporate Communications, 10.5.2 Public Relations., 10.6 Classification of Corporate Communication., 10.6.1. Management Communication., 10.6.2. Marketing Communication., 10.6.3. Organizational Communication., 10.7 Functions of Corporate Communication., 10.8 Major Factors/Key concepts in Corporate Communication., 10.8.1. Media Management., 10.8.2. Corporate Reputation Management., 10.8.3. Employee Communication., 10.8.4. Managing Government Relations (GR), 10.8.4.1Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, (FICCI), 10.8.4.2.Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), 10.8.4.3 Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of, India (ASSOCHAM)., 10.8.4.4 Standing Conference of Public Sector Enterprises, (SCOPE), 10.8.5. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), 10.8.5.1 Reliance Industries Limited (RIL)., 10.8.5.2 Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation., 10.8.6 Financial Communication., 10.8.6.1 Reserve Bank of India (RBI.), 10.8.6.2. Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)., 10.8.6.3 National Stock Exchange (NSE)., 10.8.6.4 Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE)., 10.8.6.5 Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB), 123
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10.8.7 Crisis Communication., 10.8.7.1 Types of Crisis., 10.8.8 Laws and Ethics in Corporate Communication., 10.8.8.1 Defamation., 10.8.8.2 Libel., 10.8.8.3 Copyright Act., 10.8.8.4 Digital Piercy, 10.8.8.5 Right to Information Act (RTI)., 10.8.8.6 Ethics, 10.9 Summary, 10.10 Chart Vocabulary of Corporate Communication., 10.11. Unit End Questions, 10.12 References, , 10.1 OBJECTIVES, After reading this chapter you will be able to, , , To understand the concept of corporate communication, scope and, functions of it., , , , To understand the role of Media in corporate communication., , , , To understand the Importance of employee communication., , , , To know what is mean Government Relations(GR) mean and why, corporate organisations need it., , , , To know what is meant by reputation and to know various tools in, Reputation Management(RM)., , , , To make you acquainted with concepts like CSR, Financial, Communication and Crisis communication., , , , To make you familiar with various laws which are relevant to, corporate communication., , 10.2 INTRODUCTION, Dear student,, Welcome to Unit IV of this course. In the earlier units we studied, , , Nature and significance of meeting, Conferences and Group, Discussions in professional communication., , , , The process of effectively planning and conducting meetings,, conferences and group discussion in the professional contex., , , , Linguistic skills necessary for professional communication in, meetings, conferences and group discussions., , , , The concepts of Team Presentations and Team Briefing., 124
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, , How presentation skills so as to enable them to express confidently, interpersonally as well as in large groups., , , , Concept of communication, functional areas in an organization, crossfunctional team and the role of oral communication across these, different functional areas., , In this unit we will be going to Understand different, communication Needs in business communication set up. The unit is, divided into three chapters for the purpose of our convenience. Chapter, number ten is Corporate communication and we are going to study the, concept of corporate communication and its different stakeholders., The next chapter is on ‘Persuasive strategies & Ethics in, Business Communication’ and it is divided in two parts. Part one we are, going to study the different persuasive strategies used in business, communication and part two we are going to study why ethics are, important in business communication., Chapter number twelve is on ‘Business Communication Aids’ and we, are going to study the different aids/tools used in modern business, communication for smooth functioning of the organisation., Now, let's discuss about chapter number ten on ‘corporate, communication’, Corporate communication is the new buzzword and recent mantra, in the corporate world. It helps an organisation to form a professional, relationship to the public as well as the media. It has been considered and, recognised as an important concept in management circles since the last, few decades. Its need and popularity are growing day by day but many, professionals and management are still very confused about the scope and, role of corporate communication especially in India. Some people feel that, it is old PR (public Relations) as corporate communication; others feel that, PR is a small part of Corporate communication. Some others feel that it is, part of marketing communication. Lets see the opines of different writers., Argenti and Forman argue that corporate communication can, claim historical links to the field of public relations, which has been, concerned with the voice and image of big business for nearly a century., Harold Burson, Founder Chairman, Burson-Marsteller writes,, “Corporate communication is one of the many subsets of public relations, and under that umbrella you can have relations with advisory services,, investor relations, internal communications, marketing support, litigation, support, etc.”, Cutlip et.al. Write that among the Fortune 500 companies, only, one in five uses the “public relations” title. Other commonly used titles, are corporate communication, public affairs, public information, or PR in, combination with advertising., 125
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Corporate communication has become an important component of, organizational management in modern society. Excellent corporate, communication lies at the heart of industry, commerce and governments, abilities to build a democratic society. Corporate communications is an, area of both professional practice and theoretical inquiry; and naturally the, two domains should be linked in a way that advances both., Corporate communication is the process of facilitating the, exchange of information and ideas between external groups and, individuals who have a direct relationship with a company. It Is concerned, with the communication management of modern corporate houses from, the point of view of sharing knowledge and decisions of the company with, investors, employees, suppliers, distributors, customers, media, professionals, government officials, community members and other, stakeholders of the organization., In the age of globalization, corporate communication serves as the, conscience of the corporation and is responsible for establishing and, maintaining the reputation of modern organizations. Formerly called, 'public relations' or' public matters', corporate communication has acquired, great importance in the 21st century as a result of corporate scandals or, crises in modern companies. Public and private Companies have, established corporate communication departments, which generally, oversee communication strategy, media relations, crisis communication,, reputation management, corporate responsibility, investor relations,, government affairs and sometimes marketing communications today.now, lets see the different definitions of corporate communication., , 10.3 DEFINING ‘CORPORATE COMMUNICATION’, ‘Corporate’ originally stems from the Latin words for ‘body’, (corpus) and for ‘forming into a body’ (corporare), which focus, more on a broader way of looking at ‘internal’ and ‘external’, communication disciplines. That is, instead of looking at specialized, disciplines or stakeholder groups separately, the corporate communication, function starts from the perspective of the ‘bodily’ organization as a whole, when communicating with internal and external stakeholders., According to P.Jackson, corporate communication is ‘‘the, integrated approach to all kinds of communications produced by an, organization ,directed at all relevant target groups. Each item of, communication must convey and emphasize the corporate identity.’’, According to Fernandez, ‘‘Corporate communications is a longterm strategic initiative to a spectrum of audiences in a globalized market, environment. At its core corporate communication is very simple, the way, a corporate communicates.’’, According to Dolphin it is a ‘‘dynamic mixture of problem-solving skills, 126
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and insights’’, which should be viewed as ‘‘Process rather than an entity’’., According to Dolphin, corporate communication has to fulfil three key, responsibilities., Aid the management of change, Help to define a corporation's role in society., Assist the creation of corporate vision and responsibility., From above different definitions we can say that corporate, communication works as an instrument of management by which different, forms and channels (Internal and External communication) are used, together effectively and efficiently to create favourable relationships, among and with different stakeholders of the company. Thus, Corporate, communication helps to create a positive corporate image, it ensures a, smooth and long-term relationship with all stakeholders. Corporate, communication, in other words, can be characterized as a management, function that is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the work done, by communication practitioners in different specialist disciplines, such as, media relations, public affairs and internal communication., “Corporate communication is a management function that provides, a framework and vocabulary for effective coordination of all media. for, the general purpose of establishing and maintaining a favorable reputation, with stakeholders on which the organization depends”., , 10.4, DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNICATION, , OF, , CORPORATE, , Many people believe that corporate communication cannot be, understood clearly unless its connection with public relation is considered., Since, 1970’s many people have used the term ‘‘Public Relations’’ to, describe communication with different stakeholders. The word public, relation is used by many organisations just to show communication with, the press. When some stakeholders, Internal and External (such as, employees, future employees, shareholders, bureaucracy, opinion makers,, media, wholesalers, dealers, consumers, special interest groups, the, community, and the public at large) of company demanded for more, information from organisations then they started to think beyond the word, “public relations”. This was the root of a new corporate communication, function that started to take shape., The functions of corporate communication included from different, disciplines like corporate design, corporate advertising, internal, communication to employees, issues and crisis management, media, relations, investor relations, change communication and public affairs.now, will see the in detail difference between corporate communication and, public relations., , 127
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10.5 THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CORPORATE, COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS., As we have discussed earlier in chapter, corporate communications and, PR are similar in many ways. They must possess the following skills., Deep understanding of their role as reporters and how the media, works., The ability to communicate effectively, Confident in problem solving and at time of crisis., Though, they have some common skills between them. They have, differences in them too. Let’s understand their different functions., 10.5.1 Corporate Communication:, , , Corporate, communicators, communications., , , , People working in this field are responsible for connecting the various, departments within an organization through targeted communications., , , , If you’re planning to dive into the corporate communications sphere,, be prepared for interdepartmental meetings -- potentially a lot of them., , , , “In corporate communications, you have to have your finger on the, pulse of everything that's happening in the company. You're constantly, juggling different things. You think you have a game plan, but in, reality, that could be thrown out the window at any moment.” -Pierce, White, corporate communications director, Group Nine Media., , generally, , deal, , with, , internal, , 10.5.2 Public Relations (PR):, , , Public relations professionals deal with information being shared with, the public., , , , PR persons are responsible for managing an organization’s reputation, by crafting newsworthy stories to share with journalists via press, releases, speeches, social media posts, events and more., , , , Responsible for dealing with backlash when a company faces a crisis, of reputation., , , , “My mornings are mostly spent going through coverage and reading, the news as a whole. I like to see what’s going on in the world. I‟ll, check my Google Alerts and my Muck Rack Alerts, and flag anything, noteworthy that mentions Next-door to the team. We get a lot of small, mentions in articles, so I try to find what’ s most relevant for our, leadership team to know.” -Nick Brinkerhoff, communications, manager, Next-door., , Now lets see the below diagram, you will understand different, aspects of corporate communication., 128
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10.6, CLASSIFICATION, COMMUNICATION, , OF, , CORPORATE, , The distribution of business communication by target group can be, broadly divided into three groups: market, consumer and employee. These, three groups can be achieved through interpersonal or public, communication. In communication marketing, one of the organization's, communication directions, management communicates with consumers., Employees intervene when communicating with consumers. Another, classification of business communication drives business communication, according to three main models. they; Management communication,, marketing communication, organization communication., 10.6.1. Management communication:, The managers play a significant role in organizations. Often,, management is described as “accomplishing work through other people”.it, includes such as planning, organising, coordinating and controlling. It is, the responsibility of the manager to continuously persuade individuals to, achieve goals of the organizations. This is an activity performed by the, head of the organization. Experienced managers use communication to, achieve certain results. This will help to develop a common vision for the, company within the organization, build trust in the organization's, leadership, initiate and implement process changes, and motivate and, empower employees. Communication with managers is an essential part of, an organization's image and respect for corporate communication. The, most important task of the organization is to motivate employees, show an, open vision, establish effective development strategies, develop ethical, standards, build a good management team, and maximize the benefits of, our partners., 129
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10.6.2. Marketing Communication:, Marketing communications includes forms of communication like, sales of products, services, and brands. The main feature of marketing, communication is the achievement of financial goals by systematically, communicating the message and controlling the attitudes and behaviours, of the target group (Okej, 2002: 7). It was understood that the real power, lies in the consumer, not the marketer. Now, thanks to new technology,, people can shop online wherever they want. That's why organizations need, to make major changes to their marketing communications strategy to, bring information closer to consumers. Communication methods such as, advertising, direct marketing, and direct advertising are practiced by, organizations in relation to communication marketing. The purpose of, marketing communication is to realize product sales so that organizations, can use a variety of communication methods to support product sales., Thanks to the Internet, target groups can easily advertise organizations, that cannot broadcast due to some television restrictions. Direct mail is, delivered to consumers by email at low cost., 10.6.3 Organizational communication:, It includes public relations, public affairs, investor relations,, corporate advertising, environmental communication, and internal, communication. Every organisation adopts a different organizational, structure. It provides the internal and external communications necessary, for the organization to continue to exist and evolve. The success of, organizational communication is related to establishing effective, communication policies in specific systems and structures based on, organizational goals. Target groups differ more in terms of organizational, communication compared to activities that influence marketing, communications, organizational attitudes and behaviour. When a target, group sees an advertisement for an organization in a newspaper, they, recognize that it has been targeted in a certain way, and a positive column, for the organization can more convincingly reflect the organization's, activities., , 10.7 FUNCTIONS OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATION, Now you know that corporate communication has to play many, functions. It has different functions. It includes media relations, employee, communication, corporate image management, government relations,, corporate advertising, corporate PR and brand promotions such as events, and sponsorships., 1. Identifying and targeting the key trade press to keep the company in, focus as its brand is required., 2. To work on a programme that brings people face to face., 3. Choosing apt media and drafting appropriate messages to reach, various stakeholders., 130
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4. To create a strong, positive corporate image of the organisation., 5. To build the reputation of the organisation and key executives., 6. To manage crisis communication., 7. To maintain the relationship of investor and shareholder., 8. To help management in community relations through corporate social, responsibility (CSR)., , 10.8, MAJOR, FACTORS/KEY, CONCEPTS, CORPORATE COMMUNICATION (CC), , IN, , As, we have discussed earlier in this chapter. Corporate, communication revolves around different factors. It includes media, management,, Corporate, reputation, management,, Employee, communication, managing government relations (GR), Corporate Social, Responsibility (CSR), Financial communication, crisis communication, and Laws and Ethics in corporate communication. Let’s learn more about, this different factor in corporate communication., 10.8.1. Media management:, Media work as a connector through which most of the corporate, communication is achieved. There are different media available and we, have to choose from it according to the importance and usefulness of it., The corporate communicator must understand three elements: message,, medium and audience and more importantly the dynamics of how media, works. Will discuss in this section, various media, their strengths,, weaknesses and dependence of corporate communication on various, media., India has seen a long growth of media since our independence. It is, said that media can sustain only in democracy and indeed Indian media is, free with rights. Whenever, the government tried to attack their rights, the, media faced and stood up confidently with spirit. Despite All India Radio, (AIR) and Door darshan being considered as Government media, people, have different choices now, so that doesn't matter now., Approximately, there are sixty thousand newspapers, hundreds of, television channels and dozens of radio stations are available. The print, readership is declining all over the world and especially in the developed, western countries. There are 60,000 registered publications, less than, thousand members of the India Newspaper Society and 500 registered, under the Audit Bureau of circulation. According to Mr. khandekar many, newspapers are registered but not published for purpose other than to, make money from the newspapers. Magazines like India today, Sunday, and Society provide interesting in-depth analysis of stories with colourful, pictures and graphics. They are providing latest lifestyle inputs to their, reader at a cost that is quite affordable., 131
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Radio has the potential to reach maximum people. After, liberalization of the radio sector, more than150 channels are operational, and this industry estimates 800 FM channels in the next five years. Now, the internet has changed the world forever by instant connection of, different geographical boundaries., As per industry trend, internet was accessed by 250 million of the, urban population in 2007, out of which 32 million were active users, 46, million claimed users, 65 million users were PC literate, and 77 million, were English knowing users., India has one of the largest numbers of internet users in the world, approximately 60 million regular users. Social media is a tool which is, used for the youth. Social media suggests the use of online technologies, and practices that people use to share opinions, insights, experiences and, perspectives with each other., Thus, the media scene is changing very rapidly and hence it is, important to keep pace with changes, draw lessons, understand the, changing trends in media, and prepare media material, keeping in view the, technological advances resulting in newer content styles and packaging to, suit media needs. The corporate communication has to be updated with the, latest media and he must know how to manage it., 10.8.2. Corporate Reputation Management:, “A good reputation acts like a magnet: It attracts us to those who, have it.”, (Fombrun and van Reil,2004), Every individual has their own reputations in home, society and, working place. Like every individual ‘‘companies/organisations to have, their own reputations. As we are very much sensitive about our own, reputation, corporate organisations are also very much protective of their, reputations. You may hear news in newspapers about defamation cases, filed by many individuals and companies against certain organizations,, media or people when they have felt hurted who has been said or written, about them., ‘‘A reputation is the set of meanings by which a company is, known and through which people describe, remember and relate to it. It is, the net result of the interaction of a person’s belief, ideas, feelings and, impressions about the company. A company will not have a reputation people hold reputations of the company’’ (Dowling, 1986), Reputation is the overall assessment of a company by their, stakeholders and customers. For instance, when television anchor Barkha, Dutt became the target of bloggers after the Mumbai terrorist attacks, her, company served a notice to a blogger to withdraw the post or face, 132
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consequences; or when a blogger criticized a newspaper’s strategy to, charge for business news, he too was served with a notice. He then, decided to close the blog. In such media- driven age building and, maintaining a strong positive reputation is the key to success in this, competitive age of business., Few years ago, before Hindu festival of Diwali in 2003, Cadbury, faced a tremendous loss of reputation with the media featuring front page, news about worms in the chocolates and channel CNBC literally showing, a crawling worm in a chocolate bar., To create a positive reputation takes a lot of time to create, but one, small wrong thing or any deliberate action with some vested interest by, someone can hamper the reputation of the organization in a fraction of, second. In order to be successful organisations, have to take utmost care, and they have to depend on some external research and perception, mapping. They have to constantly monitor and improve their reputation of, organisation., Today, the internet has made our world very small as we can, interact among different global communities and we can give our opinions, without any obstacles on various issues at home. This has given restless, nights to those who are in charge of corporate reputation, they may be, CEO’s, Corporate communication managers, or professional agencies. It is, observed that cyber critics are often active, employees and customers who, can create different virtual images through emails, chat rooms, blogs,, bulletin boards etc. Which of all have tremendous reach? Imagine, headlines such as “McDonald’s tops index of unethical companies” on, the net can affect the reputation of the company. So, it’s the responsibility, of the organisational head who handles this section should not wait, till someone decides to publish a story on ‘‘yourbrandsucks.com, site. It is always better to be proactive than have regrets later. Now,, reputation management has become a big business. In such an, environment managing, it becomes a difficult task. Many companies are, appointing specialist reputation management firms to handle corporate, communication and reputation management for them., George Ludwig, who is author of “power selling: seven strategies, for cracking the sales code” gives some very important tips on how to, create and manage a winning reputation. He further explained that it is, very significant for companies to know who they are and areas in which, they can bring improvement. He suggests that it is worthwhile to create a, “world class reputation credo’ (a statement of the beliefs or aims which, guide someone's actions.) to be signed by all employees, which gives, more stress on trustworthiness which is built on a foundation of three, principles. namely service-centricity, character, and competence. A person, exclusively in charge of reputation management should be employed,, which would go a long way in building and maintaining reputation., 133
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Further he says qualities like honesty, integrity, a sense of fair, play, and respect for others are vital for long-term success in the 21st, century business world. In a survey of 257 CEO’s from all over the world,, conducted by kor/ferry head-hunters. The impact of poor reputation was, uppermost in the minds of all of them. Nine out of ten CEOs believed that, corporate reputation was somewhat more important today than it was, five years ago., 10.8.3. Employee Communication:, Generally, organisations depend on five key stakeholders:, employees, customers, investors, government and public. All, organisations communicate with their employees. It is communication, which helps management to to connect with employees, motivate them,, and help them to achieve organisational goals. It is said that employees are, the ‘‘assets’’ of any organization. Any organisation generally includes, people with different social, cultural, educational, and economic, backgrounds and it is expected that they must achieve common, organizational goals or objectives of organisation. The employees are the, internal stakeholders of the organisation and they play a vital role to, contribute to the positive reputation of organisation., The CEO’s generally considered as torch bearers to them because, their personality, philosophy and vision reflect the character of the, organization. We can see examples of N. R. Narayana Murthy, chief, mentor of Infosys, is known as a thoughtful leader, a simple person with, middle-class family values. Another person, The CEO of kingfisher and, UB spirits, Vijay Mallya, is known or referred as the ‘‘king of Good, times’’, i.e. by the mission statement of his brand and also the kind of, lifestyle he lives, as projected in the media. Both Naryan Murthy and, Mallya are successful in their areas but are projected differently., Employee communication is all about managing relationships., There is always tussle between the different departments like Marketing,, HR, and corporate communication departments for who is going to handle, the employee related communication. As I mentioned earlier, Employees, are very important stakeholders of any organisation. It is always advisable;, the corporate communication department must handle employee, communication. Corporate communication department uses persuasion to, meet desired outcomes., For instance, marketing and production departments may, communicate targets to employees which they are supposed to complete in, a given deadline. All these issues the corporate communication department, handles differently by using different channels of communication with, different tone and tenor. If the production department had communicated, certain targets, it is the responsibility of the corporate communication, department to reward, felicitate and facts about the target if the employee, fulfilled targets in given time. It will be a good human face and, 134
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motivational to one and all rather than just sending circular on the, achievement of the target., Companies take a lot of hard work to employ the right kind of, people for that they take references from people who know the candidates., Some organisations even visit social networking sites to study the profile, of ‘‘future employees’’, to know what they think about, how they respond, to different issues and their lifestyle. Sandra Oliver said that in the US, more than 5000 organisations have honesty tests, using some form of, pencil and paper evaluation, to enable them to find the level of an, employee’s truthfulness for telling the truth., In the report of My Reliance, my life: corporate sustainability, report, 2005-06 for employees it says, “We are committed to nurture the, talent of our employees and facilitate their personal development. We, foster workplaces that are safe, professional, and which promote, teamwork. We emphasize cross learning, knowledge sharing, job, diversification, and developing cross-functional skills.”, The corporate communication department should ideally have a, small cell within it that can handle internal communication. The selection, and choice of such people in this cell must be done wisely. In other words,, a person with great communication skills and an understanding of human, psyche. Employee communication media includes house journals, video, magazines, interpersonal communication, brainstorming, open days,, employees’ blog etc. The new age media has made drastic changes in, employee communication. Many organizations now use the digital media, to connect to their employees., In India, Infosys and Satyam Computers use the Internet and, intranet to connect to their thousands of employees who are in various, countries and continents. Satyam computers launched a web radio station, called Planet satyam in 2008 to connect to its over 50,000 workforces., Satyam also launched its ‘‘Satyamstarpower.com’’, a web portal to, showcase the creative talents of its associates and employees worldwide., Infosys Intranet, which is connecting its 70,000 employees across 18, countries, which is known as Sparsh(Touch)., Some organisations use concept like idea boxes through which the, management encourages employees to submit innovative ideas in various, areas of activity related to organization. Management discusses ideas and, rewards those that can be implemented. Idea boxes generally placed at, different places. This channel helps to track employee perceptions on, various issues, areas of their concerns, and their contribution for, innovations. Delhi Jal Board encourages its employees to contribute, slogans on safety. The most apt ones as painted and posted on walls., Employees are rewarded if their slogans are selected for the display. This, scheme helped the organisation to motivate employees by recognising, their talent and it helped them be conscious about the safety norms., 135
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Thus, different organisations use different channels, strategies to, connect, motivate employees., 10.8.4. Management of Government Relations (GR):, As mentioned earlier, organisations have to interact with many, different stakeholders. The most powerful and delicate stakeholder is, government. Business in any country functions under various legal, frameworks and regulations. Relationships with the government works, with different levels like government relation cell or public affairs/PR, consultancy, through chief executive officer and through industry, associations. Organisations use different strategies and ways to impress, the government for successful government relations. The government, controls business by using various forms. Countries that are capitalist in, nature apply influence on business, both in normal and critical times., Every country has a set of rules, regulations, and regulatory bodies, for, regulating business. In many countries, companies can be formed only, through procedures laid down by the government. Organisations like, tobacco, liquor, pharmaceuticals, and banking/finance, face more, regulations than comparative with other sectors., To understand the role of government relations, we need to see the, corporate sector in India and different industry bodies, who on behalf of, the industry are lobbying to influence policy making in government about, business. The Indian industry has a number of associations that play a vital, role in interfacing and negotiations with the government. Let’s see some, of the important industry associations which are working in the corporate, world. You can become familiar with them., 10.8.4.1 Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, (FICCI):, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, (FICCI) set up in 1927 on the advice of Mahatma Gandhi. In its website, reflects that FICCI inspired ‘‘Economic nationalism as a political tool to, fight against discriminatory economic policies.” FICCI has a membership, of over 1500 corporate organisations spanning large, medium, and small, enterprises and over 500 chambers of commerce and business, organisations., 10.8.4.2. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII):, The confederation of Indian industry (CII) works ‘‘to create and, sustain an environment to the growth of industry in India.” Founded long, back 114 years ago. It has membership of 7500 organisations from private, as well as public sectors including SME and MNCs and membership of, over 83000 companies around 380 national and regional sectors., , 136
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10.8.4.3. Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, (ASSOCHAM):, Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, (ASSOCHAM). its mission states: ‘‘As a representative organ of, corporate india’’. It has 60 expert committees covering different economic, activities in India. it works in the field of information technology,, biotechnology, telecom, banking and finance, company law, corporate, finance, economic and international affairs, tourism, civil aviation,, corporate governance, infrastructure, energy and power, real estate etc., 10.8.4.4. Standing Conference of Public Sector Enterprises (SCOPE):, Standing conference of public sector Enterprises (SCOPE) is a, professional organization representing the central government public, enterprises. Its main objective is to promote better understanding among, the public about the individual and collective contribution of the public, sector in building the industrial base of the country., To deal with the government is always challenging. The, bureaucracy is always criticised for red tape and a rule-bound attitude, towards issues. They are trained to strictly go by the rulebook., Government relations are dynamic and not always easy to handle., Everyone needs to work out long-term goals and short-term objectives,, keeping in mind the vision and mission of the organization. Any business,, whether in the public or private sector is handled by a nodal ministry, such, as steel, water, defence, power, industry, HR, labour act. According to, type of business or organization, a particular ministry would be more, crucial for maintaining relations., 10.8.5. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR):, Corporate Social Responsibility is a very broad concept and it, means different things to different organisations. Some organizations, claim that caring for employees, giving them a bonus, offering equal pay, for equal work, keeping reservation of jobs for people from socially and, economically weak backgrounds, and subsidizing food implies fulfilling, CSR., Philip kotler and Nancy Lee define CSR as a, “commitment to, improve community well-being through discretionary business practices, and contributions of corporate resources.”, Mallen Baker refers to CSR as a “way companies manage the, business process to produce an overall positive impact on society.”, The roots of CSR can be traced in religious scriptures that, encourage people to share their fortunes with those less privileged. There, is a lot of confusion about CSR. Some think that companies put in the, resources, it is up to them to decide the methods of CSR but it's not true., 137
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The stakeholders need to be involved from the beginning in order to make, it successful. There are various reasons why companies include CSR as, part of governance. CSR is now a widely used mantra where organisations, consider the interests of society by taking responsibility for the impact of, their activities on customer, employee, shareholders, communities, and the, environment, in all aspects of their operations., CSR companies take up diverse themes or areas that incorporate, health, education, livelihood, poverty, environment, water, housing,, energy and micro finance. Some organisations take women empowerment,, child development. Following are some of the reputed organizations, selected different areas as CSR activities., 10.8.5.1. Reliance Industries Limited (RIL):, In RIL’s corporate sustainability report 2005-06, Nita Ambani, the, president of Dhirunhai Ambani Foundation (DAF) states that “We, subscribe to the philosophy of coexistence -Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam-the, whole world is one family. We work towards improving the quality of life, of the people who live with us and around us. Most of the CSR work at, RIL is carried out by the DAF, while the plant specific activities are, handled by the CSR and HR departments. In some cases, partnership with, local NGO’s is done. To create a good environment for children from, tribal areas, the company provides uniforms and books in various zila, parishads. (ZP’s), 10.8.5.2. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation:, Every life has equal value, the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, works to help all people to lead healthy and productive lives. Foundation, helps to remove hunger, improve public health-giving people a chance to, lift themselves out of poverty. It is based in Seattle; the foundation is led, by CEO Patty Stonesifer under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and, Warren Buffett. Bill Gates gives his opinion in one of his newsletters., “With success, I have been given great wealth .and with wealth, comes great responsibility to give back to society, to see that those, resources are put to work in the best possible way to help those in need.”Bill Gates, Thus, different organisations working with different themes, /areas/problems according to their choice. I have given the above two, examples of RIL and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation., 10.8.6 Financial Communication:, Financial communication is one of the significant parts of, corporate communication. It is said that India is one of the nations that, attracts maximum savings in the world. There are many financial, institutions available in the market and there is a need for informing and, 138
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educating this class of consumers. The evolution of financial, communication started in India in the 1990’s at the time of economic, liberalization. Generally, the corporate communication department of an, organization handles communication related public issues and investor, relations. The department always takes help of ad agencies and PR firms, which have experience in handling financial advertising and investor, relationship management., The corporate communication manager must know how the capital, market is functioning. He must be aware about the role, scope, and, functions of various regulatory bodies and institutions also familiar with, primary market and different legal aspects of financial advertising.The, good knowledge of different financial instruments or products is very, important in financial communication. He must be smart enough to, present financial information of organisation in a positive way in the, media., Richard Dolphin has given target audiences, communication by organisation., Analysts, The city, Financial Journalists, Institutional investors (for investor relations), Merchant Bankers, Private Investors (for investor relations), Stockbrokers, , for, , financial, , Many people feel that the financial market represents not just the, capital, numbers and figures but also social reality. Media shows things in, bits and pieces, which is not the whole truth. Therefore, it is the, responsibility of organisations to share information with shareholders, through annual reports and they can publish it continually on organization, websites. For example, The ICICI bank in 2008, there was grapevine that, the bank was facing a huge financial breakdown. After this, they lost their, existing customer in no time. It affected the bank image very badly. Then,, the bank undertaken a customer education campaign, which lasted for, months., The organisation has to communicate with various financial institutions in, India. lets see some of them., , 10.8.6.1. Reserve Bank of India (RBI):, RBI which was established in 1935 in pre–Independence Day, it is, apex body of monetary institution in India which is referred as the central, bank of India., 139
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10.8.6.2. Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI):, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) was established in, 1988, a non- statutory body for regulating the securities market. SEBI in, regulating the market with different objectives like making rules and, regulations for the securities market., 10.8.6.3. National Stock Exchange (NSE):, National Stock Exchange (NSE) was established in 1992 by the, Government of India. NSE deals with the reading of equity shares, bonds,, and government securities. Its reputation is one of the nest - stock, exchanges, globally., 10.8.6.4. Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE):, Bombay is known as the financial capital of India. It is known as, the oldest stock exchange in Asia which was established in 1875 under the, Name “Native share and stock Broker Association.”, 10.8.6.5. Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB):, Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) is one of the, specialised agencies in India which deals with matters related to foreign, direct investment. The main aim is to create a base in the country by, which large investment can be done to India., The next important thing is that the organisation has to manage, Investor relations (IR) which is the backbone of any effective financial, communication. The image of organisations is not just formed in stock, exchanges and media but also through communities too., 10.8.7. Crisis Communication:, Crisis communication is also one of the important factors of, corporate communication. The communication can be defined as an, adverse event, sudden calamity that needs to be addressed immediately. It, can be man-made or may occur due to natural sources., Earthquakes, tidal waves, terrorism, wars, epidemics, corporate, warfare, scams, agitations of employees etc will be called a crisis. Every, crisis is different and needs to handle differently as per the intensity of the, problem. Let's see the different stages of the crisis., 1. Pre -Crisis Phase, Preparedness, Mitigation, Prevention, 2. Crisis Phase, 140
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Response, Recovery, Development, 3. Post -Crisis Phase, Relief, Recovery, Rehabilitation, Communication plays a vital role in the different phases of disaster, management. Each phase in crisis management depends on effective, communication happening between different stakeholders., 10.08.7.1. Types of Crisis:, Hill and Knowlton, PR consultancy from the US has classified the, crisis in the following segments., a. Exploding Crisis:, Actual disasters, like fires, explosions, accidents, earthquakes,, floods, famines can be called exploding crisis, b. Immediate Crisis:, Controversial incidents which involve companies, individuals,, governments etc., c. Building Crisis:, Anticipated crisis due to pre decided decisions like closure of a, plant, discontinue from service etc. Comes under this category of crisis., d. Continuing Crisis, When an organisation, a product, or a service is under long term, attack from some stakeholder like media, judiciary, consumer groups will, be referred to as continuing crisis., It is the responsibility of the organisation to communicate with, stakeholders and respond to the information needed for them, whenever, they face a problem of crisis. At times of crisis, the most critical, stakeholder is the media, which represents the public voice. When an, organisation is going under crisis, the leader plays an important role as the, public is watching him and he will be always on the radar of the media. He, must prepare some action plan to avoid such disaster management, situation. We can see an example of Mr. Ratan Tata, Chairman of Tata, Group shown great courage ,resilience and resolved the problem when Taj, Mahal Hotel, a Tata property became the target of the terrorist attack in, 141
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November 2008.he handled the whole situation smoothly. After the month, of crisis, The Taj hotel attack, it started back to serving their clients, knowing that a lot of repair work was going on in many areas. The, intention behind it was that their spirit could not be killed and the media, also covered the incident and talked about the stories of human courage,, determination and resilience., Any crisis it may be man-made or natural always requires careful, handling especially if some life is involved in it. When a crisis comes no, one can come back. The damage can happen to organisations but honest, intentions and effective communication definitely help any organizations, to repair the image sooner or later., Thus, crisis communication is one of the, incorporate communication., , important, , Factors, , 10.8.8. Laws and Ethics in corporate Communication:, Every profession works within their territories of the legal, framework of the law. There are many expectations from any profession, and they have to pass many tests to be respected. Many professional, bodies frame their own certain self-regulations for its members, so it will, help them to be aware of wrong practices. The corporate person has to be, familiar with law and code of ethics to their respective profession as well, as the corporate sector and media., The active media and NGO sector always require information and, organisations must remain ready to respond. The organisation person must, be familiar with professional codes of ethics and self-regulation given by, the regulatory authorities and professional bodies within the corporate, sector, media and corporate communication. Corporate communication, doesn’t have any specific laws governing the profession but all the mass, media laws impact on it. We can see the law of defamation ,invasion of, privacy and the copyright law., 10.08.8.1 Defamation:, Defamation is explained as a wrong done by a person to another's, reputation by words, signs or visible representation. The law of, defamation is widely used in mass media, it has an important place in, Indian legal system., 10.8.8.2. Libel:, Libel means a published false statement that is damaging to a, person's reputation; a written defamation or has an adverse impact on his, occupation or business. We can see the example of famous author, Kushwant singh’s preview of his biography in a publication earned, displeasure of Ms. Maneka Gandhi, a Politician. She feels that remarks, about her in the book were defamatory remarks. She then moved to the, 142
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court requesting it to order the author to delete those references from the, book before it was circulated among people. Honourable court gave the, judgment in her favour and the author was asked to edit the book., 10.8.8.3. Copyright Act:, India had its first copyright act in 1914 and later on it amended, many times. It provides exclusive right for life of the creator and years, beyond their death to those who own the copyright the exclusive right to, publish, print or reproduce an original literary, musical or artistic work., 10.8.8.4. Piracy:, The advancement in technology has made copying and duplicating, films an easy thing at low cost. The biggest victim is the content owner., You can see that a film is released, people have the CD at a nominal price, of Rs20 to 30 in the open market and in India, Bollywood is an important, copyright industry., 10.8.8.5. Right to Information Act, 2005:, The act has been in discussion for years in India at last which brings hope, and joy in civil society. Right to information includes the following things., Inspect works, documents, and records, Take notes, extracts or certified copies of documents or records, Take certified samples of material, The ministry of Corporate Affairs lays down rules and regulations, relating to the corporate governance of organisation. It is important for, corporate communication people to update themselves regarding the latest, developments on the subject., 10.08.8.6. Ethics:, As mentioned earlier, every profession is working in a particular legal, framework and in the frame of code of ethics., Gruing and hunt (1984) said that, “Ethics is concerned with free, intentional organizational conduct that affects or has consequences for, a public.”, This profession is also facing various ethical questions. Like, people without professional qualification practising corporate, communication. In the US certification is a must if one has to practice, corporate communication, professional education, accreditation from a, professional body and agreeing to a code of ethical conduct., , 143
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Some of the Ethics corporate communicators have to follow. He must not, Subordinate truth to any other considerations., Disseminate information not factually correct., Lend assistance to any enterprise, which might harm the moral,, honesty and dignity of the human race., The use of such words to make receivers act irrationally., , 10.09 SUMMARY, In this chapter we have learnt the roots of corporate, communication. We have discussed similarities and differences between, corporate communication and PR. We looked at different definitions of, corporate communication. Then this chapter discussed different factors, involved in corporate communication. Finally, we discussed why there is a, need for corporate communication among organizations and also saw how, to become a good corporate communicator., Table 1.4 Vocabulary of corporate communications, Mission, , Overriding purpose in ‘British Airways is aiming to set, line with the value or new Industry standards in, expectation, of customer service and innovation,, stakeholders, deliver, the, best, financial, performance and evolve from, being an airline to a world travel, business with the, flexibility to stretch its brand into, new business areas’, Vision, / The long-term aims ‘To become the undisputed leader, strategic, and aspiration of the in world travel by ensuring that, intent, company for itself., BA is the customer’s first choice, through the delivery of an, unbeatable travel experience., Corporate, (Precise ) statement of To be a good neighbor, concerned, objectives, aims or purpose, for the community and the, and goals, environment’, ‘to provide overall, superior service and good value, for money in every market, segment in which we compete’,, ‘to excel in anticipating and, quickly responding to customer, needs and competitor activity., Strategies, The ways or means in ‘Continuing, emphasis, on, which the corporate consistent quality of customer, objectives are to be service and the delivery to the, achieved and put into marketplace of value for money, effect, through, customer-oriented, 144
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Corporate, identity, , The profile and values, communicated by an, organization, , Corporate, image, , The immediate set of, meaning inferred by, an, individual, in, confrontation/, response to one or, more signals from or, about a particular, organization at single, point in time., , Stakeholder, , Any, group, or, individual that can, affect or is affected by, the achievement of the, organization’, People who mobilize, themselves against the, organization on the, basis of some common, issue or concern to, them, , Public, , Market, , A defined group for, whom a product is or, 145, , initiatives, (on-line, booking, service, strategic alliances) and to, arrange all the elements of our, service to that they collectively, generate a particular experience –, building, trust, with, our, shareholder,, employees,, customers, neighbours and with, our critics, through commitment, to good collectively generate a, particular experience – building, trust with our shareholders,, practice and societal reporting., The world’s favorite airline’ (this, corporate identity, with its, associates brand value of service,, quality,, innovation,, cosmopolitanism and British-ness, is carried through in positioning,, design, and livery, and, communications), ‘Very recently I got a ticket, booked to London, and when, reporting at the airport I was, shown the door by BA staff. I, was flatly told that the said flight, in which I was travel was already, full so my ticket was not valid, any further and the airline would, try to arrange for a seat in some, other flight. You can imagine how, embarrassed I felt at that moment, of time. To add ghee to the fire,, the concerned official of BA, Employees consumer, investor, and shareholders, community,, aviation business and suppliers,, government, trade union, NGOs, and society at large, ‘Local residences of Heathrow, Airport appeared in November, 2002 against the Government and, British Airways concerning the, issue of night flight violated local, resident’s human right. British, Airways continued the present, night flight regime’, The market for British Airways, flights consists of passengers who
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may be in demand, (and for whom an, organization creates, and, maintains, products and service, offerings), Communicat The, internal, and, ions, external, communications, techniques and media, that are used towards, internal and external, groups, Integration, The, act, of, coordinating, all, communications, so, that the corporate, identity is effectively, and, consistently, communicated, to, internal and external, groups, , search for superior service over, and, beyond, the, basic, transportation involved., , ‘Newsletters,, promotion, packages, consultation forums,, advertising campaigns, corporate, designs and code of conduct, free, publicity / public relation…’, , ‘British, Airways, aims, to, communicate its brand value of, service,, quality,, innovation,, cosmopolitanism and British-ness, through all its communications in, a consistent and effective manner., , *extracted from British Airways annual report and the world wide web., , 10.11 UNIT END EXERCISES, 1. Select any organisation. Prepare an organization chart of the, organization and identify the main types of communication in which it, engages., 2. Find published articles in the important journals of the field that focus, on management communication. Compare them to articles in journals, which focused on marketing communication, and in journals focused, on organisational communication. Observe similarities and differences, among them., 3. Keep yourself in the position of a customer. How do you think they, would interpret the organization’s identity? What will you call those, identity elements?, 4. Identify the corporate brands whose principal target audiences consist, of either investors, employees, or consensus., 5. What criteria will you use to judge an effective communication, campaign.?, 6. Define reputation. How is the reputation of an individual different, from the reputation of an organization?, 7. Why is it challenging and at the same time necessary to constantly, maintain a positive reputation in the digital age?, 8. Do you think that free media coverage helps to build an organization's, image? Discuss with arguments., 146
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9. What do you understand by concept employee communication? can, you state how it is similar or different from communication from other, management departments?, 10. What are the various popular communication channels of employee, communication? State the salient feature of at least four such channels., 11. Define government relations and describe the various steps for an, effective government relations management programme., 12. Follow up stories in the financial media from 15 February, a fortnight, before the finance minister places the budget before the parliament to, see the various lobbies working thought industry associations and, media on issues that are being pushed to influence the budget., Frequently, lobbying continues between the time that the bill goes, from the Lok Sabha to the Rajya Sabha. Go through the budget, carefully to see what has been accommodated in order to understand, the impact of lobbying and who is pushing it, with what benefit., 13. According to you, Which Indian organisation in India is doing, excellent work in CSR and why do you think so?, 14. Get in touch with a nearby organisation that runs a CSR Programme., Get details from the CSR officer regarding the programme, whether it, is run by the company itself or in partnership with a civil society, organization, the objectives behind the CSR, and the budget given for, it., 15. Define financial communication and its role in corporate, communication., 16. How would you define a crisis? What are the various types of crisis?, 17. Media is full of stories on different sorts of crises. Follow one of these, for as long as it has held in media interest and analyse it from various, perspectives and viewpoints of stakeholders., 18. Laws and Ethics are the two sides of the same coin. Discuss it., , 10.12 REFERENCES, 1., 2., 3., 4., , 5., , Cees B.m..Van Riel and Charles J. Fombrun (2007), Essentials of, corporate communication, Routledge, NewYork., Jethwaney,jaishri, 2010,Corporate Communication principles and, practice, OUP, new Delhi., Joep, Cornelissen, (2004) Corporate Communications Theory and, Practice, SAGE Publications, New Delhi., Corporate communication forms and Interaction process, Instructor, by Yalçın KIRDARKyrgyz – Turkish Manas University,, Communication Faculty, Public Relations and Advertisement, Department., Cutlip, Scott M., Allen H. Xenter, and Glen M. Broom 2006,, Effective Public Relations,8th Edition, Pearson Education, new, Delhi,pp.72-73., 147
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11, PERSUASIVE STRATEGIES & ETHICS IN, BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, Unit Structure, Section 1, 11.1 Objectives, 11.2 Introduction, 11.3 Meaning of persuasion, 11.4 Three steps of the writing process for persuasive messages., 11.4.1. Planning, 11.4.2. Writing, 11.4.3 Completing, 11.5 Persuasive Strategies, 11.5.1. Ethos, 11.5.2. Logos, 11.5.3. Pathos, 11.5.4. Dissonance, motivation and needs, 11.5.5. Safety needs, 11.5.6. Social needs, 11.5.7. Self-esteem needs, 11.6. AIDA formula, 11.7. Summary, Section two, 11.1. Introduction, 11.2. Defining terms, 11.3. Types of Ethics, 11.4. Classification of Values, 11.5. Difference between Ethics and Values, 11.6. Profession, 11.7. Professional, 11.8. Professionalism, 11.9. Business Ethics, 11.10 Myths about Business Ethics, 11.11. Ethics at workplace, 11.12. Coke’s Five Ps, 11.13. Ethical leadership, 149
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11.14. Engineering Ethics, 11.14.1. BET code of ethic, 11.14.2. Principciple/Benchmark for engineers, 11.15. Media Ethics, 11.15.1. Classification of media, 11.15.2. Ethical standards, 11.15.2.1. Accuracy, 11.15.2.2 Trustworthiness, 11.15.2.3 Objectivity, 11.15.2.4. Integrity of sources, 11.15.2.5. Avoiding conflicts, 11.16 Summary, 11.17 Unit End Questions, , 11.1 OBJECTIVES, , , , , , , , , To understand how to organize and write persuasive messages., To make familiar with different persuasive strategies used in business, communication., To make you aware about the basic terms related to Ethics and, Morality, To know the importance of Ethics to individuals and organisations., To know the difference between the terms profession, professional and, professionalism., To know the importance of Ethics in engineering and the media, profession., To understand the concept of Ethical leadership in business, communication., , Section One, Persuasive strategies in Business communication, 11.2 INTRODUCTION, There are different objectives of Business communication., Organisations use different strategies in Business communication to make, their business successful. Persuasiveness is one of the strategies used by, various organisations. Persuasive communication is a significant factor of, business communication. Let’s see what is meant by persuasion., , 11.3 MEANING OF PERSUASION, "...a symbolic process in which communicators try to convince other, people to change their attitudes or behaviours regarding an issue through, 150
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the transmission of a message in an atmosphere of free choice.” (Perloff, (2003)", The term ‘‘persuasion’’ means to force someone into something., The art of persuasion is the art of finding the best available means of, moving a specific audience in a specific situation to a specific, decision., Persuasive communication means, persuading others to understand, what one is trying to communicate., Persuasion is the attempt to change a reader’s attitude, beliefs or action, in your favour., The most effective business leaders know how to understand a, group and communicate with them in an effective way. So, whether you, are selling cars or just trying to sell your idea to your boss, selling, products of your company. Writing effective persuasive messages is an, important skill in all business communication., Now, the next question may come in your mind is how to write persuasive, messages. There are Three Step Writing Process for Persuasive Message., , 11.4 THREE STEP WRITING, PERSUASIVE MESSAGE, , , , , PROCESS, , FOR, , Planning, Writing, Completing, , 11.4.1 Planning:, The first step in writing a persuasive message is planning. Every day we, may get various ideas but before planning a message., i. Analysing the situation:, First of all, you must decide the purpose of your message and what, exactly you want to convey to the audience. Your messages are going to, connect with interest and desire. We can ask certain questions to you, before analysing the situation. Who is my audience? What are my, audience member’s needs? What do I want them to do? How might they, respond?, ii. Analysing the audience:, Next step is analysing the audience and you must understand their, cultural expectations and practices. So that it will help you to frame your, persuasive message by using an appropriate appeal., iii. Gathering information:, Gathering information Once your situation analysis is complete, 151
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you need to gather the information necessary to create a compelling, persuasive message, iv. Selecting right Medium:, Next important thing is selecting the right medium is very, important while sending persuasive messages. Advertising agencies, generally employ media specialists whose job is to analyse the different, media options and we need to select the most cost effective for each client, and advertising campaign., v. Organizing your information:, The objective of persuasion is to change people, their belief,, attitude or action. We want to explain our reason and build interest before, asking for decision or action., 11.4.2 Writing a persuasive message:, When you're writing a persuasive message. We have to be aware, of certain things. Use positive and polite language when we are writing, messages. When we are sending messages, we must Understand and, respect cultural differences. Every organisation has their own culture of, working so be sensitive to organizational cultures. Whenever we are, writing messages credibility is important and according to it takes steps to, establish your credibility., 11.4.3 Completing Persuasive message:, You are supposed to judge your argument objectively and don't try, to overestimate your credibility. Take care that your purpose fulfils the, needs of organization and audience., You have to design your message in such a way that it should, complement your argument. Proofread for any mechanical or spelling, errors that would weaken your argument. Your delivery method must fit, your audience’s expectations. Evaluate the contents of your message, before it goes out. Revise your message and check with clarity and, conciseness of the message. You can check draft messages from your, colleague. Check the overall design elements of messages. If any, mechanical errors, you need to proofread it after that you can distribute the, message, “The tongue can paint what the eye can’t see.” – Chinese Proverb, , 11.5 PERSUASIVE STRATEGIES, “Persuasion is often more effective than force.” – Aesop, When you start to persuade a person, it is very difficult to change, their attitude, mentality or belief. People will not easily accept that they, are wrong with their perception. We will learn about some persuasive, 152
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strategies that we can use to effectively influence the audience. They are, ethos, logos, pathos, positive motivation, negative motivation, cognitive, dissonance, appeal to safety needs, appeal to social needs, and appeal to, self-esteem needs., 11.5.1 Ethos:, Aristotle has given three rhetorical proofs that are Ethos, logos,, and pathos. Ethos refers to the credibility of a speaker and includes three, dimensions: competence, trustworthiness, and dynamism. The two most, researched dimensions of credibility are competence and trustworthiness, (Stiff & Mongeau, 2003)., Competence refers to the perception of a speaker’s expertise in, relation to the topic being discussed. Competent speakers need to be aware, of the content of their speech and be able to effectively deliver that, content. Whereas trustworthiness refers to the degree that audience, members perceive a speaker to be presenting accurate, credible, information to them. The Perceptions of trustworthiness generally come, from the content of the speech and the personality of the speaker., Trustworthy speakers always consider the audience throughout his speechmaking process, present information in a balanced way, do not force the, audience, he cites credible sources, and he follows the general principles, of communication ethics. In terms of personality, trustworthy speakers are, also friendly and warm (Stiff & Mongeau, 2003)., Dynamism refers to the degree to which audience members, perceive a speaker to be outgoing and animated (Stiff & Mongeau, 2003), There are two components of dynamism that are charisma and energy., Charisma refers to a mixture of abstract and concrete qualities of a speaker, attractive to an audience. People are always attracted to charismatic, people. There are a number of examples of great leaders. See the below, picture of Mr.Barack Obama., , Dynamic Speaker cataracts people through their oratory skills, https://presentingwithimpact.nl/the-secret-of-great-charismaticspeakers/, 153
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11.5.2 Logos:, Research shows that messages are more persuasive when, arguments and their warrants are made explicit (Stiff & Mongeau, 2003)., Logos refer to the reasoning or logical skill set of a person. Speakers show, logos by presenting reliable information with the supporting material and, citing their sources during their speech. It said that “Speakers can also, appeal to logos by citing personal experience and providing the credentials, and/or qualifications of sources of information” (Cooper & Nothstine,, 1996). The most effective persuasive messages are those that present two, sides of an argument and refute the opposing side, followed by single, argument messages, followed by messages that present counter arguments, but do not refute them (Stiff & Mongeau, 2003)). At last, Speaker clearly, shows the audience why one position is superior to another., 11.5.3 Pathos:, “Emotional appeals are effective when you are trying to, influence a behavior or you want your audience to take immediate, action” (Stiff & Mongeau, 2003), Pathos reference to emotional appeal of the speaker to the, audience. Trilling and exciting emotions plays an important role to get the, audience involved in the speech, and their involvement can create more, opportunities for persuasion and action. For example, reading in the, newspaper that a house was stolen may get your attention, but think about, how your reaction will be if you come to know that it was your own home., Effective speakers generally use emotional appeals with logically, convincing manner , otherwise audiences may be doubtful of a speech, which is only based on emotion., Emotional appeals are effective when you are trying to influence a, behavior or you want your audience to take immediate action (Stiff &, Mongeau, 2003), Thus, at last the speakers must strive to appeal to ethos, logos, and, pathos and include within their speech otherwise it affects differently on, the audience., 11.5.4 Dissonance, Motivation, and Needs:, The dictionary meaning of dissonance is that lack of harmony, among musical notes., When we play a piano, it produces a sound that‟s very pleasing to, our ears. But if there is no coordination or associations played notes, we, may react by embracing it because the sound is unpleasant to our ears. So,, dissonance is that unpleasant feeling we get when two sounds clash. The, same principle applies to cognitive dissonance, which refers to the mental, 154
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discomfort that results when new information contradicts with current, beliefs, attitudes, or values., Cognitive dissonance is a one of the persuasive strategies relies on three, assumptions:, (1) people have a need for consistency in their thinking; (2) when, inconsistency exists, people experience psychological discomfort; and (3), this discomfort motivates people to address the inconsistency to restore, balance (Stiff & Mongeau, 2003), Positive and Negative Motivation:, Positive and negative motivation are common persuasive strategies, used by many motivational speakers and parents. When we use positive, motivation in our delivery and people will like advice and it will come, with positive results. Whereas when we use negative motivation, results, will also be negative., Appeals to Needs:, Maslow's hierarchy of needs states that there are several layers of, needs that human beings pursue. They include physiological, safety,, social, self-esteem, and self-actualization needs (Maslow, 1943), , Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs:, Physiological needs is the last one in the diagram of the hierarchy, of needs. The closer the needs are to the base, the more important they are, for human survival. It's the speaker's responsibility to first understand the, needs of the audience. According to the diagram you can use different, persuasive strategies., 11.5.5 Safety needs:, When we work, we always take care of the safety of our own and, family. It is expected that speakers should use safety with positive, motivation, so the results will be positive one. You can imagine how, 155
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insurance people appeal to customers with safety needs for their business., You must approach ethically while dealing with them. Do not overuse fear, appeals and the threat must be credible and supported by evidence., 11.5.6 Social needs:, We relate our social needs to supportive and caring groups. We, meet our social needs through interpersonal relationships from intimate, acquaintances., 11.5.7 Self-esteem needs:, You may have seen a financial planner who persuades you by, telling you the prosperity that will result from accepting his or her, message. A publicly supported radio station may persuade listeners to, donate money to the station by highlighting a potential contribution to, society. The health and beauty industries may persuade consumers to buy, their products by promising increased attractiveness. So, it is expected that, ethical speakers should use appeals to self-esteem that focus on prosperity,, contribution, and attractiveness in such ways that it will empower, listeners., , 11.6 AIDA FORMULA, Persuasive messages also use the four parts often referred to as the AIDA, formula:, , Attention:, First you need to get your reader’s attention by answering the, reader’s question of “what’s in it for me’’? Explain to him/her the product, or service’s benefit. You need to be very quick to catch the attention of, your audience. Create the situation and tell them how this product or, service is beneficial to them., You can create attention from customers by using open with, Agreeable comments or assertions or with a question like Do you know, about a new product?, Interest and Desire:, You can create and develop interest in customers by using facts,, 156
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statistics, examples, testimonials, and specific details. You have to, establish your credibility, if necessary, by explaining your background and, expertise. Tell them the facts to direct and indirect benefit., Action:, You can make a precise request to customers and you can tell them a, deadline. Again, you can, repeat a benefit, provide details and most importantly offer an incentive., 11.7 SUMMARY, Thus, in this section, we have seen what is meant by persuasion, and how it can be used in different situations. We have also discussed, various persuasive strategies which we can use in business, communication. Next section will focus on Ethics in Business, communication., , Section Two, Ethics in Business Communication, 11.1 INTRODUCTION, The chapter's main objective is to make you familiar with morality,, Ethics, and values and its importance in business communication. Ethics is, actually a branch of philosophy that deals with study of moral standards., You may wonder why ethics is important in business communication?, There are certain reasons behind it. We will see it step by step in this, chapter. Ethics is related to every aspect of our life. It is an important skill, set or guiding force which tells about doing the right things. In today's, digital and fast-growing world ‘‘Ethics in Business’’ has been a hot topic, and growing discipline in India. The unethical behaviour can cost a, company or it can hamper its reputation. It will affect organisations profit, and loss. Let’s first understand the concept of Morality, ethics and values, through the following caselet and give your opinions at the end., , 11.2 CASE LET, Vipin Chanda is a science graduate. After completing his studies,, he joined a publishing house as a junior commissioning editor. He Worked, hard and was successful in getting appreciation from his superiors for his, work. He was ambitious. In addition, he had family responsibility. His, father was a clerk in a government office. He also had an elder sister to be, married. They were just about making both ends meet., The publishing house was working for published engineering, books. During his work, he undertook many projects for Publication. He, was successful in some cases but could not make any headway in many, 157
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others. He quickly realised that there are not many who are willing to, write books or are capable of writing good material. Many engineering, teachers and professionals shied away from such work., During his years with the company. he made many people who, were willing to write books and many who promised to do so later., database for such people that he maintained as a part of the normal, procedure of the company. He maintained a good relationship with all, those people, as he was a very enterprising person with good, communication skills., He worked for the firm for three years. His resume and work, experience now looked good and he applied for a higher position at, another publishing house that was also in the business of publishing, Engineering textbooks. Due to his past experience in the field, the, company recruited him and gave him a good remuneration package. He, decided to join the new firm., While leaving with present employer, he transferred all the data of, Writers and potential writers to a CD, which he took with him. This had, the names, addresses and telephone numbers of more than 200 people who, could be considered as potential writers. After joining the new firm, he, was under pressure to acquire new projects- identify and contact writers, for engineering books. Since he was very ambitious and faced the pressure, of doing well in his job and supporting his family, he used the data from, the CD. he contacted many of them and got several projects because of his, Association with them. He owned the appreciation of his new employers, for the business he was able to get., Give your opinion on the following questions/situations., 1. When you work for a company you are privy to a lot of information, that may be crucial in a highly competitive environment. was it right, of Vipin to take this information with him and use it when working for, a competitor?, 2. Do you think that collecting the official data on a CD and using it for, personal success was a highly unethical act?, 3. Suppose Vipin had not made a CD of the database he had. He, remembered many people and had their contact numbers with him., Now if he contacts them for a fresh project, would it be ethical?, , 11.3 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS, Moral and Morality:, The Oxford dictionary defines the word moral as ‘‘concerned with, the principles of right and wrong behaviour’’ and ‘‘a lesson that can be, derived from a story or experience’’. Whereas morality is defined in the, following ways., 158
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‘‘Principles governing right and wrong and good and bad, behaviour.’’, ‘‘The degree to which something is right or wrong, good or bad ,and, so on.’’, The word morality is derived from the Latin word ‘‘moralitas’ meaning, manner, customs, or proper behaviour., , , Ethics:, “Ethics” has been coined from the Greek Word „Ethikos‟ which, “pertains to character. Ethics is a branch of philosophy particularly a, moral philosophy that studies the evolution of concepts such as right and, wrong behaviour. The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary defines, ethics as ‘‘the moral principles that control or influence a person’s, behaviour or a system of moral principles or rules of behaviour. It also, defines it as „the branch of philosophy that deals with moral principles.’’, , (https://poetsandquants.com/2019/10/16/in-demand-business-ethicscourses/?pq- category=business-school-news pq-category-2=electivecourses/), , 11.4 TYPES OF ETHICS, We can divide Ethics as follows, 1. Metaethics:, It focuses on the origin of ethical principles that govern the right, and wrong behaviour. The main debate in this term is whether these, principles are created by the spiritual world or created by humans. Some, people opine that these moral values are created by individuals and society, to govern the behaviour of individuals., 2. Descriptive Ethics:, It is related to the study of moral beliefs of people. It is an area in, which people or societies consider what is right or wrong., 159
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3. Normative Ethics:, It refers to a set of moral conduct rules against which behaviours, are judged., 4. Applied Ethics:, It is study of ethically controversial topics/issues like death penalty, and cloning., Types of Ethics:, 1. Personal Ethics: What an individual believes about morality and right, and wrong, 2. Social Ethics: Defines the behaviour of people in society, 3. Business Ethics: Examines morals and ethical principles that can, arise in a business environment, 4. Professional Ethics: Principles that govern the behaviour of a group, of persons belonging to a particular profession, 5. Religious Ethics: The moral principles that guide religions and set the, standard for what is and what isn't acceptable behaviour, Values:, It is defined as ‘‘Belief about what is right and wrong and what is, important in life’’ in this connection values are closely related to morality, and ethics. Every individual follows a certain value system for their, personal behaviour and social values are those that are accepted by most, of the individuals whereas universal values are accepted by the whole, world. Degradation in values is considered a major factor affecting our, society today., , 11.5 BOARD CLASSIFICATIONS OF VALUES, 1. Individual values:, These are the values which are related with the development of, human personality or individual norms of recognition and protection of the, human personality such as honesty, loyalty, honour etc., 2. Collective values:, Values connected with the solidarity of the community or, collective norms of equality, justice, solidarity and sociableness are known, as collective values., 3. Spirituality:, Spiritual means ‘‘concerned with the human spirit, rather than the, 160
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body of physical thing.’’, ‘‘concerned with religion’’. The quality of being, concerned with religion or the human spirit., 4. Stakeholders:, Stakeholders include individuals, organisations, and society., Individuals:, Individuals help to make up organisations and the society. Morality, of individuals is very important in development of society or, organisations. Thus, ethical behaviour being taught to people and how to, learn that is also still studied., For example, let's see the story from the book Wise and otherwise, by Sudha Murthy. There was a very poor young boy, Hanumanth,, achieved the eight rank in his secondary school of examination. He was a, coolie’s son and could not pursue studies due to poverty. The author met, him and offered help to enable him to pursue higher studies. It was agreed, that he will be given Rs300 per month for his expenses as per his own, estimates. The author sent him an amount of Rs1800 for the next six, months. After six months she sent him another Rs1800 for the next six, months. After a few days, she received the letter, with some money, enclosed, from the boy. The boy wrote that he had not been in college for, the last two months due to holiday and strike. He had enclosed Rs300 as, he had not spent that money., You can imagine the best example of honesty of that boy. Though, he is poor, he did not keep money with him and return the money which, he had not used. Where did he learn such honesty? Does this virtue come, from family background or developed by schooling? Organizations, The work ethics is very vital to implement effectiveness at, work and remove corruption from organisation. It includes groups of, people like a company, an office, or an institution. Many organizations, give importance to code of ethical conduct. The organization must give, importance to its ethical code and inform or train employees to follow, good conduct, not only within the organisation and works related but also, outside., Society:, At the end, individuals and organisations form part of the society., It tells a dynamic system of code of conduct that changes with time. The, current code of conduct has a big influence on our behaviour., , 11.6 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHICS AND VALUES, Ethics and Values together makes the foundation for sustainability., They are sometimes used similarly, but they are different. Ethics are the, 161
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set of rules that govern the behaviour of a person, established by a group, or culture. Values refer to the beliefs for which a person has a preference., Both Ethics and values are very important in every sphere of life., Sometimes, we have to make a choice between two things, where ethics, determine what is right and values determine what is important., In today's world of intense competition, every business entity, works on certain principles and beliefs which are nothing but the values., Likewise, ethics is implemented in the organisation to ensure the, protection of the interest of stakeholders like customers, suppliers,, employees, society and government., BASIS FOR, COMPARISON, Meaning, , What are they?, Consistency, Tells, , Determines, , What does it ?, , ETHICS, , VALUES, , Ethics refers to the, guidelines for conduct,, that address question, about morality, System, of, principles., Uniform, , Value is defined as the, principles and ideals,, that helps them in, making judgement of, what is more important, moral Stimuli for thinking., , Differs from person to, person, What, is, morally What we want to do or, correct or incorrect, in achieve., the given situation, Extent of rightness or Level of importance, wrongness of our, options., Constrains, Motivates, , These are differences between ethics and values, 1. Ethics refers to the guidelines for conduct that address questions about, morality. Value is defined as the principles and ideals, which, helps them in making the judgement of what is more important., 2. Ethics is a system of moral principles. In contrast to values, which is, the stimuli of our thinking., 3. Values strongly influence the emotional state of mind. Therefore,, it acts as a motivator. On the other hand, ethics compels to follow a, particular course of action., 4. Ethics are consistent, whereas values are different for different, persons, i.e., what is important for one person, may not be important, for another person., 5. Values tell us what we want to do or achieve in our life, whereas ethics, helps us in deciding what is morally correct or incorrect, in the given, situation., 162
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Sometimes we also say professional ethics. We need to understand, the three terms profession, professional, and professionalism. Many times,, this term is used differently with many things. You may have some, questions in your mind like what is meant by profession? What is meant, by professionalism? What are the distinguishing features of a, professional? Now, see the difference between this term., , 11.7 PROFESSION, The dictionary defines it as a type of job that requires special, training or skill especially one that needs a high level of education such, as medical, legal, or teaching. Through this definition we can understand, two things. A profession needs special training, and it generally gives a, high status to the individual person in the society., , 11.8 PROFESSIONAL, Professional is defined in oxford dictionary as someone connected, with a job that needs special training or skill, especially one that needs a, high level of education and he/she does it as a paid job rather than hobby., , 11.9 PROFESSIONALISM, The term is also used in various contexts with different meanings., The oxford dictionary defines professionalism as the high standard that, you expect from a person who is well trained in a particular job requiring, great skills or ability., David Maister explains that professionalism is ‘believing, passionately in what you do, never compromising your standards and, values, and caring about your clients, your people and your own career’., , 11.10 ETHICS IN BUSINESS, Good governance is not just good management. It is something, which is much broader and includes fair, efficient and transparent, administration designed to meet certain well-defined objectives in an, organization., Good governance demands that a corporate house must have a, responsibility to set exemplary standards of ethical behaviours in its, internal and external relationships, thereby achieving ‘‘value addition’’ in, terms of stability and growth, confidence, and long-term sustenance of, stakeholder’s relationships, brand equality, and excellent governance, credentials. An Ethical business not only is profitable but also serves its, stakeholders and stays in competition successfully. Earlier people used to, see business as only money making without any moral or ethical values., 163
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Now it’s very important to domestic business or it may be an international, corporation to follow ethical behaviour in their business. If businesses are, not fair and clean to the society, they cannot make profits for long and, they may fail to win the trust and support of the people and the society., 11.11.10 Myths About Business Ethics:, 10 Myths About Business Ethics, 1. Myth: Business ethics is more a matter of religion than management., 2. Myth: Our employees are ethical so we don’t need attention to, business ethics., 3. Myth: Business ethics is a discipline best led by philosophers,, academics and theologians., 4. Myth: Business ethics is superfluous — it only asserts the obvious:, “do good!”, 5. Myth: Business ethics is a matter of the good guys preaching to the, bad guys., 6. Myth: Business ethics in the new police person on the block., 7. Myth: Ethics can’t be managed., 8. Myth: Business ethics and social responsibility are the same thing., 9. Myth: Our organization is not in trouble with the law, so we’re ethical., 10. Myth: Managing ethics in the workplace has little practical relevance., (https://managementhelp.org/blogs/business-ethics/2010/10/13/10myths-about-business- ethics/), , 11.12 ETHICS AT WORKPLACE, Good organizations always spend time and resources to create a, cordial atmosphere to employees which is ethically attractive. The, management must set trends of good conduct and transparency. Open and, harmonious communication is necessary among employees and, management. It will help them to imbibe ethics in them. A great, workplace works like a magnet to the employees. Organizations should, take care of their employees. Good organisations treat employees with, trust and responsibility. Management is always sensitive to the employees, benefits and interests. An ethical workplace always follows that everyone, in the workplace is treated with the same set of rules and regulations., , 11.13 COKE’S FIVE Ps, Coke’s leaders enshrined their values in Five Ps, expressed in terms of, ethical values:, People: We are a great place to work where people are inspired to, be the best they can be., Planet: We are a responsible global citizen that makes a, difference., Partners: We nurture a winning network of partners and build, 164
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mutual loyalty., Portfolio: We bring to the world a portfolio of beverage brands, that anticipate and satisfy people’s desires and needs., Profit: We maximize return to shareowners while being mindful of, our overall responsibilities., (https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/trends-and-forecasting/special-reportsand-expert- views/Documents/Ethical-Workplace-Culture.pdf), , , 11.14 ETHICAL LEADERSHIP, The name itself tells the meaning of leadership. In business, communication ethical leadership plays an important role. It's governed by, ethical behaviour. It means a leader has to be ethical in nature and he must, inspire others to be like that. Ethical leader knows what is good for people, and organisation. His ethical behaviour will reflect through his actions and, others can take inspiration from them. Ethical leaders create a positive, environment for the people, competitors and customers., Ethical leadership creates a healthy and ethical environment for, people at worksplace. It helps to increase the brand name and reputation of, the organisation. It will work as a great support system when the timing is, not favourable to the organisation. Ethical leadership is strong enough and, competent in handling the government policies. This leadership is always, people oriented and customer friendly., , 11.15 ENGINEERING ETHICS, It is well known saying that ‘‘engineers don't just build things and, develop processes; they make a better society’’. The engineered products, and processes have a long effect on society that is the reason there is a link, between ethics and engineering. Engineering is a profession like law,, media is governed by professional code of conduct or ethics which gives, guidelines which things must be and must not be done. Every profession, has some code of Ethics given by professional bodies or societies. You, may have heard that “Engineers should not sign off on work unless they, have checked and approved it or 'Once having undertaken a case, the, physician should not neglect the patient”., ‘‘Engineering Ethics is the study of the decisions, policies, and values, that are morally desirable in engineering practice and research.’’, ---Martin & Schinzinger, IT is important for a group to have a code of ethics before society, recognises it as a profession. There are different professional societies, who talk about the responsibilities, ethical behaviour and code of Ethics, for engineers. Boston Society of Civil Engineers, founded in 1848, was the, first civilian engineering organisation., American Society of Civil Engineers was founded in 1852., 165
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, , , , In 1906 American Society of Electrical Engineers voted to have a, code., The code was adopted by AIEE in 1912 and by ASME in 1914., By 1915 all engineering associations had a code., , The different bodies have stated different codes of Ethics but, Engineering is too diverse for one code of ethics to apply to all. There are, Some independent practitioners, some are employees of large, organizations, some are managers, some are closely supervised and some, are their own bosses. Engineers do too many different things for the same, standards to apply to all. Engineering is not a single profession but a, family of historically related professions There is a body called the, Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) that has, given a fundamental Code of Ethics for all Engineering professionals., 11.15.1 Code of Ethics:, The Fundamental Principles:, Engineers uphold and advance the integrity, honour and dignity of the, engineering profession by:, Using their knowledge and skill for the enhancement of human, welfare., Being honest and impartial, and servicing with fidelity the public, their, employers and clients., Striving to increase the prestige and competence of the engineering, profession., Supporting the professional and technical societies of their discipline., 11.15.2 Principle /Benchmarks for Engineers:, Engineers shall build their professional reputation on the merit of their, services and shall not compete unfairly with others., Engineers shall act in such a manner as to uphold and enhance the, honor, integrity and dignity of the profession., Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout, their careers and shall provide opportunities for the professional, development of those engineers under their supervision., Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the, public in the performance of their professional duties., Engineers shall perform services only in the areas of their competence., Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and, truthful manner., Engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer or client, as faithful agents or trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of interest., Thus, Engineering ethics is mainly knowing about the professional, 166
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area of engineers which is governed by standards of code of ethics and an, examination of moral issues that are related to various aspects of, engineering., , 11.16 MEDIA ETHICS, Media is known as the fourth pillar of democracy. It has great, power to touch every aspect of our life. You people are very much aware, about the power of the media and how it is playing a crucial role in the, current situation. It has a very big effect on our life. So, It must be, regulated with moral principles and ethical decision making. This media, includes Radio, television, print, cinema and internet and it has great, capacity to create good society or crack the society. The many decisions in, our life have the effect of the media., , Drawing, (https://hindi.oneindia.com/news/fourth-pillar-democracy-dangerous-readview- writer/articlecontent-pf100910-429883.html), 11.16.1 Classification of Media:, , (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w4JgeGABtQ/UNvFWKFdD6I/AAAAAAAAABI/jg2WloyNYTY/s1600/MEDIA.JPG), 167
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11.16.2 Ethical Standards:, Today, every organisation and country has their own media Ethics, they are practicing. If media or journalists are not following standards of, ethical behaviour then it is going to affect their reputation and credibility., There are some standards which are followed by media professionals all, over the world., 11.16.2.1 Accuracy:, Accuracy is the main foundation of Media ethics. You can see that, BBC news channel, they pay highest importance to a accuracy while, reporting, editing and photographing the events. Accuracy is very much, important as it shows truth to people who understand the situation., You might aware about the how media has the shown the case of, the Aarushi-Hemraj murder (2008) by Indian media., 11.16.2.2 Truthfulness:, Truthfulness is needed to show the complete truth of the situation., It requires commitment from journalists as well as from media houses too., It is the responsibility of journalists to whenever they are showing any, story, it must be truthful without any bias, all content and all sides of the, story are presented in it., 11.16.2.3 Objectivity:, This attribute helps media persons to be aware about the personal, biases. It is expected that journalists show stories as objectively and not, intentionally hide or omit information to colour their own personal, agenda., 11.16.2.4 Integrity of Sources:, It is the responsibility of journalists to check accuracy as well as, verify the sources before putting it in stories. Journalists must use original, sources and clearly identify and mention it., 11.16.2.5 Avoiding conflict of Interest:, The media persons must act with integrity and refuse any gifts,, favours and special treatment offered to them so they cannot compromise, with fairness of their stories., Now we have seen some of the common ethical standards for, journalists or media. There are some professional organizations that have, also stated some guidelines of media ethics., 168
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The society of Professional journalists has given some simple code of, ethics., Seek and report the truth, Minimize harm, Act Independently, Be accountable, The full code of conduct can be found on the website www.spj.org., There are some other self-regulatory codes of conduct for journalists and, media. You can visit the following website of different organisations., National Union of Journalists (http://media.gn.apc.org/mujcode.html), Press Council of India (www.presscouncil.nic.in), Indian Broadcasting Federation (www.ibfindia.com), Media Alliance (www.alliance.org.au), Thus, every business has their own ethical code of conduct given, by government or professionals organizations or societies. We have seen, ethics in engineering and media how important it is. Every business has to, follow ethical guidelines or code of ethics like education, medical,, environment, law, advertising, politics and banking so on and so forth., , 11.17 SUMMARY, In this chapter, we have discussed persuasion communication, its, impotence and different persuasive strategies used in business, communication. Then this chapter focused on the Ethics in business, communication. We have explored different concepts like morality, ethics,, values, profession, professionalism, professional ethics and at the last we, have seen the importance of ethics in different professions like ethics in, engineering and media., , 11.18 UNIT END QUESTIONS, 1., , What is meant by Ethics? Why is it necessary in business? Discuss., , 2., , Explain the AIDA Model., , 3., , Comment on the different persuasive strategies used in business, communication., , 4., , Explain the three steps of writing persuasive messages., , 5., , State the difference between Ethics and Values., , 6., , Discuss and explain what is meant by „Ethics in Engineering‟., , 7., , State the importance of Ethics in Media. You can select or, reference any news channel you like., , 8., , Explain the Cokes 5Ps approach., 169
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9., , Comment on the 10 myths of business Ethics., , 10., , List down the key features of ethical leadership. Identify any, business organisation and analyse how ethical leadership makes, difference in organisation from its competitors., , 11., , You have been appointed as a project Engineer and assigned the task, of a installation of a water purification unit to supply potable water, to a drought prone rural area. Identify minimum five ethical, problems that may arise in executing this project., , 12., , ‘‘Zero Defect, Zero Effect’’ slogan coined by the Prime Minister of, India which is based on the philosophy of professional Ethics. What, kind of ethical roles does it signify for the technocrats?, , 13., , Do you think the present media is free from ethical journalism? If, yes why?, , 14., , Choose an article from any reputed newspaper and do analysis of its, content and structure. Analyze the story whether it’s fair, balanced,, and impartial or not?, , 15., , Read the following caselet and give your opinions of it ., , Case let, Ranveer Singh is the owner of a petrol pump. He is a 50 and is a wealthy, man. His children, a son and a daughter, are educated, married, settled in, the US and Well off. He is a religious man and goes to visit many, religious places. He also donates money to charities and to religious, groups. As a dealer in the petrol pump. He earns enough money. He also, runs a service station and sells oil and spare parts. If there is a shortage of, petrol, he secretly sells petrol at Higher prices. If the price of petrol is, above to rise, he puts up a „non stock‟ sign and sells the old stock of, petrol at a higher price after new prices are announced. He also sells cheap, spare parts for vehicles at a higher price and earns some extra money. if, caught for his misdeeds, he Bribes officials to let him off., Question for discussion, ●, Discuss the business ethics of Ranbir Singh., ●, Being a wealthy man, having no reason to cheat and earn money,, why do you think he adopts unethical means to earn extra money?, ●, Compare his devotion and compassion with his business practice., Ashok Jaiswal was the administrative officer in a company. He lived with, his parents. His father owned a stationery shop that supplied stationery to, government departments and retail outlets. The family was doing, reasonably well with the earnings from two members. As the, administrative officer, it was Ashok’s duty to purchase a large amount of, stationery. Being a private company, they did not go through elaborate, procedures to purchase stationery items. The company policy was to, purchase good items from reliable suppliers for use by the staff. The, company did not want to go in for invitation of quotes from different, vendors and select the lowest bidder as it would have been a timeconsuming process. The total value of the stationery purchases was also, not very high, compared to the total purchase made by the company., 170
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Ashok used to inform his father of the items and the quantities, required for the company. He used to place orders with his father‟s firm, for most of the purchases. The rates quoted by his father‟s firm were not, abnormally high when compared to the market rates. In this way, he, managed to give his father a lot of business. He also used to give a few, trivial purchase orders to other firms as well., What is your opinion on the following?, 1. Was Ashok right in informing his father of the purchases to be made?, 2. Do you see any conflict of interest in purchasing items from a firm, owned by an employee’s relative?, 3. In any case, the company was not losing much money as the rates, quoted by his father’s firm were also reasonable. How ethical do you, think this was?, 1., , Subramanian R ,(2013), professional ethics ,oxford university press,, new Delhi.(Major case studies are taken from this book), , 2., , Shukla tanu,yadave Anupam and Chauhan gajendra,2018,Human, values and professional ethics,, cengage learning india pvt ltd,new, delhi., , 3., , https://keydifferences.com/difference-between-ethics-andvalues.html, , 4., , https://managementhelp.org/blogs/business-ethics/2010/10/13/10myths-about- business-ethics/, , 5., , https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/trends-and-forecasting/specialreports-and-expertviews/Documents/Ethical-WorkplaceCulture.pdf, , 6., , http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w4JgeGABtQ/UNvFWKFdD6I/AAAAAAAAABI/jg2WloyNYTY/s1600/MED, IA.JPG, , 7., , https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/aidamodel- marketing/, , 8., , https://slideplayer.com/slide/13279477/, , 9., , https://www.slideshare.net/UmarWaheed10/writingpersuasivemessages, *****, , 171
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12, BUSINESS COMMUNICATION AIDS, Unit Structure, 12.1 Objectives, 12.2 Introduction, 12.3 What is a Communication Aid?, 12.4 Communication & visual aids, 12.4.1. Flip Charts, 12.4.2. Posters, 12.4.3. Overhead Transparencies, 12.4.4. Handouts, 12.5 Using graphics and Visual aids, 12.6 Choosing correct Visual aids, 12.6.1. Table, 12.6.2. Organizational charts, 12.6.3. Flow Charts, 12.6.4. Pie Charts, 12.6.5. Line Charts, 12.6.6. Bar Charts & Column Charts, 12.6.7. Maps, 12.7 Digital workplace, 12.7.1. Intranet/Social Intranet, 12.7.2. Chat and Private messaging, 12.7.3. Discussion Forums, 12.7.4. Tracking and Case software, 12.7.5. Internal Blog, 12.8 Collaborative tools, 12.8.1. Blue Jeans vericon, 12.8.2. Windstream Enterprise Office Suite UC, 12.8.3. Cisco WebEx, 12.8.4. Click Meeting, 12.8.5. Fuse, 12.8.6. Google Meet, 12.8.7. GoToMeeting, 12.8.8. Join.me, 12.8.9. Microsoft Teams, 12.8.10. Slack, 172
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12.8.11. TeamViewer, 12.8.12. Unified Meeting 5, 12.8.13. Zoho Meeting, 12.8.14. Zoom, 12.9 Summary, 12.10 Unit End Questions, , 12.1 OBJECTIVES, At the end of this chapter your able to, You will understand what is meant by business communication aids., Demonstrate how to use visual aids effectively in your presentation., To Make you aware about the different available platforms, for Business communication., , 12.2 INTRODUCTION, As we have seen in earlier chapters, communication plays an, important role in organisation. We have seen different types of, communication strategies which are used in business communication. You, people are very much aware of what is meant by business communication., Business communication is the process of exchanging information within, and outside an organisation order to increase profit and achieve aims,, objectives and goals of the organisation. Ultimately the main objective is, to well inform the employer and minimise the mistakes. In the last, module, Chapter Seven which talks about three significant communicative, situations in business, namely, Meetings, Conferences and Group, Discussions. We have understood the nature, features and functions of, these speech events with the help of illustrations and activities. In this, chapter, you people also studied about the role and function of team, presentations and team briefings and how these can be made effective in, business communication. In Chapter Nine, you have understood, communication needs that are specific to business and how, communication across functional areas can be made effective., All the planned activities in an organisation depend on the, procedure of business communication otherwise miscommunication can, make business a problem. It includes management communication or, technical communication with dealers. They have to regularly, communicate with different stakeholders of the organisation that we have, discussed in chapter number ten. communication may be verbal or written, and each one has its importance. As you know that verbal communication, is useful for sharing new ideas and written communication provide written, documents., You might know or come across various types of organisations, 173
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which have a single office or having different branches around the country, as well as all over the world. There are some organisations that don't have, any physical office. So, they are always working online. For better and, effective communication, they are using different methods of, communication according to the needs of organisation., , 12.3 WHAT IS A COMMUNICATION AID?, Selecting the right communication aid for business communication, will depend on different factors, such as their method of access and, personal preferences. A communication aid means anything that helps an, individual communicate more effectively with those around them. This, could be a simple letter to a more piece of electronic equipment., Many aids are symbol based and they provide full functionality in, enabling the user to communicate with others in business communication., In business communication, we use an electronic aid which can be, a device that has been purposely built for that job, it may be a, standard computer running specialist communication aid software with, the added benefit of being a computer as well., Now let's discuss some useful communication aids which are, used in business communication., , 12.4 COMMUNICATION & VISUAL AIDS, Visual aids play an important role in Business communication. The, first objective of visual aids is to Generate and hold audience interest in, communication.it will help to increase audience recall. The more you are, involved in communication then the more likely the receiver will, understand the sender's message and he will remember it. Visual aids are, very effective when it comes to clarifying any ideas or information. Next, visual aid is going to help increase credibility and persuasiveness in, business communication. In oral communication if we are presenting, things visually that are more persuasive and effective to the audience., When we present with visual aids support then we can easily accept the, things. Why do we use visual aids?, It is said that 75% of what we know us 75% comes to us through, visuals only. There are many types of visual aids Overhead, Transparencies (OHT) Slides, Charts, and Posters Objects and Models,, Handouts, Whiteboards and Chalkboards Computer Assisted Audiovisuals (PPT) Audio or Video (tapes, CDs, DVDs…), 12.4.1. Flip Charts:, If you're briefing small groups then flip charts can be used to, record audience comments and questions. Also remember it's not suitable, 174
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for a use in a large audience.it is very much useful in extended, presentations where ideas are changed through interaction with the, audience. If you're taking group brainstorming sessions in front of the, group then it is very much helpful. Make sure the information is large, enough for the whole audience to see Flip Charts clearly., , Drawing, 12.4.2. Posters:, Posters are very useful in Smaller audience sizes (except for, marketing). They are permanent and removable. To make Elaborate, posters is not easy, it requires extensive preparation., Posters and Flip Charts Can be placed close to audiences and they, may provide interactive communication They may display key concepts, for the audience., , 12.4.3. Overhead Transparencies:, If you're giving a presentation to an audience of 20 to 50 people in, 175
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a room which is not equipped with a computer projection system then, Overhead transparencies are useful aid for communication. Now it is Old, fashioned but, in some industries, it is still used. Transparencies Can be, eliminated during the speech. When you're using it, decide the number of, transparencies. Maintain good eye contact with the audience and Point on, the projector, not screen. Only project information is necessary for, explanation otherwise you can Keep relevant information hidden until, needed. if your projector is not in use then turn the projector light off., , Drawing, 12.4.4. Handouts:, Handouts allow speakers to go into depth on some points while, skimming over others. They are very useful for complex presentations as, well as they are helpful audience members to take with them for future, reference. When you're circulating handouts, you have to take care of the, quality of it .The lists, maps, tables etc must be updated one and decide, how to project with them during the presentation., , 12.5 USING GRAPHICS AND VISUAL AIDS, A visual aid is any object, picture, drawing, maps, poster, chart and, other image that helps the audience or reader understand data and, concepts. A graphic can be an official means of presenting large amounts, of data and information. When we use visual aids in documents, you, should identify them well and place them in an apt location. We can post, photos or charts in the body of the documents. A number system is, 176
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necessary when a document has more than one graphic. Title must briefly, describe a graphic and also if you take material from some other source,, you must include a source line., , 12.6 CHOOSING THE CORRECT VISUAL AIDS, Choosing the correct visual aids according to customers/audience, is very much needed. There are different kinds of visual aids available., Table, Organisational charts, Flow charts, Pie charts, Line charts, Bar charts, Column charts, Maps, Photographs, Drawings, We can develop graphics electronically and computer programmes, allow users to create and edit professional looking graphics., 12.6.1 Charts:, In business communication, for making business documents, several types of chars are commonly used. You can see organizational and, flow charts are often included in the company’s manuals. Pie charts, line, charts, bar charts are generally used in reports., 12.6.2 Organisational Charts:, Organisational charts which are also known as hierarchy charts, which are used in business communication. It gives graphical, representation of organizational structure. Its main objective is to show the, relationship between different authorities and their positions. When we see, the graph, we can easily trace the people in the organisation their position, and department in the organization, , 177
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12.6.3 Flow Charts:, It is a step-by-step diagram of procedure and process. flow charts, explain complex terms in a simple way which can easily be understood by, the audience. It will show the logical sequence of processes and will, communicate how different processes work., , 12.6.4 Pie Charts:, Pie charts are widely used in business presentations. It shows how, the parts of the whole are distributed and how the different parts relate to, one another. A pie chart is a circular graph that is divided down into parts, (i.e slices of pie). These parts represent the contribution of each part to, display parts of a whole., , 12.6.5 Line Charts:, Which is also known as line graph. It is a chart which shows, quantity and value over time. It shows patterns in the data, such as trends,, fluctuations, cycles, rates of change. It widely used in presentations and, reports., , 178
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12.6.6 Bar and Column Chart:, The both charts are a type of graph that is used to show and, compare different measures for different c of data to each other through, the use of bars or columns that are separated in each group. This chart is, either in horizontal or in a vertical orientation. In vertical form, it is, usually known as a column chart while in the horizontal form it is known, as a bar chart., , 12.6.7 Maps:, Maps is a visual representation of a whole or part of a geographical, area. It will help readers to visualize different geographical areas and their, relationship among them. Maps also give cultural, physical and, environmental information about different geographic territories such as, transport routes, crops, animals, sociological factors like religion, literacy, and so forth., , 179
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12.7 DIGITAL WORKPLACE, Many organizations' workplaces are now equipped with digital, facilities. Digital workplace is an emerging trend in industries. It is said, that all staff use all technologies to do their job. It may include HR, applications, business applications to email, instant messaging, social, media tools, intranets and different portals. It is important for, organisations to set up a digital workplace definitely that is going to help, them to work efficiently. There are different digital strategies used like, Intranet/Social Intranet Chat rooms, Private and Group Messaging, Discussion Forums Ticketing, Issue Tracking and Case Software Internal, Blogs, Video and Audio., , 180
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12.7.1 Intranet/Social Intranet:, , An intranet is known as a private hub that can be accessed by any, authorised users within that business organisation. It is used for internal, communication. Through, Intranets you can5 easily share company news ., it will help an information-rich environment, which can be accessible from, any location and on any device., 12.7.2 Chat & Private Messaging:, , It is known as the best tool in business communication. It will help, teams work together. It is also known as an effective tool for busy, employees and Managers. If members of a team project are from different, locations or time zones then chat and private messaging is one of the, important tools which can be used in business communication. The, employees or managers can share files and an access conversation, regularly., , 181
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12.7.3 Discussion Forums:, , A discussion forum will help to bring together management and, employees for an open discussion on any topic related to their, organisation. People can share their knowledge and the same can be used, by other members., 12.7.4 Tracking & Case Software:, , A case tracking system always helps to centralise customer support, queries and keep track of any open issues. Mostly it is used in an, organisation’s customer support centre to create, update and resolve, customer issues or even issues of employees within the company., 12.7.5 Internal Blogs:, , 182
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The internal blog is a tool where employees can share their, opinions, ideas and experiences fast and in an informal way. People can, easily share different articles, their views on different topics and that can, be accessible to anyone. Some people might not be comfortable giving, their opinions face to face such people may give their true feedback, virtually., It's challenging to make communication between different, employees who are working in different places and hours. You need to, identify the correct source of technological tools which are right for your, organization., , 12.8 COLLABORATIVE TOOLS, , You can see on office work is transferring from office table to, kitchen table in this pandemic time. Now you can easily conduct online, meetings through video conferencing. Now this technology has made, communication easier and affordable. You can use small software or, mobile phones or social platforms like Facebook, twitter, YouTube for, your small business., Now lets see some of the important tools which you can use in, business virtually but these tools cannot replace the face to face, interaction., 12.8.1 Blue Jeans by Verizon:, , 183
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BlueJeans, which is very famous, a cloud-based video, communications platform, which gives attendees the flexibility of joining, video conferences using a web browser, desktop app, or mobile phone. It, will help make meetings more productive with a wide range of, collaboration features which are available across platforms. These include, the ability to host meetings in conference rooms and town halls, share, screens, and record meetings., 12.8.2 Windstream Enterprise Office Suite UC:, , Office Suite UC is a 100% cloud-based UCaaS (unified, communications as a service) system that is accessible anytime, anywhere., It gives facilities like audio, web and video conferencing as well as offers, unlimited nationwide calling, toll-free phone service, and digital faxing. It, has a lot of features like mobile twinning, which makes all incoming calls, ring your desk and mobile phone simultaneously; virtual voicemail,, allowing you to receive notifications and messages from any phone,, online, or by email., 12.8.3 Cisco WebEx:, , Cisco's Webex is a meeting app which offers HD video, conferences with collaboration and file-sharing facilities for all types of, meetings, including presentations, sales demos, online training sessions,, web-based events, staff meetings and remote tech support.It is fully, accessible on mobile devices with the Webex mobile app for iPhone, iPad,, Android and BlackBerry., 12.8.4 Click Meeting:, , 184
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It is one of the important tools which is used to host lots of, webinars. You can plan out your webinar beforehand with your branding,, slideshows and screen sharing. You can make custom invitations and, registration pages to get everyone you need into your webinar room.you, can add polls, use a Q&A chat tool and create calls to action., 12.8.5 Fuze:, , Fuze is a meeting tool which can help to take online and live, meetings to the next level. In addition to offering HD audio and video, conferencing for up to 1,000 participants, though, users can present, documents, multimedia, animations and other types of rich content., It is accessible from any device, whether you are in the same room, in the meeting, down the hall or across the country. You can easily, schedule meetings directly from Microsoft Outlook or Google Calendar., 12.8.6 Google Meet:, , It is very popular nowadays in India ,many educational organisations, using this platform for teaching. It is the kind of group collaboration tool, that makes all types of communication among employees easy., Like other components of the G Suite, Meet features improvements, from Google's previous flagship team communication tool, Hangouts., 12.8.7 GoToMeeting:, , 185
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If you want a basic version of web conferencing. You can use its, one-click meeting feature to schedule meetings through integrations with, Microsoft Office 365, Slack, Google Calendar and Microsoft Teams. It, gives facilities like HD video conferencing, screen sharing, web audio, a, dial-in conference line, drawing tools and the ability to record meetings., 12.8.8 Join.me:, , Join.me lets you easily start casual voice chats with anyone in your, business, no software required. You can join video meetings and webinars, from your web browser. It also has an iOS app, VoIP and toll-free, capabilities. It features several integrations, including with scheduling, programs such as Outlook and Google Calendar, and other applications, such as Salesforce and Slack., 12.8.9 Microsoft Teams:, , Today, the Microsoft team is very popular among many, educational organisations today. It is mainly used for online classes. It, includes powerful features like screen and file sharing, shared apps and, workflows, and a visual style called Together Mode that makes it look like, everyone participating in the meeting is in the same room., 12.8.10 Slack:, , 186
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Slack is a multipurpose platform which is used for project, management and provides services like instant messaging and video, conferencing. It allows you to create several channels for different teams, and makes it easy to add new members to multiple channels., 12.8.11 TeamViewer, , TeamViewer gives anyone complete access to desktops,, applications, and data so users can skip explaining problems and reduce, miscommunication. Many organisations like dwell laptop company also, use this application to solve customer care problems., 12.8.12 Unified Meeting 5:, , Collaboration should be easy. Unified Meeting 5, by conferencing, solutions provider West, is an all-in-one audio, video, and web, conferencing platform that makes creating and joining meetings a piece of, cake. It provides simplified scheduling tools, offers streamlined audio call, management, and seamlessly integrates with popular business tools., 12.8.13 Zoho Meeting:, , Zoho Meeting is a comprehensive online meeting solution that lets, businesses hold live meetings to share product demonstrations with, prospects, provide remote client support and more.Users simply sign in, with their Google, Facebook or Yahoo accounts; via Google Apps; or by, entering a meeting session ID from any Windows, Mac or Linux device, 187
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12.8.14 Zoom:, , Zoom is very popular in India now in such pandemic situations. It, helps to conduct all types of online meetings, such as one-on-one video, conferences, town-hall meetings, training, webinars and marketing events., The service can be used on desktops, mobile devices, and your company's, video and conference room systems. A developer platform is available to, integrate Zoom features – such as video, voice and screen sharing – with, apps your business already uses., , 12.9 SUMMARY, Thus, in this chapter we have discussed the importance of different, aid which is useful in business communication. In detail we have, discussed communication and visual aids, different types of charts in, business communication. At last, we have seen fourteen different, collaborative tools which are used in business communication. There are, more tools available like video conferencing, social media, Facebook,, twitter, LinkedIn and so on. Some of the parts are discussed in other, modules. You can refer to it., , 12.10 UNIT END QUESTIONS, 1. How do Visual Aids Help in Business communication?, 2. What is meant by digital workplace? Discuss it., 3. Visit any business organisation and discuss which are the different, digital tools used for communication?, 4. Discuss different types of charts used in business communication?, 5. Explain different collaborative tools used in business communication?, Chapter 12 Business communication aids, 1. https://open.lib.umn.edu/businesscommunication/chapter/11-4-visualaids/, 2., http://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/guides/factsheets/factsheet_commu, nication_aids.p df, 188
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UNIT V, , 13, PLANNING THE PRESENTATIONS, Unit Structure, 13.1 Objectives, 13.2 Introduction, 13.3 Planning: basic questions, 13.4 Brainstorming, 13.4.1 What is brainstorming?, 13.4.2 Kinds: Individual and Group, 13.4.3 Google Docs for Brainstorming, 13.3 Planning: basic questions, 13.4 Brainstorming, 13.4.1 What is brainstorming?, 13.4.2 Kinds: Individual and Group, 13.4.3 Google Docs for Brainstorming, 13.5 Mind Maps, 13.5.1 What is a Mind Map?, 13.5.2 Illustrations, 13.5.3 Digital Mind Maps, 13.6 Concept Maps, 13.6.1 What is a Concept Map?, 13.6.2 Difference between a Mind Map and a Concept Map, 13.6.3 Illustrations, 13.6.4 Digital Concept Maps, 13.7 Let us Sum up, 13.8 Suggested Reading, 13.9 Web Resources, 13.10 Hints for Self-Check Exercises, , 13.1 OBJECTIVES, In this unit, you will learn about the first stage of a presentation i.e., planning. After reading this unit, you should be able to use some, techniques in planning for your presentation. You will be able to:, brainstorm your ideas, draw a Mind Map, create a Concept Map., 190
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13.2 INTRODUCTION, In the previous chapters, you have already grasped the steps in, Public Speaking and learnt the different techniques used in team, presentations. Planning is the first step in making a successful, presentation., In this chapter, we will understand the basic questions involved in, planning our presentations. Then, we will elaborate on some thinking tools, in planning. Although there are many thinking tools, we will focus on, three main tools - Brainstorming, Mind Maps and Concept Maps. The, illustrations and self-assessment exercises will help you to increase your, skills in using these three thinking tools., , 13.3 PLANNING: BASIC QUESTIONS, Planning is an important part of any creative process. Begin by, asking the basic questions – Why? Who? What? When? Where? Which?, This is one way of brainstorming which is discussed in more details in the, next section., Why do you want, to present?, Who is, your, audience?, , What is your topic?, , When is, the, presentation?, , Where is, the, presentation?, , State the purpose or goal., Identify their commonalities and, differences with respect to age,, gender,, background,, status,, qualifications,, skills, and, knowledge, occupation, income,, needs and expectations etc., Decide about the content you want, to present., Be sure about the time available, for making your presentation., Accordingly, list four or five, aspects of the topic., Emphasize one or two aspects with, suitable examples., Confirm the day, date and time., Ask if there are other speakers. Get, a brief idea about their topics., If possible, link your ideas with the, ideas of those who speak before, you. Linking will help in two ways., First, you can build on previous, knowledge. Second, you can avoid, repetitive ideas., Be, familiar, with, the, place/space/environment., Ask, 191
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Which aids do you, require?, , Other questions, , yourself:, Is it formal or informal? Is it, public/private?, For instance, is it a classroom or, meeting or seminar or conference or, get-together of friends or relatives?, Blackboard/Whiteboard,, audiovisual aids like a mike, overhead, projector or LCD projector or the, internet, Do you plan to provide hand-outs, or weblinks, create quizzes or, conduct polls or ask for feedback?, , Planning a presentation is similar to creating a structure or script in, three easy steps: tell them what you are going to tell them (introduction or, opening) or agenda, tell them (body), tell them what you told them, (conclusion or closing or summary)., , 13.4 BRAINSTORMING, Brainstorming is a good tool in any planning process. In this, section, we will offer a simple definition of brainstorming. Then we will, understand the two kinds of brainstorming i.e. individual and group, brainstorming. We will also give a brief overview of using technology i.e., how to use a google document for brain-netting i.e. brainstorming via the, internet., 13.4.1 What is brainstorming?:, Brainstorming is a visual thinking tool. It helps us in asking, questions, in generating a number of diverse ideas and in solving problems, in many different ways. Let us now understand the way we can use the, brainstorming thinking tool individually and as a group., 13.3.2 Individual and Group Brainstorming:, Brainstorming can be done as an individual or group activity., Begin with a simple, individual brainstorming exercise. You plan, to present the next five- year plan of your life-goals. Take a paper and a, pen and note down your individual goals for each year. Include the, following broad areas – study goals, career goals, financial goals and, others. Write down the time, money and efforts which may be required to, achieve these goals. Keep improvising. Start in a linear way or create a, simple Mind Map which has been elaborated in the next section. Let us, now understand the steps involved in group brainstorming., 192
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If you are planning a team presentation, then you will need to do, group brainstorming. Recall the basic questions. Make a list of your, friends who can join in the brainstorming session. Formulate the questions, or issues you want to raise. Consult the members and fix the day, date, and, venue. Ask them to reflect and prepare themselves for brainstorming., Create a fun- filled and relaxed atmosphere. Set the ground rules., Remember, your main aim is to pool all your creative ideas. You must, gather a number of ideas and a wide range of ideas. So, keep out criticism., Sometimes, even an idea which may sound silly may have the potential to, bring about a revolution. Can you recollect the story of the aeroplane? It, was inspired by human being’s thought of flying like a bird., Participation is vital in group brainstorming. Therefore, be a, facilitator. Your friends can raise their hands and you must permit each, one to voice his/her idea, suggestion, comment, question or doubt. Write, the ideas on the whiteboard for everyone to visualize. Finally, review or, evaluate the ideas together. Classify the key points, arrange, rearrange and, connect the topics and sub-topics. Decide on the examples to clarify your, ideas. Put them in order – introduction, body and conclusion. Now, you, are ready with a workable plan of your presentation., Do you and your friends or group members find it difficult to, arrange a face-to-face interaction? Then, go online and try using brainnetting. Today, there are varied platforms for meeting online., 13.3.3 Brain-Netting: Using Google Docs and Google Meet:, Brain-Netting, in simple words, is using your brains to network. It, is brainstorming on the net. Go online and create a Google doc which is, freely available with a Gmail account. Note down your ideas. Create a link, to the document. Choose the option – anyone with the link can view and, edit the document. Share it with your friends by sending them the link., Everyone can write down their ideas which can be tracked. This is another, way of group brainstorming. Using such collaborative methods will result, in multiple ideas and solutions., Covid-19 has made online interactions and learning as the new, normal. All of us have attended lectures, webinars and informal meetings, using google meet, zoom, webex and many others. These platforms, provide the option of recording the sessions including the attendance of, the participants. Your collaboration can save time and effort as well as, help in creating a permanent record for future reference., Self - Check Exercise 1:, 1. Do a simple SWOC analysis for yourself. Write down your strengths,, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges., 2. Your IT class has been asked to create a video on, environmental pollution. Brainstorm with your friends and plan a, 193
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presentation using the framework of basic questions listed in 13.2., 3. Use a google document (send a link) and collaborate with your friends, to plan a presentation on the topic – Using Bollywood Songs to, motivate people., , 13.4 MIND MAPS, In this section, we will define a Mind Map. Then, we will identify, some of its applications, requirements and elements. Thereafter, we will, look at digital Mind Mapping and some illustrations of Mind Maps., 13.4.1 What is a Mind Map?:, A Mind Map was devised as a study technique by Tony Buzan in, 1970. A Mind Map is a form of visual communication. It is a diagram, which helps you to arrange and link your ideas. It increases our, concentration., A Mind Map has many applications. It is used to generate ideas,, brainstorm, take notes, organize information, study and memorize, plan, and take decisions, and undertake a survey or research and prepare a chart, of your plans – personal, professional, educational, career, family,, business or organizational. It can help you to think clearly, learn quickly,, recall instantly and communicate effectively. You will require a sheet of, plain paper, a pencil or pen., How to draw a Mind Map? It is easy. Radial thinking (and not, linear thinking) is the main characteristic of a Mind Map. Place the main, idea or topic in the centre of the page. Identify one or two keywords. Use, curved lines to link the ideas. Add the sub-topics or secondary ideas as, branches. Use smaller branches or lines to connect the sub-topics. Be, creative and use coloured pencils or pens to make the Mind Map more, attractive. Keep revising your Mind Map till your ideas can be visualized, clearly., 13.4.2 Digital Mind Mapping:, Mind Mapping can be done in the offline and online modes., Although a Mind Map is best done offline with paper and pen, you will, find a number of free and open source Mind Map softwares. Some are free, during a trial period while some are paid ones. Do check out the terms and, conditions. Refer to the websites listed at the end of the unit. You will find, softwares like lucidchard, mind42 and edraw which you can download and, use for creating Mind Maps on a wide range of topics., 13.4.3 Illustrations:, In this section, we will present some examples of Mind Maps., 194
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Check, out, the, Mind, Map, laws, by, visiting, https://www.tonybuzan.edu.sq/about/mind-maps/. It lists the elements of a, Mind Map. The central idea covers the Mind Map Laws. The secondary, ideas are shown in capital letters with thick lines and keywords - paper,, lines, colours, images, keywords and style. The thinner lines represent the, additional links for secondary ideas., Look at the two pictures which have been compiled and created on, a powerpoint slide. The first one covers the main elements of a Mind Map., The second one captures some of the impacts of information technology, on our lives., , Self -Check Exercise 2, The following Do-It-Yourself exercises on Mind Maps will help you to, enhance your analytical, time management and financial management, skills:, 1. Draw a Mind Map with Mobile Apps as the central idea. The, secondary ideas could be the size, benefits, drawbacks and dangers., Plan a presentation based on this Mind Map., 2. Time Management is an important skill. Recall how you spent your, time last Sunday., Draw a Mind Map showing how you spent each hour from the time, 195
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you woke up to the time you went to sleep. (See hints given at the end, of the unit.), 3. Your Salary is Rs. 50000 per month. Draw a Mind Map to show your, expenses and investments. (See hints given at the end of the unit.), , 13.5 CONCEPT MAPS, In this section, we will define a Concept Map and identify some of, its applications and elements. Then, we will explain some key variations, between a Mind Map and a Concept Map. We will also provide some, examples of a Concept Map., 13.5.1 What is a Concept Map?:, The technique of concept mapping or webbing was put forward by, Dr. Joseph Novak. A Concept Map is similar to a Mind Map but it is more, complex. A Concept Map can be used to show the inter-connections, among multiple ideas. It has multiple uses: for explaining, brainstorming, and organizing ideas, in analysing a complex problem and in finding, solutions., It is a graphical tool used to indicate the relations between, concepts and ideas in a hierarchical manner. The fundamental elements, include boxes or circles called as nodes, lines or arrows called as arcs and, texts (one or two action words). There is a proposition i.e. a statement, which describes and links two concepts., So, how do we create a Concept Map? Narrow down the main idea, and place it in an oval shape right at the top. Now write down a number of, ideas or concepts which are linked to the main idea. Place them below the, main concept. Make use of arrows to indicate the links between various, concepts. Highlight the connections with the help of one or two action, words or phrases. Place these action words next to the arrows. It must, resemble a network., Before illustrating a Concept Map, let us examine the differences, between a Mind Map and a Concept Map., 13.5.2 Difference between a Mind Map and a Concept Map:, There are some similarities between a Mind Map and a Concept, Map. For instance, both are useful in linking ideas and in brainstorming., However, there are some key differences. A Mind Map is used merely for, creative thinking with a single idea placed at the centre. But a Concept, Map is used for finding solutions to problems. It consists of a hierarchical, structure. It has multiple ideas which can be inter-connected by using one, or more action verbs. A Mind Map is simple and can be drawn quickly but, a Concept Map is complicated and time-consuming. Let us now look at an, example of a Concept Map on planning a presentation., 196
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13.5.3 Illustrations:, Refer to the framework of basic questions in planning a, presentation. The framework can be presented with a visual appeal in the, form of the following Concept Map:, , Go online and search for innumerable Concept Maps. Visit the following, websites for more illustrations on Photosynthesis and Climate Change:, Photosynthesis https://educationaltechnology.net/concept-maps-and-howto-use-them/, Climate Change https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Composite-conceptmap-of-causes-ofclimate-change-as-well-as-positive-andnegative_fig2_280622724, 13.5.4 Digital Concept Mapping:, Concept Mapping can also be done in the offline and online, modes. Do remember that creating a Mind Map and a Concept Map with a, pen and paper is quicker., However, using online digital tools to create a Concept Map, enables us to explore and experiment with the many inbuilt options. We, can go online and make use of three digital tools like CMap, Vue and, Mindmesiter for preparing a Concept Map. There are also plenty of, Youtube videos which will guide you in using these tools., Self-Check Exercise 3, 1., , The current pandemic has changed the way we learn or work. Create, a Concept Map to show the impact of Covid, especially the learn and, work-from-home scenario., , 2., , All of us have multiple goals and aspirations. Create a Concept Map, indicating your multiple goals in life and show the connections, amongst these goals., 197
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of the audience? Do you have all the capabilities except public, speaking? What steps will you take to overcome the challenge (fear of, speaking)?, 2. Refer to the framework of basic questions (See 13.2). Brainstorm,, distribute, collaborate, create the video, get feedback and revise., 3. Identify the songs with the help of your friends. Ask them which song, motivated them and when and how did it motivate them. Make a list, and present it., Self-Check Exercise 2 (Mind Maps), 1. Recall the different Mobile Apps that you have downloaded: Learning,, Gaming, Payment gateways, Financial Management, Storage and, others., 2. Time spent on personal hygiene (brushing, going to the toilet,, bathing), breakfast, lunch and dinner time, helping mother in, household work (cleaning the toilets and bathrooms, sweeping and, mopping, washing utensils three or four times, washing clothes,, cleaning your cupboards, going to the market for making purchases),, taking a nap, recreation (exercise, sport, reading, singing, listening to, music, watching television, watching movies on the mobile, playing, mobile games or others). Be honest and record the actual activity., 3. Expenses - house rent, housing loan, educational loan, electricity,, mobile, internet, restaurant, gas, grocery, vegetables, fruits and, miscellaneous; Investments - Life Insurance, National Savings, Certificate, Postal Savings, Chit Funds, Gold, Fixed Deposit,, Recurring Deposits, Mutual Funds, Shares, Debentures etc., Self-Check Exercise 3 (Concept Maps), 1. You must have already started learning online. Likewise, your parents, may be working from home. Go ahead and explore these situations to, create your own unique Concept Maps. Cover areas like transport,, electricity, internet, online and offline interactions and the overall, home scenario., 2. All of us have multiple goals and aspirations. Create a Concept Map, indicating your multiple goals in life and show the connections, amongst these goals: Study, Career, Marriage and Family, Finance,, Travel and others., , *****, , 199
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14, EXECUTING THE PRESENTATIONS, Unit Structure, 14.1 Objectives, 14.2 Introduction, 14.3 Execution Stage, 14.4 Chunking theory, 14.5 Creating Outlines and Using Templates, 14.5.1 Creating Outlines, 14.5.2 Using Templates, 14.6 Impress Stage: Visual Communication, 14.3 Execution Stage, 14.4 Chunking theory, 14.5 Creating Outlines and Using Templates, 14.5.1 Creating Outlines, 14.5.2 Using Templates, 14.6 Impress Stage: Visual Communication, 14.6.1 Adding Graphics, 14.6.2 Using fonts, colours, shapes and effects, 14.6.3 Using Design and Insert options, 14.6.4 Sequence, Transitions and Animations, 14.7 Let us Sum up, 14.8 Suggested Reading, 14.9 Web Resources, 14.10 Hints for Self-Check Exercises, , 14.1 OBJECTIVES, After reading this chapter, you should be able to create your presentations., After going through this chapter, you will be able to:, , , Break down complex information into simple chunks or bits, , , , Make an outline of your presentation, , , , Learn to use powerpoint templates, , , , Create visually appealing presentations., , 200
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14.2 INTRODUCTION, In chapter 13, we described the steps and techniques of planning, the presentation. In this chapter, you will learn how to execute your plans., You can present in an extempore manner (on the spot delivery) or plan it, beforehand with the help of a powerpoint presentation. The next section, will deal with the execution stage of your presentation., , 14.3 EXECUTING STAGE, After the planning stage of your presentation, you must go on to, the execution stage. This stage broadly consists of three steps. The first, step deals with chunking (breaking down and grouping) the ideas. The, second step comprises the building of a rough and workable outline. The, final step involves the creation and use of powerpoint templates to, communicate your ideas or messages to your target audience., , 14.4 CHUNKING THEORY, Chunking is a simple process which aids our memory. First, we, break down our information into little, manageable bits. Second, we group, them in such a way that we can remember the information easily. Let us, illustrate the process of chunking with examples from our daily lives., How do you remember your friend’s mobile number or your credit, card number or Bank Account number? Recall! If a mobile number is, 0011002200, then it can be remembered if we group them in twos – 00 11, 00 22 00. Breaking down and grouping information is an effective way to, remember. Do use and practice this method of chunking to memorise any, kind of information., After deciding on the topic and the information that you wish to, transmit to your target audience, you should now make an outline of your, presentation., , 14.5 CREATING OUTLINES AND USING TEMPLATES, 14.4.1 Creating Outlines:, Creating an outline will help in deciding and organizing your ideas, related to a particular topic. As you continue to build on your ideas, you, can add or delete the sub- topics that you will cover in the presentation., Imagine that you have to make a presentation on the topic, Violence against Women (VAW), an important aspect of gender disparity., Given below is a bare outline that you can work on:, 201
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Outline, What is VAW? : UN Declaration, Forms of VAW: psychological, physical, sexual, financial, domestic,, social, spiritual and criminal, Illustrations for each form of VAW (give data or facts from reports, link to, relevant clippings of videos/advertisements/movies), Causes of VAW (patriarchy) Effects of VAW on women and society, How to end VAW?: Initiatives by the Government, Media and Citizens, You can use quotes, short stories, clippings from videos, describe a, situation, present data or facts, Self-Check Exercises, Create an outline for the following topics:, 1. Barriers to Communication, 2. Learning during the Corona Pandemic, 14.4.2 Using Templates:, PowerPoint has many customizable templates. Learn to do them, yourself and let your creative juices glow. Are you short of time? Then,, head to the innumerable free websites and download the templates for, free. Some may come with a watermark. Never mind, go ahead and use, them. Do learn to attribute the sites, for an artist looks for recognition. If, you are the one who is passionate about creating your own work, then, follow the tips given in the next section to make your presentations, visually appealing., , 14.5 VISUAL COMMUNICATION, Visual communication refers to anything that we can see. For, instance, it could be a text, an image, a graphic, colours, shapes, effects,, fonts and sizes, patterns, designs, textures, SmartArt, ClipArt, 3 D models,, pictures, photographs, paintings, colours, charts, maps, graphs and the list, could go on. Just as spices add flavour and make the food tastier, visual, communication techniques are beneficial in two ways. First, they help in, grabbing the attention of the audience. Second, they convert dry, information into information which is appealing and attractive., 14.5.1 Adding Graphics:, In the context of powerpoint presentations, graphic refers to any, image or design used on the slides. Graphics have a great impact on the, attention span of the audience. The insert option in a PPT is a very useful, 202
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tool in this case. Go through the next sections and experiment with the, numerous options available in your PPT., 14.5.2 Using fonts, colours, shapes and effects:, Use a font which can be easily read. Experiment with the font size,, word art, themes, spacing and colours on the basis of your content., Colours add a visual appeal to your presentations. So, infuse colours to, make your slides eye-catching. Use the shape option to construct varied, patterns in the slide. Use the option of shape fill, shape outline and shape, effect for additional impact. While using colours do try to make the shapes, striking by means of the options of gradient, weight and dashes. Some of, these are already available as Presets. If you like to be creative then try out, the format shape option and let your imagination run wild., 14.5.4 Using Design and Insert options:, An interesting design on your presentation slide will increase the, interest of the audience. You can use the Design option in your PPT or, design the layout of your slide by means of the available options of, colours, fonts, size, style, format, effects, paragraph spacing, page colour, and border. Insert some beautiful pictures and lay them out in a creative, manner or use the draw option to make your own designs. Do keep in, mind that the design should be both balanced and appealing., You can also insert shapes, icons, 3D models, pictures, ClipArt,, SmartArt, charts, screenshots, audio and video recordings of your own or, take them from online sources. When you take them from online sources,, please cite your sources (give the address of the website) and attribute the, original creators. Do you find this process of citation and attribution too, time-consuming? Then, go to the free sites, for instance, Pixabay. This site, allows you to download images, vectors, videos and illustrations for free., Download them and use them creatively in your presentations. Give the, final touches to your presentation with options like sequence, transition, and animation., 14.5.5 Sequence, Transitions and Animations:, Put your slides in a proper sequence. Number them, if possible., However, if you are using techniques like hide slide or goto slide, then, avoid putting a number. This will prevent confusion. The in-built, transition effects and animation options add drama to your presentation, when you move from one slide to the other., Animate your slides to create a dramatic and lasting impression on, the audience. You can simply refer to the innumerable Youtube sites to, learn how to animate your slides. Learn to use the options like start on, click, with previous, after previous, effect options, timings, formatting, background, linking your slides and many more. Always remember that, 203
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experimentation is the key. Creating visually appealing presentations calls, for time and effort on the part of the presenter and it is a Do-It-Yourself, Skill., , 14.6 LET US SUM UP, In this chapter, we elaborated on the second stage of presentations,, namely, the execution stage. Herein, we explained the three steps:, chunking ideas, creating outlines and using templates. Thereafter, we, provided a brief overview of the varied options in visually enhancing the, presentations. The do-it-yourself self-check exercises will enrich your, critical skills with respect to outlining and your creative skills in preparing, visually appealing presentations., Now, you just need to work on the final stage of your presentation, i.e. the performing stage which will let you understand the effectiveness of, your presentation., , 14.7 SUGGESTED READING, Stewart, John P., and Don Fulop. Mastering the Art of Oral Presentations, : Winning Orals, Speeches, and Stand-Up Presentations : Winning Orals,, Speeches, and Stand-Up Presentations, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated,, 2019., ProQuest, Ebook, Central,, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/inflibnetebooks/detail.action?docID=5741996., , 14.8 WEB RESOURCES, https://pixabay.com, https://www.dummies.com/software/microsoft-office-for-mac/powerpointfor-mac/how-to-insert- graphics-in-powerpoint/, https://www.all-ppt-templates.com, https://www.slideteam.net/blog/50-free-powerpoint-templates-forpowerpoint-presentations/, , 14.9 UNIT END QUESTIONS, 1. Hint: Define a barrier; Kinds: Physical, Language, SocioPsychological, Cross-Cultural and Organizational; and how to, overcome the barriers?, 2. Hint: Online Learning, Tools, Merits and Demerits and Impact of, online learning, , *****, 204
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15, IMPRESSING THE AUDIENCE, BY PERFORMING, Unit Structure, 15.1 Objectives, 15.2 Introduction, 15.3 Impress Stage: Performing, 15.3.1 Before the Presentation: Revising and Rehearsing, 15.3.2 During the Presentation: Enacting and delivering, 15.3.3 After the Presentation: Feedback and Improvement, 15.4 Let us Sum up, 15.5 Suggested Reading, , 15.1 OBJECTIVES, In the previous chapters, we learnt about the two stages of a, presentation: planning and executing. In this chapter, we will learn about, the final stage i.e. impressing the target audience and performing before, them. After reading this chapter, you should be able to confidently:, ● make an effective presentation before your target audience., , 15.2 INTRODUCTION, In chapter 14, you learnt about the different steps involved in the, execution stage of our presentation. In the chapter on Public Speaking,, you also learnt about techniques like using body language and voice, modulation. In this chapter, we will focus on the third and final stage of, our presentation i.e. the impress stage., , 15.3 IMPRESS STAGE: PERFORMING, Presenting your ideas in front of the target audience is similar to, performing in the theatre. Remember, a theatre actor or actress memorises, the dialogues, constantly revises and rehearses and is very attentive to, audience responses. Similarly, you should have a clear picture of what you, must do before, during and after the presentation. Go through the, following sections which will help you to understand the various aspects, of revising and rehearsing before the presentation, putting your best, performance during the presentation and what you should do after the, presentation., 205
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15.3.1 Before the Presentation: Revising and Rehearsing:, In a theatre performance, costume and rehearsal are important., Similarly, attending to your dress and appearance beforehand will boost, your confidence and make you feel good. Dress should be professional or, casual depending upon the context and the target audience. Dress in a, professional manner to be on the safer side., Plan, Prepare and rehearse well before the actual presentation. Try, to state the main idea in a single sentence. Consider how you will, approach the topic. You can prepare a draft of your entire presentation., Keep on revising the draft till you are satisfied. Pay attention to the, structure of the content and take care to put the points in a logical, sequence. Make brief notes on a notepad or your mobile or on slips of, paper. These notes will make you feel more confident., Rehearsal is significant before the actual delivery. So, try to refer, to the points on the powerpoint presentation and elaborate on those points., You can memorise, rehearse and deliver the presentation like an actor or, actress in front of the mirror or any of your family members or an, imaginary audience. If possible, try to video record your presentation. This, will enable you to notice the pros and cons of your delivery. Two or three, rehearsals will clear away all your stage fear and you can stand, confidently in front of your target audience., , 15.4 DURING THE PRESENTATION, You must be conscious of four important aspects while making, your presentation. First, learn to control your body language. Second,, choose an appropriate language which is familiar to your audience. Third,, take special care to modulate your voice and control your breathing., Fourth, use your PPT and notes effectively., Body Language Stand while presenting your ideas. You will feel, powerful. Maintain an erect and relaxed posture. Move your body, effectively. Remain calm and maintain pleasant expressions on your face., Smiling and eye-contact are vital in keeping your audience interested in, what you say. Establish eye-contact but keep moving your eyes to include, everyone. Pay close attention to their non-verbal responses., Avoid distracting the audience with unnecessary body movements, like touching your face or nose or head or coughing or moving nervously, on the platform or behind the podium. Avoid pointing fingers or any, awkward mannerisms like fiddling with the pen, paper-weight or mobile, or running your fingers through the hair etc. Use appropriate gestures to, supplement your verbal communication., Language: Use a language that your audience is comfortable with., Avoid jargon or technical language. In the Indian context, since the, 206
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audience comes from diverse backgrounds you can confidently be, bilingual or multilingual. To be on the safer side, you can begin by asking, if the audience is comfortable in two or more languages., Voice: Vocalics refers to the quality of voice. You must be audible, and clear. Check if everyone can hear your voice. The magic lies in using, your pleasant voice to create an impact. Unless you sound interesting, the, audience will not be interested in what you are presenting. Pause, frequently, maintain a friendly tone and use a pleasant pitch. Pronounce, the words properly. Speak clearly and slowly. Practice the art of, modulating your voice. Introduce variations in the speed of your delivery., When you want to emphasize a point, raise your voice., Presenter Mode: Use the presenter mode so that you can refer to the, additional information which cannot be seen by your audience. Relax!, Even if you forget a point, you can always refer to your slides or notes., Keep in mind that you cover the following points while rehearsing as well, as making your actual presentation:, Attractive Introduction: Attract the attention of your audience. Use a, quote, current news, an interesting story or anecdote to grab audience, attention., Relevant illustrations and Repetitions: Create interest by giving suitable, illustrations to emphasize your points. You can do this by narrating your, personal or professional or day-to- day life experiences. Repetition is the, key to reinforcing the points. So, repeat the points to enable the audience, to grasp your ideas and get across your message clearly., Engaging Interactions: Keep the audience engaged with the help of, constant interactions. How? Ask them about their opinions and, interpretations about the topic. Encourage them to share their own, personal experiences. Create a free and friendly atmosphere so that they, can raise their doubts or queries and put forward their suggestions. Even if, you cannot provide answers to their questions it is perfectly okay to admit, that you don't know the answer. The audience will appreciate your honesty, and perhaps their answers may enrich your own knowledge., Summing up: Involve your audience and together you can sum up the, ideas. But remember, the performance has not ended. You can now, increase the participation of the audience with the tips given in the next, section., , 15.6 AFTER THE PRESENTATION, Feedback from the audience will prove to be an important aspect, of your performance. It is a simple means of self-assessment. If the, feedback is positive, it will boost your confidence. If the feedback is, 207
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negative, it will indicate the weaknesses in your presentation and help you, to improve your presentation skills. Either way, feedback reveals as to, how successful or unsuccessful you were in putting across your message., In order to give finishing touches to your performance, use the following, ten tips at the end of your presentation:, Distribute handouts, if any (take the help of a volunteer)., Share downloadable links, if any (keep all the links ready on your, googledrive)., Provide your mobile number or email for future communication., Suggest material for further reading (keep the list ready)., Express thanks to your audience for listening patiently., Get feedback in the form of questions, suggestions or comments., Respond positively and honestly to their questions., Clarify their doubts by elaborating or illustrating., Appreciate and respect their suggestions., Listen gracefully to their comments and criticism, if any., , 15.6 LET US SUM UP, In this unit, we began by mentioning that the impress stage is, similar to a theatre performance. We learnt the steps involved in the, presentation – before, during and after the presentation., On a final reminder, making a presentation is a Do-it-yourself skill, which can be sharpened only with constant practice. So, keep practising,, polishing and performing!, *****, , 208
