Master of Business Administration MBA Semester 1 MB0039 Business Communication

Assignment Set 1 (60 marks)

Answer 1: The following example illustrates an organizational barrier to communication. By the time the message is passed down from the Chief to the lower level Executives, it is distorted completely, so much so that the original message is interpreted differently by each level in the organization. Memo from CEO to Manager: Today at 2 oclock there will be a total eclipse of the sun. This is when the sun disappears behind the moon for 2 minutes. As this is something that cannot be seen every day, time will be allowed for employees to view the eclipse in the parking lot. Staff should meet in the lot at ten to eleven, when I will deliver a short speech introducing the eclipse, and giving some background information. Safety goggles will be made available at a small cost. Memo from Manager to Department Head: Today at one to two, all staff should meet in the car park. This will be followed by a total eclipse of the sun, which will appear for 2 minutes. For a moderate cost, they will be made safe with goggles. The CEO will deliver a short speech beforehand to give us all some information. This is not something that can be seen every day. Memo from the Department Head to Floor Manager: The CEO will today deliver a speech to make the sun disappear for 2 minutes in the form of an eclipse. This is something that cannot be seen every day so staff will meet in the car park at ten or eleven. This will be safe, if you pay a moderate cost. Memo from Floor Manager to Supervisor: Ten or eleven people of the staff have to go to the car park, where the CEO will eclipse the sun for 2

minutes. This does not happen every day. It will be safe, and as usual it will cost you.

Memo from Supervisor to Staff: Some staff will go to the car park today to see the CEO disappear. It is a pity this doesnt happen every day. Communication was filtered or misinterpreted because of the following barriers: Organizational Barriers: In organizations that are too hierarchical, that is, where there are multiple layers, messages may have to pass through many levels before they finally reach the receiver. Each level may add to, modify or completely change the message, so much so that it becomes distorted by the time it reaches the intended receiver. In other words, there is likely to be loss of meaning and the message may not reach the receiver in the same way as it was intended by the sender. Departmental barriers: This means that each department in an organization functions in isolation and there is no co-ordination or communication between them. This barrier could be overcome by the following methods. Encourages Feedback Organizations should try to improve the communication system by getting feedback from the messages already sent. Feedback can tell the managers whether the message has reached the receiver in the intended way or not. Create a Climate of Openness A climate of trust and openness can go a long way in removing organizational barriers to communication. All subordinates or junior employees should be allowed to air their opinions and differences without fear of being penalized. Use Multiple Channels of Communication Organizations should encourage the use of multiple channels of communication, in order to make sure that messages reach the intended receivers without fail. This
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means using a combination of both oral and written channels, as well as formal (official) and informal (unofficial) channels of communication. The types of channels will be discussed in detail later, in a separate unit. Answer 2: Companies Are People, Too By: Anna Muoio Forget all the talk about corporate culture. It's time to analyse your company's Personality. This diagnostic will help. Plenty of business gurus -- especially New Age thinkers such as Arie de Geus, Peter Senge, and Margaret Wheatley -- have argued for years that companies aren't just boxes and bubbles on org charts. Instead, they've argued, companies are more like biological organisms -- living things that learn, evolve, and eventually die. Are you ready to take this biological worldview to the next level? According to marketing consultant Sandy Fekete, companies can best be understood when thought of as people - as unique creatures with their own values, their own personalities, and sometimes, if her clients really get into the spirit, their own names. "Most people assume that a company's personality matches its CEO's personality," says Fekete, 43, founder of Fekete + Company, a marketing-communications firm based in Columbus, Ohio. "But that's not true. An organization has its own ways of being." Fekete's job is to help her clients understand their company's personality -- its strengths and its weaknesses. Her main tool is a diagnostic called, appropriately, "Companies Are People, Too." The 74-question test draws on several bodies of work: the legendary Myers-Briggs Type Indicator instrument; the principles of psychoanalyst Carl Jung; and insights from William Bridges's book "The Character of Organizations" (Consulting Psychologists Press, 1993). So far, people in 63 organizations ranging from museums to construction firms to medical practices have put pen to paper to scrutinize their companies' personalities. Actually, make that 64: Fast Company couldn't resist the chance to take the test. It may sound like psychobabble, but the idea behind the tool is fairly simple: An organization, like a person, has preferred ways of focusing energy, gathering information, making decisions, and structuring work. Once people inside an organization understand those preferences, argues Fekete, they can do a better job of articulating their company's identity and values, and they can figure out better ways to work and to communicate. Some of her clients even elect "keepers of the personality" -- volunteers who make sure that their organization is clear about the attributes that it prizes.
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"Change comes from awareness," Fekete says. "Once you figure out who you are, you can begin to differentiate yourself from your competitors. "Elford Inc., a family-owned commercial-construction company, used the tool several years ago -- and created a fictitious character, pop, with eating habits, clothes, and favourite TV shows that are meant to capture the company's personality. What are some of Pop's best traits? He's a "super dependable leader" who "always follows through on commitments." What does he need to work on? He "may use energies anticipating dire events that do not occur." Dixon Schwabl Advertising Inc., a fast-growing agency based in upstate New York, has actually undergone a personality change as a result of using the tool. After taking the test for the first time, the agency created a character, named Samm, to embody the company's strengths and weaknesses. But a year later, after the agency worked on its weaknesses, Samm gave way to Jaz. "Samm was too deadline-focused," muses Lauren Dixon, 45, founder and president of Dixon Schwabl. "We're still driven to meet our deadlines, but not at the risk of compromising the creative. We needed a different character to personify who we had become."

Appropriate level of readability: - The above article is very simple in reading and do not have any complex terms. Use of jargon, slang and metaphors:- There is frequent use of jargon, slang and metaphors like:- We're, It's, Inc. etc. Common errors in English:- There is no error in the article regarding verbs, spelling mistakes etc. According to my opinion this article is perfectly written.

Answer 3: Before the Meeting As pointed out earlier, meetings need to be planned in advance, so that they are successful. Before any planning can be done however, a basic question to be asked is whether to hold a meeting at all. The answers to the following questions would help to decide whether a meeting is necessary in the first place -Can the matter be decided or discussed over the telephone? -Can the matter be expressed in writing, in the form of a memo, or an email message? -Are key people available to attend the meeting and are they prepared? -Is the time allotted for the meeting sufficient? If the answers to the first two questions are yes and the answers to the other two questions are no, there is no purpose in calling a meeting. Once the need for a meeting has been determined, the next step is to start planning the meeting. First of all, the type and number of participants should be decided. A problem solving meeting should include representatives from all departments, since the decision would otherwise be incomplete. Shareholders, who are the owners of the company, should also be included. In terms of numbers, the size of the group could be anywhere between seven and eleven members. An exception to this is an information sharing meeting, where the numbers could be larger, so that a maximum number of people benefit from the information. The second and most important step in planning a meeting is to indicate the purpose or agenda of the meeting to the participants in advance. An agenda is essentially a list of topics that will be discussed during a meeting. In the words of Adler and Elmhurst, A meeting without an agenda is like a ship at sea without a destination or compass: no one aboard knows where it is or where it is headed. An agenda is prepared by the Chairperson of the meeting, or the person who calls the meeting.

During the Meeting The task of conducting and moderating the meeting rests with the chairperson. He or she must be well versed with the procedures for opening the meeting, encouraging balanced participation, and solving problems creatively, concluding the meeting and managing time efficiently. We shall discuss each of these procedures in detail. Opening the Meeting The manner in which the meeting is opened is important, since a good opening will ensure that the rest of the meeting will proceed smoothly. There are different ways of opening a meeting. Generally, it is best to sum up what has been stated in the agenda including the goals, background information and expectations of the participants. It is also a good idea to provide an outline of how the meeting will proceed, as well as a time budget. Encouraging Balanced Participation It is also the responsibility of the chairperson to encourage silent members to contribute to the meeting and to moderate the dominant members, so that they do not hijack the meeting. There are several techniques to encourage participation Encourages Participation- In the Reverse Order of Seniority This means getting the junior members to speak or air their opinions first. If the senior people speak first, they may feel suppressed or be afraid to disagree with their superiors. Nominal Group Technique In this method, the meeting participants are encouraged to work and contribute their ideas independently Managing Time There is no prescribed length for a meeting. The duration of a meeting will depend on the type and purpose of the meeting. Generally, problem-solving meetings will take longer than other routine meetings. In any case, the chairperson should set a time budget for the meeting, depending on the agenda and ensure adherence to the time limit. Keeping the Meeting Focused Often, a lot of time is wasted during meetings by going off track and by discussing topics that are irrelevant. In such situations, it is the responsibility of the chairperson, or the person moderating
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the discussion to make sure that the discussion remains focused on the topics mentioned in the agenda. Ensuring Convergence Convergence means hearing the points of view of all the members and then arriving at a decision. It is again the responsibility of the chairperson to bring the meeting to a point where an opinion emerges on each item of the agenda. Summing Up This means summing up the different points of view, the decisions and the actions to be taken. This should be done by the chairperson, identifying the role of each person on each item of the agenda, along with a specified deadline. Concluding the Meeting The way a meeting is concluded is as important as the opening, since it will influence the follow-up action taken on decisions made during the meeting. The chairperson should know when and how to conclude the meeting. The meeting should normally be concluded at the scheduled closing time, unless important issues still remain to be discussed and members are willing to extend the meeting. Sometimes meetings may be concluded before the closing time, when key decision makers are not present, or when important information such as cost figures are not available. Keeping Minutes of the Meeting Since meetings are called to take important decisions concerning the organization, it is important to maintain a permanent written record of the proceedings, which can be referred to at a later stage, or serve as a guide for action. Such a record is known as minutes of the meeting and may be done in an informal or formal manner, depending on the type of meeting. After the Meeting - A meeting that proceeds smoothly will still not be successful, unless proper follow-up measures are taken to ensure that the goals are fully accomplished. Follow-up may involve the following steps Plan for the Next meeting Very few meetings is conclusive and cover all the items in the agenda completely. It is the chairpersons responsibility to make a note of the items that have not been discussed and to schedule the next meeting, along with a fresh agenda. All participants must be informed that a follow-up meeting is being planned.

Check Progress on Follow-up Actions Members of the meeting may have been assigned different responsibilities and deadlines for completion of tasks. Therefore, it is important to monitor their progress every now and then, after the meeting is over, to ensure that the deadlines are met. Do your own Groundwork Apart from monitoring the progress of meeting participants, it is also important that you as the chairperson finish any pending work before the next meeting.

Answer 4: Although e-mail is a tool for external communication, it is also regularly used within an organization, in place of telephone and face-to-face contact. This is because e-mail is instantaneous and allows you to send messages that others can pick up at their convenience. Besides, e-mail also makes it possible to send messages to people anywhere in the world and to people who are otherwise impossible to reach. While the other forms of written communication are highly formal in nature, e-mail is more informal and spontaneous. It is therefore easier to write an e-mail message than it is to write a business letter or a report, where greater attention has to be paid to the language, style and tone. Since e-mail is quick, easy to use and spontaneous, it can also help to improve personal relationships in the workplace. The problems associated with email messages could be avoided by the following methods: Watch the content E-mail messages are not always confidential and one can never be sure who will read them. The minute an e-mail message is sent, multiple copies are created on your own PC and server and on the recipients PC and server. There is no way of ensuring that the message will not be forwarded to others. Sometimes, e-mail messages can even be used as proof in court. Once a message is sent, a permanent record is created. Therefore, it is always wise to avoid writing anything negative or offensive. It is particularly important to watch the content of official e-mail messages sent using an employers equipment. Since the employer has a right to read the message and is legally responsible for its content, it must be carefully worded. Pay attention to the tone The very nature of e-mail communication can make the message sound negative, abrupt and rude. For one thing, e-mail lacks the personal quality of face-to-face communication, where body language and other non-verbal cues may be used to make the communication more positive. Secondly, e-mail messages have to be brief, using short words, sentences and lack of salutations. Brief messages may be interpreted as being rude and unfriendly. Therefore, you must pay close attention to the tone of the message and ensure that you sound friendly and courteous. Avoid using humour and sarcasm
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which might be misunderstood or sending messages when you are angry or annoyed. Include a specific subject line Your e-mail message should always include a subject line that clearly mentions the topic of the e-mail. Since business executives receive several e-mails a day, this would help them to decide which messages are most important to them. They will also have an idea of what the message contains. Place important information first Since business executives do not have time to read lengthy e-mail messages, it is a good idea to put all the important information that you want to convey in the first three lines of the message. Whether you are seeking a clarification, making a request, or giving instructions, it is best to mention this right at the outset, so that it is noticed. Explain attachments in the body of the e-mail Attachments take time to download and should be sent along with an explanation in the body of the e-mail, as to what they are all about. This will make it easier for the recipient of the message to decide whether they should be opened or not. Otherwise it will lead to unnecessary waste of time. Use the to and cc button carefully The to box should be used only to send messages to people who are responsible for doing something. The cc button is used when sending multiple copies of the same e-mail message to other recipients, who need to be kept informed on a specific issue. This should be used with care, making sure that the message is sent only to the right persons. It is important to respect privacy, since not everyone likes having their e-mail address displayed to others. Besides, sending a long list of e-mail addresses can interfere with the reading of the main message. Pay attention to brevity, emphasis and white space The look, appearance and language used in the e-mail message can influence the readability of the message. Some techniques for enhancing readability of e-mail messages include short paragraphs ( six lines maximum), spacing between paragraphs, use of bullet points and numbers for lists, use of paragraph captions, highlighting main points in bold type and use of white space.

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Use the WIFM rule WIFM stands for Whats In It for me? and means that the benefits of your message to the reader should be emphasized. This involves use of the second person pronoun, you, rather than the first person pronouns I or me. Stressing on the you attitude rather than the me attitude was discussed in an earlier unit. Tidy up your mail box E-mail traffic can lead to your inbox becoming cluttered, with more messages than you can handle. It then becomes difficult to retrieve important messages when you need them. It is therefore a good idea to clean up your mailbox regularly, by deleting unimportant messages. The important messages that you want to refer to later should be put into separate topic folders. Every now and then, any outdated messages in the topic folders should also be deleted. Proofread your e-mail message Just as it is important to proofread business reports, letters and memos, e-mail messages should also be checked for spelling and grammar mistakes, so as to avoid any embarrassment. Set aside time to check e-mail E-mail should not become a substitute for face-to-face interaction at the workplace, or cut into valuable time spent on other important jobs. It is a good idea to determine a time during the work day when you check and respond to e-mail messages

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Answer 5: Date: 24/11/10 Karthik Natrajan Tesco HSC Tesco Hindustan Service Centre Private Limited #81 & 82, EPIP Area, Whitefield Bangalore 560 066 Tel 91-80-669955228 Dear Sir, I would like and very interested to apply for a Team Leader position in your corporation. I'm a graduate student, getting a bachelor degree in Bachelor of Business Management with Finance as my specialization from RBANMS First Grade College. In addition, the courses that I was required to take them, helped me a lot because they are not only theory , but we also do practice , research, and analysis. Two years ago, I did an internship in Barc that taught me how to compare between the reconciliation of a bank and a company, how to enter daily transaction of clients, and how checking if my work is correct or not. Also, after completing my graduation I joined with IBM Daksh as a CSM. I took an idea about all the division of the Banking department of Lloyds Bank and analyzing the customer queries on credit card and major issues with Customers COA (Change of Address). If you have any questions about me or my qualifications, or would you like to schedule an interview, please give me a call at my phone number. I hope that there may be an opportunity to join your corporation. Thanks for your time and consideration of my request. Yours Sincerely, Rakesh Ramalingam +919886261111 Rakesh P.R
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Phone: +919886261111 Email: rakeshpr@ymail.com Objective: To be a professional executive in a result oriented Company that seeks an ambitious career conscious person, where I can work to the best of my abilities and where my acquired skills and education will be utilized towards continuous growth and advancement of the Organization. Personal Skills: Comprehensive problem solving abilities, Excellent Verbal and Written Communication Skills, Ability to deal with people diplomatically, Willingness to learn, team facilitation. Educational Qualification: BBM : RBANMS First Grade College 2nd PUC : Baldwin Methodist College 10th Standard : Good Year English School Work Experience: Total Experience of 1+ yrs. Job and Experience Profile: IBM DAKSH, Bangalore, Karnataka August 2008-Present Nature of Work: Responsible for resolving credit card related queries and address change for Lloyds Bank Customers in the U.K. Interface with different department of Lloyds bank in the U.K. to provide final resolution to the customers Working for Simultaneous process such as COA (change of address & Credit Card Collections) where the shifts are divided into 4 hours each To have an overall control and ensure the professional atmosphere and work environment is maintained at all times.
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ACHEIVEMENTS Have maintained an average quality score of 100% accuracy and 85% efficiency in COA. Have received an award for Quarter 1 in IBM as Best All round Performer. Have extended the shift at times to maintain the Headcount and Service Level. Have showed great improvement in performance within the process. Have been collating the APR Analysis for the team. Recognized as Team R&R Spoc, maintaining Schedule Adherence for the team such as AHT (Average Handling Time), ACW (After Call Work), Break Reports, Daily Shouts. Personal Information Date Of Birth : 14th December 1987 Sex : Male Marital Status : Single Languages Known: English, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Urdu and Telugu. Valid Passport : Yes Date: Place: Bangalore (Rakesh .P.R)

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Answer 6: Case Study; the Informal Communication Network: The Informal Communication Network

1. I would not try to suppress grapevine leaks of this type, but would investigate it thoroughly to find out if Mr Reddy indeed violated the companys contract. I would summon Mr Reddy and have a face-to-face meeting with him. I will extract the real reason for taking 3 months leave and would ask him to provide necessary proof if the reasons provided by him are satisfactory. 2. Subbaya should hold a face-to-face meeting with his personal secretary and have a strong word with him and advise him to maintain confidentiality when there are matters discussed with him pertaining to company affairs. Besides this, he should use other channels of communication to maintain confidentiality and this will avoid future recurrence of problem like this.

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