Business Communication

Business Communication This book is a part of the course by Jaipur National University, Jaipur. This book contains the...

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Business Communication

This book is a part of the course by Jaipur National University, Jaipur. This book contains the course content for Business Communication.

JNU, Jaipur First Edition 2013 The content in the book is copyright of JNU. All rights reserved. No part of the content may in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or any other means be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or be broadcast or transmitted without the prior permission of the publisher. JNU makes reasonable endeavours to ensure content is current and accurate. JNU reserves the right to alter the content whenever the need arises, and to vary it at any time without prior notice.

Index I. Content....................................................................... II II. List of Tables. ......................................................... VII III. Abbreviations.......................................................VIII IV. Case Study............................................................. 122 V. Bibliography........................................................... 125 VI. Self Assessment Answers...................................... 128 Book at a Glance

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Contents Chapter I........................................................................................................................................................ 1 Nature and Scope of Communication......................................................................................................... 1 Aim................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Objectives....................................................................................................................................................... 1 Learning outcome........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction to Communication................................................................................................................ 2 1.2 Definitions of Communication ................................................................................................................ 2 1.3 Scope of Communication.......................................................................................................................... 2 1.4 Process of Communication....................................................................................................................... 2 1.5 Functions of Communication.................................................................................................................... 3 1.6 Types of Communication.......................................................................................................................... 4 Summary........................................................................................................................................................ 5 References ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 Recommended Reading................................................................................................................................ 5 Self Assessment.............................................................................................................................................. 6 Chapter II...................................................................................................................................................... 8 Communication Barriers.............................................................................................................................. 8 Aim................................................................................................................................................................. 8 Objectives....................................................................................................................................................... 8 Learning outcome........................................................................................................................................... 8 2.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................... 9 2.2 Types of Communication Barriers............................................................................................................ 9 2.3 Physical or Mechanical Barriers............................................................................................................... 9 2.3.1 Defects in the Medium.............................................................................................................. 9 2.3.2 Noise......................................................................................................................................... 9 2.3.3 Time and Distance.................................................................................................................... 9 2.3.4 Defects in the Organisation’s Communication System............................................................ 9 2.4 Semantic Language Barrier..................................................................................................................... 10 2.4.1 Different Comprehension of Reality....................................................................................... 10 2.5 Personal and Socio-Psychological Barriers............................................................................................ 10 2.6 Socio-Psychological Barriers...................................................................................................................11 2.7 Remedies to Overcome Communication Barriers.................................................................................. 12 Summary .................................................................................................................................................... 14 References.................................................................................................................................................... 14 Recommended Reading.............................................................................................................................. 14 Self Assessment............................................................................................................................................ 15 Chapter III................................................................................................................................................... 17 Reading Skills.............................................................................................................................................. 17 Aim............................................................................................................................................................... 17 Objectives..................................................................................................................................................... 17 Learning outcome......................................................................................................................................... 17 3.1 Introduction . .......................................................................................................................................... 18 3.2 Components of Reading Skills............................................................................................................... 18 3.3 Techniques for Improving Reading Efficiency ...................................................................................... 19 3.4 Techniques for Improving Retention...................................................................................................... 19 3.5 Guidelines for Effective Reading............................................................................................................ 20 3.6 Executive Reading.................................................................................................................................. 20 Summary .................................................................................................................................................... 21 References.................................................................................................................................................... 21 Recommended Reading.............................................................................................................................. 21 Self Assessment............................................................................................................................................ 22 II/JNU OLE

Chapter IV................................................................................................................................................... 24 Written Communication............................................................................................................................ 24 Aim............................................................................................................................................................... 24 Objectives..................................................................................................................................................... 24 Learning outcome......................................................................................................................................... 24 4.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................. 25 4.2 Characteristics of Written Communication............................................................................................. 25 4.2.1 When to use Written Communication..................................................................................... 25 4.3 Objectives of Written Communication .................................................................................................. 25 4.4 Process of Written Communication........................................................................................................ 25 4.5 Problems in Written Communication...................................................................................................... 26 4.6 Points and Structure of Written Communication.................................................................................... 26 4.7 Structure of Written Communication . ................................................................................................... 26 4.8 Essentials of Effective Written Communication . .................................................................................. 27 4.9 Tips for Improved Writing...................................................................................................................... 28 Summary .................................................................................................................................................... 29 References.................................................................................................................................................... 29 Recommended Reading.............................................................................................................................. 29 Self Assessment . ......................................................................................................................................... 30 Chapter V..................................................................................................................................................... 32 Verbal Communication and Non-Verbal Communication...................................................................... 32 Aim............................................................................................................................................................... 32 Objectives..................................................................................................................................................... 32 Learning outcome......................................................................................................................................... 32 5.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................. 33 5.2 Oral Communication............................................................................................................................... 33 5.3 Characteristics of Verbal or Oral Communication.................................................................................. 33 5.4 Methods of Oral or Verbal Communication............................................................................................ 33 5.5 Conversation Skills ................................................................................................................................ 34 5.6 Speaking Skills....................................................................................................................................... 34 5.7 Group Discussion.................................................................................................................................... 35 5.8 Non-Verbal Communication................................................................................................................... 35 5.9 Relationship of Non-Verbal Message with Verbal Message................................................................... 35 5.10 Types of Communication...................................................................................................................... 35 Summary...................................................................................................................................................... 37 References.................................................................................................................................................... 37 Recommended Reading ............................................................................................................................. 37 Self Assessment............................................................................................................................................ 38 Chapter VI................................................................................................................................................... 40 Listening Skills............................................................................................................................................ 40 Aim............................................................................................................................................................... 40 Objectives..................................................................................................................................................... 40 Learning outcome......................................................................................................................................... 40 6.1 Introduction . .......................................................................................................................................... 41 6.2 The Listening Process............................................................................................................................. 41 6.3 Types of Faulty Listening....................................................................................................................... 41 6.4 Barriers to Listening............................................................................................................................... 42 6.5 Why Barriers Succeed............................................................................................................................. 42 6.6 Techniques for Listening......................................................................................................................... 42 6.7 Effective Listening.................................................................................................................................. 43 6.8 Improving Listening Skills..................................................................................................................... 44 Summary .................................................................................................................................................... 45 References.................................................................................................................................................... 45 Recommended Reading ............................................................................................................................. 45 Self Assessment . ......................................................................................................................................... 46 III/JNU OLE

Chapter VII................................................................................................................................................. 48 Presentation Skills....................................................................................................................................... 48 Aim............................................................................................................................................................... 48 Objectives..................................................................................................................................................... 48 Learning outcome......................................................................................................................................... 48 7.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................. 49 7.2 Words with Audience.............................................................................................................................. 49 7.3 Preparation for Presentation.................................................................................................................... 49 7.4 Achieving Clarity and Impact................................................................................................................. 49 7.5 Using Visuals.......................................................................................................................................... 49 7.6 Arrangements for Presentation................................................................................................................ 49 7.7 Tips and Techniques................................................................................................................................ 50 7.8 Presentation Planning Checklist............................................................................................................. 50 7.9 Understanding Presentations Aspects..................................................................................................... 50 Summary...................................................................................................................................................... 52 References.................................................................................................................................................... 52 Recommended Reading.............................................................................................................................. 52 Self Assessment............................................................................................................................................ 53 Chapter VIII................................................................................................................................................ 55 Resume Preparation and Interview Skills................................................................................................ 55 Aim............................................................................................................................................................... 55 Objectives..................................................................................................................................................... 55 Learning outcome......................................................................................................................................... 55 8.1 Nature and Importance of Resume......................................................................................................... 56 8.2 Resume Format ..................................................................................................................................... 56 8.3 Resume Components.............................................................................................................................. 56 8.4 Application Letter................................................................................................................................... 57 8.5 Mistakes in Resume................................................................................................................................ 57 8.6 Nature of Interviews............................................................................................................................... 58 8.7 Purpose of Interview............................................................................................................................... 59 8.8 Types of Interview.................................................................................................................................. 59 8.9 Interview Process ................................................................................................................................... 60 8.10 Essential Requirements of a Successful Interview............................................................................... 60 8.11 Appearance and Dress . ........................................................................................................................ 62 Summary...................................................................................................................................................... 63 References.................................................................................................................................................... 63 Recommended Reading.............................................................................................................................. 63 Self Assessment............................................................................................................................................ 64 Chapter IX................................................................................................................................................... 66 Meetings....................................................................................................................................................... 66 Aim............................................................................................................................................................... 66 Objectives..................................................................................................................................................... 66 Learning outcome......................................................................................................................................... 66 9.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................. 67 9.2 Preparation of a Meeting......................................................................................................................... 67 9.3 Conducting a Meeting............................................................................................................................. 67 9.4 Managing a Meeting............................................................................................................................... 67 9.5 Components of a Meeting . .................................................................................................................... 67 9.6 Minutes................................................................................................................................................... 68 9.7 Resolution............................................................................................................................................... 68 9.8 Support.................................................................................................................................................... 68 Summary...................................................................................................................................................... 69 References.................................................................................................................................................... 69 Recommended Reading ............................................................................................................................. 69 Self Assessment............................................................................................................................................ 70 IV/JNU OLE

Chapter X.................................................................................................................................................... 72 Negotiation Skills........................................................................................................................................ 72 Aim............................................................................................................................................................... 72 Objectives..................................................................................................................................................... 72 Learning outcome......................................................................................................................................... 72 10.1 Negotiation Skills................................................................................................................................. 73 10.2 Nature of Negotiation........................................................................................................................... 73 10.3 Ps of Negotiation ................................................................................................................................. 73 10.4 Negotiation Process ............................................................................................................................. 73 10.5 Negotiation Skills................................................................................................................................. 75 10.6 Negotiation Climate ........................................................................................................................... 76 10.7 Role of Communication in Negotiation . ............................................................................................. 77 10.8 Behaviour of Negotiators...................................................................................................................... 77 10.9 Third Party Negotiations....................................................................................................................... 78 10.10 Decision Biases Hindering Negotiations............................................................................................ 78 Summary .................................................................................................................................................... 79 References.................................................................................................................................................... 79 Recommended Reading ............................................................................................................................. 79 Self Assessment . ......................................................................................................................................... 80 Chapter XI................................................................................................................................................... 82 Business Letters........................................................................................................................................... 82 Aim............................................................................................................................................................... 82 Objectives..................................................................................................................................................... 82 Learning outcome......................................................................................................................................... 82 11.1 Introduction........................................................................................................................................... 83 11.2 Importance of Business Letters............................................................................................................. 83 11.3 Qualities of Good Business Letters....................................................................................................... 83 11.4 Format of Business Letters................................................................................................................... 84 11.5 Types of Business Letters...................................................................................................................... 88 11.6 Personnel Letters................................................................................................................................... 89 Summary...................................................................................................................................................... 99 References.................................................................................................................................................... 99 Recommended Reading.............................................................................................................................. 99 Self Assessment.......................................................................................................................................... 100 Chapter XII............................................................................................................................................... 102 Communication in Disciplinary Matters................................................................................................ 102 Aim............................................................................................................................................................. 102 Objectives................................................................................................................................................... 102 Learning outcome....................................................................................................................................... 102 12.1 Introduction . ..................................................................................................................................... 103 12.2 Objectives of Discipline . ................................................................................................................... 103 12.3 Two Sides of Discipline ..................................................................................................................... 103 12.4 Elements of Discipline........................................................................................................................ 103 12.5 Disciplinary Procedure ...................................................................................................................... 104 12.6 Communication Aspects in Disciplinary Matters .............................................................................. 104 Summary.................................................................................................................................................... 105 References.................................................................................................................................................. 105 Recommended Reading............................................................................................................................ 105 Self Assessment . ....................................................................................................................................... 106

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Chapter XIII.............................................................................................................................................. 108 Legal Aspects of Business Communication............................................................................................ 108 Aim............................................................................................................................................................. 108 Objectives................................................................................................................................................... 108 Learning outcome....................................................................................................................................... 108 13.1 Introduction . ...................................................................................................................................... 109 13.2 Basic Legal Aspects I Business Communication . ............................................................................. 109 13.3 Defamation.......................................................................................................................................... 109 13.4 Elements of Defamation..................................................................................................................... 109 13.5 Invasion of Privacy..............................................................................................................................111 13.6 Other legal areas in Business Communication....................................................................................111 Summary ...................................................................................................................................................112 References...................................................................................................................................................112 Recommended Reading ............................................................................................................................112 Self Assessment . ........................................................................................................................................113 Chapter XIV...............................................................................................................................................115 Technology and Corporate Communication...........................................................................................115 Aim..............................................................................................................................................................115 Objectives....................................................................................................................................................115 Learning outcome........................................................................................................................................115 14.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................................116 14.1.1 Telex (Tele-printer exchange)..............................................................................................116 14.1.2 Fax.......................................................................................................................................116 14.1.3 Computer.............................................................................................................................116 14.1.4 Teleconferencing..................................................................................................................117 14.1.5 The Internet..........................................................................................................................117 14.1.6 Cellular Phone......................................................................................................................118 14.2 Challenge of Communication in the Global Market............................................................................118 Summary.....................................................................................................................................................119 References...................................................................................................................................................119 Recommended Reading.............................................................................................................................119 Self Assessment.......................................................................................................................................... 120

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List of Tables Table 3.1 Type, nature and speed of reading................................................................................................. 19 Table 6.1 Ten important keys of effective listening...................................................................................... 44

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Abbreviations CPI CRR GDP GNP MPC NDP NFIA NNP NSSO PPI RBI RRR WPI

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

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Consumer Price Index Cash Reserve Ratio Gross Domestic Product Gross National Product Marginal Propensity to Consume Net Domestic Product Net Factor Income from Abroad Net National Product National Sample Survey Organisation Producer Price Index Reserve Bank of India Reverse Repo Rate Wholesale Price Index

Chapter I Nature and Scope of Communication Aim The aim of this chapter is to: •

outline the concept of communication



classify different types of communication



discuss the necessity of communication in an organisation

Objectives The objectives of this chapter are to: •

enlist the main components of communication



elaborate the communication process



state the functions of communication

Learning outcome At the end of this chapter, you will be able to: •

understand scope and process of communication



recognise the concept of written, oral and non-verbal communication



comprehend utilisation of communication in various organisations

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Business Communication

1.1 Introduction to Communication The word ‘communication' is derived from the Latin word ‘communes’ which means sharing of knowledge or information. The most common medium of communication for human being is language, while animals and birds use non-linguistic forms of communication such as sounds and other sensory modes of exchange. People also use physical gestures like nodding or moving hands or facial expressions such as smiling or disapproval to accompany speech-acts and influence communication. Communication enables us to grow, learn, share our thoughts and feelings, to receive and impart knowledge and thereby adjust to our environment.

1.2 Definitions of Communication Different scholars have their own way of defining communication. The following are some of the important definitions of communication: •

According to Newman and Summer, “communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons.”



As per Davis, “communication is a process of passing information and understanding from one another.” Davis also believed that the only way to achieve management in an organisation is through the process of communication.



Chester Barnard believes that, “in the exhaustive theory of organisation, communication would occupy a central place because the structure, extensiveness and scope of organisations are almost entirely determined by communication techniques.”



Communication is also defined as intercourse through words, letters, symbols or messages and as a way through which the member of an organisation shares meaning and understanding with another.



According to Leland Brown, “communication is the transmission and interchange of facts, ideas, feelings or course of action.”



According to Allen Louis, “communication is the sum of all the things a person does to create understanding in the mind of another. It involves a systematic and continuous process of telling, listening and understanding.”

1.3 Scope of Communication The scope of communication can be divided as internal and external. •

External scope includes building relation with external sources like advertisement agencies, stake holders or other organisations.



A healthy external communication can be built up with effective communication. The goodwill of an organisation depends on how good the public relations are maintained.



Internal scope of communication is also very wide as a lot of communication takes place in an organisation for implementing rules, interacting between departments, conducting meetings and for almost every activity communication is a must.



A healthy internal communication is desired when a top management has to execute any plans or policies.

1.4 Process of Communication •

The main components of communication are sender, receiver, message, channel and feedback.



The writer or speaker of the message is known as sender and the one who reads or listens to the message is called receiver.



These sender and receiver have common frame of reference consisting of social, cultural and religious elements. It is necessary that the sender and receiver co-operate with each other and are willing to speak and listen.



Channel is the term used for specialised language. The medium of communication may be linguistic or nonlinguistic codes such as diagram, chart or signs, the choice of which is determined by the situation.



When a message is transmitted a feedback is expected from the receiver. The feedback may be immediate or delayed one.



A communication is said to be successful when the true meaning of message reaches the receiver.

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1.5 Functions of Communication Co-ordination •

Every organisation has several departments, divisions and delegations which may result in differences which create hurdles in the smooth running of an organisation.



Various effective communication mechanisms like circulars, meetings, letters, conferences, etc. help in proper co-ordination in organisation.

Control •

Every organisation has certain procedures, rules and regulations structured to perform various activities and manage peoples’ behaviour.



People need to understand these framed rules for certainty and predictability in the performance of the task.



Management authority regularly issues notices and circulars to keep the people updated on the existing procedures and rules to maintain and control the order in the organisation.

Decision Making •

Every manager must be a skilled decision maker, for which he needs to gain information from different channels of communication.



Gathering information include conducting meetings, distributing circulars, exchanging letters etc.



A decision made by the manager need to be conveyed to the people using various communication tools for further implementation.

Motivation •

People working in an organisation need to be regularly informed about their plans and policies with respect to their career growth.



A regular communication with employees will keep them motivated and raise their commitment level.



Through various communication devices, managers declare rewards and incentives to motivate employee.

Feedback •

A feedback from the higher authority is essential for the growth of an employee.



Employees should be informed about their performance to acknowledge their best inputs and point to areas that they need to work upon.



Even the management should analyze whether the employee is meeting the set standards; else to explore what needs to be done to achieve the target.

Rumours •

Rumour is a part of informal communication in an organisation.



Rumours are mostly spread by and among the employees.



Sometimes management takes help of these rumours to assess the reaction of employees before proposing any policy.

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1.6 Types of Communication Communication can be divided in three parts: Written Communication •

Written communication is one of the most effective ways of communication which facilitates record maintenance.



It acts as legal evidence as it provides valid records and ensures little risk of unauthorised alteration in the message.



The types of written communication are memos, proposals, letters, quotations, e-mails, minutes, forms, contracts etc.

Oral Communication •

Oral communication takes place between two or more people either face to face or through electronic or mechanical devices.



It is essential for client and inter-office interaction, meetings, discussions.



Oral communication, depending on the importance, is transferred to written communication as oral communication cannot be referred.

Non-verbal Communication •

When interacting with others, we continuously perform some gestures which compliment oral communication.



The way of looking at someone can communicate many things like affection, attraction, anger, doubt, etc.



From all non-verbal gestures, like how we sit, how fast, slow or loud we speak or how do we keep the eye contact, sends strong message to the receiver while communicating.



Signs and symbols also convey messages, thus they are part of non verbal communication.

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Summary •

The different definitions of communication enable us to understand communication in the general sense and in the specific context of business.



The process of communication and the elements involved in this process include the sender, the message, the channel, the receiver, the feedback and the context.



Communication is needed in our daily life and its functions play a vital role in the smooth running of an organisation.



Communication can be oral, written or non-verbal depending upon the situation.



There are different types of communication such as intrapersonal, interpersonal, small group, public and mass communications.



Important functions of communication include assistance in coordination, decision making and motivating people.

References •

Tyagi, Taruna., 2010. Definitions of Communication. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].



Management Study Guide, 2011. Components of Communication Process. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].



Management Study Guide, 2011. What is Business Communication?. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].

Recommended Reading •

DiSanza, J. R. and Leqqe, N. J., 2008. Business and Profectional communication, 4th ed., Allyn and Bacon.



Adler, R. B., Rosenfeld, L. B. and Proctor, R. F., 2009. Interplay: The Process of InterpersonalCommunication, 11th ed., Oxford University Press, USA.



Gerson, S., 2010. Technical Communication: Process and Product, 6th ed., Prentice Hall.

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Self Assessment 1. The writer/speaker of a message is known as ______________. a. receiver b. sender c. channel receiver d. medium 2. The receiver/decoder of the message is expected to give a ___________ to the encoder. a. feedback b. response c. specific context d. comment 3. An organisation requires both oral and _________________ communication. a. language b. written c. business d. informal 4. The medium of communication is _________________ when codes such as diagram, chart or system of signs is used to convey a message. a. non-verbal b. non-linguistic c. verbal d. audio 5. ______________communication of the organisation includes interaction with outside organisations such as government authorities, shareholders, etc. a. External b. Internal c. Non-verbal d. Audio-visual

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6. Match the following a. Channel b. Business Communication c. Communication d. Audio-visual aids e. Feedback a. a-4, d-5, e-3, c-2, b-1

1. It is a specialised branch of general communication. 2. I t is the process of transforming implications from one person to another. 3. It is same as response, but is the sender's observation of the receiver's response. 4. It is the term used for the specialised use of language. 5. These are used for quick, concise and speedy communication.

b. a-3, b-1, c-5, d-2, e-4 c. a-1, b-2, c-3, d-4, e-5 d. a-2, b-1, c-5, d-3, e-4 7. Which of the following statements is true? a. The main components of communication are sender and receiver. b. The main components of communication are channel and feedback. c. The main components of communication are sender, receiver, message, channel and feedback. d. The main components of communication are sender, message and feedback. 8. Which of the following statements is true? a. Signs and symbols also convey messages, thus they are part of verbal communication. b. Signs and symbols do not convey any messages, thus they are part of non verbal communication. c. Signs and symbols also convey messages, thus they are part of non verbal communication. d. Words also convey messages, thus they are part of non verbal communication. 9. Which of the following statements is true? a. Rumour is a part of informal communication in an organisation. b. Rumour is a part of formal communication in an organisation. c. Rumour is not a part of informal communication in an organisation. d. Rumour is a part of oral communication in an organisation. 10. Which of the following statements is true? a. When a message is transmitted a feedback is expected from the receiver. b. When a message is transmitted a feedback is expected from the sender. c. When a message is transmitted a feedback is not expected from the receiver. d. When a message is transmitted a comment is expected from the receiver.

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Chapter II Communication Barriers Aim The aim of this chapter is to: •

explain the concept of communication barriers



describe the effects of communication barriers on an organisation



state various ways to overcome communication barriers

Objectives The objectives of this chapter are to: •

explain types of communication barriers



explain physical or mechanical communication



analyse semantic language barrier

Learning outcome At the end of this chapter, you will be able to: •

understand the concept of personal barriers



identify socio-psychological



comprehend cross-cultural barrier

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2.1 Introduction Communication barriers are the hurdles or problems that arise during the process of communication which ultimately result into miscommunication. Miscommunication can be the root cause of many problems in our personal and business lives. A communication is said to be successful only when the recipient understands, accepts and acts upon the transmitted information.

2.2 Types of Communication Barriers The modern communication theory studies different types of barriers of communication. Communication barriers can be caused by differences in position, status, language, religion, culture and so on. Based on the study made by the theorists, communication barriers can be divided into: •

physical or mechanical



semantic or language



personal socio-psychological



socio-psychological



cross cultural.

2.3 Physical or Mechanical Barriers Physical or mechanical barriers are said to be unmanageable obstacles as they are caused by environment, though, some of them can be controlled by proper management. Such physical barriers are: 2.3.1 Defects in the Medium •

The devices used to convey a message are external and remain out of the control of the sender and receiver.



The telephone, postal system, courier service or even electronic media may sometime crash.



The partial failure of one of these systems is more dangerous than complete failure as partial failure transmits incomplete message.



To overcome this barrier one must postpone the communication or switch to an alternative medium.

2.3.2 Noise •

During face to face communication, noise in the environment such as traffic, factory work or talks between people can act as a barrier in the communication.



Organisations can overcome this barrier by building up soundproof rooms.

2.3.3 Time and Distance •

Time and distance act as a barrier in the smooth flow of communication.



Sometimes, due to mechanical breakdowns, the use of telephones and internet remains ineffective, creating a barrier of distance between the sender and the receiver.



If telecom and network facility is not available, people working in different shifts or working on different floors can face the physical barriers to effective communication.

2.3.4 Defects in the Organisation’s Communication System •

In an organisation, oral messages and information passes through many levels of authority. It is likely to get distorted at every level as it gets interpreted before being passed on.



Communication flows in both upward and downward direction in an organisation.



Sometimes due to differences or clashes, subordinates do not send all the information creating thus a gap in the flow of communication.

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In downward flow, the information received by the end source is said to be 20% of the original intended message.

2.4 Semantic Language Barrier •

Communication consists of the manipulation and interpretation of symbols which may convey different meaning to different people.



Three general semantic problems which create barrier to communication are: ‚‚ Common or abstract words and phrases interpret different meaning ‚‚ Different groups develop their own set of technical language like “present”, “transfer”, “record”, are used as verbs and as nouns with a difference in stress in speaking ‚‚ Words with different sounds but same meaning like “cite”, “site” or “sight” can cause misunderstanding in oral communication.



In oral communication, the speaker signifies the meaning by body language and voice tone and stressing on words to emphasize the correct meaning.



In written communication, the reader may read with different emphasis with a certain set of assumptions.



To avoid semantic barriers one must use words which are familiar to the receiver.

2.4.1 Different Comprehension of Reality Barriers caused by different comprehensions of reality are: Abstracting Abstracting means picking the necessary details and omitting the other. It is desirable in certain cases as it can save time and money. Inferring It means drawing assumption or conclusion from observation Statements that go beyond facts and conclusions based on facts are called inferences. Inferences drawn may vary from person to person. A wrong calculation of inference is certainly a barrier in communication.

2.5 Personal and Socio-Psychological Barriers •

Problems of understanding, interpretation and response to communication arising from social and personal background are called socio-psychological barriers.



Personal barriers in communication arise from human emotions, values and poor listening.



Emotions act as filters in our communications as we see and hear what we are emotionally tuned to see and hear.



People have personal feelings, likes-dislikes, attitudes and opinions, which are shaped by family background and social environment.



The beliefs of a person act as a filter around the mind and influence the response.



To overcome socio-psychological barriers, one must deal with received messages.

A message is received at three levels: Noticing A person notices a message on physical level and become aware when the message is noticed to him/her and then pays attention to it. One may miss some of the messages on account of paying attention to more than one message. Understanding The person must understand the language, symbols, ideas and concepts used in the message.

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Acceptance The response usually depends on the likes, dislikes and indifference to every message received.If the message arises on an unpleasant moment it may get rejected or forgotten or give rise to an unexpected response.

2.6 Socio-Psychological Barriers Self-centred Attitudes of Interest The human mentality tends to see and hear only the messages that desires or interests them. Sense of Belonging to a Group People have a sense of belonging to a group, may be a family, city, religion, language and so on. People believe and follow the ideas picked up from the group. People tend to reject an idea that goes against the interest of the group. Persons in the same management belong to different groups. Thus, the thinking and feeling may differ from person to person which becomes a barrier of communication. Self-image Self image is what we are, we look and what impression we make. It is built over years and it is quiet difficult to accept any idea outside it. A systematic Self Assessment gives a balanced self-image. Selective Perception of Information Content Sometimes the complete message fails to reach to the receiver. We see, hear and read only the message that interests us depending on our experiences and needs. While doing so, some of the content of the message may not be perceived or interpreted as expected. Defensive Behaviour If the receiver is threatened by the message, the reaction is mostly defensive which ultimately reduces the understanding. The receiver becomes sarcastic or judgmental and may question the motives of others. Filtering of Message Filtering is the process of reducing the details or particular aspects of a message. At each level of management, the information in the message may be reduced or edited as per the sender. The more the levels of hierarchy in an organisation, the greater is the filtering and loss of information. Status Consciousness People in the senior positions may become conscious of their status and any suggestions from the subordinates may be ignored. Social and official status can raise barrier in the communication. Good senior authorities may try to overcome this barrier by developing a friendly contact with their colleagues and employees. Resistance Change This is one of the severe psychological barriers. People strongly oppose new views which are against their established opinions or customs. People tend to avoid new ideas as they feel insecure in the new changes and methods. Closed Mind Limited intellectual background, reading habits and narrow interests make a person’s mind closed or unreceptive. They lose the ability to accept new ideas suggestions for any changes to be made. Close minded people understand limited part of a human nature so it becomes difficult to receive communication with sympathy. Closed mind barrier can be overcome by counselling and suggestion schemes. Poor Communication Skills People who lack writing and speaking skills find it difficult to convey a message properly. Excited or nervous state of mind may deliver an unclear message. One can overcome this barrier under learning and practicing communication skills. Poor reading habits or lack of listening skill can be overcome by undergoing training and practice sessions.

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State of Health Conditions Poor health can affect efficiency in communication. In poor health, the mind is not alert and some content of message may be missed. Perceptions are low when the state of health is poor. Cross-cultural Barrier Culture has its own set of values and trends which is followed by a certain group of people. People are so much influenced by their culture that they refuse to accept other views and opinions. Relationship between two countries can act as a cross-cultural barrier between employees of an organisation. Significant Differences between Cultures National Character Every nation has a character of its own. Even neighbouring countries differ in character like the French, the Germans and the Swiss practices different culture, language and so on. Language The culture of any group is reflected by their language. Connotations of words differ in different cultures. Also countries that speak same language the significance of the words may not be the same. Social Relationships. A society is composed of different groups of people belonging to different castes, religions and so forth. Social relationships play a vital part and govern the lives of the people. Concept of Time Concept of time is one of the difficult differences that cause barriers in cross-cultural communication. People from different regions give importance to time differently. Importance of time ultimately reflects on the work and social behaviour pattern. Attitude to time is a major problem in cross-cultural communication barrier between Indians and people of western cultures. Concept of Space Concept of space differs with cultures. In some cultures the speaker stands close enough to touch often. People in South Asian countries maintain a distance in inter-personal communication. Thought Process Thought process also varies with cultures. Some thought processes are strictly logical and rational while others are holistic and emotional. Non-verbal Communication Non-verbal communication is another barrier in cross-cultural communication. The gestures and the frequency in the gestures vary drastically in two different cultures. The way of dressing, hairstyling, physical appearance, architecture and so on differs as per countries. Para Language Para language means aspects of the voice. People in western culture prefer to speak in low tone, whereas Indians speak a bit louder. Some cultures follow low speech in formal environment and thus get embarrassed if any one speaks in higher tone. Perception Perceptions are highly influenced by cultures. We perceive only the things our culture permits and follows. Even what smells “good” or “bad” is perceived differently.

2.7 Remedies to Overcome Communication Barriers •

Good relations must be maintained between employee and employer to avoid misunderstanding and accept each other’s view points.



If a senior thinks differently than his sub-ordinates or vice versa, it will affect the effectiveness of communication. Therefore there should be proper coordination.

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One must think according to receiver’s perspective. If the receiver is from non-technical background then the use of technical words must be avoided.



The sender as well as receiver must transmit accurate messages to improve effectiveness.



There should be proper division of labour between persons in order to reduce information overload on a certain superior.



Proper communication channels must be used. If an employee needs an immediate reply to a message then oral communication will be preferred over writing a letter.



Words with different meanings must be avoided as it may cause misunderstanding.

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Summary •

It is necessary to classify the barriers that result into incomplete or wrong communication.



Overcoming the most important psychological and cross-cultural barrier would lead to successful communication.



Repeated communication can overcome differences in perception.



Personal barriers in communication arise from human emotions, values and poor listening skills which can be overcome if kept an eye on detail.



Problems like understanding, interpretation and response to communication arise from social and personal background and are known as socio-psychological barriers.



Barriers to communication can be overcome if employees are properly trained and educated.



Efforts made by management like follow up and feedback can lead to better communication.



There are various types of barriers such as semantic barriers, organisational barriers, barriers related to superior subordinate, psychological barriers and so forth.



There are some technical aspects in communication barriers such as Murphy’s Law, Meta-communication, noise, filtering and so on.

References •

Blurt It, 2011. What Is Convention Of Meaning In The Problem Of Communication?[Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].



Knol, 2009. Attitudes and Attitude Change[Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].

Recommended Reading •

Rogers, C. R. & Roethlisberger, F. J., 2009. Barriers and Gateways to Communication. Harvard Business Review.



Hogan, K. & Stubbs, R., 2003. Can’t Get Through: Eight Barriers to Communication. Pelican Publishing.



Green, T. B. & Knippen, J., 1999. Breaking the Barrier to Upward Communication: Strategies and Skills for Employees, Managers and Hr Specialists. Praeger.

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Self Assessment 1. There are several communication barriers which are responsible for message not being understood by the ______________. a. recipients b. encoder c. decoder d. sender 2. Thought process also varies with_______________. a. language b. customs c. culture d. gestures 3. __________is one of the difficult differences that cause barriers in cross-cultural communication. a. Time b. Place c. Cultures d. Language 4. The culture of any group is reflected by their _____________. a. language b. customs c. traditions d. values 5. Excited or nervous state of mind may deliver an/a ___________message. a. unclear b. misleading c. confusing d. rational 6. Match the following a. Concept of time b. Language c. Non-verbal communication d. Unclear message e. Cultures a. a-5, b-4,c-3, d-2, e-1

1. Thought process varies with 2. Excitement or nervousness of mind 3. Another barrier in cross-cultural communication 4. Reflects the culture of the group of people 5. It is one of the difficult differences that cause barriers in crosscultural communication.

b. a-3, b-1, c-5, d-2, e-4 c. a-1, b-2, c-3, d-4, e-5 d. a-2, b-1, c-5, d-3, e-4

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7. Which of the following statements is true? a. Statements that go beyond facts and conclusions based on facts are called non-verbal communication. b. Statements that go beyond facts and conclusions based on facts are called paralanguage. c. Statements that go beyond facts and conclusions based on facts are called concept of space. d. Statements that go beyond facts and conclusions based on facts are called inferences. 8. Which of the following statements is true? a. Perceptions are highly influenced by cultures. b. Perceptions are highly influenced by religion. c. Perceptions are highly influenced by community. d. Perceptions are highly influenced by people. 9. Which of the following statements is true? a. Verbal communication is another barrier in cross-cultural communication. b. Written communication is another barrier in cross-cultural communication. c. Non-verbal communication is another barrier in cross-cultural communication. d. Non-verbal communication is another barrier in personal socio-psychological barriers. 10. Which of the following statements is true? a. Resistance change is the process of reducing the details or particular aspects of a message. b. Closed mind is the process of reducing the details or particular aspects of a message. c. Filtering is the process of adding the details or particular aspects of a message. d. Filtering is the process of reducing the details or particular aspects of a message.

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Chapter III Reading Skills Aim The aim of this chapter is to: •

explain the concept of effective reading



describe the techniques and quick reading strategy



enlist tips for effective reading

Objectives The objectives of this chapter are to: •

analyse the techniques for improving reading



identify the components of reading skills



learn about the importance of reading speed and retention

Learning outcome At the end of this chapter, you will be able to: •

understand the relationship between reading speed and retention



differentiate between various types of reading in terms of speed and comprehension



give a guideline for effective learning

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3.1 Introduction The four main skills of communication are reading, writing, speaking and listening. The success of any organisation depends upon its executives’ ability to read and understand the material efficiently.

3.2 Components of Reading Skills The key components of reading skills are reading speed, comprehension, efficiency and retention. Reading Speed •

It is the speed at which one can read words. It is calculated at the rate of words per minute. It is calculated with a simple formula:

Word a minute (WAM) = total no. of words *60 Number of seconds actually taken to read such material •

On the basis of reading speed, reading skill can be classified into four categories as follows: ‚‚ Careful Reading



It is the slowest reading and the speed varies between 50 to 350 words minute. This is used for problem solving, proof-reading and accuracy checking. It retains memory for a longer period. ‚‚ Rapid Reading



This is simple kind of reading and the speed ranges from 330 to 600 words per minute. When the retention of the material for a longer is not required, this process is followed. ‚‚ Skimming



In this, the eyes of the reader go through all the material but usually by skipping the details. The speed is very high at almost 1500 words per minute. It is done to grasp main ideas and to review previously read material. ‚‚ Scanning



It is the fastest kind of reading where the speed may reach up to 3000 words per minute. Scanning the material is done for a finite and highly specific purpose. The purpose of reading is to search for particular information.

Comprehension •

It is the understanding of the read material. Here there is an inverse relationship between the reading speed and understanding material. If the reading speed is slow the comprehension is higher.



A reader can improve his reading speed, without compromising his ability to understand and comprehend. It is also said that good and speedy reader have good comprehension and poor readers have poor comprehension.

Reading Efficiency •

It is the combination of reading speed and comprehension. Reading efficiency is calculated by reading efficiency score (REs): REs = Reading speed * Comprehension



If the speed of the reader is about 80 words per minute and comprehends 80% of the material, here the REs will score 64 and for reader with reading speed of 480 words per minute, comprehension rate is 60%, the REs will be 288.

Retention •

It refers to the ability to recall the read material after a lapse of time. It can also be termed as memory power.



This is one of the essential skills, which needs to be improved with time.

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Type of Reading Careful reading Raid Reading Skimming Scanning

Nature of Reading Complex Reading Simple Reading Main idea reading Search for specific facts reading

Reading Speed 50 to 350 words/minute 300 to 600 words/minute Up to 1500 words/minute Up to 3000 words minute

Table 3.1 Type, nature and speed of reading

3.3 Techniques for Improving Reading Efficiency Reading efficiency depends upon the reading speed and comprehension level of an individual. There are few techniques for increasing speed, comprehension and reading efficiency: •

Active reading: reading is an active process; here both mind and body are involved equally. If a person reads passively, his comprehension will be lowest.



Selection of appropriate reading type: whether a material needs to be read carefully, normally, or is to be skimmed or scanned should be decided well in advance.



Setting realistic time schedules: time is a valuable resource and for reading, time schedule have to be decided in advance.



Concentration on content and speed: if the reader concentrates fully on the contents and speed, his reading efficiency will improve.



Keep eye moving: reading is a visual and mental process. There are few observations about movements of eye that should be followed for improving reading efficiency.



Quick and silent reading: it is not true that the best comprehension will be at the lowest speed. Hence quick reading will not reduce the comprehension and reading efficiency.



Preview and review of material: preview means taking a prior view of the work and review means look at the wok after completion. Both help in improving reading efficiency.



Reading in logical block and words: material divided into logical phrases, sections, etc. makes an efficient reading.



Reading just enough to capture thoughts: the reader should practice skipping letters, syllables and words for efficient reading.



Improvement of capability to understand symbols: the reader should interpret symbols correctly to get the desired meaning

3.4 Techniques for Improving Retention •

Memory is a store house of our experiences and learning. There are few techniques to improve retention:



Using memory aids: acronyms and abbreviations can be used as effective devices for improving retention.



Deciding priorities of retention: human mind has the capability to retain vast amount of information. At the same time, it is difficult to recall information from various layers of access. Hence, the closer to the surface that information lies, the earlier it is to recall the same.



Thinking: if the reader wants to retain read material, he must think about.



Reinforcing: it means to concretize that has been read and learnt.



Ensuring determination: a final set of procedure for retention involves the commitment and desire to retain.

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3.5 Guidelines for Effective Reading Every executive spends a substantial portion of their time in reading. Following are the guidelines for effective reading: •

Define purpose: the objectives of reading should be very specific and should be clear by the purpose for which the matter is read.



Clarity about environment: the reader should be able to understand the environment which they have to operate in. Understanding the internal and external environment will facilitate the reader to improve efficiency.



Identify reading channels: channels can be carriers of the message and this influence the communication interaction. The reader has to identify effective reading channel.



Control Interference: the reader should control all the potential interference of people.



Reading words and non verbal symbols: all the messages are with the combination of words and non-verbal symbols.

3.6 Executive Reading In an organisation, executives have to read a variety of things such as letters, applications, proposal, reports, annual budget, references books, vouchers, financial statements, project reports and so on. They spend a major time on these activities and hence should develop efficiency in reading activities.

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Summary •

Reading is one of the four communication skills, others being speaking, listening and writing.



The components of reading skills are reading speed, comprehension, efficiency and retention.



Reading speed is defined in terms of words read per minute.



Comprehension is the ability to understand anything after it is read.



Reading efficiency is the reading speed multiplied by comprehension.



Retention is the ability of an individual to recall the read material.



There are some factors that affect reading efficiency such as educational background, physical and mental capability, interest, etc.



There are few techniques used for improving reading efficiency such as active reading, selection of appropriate reading type, setting realistic time schedules and keep eye moving and so on.



Retention capability allows to memorise the read material. There are some techniques used for improving retention such as using memory aids, deciding priorities of retention, thinking and reinforcing and ensuring determination.

References •

Scribd Inc, 2011. Nature, Scope and Importance of Communication. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].



Demand Media Inc., 2011. Purpose of Business Communication. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].



Demand Media Inc., 2011. Principles of Effective Communications. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].

Recommended Reading •

Spears, D. M., 2009. Improving Reading Skills, 6th ed., McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages.



Klingner, K. K., Vaughn, S. & Boardman, A., 2007. Teaching Reading Comprehension to Students with Learning Difficulties, 1st ed., the Guilford Press.

• .

Wilf, S., 1998. Basic Skills for Effective Reading, 4th ed., Prentice Hall Publication.

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Self Assessment 1. Which of these is the slowest kind of reading where speed varies from 50 to 350 words per minute? a. Rapid reading b. Scanning reading c. Careful reading d. Skimming reading 2. Which of these are not from techniques for increasing reading efficiency? a. Active reading b. Scanning reading c. Comprehension d. Reading efficiency 3. Which of the following are under quick reading strategy? a. Reinforcing b. Thinking c. Random jotting book d. Evaluate critically 4. The reader has to identify the most effective reading channel if they have the __________. a. reading skills b. feedback c. alternative d. memory aids 5. Which of the following is related to rapid reading? a. 50 words per minute to 350 b. 300 words per minute600 c. 900 words per minute1500 d. 600 words per minute 900 6. Reading efficiency score is calculated by multiplying: a. Retention and reading speed b. Comprehension rate and retention rate c. Reading speed and comprehension d. Reading speed and reading efficiency 7. If the reader understands and comprehends 60 percent of the material read and then reads the material of 240 words in 180 seconds, his reading efficiency score will be ________. a. 80 b. 240 c. 72 d. 48

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8. Which of these is not under quick reading strategy? a. Formulation of question b. Random jotting book c. Control interference d. Regression 9. Retention refers to the ability to___________ the read material after a lapse of time a. read efficiently b. recall c. think d. comprehend 10. A reader should keep a _________ on the reading material. a. critical eye b. constant speed c. reinforcing d. control interference

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Chapter IV Written Communication Aim The aim of this chapter is to: •

explain the meaning of written communication



identify the problems of written communication



discuss the objectives behind written communication

Objectives The objectives of this chapter are to: •

analyse the process and structure of communication



describe various functions of written communication



outline the written communication features

Learning outcome At the end of this chapter, you will be able to: •

understand the process of written communication



recognise the essentials of written communication



comprehend the tips for improved writing

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4.1 Introduction In written communication, the messages are transmitted in black and white. Written communication has been used primarily as a medium to transfer information and ideas, upward and downwards, permanently. It is a process that reduces a message into scripts so that reader can conveniently read and understand at any given time.

4.2 Characteristics of Written Communication Managers communicate in upward direction with their superiors, sideways with colleagues, and in downward direction with subordinates. Written communication has its predominant position in an organisation. Following are the characteristics of written communication: •

In written communication, writer can take more time to think; hence it is assumed that a written message is well thought out.



A written message is subjected to careful scrutiny and interpretation than an oral presentation.



The receiver can read the message at his convenience.



A written report or note commits the writer to express his ideas on paper.



A written message provides the medium for a wider or restricted use and dissemination in an organisation.



A written message is the most accepted vehicle of defence if conflicts arise later.

4.2.1 When to use Written Communication Written communication can be used during the following situation: •

when impersonality is in order, such as when issuing orders, directives, contrasts and so on



if the speaker is not comfortable with oral communication



when ideas need to be stored and retrieved for further reference



if reliability and validity are important for greater stability and accuracy.

4.3 Objectives of Written Communication The objectives of preserving written messages are to provide necessary information readily without any delay. •

Future reference: written message can be preserved as records and reference sources.



Records of evidence: oral message have no legal sanction, where as in written records they can be used as evidence.



Avoiding mistakes: in written records message the number of mistakes are reduced and can be corrected.



Facilitate decision making: past records serves as a guide to the decision making process.



Measurement of progress: if the recorded messages are properly filled and maintained, they can be used as measurement for progress of concerned.



Organisational efficiency: to maintain an organisational efficiency, written records are used frequently.



Legal requirements: there are certain documents, which are required to be preserved compulsorily under the provision of different legislations.

4.4 Process of Written Communication An idea can remain in writer's mind as an abstracts concept. It becomes real only when it is transformed to the receivers through a proper medium. Process of written communication is as follows: Writer’s Area First, the ideas have to be transformed into a language. Then it should be in the form of written message and finally, it should be sent to the receiver through a proper medium like handwriting, typing, drawing or painting.

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Reader’s Area The reader’s ability and speed depends on the transmitting medium’s readability or clarity and then convert the language into an idea that depends on the accuracy of the language. Environment System All the above process operates within an environmental structure. The steps outlined in a reader’s zone are dependent upon the reader’s experience. Feedback Understanding and acceptance of the message, as it was intended by the writer, can be tested by the feedback from the reader.

4.5 Problems in Written Communication Following are some problems that may occur during written communication: •

The message: lack of clarity of ideas, improper language, etc. leads to incoherent organisation of the presentation of subject matter and ambiguous language.



The purpose: lack of clarity in purpose leaves the reader wondering what to do with the note or report and creates confusion.



Transmitting media: the written message may be transmitted by hands or by post. Depending upon the capability of the reader, the writer should follow a suitable and appropriate mode.



Timing: written message must be communicated to the intended audience at the appropriate time.

4.6 Points and Structure of Written Communication A few basic points given below should be remembered for effective written communication: •

keep sentences short and simple as much possible



select words that are familiar to the reader



avoid technical jargons



avoid padding with unnecessary words or information



use active, rather than passive words and sentences



write as precisely as possible



use appropriate punctuation marks and standard grammar style.

4.7 Structure of Written Communication All communication should be structured on the following lines: •

Introduction: the writer should begin by the telling exactly what the message is all about. The objective of introduction is to create a broad picture of the subject in readers mind.



Developing the argument: after introducing the subject, the writer needs to develop the argument on the subject. This is the main part of the subject. This should be in logical sequence and in detail.



Conclusions: the development of the argument should lead naturally to the writer’s conclusion.



Recommendations: after the presentation of argument, the writer needs to put down recommendations wherever it is appropriate. Recommendations without any basis have no practical utility.

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4.8 Essentials of Effective Written Communication The following are the essentials of effective written communication: Tactfulness Doing the right thing at the right place in an appropriate situation is important in business communication. Following are few aspects of such tactfulness: •

tactful writing appeals to the individual rather than to categories



it is desired and occurs when writers seek to impress rather than express



it forces the writer to express subject matter in simple and understandable language.

Personal Tone In this, the writer should convey his attitude in the message. It focuses on the reader’s need and interest. This means de-emphasizing the use of “we and I” and emphasizing on “you and yours.” Active Voice All the sentences should be in active voice, as it makes sentence alive. In active voice, subject is acting, which makes a sentence strong. The use of active voice puts the force behind the message. Positivity For effective written communication there must be a positive tone in the sentences. An effective tone develops a positive relationship. Unified •

Unity in sentences is an essential part of effective written communication. Sentence unity requires limiting each sentence to one idea. The following essentials are important:



Each sentence in business communication should contain only one idea



Normally writers combine simple, complex and compound sentences together



Unity is to be in writing paragraphs also.

Coherence Here writer should present smooth flow of ideas. If sentences and paragraphs are coherent, ideas in them will be tied together. Coherent ideas bring smoothness in the flow of information. Conciseness Conciseness is saying in fewest possible words. Stretching the subject matter will lead to wastage of time and energy and also disinterest in reading. Clarity Clarity in writing applies to choice of words, construction of sentences and paragraph structure. Mechanical soundness Mechanically sound writing is free of two kinds of defects - errors in grammar and format problem. Readability In written communication, sentences or paragraph should be readable and understandable because of its clear style of writing.

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4.9 Tips for Improved Writing Following are the important tips for improved writing: •

Keep it simple: writer should use simple sentences and words that are easy to understand.



Keep it active: sentences should be written in active voice.



Work together: in business communication, writers do not work in isolation. They share their drafts with each other.



Invest in employees: every office employees is supposed to prepare written material, even if it is not used for internal purposes.



Make it interesting: readers are not familiar with one subjects matter; hence writer should provide necessary details.



Use new and better technology: new words and technology should be used for effective written communication.



Hiring a professional: company can hire some employees especially to handle the communication department if they are unable to meet the volume of demands.

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Summary •

Written communication has great significances in today’s business world. It is an innovative activity of mind.



Objectives of written communication are future reference, record of evidence, avoiding mistakes, facilitate decision-making, measurement of progress, guide for future action and so on.



There is a particular structure that should be followed in written communication, introduction should describe the subject, writer should develop an argument, this automatically should lead to a conclusion and there is a need to put down recommendation.



For effective writing, there are few essentials that need to be considered, such as tactfulness, personal tone, positivity, unifiedness, active voice and so on.



To improve written communication, writing style should be simple and precise, employees should work in coordination, or a professional can be hired for that specific purpose and so on.



Writer’s area, reader’s area, environmental system and feedback together constitute the process of written communication.

References •

Andrews University, 2009. Non-verbal Communication. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].



Commonwealth of Australia, 2011. Communication in the Workplace. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].



Scribd Inc., 2011. How Silence, Time, and Space Communicate. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].

Recommended Reading •

May, B. C. & May, G. S., 2008. Effective Business Writing, 8th ed., Prentice Hall.



Foster, J., 2008. Effective Writing Skills for Public Relations, 4th ed., Kogan Page.



Piotrowski, M. V., 1996. Effective Business Writing, 2nd ed., Collins Reference.

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Self Assessment 1. Which of the following statements is true? a. The process of written communication involves sending message by written words b. The process of written communication involves sending message orally c. The process of written communication involves receiving message verbally d. The process of written communication involves receiving message by non verbally 2. Written communication has primarily been used as a medium to pass information and ideas _______________ permanently. a. one way b. upwards and downwards c. side ways d. received 3. Which of these is not an objective of written communication? a. Future reference b. Avoiding mistakes c. Feedback d. Legal requirements 4. Which of these statements is not false? a. The reader’s ability and speed to read depends on the transmitting medium’s readability. b. The writer’s ability and speed to write depends on the transmitting medium’s readability. c. The reader’s ability and retention depends on the transmitting medium’s readability. d. The reader’s ability and speed depends on the receiving medium’s readability. 5. Which of these is not a problem of written communication? a. The message b. Organisational efficiency c. The purpose d. Transmitting media 6. Which of these is from the structure of written communication? a. Timing b. The audience c. Development of subject d. Guide for future action 7. Which of these statements is true? a. An effective tone develops a positive tone in communication. b. An effective tone develops a negative tone in written communication. c. An effective tone develops a negative tone in oral communication. d. An effective tone develops a positive tone in oral communication.

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8. Writer should present smooth flow of ideas within a __________. a. letter b. documents c. note d. file 9. Which of these is not a tip to improve writing? a. Invest in employees b. Make it interesting c. Readability d. Work together 10. A writer’s credibility with the reader goes down if they fail to check on the _______ of facts and figures. a. active voice b. repetitions c. accuracy d. concretisation

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Chapter V Verbal Communication and Non-Verbal Communication Aim The aim of this chapter is to: •

explain the importance of oral communication



describe characteristics of oral communication



analyse the relation between non-verbal and oral communication

Objectives The objectives of this chapter are to: •

study the methods of oral and non-verbal communication



learn about the conversation, speaking skills and group discussion



enlist types of verbal and non-verbal communication

Learning outcome At the end of this chapter, you will be able to: •

understand the elements of verbal and non-verbal communication



identify barriers faced in verbal and non-verbal communication



discuss the concept of conversation skills

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5.1 Introduction The most common medium of communication for human being is language, but still people use physical gestures like nodding or moving hands or facial expressions such as smiling or disapproval to accompany speech-acts and influence communication. Communication is a means of exchanging ideas, thoughts, feelings and knowledge. This can be better expressed by gestures, as, many times, action conveys more meaning than words.

5.2 Oral Communication One form of oral communication in business is presentation. Presentations are an organised conveyance of information to a group of people. In communication process, oral or verbal communication is most important for both sender and the receiver of the message.

5.3 Characteristics of Verbal or Oral Communication Following are the main characteristics of oral or verbal communication: •

Follow up: oral communication cannot be repeated and there are no written records to refer to.



Day to day language: the use of day-to-day conversational language is most effective.



Presence of both: it is a direct link between sender and the receiver. Both should be present during verbal communication.



Fast: in this, the receiver reacts to the message immediately; hence it is quicker and faster.



Understanding: it provides immediate opportunity to explain or clarify what is being said by the sender, so that one can confirm that audience has understood the message.



Communication principle: there are three basic principles of communication - accuracy, clarity and brevity. Clarity is achieved by using the right language, which is understood by the listener.



Sequencing: there is a particular sequence for effective verbal communication such as: ‚‚ introducing the subject ‚‚ developing the argument or logic ‚‚ arriving at the conclusion ‚‚ calling for action, if necessary.



Feedback from listeners: after every conversation between the sender and the receiver, it is necessary that the listener should give proper feedback to the speaker.

5.4 Methods of Oral or Verbal Communication Oral or verbal communication can be between two individuals or in a group. Both are necessary in business life. In this process, communication is kept as short as possible, carefully considering the frequency and timings. Among individuals •

Face-to-face conversations: these are one to one discussions for various purposes.



Interviews: These are more formal conversations such as job interviews, press interviews and so on.



Telephone conversations: this is between two people for different purposes.



Meetings: this is to discuss or resolve issues.



Grapevine: this is a discussion among employees themselves, on various aspects and matters concerning the organisation and its affairs. Sometimes, it is also termed as gossiping.

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Among groups •

Negotiations: these are possible between groups and individuals both.



Meetings: these are on large scale to discuss and resolve issues.



Presentations: these are formal conversation such as speeches, talk and so on.



Conferences: it is a formal get-together to discuss specific issues concerning the organisation and business issues, seminars and workshops.



Public speech: this is addressed to masses by speaker on a particular theme.

Grapevine •

This is also called as informal communication. It is a channel of verbal communication, which plays a major role in the flow of information in an organisation.



In most cases, the executives spread the grapevine regarding their discipline and strictness. This creates more impact as compared to formal presentation.

Presentations •

Presentation or speech, at formal occasions and in meeting of group, is categorised in four types, viz. read, memorised, extemporaneous and impromptu.



It is a matter of personal preference as per the comfort level of the individual. Facts and figures, case-studies and illustrative material should be used as and when required.

5.5 Conversation Skills Conversation is a skill which few individuals want to develop. This is the most important skill in business communication, but rarely learnt by people. Following are few basic speaking and listening skills. •

Speaking: one must have a very pleasant, quite and friendly voice. Speaking with clarity and in a relaxed, informal manner creates great impact.



Listening: one must have good listening skills, must concentrates very carefully when another person is speaking and must pick up the highlights of that presentation.



Questioning: good questions should be asked and they must have a follow-up by answers with further questions.



Giving options: wait until one has established a good rapport with the other person before offering opinions.



Gesturing: these should be kept at minimum. The sense must be kept as informal as possible.



Learning and teaching: endeavour to learn something useful from every conversation which one has. This will enhance the quality of conversation.



Beginning: this takes place especially in strange places; one must overcome the natural tendency to avoid communicating. This should be done by entering that individual’s private space quietly and informally.

5.6 Speaking Skills Improving English speaking skills helps an individual to communicate more easily. Most of the people are insensitive with themselves and to those with whom they communicate. In business context, our words, reflections, gestures and audio-visual aids are either inadequate or overdone. People fail to exploit the power of language to clarify and motivate. There are many compelling reasons for improving oral communications, such as: •

enhance understanding



build human relationships



persuade



convince and motivate



enjoy the rich pleasures of confidence in self-expression.

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5.7 Group Discussion A group discussion is a methodology used by an organisation to judge whether the candidate has certain personality traits and skills that is desired in its members. Group discussion can produce more and better solution to most problems. Group indicates collective wisdom. There are conditions which are important and are considered during group discussion such as: •

ability to work in a team



group members must have clear understanding of goals



all members must accept responsibility



communication skills should be good



reasoning ability



leadership skills



initiative



assertiveness



flexibility



creativity

5.8 Non-Verbal Communication Non-verbal communication is understood as the process of sending and receiving wordless messages. Non-verbal communication can be communicated through gestures, touch, body language, posture, facial expression, eye contact, etc. Speech contains non-verbal elements like paralanguage, including voice quality, emotions, speaking style as well as prosodic features such as rhythm, intonation and stress. Likewise, written texts have non-verbal elements such as handwriting style, arrangement of words or the use of emoticons.

5.9 Relationship of Non-Verbal Message with Verbal Message •

In daily life, the verbal and non-verbal elements operate together. Humans change facial expressions with the words they speak or hear. Usually we do not notice these non-verbal messages unless someone overuses them to the point that they become too expressive or annoying.



In written communication, to stress on a word, we put it in italics or capital letters. But in non-verbal communication, we do the same by a pause, tone, with raised eyebrows or by pointing fingers.



Sometimes the non-verbal message repeats the verbal one. If someone says he is depressed and then has an enormous sigh, the non-verbal message gets repeated by the verbal.



A non-verbal message sometimes substitutes the verbal one. Two friends wave their hands at each other instead of greeting verbally.



Research indicates that when we recognise inconsistencies between verbal and non-verbal messages, the latter one is to be believed.

5.10 Types of Communication There are six major types of non-verbal communication: Face and Eyes •

The non-verbal message sent by this channel is often the first to be noticed, but it is difficult to interpret as there are many possible expressions that show on a human face.



These moments can be made quickly and are so enormous and varied.



In spite of this difficulty, study shows that people are surprisingly correct at judging the meaning of facial expressions.

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Touch •

Touch is one of the important modes of non verbal communication.



A single touch can communicate thousand words.



A shake hand also shows our warmth, respect, assurance and interest for others.

Clothing •

Research shows that we make assumptions about people and their messages on the basis of their dressing style.



Though, some of these assumptions are incorrect and also unfair, as a person cannot be judged entirely by his or her clothes.

Distance •

Study shows that, the distance between two people depends on the type of relationship that they share.



People maintain less distance when the relation is personal and close.



A certain distance is maintained when the relation is formal or official.

Time •

The way we use and manage time sends intentional and unintentional messages.



Its human tendency that we spare time willingly for those whom we like or give respect.



Sometimes, we tend to offer much more than expected to have a good communication and ultimately share a good relation.

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Summary •

Oral communication takes place between two or more people either face to face or through electronic or mechanical devices.



Oral communication is very much essential for client interaction.



Meetings are conducted regularly where oral communication is effective.



Oral communication, depending on the importance, is transferred to written communication as oral communication cannot be referred.



When interacting with others, we continuously perform some gestures complimenting oral communication.



From all our non-verbal gestures like how we sit, how fast, slow or loud we speak and how do we keep the eye contact send strong messages while communicating.



Certain characteristics of verbal communication are follow up, day-to day language, fast and understandable communication and feedback from listeners.



There are several methods of verbal and non-verbal communication such as face to face conversations, interviews, telephone conversations, meeting and grapevine.



Conversation is divided into a number of categories such as speaking, listening, questioning, positioning, gesturing, learning and teaching.



There are several types of non-verbal communication such as poster, gesture, face, eyes, touch, clothing, distance and time.

References •

Mind Tools Ltd., 2011. Cross Culture Communication Collaborative Efforts a Must!. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].



Pearson Education, 2010. Developing Cross-Cultural Competency. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].

Recommended Reading •

Mehrabian, A., 2007. Nonverbal Communication, Aldine Transaction.



Goman, C. K., 2008. The Nonverbal Advantage: Secrets and Science of Body Language at Work, Berrett-Koehler Publishers.



Verderber, R. F., 1999. Speech for Effective Communication, Holt McDougal.

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Self Assessment 1. The eyes and face are especially helpful means to communicate___________. a. non-verbally b. verbally c. efficiently d. correctly 2. ____________reveal attitudes by their firmness. a. Eye contact b. Handshake c. Touch d. Hug 3. In________ situations, direct eye contact is considered desirable when two people converse. a. formal b. informal c. friendly d. unfriendly 4. Voice quality and the extra sounds made while speaking are also a part of non-verbal communication called____________. a. paralanguage b. kinesics c. eye- contact d. gestures 5. ______________certain words in a sentence can purposely indicate the feeling about what is important. a. Deleting b. Adding c. Emphasizing d. Expanding 6. Which of these is not a characteristic of verbal communication? a. Day to day language b. Audience c. Presence of both d. Feedback from listeners 7. Which of these is an informal channel of verbal communication? a. Gesture b. Facial expression c. Grapevine d. Speaking

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8. Which of these is the most important skill, but is rarely learnt? a. Reading skills b. Writing skills c. Conversation skills d. Presentation skills 9. The speaker must adapt their communication according to the size of their __________. a. clarifications b. audience c. contents d. feedback 10. Which of these do not come under conversation skills? a. Speaking b. Gesturing c. Conferencing d. Learning and teaching

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Chapter VI Listening Skills Aim The aim of this chapter is to: •

explain the meaning of listening skills



enlist the types of faulty listening



describe the characteristics of listening

Objectives The objectives of this chapter are to: •

outline the listening process



introduce the barriers of listening



explain ways to improve listening skills

Learning outcome At the end of this chapter, you will be able to: •

overcome the barriers of listening skills



understand types of bad listening habits



recollect the concept of effective listening

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6.1 Introduction A study of communication preference by first–line managers and supervisor has found that listening is perceived as the most important part of communication skill. The better the listening skill, the more will be the effectiveness of the organisation. Following basic observations about listening will clarify the concept of listening: Listening is the accurate perception of what is being communicated and involves following four major operations: •

hearing



understanding



retaining



recalling

It is not a simple ability to decode information but a two-way process. Listening is a physical activity and hearing is a mental activity. It is a natural process. An average person hearing a 10 minutes presentation will understands and retain only half of the information heard. Writing and speaking skills can be improved by practicing, but it is not so in the case of listening skills. It is a process in perpetual motion.

6.2 The Listening Process There are three stages in listening process: Selection As one hears much more that one listens to, selection of the messages to be listened initiates the process involving a deliberate mental act. An individual can hear all the sounds around, but selectively listens to only few sounds in his immediate circle. Reception Once one selects the sound to be listened, next stage is reception. The complicated hearing mechanism picks up the chosen sound waves and transfers them to the brain. Hearing ability is a critical part of listening process. Symbol/Meaning Manipulation The most complicated part of listening requires mind to take the internal message symbols, interpret them and convert them into meaningful messages. The typical listener cannot remember half of what they heard and can re-call only one-fourth of it a short time later.

6.3 Types of Faulty Listening The following are the types of bad listening habits: •

Pseudo listening: in this, the listener is pretending as if they are listening, but their mind is elsewhere.



Selective listening: the person listen only those parts of a message which are of particular interest or immediate relevance to him.



Self-centred listening: here, individual is so focused on self that he barely pays attention to what others are saying.



Fill-in listening: selective listening leaves inevitable gaps in an individuals understanding. Then, the persons begins fully processing a message that has aroused his interest, and has no options but to simply fill in the gaps by hearing what he expect to hear.



Insulated listening: here the person actually chooses to not to listen those messages that make him/ her uncomfortable. This type of listening occurs when people do not wish to hear criticism.



Defensive listening: in this case, people focus on the ideas that do not exist, interpreting comments as personal attacks when they are not intended that way.



Reconstruction listening: this occurs when people take a new message and reconstruct it so that it fits with a prior message. 41/JNU OLE

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6.4 Barriers to Listening In order to improve the listening skills, listeners need to be aware of the major barriers to listening. They are grouped as follows: •

Physiological barriers: some people have genuine hearing problems or deficiencies that prevent them from listening properly. Some people may have difficulties in processing information or memory related problems which make them poor listener.



Physical barriers: these refer to distraction in the environment such as the sound of an air conditioner, cigarette smoke or an overloaded room, which interfere with the listening process. This can also be in the form of information overload.



Attitudinal barriers: pre occupation with personal or work related problems can make it difficult to focus completely on what speaker is saying; even if what is being said is of prime importance.



Wrong assumptions: it is wrong to assume that communication is the sole responsibility of the sender or the speaker and listeners have no role to play. Such a wrong assumption can be big barrier to listening. It is the responsibility of the listener to pay attention to what is being said.



Cultural barriers: accent can be a barrier to listening, since they interfere with the ability to understand the meaning of differently pronounced words. The problem of accent arises not only between cultures, but also within a culture.



Gender barriers: gender can be a barrier to listening; studies have revealed that men and women listen very differently and for different purposes. Women can listen for the emotions behind a speaker’s word, whereas men listen more for the facts and the content.



Lack of training: people are not born good listeners; they develop the art of listening through practice and training. Lack of such training is an important barrier to listening.



Bad listening habits: majority of people are very average listeners who have developed poor listening habits that act as barriers to listening. For example, some people have the habits of ‘faking’ the attention to impress the speaker and to assure him that they are paying attention.

6.5 Why Barriers Succeed The following factors influence listening barriers to succeed significantly: •

Gap between listening speed and speakers speed: speed adds a dimension to listening that differs from the speed concept for reading. A great disparity exists that creates problems in the ability to concentrate while listening.



Passive activity: out of the four, listening is the most passive activity in communication skill. The listener has to sit for long, without much movement; here his body state has to stable.



No adjustments: a reader can read his matter at his own speed, a writer can write the draft according to his own pace and a speaker speaks at his own speed, while in the case of listening, listener does not have the comfort to listen the matter at his own pace. He should adjust and accommodate himself with the pace of the speaker.

6.6 Techniques for Listening Following are few techniques for effective listening: •

Selection of Listening Mode



One must always try to anticipate or at least make a rapid decision about the kind of listening one will do.



Careful listening: it relates to comprehension and retention of the idea of heavy material and the details as well.



Attentive listening: it relates to comprehending soon and retention of the general idea of light material.



Skimming: when one wants to comprehend and retain only the general idea.



Scanning: it is to locate and retain specific kind of information.

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Concentration and Thinking One can think three times faster than the ability to speak. The requirement for concentrative effort becomes even more critical for listeners than for readers. Few tactics for concentration are as follows: •

Anticipation: what the speaker will say next should be anticipated. Whether or not what he anticipates is confirmed, the act of anticipating serves to focus his attention upon the subject at hand.



Focus: the message should be focused upon, weighting the speaker’s evidence and pondering on the speaker’s words for deeper meaning.



Review: the listeners must continually review the major points which the speaker has already covered.

Symbol/Meaning/Manipulation Listening process is centred upon the ability to create meaning out of message comprised of symbols, selected by someone else. Just as for reading, an indispensable technique for effective listening is the development of broad ranging internal library of symbols and meaning. •

Taking notes: effective note taking is based on effective listening. The following habits should be practiced while listening to a speech: ‚‚ concentrate on content ‚‚ identify the purpose of speech ‚‚ listen for signposts ‚‚ understand and not evaluate.



Physical and psychological setting: as a good listener, one should try to understand and control three important elements of the setting: ‚‚ personal physical conditions ‚‚ psychological conditions ‚‚ external conditions.



Retention listening: the tactics to retain what is listened are: ‚‚ using memory aids ‚‚ prioritising, thinking ‚‚ reinforcing ‚‚ developing resolve.

6.7 Effective Listening As listening is an art of communication, the communicator has to learn and acquire the skills of listening. While improving effective listening skills, one must identify and overcome all the obstacles. Effective listening has ten important keys as follow: Keys

The Bad listeners

Find the areas of interest

Tunes out dry subjects

Judge content, not delivery

Tunes out if delivery is poor

Hold your fire

Tends to enter into argument

Listen for ideas

Listens for facts

Be flexible

Takes intensive notes using only one system

Work at listening

Shows no energy output: attention is faked.

The Good listeners Opportunities: asks “what’s in it for me?” Judges content and skip over delivery, errors. Doesn’t judge until comprehension is complete Listens for central themes Takes few notes. Using four to five different systems, depending on the speaker Works hard, exhibits active body state 43/JNU OLE

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Resist distractions

Distracted easily

Exercise of mind

Resists difficult expository material, seeks light, recreational material

Interpreting emotion laden words

Reacts to emotional words

Thought is faster than speech

Tends to daydream with slow speaker

Fights or avoids distraction, tolerates bad habits and knows how to concentrate Uses heavier material as exercise of mind Interprets emotion laden words; does not get hung up on them Challenges, anticipates, mentally summarises, weights the evidence, listens between the lines to tone of voice.

Table 6.1 Ten important keys of effective listening

6.8 Improving Listening Skills Improving listening skills is largely a matter of mental conditioning and is a wilful act. To improving listening skills the listeners must: •

arrive early at the place of lecture



keep quiet while listening



focus on what the speaker says rather than what is in his book



listen first and take note later



look for the central theme and ideas



let the speaker finish what he has to say without interrupting him



control and minimise the distraction



be friendly towards the speaker



try to look into the eyes of the speaker



keep your mind open to every subject and speaker



accept criticism without losing temper



try to probe the emotions and feeling of the speaker

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Summary •

Employers are becoming increasingly aware that listening relates to almost all forms of business communication.



There are four main operations in listening - hearing, understanding, retaining and recalling.



The relation between the speaker and the listener plays an important role in perception.



The listeners must avoid loud noises; particularly, repeated ear-splitting noises endure over a long period of time.



Listener must not only sit or stand comfortably but also be alert.



The listener must repeat some of the facts that need to be recalled later and link them to something familiar.



There are several personal characteristics that affect listening such as gender, personalities, verbal competence, note taking, scholastic, hearing ability, usage and motivation.



There are three broad stages in listening process - selection, reception and symbol/meaning manipulation



Some of the barriers to listening are perceptual barriers, experiences and expectations, relationship with speaker and speaker-related barriers.



There are certain techniques for listening such as selection of listening mode, concentration and thinking, taking of notes and physical and psychological comfort and wellbeing.

References •

Management Study Guide, 2011. Communication Barriers - Reasons for Communication Breakdown. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].



Brainmass Inc., 2010. Types of Barriers to Communication. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].



Pearson Education, 2010. Developing Cross-Cultural Competency. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].

Recommended Reading •

Vella, J. K., 2002. Learning to Listening, Learning to Teach: The Power of Dialogue in Educating Adults, 1st ed., Jossey-Bass.



Allen, M. B., 1995. Listening - The Forgotten Skill: A Self-teaching Guide, Wiley Publisher.



Helgesen, M. & Brown. S., 1995. Active Listening: Introduction to Skills for Understanding. Cambridge, University Press.



Bolton, R., 1986. People Skills: How to Assert Yourself to Listen Others, and Resolve Conflicts, Later printing ed., Touchstone.

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Self Assessment 1. Which from the following is not in the major operation of listening? a. Hearing b. Motivation c. Understanding d. Recalling 2. Listening is considered as mental activity, where as hearing is considered as _____________. a. rapid activity b. physical activity c. understanding d. physiological activity 3. Which of these is an important part of listening comprehension? a. Personality characteristics b. Hearing ability c. Intelligence d. Verbal competence 4. Which of these are not the processes of listening? a. Distraction in environment b. Selection c. Reception d. Symbol/meaning manipulation 5. Which of these are the types of faulty listening? a. Selective listening b. Organisational and structure ability c. Supportive listening d. Reconstruction Listening 6. Which of these is not the technique of effective listening? a. Selection of listening mode b. Taking of notes c. Relation with speaker d. Retention listening 7. Improving one’s ability to listen is largely a matter of ____________. a. mental conditioning b. physical conditioning c. physiological conditioning d. selection conditioning

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8. Which of these is not the tactic for retention? a. Memory aid b. Priority thinking c. Intelligence d. Developing resolve 9. The listener must continually review the __________ which the speaker has already covered. a. feedback b. manipulations c. major points d. anticipations 10. Listening activity is based on the recognition that the __________ alone has the power to dramatically affect the quality of the communication. a. speaker b. reader c. listener d. writer

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Chapter VII Presentation Skills Aim The aim of this chapter is to: •

explain the concept of public speaking



illustrate stages of public speaking



enlist tips for effective presentation

Objectives The objectives of this chapter are to: •

identify the skill of preparing a presentation



explore the requisites of a successful presentation



identify audiences’ need and their expectations

Learning outcome At the end of this chapter, you will be able to: •

learn about preparation of presentation



recognise how to achieve clarity and impact



understand the skills required for a successful presentation

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7.1 Introduction Presentation is the process of presenting the content of a topic to an audience. There are different types of projects including professional, presentations for students at school or college or other general projects. Presenting can also be done by using pamphlets, posters and collages to the audience.

7.2 Words with Audience Speaking to an audience can be fun and exciting if prepared well. If the speaker lacks in preparation or a clear, definite goal, the audience can make the presentation a disaster. Preparation is the key to successful speaking. To make your presentation effective you need to determine your objective. Determine your audience and their familiarity with the topic. One should know the answers of the questions like: •

Why he/she is giving the presentation?



What do they want the audience to understand from the presentation?

7.3 Preparation for Presentation •

determine the objective and goal of presentation



analyse the presentations’ audience



prepare presentation structure



start presentation with an introduction



outline the segments as per the structure of the presentation



conclude and mark the objectives achieved



introduction and conclusion are the most important parts and should have the strongest impact.

7.4 Achieving Clarity and Impact •

keep presentation short and simple



mention the key points to be covered in the presentation



highlight the important points



keep segments short and precise because longer the presentation, higher the risk of boredom.

7.5 Using Visuals •

consider the visual aids required for the presentation



the presenter must be familiar with the usage of slide projectors, data projectors, video machines and computers



make sure you do not cram too much information onto a single visual



make sure the graphics are large enough so that the audience can see them clearly



face towards the audience when using visuals.

7.6 Arrangements for Presentation •

visit the room in which presentation is to be given



determine the seating arrangements



circled seating arrangement is best suited if interaction with audience is part of the presentation



consider lighting, space and temperature of the room



be familiar with presentation; do not try to memorise all the points



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7.7 Tips and Techniques •

Avoid too many statistics and confusing information



if unable to recall words, pause for a moment and remember the objective



visualise self as succeeding



begin by breathing deep



always focus on the needs of the audience.

7.8 Presentation Planning Checklist Presentation Following can be the checklist of the presentation: •

Does the introduction take hold of the participant’s attention?



Is it being followed to clearly defining the points of the presentation?



Are the main points in logical sequence?



Do the main points need the support of visual aids?



Is the conclusion strong?

Delivery Following can be the checklist for the delivery of the presentation: •

Is there enough knowledge about the topic covered in presentation?



Where and how to present; whether it is indoor, outdoor, standing or sitting?



Have the visual aids been checked properly to ensure they are working?



Have presentation site been visited?

Appearance Following can be the checklist for the appearance of your presentation: •

make sure dressing and grooming is done appropriately



practice speech by standing or sitting, as per the plan



pay attention to body language and posture.

Visual Aids Following can be the checklist for the visual aids of your presentation: •

Are the visual aids easy to read and understand?



Are they tied into the points to be communicated?



Is presentation and its points easily visible from all areas of the room?

7.9 Understanding Presentations Aspects •

While designing the presentation, look after the time aspect as in how long the presentation would run



if the presentation lasts longer than an hour, a break is recommended



average person speaks at the rate of about 100 words per minute, so a 20 minute talk is 2000 words long. So to retain the interest of the audience a visual description or some kind of light humour is essential.

Making Technical Talk Appealing •

Mostly engineers, when giving a talk, take the audience for granted and use technical terms which stand jargon for the audience



if the voice drones in monotone, the content lacks excitement eventually the audience may feel bored



every topic has some interesting points that can be highlighted from time to time



technical topics are not always dull or dry but the speaker may make it by the style of presentation.

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Preparation •

Consider the time required for researching, writing and preparing for a speech



the time spend to prepare, a talk depends on several factors like experience, topics knowledge, skill in public speaking and so on



it takes considerably less time when one brushes up an old presentation than to create anew one



preparing a memorable address requires many hours of perseverance



writing a speech is not the same as writing for a printed page



the words used in a speech must sound like a conversation



to ensure good talk read the draft aloud first to yourself then to others.



a little hilarity can lighten a heavy technical talk.

Research •

The speaker is considered knowledgeable enough of the topic to give a presentation, but that does not mean the speaker knows everything so a certain research is needed.



an ideal speaker add-ons their own data and experience with the outside research and examples



the library is the perfect place to start research with books, magazines, news papers and so on



the speaker needs to collect twice the material needed and choose the best stuff from the available material.

Arrange the Material •

Organising material can be made easy by making notes on index cards



piece of information should be jotted down one on one card



one can make a rough outline of speech and arrange the cards accordingly. It would help to sort out material in reasonable series and reveal which area involves further research.



use of visual aids help presenter as well as audience to remember points.

Delivery of Presentation •

Constantly make an eye contact with individuals in the audience and randomly choose the audience to make an eye contact to make it more interactive than to just read it out for them



Speak loud enough for everyone at the back can hear



use interactive gestures, tone and volume of voice to emphasise important points



give time to audience after every topic to ask questions



conclude by summarising the key points.

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Summary •

This chapter covered the importance of a good presentation and discussed about various requisites for giving a successful and effective presentation.



A successful manager must acquire the art of public speaking, convincing and at times even manipulating the audience.



The speaker must know the objective of the audience and must achieve it.



The presentation must not be very lengthy as it may lose audience interest.



Visual aids and illustration must go with every presentation for clear understanding.



The place of presentation must be viewed and checked as per presentation requisites.



A successful presentation always focuses on the needs of the audience.



An ideal speaker add-ons their own data and experience with the outside research and examples



There are certain points to remember such as words with audience, preparation for presentation, achieving clarity and impact while preparing for a presentation.



There are certain in presentation aspects delivery of presentation, arranging material, research, preparation and so on.

References •

The Seven C’s of Effective Communication. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].



Seven Communication Principles . [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].

Recommended Reading •

Gallo, C., 2009. The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to be Instantly Great in Front of AnyAudience, 1st ed., Mc-Graw Hill Publication.



Koegel, T. J. 2007. The Exceptional Presenter: A Proven Formula to Open up and Own the Room, 1st ed., Greenleaf Book Group Press.



Steele, W. R., 2009. Presentation Skills 201: How to Take it to The Next Level as a Confident, Engaging, Presenter. Outskirts Press.

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Self Assessment 1. To achieve clarity one needs to keep his/her presentation _____________ a. detailed and extensive b. short and simple c. precise and extensive d. scientific and technical 2. A constant _____________ with individual from audience is needed to keep the audience intact. a. interaction b. humour c. eye-contact d. talk 3. The words used in speech must sound like _____________ a. conversation b. dictation c. friendly talk d. vague 4. A presentation should start with _____________. a. technical concepts at first b. visual aids c. introduction d. illustrations 5. Organising material for speech can be made easy by making _____________. a. lengthy notes b. short notes c. index cards d. diagrams 6. Which of the following statements is true? a. An ideal speaker does not add their own data and experience with the external research and examples b. An ideal speaker must add their own data and experience with the external research and examples c. An ideal speaker does not add their own data and external research as he is knowledgeable enough of his topic d. An ideal speaker depends on external research and examples as he may not be related to the subject of the presentation 7. Which of the following statements is true? a. The speaker must not visit the room of presentation prior to presentation as it may nervous the speaker b. The speaker must visit the room of presentation prior to presentation as it may nervous the speaker c. The speaker must not visit the room of presentation prior to presentation as it may make the speaker relax d. The speaker must not visit the room of presentation prior to presentation

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8. Which of the following statements is true? a. Preparation is the key to successful speaking. b. Practicing is the key to successful speaking. c. Preparation is the key to successful writing. d. Research is the key to successful speaking. 9. Which of the following statements is true? a. The words used in a speech must sound like a discussion. b. The words used in a speech must sound like an order. c. The words used in a speech must sound like a debate. d. The words used in a speech must sound like a conversation. 10. Match the following a. Index Cards

1. This arrangement is best suited if interaction with audience is part of the presentation. b. A Break 2. If your presentation lasts longer then it is recommended. c. Circular seating 3. It can help in organising your material and making notes. a. A-3, C-1, B-2 b. A-1, B-2, C-3 c. A-2, B-1, C-3 d. B-3, A-2, C-1

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Chapter VIII Resume Preparation and Interview Skills Aim The aim of this chapter is to: •

describe the concept of interview skills



outline the elements of a resume and interview



explain the importance of interview or resume preparation

Objectives The objectives of this chapter are to: •

discuss the requirements of a successful interview



enlist various components of resume



analyse new realities of resume

Learning outcome At the end of this chapter, you will be able to: •

learn about preparation of resume



gather proper skills for a successful interview



understand the techniques of interview

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8.1 Nature and Importance of Resume The purpose of a resume is to disclose accomplishment and qualification to the admission committee. The resume and application letter are the first contact between the job seeker and the organisation. Think of resume as a promotional brochure about a person. People have to show the organisation what they have accomplished and where their experience rests. The resume is also an example of communication and organisational skills.

8.2 Resume Format There are several acceptable formats of a resume. Based on work experiences, one can use any one of the following formats: Chronological Chronological is the most common resume style for people with significant work experiences. Here the emphasis is placed on employment experience. In this style the applicant’s job history is presented in reverse chronological order, with the most recent job placed at the top of the list. Functional This is non-linear format; here skills and achievements are emphasised. In functional resume, employments history is summarised and is linked to their skills and achievements. In this the applicant’s skills and previous relevant experience are presented at the beginning of their resume. Combinational The combinational resume is simply a functional resume with brief employment history added. Educational qualifications are listed first and then followed by skills and accomplishments. Specific In this format, people will be asked to include all their part-time, full time work experiences, research, project activities, extracurricular interests and community/civil activities.

8.3 Resume Components The contents of the resume are arranged to emphasise the features which a jobseeker wants to stress. The jobseeker must begin and end with strongest points and place the other in the between. The order of the components in a resume determines the tone of the message. Main components of resume are as follows: Heading This contains personal contact information such as name, address, telephone number and email address at the top of the resume. Here the name should be the most obvious components of resume. Job Objectives Job objective states interest in a specific position. People should make their objectives short and to the point. The objective gives direction and focus to resume. Experience and Employment Summary The summary is a general overview of strength, experience, skills and abilities-a snapshot of the resume and professional designed to capture the reader’s attention while objective provides a focus for a particular job, the summary leaves a door open for alternate positions within the same organisation. Educational Qualifications This section includes information about degrees, where and when graduated; dates; major, minor or concentration. Applicant must use the official manes of school, degrees and major/minor.

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Skills and Accomplishments A combined format is used in this section and accomplishments/skills acquired through work experience, academic background, and extracurricular/community/volunteer activities are described. Activities This is an optional section where applicant’s can list their campus activities, as well as job-related, professional, humanitarian, or other groups. These activities may be worth mentioning, particularly if they were an officer or were active in some other way. Recognition and Awards If the applicant has received any formal recognition or awards that support their job objectives, consider mentioning them. Applicant can create a new section, or can put in the work experience, education or activities section. Certificates and Licenses Applicant can include professional credentials at the top of the resume with their education. If they have more than one, they might consider creating a new section. References Three references is a good number to include on a resume. The format for attaching references is to include the person’s name, title organisation, and email addresses and telephone number. References can be put as a part of resume or a different section can be included.

8.4 Application Letter A letter of application, also known as a cover letter, is a document sent with resume to provide additional information on skills and experiences. Application letters, if written impressively, can work for best at any company/firm. Effective application letter explain the reason for applicant’s interest in a specific organisation. Format and Style The format and style should be adapted to the needs of the employer. There are few points to be considered in regards with the application letter: •

good quality paper should be used



return address should be properly positioned



the salutation be included or omitted depending upon the choice of style



subject and attention lines should be used, if appropriate



the enclosure notation should be used to acknowledge one’s resume and any other enclosure



the resume must be referred in the body of the letter as well



letterhead should not be used



signature should be avoided



the letter and other material should be inserted properly



whenever possible, each letter of application must be written uniquely and personally to the appropriate person at the firm.

8.5 Mistakes in Resume There are some mistakes that should be avoided while preparing a resume. If a resume is presented badly, person applying for position in a reputed company has less chance of being selected for the company. Following points should be considered while preparing a resume:

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Lengthy Descriptions Avoid lengthy and vague descriptions in resume. Lengthy descriptions are not just waste of time but also make the employer interest in the candidates. To avoid trouble, frame resume in crisps, to-the point addressing style. Grammatical Mistakes Grammatical error can be a glaring in a resume. If a particular error is a typo, it spoils reputation and presents a person as an inexperienced or low-grade professional. Once done with resume, run several grammatical checks. Focus on Important Don’t keep personal information on the very first page of the resume. Try to focus on the career-oriented details. This is true if the employers are looking for professional with expertise in specified area. Presentation Presentation is crucial to a resume. A clumsy, badly-formatted resume would make the worst impression on the employers. Make resume as professional and legible/readable as possible. Don’t Praise Yourself Highlight achievements but don’t blow your own trumpet. One must show all achievements, rewards and awards in resume but it should be done subtly not pompously. Mistake in Cover Letters Committing mistake in cover will make a reader neglect resume. Write a short cover letter that addresses the questionin what way you are qualified for the position. Don’t forget to sign the cover letter. Don’t be Negative Make profile valid and know your weakness. Highlight skills in a manner which should pull employer to view your resume and select you over experience candidates. False Information Giving false information in resume will keep one out of the competition and the firm may not provide with second chance. Be true, and the attitude will surely bring your better opportunities. Avoid Plagiarism Don’t copy someone else’s resume. Remember the other person is different from you. Think and write whatever is applicable or whatever suits you the best Fast Preparation Resume is the gateway to your career. So, at any cost, avoid preparing your resume in hurry. Please double - check it, once it is completed and it is good to check it form higher professional.

8.6 Nature of Interviews Interview is a form of oral communication in which individuals interact to know each other. It is one of the most common techniques of manpower selection. Proper knowledge of an interview may enable one to recognise the importance of the interview as a business communication technique. An interview has a wide variety of uses in business and corporate-related jobs. In many organisations, managers regularly evaluate the performances of their subordinates through scheduled appraisal interviews. A large number of employment interviews have resulted in the selection of unsuitable individuals, counselling interviews often do not resolve problems and disciplinary interview may not result in changed behaviours.

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8.7 Purpose of Interview The following are the main purposes of interview: Selection Interview helps to select a right person for a right job. Through an interview, the potentialities of interested recruits are assessed. Promotion For assuming capabilities and competencies required for higher position, interview is the most potent tool. Performance Appraisal Through interview, performance is appraised. Feedback regarding performance may be communicated through interviews. Exit Opinions When a person leaves, the exit opinions are invited through exit interviews. This helps the organisation to build a better work climate. Counselling Interview helps an individual to develop themselves through counselling. For counselling, useful information is extracted and requisite feedback data is also transmitted back.

8.8 Types of Interview Interviews are often classified as information getting, information giving or problem solving. Following are the different types of interviews: Panel Interview Interviews are taken by forming a panel of experts or interviewers who are expected to ask questions depending upon the purpose and plane of the interview. Different panels are constituted to test specific potentialities or traits of candidates. Exit Interview In progressive companies, it has emerged as a common practice to get the feedback about their own functioning. In these types of companies, employees leaving the organisations are being interviewed in order to know their causes of living. Problem Interview Sometimes, discussion with experts relating to specific problems to identify the causes and go deep into the problem leads to problem interviews. Experts in the area are being interviewed in the process to discuss a particular problem. Promotion Interview For promotion of employees in organisations, interviews are conducted. In such cases, the capabilities desired are matched with the capabilities attained. Walk-in Interview When a company is urgently in need of employees, they may conduct walk-in interviews. Those who meet the minimum requirements, they are allowed for appear for the interview. Appraisal Interview Many a time, employees feel their opinion and problems were not taken into account while evaluating their performance. On the basis of appraisals, feedback is also given to employees in the organisation so that they can know how they have to improve their performance.

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Stress Interviews Depending upon the requirement of the positions to be filled, some organisation conducts stress interviews of the candidates. Candidates are put in stressful situation. Mock Interviews For prospective job seekers, sometimes imaginary interviews are organised. Before appearing for the final interview, business schools may prepare their students on how to face the real interviews during the visit of the companies in the campus. Group Interviews Instead of conducting the interview individual, many a times group interviews are conducted to assess the ability of individual in terms of comparative leadership ability, communication, initiative and team spirit.

8.9 Interview Process A lot of care is to be taken by the interviewers in order to make the interview effective. Following are the interview process: Arrangement of place, time and question: the interviewer must ask questions keeping in mind the purpose of the interview. He must decide the best time and place for conducting the interview. He should also keep in mind the arrangement, which the interviewer prefers. Acquiring job-related information and general knowledge: it is only the well-informed interviewer who can conduct an effective interview. The interviewer must read books and magazines. He should talk to people in order to learn about the positions to be filled. Assessing interviewee’s attitudes: the interviewer should make a list of questions, which can measure some positive as well as negative attitudes of a person while conducting the interview. Interviewer should also make a note of the difficulties they will be facing later, which these attitudes might create. Prepare opening remarks: first few questions may unsettle an interviewee in the beginning itself. Therefore, the interviewer must write out opening remarks. Recording the proceeding of the interview: the interviewer will decide whether he/she will write down or tape-record responses during the interview. This will help them to take a better decision on the performance of the candidates.

8.10 Essential Requirements of a Successful Interview Every interview has a specific purpose to achieve. Failure of the interviewee to achieve the purpose will make it ineffective. Therefore, there are some essential requirements associated with appearing for successful in interview. Techniques •

Visiting interview site: it is difficult to locate the place of interview in big towns. If possible, visit interview site a day or so before the interview.



Reporting the presence: after arrival in the place, interviewer should report his presence.



Shaking Hand: if the interviewer so desires, shake hands with her/him. The firm shake hand with politeness gives a good impression.



Take seat after permission: it is inappropriate to take seat immediately after entering the interview room. Remain standing until the interviewer invites you for a seat.



Belongings not on interviewer’s desk: in case if you carry briefcases, handbags and folders, place all the loose articles in one bag and place them outside before entering the interviewer’s office.



Allowing going through the resume: if in case the interviewer has not seen the resume ahead of time, give him enough time to read it and organise his thoughts.



Never look at the watch: the interviewer will end the interview when they wish to do so. The interviewee should not look at the watch during an interview.

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Behaviour and Style •

Sometimes, behaviour and style of the candidates can cerates a good impression on the interviewers at the time of interview.



Interviewer’s style, infract influence’s substantially in the selection decision.



Interviewers make countless decisions on the bases of style rather than substance particularly when the qualities of several candidates are roughly equal.



It observed that style alone probably does not often lead an interviewer to hire an incompetent and less qualified person.

Content Preparation Preparation for the content and coverage for the interview before hand always helps an interviewee to make that interview effective: •

Knowledge of the company and the job: it is expected that the interviewee must have proper knowledge of the job and the company in which they are going to work.



Memorise and rehearse responses: just before the interview, the interviewee must anticipate the kinds of questions the interviewer might ask and hearse responses.



Use grammatically correct sentences: avoid run-on sentences that do not allow the interviewer to interject comments.



Use and learn techniques of negotiation on employment: learn and apply the techniques of negotiation on the employment issue such as salary and location.



Transmit the information that introduces well: as the interview is nearing its end, the interview must be sure to transmit the information that they want to introduce in this emphatic position.

Popular Questions Before appearing for any interview, an interviewee should review a few of the potentially difficulties interview question. Some of common question asked are as follow: Questions on self introduction •

Tell me something about yourself?

Questions on kind of work one want to do •

What work profile do you prefer?

Questions on candidate’s weaknesses •

What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

Questions to justifying one’s qualification for the position •

Why should we hire you?



Would you hire someone like yourself for the job?



Describe a professional skill you have developed in you?

Questions on hobbies •

What are your hobbies?

Questions on leaving the present job •

Why do you wish to leave your current employer?



Why did you leave your last job?

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Questions on expected salary: •

How much salary do you expect?

Stereotyped Questions An interviewer may ask an individual some preceding type of questions. However, some questions show evidence of stereotype and the biases associated with them. Some stereotype questions that might be asked to a woman in an interview could be: •

Who will take care of children in the family?



What will he/she do when her child is sick?



In case either spouse is transferred, what will they do?



Do you think your attractive looks will be distractive on the office?



As you are out of the job market for the last 12 years, how can you claim yourself for a supervisory position?

8.11 Appearance and Dress Dress and appearance constitute only a part of the non-verbal message transmitted during an interview. However, many of the other non-verbal components are directly associated with the interview itself were discussed earlier. Hence, dress and appearance as a distinct non-verbal category in particular are as follows: General Suggestion Some general suggestions for good appearance apply to men and women alike. An applicant cannot always be as casual as they can be if they are already working in an office. There are some other suggestions include: •

wear fresh, clean and well-ironed and comfortable cloths



wear fingernails at a short to medium length. Choose a haircut and style that fits the standard for the work.



use a minimum amount of lotion and perfume



choose shoes that are sober, well cleaned and polished

Special suggestions for Men •

have a good haircut and be clean shaved



wear a traditional two or three piece, dark coloured business suits



choose a conservative shirt, tie socks, belt and shoes to coordinate properly with the colour and style of the suit



have a handkerchief in the pocket.

Special suggestions for women •

wear a conservative, medium to high cut blouse coordinates properly with the sari or wear a formal suit



little or on jewellers should be worn



conservative make-up should be used



if one uses nail polish, a medium toned colour is to be chosen.

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Summary •

This chapter covered various types of resume, guidelines to write a resume. It also talked about interview skills for both the interviewee and the interviewer.



Drafting a resume that adequately and accurately represents your experience and skills can be difficult process.



It is not enough to think simply in terms of duties, you must demonstrate achievements and successes to date in your career.



There are resume components that are essential while preparing resume such as heading, job objectives, education, experiences, achievements, awards, hobbies and so on.



A letter of application is to be accompanied with a resume. Skimming carries on a review of the characteristics of letter application.



Interview is a form of oral communication in which individuals interact to know each other.



It will enable one to recognise the importance of the interview as a business communication technique.



The main purpose of an interview is selection of suitable candidate, promotion of an individual based on its capability, to give appraisal for its performance and counselling an individual to extracted information.



There are types of interviews that are classified based on the information they require such as panel interview, exit interview, problem interview, promotion interview, walk-in interview and appraisal interviews.



There are requirements that are essential to a make an interview effective and successful there are as follows: techniques, behaviours and style, content preparation, popular questions and stereotype question.



For an interview to be successful, appearance and dressing sense are equally important.



These are the part of non-verbal communication as the message is transmitted during an interview.



There are some general suggestions that should be considered before going for an interview such as clean and ironed cloths, proper haircut, shoe polish and minimum amount of perfume.



There are special suggestions for men and women both that are considered while an interview.

References •

Communication: an essential management tool integral to operational effectiveness. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].



Jones, L & Alexander, R., 2000. New International Business English, Cambridge University Press.

Recommended Reading •

Dr. Rao, N & Dr. Das, R. P. Communication Skills. Mumbai. Himalaya, Publishing House Pvt. Ltd.



Brown, L., 2006. Resume Writing Made Easy: A Practical Guide to Resume Preparation and Job Search, 8th ed., Prentice Hall.



Powers, P., 2009. Winning Job Interview, Revised ed., Career Press.

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Self Assessment 1. Which of these is not the part of effective interview process? a. Reporting the presence b. Arrangement of place, time and question c. Acquiring job-related information and general knowledge d. Assessing interviewee’s attitude 2. Dress and appearance constitute only a part of the _____________ transmitted during an interview. a. verbal message b. interview process c. resume preparation d. non-verbal communication 3. Which of these is not a type of interview? a. Panel interview b. Exit interview c. Report writing d. Walk-in interviews 4. Which of these are not the points that are considered in format and style of interview letter? a. Good quality paper is used b. Return address is properly positioned c. Letterhead should not be used d. Reporting the presence 5. An interviewer may ask an individual some preceding type of ________. a. question b. feedback c. suggestion d. comments 6. _____________ is a form of oral communication in which an individual interacts to know each other. a. Letter b. Report c. Resume d. Interview 7. Which of these are not the mistakes that take place while preparing a resume? a. Lengthy Descriptions b. Grammatical Mistakes c. Don’t be negative d. Good quality paper is used

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8. The purpose of a _________ is to disclose your accomplishment and qualification to the admission committee. a. letter b. resume c. interview d. listening 9. Which of these are not the components of resume preparation? a. Interview b. Heading c. Education Qualification d. Activities 10. A _________ of application, also known as a cover letter, it is a document attached to your resume to provide additional information on applicant’s skills and experiences. a. report b. interview c. letter d. resume

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Chapter IX Meetings Aim The aim of this chapter is to: •

describe skills for effective meetings



analyse the requirements of effective meetings



study the components of a meeting

Objectives The objectives of this chapter are to: •

discuss the preparation of a meeting



outline how to manage a meeting



acquire the art of conducting a meeting

Learning outcome At the end of this chapter, you will be able to: •

learn about how to design agenda



understand the procedure of calling a meeting by notice



identify the factors responsible effectiveness of the meeting

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9.1 Introduction A meeting is gathering of two or more people particularly to have a discussion on certain topics in a formal setting. In an organisation meetings are the most important mode of human communication. Meeting is the best tool for generating ideas, sharing thoughts and managing group activity. If not prepared well for meeting, the interaction with team can fail and agenda would not be met.

9.2 Preparation of a Meeting Following points should be remembered while preparing for a meeting: •

Everybody involved in the meeting should get an opportunity to give their input.



Plan your meeting such that it gives time to all participants to prepare adequately.



Once the meetings time and place is chosen, make yourself available for the questions that may arise from the participants.



If you are the head for the meeting, make a meeting agenda with detail notes.



Include outline goal and proposed structure of the meeting, this will help the members of the meeting to prepare well and meet the goal.



Meetings are mostly disliked because they are usually futile, dull and time consuming and the challenge lies in making the meeting effective.



The head can manage meeting and make it effective by planning, monitoring and reviewing it.

9.3 Conducting a Meeting •

You, as the head of the meeting, must provide necessary support to co-ordinate the contribution of the participants.



The degree of control of the head over the meeting may vary throughout.



If the structure of the meeting is designed in the beginning it can be effectively run without the head of the meeting.



To run the meeting effectively one must remember: ‚‚ Explanation: always explain the purpose of the meeting, the time allowed and the rules to be observed by everyone. ‚‚ Summary: at each stage of the proceedings you should summarise the progress. ‚‚ Focus on Agenda: at each divergence or pause, re-focus on the agenda planned.

9.4 Managing a Meeting •

Choose the right candidates who can contribute, solve problems and take good decisions.



The number of participants invited for meeting should be maximum twelve.



Make sure the people with necessary information for the items listed in agenda are the ones invited.



Guide the meeting in such a way that every participant’s ideas are heard.



Make sure the meeting is not dominated by any individual or any extensive discussion between two people.



When an agenda item is resolved or action is agreed upon, make it clear in the meeting itself who will be responsible for it.



To avoid any further confusion, summarise the action to be taken and draft it in the minutes of the meeting.

9.5 Components of a Meeting Notice •

A notice is drafted before a certain time of the meeting and circulated among participants to be invited.



A notice is printed on an official letterhead of the company.

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A notice of the meeting includes the following information: •

name of the body/group which is to meet



day, date and time of the meeting



place of the meeting i.e. address, telephone number and pin code



agenda and sub agenda items of the meeting



information regarding provision of lunch and payment of travelling allowance.

Agenda •

Agenda is the list of items to be discussed at the meeting



it is sent with the notice or after the notice



the agenda begins with the item “approval of minutes” and the minutes of the previous meeting must be signed and approved by all



after approved by all the matters arising out of it are taken up



also new matters are added to the agenda



the order of the agenda cannot be changed during the course of the meeting.

9.6 Minutes •

Minutes begin with the name of the body holding the meeting, place, date, list of people present and the time that the lead called the meeting to order.



The minutes then record what was actually said at the meeting, either in the order that it was actually said or in a more logical order, regardless of whether the meeting follows or ignores any written agenda.



A less often used format may record the events in the order they occur on the written agenda, regardless of the actual chronology.



The primary function of minutes is to record the decisions made and procedure to follow to accomplish those decisions.



Minutes include ‚‚ name and address of the body corporate ‚‚ nature of the meeting ‚‚ time and place of the meeting ‚‚ name of chairman of the meeting and names of the members present. ‚‚ resolutions ‚‚ thanking to the chair and the members.

9.7 Resolution •

Resolution can be ordinary or special



ordinary resolution requires majority support in terms of votes



special resolution requires three-fourth support from the members present



resolutions may be passed unanimously or by votes



resolutions are written in simple past tense.

9.8 Support •

The success of the meeting also depends on the confidence of the participants.



Any suggestions or feedback from the participants must be welcomed.



No idea from any participant must be dismissed that means even bad ideas must be treated seriously. This has to be done because may be a good idea can be misunderstood and missed.



As the head of meeting you must avoid direct criticism of any individual.

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Summary •

A meeting runs efficiently if it is preceded by an agenda and a notice. It is a platform for people in the organisation to exchange ideas and negotiate matters.



The head of the meeting must be skilled and open to ideas from all the members without any bias thoughts.



The meeting is open only the head and invitees.



The effectiveness of the meeting depends on the pre-planning and execution of the meeting head.



Agreements and disagreements to any agenda of the meeting must be carefully recorded in the minutes.

References •

Sweeney, S., 1997. English for Business Communication Cambridge University, Press.



Taylor, S., 1999. Communication for Business New Delhi: Pearson Education.

Recommended Reading •

Mina, E., 2000. The Complete Handbook of Business Meetings, 1st ed., AMACOM.



Parker, G. M. and Hoffman, R., 2006. Meeting Excellence: 33 Tools to Lead Meetings that Get Results, Annotated ed., Jossey-Bass.



Henkel, S. L & Lujanac, M., 2007. Successful Meetings: How to Plan, Prepare and Execute Top-notch Business Meeting, Atlantic Publishing Company.

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Self Assessment 1. The members of the meeting must prepare well for the meeting to be ___________. a. effective b. lengthy c. short d. futile 2. A meeting runs efficiently if it is preceded by ___________. a. introduction b. agenda c. minutes d. aim 3. ___________is/ are important but cannot be used as a reference document. a. Introduction b. Agenda c. Minutes d. Aim 4. Every meeting has some ___________ which needs to be agreed by all to be followed. a. introduction b. agenda c. minutes d. code of conduct 5. A ___________ is gathering of two or more people particularly to have a discussion on certain topics in a formal setting. a. introduction b. agenda c. minutes d. meeting 6. Resolutions are written in which tense? a. Present b. Past c. Simple present d. Simple past 7. The success of the meeting also depends on the ___________ of the participants. a. confidence b. intelligence c. background d. personality

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8. Match the following a. Minutes b. Agenda c. Meeting d. Effective e. Code of conduct a. a-3, b-2, c-1,d-5, e-4

1. Gathering of two or more people particularly to have a discussion 2. Inform the participants about the points to be discussed 3. Record the decisions and actions agreed upon 4. Needs to be followed by all 5. Must prepare for meeting to be

b. a-3,b-1, c-5, d-2, e-4 c. a-1,b-2,c-3,d-4,e-5 d. a-2,b-1,c-5,d-3,e-4 9. Match the following A. Minutes 1. gathering of two or more people particularly to have a discussion B. Agenda 2. Inform the participants about the points to be discussed C. Meeting 3. Record the decisions and actions agreed upon D. Special Resolution 4. It requires majority support in terms of votes. E. Ordinary Resolution 5. It requires three-fourth support in terms of vot a. A-3, B-2, C-1, D-5, E-4 b. E-1, D-2, A-5, B-4, C-3 c. B-3, C-4, A-2,D-1, E-5 d. A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4, E-5 10. Which of the following statements is true? a. Agenda is the list of items to be discussed at the meeting b. Minutes are the list of items to be discussed at the meeting c. Resolution is the list of items to be discussed at the meeting d. Introduction is the list of items to be discussed at the meeting

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Chapter X Negotiation Skills Aim The aim of this chapter is to: •

describe negotiation skills



explain process of effective negotiation



discuss the need of negotiation

Objectives The objectives of this chapter are to: •

highlight the nature and essentials of negotiation



analyse the P’s of negotiation



inform about behaviour of negotiator and role of communication in negotiation

Learning outcome At the end of this chapter, you will be able to: •

understand negotiation process



recognise the role of communication in negotiation



identify the role and behaviour of negotiator

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10.1 Negotiation Skills Negotiation skills are needed in every sphere of industry, trade and commerce. The art of negotiation is required in different fields such as marketing, industrial relations, collective bargaining, worker’s participation in management and collection of recoveries. Negotiation is usually considered as a compromise to settle an argument or issue to benefits ourselves as much as possible. Communication is always the link that is used to negotiate the issue or argument whether face-to-face, on the telephone or in writing.

10.2 Nature of Negotiation Normally, it is considered that negotiating is nothing but engaging in conflict. There are basis and essentials of negotiation such as: •

It requires two parties: negotiation is a meeting between two parties over issues which are important for both the parties. These two parties must be in conflicts and they have to work together to achieve their objectives.



The objective is to reach an agreement: they may not reach an agreement but all efforts need to be made to reach an agreement.



It is a continuous process: in industrial and business organisation negotiation constantly occurs between employers and employee on wages, terms and conditions of employment.



No winner/no loser: Negotiation need not have a winner and a loser. In every negotiation, there are opportunities to be creative in using social skills and effective communication to bring both the parties together towards win-win situations.



Required flexibilities: the parties to a negotiation need to be flexible. The areas of agreement are to be identified clearly.



A process it is a process involving briefing, that creates a climate of discussion, and understanding. Where the unlimited objectives are to reach an agreement over the issues in which parties to the negotiation are involved with.



Need effective communication: negotiation lays thrust on effective communication.

10.3 Ps of Negotiation Like Ps of marketing, the basics of negotiations are also called as Ps of negotiation. They are as follows: •

Purpose: each negotiation has a specific purpose. Without aim, negotiation will lead to wastage of resources in terms of manpower, money and time.



Plan: a plan of action is to be chalked out before going for actual negotiations. Plan will discuss the agenda on which the negotiation takes place.



Pace: it should be kept in mind the people’s concentration drops rapidly after about twenty minutes. The negotiator should try to achieve agreement on points of the negotiations before their concentration reduces.



Personalities: negotiation process involves personalities. There are two groups to make an agreement. Their personal characteristic like age, positions communication skills and experiences in negotiations that influences the whole process of negotiation.

10.4 Negotiation Process A few important phases of negotiation are as follows: Planning At the preparation stage, the negotiators become too committed to unchangeable action. Synergy and successful negotiating situating are more likely to occur when the negotiator is willing to rethink his strategies during the courses of negotiation. The preparation for a negotiation meeting needs discipline. It needs time and the regular use of approach. Following are some of the essentials of disciplined approach in the regards: •

the preparation needs to cover purpose, plan and place of the meeting



the opening sentences should be prepared carefully



physical arrangements should be managed cautiously



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Briefing The negotiation team needs to be briefed on the strategy. It should also be told about the roles and tasks which the negotiators have to look into during the course of negotiation. The following WHO’S are to be decided, that is the person who has to: •

takes notes



act as chairperson



deal with interruptions



deal with conflicts



deal with the pace of negotiation.

The team members must also be briefed on how to behave under pressure. They must also understand the importance of non-verbal communication. Bidding On substantive issues in negotiations is like bidding in poker, organisation bid on the exposed cards. On their assessment to the other party for a positive outcome, they bid high or low. •

A high bid has the advantage that the negotiator might just get away with it. It tells the other party how much they require, but still leave room for manoeuvrings. However, there is always a risk with a high bid that the other party might just walk out.



A low bid may get the negotiator a quick settlement. The other party may feel like collaborating, as they may perceive it to be realistic. However, once the negotiator has their bid low, they find it difficult in raising their bid afterwards.



Reviewing progress: it is necessary if the negotiators are in relation to the objectives stated at the beginning. Therefore, continuous review of progress is required.



Clarifying problems: the negotiators must make sure that everyone is aware of the real difference regarding the perception of problems.



Showing agreement: the negotiators should keep a collaborative climate by acknowledging or agreeing to the points made by the other party.



Summarising: what have the negotiators agreed so far? How do they feel now?



Monitoring process: the negotiators should monitor progress with respect to schedule.



The skills, which the negotiators need to develop, are those of creating and maintaining interest and concentration, time-monitoring and building relationships of mutual respect and trust.

Bargaining Bargaining power can determine the outcome of the bargaining to a large extent. There are few questions in regards to bargaining as follows: •

What are the offers?



What are the consequences to each party of rejection then?



Does rejection means more to one party?



How then should a negotiator react to the proposals?

When the negotiator has assessed the bargaining power, they must go back and reconsider their original objectives. If the negotiator fails to find the right strategy, the negotiator is unlikely to achieve their desired outcome. For bargaining, following queries are important: •

How can the negotiator change the other’s party’s expectations?



How can the negotiator extract information with respect to their commitment to their objectives, the importance of achieving them and their fall back positions?



How can the negotiators increase their bargaining power?

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What sorts of strategies best structure the agenda for structuring the other party’s expectations?



Does the negotiator want to treat the items individually or as a package?

Settling •

Solutions can only be found if both the parties are prepared to do business. This means that both the parties are able and willing to move forward. Sometimes the negotiators may find that the other party is unable and unwilling to move or respond. After determining the interest of the other party, they should look for the following points:



The negotiators should state their objectives clearly and firmly. However, it should not be put aggressively.



They should discuss objectives in a polite and businesslike manner. They must maintain control over their emotions at all times.



They should avoid an apologetic or insecure stance. The negotiator must be firm, polite and courteous and say what is meant rather than being manipulative with words.



They should avoid a ‘soft option’ since it will almost certainly not look after their interest and will probably produce a less effective solution.



When seeking a solution, their aim should be to allow both sides to win or at worst declare a draw.

The negotiator should first look for shared interests and then for compatible interest by these methods: They should create a climate in which both parties are able to put forward as many relevant ideas for a solution as possible. •

They should avoid making judgments until all ideas have been introduced.



They should concentrate on the problems rather that on the people involved.



They should know what they are trying to achieve.



They should not lose temper or provoke their partners to do so, since this will not produce solutions and neither side can benefit from such situations.

Rafting When the negotiators have reached an agreement on the outcome, the agreement should be written down and signed by both parties - this allows for no misunderstanding or misinterpretation later. The following needs to be checked so that negotiation issues may satisfy both parties: •

Are the negotiators all clear about what has been agreed?



Are they committed to agreement?



Do they need to meet again to clear up any minor points? If yes, when?



How do both the parties feel about the agreements they have made? Were they all fair?



Do they feel cheated? Do they feel the case of exploitation?

Reviewing After the negotiation is over, it is easy to walk away and forget all about it and performance of the team until the next negotiation takes place. Review should take place to check what happened before, during, and after the negotiation.

10.5 Negotiation Skills Negotiating is the process of communication back and forth, for the purpose of reaching a joint agreement about differing needs or ideas. Negotiation cannot go ahead under certain circumstances. A good negotiator must have the following traits: •

patience



clarity



self confidence



mental alertness

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strong competitive struck



detailed knowledge.

The following are the basic rules with respect to effective negotiation skills: •

begin with a positive note



address problems, personalities that are not involved



pay little attentions to initial offers



emphasise on win-win or problem solving approach



create an open and trustful climate.

The golden rule is to negotiate interest rather than positions. This can be achieved by asking questions such as: •

What would they like to achieve?



When do they think that this should begin?



How should we aim to put this into operation?



What do they think for appropriate action?

The following issues are important in building negotiating skills among negotiators: •

Shared vs. unshared perceptions for both parties



hard vs. soft approach



stubborn vs. flexible position



trust vs. mistrust



speaking vs. listening



competition vs. corporation



willingness vs. unwillingness



compromise vs. making concessions



win/lose outcome vs. win/win



use of adjournments to regroup forces/obtain more information/redesign strategy



use of silence



relative authority of each party’s negotiating teams to conclude agreements.

10.6 Negotiation Climate Negotiation climate has substantial impact upon the progress to positive outcome. When the negotiating climate is not conducive, the negotiators will have added responsibility. Sometimes, this environment is found hostile. Under those circumstances, the following points deserve special significance: •

Stay in match: attempts are made to continue the dialogue. If formal talk is not brining result, then go for informal conversations. At the later stage, when there is improvement from the hostile climate, the deal can be discussed again.



Look for dealmakers: as an effective negotiator, it is advisable to select the people who may have positive attitude. The deal breakers should not be put into a team of negotiators. Dealmakers will constantly make efforts for the success of negotiations.



Tact: the negotiators in the hostile environment are handled with tact. Utmost care is taken in looking at the issue.

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10.7 Role of Communication in Negotiation Following are few steps to improve the communication among negotiators: •

negotiators should create a cordial and co-operative climate



they must make independent opening statements getting one another’s positions clarified



they should not seek to rebut before the picture is clear to both



they must be aware of reasonable time frames and should not talk too much or too long



the process of evaluation of information should be made simple, i.e. in digestible pieces.



the negotiators should make good use of posture, gesture, eye contact and visuals.



they must conclude as smoothly as they began. Ending should be a truly climatic finale-positive, resounding and inspiring.

10.8 Behaviour of Negotiators There are negotiators who will prefer to stick to the positional, hard–line style, unaware of a more effective alternative. If the negotiators face a ‘hard case’, there are certain guidelines to which one should endeavour to adhere: •

maintain a polite and businesslike approach



should not retaliate when abusive behaviour is used



should continue to negotiate on interest, even if the other party is not doing so



invite ideas and criticism of their case, and suggest that their opponents try to look at the situation from their perspectives



continually focus attention away from themselves and towards the issues under discussion



should ignore unreasonable or personal attacks and respond by keeping silent.



instead of asking bold statements, they should ask for objectives criteria



show their enthusiasm for a fair solution and repeat their readiness to produce objectives criteria



listen for any sign of co-operation and then encourage it, welcome it, praise it and focus on it



periodically summarise the area where agreement has been reached and highlight the items.



they should not respond to following tricks: ‚‚ personal abuse ‚‚ totally misleading or deceitful comments, half-truths or rumours ‚‚ rhetorical questions ‚‚ brinkmanship ‚‚ impossible/escalating demands



‚‚ sarcasm they must: ‚‚ allow tempers to cool ‚‚ review the points agreed and reconsider the items outstanding ‚‚ take stock of the situation ‚‚ carry out further checks on negotiation partner ‚‚ seek any further approval or authorisation which they might need. ‚‚ physical expressiveness includes movement about the platform, stance, gesture, facial expression and eye contact. The best general rule for physical expressiveness is to have it in plentiful, meaningfully and spontaneously.

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10.9 Third Party Negotiations When the negotiation between two parties fails, third party negotiations are promoted. They are as follows: •

Mediator: they are the neutral persons and are not related to either party. They may listen to both the parties and then come to a conclusion.



Arbitrator: they may have legal powers with them. Industrial Dispute Act, 1947 stipulates it. The act specifically states that some matters are bounded to refer arbitration.



Conciliators: again as per the requirement of the Industrial Dispute Act, 1947, the parties to the dispute must be given the last opportunity to settle the matter through mutual discussion before the dispute is settled in a court.



Consultants: they have special skills to handle the negotiations, which have failed earlier. They use their capabilities to build a better negotiation climate.

10.10 Decision Biases Hindering Negotiations The following are the decision biases that hinder effective negotiations: •

Win-Lose strategy: negotiation may adopt win-lose strategy. Short-term vision of a few negotiator forces them to think on this strategy, which aggravates the tension and negotiations fails in the long run.



Focussing only on initial information: if the negotiators do not look at total information, the result will not be positive. If focus is only on initial information and the negotiator does not make an effort to collect other details, the negotiations may not bring the desired result.



Overconfidence: a few negotiators are over confident in the beginning. If it is increased without any justification, the negotiation will not bring any desired results.



Irrational escalation of commitment: the negotiators enhance their commitment illogically. Their commitment must be logical and justifiable.



Winner’s curse: In negotiation, the projection of winners/loser does have far reaching adverse effects on negotiation. This type of branding creates most of the problems and hence hinders present and future negotiations.

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Summary •

This chapter covered the concept of negotiations, its importance and ways of negotiating. The art of negotiation is required in different fields such as marketing, industrial relations, collective bargaining, worker’s participation in management and collection of recoveries.



There are some of the essential components of negotiation such as It requires two parties, The objective is to reach an agreement, it is a continuous process not having any winner or loser.



There are P’s of negotiation such as Purpose, Plan, Pace and Personalities



There are number of phases in negotiation process such as Planning Briefing Bidding Bargaining Settling Rafting and Reviewing.



A good negotiator must have the following traits: patience, clarity, self confidence mental alertness strong competitive struck and mastery of details



The following are the basic rules with respect to effective negotiation skills. Begin with a positive note, address problems, personalities are not involved, pay little attentions to initial offers, Emphasis on win-win or problem solving approach and create an open and trusting climate.



Few steps to improve the communication among negotiators include - the negotiators should create a cordial and co-operative climate and make independent opening statements getting one another’s positions clarified independently. They should not seek to rebut before the picture is clear to both. The negotiator should be aware of reasonable time frames. They should not talk too much or too long. The process of evaluation of information, be made simple that is in digestible pieces and the negotiators should make good use of posture, gesture, eye contact and visuals.

References •

Mascull, B., 1999. Business Vocabulary in Use (Advanced) Cambridge University Press.



Conlmas, F., 2005. Sociolinguistics, Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.

Recommended Reading •

Malhotra, D. & Bazerman, M., 2008. Negotiation Genius: How to Overcome Obstacles and Achieve Brilliant Results at the Bargaining Table and Beyond, Reprint ed., Harvard Business School.



Downs, L., 2009. Negotiation Skills Training. ASTD's Trainer's Workshop.



Hindle, T., 1999. Negotiating Skills. DK ADULT.

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Self Assessment 1. Which of these is not the part of essential of negotiations? a. It requires two parties b. The objective is to reach an agreement c. It is a continuous process d. Need for negotiation 2. Each negotiation has a specific _________. a. plan b. speed c. purpose d. marketing 3. Team members must also understand the importance of ____________ communication. a. purpose b. plans c. non verbal communication d. verbal communication 4. On substantive issues in negotiations is like ________ in poker. a. briefing b. bidding c. bargaining d. settling 5. Negotiation is the process of communication ______________ for the purpose of reaching a joint agreement about differing needs. a. non-verbal communication b. verbal communication c. face to face communication d. back and forth 6. Which of this are not the issues considered in negotiation skills? a. Bargaining b. Hard verse soft approach c. Stubborn verse flexible position d. Trust verse mistrust 7. When the negotiation between two parties fails, they promote _________. a. single dealing b. third party c. mediator d. arbitrary

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8. The negotiator should must create a cordial and ____________ climate a. cool b. hot c. co-operative d. dependently 9. The negotiator must always plan and ________ for how did they conduct the process itself. a. review b. prepare c. note d. report 10. When the negotiator has assessed the bargaining power, they must go back and reconsider their original ____________. a. plan b. review c. objectives d. documents

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Chapter XI Business Letters Aim The aim of this chapter is to: •

explain the importance of business letter



describe the format of business letters



classify business letters according to the situation

Objectives The objectives of this chapter are to: •

classify quality of good business letter



discuss how business letters helps in development of business



outline qualities of good business letters

Learning outcome At the end of this chapter, you will be able to: •

recognise the pattern of letter of enquiry



understand the significance of business letter



identify the pattern of personnel letters

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11.1 Introduction Business letter is the form of written communication drafted in formal language. These are exchanged between organisations and personnel in connection with the organisation. Business letters play a vital part of communication in an organisation.

11.2 Importance of Business Letters Organisations deal internationally for greater business prospect and for this business letters have much more importance. Business correspondence is simple and less expensive means to exchange information and deal between places, parties and countries. According to Herbert N. Casson, a good letter brings back two lost customers, creates three new, motivates four travelling salesman, creates five good-wills, obtains six bad-debts, removes seven customer’s complaints and creates eight new markets. Some of the noticeable advantages of business letters are: Maintain contacts with distant places Business correspondence is the cheap and improved way of contacting clientele at distant places. Effective mode of contact Due to the distance as a hurdle, personal contact is impossible. This hurdle can be overcome by correspondence which is as effective as personal contact. In person talk may omit some information but correspondence does not because one plans the content of the letter or even read it again before sending. Helps in development of business Letters are undoubtedly the most important means of communication in a corporate world for developing business and establishing good contacts. Acts as reference and certification: the letters sent and received can act as a reference material. This is also considered as proof to prove anything in the court of law. Cheap and easier means of communication In comparison to other modes of communication like telephone, fax etc, letters are a cheaper and easier mode of communication. Creator of good-will A well written and good letter can act as creator of good-will.

11.3 Qualities of Good Business Letters A good and well written letter is similar to a master key which can open any door. It creates goodwill and ultimately helps growing the business. A good business letter must posses all the qualities mentioned below: Clarity Every word and sentence of the letter must be clear with its meaning. The sentence must be written in such way that it must not be misinterpreted. The letter must be understood by reading it once. Truthfulness Truthfulness is an essential quality of a business letter. The letter must be written based on facts and truth. If the letters are written without considering the facts the clientele may lose faith in the organisation. Completeness It is said that a complete letter is better than three incomplete letters. The letter must be complete with facts and figures for which it was written. Completeness is one of the most important qualities of a business letter. Conciseness Preserving the quality of conciseness without losing any important points is the real skill of writing. Irrelevant matters should be removed from the letter.

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Courtesy The language used in the letter must be pleasing and satisfying. The use of rigid and rude words must be avoided. Use of appropriate words expressing courtesy will surely bring benefits to the business. Persuasive The ideas or expressions mentioned in the letter must be persuasive to the readers. The quality standards, amount figures, designs and so on must be convincing to the readers. A warranty letter after sales service attached to the letter can be very convincing to the customers. Cleanliness Cleanliness is another important characteristic of a good letter. The letters written should be clear and readable. Over writing or scribbling on wrongly written words must be avoided. The written content must be properly adjusted with the margins. Coherence An ideal business letter must have the quality of coherence. The topics mentioned in the letter must have continuity. Different subjects must be specified in different paragraphs to avoid confusion. Time Factor Reply to every letter must be written within a reasonable time. Delay in reply to awaiting clients may cause dissatisfaction among the clients. A reply must be sent within two to three days from receipt of date. Effectiveness The letter is effective only when it satisfies the purpose for which it was written. Presentation, language, clarity are few factors which make a letter effective.

11.4 Format of Business Letters •

The language and subject matter of letter written may differ as per client and parties needs



The form and structure of business letters must be uniform



The letter must create an impression upon the receiver at the first sight



Form of business letters is usually not observed strictly thus minor changes are acceptable



The major parts of a business letter are: ‚‚ heading ‚‚ date ‚‚ reference number ‚‚ inside address ‚‚ salutation ‚‚ subject ‚‚ body of letter ‚‚ complimentary close ‚‚ signature of the sender ‚‚ enclosures, if any ‚‚ post script or PS, if any.

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Format of a business letter is given below: (Heading) (Nature of business) Address………….. Telegraphic Address……………………. Telephone No……………... Reference No…………….... Inside Address…………….. ……………………………..

Place……… Date……….

Salutation, Subject……………. Reference…………. Main contents…………………………………………………........… ………… ………………………………………….............................................................. …………………………………………………………………………………. Enclosure…………….. Signature…………….. P.S………………….. ………………………

(Complimentary close)

Heading •

Heading is the name of the organisation printed on the letter pad in a striking form.



A good and beautiful heading attracts the reader to go through the letter thoroughly.



Heading includes the name of the company, nature of business, address of registered office, telephone number, telegraphic address and so on.



According to experts the heading portion should not cover more than 1/5th of the letter paper.



An example of heading is given below:

Rawat and Company Publishers and Booksellers Telephone No……… Telegraphic Address: “Rawat” Station Road, Jaipur 302 016 Date Date is an important part of a letter. •

It should always be mentioned with date, month and year.



The style of writing is different for British and Americans.



As Indian was ruled by the British it has also left a greater impact on writing styles.



In India, usually we follow the British style for writing date.

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British: Day-Month-Year the Thirteen of March 1998 13th March 1998 13/3/1998 13/03/98

American: Month-Day-Year March the Thirteen, 1998 March 13th, 1998 3/13/1998 03/13/98

Reference Number •

The reference number is the number and date of the previous correspondence held on behalf of the subject concerned.



If the reference number and date are given there is no need to write the previous letter again or send a copy of it.



The receiver can refer back to previously sent letter by referring to letter number or date.



The reference number is given in continuation of the code number, as RAC/97- 98/101 or 97-98/101.

Inside Address •

Inside address is the name and address of a person or institution to which the letter is addressed.



It is written at the left-hand side just below the reference number in three lines.



The first line includes the name of the person or institution.



Second line includes the lanes, flat/plot number etc and on the third line the city or town name is written.



A semicolon is used after every line and the address is ended with a full stop.



While writing the address, respectful words like Shri, Mr., Mrs. or Miss is used.



For companies or organisations, the word Messer’s. (M/s) is used.

Salutation •

The salutation word is followed after the inside address.



This is a word of respect to the receiver.



In business correspondence the words “Dear Sirs”, “Honorable Sir”, or “Honorable Madam” is used.



After the salutation, usually a semi-colon is added.

Subject Heading •

Subject heading is the brief statement of the main body of the letter.



It is written for the convenience of the reader.



It helps the reader to relate for which department it has been written.

A few examples of subject headings are given below: •

Subject: Enquiry of prices



Subject: Regarding damages of goods



Subject: Payment of outstanding etc.

Body of the Letter (contents) •

The body content of the letter is the heart of the letter.



The body content must be written using simple and effective language.



All the facts must be written in sequence for better understanding of the reader.



The body of the letter has three main parts:

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Introduction: in case a reply is being sent against a letter just received, the introductory part gives that letter number and date (reference). If a reply to some earlier letter or letters are being sent, the reference of that/those letter/s is also be made in the introductory part. Body of the letter: the main body of the letter must state the subject matter in detail. Every point must be explained in different paragraphs. It is written concisely using good words and phrases to attract the reader. Conclusion: the conclusion part is the final part of the body of the letter. The writer again specifies the cause for writing the letter in the conclusion. Complimentary Close •

Ideally the letter starts with a salutation and ends with a complimentary close.



The complimentary close is written at the right hand side below the body of the letter.



Words like, “Yours faithfully”, “Yours sincerely”, “Yours truly” etc. are used to denote the complimentary close. “Yours faithfully” is another common term.

Signature •

After the complimentary close the writer of the letter puts the signature.



Ideally one must sign personally and not by affixing specimen seal.



Usually the name of the signatory is also written/typed below the writers signature, along with the official position, as stated below: ‚‚ In the case of a letter from the proprietor of a sole-trading business:



Yours faithfully, Sd/ (Prem Kumar) Proprietor ‚‚ In the case of partnership firm:



Yours faithfully, Sd/ For Nawal Kishore & Sons (Nawal Kishore) Partner ‚‚ In the case of company:



Yours faithfully, Sd/ For National Textiles Ltd., (Nawal Kishore) Manager

Enclosures •

The number of documents to be attached with the letter is mentioned in enclosures.



An enclosure is written to the left hand side of the letter.



It brings to the notice of the reader the documents enclosed and whether they are duly received.

Post Script •

Sometimes some important information is left out in the body of the letter.



In such a case it can be included in the letter giving a footnote as PS.



After writing a PS the writer should sign below it.

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11.5 Types of Business Letters The major types of business letters are: Letter of Enquiry •

Before purchasing any item or placing any deal an enquiry is made.



The purpose the enquiry letter is to ask for information.



Letter of enquiry is sent to enquire about prices, sample items, condition of sales and so on.

Letter of Quotation •

A letter of quotation is a reply to an enquiry letter.



The requisite information asked is clearly mentioned in the quotation letter.



The letter of quotation contains: ‚‚ name, quantity and price of the item ‚‚ terms of payment and mode of payment ‚‚ samples-duly affixed with price tag ‚‚ nature of packing ‚‚ discounts or deductions allowed ‚‚ special discount, if any, in case of purchases in larger quantities ‚‚ who will meet the freight charges, and ‚‚ any other matter.

Letter of Order •

The decisions to place order are taken on the basis of quotations received.



Letter of order has a legal significance because once order letter is sent it cannot cancel unless both the parties agree.



The supplier to whom the letter is sent is also legally bound by it.

The following matters must be included in the orders ‚‚ name, quantity and other characteristics of the goods for which the orders are being placed ‚‚ quantity or the number of items to be supplied ‚‚ prices ‚‚ mode of transport, period of delivery and expenses to be met by the buyer ‚‚ nature of packing ‚‚ terms and conditions of payment ‚‚ schedule of delivery of goods and so on. Letter of Advice •

A letter of advice is a notice issued by the seller of goods to the buyer.



It gives intimation about the dispatch of goods, giving the date of dispatch, mode of transport by which the goods have been transported and so on.



In case goods are not dispatched or unable to reach on time it should be intimated to the buyer.

Letter of Complaint Complaint letters are of two types: •

letters written among traders



letters from customers to business houses.

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A letter of complaint between business houses is usually written on occasions like: •

goods received are not according to the orders placed or samples approved



goods are received, damaged or in broken conditions, goods are received in less quantity than ordered



the price is higher



goods transported through or by any other mode of transport are found damaged



negligence of the employees concerned and so on.

Circular Letters •

When a same message is to be circulated among many customers at the same time, circular letter are issued.



A circular letter is written in the following situation: ‚‚ when the name or address of the business office is changed ‚‚ when a new partner is admitted to a partnership or a partner leaves the firm ‚‚ introducing new product lines ‚‚ to advertise special offers ‚‚ when new items are added in the stock etc ‚‚ to announce opening of a new office/ branch ‚‚ to inform staff of new policy matters

Circular with a Tear-off Slip •

Sometimes when sending out a circular letter a reply is needed.



It can be used to ensure that you’ve received the required reply.



A tear off slip has certain information to be filled and returned to the sender.



Remember the following when using a tear-off slip: ‚‚ Use a continuous line of dots or hyphens for tearing' ‚‚ Include a return date and address ‚‚ Use double-spacing where details have to be completed ‚‚ Leave sufficient space for completion of relevant information

Reply-paid Cards •

In the reply paid cards the postage is already paid by the company



Receiver needs to fill in the details or information asked by the company and send it back.

Letters of Introduction •

A letter written by a person to introduce another person, institution or a trader for any business activity is known as business letter



An introductory letter can be written in the following situation: ‚‚ when a representative of an organisation goes out for any business purpose ‚‚ when an institution wants to introduce another institution or its representative with a third person or any institution etc.

11.6 Personnel Letters •

Personnel letters are issued by an organisation to any individual employee in the organisation.



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‚‚ giving information about candidates ‚‚ appointment letter ‚‚ confirmation letter ‚‚ promotion letter ‚‚ warning memo ‚‚ letters of goodwill and appreciation ‚‚ letters of sympathy and so on. The following are some of the specimen business letter: Letter of enquiry/letter for obtaining price list Manoj Kumar & Sons Cloth Merchant Raviwar Peth, Pune Telegraphic Address: 'Manoj' Telephone No: 22526121 Code No,:

June 5, 2005

M/s Raman and Sagar, Kamla Market, New Delhi Dear Sirs, Subject: Request for Price List We are happy to inform you that our textile business, started with larger investment nearly two years back, is progressing well at present. We have been given to understand from reliable sources that you are one of the biggest dealers in textile goods. We are very anxious to establish trading relations with you. Therefore, we request you kindly to supply us the latest price list of the textile items sold by your firm. Also please intimate the commercial terms and conditions. In case your price list and terms and conditions are acceptable to us, a good amount of orders will follow. Yours faithfully, For Manoj Kumar & Sons Sd/¬ (Devendra Vyas) Partner

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Reply to letter of enquiry/ letter for obtaining price list Kamla Market, New Delhi Telephone No.: 312121 Letter No. 98/2020 June 15, 1998 Thank you for the information provided to us. In due course of time, as and when the requirement arises, we will consider placing orders for large-scale purchases from you. Yours faithfully, For Manoj Kumar & Sons, Sd/¬(Virendra Pathak) Manager

Circular letter Maharawal Traders Fancy Cloth Merchant Satara road, Pune Telegraphic Address: ‘Fancy' Telephone No.: 24521516 Letter No. 98/8585 April 3, 2002 M / s………………………….. ……………………………….. Dear Sirs, The rapid development of our business over the last few years has caused space constraints. As this had created problems in giving better services to our customers, we have decided to transfer our business premises to Karvenagar, Pune. Business at the new premises will start from May 1, 2002. You are, therefore, requested to send all future correspondence at the new address with effect from the above-mentioned date. We extend our kind co-operation at all the times and expect the same from your end. Yours faithfully, For Maharawal Traders Sd/¬(Arjun Singh) Proprietor

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Letters of trade reference Raj Books & Subscription Agency Publishers & Book Sellers Telegraphic Address: Raj Books Rasta Peth Pune 411234 Letter No. 98/810 Telephone No.: 563826

May 3, 2002

M / s Best Book Company, Hospital Road, Mumbai Dear Sirs, Messers Rupa & Company, Tilak Nagar, Jaipur wants to establish trading relations with us and the Company has given your name for reference. We have received a supply order worth Rs. 10,000 from M/s Rupa & Company and they desire credit sale for one month from us. This is our first dealing with them. As we know that your dealings with this company have been very old and on the basis of your experience, please let us know the economic condition, goodwill and policies towards payment, etc. at the earliest. We will take a decision and permit credit sale to this company after the receipt of a reply from you. The information supplied by you shall be kept most confidential. There will be no liability on your part in this matter. Awaiting an early reply. Yours faithfully, For Raj Books & Subscription Agency Sd/¬ R. K. Parnami Proprieto

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Letter of complaint/complaint against goods Vasant Cloth Store Telegraphic Address: Vasant' ‘New Market, Ajmer Telephone No: 568206 Letter No. 1002/98

May 12, 2002

M / s Bhagwant Cloth Store, Bapu Bazar Jaipur Dear Sirs, We are in receipt of your letter no. 123/98 dt. March 8, 2002 together with goods ordered and bill for payment. When the parcel was opened, it was found to our surprise that the goods were not in accordance with the orders placed and the samples approved by us. The drawbacks are as under: 1. 20 woolen shawls have been found in short supply. 2. In place of Bangalore silk saris, Kota Dori saris have been received. 3. In place of 100 Raymond ready-made shirts, only 25 have been received. We are suffering considerable loss due to short-delivery of the items. It is, therefore, requested that you send the remaining items, as per our supply orders, immediately. Yours faithfully, For Vasant Cloth Store Sd/¬ Proprietor

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Complaint against Railways Fancy Saree Store Telegraphic Address: Fancy' Bhopal Gunj, Bhilwara Telephone No,: 7585 Letter No. 1538/98

Dt. June 3, 2002

The Chief Commercial Superintendent, Western Railway Church Gate, Mumbai 400 004 Dear Sirs, Today we took delivery of a parcel containing saris from the local railway station sent by M/s Jyoti Sari Centre, New Delhi on March 21, 2002 vide Railway Receipt No. 12340. It has been noticed that the parcel was opened in transit and many of the items are missing. While taking delivery of the parcel we have obtained a certificate from the Railway Station Authority certifying this fact of missing items, a photocopy of the certificate is enclosed herewith for your kind perusal. On checking the parcel with the help of invoice it has been found that 20 saris costing a total value of Rs. 8,000 are missing from the parcel. It is, therefore, requested kindly to order for an inquiry and compensate the losses to us. An early action is requested. Yours faithfully, For Fance Sari Store sd/-Yogdutt Sharma Encl,: (1) Photocopy of the certificate (2) Photocopy of Invoice Manager Lodging of complaint with postal authorities

Lata Trading and Transport Co. Ltd. Telegraphic Address: Lata' Shakti Nagar, Delhi-110 007 Telephone No: 5612128 Letter No. 265/98 June 7, 2002 The Post Master, Shakti Nagar, Delhi-110 007. Dear Sirs, We sent a registered parcel from your post office on June 3, 2002 addressed to Messers. Mukesh Kumar & Sons, Bada Bazar, Goleghar, Mumbai-400 014. This parcel has not been received by the client so far, as informed by the party. A photocopy of the parcel receipt issued by your office is enclosed herewith. You are, therefore, requested kindly to order an enquiry into the matter and find out why this parcel has not been received there. Necessary action may please be taken at the earliest. Yours faithfully, For Lata Trading & Transport Company Ltd., sd/¬(Ratan Swaroop) Proprietor Encl: Photocopy of the receipt

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Dunning letter Vikas & Sons Cloth Merchant Telegraphic Address: ‘Vikas' Kamla Nehru Market, Jaipur Telephone No: 563704 Letter No. 1234/98 Messers Mohan Lal Sohan Lal Chopasni Road, Jodhpur

15 April, 2002

Dear Sirs, We invite your kind attention to our letter no. 2476 / 98 dated 10 March, 2002 enclosing therewith a bill no. 225 for Rs. 5,000. Being busy with business matters, you might not have paid attention towards the payment of this bill. Now we request you kindly to send the cheque for this amount as early as possible. A copy of the bill No. 225 is again sent herewith. We are confident that you will send the cheque and will continue to get your co-operation at all the times. Encl: one Yours faithfully, For Vikas & Sons Vikas & Sons Cloth Merchant Telegraphic Address: Vikas' Kamla Nehru Market, Jaipur Telephone No: 563704 Letter No. 3502/98 Messers Mohan Lal Sohan Lal Chopasni Road, Jodhpur

25 April, 1998

Dear Sirs, We regret to write this letter that after having sent three letters, towards the payment of Rs. 5,000 outstanding against our bill No. 225, neither the payment is received nor any reply from you so far. This is absolutely against business principles. There have been good business relations between us and we do not want to create any split in it. Therefore, through this letter I would again request you kindly to expedite the payment within one week from the date of receipt of this letter, failing which we will be forced to take legal action against you, for which you will be held entirely responsible. We are confident that you will make the payment in time and will not force us to take legal action against you. Yours faithfully, For Vikas & Sons Sd/¬(Vikas Choudhary) Proprietor

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Letter of introduction Fashion Cloth Store Telegraphic Address: Fancy' 207, Kutchery Road, Ajmer Telephone No,: 26661 Letter No. 664/98 May 25, 2002 Messers Raj Trading Company Vasai Road, Mumbai - 400052 Dear Sirs, We are pleased to introduce the bearer of this letter Mr. Mahavir Desai who is the representative of our firm, and request you kindly to extend your co-operation to him. We shall be grateful to you for this act of kindness. Yours faithfully, For Fashion Cloth Stores Sd/¬(Arvind Jain) Proprietor Letter of agency Rahul Brothers, Watches Merchant Telegraphic Address: Rahul' Tripolia Bazar, Jaipur Telephone No: 526341 Letter No. 1056/98

April 28, 1998

Managing Director Citizen Watch Factory, Ansari Road, Agra Dear Sirs, We came to understand from your notification appeared in The Times of India dated 20 March, 1998 that you are interested in appointing sole selling agents for the State of Rajasthan for your different products. It will be a pleasure for us to provide our services to you as sole selling agent. We would like to state that we are one of the leading traders for watches in Rajasthan since last 20 years. We are very familiar with your products. We already have good relations with many dealers in Rajasthan. We have showroom facility to exhibit your products, and have confidence that we will be able to capture a good market for your products in Rajasthan. If you so desire, you may enquire from the following agencies about our economic conditions and trading activities: 1. Ashok Watch House, Station Road, Agra 2. Bank of Baroda, M. I. Road, Jaipur We assure you that if we are given an opportunity to act as sole selling agent for Rajasthan, we will always keep your interest in mind and make your product popular in Rajasthan. Yours faithfully, For Rahul Brothers Sd/¬(Rahul Verma) Partner

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Letter for opening a current account Chandra Stores Cloth Merchant of all kinds Nehru Market, Jaipur Telegraphic Address: Chandra' Telephone No: 312012 Letter No. 410/98

April 10, 2002

Dear Manager, State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur Bchawani Singh Marg, Jaipur Dear Sirs, We would like to open a current account with your bank for which we will deposit a sum of Rs. 10,001 Please favour us by opening a current account in the name of our firm and hand over a cheque book and pass book. For reference we are giving the name of Messers Atma Ram and Sons, station Road, Jaipur. Undersigned shall keep the authority to issue cheques in connection with the proposed Current Account. Yours faithfully, For Chandra Stores Sd/¬(Chandra Kant) Proprietor Submission of claim with life insurance company Soni Textiles Telegraphic Address: Soni' Indra Bazar, Pune Telephone No: 2161 Letter No. 13/98 April 12, 2002 The Divisional Manager Life Insurance Corporation of India Pune Dear Sirs, With grief, we write to inform you the sad demise of our partner, Mr. Rajesh Agarwal on March 10, 1998 at 10.00 p.m. in the S.M.S. Hospital, Pune after a brief illness. He was 50 years of age. We jointly have a life insurance policy for Rs. 50,000. The policy number is 28283855. I am the only person entitled to receive the claim. The following documents relating to the claim are enclosed herewith. 1. Death Certificate issued by the Pune Municipal Council. 2. Insurance Policy in original. I request you to make necessary arrangement for payment. Yours faithfully, For Soni Textiles Sd/¬(kailash Agarwal) Partner

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Specimen appointment letter Dear Mr…. With reference to your interview on (date) for the post of Office Superintendent, I am happy to inform you that you have been selected for appointment to the post on a basic salary of Rs. 5,400 in the pay scale of 5,000-10,000 and D.A. admissible as per rules applicable to State Government employees. The appointment is on probation for one year and will be confirmed on satisfactory completion of the probation period. Contributory Provident Fund benefits become applicable on confirmation. The appointment is terminable by a month's notice from either side during probation period. You are advised to take charge within 10 days of receipt of this letter, failing which this appointment shall deemed to be terminated. Yours sincerely, Sd/¬ Specimen letter of confirmation Dear Mr……. Your appointment, to the post of …………………..is confirmed from ………….2002, on satisfactory completion of your probation. The benefits like pension, gratuity, etc. will be applicable to you now, according to the service conditions. Please sign and return the attached copy of this letter. Yours sincerely, Sd/¬ Specimen letter of promotions Dear Mr……. I am happy to inform you that you are promoted to the post of Assistant Director with effect from March 1, 200…, Your basic pay will be Rs…./- in the pay-scale of Rs……; which is applicable to the post. You will be entitled to all the benefits of the post according to the service conditions. Please intimate your acceptance immediately. Yours sincerely, Sd/¬ Managing Director. Specimen letter of appreciation Dear Mr……….. The displays you have created for the “Festival season” promotion are just beautiful. Several of the sales personnel have appreciated it. We received numerous compliments from the customers also. I convey the appreciation and goodwill for this to you on behalf of the company. Yours sincerely, Sd/¬Manager (Marketing)

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Summary •

Business letters play a vital role in the mode of communication between different organisations.



An effective business letter helps in creating good-will.



A good business letter must be clear, precise, courteous, convincing in expression.



Business letters must be written in a particular format.



The types of business letters are enquiry, quotation, order, complaint, circular and so on.

References •

Principles of Effective Communications. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].



Sweeney, S., 1997. English for Business Communication, Cambridge University, Press.



Conlmas, F., 2005. Sociolinguistics, Cambridge University Press.

Recommended Reading •

Bond, A., 2010. 300+ Successful Business Letters for All Occasions (Barron's 300+ Successful Business Letters for All Occasions), 3rd ed. Barron’s Educational Series.



Mifflin, H., 2009. Strategic Business Letters and E-mail, 1st ed., Houghton Mifflin.



Quinn, K., 2005. Perfect Phrases for Business Letters (Perfect Phrases Series), 1st ed., McGraw-Hill Publications.

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Self Assessment 1. A letter of quotation is a reply to a/an ________________ letter. a. enquiry b. personal c. complaint d. circular 2. The number of documents to be attached with the letter is mention in ________________. a. post script b. enclosures c. heading d. body of letter 3. Every word and sentence of the letter must be ________________with its meaning a. concise b. interesting c. clear d. confusing 4. The ________________ of the letter is the heart of the letter a. body content b. date c. salutation d. enclosure 5. ________________ letters are issued by an organisation to any individual employee in the organisation. a. Complaint b. Circular c. Personnel d. Advice 6. Match the following a. Truthfulness b. Tear-off slip c. Post script d. Honourable Sir, Honourable Madam e. Reply cards a. a-5, b-2, d-1, c-4, e-3 b. a-3, b-1, c-5, d-2, e-4 c. a-1, b-2, c-3, d-4, e-5 d. a-2, b-1, c-5, d-3, e-4

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1. This is a word of respect to the receiver 2. It has certain information to be filled and returned to the sender 3. The postage is already paid by the company 4. Important information left out in the body of the letter is added here 5. Essential quality of a business letter

7. Which of the following statements is true? a. Personnel letters are issued by an organisation to any individual employee in the organisation b. Formal letters are issued by an organisation to any individual employee in the organisation c. Circular letters are issued by an organisation to any individual employee in the organisation d. Letter of quotation are issued by an organisation to any individual employee in the organisation 8. Which of the following statements is true? a. In quotation letters the receiver needs to fill in the details or information asked by the company and send it back b. In complaint letter the receiver needs to fill in the details or information asked by the company and send it back c. In reply paid cards receiver needs to fill in the details or information asked by the company and send it back d. In enquiry letter the receiver needs to fill in the details or information asked by the company and send it back 9. Which of the following statements is true? a. When a same message is to be circulated among many customers at the same time, quotation letter are issued. b. When a same message is to be circulated among many customers at the same time, enquiry letter are issued. c. When a same message is to be circulated among many customers at the same time, personal letter are issued. d. When a same message is to be circulated among many customers at the same time, circular letter are issued. 10. Which of the following statements is true? a. An enclosure is written to the right hand side of the letter. b. An enclosure is written on the top of the letter. c. An enclosure is written at the bottom of the letter. d. An enclosure is written to the left hand side of the letter.

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Chapter XII Communication in Disciplinary Matters Aim The aim of this chapter is to: •

explain the concept of meaning of discipline



discuss the importance and ways of communication in discipline matters



describe the two sides of discipline

Objectives The objectives of this chapter are to: •

analyse the elements of discipline



highlight the disciplinary procedures



state the procedure of communication in disciplinary matters

Learning outcome At the end of this chapter, you will be able to: •

understand objectives of discipline



discuss the disciplinary procedure



recollect the aspects in disciplinary matters

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12.1 Introduction Maintenance of cordial human relationship in an organisation depends upon the maintenance of discipline and no organisation can prosper without it. It is essential to achieve co-operation and collaboration among employees. Discipline ultimately helps an organisation to achieve organisational effectiveness. Therefore, discipline has been a matter of utmost concern for all organisations.

12.2 Objectives of Discipline The main objectives of discipline are to: •

gain willing adherence of the rules, regulation s and procedure of an organisation, which will enable an organisation to achieve goals



ensure an element of uniformity despite several differences in informal behaviour, patterns and other related changes in an organisation



develop sprits and desire among employees to make adjustments



provide and seek direction and responsibility among employees in the organisation



create an atmosphere of respect for the human relation



enhance the working efficiency and morale of the employees so that their productivity grows up and the coast of production is reduced.

12.3 Two Sides of Discipline Discipline has two aspects i) Positive and ii) Negative. Here a positive aspect is called as Positive Discipline and a negative aspect is called as Negative Discipline. Positive Discipline Here, employees believe and support discipline. They also adhere to the rules, regulations and desired standards of behaviour. Positive discipline takes the form of positive support and reinforcement for approved action. Its aim is to help the individual in mouldings their behaviour and developing in a supportive manner. This approach is called positive approach or constructive discipline or self-discipline. Negative Discipline Employees sometimes do not believe in positive discipline in these circumstances, they do not follow rules, regulation and do not show the desired standard of behaviour in the organisation. Therefore, the discipline programmers forces and constraints the employees to obey orders and functions in accordance with set rules and regulations of the organisation through warnings, penalties and other forms of punishment. This approach is called as autocratic approach.

12.4 Elements of Discipline Normally in the organisation, it is the employers who establishes goals and rules and communicates them to employees. Employee’s behaviour is then assessed. Modification if any may be suggested. This process is an attempt to minimise difficulties in disciplinary process. It is designed to help employees succeed. •

The first element in this process is the establishment of specific rules for work. ‚‚ Employees are hardly expected to follow them. Closely related to this element is the employees’ willingness to accept the rules, and the enforceability of the rules. ‚‚ If the employees’ or their representatives participate in the formation of the rules, their cooperation will be much more. Employees must be convinced and counselled that the rule is fair and this improves effectiveness on the job.



Subsequently it is useful for the management to seek employees’ advice and feedback on rules. ‚‚ The objective is to reduce the number of rules to the minimum and enforce only those that are important. S the customs and conditions changes, accordingly the rules need to be reviewed.

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• •

• •

Rules, like laws, need regular updating to achieve the respect and acceptance necessary for order in the workplace. The third element of the disciplinary process is a mechanism for assessment. ‚‚ In most organisations, performance evaluation is the mechanism for assessing deficiencies in behaviour at work. Behaviour that involves in breaking rule usually comes to the management. When it is observed that certain behaviour becomes the cause of indiscipline. Finally, the discipline process is having a system of administering punishments. ‚‚ It motivates people for change. This varies widely. ‚‚ Supervisory administration of discipline to formal system somewhat like courts or grievance procedure comes under a system of administering punishments.

12.5 Disciplinary Procedure Disciplinary Procedure in the Indian environment comprise of the following stages: • Issuing a letter of charge to the employee: when management comes to the conclusion that an act of misconduct committed by a employees warrants disciplinary action. The concerned employee is issued a charge-sheet. The employee will not get the viewpoint of the management. The charge sheet indicates the charge of indiscipline or misconduct clearly and precisely. • Consideration of the explanation: when the delinquent employee admits, in an unqualified manner, about his misconduct, there is no need for conducting any enquiry further. Further, when the employer is satisfied with the explanation given by the delinquent, there is no need to conduct an enquiry. • Show-Cause Notice: In the show-cause notice, the employer provides another chance to the employee to explain his conduct and rebut the charges made against him. The manager, who decides to punish the employee, issues show-cause notice. Legal and technical aspects are also being looked into. Besides, a notice of enquiry should be sent to the employee and this should indicate clearly the mane of the enquiring officer, time, date and place of enquiry into the misconduct of the employee. • Holding of a full-fledged enquiry: the enquiry should be in conformity with the principle of natural justice. The delinquent employee is to be given a reasonable opportunity of being heard. Without giving reasonable opportunity, enquiry will not have any legal value. The enquiry officer should record his findings in the process of an enquiry. • Making the final order: when the misconducts of an employee are proved, the manager may take disciplinary action against him. While doing so, he may give consideration to the employee’s previous records, precedents, effects of this action on the other employee and consulting others before awarding punishment. The enquiry officer may pass a considerate final order. No inherent right to appeal is being provided unless the law provided it. It case • The employees feel the enquiry is not proper and action unjustified, he is being given a chance to make an appeal. While an appeal, the employee must bring forth all, which were ignored in enquiry office. • Follow-up: after taking disciplinary action there should be proper follow-up. The disciplinary action should not make the employee repeat his mistake. The entire process is reviewed again and again for a better procedure on disciplinary issues.

12.6 Communication Aspects in Disciplinary Matters In case of disciplinary matters, following aspects of communication are important: • the language to be used needs to be simple and straightforward • only factual details are to be given in the communication • act of show cause notice should be clearly explained • the communication should clearly mention the last date for submitting the show cause • if the charges are elaborated, a separate annexure of the charge sheet must be appended • while issuing the charge sheet, legal aspects of communication are kept in mind • the order of punishment should be straightforward and minimum informal words are used • the communication of the charge sheet may be sent either personally or by post •

the letter must state specifically why this charge be treated as an act of indiscipline

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Summary •

Discipline is a force that prompts individual or group to observe the rules, regulation and procedure, which are essential for the effective functioning of an organisation.



In any organisation good discipline indicates that employees are willingly following company’s rules and it is considered to be bad when employees follow rules unwillingly or actually disobey regulation.



The main objectives of discipline are to gain willing adherence of rules, to ensure an element of uniformity, to develop sprit and desire, to provide direction and responsibility, to create an atmosphere of respect and to enhance the working efficiency.



The two main and basic sides of discipline are positive discipline and negative discipline.



Positive discipline motivates employees to adhere to certain rules and regulation or exercise self-control and work to maximum possible extent.



Negative discipline connotes that personnel are forced to observe rules and regulation due to fear they have got.



There are some important elements of discipline designed to help the employees there are follows establishment of specific rule for work, seek employees advice and feedback on rules, mechanism for assessment and a system of administering punishments.



Disciplinary procedure comprises the following points: Issuing a letter of charge to the employee, consideration of the explanation, show-cause notice, holding of a full-fledged enquiry, making a final order and follow-up.



There are various aspects in disciplinary matters they are as follows: language should be simple, factual details, detailed notice, date and time of communication, elaborate the charges, issuing charge sheet, order of punishment, and so on.

References •

Guide to Basic Business Letters [Online]. Available at: . [Accessed 26 April 2011].



Herta, A. Murphy et. Al., 2000. Effective Business Communication, Mcgraw Hill.

Recommended Reading •

Chambers, H., 2000. Effective Communication Skills for Scientific and Technical Professionals, Basic Books.



Benjamin, J, 1996. Principle, Element and Types of Persuasion, 1st ed., Wadsworth Publishing.



Faulk, M. & Mehler, I. M., 1996. Elements of Legal Writing: A Guide to the Principles of Writing Clear, Concise and Persuasive Legal Documents, Longman Publisher.

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Self Assessment 1. Which of these are not objectives of discipline? a. Adherence of rules b. Motivation c. Uniformity d. Responsibility 2. Which of these is the type of discipline? a. Motivating b. Positive c. Feedback d. Non-feedback 3. _________motivates employees to adhere to certain rules and regulation work to the maximum possible extent. a. Adherence b. Uniformity c. Positive d. Negative 4. _______ discipline connotes that personal are forced to observe rules and regulations due to the fear they have got a. Negative b. Motivating c. Positive d. Autocratic 5. Which of these are not from the procedure of discipline? a. Show-cause notice b. Responsibility c. Holding of full-fledged enquiry d. Issuing a letter of charges to the employee 6. Which of these is from the aspects of discipline? a. Making the final order b. Reply to show cause letter c. Language should be simple and straightforward d. Consideration of the explanation 7. Which of the following statements is true ? a. The manager who decides to punish the employee issues show-cause notice b. The director who decides to punish the employee issues show-cause notice c. The chairman who decides to punish the employee issues show-cause notice d. The accountant who decides to punish the employee issues show-cause notice

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8. When the delinquent employee admits, in an unqualified manner, there is no need for conducting further _________. a. explanations b. enquiry c. follow-up d. feedback 9. When the misconduct of an employee is proved, the _________may take disciplinary action against them. a. board of directors b. accounts c. manager d. marketing manager 10. The charge sheet indicates the charges of _________________ clearly and precisely. a. indiscipline b. discipline c. disciplinary d. regularity

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Chapter XIII Legal Aspects of Business Communication Aim The aim of this chapter is to: •

explain the basic legal aspects of business communication



describe the importance of communication in business



discuss the concept of defamation

Objectives The objectives of this chapter are to: •

understand invasion of privacy



state the meaning of defamation



introduce the concept of invasion of privacy

Learning outcome At the end of this chapter, you will be able to: •

recognise the legal aspects of business communication



understand the elements of defamation



identify ways for overcoming defamation

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13.1 Introduction In the complex world, communication plays an important role. It the information is not communicated properly, it may create several legal hurdles.

13.2 Basic Legal Aspects I Business Communication •

The following are the basics of legal aspects in business communication:



Date: in a business communication, date should be mentioned properly. Undated communication does not have legal sanctity.



Address: the address of the sender should be mentioned clearly both on the envelope and on the letter.



Company Seal and Mono: the company seal and mono should be present. Without using them, the individual will personally.



Time of receiving the communication: the communicator should note down the time of receiving the information.



Time of sending the communication: the time of sending should also be noted. Time aspects should be taken care of.



Technical Language: it should be used wherever required. If we have better non-technical words, they may also be used.



Signature: there should be the signature of the legal advisor and a solicitor in legal matters. In other case, there should be the signature of the chairman and the Secretary of the organisation.

13.3 Defamation Defamation is a form of communication made by the public, that tends to be false and can be harmful to an individual’s character, reputation or fame. In case of defamation, the following four suggestions are important: •

A company should establish a policy for handling information regarding both present and former employees.



Resist making public any information unless it is requires by legislature or judicial authority.



Keep a record of the released information.



Avoid making any subjective statements in the released material.

13.4 Elements of Defamation •

The key element in defamation is making certain information public. There are two legal terms: Publication and Privilege.



To ‘publish’ defamatory material about a person is to make public that information to a third party.



A private one to one discussion wherein one tells an employee that he is incompetent, lazy, unorganised, unreliable, is within one’s rights.



Only the speaker and the other person have heard those statements.



But as soon as the speakers make that information available to another person or to other who are ‘privileged’, they risk serious legal consequence. There fore, the sender must be careful even in sending a sealed letter wherein he/she accuses the recipient. If the letter is read by a third person, the person may be liable for ‘publishing’ defamatory.

Suggestions to avoid the defamation: •

Following are the few suggestions in defamation:



Seal the envelope



Mark the envelope – personal and confidential



Wrap the enclosed message with opaque material to further screen the material from possible readers.

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There are the circumstances when defamatory information may be made public. There are two sub-categories of this: Absolute Privilege: It is possible in three circumstances: •

Courts of law are place where defamatory statement may be made public.



In legislative proceeding also, defamatory matters may be made public.



Government official are absolutely privileged to make defamatory statement in the performance of their official duties.

Conditional or qualified privilege: •

Defamatory statements made in ordinary commercial activity are conditionally privileged.



It is to be seen that whether these statements are the topic of discussion.



Two actions should be foremost in one’s mind for conditional privilege: responding to request for information concerning a former or current employee and requesting recommendation from others.

There are following suggestions in this regards: •

Appoint one individual to respond to all requests for information concerning individual within the company.



It is to be demanded that reference requests be submitted in writing.



Accept, if possible, a release from the former employer employees company from future liability.



He should ensure double check that all the statements about former employees are true.



Avoid the belief that all conversation concerning former employee is off the record.

Requesting recommendation •

More safeguards are being put in place to protect the reference write. This is becoming more important when the instances of oral reference through phone calls to former employers and others are occurring to replace the written response.



One must bear in mind that more and more employees are filing defamation claims against current or former employers, particularly in the following areas: ‚‚ Publication of unfavourable evaluations ‚‚ Publication of disciplinary action ‚‚ Publication of unfavourable references ‚‚ Publication of reason for termination.

Defamatory terms •

The list is not exhaustive, but, these words should either be avoided or be used with caution when referring to a person or organisation.



Entirely unacceptable are words that suggest an individual have: ‚‚ a disease ‚‚ a conviction for committing a crime or words falsely arrest or an indictment for or confession of a crime ‚‚ an anti-semitic attitude or other prejudices based on race, creed, colour, or sexual orientation ‚‚ a tendency to lie ‚‚ a life of squalor or poverty ‚‚ an unwillingness or refusal to pay a debt or evasion of payment of a debt.

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13.5 Invasion of Privacy Each worker has the expectation that ones personal life is free from invasion by other. When there is an uncondensed, unprivileged or unreasonable intrusion into the private life of an individual, it is called invasion of privacy. •

Personal Disabilities: the drug testing could constitute an invasion of privacy in two ways: ‚‚ If the methods of use fail to give due regards to the privacy of the employee ‚‚ If the results disclose private facts of an employee, such as an illness.



Opinion and decision on health: misuse of these opinions is creating more problems. We suggest that the company’s human resources department review any communications in this area.



Personal identity and private acts: one cannot use a person’s name, photograph, or other identification for commercial benefits without permission.



The personal information: customers may give this when they apply for credit. It should be kept confidential.



An employee’s right to privacy will be violated if private records, reports, letters and more recently, electronic mail are read by persons not entitled to see or examine them.

13.6 Other legal areas in Business Communication The following are the areas in business communication where legal aspects are very strategic. •

Copyrights: electronic transmission of documents is on rise. One cannot copy copyrighted material without permission of the copyright owner.



Computer data security: regardless of whether another employer introduced into your private data base or not, a core question must be answered. Does an employer monitor a worker’s electronic files to gather private information about the employee, or is the information gathered to improve production within the organisation?



Companies Act: most of the business hours were set up as companies. The resolutions, notice, agenda, minutes, and so on. Further, the basic documents like memorandum, articles and prospects are drafted with legal precautions.

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Summary •

While communicating there are few legal issue to be kept in mind.



There are basic legal aspects in business communication such as: date, address, company seal and mono, time of receiving the communication, technical language and signature.



An organisation should establish few policies for handling information of present and former employees.



Elements of defamation include publication, suggestions to avoid the defamations, privilege, requesting recommendation and defamatory terms.



There are invasion of privacy are as follows personal disabilities, opinion and decisions on health, personal identity and private acts and the personal information.



There are some other legal areas in business communication which are considered to be important such as: copyrights, computer data security and companies.

References •

Kamath, G. R., Business Communication: Report Writing. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 26 April 2011].



Knol, 2009. Attitudes and Attitude Change. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 27 April 2011].

Recommended Reading •

Spears, D. M., 2009. Improving Reading Skills, 6th ed., McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/ Languages.



Klingner, J. K., Vaughn, S. & Boardman, A., 2007. Teaching Reading Comprehension to Students with Learning Difficulties, 1st ed., the Guilford Press.



Wilf, S., 1998. Basic Skills for Effective Reading, 4th ed., Prentice Hall Publication.

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Self Assessment 1. Undated communication does not have __________ . a. Date b. Address c. Legal sanctity d. Seal 2. There should be _________ of solicitor in legal matter. a. Address b. Technical language c. Instructions d. Signature 3. Defamation is a ____________ made in public that may be false and can cause harm to an individual. a. Legal notice b. Communication c. Business d. Technical language 4. In case of defamation a company should establish a _________ for handling information regarding both present and former employees. a. Signature b. Contract c. Notice d. Policy 5. Which of these are the key elements of defamation? a. Publication and privilege b. Publication c. Address d. Technical language 6. Which of these statements is true? a. Courts of law are places where defamatory statement may be made public b. Business of law are places where defamatory statement may be made public c. Courts of law are places where defamatory statement may be made private d. Courts of law are not places where defamatory statement may be made public 7. Which of the following come under legal area of business communication? a. Signature b. The personal information c. Computer data security d. Indian contract act

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8. Which of the following are under Privilege element? a. Publication b. Address c. Absolute privilege d. Requesting recommendation 9. Defamatory statements that are made in ordinary commercial activity are___________. a. Defamatory terms b. Conditional privilege c. Absolute privilege d. Publication 10. When there is an uncondensed, unprivileged or unreasonable intrusion into the private life of an individual, it is called _____. a. Invasion of privacy b. Companies act c. Privilege d. Publication

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Chapter XIV Technology and Corporate Communication Aim The aim of this chapter is to: •

describe the impact of technology on corporate communication



explain the importance of attitude in communication



acquire the qualities required in the work environment

Objectives The objectives of this chapter are to: •

highlight the concept of latest technologies



study the use of technology as a mode of communication



explore importance of attitude in communication

Learning outcome At the end of this chapter, you will be able to: •

understand various applications of latest technology in communication



recognise technology as an effective mode of communication



recollect good attitude in communication

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14.1 Introduction Technology has brought various changes in our way of communication. In recent years communication in the corporate world has changed drastically. With the advancement in technology it is essential to know and be familiar with technology and media. Electronic mail and internet have become an important part of our communication. With the use of modern media system one can communicate to any part of the world. Following are some of the important technologies used in corporate communication: 14.1.1 Telex (Tele-printer exchange) •

Telex is a worldwide tele-type service which provides instant communication through a direct dial tele-printer. A telex connection can be had through the post office.



The tele-printer has keyboard for typing messages and transmitter for sending messages and a receiver for receiving messages.



One does not need to attend the message as the machine automatically types out the received messages.



The telex machines are paid on the basis of time taken for transmission and the distance.



With recent development, it has made possible to use computer instead of a tele-printer.



It is used by organisation like newspaper offices, share markets, airports, railway stations and places where moment to moment information need to be conveyed to the people.

14.1.2 Fax •

A facsimile machine is a device for transmitting copies of printed images through a modem attached to a telephone.



The sender has to dial the receivers fax number, insert the documents into the machine and press the start button.



The machine scans the page and makes an electronic representation of the text and graphics, compresses the data to save transmission time and transmits it to the detailed fax machine.



The receiving machine then decrypts the signals and uses its inbuilt printer to produce an exact photocopy of the original page.



Fax can transmit and receive any kind of message like handwritten, printed, word-processed, maps, messages, diagrams and photographs.



A message takes only few seconds to transmit the contents but also depends on the length of the document.



Fax is mostly used between branches of the same company to exchange information documents. It can be used only when documents to be sent are not confidential



Following are some of the prominent usage of fax: ‚‚ important decisions and instructions can be quickly conveyed to branches and other offices ‚‚ fax machine is an essential medium of communication and relatively inexpensive ‚‚ The printout contains the time, date and fax number of the sender’s machine. The sender gets a confirmation printout showing the receivers fax number, date and time of transmission ‚‚ The fax machine can be set to function as telephone or as a voice mail receiver and recorder. ‚‚ Fax can be sent through a computer also; provided the required software and modem is installed and telephone line is connected.

14.1.3 Computer •

Computer has entirely revolutionised the process of corporate communication.



Computer programs such as the Word Processor help in preparation of letters, reports, meeting agenda, presentations by guiding through the steps of the layout and so on.

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Programs like Power Point guide through outlines of presentation for various business purposes like seminars, meets and so on.



Electronic mail, voice mail and video conferencing facilitates distant communication



Website allows organisation to publish their information about services and other important things.

14.1.4 Teleconferencing •

Teleconferencing is a way of bringing people together without having to spend time and money on trav. There are three types of teleconferencing:



Audio Teleconferencing



Audio teleconferencing is the most frequently used, most productive and less expensive medium of communication.



It does not need anything other than a telephone and hence accessible by almost everyone.



Telephones are available everywhere so it is easy to participate.



It’s very economic in terms of time and money and takes only a few minutes to set up a conference call.



Audio Graphics Teleconferencing



Audio graphic teleconferencing provides the facility to move text, generate images, photographs and large files over ordinary telephone lines.



It is not as expensive as video conferencing but still requires moving to the location where equipment has been placed.



Video Teleconferencing



Video teleconferencing allows people at different location to see and hear each other almost like talking face to face.



Depending on the level of technology used, it is possible to connect more than two locations at a time



Video conferencing is made possible through merging a variety of complex technologies, transmission of services, compression of digital signals and techniques that allow systems to talk.



It helps people at distant locations to communicate much easily and with better understanding.



The basic components of video conferencing are monitor, camera, microphone, speaker, codec, equipment control pad at each location and network services.

14.1.5 The Internet Internet has been a blessing to the corporate world. •

The internet is a worldwide collection of computer networks that co-operate with one another by using a common software standard.



It is a rich source of information, a link to the world, an education tool and an entertainment medium too.



E-mail, chatting are few of the popular ways of communicating.

Corporate Use of Internet •

A website on the internet attracts more views and customers than a newspaper advertisement.



In any business, communication plays a vital part and internet is the fastest and easiest mode of communication.



With the help of internet, business and services are placed in an assembled fashion in a common location through the website of the corporate sector and provides on-line business facilities.



Internet is an efficient means of updating and publicising current information to customers and internal staff.



E-commerce has become a buzzword today because it has occupied businesses and commercial sectors.



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14.1.6 Cellular Phone •

Cellular phones have become an important component of business and corporate world.



Cell phones have facility to store contact numbers, record missed calls and receive text messages.



The network provider also gives news on weather, conditions of road and other vital news needed while travelling.



Cellular phone also provides services like call conferencing up to five parties and personal answering machine service, cal waiting and so on.



The mobile service has freed many managers from confines of their offices as they can be in touch with everyone from anyplace.

14.2 Challenge of Communication in the Global Market The way one communicates, both within and outside the country, largely affects the image of the person and the organisation also. A persons’ ability to speak, write and their attitude are very crucial on international level. Global market uses advanced mediums of communication like telephones and internet so it is very important to get well versed with the new, emerging technologies. Preparing adequately •

one can learn to communicate effectively by acquiring skills needed



one should carefully judge and choose ideas and facts for every message



have patience and understanding even with unjustly insulting or weird persons



one must follow certain ethics and code of conduct to give and gain respect



one must understand the knowledge and cultural convention of one’s audience.

Becoming flexible Today’s workplace is increasingly diverse with regards to age, gender and nationality. Many companies now offer seminars and workshops in handling diversity in workplaces. Problems can be avoided by keeping an open mind and being willing to make extra-efforts in communicating effectively.

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Summary •

Ample knowledge of functions of electronic media is essential for effective communication.



Telex. Fax, Tele-conferencing, internet, e-mail, cellular phones etc. are the advanced mode of communication.



Internet is one of the most popular and cheapest ways to access information anywhere in the world.



It is important to develop a right attitude while dealing people outside our organisation or country.



Fluency in English helps in good communication along with sound knowledge of communication process.

References •

Goodman, M. B., 1994. Corporate Communication: Theory and Practice, Sunny Press.



Forman, J., 2002. The Power of Corporate Communication: Crafting the Voice and Image of Your Business, 1st ed., McGraw Hill.



For Technology and Business Communication, [Online]. Available at: [Assessed 25 November 2010.]

Recommended Reading •

Downey, R., Walsh, P. & Boland S., 1997. Communication Technology Guide for Business, Artech, House Publishers.



Weert,T. J.V., 2005. Information and Communication Technologies and Real-Life Learning: NewEducation for the Knowledge Society (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, 1st ed., Springer.

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Self Assessment 1. ______________allows people at different location to see and hear each other. a. Video teleconferencing b. Fax c. Telephones d. E-mails 2. ______________is a blessing to the corporate world. a. Fax b. Telephone c. E-mail d. Internet 3. ______________ have facility for storing contact numbers, record missed calls and receiving text messages. a. Fax b. Telephones c. E-mails d. Cell phones 4. ______________can be used only when documents to be sent are not confidential. a. Fax b. Telephones c. E-mails d. Cell phones 5. The ______________ are paid on the basis of time taken for transmission and the distance. a. Fax b. Telex machines c. E-mails d. Cell phones 6. Match the following: a. Fax

1. It helps people at distant locations to communicate much easily and with better understanding b. Telex-machines 2. It is a rich source of information, a link to the world, an education tool and an entertainment medium c. Cell phones 3. It provides services like call conferencing up to five parties and personal answering machine service d. Internet 4. Its connection can be had through the post office e. Video5. It can transmit and receive any kind of message like handwritten, printed, Teleconferencing word-processed, maps, messages, diagrams and photographs a. A-3, B-2, C-1, E-4, D-5 b. E-1, D-2, A-5, B-4, C-3 c. B-3, C-4, A-2,D-1, E-5 d. A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4, E-5

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7. Which of the following statements is true? a. Telephones also provide services like call conferencing upto five parties and personal answering machine service. b. Facsimile also provides services like call conferencing upto five parties and personal answering machine service. c. Cellular phone also provides services like call conferencing upto five parties and personal answering machine service. d. Internet also provides services like call conferencing upto five parties and personal answering machine service. 8. Which of the following statements is true? a. Internet has been a blessing to the corporate world. b. Internet has been a curse to the corporate world. c. Internet has been a nuisance to the corporate world. d. Internet has been a good addition to the corporate world. 9. Which of the following statements is true? a. Video teleconferencing allows people at different location to see and hear each other. b. Audio graphic teleconferencing allows people at different location to see and hear each other. c. Email allows people at different location to see and hear each other. d. Cell phones allow people at different location to see and hear each other. 10. Which of the following statements is true? a. Cell phones provide the facility to move text, generate images, photographs and large files over ordinary telephone lines. b. Internet provides the facility to move text, generate images, photographs and large files over ordinary telephone lines. c. Video teleconferencing provides the facility to move text, generate images, photographs and large files over ordinary telephone lines. d. Audio graphic teleconferencing provides the facility to move text, generate images, photographs and large files over ordinary telephone line.

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Case Study I In Electronica Pvt. Ltd., there is a job vacancy for a Trainee Electronics Engineer. The HR is looking for fresh engineering students who have completed bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering. At the time of interview, there are two applicants. •

Mr. Ram Kapoor is a fresh engineering graduate from a reputed institute. He is wearing jeans and open-necked shirt. He has got a hand-written resume. During the first round of interview, he answers the technical questions by looking at the ceiling and elsewhere. In the second round, he answers all the questions correctly. At the same time, he is shivering and seems nervous.



Mr. Sameer Bapat is also a fresh graduate. He is wearing a pressed shirt and a necktie. He has got a typed resume, with all the certifications in a folder. In the first introduction round, he introduces himself confidently and maintains eye-contact throughout. In the second round, he also answers all the questions correctly. He is sitting straight, with full of confidence.

In this case, both of them answered the questions correctly. However, the HR selects only Sameer for the post of Trainee Electronics Engineer. Questions 1. Why did HR select Sameer for the job? Answer Non-verbal communication plays an important role in the business world. Dressing up properly for the interview is very important. It depicts that a person is disciplined. Sameer was dressed up properly, and was speaking confidently with eye-contact. This shows that he is speaking truth and is confidant. That is why, HR selected Sameer. 2. Why was Mr. Kapoor rejected, even if he answered all the questions correctly? Answer Mr. Kapoor was not properly dressed up. Formal wear is a must for interview, and handling resume properly is also important. The answers given by Mr. Kapoor were correct, but he was speaking without making an eyecontact, which shows that he was either afraid or not confidant. That is why, Mr. Kapoor was rejected. 3. While going for interview, is it important to be nicely dressed? Why? Answer For an interview, it is very much important to be formally dressed. It creates a good impression and reveals good personality of yours. Thus, dressing up neatly is very important at the time of interview in the corporate world. 4. If you were in place of HR, whom would you select and why? Answer If I was in place of HR, I would have also selected Sameer for the job. It is because, apart from being good at educational qualifications, he was neatly dressed up and had good communication skills. Sameer can be a good engineer as seems disciplined and confidant from his body language.

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Case Study II ABC Company is a reputed organisation. It is a leading company in marketing of electronic and electrical products. However, recently they did not achieve their sales target and had to face great loss. That is why, Mr. Rajesh Singh, the H.O.D of the Sales Department has asked Mr. Robin Verma, who is an expert in marketing to present a seminar for the employees to improvise on marketing strategies and achieve the sales target. Mr. Robin Verma has done Master’s in Marketing Management and is an experienced Marketing Manager J.L. Mehta Industries. The main objective of the seminar was to enhance the knowledge of the employees and make them aware of the latest strategies carried out in marketing. During the presentation, Mr. Robin was confidant and had videos that were effective and impressive. The presentation included power point slides with all the strategies for marketing that were used before and many more strategies which can be used further, marketing skills and also gave many examples. The presentation was informative and was delivered very well. Mr. Robin was a good speaker and maintained an eye-contact with the audience throughout. However, in the audience most of the employees were newly appointed sales persons who were not aware of some of the strategies that were explained in the presentation. There were many questions that the sales persons who have recently taken up marketing jobs had in their mind. The presentation was scheduled for an hour but got extended as there was vast information given by Mr. Robin. Therefore, Mr. Robin had no time to interact with the sales persons and the sales persons were more confused after listening to the vast information. Questions 1. What were the good points in the presentation? 2. Do you think that the objective behind the seminar was achieved? Why? 3. Is time management important in presentation? Why? 4. What were the bad points in the presentation? 5. If you are in place of speaker, what improvements you will make to achieve the objective of the seminar?

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Case Study III PVC Company is a leading manufacturer of automobile parts. The workers in the PVC Company did not handle the machineries very well. As a result of this, machineries started operating very slowly and started getting more problems and had to be repaired after every 10. The workers informed their supervisors that the machineries are not working well and in turn supervisors informed the top-level mangers about this. For this, the managers decided to have a meeting. The production work was getting delayed and cost in repairing was increasing. Thus, it was decided that the machineries need to be replaced with new ones. The top-level management asked the middle-level managers, the supervisors to get the details about number of machineries needed for the production department, the cost details and the details of the suppliers as soon as possible. The top-level managers asked the supervisors to send a mail or get printed copies of the details of the machineries. They also informed that the workers need to perform other work like packaging and dispatching. The supervisors collected all the information and informed the top-level managers. The purchase manager was asked to purchase the set of machineries from the suppliers. The delivery of the machineries was late. As a result of this, the production was stopped for 15 days. The middle level managers did not inform the workers to complete the packaging and dispatching work till the new machineries come. Thus, the whole production was hampered. Questions 1. Was the communication between top-level management and middle-level management not clear? 2. Where was the communication gap? 3. What was the communication barrier? 4. If you were in place of middle –level management, how would you carry out the communication between toplevel management and workers?

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Adler, R.B., Rosenfeld, L.B. and Proctor, R. F., 2009. Interplay: The Process of InterpersonalCommunication, 11th ed., Oxford University Press, USA.



Allen, M.B., 1995. Listening - The Forgotten Skill: A Self-teaching Guide, Wiley Publisher.



Benjamin, J, 1996. Principle, Element and Types of Persuasion, 1st ed., Wadsworth Publishing.



Bolton, R., 1986. People Skills: How to Assert Yourself to Listen Others, and Resolve Conflicts, Later printing ed., Touchstone.



Bond, A., 2010. 300+ Successful Business Letters for All Occasions (Barron’s 300+ Successful Business Letters for All Occasions), 3rd ed. Barron’s Educational Series.



Brown, L., 2006. Resume Writing Made Easy: A Practical Guide to Resume Preparation and Job Search, 8th ed., Prentice Hall.



Chambers, H., 2000. Effective Communication Skills for Scientific and Technical Professionals, Basic Books.



DiSanza, J.R. and Leqqe, N.J., February 2008. Business and Profectional communication, 4 ed., Allyn and Bacon.



Downey, R., Walsh, P. and Boland S., 1997. Communication Technology Guide for Business, Artech, House Publishers.



Downs, L., 2009. Negotiation Skills Training. ASTD’s Trainer’s Workshop.



Dr. Rao, N and Dr. Das, R.P. Communication Skills. Mumbai. Himalaya, Publishing House Pvt. Ltd.



Faulk, M. and Mehler, I. M., 1996. Elements of Legal Writing: A Guide to the Principles of Writing Clear, Concise and Persuasive Legal Documents, Longman Publisher.



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Foster, J., 2008. Effective Writing Skills for Public Relations, 4th ed., Kogan Page.



Gallo, C., 2009. The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to be Instantly Great in Front of AnyAudience, 1st ed., Mc-Graw Hill Publication.



Gerson, S., Gerson, S., 2010. Technical Communication: Process and Product, 6th ed., Prentice Hall.



Goman, C.K., 2008. The Nonverbal Advantage: Secrets and Science of Body Language at Work, Berrett-Koehler Publishers.



Green, T.B., Knippen, J., 1999. Breaking the Barrier to Upward Communication: Strategies and Skillsfor Employees, Managers and Hr Specialists. Praeger.



Helgesen, M. and Brown. S., 1995. Active Listening: Introduction to Skills for Understanding. Cambridge, University Press.



Henkel, S.L and Lujanac, M., 28 February, 2007. Successful Meetings: How to Plan, Prepare and Execute Topnotch Business Meeting, Atlantic Publishing Company.

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Hindle, T., 1999. Negotiating Skills. DK ADULT.



Hogan, K, Stubbs, R., 2003. Can’t Get Through: Eight Barriers to Communication. Pelican Publishing.



Klingner, J.K., Vaughn, S., Alison Boardman, 2007. Teaching Reading Comprehension to Students with Learning Difficulties, 1st ed., the Guilford Press.



Koegel, T.J. 2007. The Exceptional Presenter: A Proven Formula to Open up and Own the Room, 1st ed., Greenleaf Book Group Press.



Malhotra, D. and Bazerman, M., 2008. Negotiation Genius: How to Overcome Obstacles and Achieve Brilliant Results at the Bargaining Table and Beyond, Reprint ed., Harvard Business School.



May, B.C. and May, G.S., 2008. Effective Business Writing, 8th ed., Prentice Hall.



Mehrabian, A., 2007. Nonverbal Communication, Aldine Transaction.



Mifflin, H., 2009. Strategic Business Letters and E-mail, 1st ed., Houghton Mifflin.



Mina, E., 2000. The Complete Handbook of Business Meetings, 1st ed., AMACOM.



Parker, G.M. and Hoffman, R., 3 February, 2006. Meeting Excellence: 33 Tools to Lead Meetings that Get Results, Annotated ed., Jossey-Bass.



Piotrowski, M.V., 1996. Effective Business Writing, 2nd Reversed ed., Collins Reference.



Powers, P., 2009. Winning Job Interview, Revised ed., Career Press.



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Rogers, C. R. and Roethlisberger, F.J., 2009. Barriers and Gateways to Communication. Harvard Business Review.



Spears, D.M., 2009. Improving Reading Skills, 6th ed., McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages.



Steele, W.R., 2009. Presentation Skills 201: How to Take it to The Next Level as a Confident, Engaging, Presenter. Outskirts Press.



Vella, J.K., 2002. Learning to Listening, Learning to Teach: The Power of Dialogue in Educating Adults, 1st ed., Jossey-Bass.



Verderber, R.F., 1999. Speech for Effective Communication, Revised ed., Holt McDougal.



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• Wilf, S., 1998. Basic Skills for Effective Reading, 4th ed., Prentice Hall Publication.

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Self Assessment Answers Chapter I 1. b 2. b 3. b 4. b 5. a 6. a 7. c 8. c 9. a 10. a Chapter II 1. a 2. c 3. a 4. a 5. a 6. a 7. c 8. a 9. c 10. d Chapter III 1. c 2. a 3. c 4. c 5. b 6. c 7. a 8. c 9. b 10. a Chapter IV 1. a 2. b 3. c 4. a 5. b 6. c 7. a 8. b 9. c 10. c

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Chapter V 1. a 2. b 3. a 4. a 5. c 6. b 7. c 8. c 9. b 10. c Chapter VI 1. b 2. b 3. d 4. a 5. b 6. c 7. a 8. c 9. d 10. c Chapter VII 1. b 2. b 3. a 4. c 5. c 6. b 7. b 8. a 9. d 10. a Chapter VIII 1. d 2. d 3. c 4. d 5. a 6. d 7. d 8. b 9. a 10. c

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Chapter IX 1. a 2. b 3. c 4. d 5. d 6. d 7. a 8. a 9. a 10. a Chapter X 1. d 2. c 3. c 4. b 5. d 6. a 7. b 8. c 9. b 10. c Chapter XI 1. a 2. b 3. c 4. a 5. c 6. a 7. a 8. c 9. d 10. d Chapter XII 1. a 2. b 3. c 4. a 5. b 6. b 7. a 8. b 9. c 10. a

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Chapter XIII 1. c 2. d 3. b 4. d 5. a 6. a 7. c 8. c 9. b 10. a Chapter XIV 1. a 2. d 3. d 4. a 5. b 6. b 7. c 8. a 9. a

10. d

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