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BUSINESS

COMMUNICATION
(A COMPLETE SOLUTION TO ALL THE
MANAGERIAL QUARRIES)
Preface

Communication is all about transmitting , what you intend to say to the other person in the same
way you felt , and if your feeling are being reciprocated in the same way , in a form of proper
feedback, your process becomes complete. This book deals with all the aspects of
communication, in detail and narrate each and every aspect to all those, who want to make their
professional selves. The term communication derived form a Latin word communis means
common, hence its a very common term for each one us, but in reality many of us are devoid of
the basic essence of the term Business Communication.

With the help of this particular book I have tried to reveal each and every aspect in detail and
that to in a nut shell that would be easily being understood not only by the laymen, but also to the
students. Talking about myself I am a Assistant Professor in a reputed University, and for the last
seven years, have been in this world of communication and with the help of my learning and
what has been taught by my teachers, am blending all to make something very interesting and
understandable. , I have tried my best to bring out various aspects, in a nut shell for my readers.

The entire book is being divided into four units and each of the units are further being divided,
either in four or even in seven parts. I had tried to live up to the expectation of the people, so that
the understanding of the subject may not be complicated. To help my readers further I have
added few of the cases at the last so that each and every unit is covered in detail and the
understanding becomes better. HAPPY READING
Contents
Unit 1: Understanding Business Communication:
1.1. Communication: Concept, Definition, Nature
1.2. Importance And Components Of Communication
1.3. Communication Process
1.4. Directions Of Communications, Networks Of Communication
1.5. \Types Of Communication: Formal, Informal, Verbal, And Non-Verbal
1.6. Barriers To Communication
1.7. Principles Of Effective Business Writing

Unit 2: Work Team Communication:


2.1.Communication In Work Team
2.2.Group Communication
2.3.Initial Group Goals
2.4.Solving Group Problem
2.5.Negotiation And Conflict
2.6.Group Decision Making
2.7.Barriers To Communication
2.8.Listening Skills
Unit 3: Technology & Communication:
3.1.Accessing Electronic Information
3.2.Internet, Protocol, Browsing And Searching The Internet
3.3.Sharing Electronic Information
3.4.Word Processing. E-Mail: Effective E-Mail Practices
3.5.Correspondence Planning
3.6.Drafting, Revising. Replies, Routine Claim Letters, Adjustment Letter
3.7.Goodwill Messages, Congratulating Messages,
3.8.Thank-You Notes, Sympathy Notes. Persuasive Messages: Request

Unit 4: Report Writing :


4.1. Characteristics Of Business Reports, Types Of Reports, Purpose Of Reports
4.2.Collecting And Analyzing Data Through Questionnaire
4.3.Interviews
4.4.Constructing Tables, Preparing Charts, Interpreting Data
4.5.Writing Report
4.6.Planning
4.7. Drafting, Revising
4.8.Formatting And Proof Reading
UNIT 1: Understanding Business
Communication

Communication: Concept, Definition, Nature


Importance And Components Of Communication
Communication Process
Directions Of Communications, Networks Of Communication
Types Of Communication: Formal, Informal, Verbal, And Non-Verbal
Barriers To Communication
Principles Of Effective Business Writing
Chapter 1:

Communication: Concept, Definition, Nature

CONCEPT:
A process by the help of which we are able express ourselves, in front of the others, such that
they make a complete understanding is referred to as communication. Communication is sharing
our feelings, ideas and opinions with others. This can be intellectual, personal, spoken or written
in nature. We live in groups and man is invariably a social animal. As the social needs insist that
we share our thoughts with others. This can be called communication. It is a two-way process. In
spoken communication, we have speakers and listeners who send and receive verbal messages
from each other. In written communication, we have writers and readers, whereas in
visualization and observation, the symbols and signs are included.

Communication motivates, informs, suggests, warns, orders, changes behaviour, and establishes
better relationships, to make interaction meaningful and make oneself understood.
Communication is effective when a communicator is effective enough to communicate
competently, simply, clearly, sincerely and dynamically. Ones communication can be termed as
successful, if the receiver acknowledges it, i.e., when a listener or reader understands, reacts,
responds to this communication and shapes his/her learning behaviour. The word communication
is derived from the Latin word communis, which means common, i.e., to share, exchange,
send, transmit, write, relate and communicate. The other etymological source mentions that
communication is derived from the Latin term communicare, which means to impart or
participate. This word often denotes and means different things to different people. In short, we
can define communication as sharing ideas and feelings mutually. As it involves interaction, it
encourages exchange of ideas until all the experiences become a common profession.

Communication is essential for close, sympathetic relationships in the society and for
transformation of men, material and thoughts from one place to another. In a classroom, the
meaning of communication is related to the messages and counter-messages, which constitute
the teaching-learning process. This involves initiation, reception and response that serve as
feedback.
The diagram denotes something which is the essence of the entire aspect of communication. To start with
the message is being transmitted from the sender , that is the original creator of the message , he sends it
to the other , receiver, and if and only if the receiver , correspond to the message in the manner , as the
sender wishes to , in a form of feedback , the process of communication gets complete. The process or the
entire aspect of communication is not complete, unless and until the message is being received the same
way as it has been transmitted, say for example I say Merry, Is that a tree? , to which she replies, no its
free or three, it can be inferred that either she has not listened properly, or any hurdle is there, the process
of communication is not at all complete.

All of us have thoughts and ideas, which we would like to communicate. But before that we
carefully choose words, pictures, symbols, etc., to effectively convey our information.

The receiver at the other end receives the message and understands it. For example, you go to a
railway station to fill a reservation form. You find out that you do not have a pen. You ask a person
standing there near the counter whether he could lend you one. If that person understands your
language, he /she will respond accordingly. If he / she does not know the language, you can use
gestures, signs, symbols, etc. In this way, we communicate regularly in our daily life.

The communication model involves the following steps:

An information source, that helps us produce a message


A transmitter or an encoder, who encodes the message into signals and sends it.
A channel, which processes the signals for transmission.
A receiver, which / who decodes the message from the signal.
A destination, where the message arrives finally.
All this involves the external influence of a sixth element called noise or any other barrier,
which acts as a dysfunctional factor in the process of communication

As sited in one of the articles of EHow a site based for all management related issues Business
communication is a broad-based concept that describes any kind of communication whose goal
is to improve a business's value. This could be internal communication, such as rules, guidelines
and motivational material, or it could be external communications, including ads and press
releases. Either way, the underlying principal is the same: adding value through information
dispersal.

Motivation : Value is added by motivating people. So, by telling lower-level workers how
their work is important, they are motivated to work harder. The same goes with telling higher-
level workers what the company's broad-based initiatives are and how they fit into them.

Motivation is a key concept in business communication because the more valued people feel the
more value they contribute.

Information: Toward that end, people within businesses also must be informed. This is
particularly true with regards to rules and policies. If employees do not know the rules and the
consequences for violating them, they will not be able to make a decision as to whether they will
violate them or not.

Shareholders: Another reason for communication is to keep shareholders informed. The


people who own stock in a company must be informed as to what that company is doing and
why. So, a CEO's speech at a shareholder meeting is an example of shareholder relations in
business communication.The same goes for smaller businesses and their investors. If a business
has a group of four or five angel investors, they must be informed as to how their investment is
panning out, either through speeches, presentations or memorandums.

Sales: Business communication is also involved in person-to-person and business-to-business


sales. Cold calling, writing sales letters and chasing leads are all forms of business
communication.
Marketing: The final concept of business communication is related to sales, but on a wider

scale. All marketing efforts are business communications, whether they are commercials on
television, direct mail programs or billboards next to the highway.

The difference between marketing and sales is that sales is to an individual or business.
Marketing is on a broad scale, directed at large groups rather than individuals

Let us now have a look at some of the aspects of definition part of the communication, there are numerous
of definition of which some of them I am citing below with the help of which my readers will be in
position to have a clear picture of the meaning of Communication.

DEFINATIONS:

Before we trying to know about communication, the very first thing that we should know is the
definitions. But in communication, the definitions isn't as easy as the other. There are a lot of definitions
about communication from different people and different culture. Well, check this out.

Communication is a process where people (communicator) sending stimulus in purpose to change or to


make behavior of other people.( Hovland, Janis & Kelley : 1953 )
Communication is a process sending information, idea, emotion, ability, etc. By using symbols such as
words, pictures, numbers, etc. ( Berelson dan Stainer : 1964 )
Communication basely is a process which explain who, says what, in which channel, to whom, with what
effect. ( Lasswell : 1960 )

Communication is a process which make something which belong to one person become belong to 2
persons or more. ( Gode : 1959 )

Can you believe that in 1976, Frank Dance and Carl Larson collected 126 definitions of
communications? Why do that happen? There are some reason that could answer these questions
although still unclear in some points.

Dance found 3 dimensions that lead definitions of communication. ( Deddy Mulyana : 2001 ) First
dimension is level of observation . And the second one is intentionality. And the last one is norm
adjustment. That 3 dimensions, directly and indirectly become the main reason for this controversy

Communication is the exchange and flow of information and ideas from one person to another; it involves
a sender transmitting an idea, information, or feeling to a receiver."
U.S. Army

"A communication takes place when one individual, a sender, displays, transmits or otherwise directs a
set of symbols to another individual, a receiver, with the aim of changing something, either something the
receiver is doing (or not doing) or changing his or her world view. This set of symbols is typically
described as a message."
William Rice-Johnson

"Effective communication occurs only if the receiver understands the exact information or idea that the
sender intended to transmit. Many of the problems that occur in an organization are the either the direct
result of people failing to communicate and/or processes, which leads to confusion and can cause good
plans to fail."
Pranav Mistry

"Of all of our inventions for mass communication, pictures still speak the most universally understood
language."
Walt Disney

"The strong man is the one who is able to intercept at will the communication between the senses and the
mind."
Napoleon Bonaparte

I'm a great believer that any tool that enhances communication has profound effects in terms of how
people can learn from each other, and how they can achieve the kind of freedoms that they're interested
in.
Bill Gates

"To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world
and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others."
Tony Robbins

"Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know."
Jim Rohn

"The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said."


Peter Drucker

NATURE OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION:


The nature of communication can be pervaded in every area of human existence. By simply
crying and moping fully newborn babies convey what is this great about their appearance in this
world. By means of creating your seem these people probably express his or her anticipation
with regard to mothers appreciate as well as love. Communication represents the important role
inside personal existence, family members existence, cultural existence, company existence and
many others. Development Communication with relationships, cultures, civilizations and many
others the two inside micro as well as macro amount are determined by successful effective
communication. The nature of communication is discussed below:
1. Communication is related to human activity: Communication exchanges are actually
directly linked with every single ball of human being lifetime. It is necessary within primary
some sort of substantial human being lifetime. Taking pleasure in restful lifetime, acquiring
person-to-person interactions, creating a flourishing point out and so on. Arent probable without
having communication exchanges.

2. Communication involves two or more parties: At least, two parties are involved in virtually
any communication exchange process. This party exactly who communicates information is
known as sender and the party exactly who is provided with the info is known as a device. Even
so in some instances some sort of sender could send out a message for you to many receivers.

3. Communication could be one-way or maybe two-way process: Communication might take


the design involving two-way or maybe one-way process. With two-way communication, the
receiver sends his feedback to the sender after receiving the message. One-way
communication means you move involving information style sender to be able to receive only. In
this particular means of communication receiver doesnt present his or her reaction to your
sender.

4. Success of communication depends on a proper understanding of the parties


involved: Powerful communication comes about if your receiver feels your concept you might
say your sender posts the idea. If the receiver doesnt deliver his or her reaction to your sender,
your sender is not going to fully grasp your receivers view. In this case, your communications
are going to be inadequate. As a result, to make your communication prosperous the two senders
and receiver got to know your side effects of different.

5. Conversation in organization flows in a variety of styles: With organization, information


flows in a variety of recommendations, for example way upward direction, down way, horizontal
way and many others.

Communication is media or channel based: Every single person communication comes about by
means of suing a selected method. This media could be composed, common and non-verbal or
maybe a mixture of spoken and non-verbal media.
Characteristics of Communication:

Communication maintains and animates life. It creates a common pool of ideas, strengthens the
feeling of togetherness through exchange of messages and translates thought into action.
UNESCO Many Voices One World.

(i) Interchange of information:


The basic characteristic of human communication is that it aims at exchanging information. It is
a two-way process. The exchange can be between two or more persons. It may be at the
individual or the organizational level.

(ii) Continuous process:


Communication is a continuous process. It is not static. It is constantly subject to change and is
dynamic. The people with whom communication is held, its content and nature, and the situation
in which communication is held all keep changing.

(iii) Mutual understanding:


The main purpose of communication is to bring about mutual understanding. The receiver should
receive and understand the message in the manner that the sender intended him to.

(iv) Response or reaction:


Communication always leads to some response or reaction. A message becomes communication
only when the receiving party understands and acknowledges it, and also reacts and responds to
it.

(v) Universal function:


Communication is a universal function, which covers all levels of authority.

(vi) Social activity:


Communication is a social activity, too. The components of a society are into a relationship of
sharing, be it information, feelings or emotions.
The same holds true for business communication. It involves the effort of people to get in touch
with one another and to make them understood. The process by which people attempt to share
meaning and relate to one another is, thus, a social activity.

Purposes of Communication:
Communication is meant:
i. To inform ii. To reassure iii. To teach iv. To deliver news, whether good or bad

v. To understand vi. To explain vii. To persuade viii. To transact ix. To organize

x. To control xi. To co-ordinate xii. To direct

This was something about the various aspect of the communication , where we have focused
upon the concept , definition & nature aspect of communication , beside this we have also
focused upon the characteristic features along with the very purpose of communication , let us
try to bring out the Importance aspects of communication , and along with it also focus upon the
components of communication
Communication is all about giving proper feedback to the sender of the message , if you are a
good listener , but yes Big Ears , wont really help , rather than being active and prompt listener ,
to complete the communication process properly.
Chapter 2:

Importance & components of communication


Communication (from Latin commnicre, meaning "to share") is the act of conveying
intended meanings from one entity or group to another through the use of mutually
understood signs and semiotic rules. The basic steps of communication are

The forming of communicative intent,


Message composition,
Message encoding,
Transmission of signal using a specific channel or medium, reception of signal,
message decoding
Finally interpretation of the message by the recipient.

Communication is very much essential and holds a great relevance in each and every field.
Good communication is an essential tool in achieving productivity and maintaining strong
working relationships at all levels of an organization.

Employers who invest time and energy into delivering clear lines of communication will rapidly
build up levels of trust amongst employees, leading to increases in productivity, output and
morale in general.

Poor communication in the workplace will inevitably lead to unmotivated staff that may begin to
question their own confidence in their abilities and inevitably in the organization
Communication is key to your successin relationships, in the workplace, as a citizen of your
country, and across your lifetime. Your ability to communicate comes from experience, and
experience can be an effective teacher, but this text and the related business communication
course will offer you a wealth of experiences gathered from professional speakers across their
lifetimes. You can learn from the lessons theyve learned and be a more effective communicator
right out of the gate.

Business communication can be thought of as a problem solving activity in which individuals


may address the following questions:

What is the situation?


What are some possible communication strategies?
What is the best course of action?
What is the best way to design the chosen message?
What is the best way to deliver the message

Communication Influences Your Thinking about Yourself and Others


We all share a fundamental drive to communicate. Communication can be defined as the process
of understanding and sharing meaning. [1] You share meaning in what you say and how you say
it, both in oral and written forms. If you could not communicate, what would life be like? A
series of never-ending frustrations? Not being able to ask for what you need or even to
understand the needs of others?
Being unable to communicate might even mean losing a part of yourself, for you communicate
your self-conceptyour sense of self and awareness of who you arein many ways. Do you
like to write? Do you find it easy to make a phone call to a stranger or to speak to a room full of
people? Perhaps someone told you that you dont speak clearly or your grammar needs
improvement. Does that make you more or less likely to want to communicate? For some, it may
be a positive challenge, while for others it may be discouraging. But in all cases, your ability to
communicate is central to your self-concept.
Take a look at your clothes. What are the brands you are wearing? What do you think they say
about you? Do you feel that certain styles of shoes, jewelry, tattoos, music, or even automobiles
express who you are? Part of your self-concept may be that you express yourself through texting,
or through writing longer documents like essays and research papers, or through the way you
speak.

On the other side of the coin, your communications skills help you to understand othersnot just
their words, but also their tone of voice, their nonverbal gestures, or the format of their written
documents provide you with clues about who they are and what their values and priorities may
be. Active listening and reading are also part of being a successful communicator.

Communication Influences How You Learn:When you were an infant, you learned
to talk over a period of many months. When you got older, you didnt learn to ride a bike,
drive a car, or even text a message on your cell phone in one brief moment. You need to
begin the process of improving your speaking and writing with the frame of mind that it
will require effort, persistence, and self-correction.
.Communication Represents You and Your Employer: You want to make a good
first impression on your friends and family, instructors, and employer. They all want you
to convey a positive image, as it reflects on them. In your career, you will represent your
business or company in spoken and written form. Your professionalism and attention to
detail will reflect positively on you and set you up for success. In both oral and written
situations, you will benefit from having the ability to communicate clearly. These are
skills you will use for the rest of your life. Positive improvements in these skills will have
a positive impact on your relationships, your prospects for employment, and your ability
to make a difference in the world.
Communication Skills Are Desired by Business and Industry: Oral and written
communication proficiencies are consistently ranked in the top ten desirable skills by
employer surveys year after year. In fact, high-powered business executives sometimes
hire consultants to coach them in sharpening their communication skills. According to the
National Association of Colleges and Employers,

These are some of the main importance of communication in general , besides this the diagram
below tells about few more of the aspects of or the importance of communication which goes as
under :

According to this the following also forms the importance of communication , which can be laid
as under :

Establishes effective leadership


Helps in proceeds of motivation & morale development
Helps in smooth working
Promotes cooperation & peace
Act as basis of coordination ad cooperation
Act as basis for decision making
Increase managerial efficiency

Let us now have a look at some of the components of communication also we can say the main
ingredient of communication:

COMPONENTS OF COMMUNCIATION:
1. Context

2. Sender/Encoder

3. Message

4. Medium

5. Receiver/Decoder

6. Feedback

Context

Every message (Oral or written), begins with context. Context is a very broad field that
consists different aspects. One aspect is country, culture and organization. Every organization,
culture and country communicate information in their own way.

Another aspect of context is external stimulus. The sources of external stimulus includes;
meeting, letter, memo, telephone call, fax, note, email and even a casual conversation. This
external stimuli motivates you to respond and this response may be oral or written.
Internal stimuli is another aspect of communication. Internal Stimuli includes; You opinion,
attitude, likes, dis-likes, emotions, experience, education and confidence. These all have
multifaceted influence on the way you communicate you ideas.

A sender can communicate his ideas effectively by considering all aspects of context mentioned
above.

Sender/Encoder

Encoder is the person who sends message. In oral communication the encoder is speaker, and
in written communication writer is the encoder. An encoder uses combination of symbols, words,
graphs and pictures understandable by the receiver, to best convey his message in order to
achieve his desired response.

Message

Message is the information that is exchanged between sender and receiver. The first task is
to decide what you want to communicate and what would be the content of your message; what
are the main points of your message and what other information to include. The central idea of
the message must be clear. While writing the message, encoder should keep in mind all aspects
of context and the receiver (How he will interpret the message).
Messages can be intentional and unintentional.

Medium

Medium is the channel through which encoder will communicate his message. How the
message gets there. Your medium to send a message, may be print, electronic, or sound. Medium
may be a person as postman. The choice of medium totally depends on the nature of you
message and contextual factors discussed above. Choice of medium is also influence by the
relationship between the sender and receiver.

The oral medium, to convey your message, is effective when your message is urgent, personal or
when immediate feedback is desired. While, when your message is ling, technical and needs to
be documented, then written medium should be preferred that is formal in nature. These
guidelines may change while communicating internationally where complex situations are dealt
orally and communicated in writing later on.

Receiver/Decoder

The person to whom the message is being sent is called receiver/decoder. Receiver may be a
listener or a reader depending on the choice of medium by sender to transmit the
message.Receiver is also influenced by the context, internal and external stimuli.

Receiver is the person who interprets the message, so higher the chances are of mis-
communication because of receivers perception, opinion, attitude and personality. There will be
minor deviation in transmitting the exact idea only if your receiver is educated and have
communication skills.

Feedback

Response or reaction of the receiver, to a message, is called feedback. Feedback may be written
or oral message, an action or simply, silence may also be a feedback to a message.

Feedback is the most important component of communication in business. Communication


is said to be effective only when it receives some feedback. Feedback, actually, completes the
loop of communication.

This is something about the importance of communication and also the main elements or the
components of communication , in the upcoming chapter we would be making a complete
narration of what is the process of communication , and what are the main elements that
complete a given communication

Communication involve patience and a great sense of understanding and choosing the right
medium of communication process to bring out the real importance of communication
Chapter 3

Communication Process

According to the given diagram as Ii had already discussed in the previous chapters that if and
only if the message is being understood in the same manner as it is being send from the sender ,
by the receiver and proper feedback is been given the process of communication takes place or
else no communication is there , In this chapter we will be studing about the various aspects
about the process of communication .

Communication is the process of sharing our ideas, thoughts, and feelings with other people and having
those ideas, thoughts, and feelings understood by the people we are talking with. When we communicate
we speak, listen, and observe. The way we communicate is a learned style. As children we learn from
watching our parents and other adults communicate. As an adult we can learn to improve the way we
communicate by observing others who communicate effectively, learning new skills, and practicing those
skills
Linear concept of communication :

Shannon Weaver Model:

Feedback is not considered as an important part in this model as it is said that feedback makes the process
long . It is a point of consideration that message if send to the recever , is not complete till the time it is
interprated in same manner as the sender sends the message

Remember that both sender and receiver has its own ontions , which in real life make sthe fact
weak that perfect communication is where both of them understand each other . So the complete
process is as follows :

Therefore the complete process of communication is as follows :


Communication process consists of some interrelated steps or parts through which messages are
sent form sender to receiver. The process of communication begins when the sender wants to
transmit a fact, idea, opinion or other information to the receiver and ends with receivers
feedback to the sender. The main components of communication process are sender, message,
channel, receiver and feedback In details, communication process consists of the following eight
steps:

Developing idea by the sender: In the first step, the communicator develops or
conceptualizes an idea to be sent. It is also known as the planning stage since in this stage
the communicator plans the subject matter of communication.
Encoding: Encoding means converting or translation the idea into a perceivable form
that can be communicated to others.
Developing the message: After encoding the sender gets a message that can be
transmitted to the receiver. The message can be oral, written, symbolic or nonverbal. For
example, when people talk, speech is the message; when people write a letter, the words
and sentences are the message; when people cries, the crying is the message.
Selecting the medium: Medium is the channel or means of transmitting the message to
the receiver. Once the sender has encoded his into a message, the next step is to select a
suitable medium for transmitting it to the receiver. The medium of communication can be
speaking, writing, signaling, gesturing etc.
Transmission of message: In this step, the sender actually transmits the message through
chosen medium. In the communication cycle, the tasks of the sender end with the
transmission of the message.
Receiving the message by receiver: This stage simply involves the reception of senders
message by the receiver. The message can be received in the form of hearing, seeing,
feeling and so on.
Decoding: Decoding is the receivers interpretation of the senders message. Here the
receiver converts the message into thoughts and tries to analyze and understand it.
Effective communication can occur only when both the sender and the receiver assign the
same or similar meanings to the message.
Feedback: The final step of communication process is feedback. Feedback means
receivers response to senders message. It increases the effectiveness of communication.
It ensures that the receiver has correctly understood the message. Feedback is the essence
of two-way communication.

This was the narration of the process of communication in general let us now simplify the entire
thing into more easy language so that the understanding about the process could be made
effectively

The following diagram represents the communication process

Thus, it is clear that communication process is the set of some sequential steps involved in
transferring message as well as feedback. The process requires a sender who transmits message
through a channel to the receiver. Then the receiver decodes the message and sends back some
type of signal or feedback.

Steps or elements of communication process


The communication process refers to the steps through which communication takes place
between the sender and the receiver. This process starts with conceptualizing an idea or message
by the sender and ends with the feedback from the receiver. In details, communication process
consists of the following eight steps:

1. Developing idea by the sender: In the first step, the communicator develops or
conceptualizes an idea to be sent. It is also known as the planning stage since in this stage
the communicator plans the subject matter of communication.
2. Encoding: Encoding means converting or translation the idea into a perceivable form that
can be communicated to others.
3. Developing the message: After encoding the sender gets a message that can be transmitted
to the receiver. The message can be oral, written, symbolic or nonverbal. For example,
when people talk, speech is the message; when people write a letter, the words and
sentences are the message; when people cries, the crying is the message.
4. Selecting the medium: Medium is the channel or means of transmitting the message to the
receiver. Once the sender has encoded his into a message, the next step is to select a
suitable medium for transmitting it to the receiver. The medium of communication can be
speaking, writing, signaling, gesturing etc.
5. Transmission of message: In this step, the sender actually transmits the message through
chosen medium. In the communication cycle, the tasks of the sender end with the
transmission of the message.
6. Receiving the message by receiver: This stage simply involves the reception of senders
message by the receiver. The message can be received in the form of hearing, seeing,
feeling and so on.
7. Decoding: Decoding is the receivers interpretation of the senders message. Here the
receiver converts the message into thoughts and tries to analyze and understand it. Effective
communication can occur only when both the sender and the receiver assign the same or
similar meanings to the message.
8. Feedback: The final step of communication process is feedback. Feedback means
receivers response to senders message. It increases the effectiveness of communication. It
ensures that the receiver has correctly understood the message. Feedback is the essence of
two-way communication.

This was something about the aspects of process of communication, if the entire process is
rigidly followed then only the communication is said to be complete or else there is some follies
to it, let us now have a look at directions and network of communication.

The process of communication is not complete unless all the eight elements fall in proper place ,
giving a proper way and sink , that makes the process complete and easy to understand.
Chapter 4

Directions of communication and Network of


communication

Communication a process where the transmission of message can take place in any direction ,
form any place or medium, by this we mean in the direction like top to bottom , left to right and
so on , in this chapter we would be telling as to what are the directions and along with that ,
would also be telling about the network of communication and which among theme which would
be the best choice of network

Four directions of business communication are: I. Downward Communication II. Upward


Communication III. Lateral or Horizontal Communication IV. Diagonal or Crosswise
Communication.Every organisation has a multidimensional or multidirectional communication.
The directions in which communication are carried out are:

I. Downward Communication:
Traditionally, the emphasis in business organizations has been on downward communication.
This is because of the hierarchical nature of organizations where all communication basically
and naturally flows from top to bottom. It is the communication that comes from superiors and
flows down to the subordinates.

Methods of Downward Communication:


Downward communication can be written as well as oral. The oral communication is mostly
through information channels. The written downward communication takes the form of orders,
circulars, policy statements, memos and procedural documents. Example, a CEO (Chief
Executive Officer) or a General Manager issuing instructions or sending letters to various
departmental heads.
Objectives: 1. To give specific directions about a job, 2. To explain procedures, 3. To apprise
subordinates of their performance. 4. To explain the significance of a job given to a subordinate with
respect to the organizations goals
II. Upward Communication: As the term suggests, this channel of communication pushes
information upwards. It starts from the people at the lowest level of an organisation and reaches
the top. An open-door policy, social gatherings, reports, direct correspondence, counseling, etc.
are some common methods of upward communication. Managers have now recognized the
importance of this channel of organizational communication. Until now, it was felt that the right
to communicate had been vested only in the top management.

Methods of upward communication:


(a) Periodical meetings: These are regular meetings with the staff and subordinates conducted
to invite suggestions, opinions or other ideas.(b) Written Representations: An example of
upward communication is a written representation given by employees to their superiors as
regards what they feel about the work environment and suggestions regarding improvement.(c)
Informal Gatherings: Parties and get-togethers provide opportunities for the employees to share
their feelings and have an interaction with the superiors. (d) Suggestion Schemes: The
employees are encouraged to give suggestions on the practices and the systems being followed in
the organization. For this purpose, a suggestion box may be kept.
Objectives:
(i) Feedback: This channel provides the management with the necessary feedback. On the basis
of the feedback, the management can ascertain whether the subordinates have understood a given
set of directions properly.
(ii) Outlet for held-up Emotions: The employees get an opportunity to vent their problems and
grievances when they communicate with the management.
(iii) Positive Suggestions:Quite often, this channel brings forward some very useful suggestions
from the employees, which can be implemented for the organizations benefit.
(iv) Harmony: Upward communication creates a congenial atmosphere and brings the
management and the employees closer to each other. It creates a positive psychological factor as
employees feel involved.
III. Lateral or Horizontal Communication:
This kind of communication takes place between departments or people on the same level in an
organizational structure. It is one of the most frequently used channels of communication.Face-
to-face discussions, telephonic talks, periodical meetings, memos, etc. are the ways of carrying
out this type of communication. It is very important for the smooth functioning of every
organisation as it promotes understanding and coordination between various departments.
Embarrassing situations can arise when there is a lack of proper horizontal communication. For
example, the production and the marketing departments must interact with each other because
marketing tactics and production planning go hand-in-hand.

Objectives:
(i) To create a friendly atmosphere in an organisation (ii) To cut across departmental barriers (iii)
To ensure quick feedback

.IV. Diagonal or Crosswise Communication: Diagonal or crosswise communication envisages


a horizontal flow of information as well as interaction across different levels of an organizations
hierarchy. Communication flows across different levels in an organisation among people who
may not have direct reporting relationships. Diagonal communication is used to speed up the
flow of information.

Objectives:
(i) To help in proper coordination (ii) To communicate effectively whether laterally,
horizontally and diagonally (iii) To improve mutual understanding (iv) To boost the
morale of lower level staff through interaction across all the levels in the organisation

NETWORK OF COMMUNCIATION :
: In Circle pattern, the sender (Group Leader) can communicate with the
receivers (group members) who presents next to him/her. No others group members cant receive the
senders message directly and they receive messages from the other group members who sharing the
message from the sender. In this pattern of communication the sender messages travels all over the group
through sharing by its members will take time to reach sender again. To put it simply The circle has no
leader; here there is total quality. Each member of the circle has exactly the same authority or power to
influence the group. one more problem is that communication is very slow.

Chain pattern : In Chain pattern, the same problems were appearing as like a circle pattern. The worst
part in the pattern is the last member receives the modified messages from the leader. In this case the
leader cant find whether the last member receives the correct information or not because there is no
feedback to identify the message distortion

Y Pattern : In Y pattern, its more complicated pattern and also has the
communication problem which appears in both circle and chain pattern. The group is separated into three
and the group members can communicate with the other members group through leader only
The wheel : In Wheel pattern, one of the best pattern while compare to other
three. The leader has direct contact with all the group members and there are no communication
problems, time issue and feedback from the group members. But all the group members cant connect
with one another as the main head act s a hub of wheel .

The all channel ( free flow communication ) : The all-channel or star


pattern is like the circle in that all members are equal and all have exactly the same amount of power to
influence others, except that each member in this pattern may communicate with any other member. This
pattern allows for the greatest member participation. Communication through these networks occurs often
but not always face-to-face. Messages may be written in informal memos or in formal letters and reports

These are some of the most important network of communication out of these we can make a conclusion
that wheel communication is the best , which is prevalent in many companies .
In the next chapter we would be going to have a view of Types Of Communication: Formal,
Informal, Verbal, And Non-Verbal , basically the kinds or the types to which a communication
pattern belongs
Chapter 5

Types of communication: Formal, Informal, verbal and non-


verbal
As organizations grow in size, managers cannot rely on face-to-face communication alone to get
their message across.

A challenge the managers face today is to determine what type of communication channel should
they opt for in order to carryout effective communication.

In order to make a manager's task easier, the types of communication channels are grouped into
three main groups: formal, informal and unofficial.

Formal Communication Channels

A formal communication channel transmits information such as the goals, policies and
procedures of an organization. Messages in this type of communication channel follow a
chain of command. This means information flows from a manager to his subordinates and
they in turn pass on the information to the next level of staff.

An example of a formal communication channel is a company's newsletter, which gives


employees as well as the clients a clear idea of a company's goals and vision. It also
includes the transfer of information with regard to memoranda, reports, directions, and
scheduled meetings in the chain of command.
A business plan, customer satisfaction survey, annual reports, employer's manual, review
meetings are all formal communication channels.

Informal Communication Channels

Within a formal working environment, there always exists an informal communication


network. The strict hierarchical web of communication cannot function efficiently on its
own and hence there exists a communication channel outside of this web. While this type

of communication channel may disrupt the chain of command, a good manager needs to
find the fine balance between the formal and informal communication channel.

An example of an informal communication channel is lunchtime at the organization's


cafeteria/canteen. Here, in a relaxed atmosphere, discussions among employees are
encouraged. Also managers walking around, adopting a hands-on approach to handling
employee queries is an example of an informal communication channel.

Quality circles, team work, different training programs are outside of the chain of
command and so, fall under the category of informal communication channels.

Unofficial Communication Channels

Good managers will recognize the fact that sometimes communication that takes place
within an organization is interpersonal. While minutes of a meeting may be a topic of
discussion among employees, sports, politics and TV shows also share the floor.

The unofficial communication channel in an organization is the organization's


'grapevine.' It is through the grapevine that rumors circulate. Also those engaging in
'grapevine' discussions often form groups, which translate into friendships outside of the
organization. While the grapevine may have positive implications, more often than not
information circulating in the grapevine is exaggerated and may cause unnecessary alarm
to employees. A good manager should be privy to information circulating in this
unofficial communication channel and should take positive measures to prevent the flow
of false information.

An example of an unofficial communication channel is social gatherings among employees

Let us now with the help of a diagram try to bring out the real understanding of the Types of
Communication:
Communication based on parties involved:Communication is mainly two types on the basis of
parties involved in the communication process. These are internal communication and external
communication.

Internal communication: Internal communication refers to the flow of information to


the internal participants of an organization. It happens only within the organization. The
main purpose of this communication is to ensure smooth functioning of organizational
activities. Internal communication may be of two types: Vertical communication and
horizontal communication.

Vertical communication: When information flows between superiors and


subordinate of an organization, it is known as vertical communication. Vertical
communication can be of three types: Downward communication, upward
communication and diagonal communication.

Downward Communication: Downward communication occurs when


information flows form superiors to subordinates. Through downward
communication, superiors send organizational goals, policies, job
assignments, orders, instructions etc to their subordinates.

Upward Communication: Upward communication occurs when


information flows form subordinates to superiors. Through upward
communication, subordinates convey their responses, reactions and
performance feedback to their superiors.

Diagonal or cross communication: Diagonal communication occurs


when information flows between persons at different levels who have no
direct reporting relationships. Diagonal communication is used to speed
information flow, to improve understanding and to coordinate efforts for
the achievement of organizational goals.

Horizontal communication: When information flows among persons holding the


same position or rank in the organization, it is called horizontal communication.

External communication: When an organization communicates with external or outside


parties, it is called external communication. External parties include customers, suppliers,
investors, bankers, insurance companies, government agencies, local communities etc.
the main purpose of external communication is to exchange information with the outside
parties.

Communication based on formality: Communication can be classified on the basis of the


formality into two types: formal communication and informal communication.

Formal communication: When communication occurs by following the prescribed rules


and procedures of the organization, it is called formal communication. Formal
communication is governed by the established chain of command.

Informal communication: When communication does not follow any prescribed rule or
procedure, it is called informal communication. The basis of informal communication is
spontaneous relationship among the participants. Informal communication is sometimes
more powerful and more effective that formal commutation.

Other types of communication: There are two other useful types of communication. These are
as follows:

Personal communication: When people exchange information related to their personal


lives or personal affairs, it is called personal communication. Every person engages
himself or herself in personal communication. Personal communication occurs among the
parties within the organization and outside the organization.

Mass communication: Mass communication is a process of transmitting messages to a


large number of scattered audiences. Through mass communication, information can be
transmitted quickly to a large number of people who generally stay far away form the
sources of information. Mass communication is done through radio, television,
newspaper, magazine, leaflets etc

In any organization, three types of communication channels exist: formal, informal and unofficial.

While the ideal communication web is a formal structure in which informal communication can take
place, unofficial communication channels also exist in an organization.

Through these various channels, it is important for a manager to get his/her ideas across and then listen,
absorb, glean and further communicate to employees.

Method of expression : Verbal & Non verbal : Verbal communication refers to the use of sounds and
language to relay a message. It serves as a vehicle for expressing desires, ideas and concepts and is vital
to the processes of learning and teaching. In combination with nonverbal forms of communication, verbal
communication acts as the primary tool for expression between two or more people.

According to Robert M. Krauss, professor of psychology at Columbia University, signs and symbols are
the major signals that make up verbal communication. Words act as symbols, and signs are secondary
products of the underlying message and include things like tone of voice, blushing and facial expressions

This was something about the aspects of types of communication, with the help of which the
communication patterns and the way to understand becomes more easy and simplified. In the upcoming
chapter we would be making a note of as to what is the reason why the communication fails at times or to
be specific the barriers of communication.

In order to be communicative we ought to have knowledge of various types of communication,


that will give us and edge to others , and we would never be stuck anywhere whether
professional or non-professional
Chapter 6

Barriers of Communication
The term barriers is a hurdle or the hindrance , which makes the process of communication slow
or disputes it completely . Several organizational problems relating to smooth working and
human relations exist today in the enterprises because of these barriers. It not only distort the
message but also crate a friction in the organisation and also adversely effect the morale of the
employees as well as are injurious to tem work .

One of the biggest and the very first barrier which arise in the communication process is that of a
NOISE . Now we all are aware of the term noise , what is it is something that crates and heavily
impact the communication procedure of the organisation , it is because of this fact only that we
say one of the troublesome area of communication is noise , which can really make the work
fatal.

Types of Barriers :

Communication is of various kinds , in the similar way the types of communication also varies
from person to person and organisation to organisation .
Communication Barriers

communication
barriers

Socio Physical and


Language or Organisational
Phychological mechanial Personal Barriers
sematic barriers Barriers
Barriers barriers

let us now get into the detail or all the barriers one by one :

1. PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL BARRIERS : The physical and mechanical barriers


may be caused by noise , distance , time and information overload .let us have a quick look at
each of the following vertical , which goes as under :
Noise : Noise because of heavy traffic , machines , human sound , construction work s and fans
creeking sound , make sthe process of communication much febble and less easy to understand .
Remember the noise can be physical and the psychological , say it be , physical disturbance is
gossip, loud , speakers etc. at the same time the psychological aspect means ego clash , pre
occupied thoughts , hang over , and preconceived ideas .

Distance : Long distance between the communicator and the communicate , creates a gap and
thus prove to a barrier , which obstruct the effective communication

Time : Time over here means the rech of the message that is the more time you take to send the
message the late you get the response , always remember in order to make your communiation
better you have to keep the time constrait in mind .

Information overload : There is a limit of understanding in everybody , we have to keep in


mind that in order to complete the process of communication , we have to have a check that
whatever we are saying the brain of the receiver should be able to have it at the same time .

Use of words with different meaning : Communication mainly is focused upon the written
words , we have to keep in mind that the appropriate use of words , remember that the words
have always the two sides of meaning , so make sure that you choose the right and this you only
lean by your mistakes .

2. Language or Semitic Barriers : Language is the carrier of all information and ideas .
Remember the speech h given English would not be understood by the factory people, so you
are bound to communicate with them in their own personal language, this is the reason that we
ought to have a knowledge of at least one language or two , other than our mother language . the
most common type of semantic barriers are :

Unclear message : Poor chosen and empty words and phrases , careless omission , lack of
coherence , bad organisation of ideas , award sentences , vocabulary , numbing are some of the
ways that makes your message unclear .

Words or symbols with multiple meaning : Always remember that the word and the symbols
have two or more than two meaning , you have to be very much care ful while using the symbols
, for example pointing a finger to the Chinese , will make you land in trouble ,as it is not a good
gesture

Technical Words or Jargons : It is often found that specialists in particular field use some
technical language which is not at all being understood by any layman , always remember that
we are require that the words should be such that they must not have any technical or difficult
word s during the communication process .

Faulty Translations : The instructions originally drafted in one language ( eg English ) need to
be translated to the language understood by concern person , remember that you have to make
the translation easy and simple to make the process of communication complete .

Body Language : We must always remember that along with the word our body also speak ,
that is we can say that the body also communicate , which here means that the frowns , jerky
nature , communicate something , you have to be very careful while talking through you r boday
, and eradicate the frowns

3 Socio Psychological Barriers

The state of mind of a person has the great impact over the communication process , say for
instance the person is stricken by a gloomy attitude , and want to have a brake fro the world , of
about minute or tow , remember , at this point of time any communication with such person can
really be of hazardous nature because he is under the grip of something , and this is not the
proper time of communication . Some of the psychological barriers are :

Difference in perception : There is lot of difference between the perception of two people that
Is one people may perceive that the organisation is not functioning because , the manager is not
up to the mark , this means that he has made the wrong notion about the manger , on the same
time other person believe it is the HR who is responsible for these acts , basically we are here
telling about two different ideals , and their results , one has to very care while making the
perception .

Difference in attitude : Remember that the attitudinal difference arise due to the personal nature
of the human , we are really very complex creature , means that we are never ever in such notion
that one person is doing the right work , because we are in a negative aura. Before e actually
giving he verdict analyse the both aspects of it .

Emotions : It is always advisable in the professional arena , you are required to have a hard heart
, that is in no way you can say that the person is right because of his poverty , or how sweet he is
, These word are really deceptive , be very clear and very practical , as this world is rally a hard
game to play , where emotion play no role .

Close minds : There are at times that you interact with such a person who will harp on the same
tune , this is not because he is irritating you , it is because of his stubborn attitude that is he has
close d his mind to what you what to speak , and he is in his own world

Cultural difference: Cultural difference are face when managers deal with people of different
culture . this means that everyone has his own values belief and managers has to really look for
the appropriate the way as to how to deal with every culture in an effective ways . thus us we
can in order to have a culture ambiguity , we are require to bridge and understand the culture of
other people also .

Distrust : It arises just out of judgements or illogical decision which make the process alters ,
trust is really one of the main factor that we often deviate from the person who is our most
closest , we have to have an opinion that what ever we are doing we are require to have a trust
over that , but at the same time o much of trust is also bad , so we must t rust but in a n
appropriate way .

4. Organisational Barrier : An organisation is a deliberate creation for the attainment of certain


specified objectives . This is usually attempted through a variety of official measures such as
performance of various activities . At times due to the organisational barrier , the whole
organisation along with the work pattern also suffers . It includes following :

Status Relationship : Many a times it happens in the organisation that due to our relationship
with the top authorities , we are not able to cope up with the situation , just because of some very
disgraceful things , like say if the main boss segregate you on the basis of your richness you
automatically wont like the thing , and the process can be faulty.
One way Flow : Effective communication is a two way street , but where the feedback from the
receiver or the sender is blocked you wont be in any situation to really find the right clue for
anything , we have to keep in mind that one way flow can really be a dangerous for us .

Rigid rules and regulation : Organisational rules and regulations affect the flow of
communication by prescribing the subject matter , we have to keep in mind that the rigid rules
can really be fatel for us to go through and hamper the communication process.

Physical Barriers : Communication becomes ineffective due to physical factors as noise of


machines . Due to noise pollution suffocation arise which can be really dangerous .

5 PERSONAL BARRIERS : While the organisational factors discussed are no doubt ,


important influence operating on communication , there are at times if you associate the
communication with the personal feeling s you wont be able to able to communicate properly .
Some of the relalay important parts of it are as follows :

Attitude of Superiors : The attitude of your senor towards any kind of communication can be
real thing to look upon , now remember that if your superior is conversing and showing his full
attitude , you wont like talking to him in any case

Lack of confidence in subordinates : The biggest problem will arise if the boss has no trust on
any one of his employees , remember that the boss will only be good and perfect for
communication , if he trust upon you.

Insistence of Martinet : You have to see that your boss is not cruel , crule , in no sense means
that he will hang you up , but with burden you with lots of work , so you have to be a little
cautious while communicating to him

Filtering of information : Always remember that your boss is very happy and will keep you in
his good books , if you flatter him , but remember it choose the appropriate words , as you cnat
say to fat man you look like a model , you have to b e very practical .

This is all about barriers of communication , remember though communication is a n important


matter but its barriers should not be neglected and proper measures should be taken to erridcate it
:
GATE WAY OF COMMUNCIACTION : In order to enhance the effectiveness of
communication, we can focus on the following aspects:

Plan the message: Before we decide to communicate an idea/information/message, we need to


plan it properly. The message should match the purpose and should be transmitted through the
appropriate format.

Use Proper language: The language used for a message should be clear, lucid and appropriate.
The density of words used should match with the level of maturity of the receivers.

Dont be evaluative: If we listen to somebody with preconceived notions, we wont be able to


receive, process and interpret the message properly.

Give proper Orientation: All the employees should be given proper orientation regarding the
objectives, policies, procedures, organization structure and work culture of an organization
immediately after they are recruited. This helps in interpersonal communication as well as
communication with the people at the higher and lower hierarchies.

Be an active listener: Active listening is an art which very few people can master. Many of us
confuse listening with hearing. But listening demands more attention and interest than hearing,
hence very important in communication.

Have an unbiased attitude: Any person with a biased mind will not be able to communicate
properly with others. Hence it is necessary to train people to be unbiased through education,
counseling and discussions to help them become good communicators. .

Respond don't re-act: When we are dealing with a problematic situation or person, we must
understand the facts properly and respond appropriately. If we react in a situation like this, our
emotions and feelings take an upper hand and we end up as bad communicators. Our negative
reaction to people in stressful situations will aggravate the situation and lead to total collapse of
communication. We must respond mindfully rather than re-act emotionally. Though it requires
self-knowledge and discipline, it allows us to be more effective in our communication.

Promote congruence: Communication will not be effective unless and until people are willing
to communicate. This willingness to communicate needs to be inculcated among people to keep
them intact.
Use the grapevine: The grapevine can be used to predict the responses of the employees
regarding a particular issue. This is mainly useful for checking plans which are likely to be
implemented in future. On the basis of the responses collected form people, appropriate
decisions can be taken.

Transmit the message in Installments: If too much of information is sent within too short a
period of time, it will not be digested by people. SO it is wise to send the information/message in
chunks. This makes the transmission of the message more effective and facilitates feedback.
Information overload results in miscommunication or a complete collapse of communication.

Provide feedback: In order to enhance the effectiveness of communication, feedback


mechanism should be built into all communication networks so that necessary amendments can
be made to enhance the quality of communication in future. Suggestions, clarifications,
performance reports, surveys and emphatic listening are some of the feedback mechanism we use
to ensure the success of communication.

Overcome bypassing: When we receive a message, we must respond it appropriately and


immediately. Bypassing it will hamper the transmission of the message.

Maintain semantic accuracy: While using words with different connotations we must make it
clear in its meaning by providing contextual clues. Semantic accuracy will improve the
effectiveness of communication and will facilitate timely feedback.

Add some eloquence: While presenting the facts, we should be able to present them in a
seamless manner so that there is eloquence and the listener does not have any problem in
comprehending the logical link between the facts. This in turn will positively impact
communication.

Improve the ambience: Improper ambience often mars the communication between two
participants. If people fight in a meeting where a saint is giving a sermon on world peace, there is
no necessity of his sermon. Similarly, if we are speaking in a crowded place with noises flowing
in from all corners, we wont be able to drive anything into the minds of the audience. On the
other hand, a calm atmosphere will be appropriate for such an act of communication.
Use proper etiquette: Social etiquettes play an important role in ensuring successful
communication. A person may be a master of his/her subject, but his/her lack of etiquette may
mar his/her chances of a promotion. Likewise, proper telephone etiquettes are also essential for
making an act of communication successful.

Watch your language: We should opt for clear, positive language and sincerity to encourage
shared understanding and earn the support of our group.

These are some of the barriers of communcaition that makes the process of communcaiton really
tough and as a result of which the nature and the importance for which the communication has
been made , remains stand still , so we really need to work for them and try if not to scrapple it ,
we can atleast make the barrier low and decrease its quantum

Thus it can be deduced from the fact that barriers play a vital role and unless the barriers are not
worked upon the communication process cannot take place effectively . The next chapter of mine
I would be focusing upon the fact of principle of effective business writing
Chapter 7

Principles of effective Business Writing

Business Writing is a type of written communication, usually with standard structure and style.
According to the Capella University, it addresses the needs of specific audiences and has prose and lists
for a particular topic that concerns business.
1. Stay Focused
First off, you need to adjust the scope and scale of your writing to influence thebehaviour of your readers.
This is the first step towards sharpening the focus of your writing.
Scope - adjust the breadth (restricting yourself to the subject matter) and depth (level of detail
included) of your material.

Scale - length of your writing. The larger your scale, the higher the need to plan your writing.

Behaviour - action or inaction of your reader after reading your material.

2. Identify your Purpose


Next is to identify the purpose of your writing and connect it to your readers expectations. Avoid
buzzwords and simply use a purpose analysis model (usually sieved from questions asked when taking
your initial brief) to gather your thoughts in 3 simple ways:
Identify your personal values and ambitions

Identify your readers' expectations

Find areas of overlap, emphasise recurring commonalities and address all discrepancies.

3. Explain your Meaning


Always explain the meaning of whatever you write, whilst making sure readers can also relate!! :0)
For example, answering the question what does A mean to B in a business stakeholders' communication
is a simple, yet effective way of connecting with your readers. If you are looking for a simple way to put
this into writing, use the [Statement], meaning [consequence] format. Simple illustrations include:
We are facing stiffer competition in our market, meaning we need to develop new products

This logistics team achieved its set targets, meaning team members have earned a bonus.

4. Substantiate, substantiate, substantiate!!!


Your writing will gain credibility when it is substantiated with facts. Always make sure to verify
your factual statements before 'publishing'. ;0)

My approach will be to use focus as the lead principle. This will guide you when building a text
from scratch. Once the main structure of the text has been prepared, your substantiating details
can then be added.

5. Always build a Structure


Three useful indicators include the use of sequence, consistency and balance to build a structure that
guides the reader though your text
Sequence - order in which your writing unfolds;

Consistency - using the same style and the same words when referring to the same object;

Balance - your sentence or paragraph must be long enough to maintain a readers' interest but not
too long. Consider sentences that are around 2 to 3 lines and paragraphs that hover around 6 to 10
lines.

6. Provide enough writing Clarity


Ensuring clarity when you're writing is presenting your piece so that the readers thinking revolves around
a compelling idea.
Total clarity is therefore achieved during editing, since this is where you create a distance between
yourself and the material; i.e. reviewing and re-writing it. This puts your writing into perspective and
allows proper evaluation of the pros and cons of your work, a definite litmus test to check whether the
initial five principles are self-evident.

7. Remain Humble!!!
Be humble while writing and editing, and always critically judge your work first. Though this has no
effect on how good the technicality of your work is, the truth is that most people are sick of reading
anything that has an arrogant or condescendingtinge to it. A tinge you definitely want to avoid if your
thoughts are to be heard via your writing

This was something about the various aspects of principle of effective business writing and if
followed with deveotion , we can really make ourslef expert at it and make the communication ,
even better

Writing involves lots of patience and lots of zeal to it with full concentration and hard work , if
the rules or the principles are followed with ease , I am sure the process of communication ,
whether of national or with international , would never stop
UNIT 2: Work Team Communication

COMMUNICATION IN WORK TEAM


GROUP COMMUNICATION
INITIAL GROUP GOALS
SOLVING GROUP PROBLEM
NEGOTIATION AND CONFLICT
GROUP DECISION MAKING
LISTENING SKILLS
Chapter 1
Communication in work team
Teamwork offers advantages such as increased productivity, a heightened sense of morale and
improved staff efficiency. One of the key elements in creating a good team is proper
communication. To develop effective team communication, you need to understand how
communication affects teamwork positively and negatively. That understanding will help you to
promote good communication habits. When communication channels in a team are properly
established and information flows easily between teammates, then that increases the ability of
staff members to interact, according to the Management Skills Advisor website. Team members
learn how to interact more efficiently with each other to perform their job duties, and they are
better able to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each teammate.

The team work cycle highlights the need for different personalities. Some people are better
at generating ideas, some at evaluating ideas, some at making decisions and others at
execution (implementation). If everyone on the team were the same, then some parts of the team
work cycle would be left out.

Most team issues are due to a lack of effective communication resulting in people becoming
aggressive creating conflict or becoming passive and de-motivated. The key self-leadership skill
for team members is therefore assertive communication.
Communication occurs when those involve have shared meaning and understanding. Since we
dont know what something means to someone unless we ask, communication involves asking
questions and getting clarification. It also means speaking up (assertive) so that others know your
meanings and understandings about what and how things should be done.

Assertive team communication has been made more complex in the virtual world where we dont
have non-verbal cues and we have to factor in cultural differences in speech styles and meanings.

In my experience, what remains a constant for high performing teams is that the following things
are communicated and understood by all.

1. Vision How this work/project is important to the company and the team members.
2. Group Identity That we are all on the same team and all benefit from the success of the
work.
3. Role Clarity That we each have a role to play and that role is clearly defined.
4. Trust We are all different but we can trust each other to do the work to the best of our
abilities.
5. Recognition Each of us will do our best for the team and appreciate others for doing the
same.
6. Communication We will both listen to others and speak up as appropriate so that
everyone shares an understanding of what is possible at each stage of the work cycle.
7. Celebration We will celebrate together with each milestone we reach.

Team communication skills are critical for ensuring the success of the team effort, whether the
team is charged with creating a new product, making a process improvement, or planning the
summer picnic. Strong team communication skills can help build relationships, ensure the
sharing of new ideas and best practices, and benefit team members through coaching and
counseling.

Effective teams need to work well together and that team cohesiveness depends on building
strong relationships among team members. Communication is critical and is driven by the team
leader who will work with the team to establish ground rules and work to bring the team together
so that it can accomplish its goals. All teams will go through expected stages of development,
from forming to storming to "norming," and eventually, performing, according to business
consultant Bruce Tuckman. Navigating through these stages effectively will help teams build

Effective team communication can lead to both personal and professional development. Team
leaders will be influenced by the coaching and counseling skills of the team leader and, when the
team leader is a positive role model, these insights can help employees improve their own
communication skills. Strong team communication skills can also help team members learn how
to manage conflict in positive ways, an important professional development skill, says Grensing-
Pophal. "Too often, we can have a tendency to avoid conflict," she says. "By learning to respond
to conflict in positive ways, both employees and companies can benefit."

Hence this was something about communication at work team , frankly speaking if you owe a
team and are not properly communicative to them , chances are that your team may fall out and
making your purpose fail , so to bind and make up for your sustainability , you must have proper
knowledge and way of communication.

In the next chapter we would be making our understanding upon the fact of Group
communication and its basics
As it is very much clear form the cartoon itself that a team wants you to be clear at your
communicational skills but to be so clear , you have to sense of urgency too so that you can be
communicative yet clear at your thoughts .
Chapter 2
Group Communication
Group communication is both a science and an art. Behavioral scientists and management theorists
have attempted to discern patterns in group communication and prescribe methods of increasing
communication effectiveness for years. Although the merging of diverse cultures around the world
makes this an ever-evolving topic, there are a number of elements that have been proven to
encourage effective group communication processes

Significance: Groups, or work teams, can accomplish great things in small and large businesses
alike. A group's overall effectiveness, however, hinges to a great extent on the effectiveness of
the participants' communication abilities. Without positive flows of communication,
misunderstandings can occur between groups, creating a fractious work environment. Without
clear communication between group leaders and workers, productivity can slow as workers
struggle to understand their specific job functions. Communication styles can vary according to
group dynamics. Geographically dispersed groups connected via the Internet, for example, are
likely to communicate much differently than individuals who work in the same room with each
other every day. Whatever the setting, the way groups communicate in your company can
directly influence the success of your strategic goals.
Company Culture: Instilling a culture of openness, honesty and trust among co-workers is vital
to effective group communication. All group participants must feel that they are free to
contribute to the best of their ability without the fear of rejection, insult or political
repercussions. Groups must be able to pool their intellectual resources to reach their full
effectiveness, and that can only be accomplished when all members are ready and able to tackle
new challenges in innovative ways.
Respect for Individuals Individual respect is key to effective group communication. Clear
hierarchical boundaries in meetings can stifle ideas and insights from lower-ranking employees.
Every individual must truly believe that their input will be valued and considered, without undue
clout given to the input of managers and executives. This kind of respect for group members'
individuality cannot come to fruition through formal policies; executives and managers must lead
by example in this area by first encouraging employees to contribute in meetings, then
recognizing and considering input from all participants.
Business Etiquette Adhering to a common code of etiquette in workplace groups can help
communication processes to remain productive and collaborative by reducing distractions and
feelings of resentment. If all group members dress professionally, speak courteously, avoid
divisive, irrelevant topics of conversation and generally avoid causing offense to other group
members, a team can find it easier to mesh and form a cohesive unit. A lack of attention to
etiquette, on the other hand, can create divisions while encouraging gossip and feelings of
resentment, all of which can present serious impediments to effective communication.
Theories A number of theories attempt to analyze and explain the dynamics of group
communication and the elements that determine its effectiveness. One such theory is the
Decision Emergence Theory set forth by Aubrey Fisher. Decision Emergence asserts that new
groups progress through four stages that lead the group from a diverse collection of individuals
to a productive unit with shared experiences, decision methods, work ethic and values. The
Structuration Theory suggests that individuals in new groups act according to a pre-
acknowledged set of rules, then alter those rules over time based on the group's unique
experiences

This is not exactly the way group communication is being made , to make the clear
understanding I would be narration the essential s and the group communication , in few more
detail points
Group communication applies to groups containing between three and 20 people.
Communication between two people is a dialog, and larger groups are unable to use group
communication effectively. Quality group communication involves a facilitator and group
members with a sense of belonging, common goals and mutual respect. Both verbal and
nonverbal communication are components of group communication.

Successful group communication is essential in a business environment. Many variables come


into play, starting with the seating arrangement. A circular seating arrangement allows all group
members to make eye contact and interact with all other members. This forms the foundation for
a web network style of communication, with all group members sharing ideas with each other.
Sociologists find this type of group communication arrangement to be the most effective for
generating ideas, making decisions and solving problems.

When the primary purpose of a group is to share information, an alternate arrangement is


preferable. This form of group communication starts with a seating arrangement that emphasizes
the group leader: for example a long table with the leader at one end. The leader presents
information, and group members give feedback.

This is something about the aspects of group communication , in the next chapter we would be
discussing on the topic of Initial Group goals though it is a part of group communication only I
have explained it in detail in the next chapter to bring out the clear meaning to it
In a group communication the most important and an essential aspect is that of talking and
listening equally at the same time to bring out the essence of group communication , to be
precise if we want theta the group communication should take place effiencintly we ought to
have these basic traits .
Chapter 3
Initial Group goals
The relationship between group goals and individual goals influences group performance; when
goals are compatible there is a positive effect, but when goals are incompatible the effects can be
detrimental to the group's performance. There is another factor at work in groups, and that is the
sharing factor; a positive correlation exists between sharing information within the group and
group performance. In the case of group goals, feedback needs to be related to the group, not
individuals, in order for it to improve the group's performance.

Goals help define your organization, give direction and avoid chaos. Goals can help motivate
members by communicating what the organization is striving for as well as providing a basis of
recognizing accomplishments and successes. Organizations that set goals are more effective in
recruiting members.There are three levels of defining your organization's priorities:

1. Purpose or Mission is a broad, general statement that tells why your organization exists:
usually doesn't change from year to year and is often the first statement in your
constitution.

2. Goals are statements describing what your organization wishes to accomplish, stemming
from your purpose or mission. Goals are the ends toward which your efforts will be
directed and often change from term to term or year to year, depending on the nature of
the group.

3. Objectives are descriptions of exactly what is to be done, derived from the goals; clear
specific statements of measurable tasks that will be accomplished as steps toward
reaching your goals. They are short term and have deadlines. Be realistic! Shoot high, but
realize the implications
Four Stages of Group Facilitation (Brooks-Harris & Stock-Ward, 1999)

Brooks-Harris and Stock-Ward (1999) described four stages of group used in workshops, based
on Kolbs (1984) theory of experiential learning. They focused upon what are those things
which are required in the initial stages of group .

Engaging Workshop Participants in Active Learning emphasizes concrete experience


and reflective observation; corresponds to the needs of imaginative learners.

Informing the Group with Relevant Knowledge encourages reflective observation and
abstract conceptualization; corresponds to the needs of analytic learners.

Involving the Group in Interactive Participation emphasizes abstract conceptualization


and active experimentation; corresponds to the needs of common sense learners.

Planning for Future Application encourages active experimentation and concrete


experience; corresponds to the needs of dynamic learners.

Stages of Group Development (Tuckman, 1965)

Bruce Tuckman (1965) originally described four stages of group development that describe both
interpersonal relationships and task activities. These stages in order of development are:

Forming: The group comes together for the first time or re-forms in a new way.
Interpersonal relationships are characterized by testing and dependence and the discovery
of which interpersonal behaviors are acceptable in a group setting.

Storming: Intra-group conflict as members resist the formation of group structure and
attempt to express their individuality. Members may react emotionally to the group and resist
demands placed on individuals.

Norming: Resolution of group conflicts that lead to the development of group cohesion.
Having learned during the storming stage, norming is characterized by mutual acceptance
and a sense of harmony.

Performing: The group becomes a problem-solving instrument. Members have learned


how to work together to accomplish group goals. Individuals have found ways to play to their
strengths and to complement the efforts of others.
Let us now get into the details of initial Group Goals , which goes as under :

1. Facilitate member introductions

2. Clarify purpose and function: worker, members, and sponsoring organization

3. Confidentiality

4. Help members feel they are a part of the group

5. Guiding the development of the group

6. Task and socioemotional focus

7. Goal setting in group work

8. Contracting

9. Facilitating members motivation

10. Address ambivalence and resistance

11. Anticipating obstacles to achieving individual and group goals

12. Monitor and evaluated the group as the change process begins

This was something about the aspects of initial group goals, basically speaking the goals of the
groups, in particularly should be predefined to make the objectives of the company fully
accomplished

only then the company will be able to flourish, in the nect


chapter , we would be focusing on the aspects of solving group problems and as to how we can
work upon it .
Chapter 4
Solving Group problems

Talking about the group problem , we can lay emphasis upon the facts , that in a group there lies
something peculiar about the problem , and just in case you are required to make the
communication smooth and free flowing you are required to solve the group problem , to attain
the goal or the objectives of a group , here in this chapter we would be focusing upon the aspect
of how to solve a problem that arise in the group :

DEFINE THE PROBLEM When problem solving, many groups observe a common practice.
They think in reverse. Before identifying the problem or knowing the facts about the problem,
they propose solutions. If luck is with them, a satisfactory solution might result, but these short
cuts usually do not work. The problem reappears and continues to plague the group. A more
sensible approach to problem solving is to begin by determining what the problem is. Usually a
group undertakes problem solving because of a felt difficulty. The members perceive a
perplexing situation and realize it has to be dealt with. What group members ordinarily perceive
are the effects of the situation, the signs or symptoms of a possible problem, not the problem
itself. They have to ferret out the problem before they can treat it satisfactorily. To identify a
problem, answers to questions like the following are helpful:

A. What is the situation in which the problem is occurring?


B. What in general is the difficulty?
C. How did the difficulty arise?
D. What is its importance?
E. What are the meanings of any terms that require clarification?

By obtaining the answers to these questions, a group can more ably determine what the problem
really is. Once you have defined the problem you need to frame the problem as a question.
Questions should be:

1. open to alternative answers; not yes/no (closed) questions


2. clearly written; and avoid vague terms.
3. unbiased; it cannot imply that a certain decision has to be reached.
4. concise; not to wordy
5. a question of policy; it asks what action should be taken. -What should be
MCCs policy towards high impact aerobics? -How can we promote low
impact aerobics at MCC? -What can be done about the shortage of low
impact aerobics classes at MCC?

ANALYZE THE PROBLEM After the group has agreed on what the problem is, then next step
is to analyze it, particularly its causes and effects. In doing this the group must try to avoid
letting opinions take priority over facts. The question What are the facts? must be foremost in
the members minds. Answers to these questions are helpful in locating the facts:

A. What effects indicate that a problem exists?


B. How serious are the effects?
C. What is causing the problem?
D. Are the causes inherent in the problem situation?
E. Have previous attempts been made to solve the problem? Most problems
have multiple causes that we should identify, so we can uncover a workable
solution.
ESTABLISH CRITERIA FOR SOLUTIONS After your group has analyzed the problem, you
must now establish criteria to guide you in your quest for solutions. These solutions, preferably,
will solve the problem, and will not cause other problems to develop and make conditions worse
than they are already. For example in the case of a stomach ache, the doctor discovers that the
patient has a kidney infection. One solution is to take out the kidney, but that solution might
cause more serious problems than the patient has at present. A less drastic solution may be more
appropriate, perhaps a program of medication.

GENERATING POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM Having determined the


criteria, the group can now propose solutions to the problem. Rather than accepting the first one
proposed, the members should try to think of many ways to solve the problem. To create a list of
possible solutions, the group might use brainstorming, a technique designed to bring forth many
ideas. Three rules govern its use:

(1) ideas are to be expressed freely; as an idea comes to mind, it is to be


expressed without evaluation by anyone;
(2) all ideas, wild or otherwise, are welcome;
(3) as many ideas as possible are voiced; quantity is the goal. When the group
runs out of ideas, it evaluates those resulting from the brainstorming.

SELECT THE BEST SOLUTION In this step the group chooses the solution that seems to meet
the criteria better than any other. As a means of accomplishing this end, these questions are
helpful:

A. What is the exact nature of each solution?


B. How would it correct the problem?
C. How well would it remedy the problem?
D. How well does it satisfy the criteria?
E. Would a combination of solutions be best? Determining which of the
proposed solutions is best is a decision-making process. A decision implies
that agreement to do something prevails among the group members, and the
something that is agreed to is a choice among different alternatives. Decisions
can be made in many ways. Here six common methods:
1. Group consensus - all members come to an agreement.
2. Majority vote - decision of the majority is accepted.
3. Minority process - committee, board of directors makes decision for all.
4. Averaging individual opinions - members mail or phone in their opinions;
majority wins.
5. Expert decision - authority on subject makes decision and group accepts it.
6. Decision by authority - after group discusses, leader decides.

IMPLEMENT THE SOLUTION! The finale step involves deciding how to put the solution into
effect. This step has much value. First, in deciding how to execute a solution, the group may
uncover possible weaknesses. What often sounds like a good decision might prove to be
inoperable. The members find this out when they try to institute a plan of action. If the solution is
unworkable, it can be abandoned in favor of one that is more likely to work. You dont have to
solve any problems as a group or actually implement your solutions, however, you could and that
would bring your group Extra Credit.

EXTRA CREDIT Your group may go beyond just talking about a solution. It can do something
to carry out the solution. The adages Talk is cheap, Actions speak louder than words, and
put your money where your mouth is apply here. This is where the extra credit for our group
work is available. How exactly can you implement your plan? If you take this project a step
further and actually implement your plan you will receive extra credit, not to mention the deed
you do for yourselves and others. An example may be a letter sent to the person or persons that
can begin to implement your solution(s). Another example may be a petition to get the ball
rolling towards your solution. The intent here is to see your project through

No the big question lies what do and how are the problems been created , this would be further
dealt in the upcoming chapters where we actually deal with the aspect of two most important
things , Conflict & Negotiation
Solving a group problem is as easy as shown in this picture , but only if we follow the right
procedure at right time, as told in the chapter
Chapter 5
Negotiations & Conflict
As we have dealt in the previous chapter, about what should be the concept of solving group
problem, in this we would be focusing upon the aspects of what to solve and how to solve, that is
Conflict & Management . Before we get into the detail aspect let us see as to why the conflict
arises with a help of a diagram

Conflict refers to some form of friction, disagreement, or discord arising within a group when the
beliefs or actions of one or more members of the group are either resisted by or unacceptable to
one or more members of another group. Conflict can arise between members of the same group,
known as intragroup conflict, or it can occur between members of two or more groups, and involve
violence, interpersonal discord, and psychological tension, known as intergroup conflict. Conflict
in groups often follows a specific course.Routine group interaction is first disrupted by an initial
conflict, often caused by differences of opinion, disagreements between members, or scarcity of
resources. At this point, the group is no longer united, and may split into coalitions. This period
of conflict escalation in some cases gives way to a conflict resolution stage, after which the group
can eventually return to routine group interaction once again
Roy Eidelson and Judy Eidelson (2003) investigated some of the important roles that beliefs may
play in triggering or constraining conflict between groups. On the basis of a review of relevant
literature, five belief domains stand out as especially noteworthy: Superiority, injustice,
vulnerability, distrust and helplessness.

1. Superiority

Individual-level core belief: This core belief revolves around a person's enduring conviction that
he or she is better than other people in important ways. The cluster of attitudes commonly
associated with this belief includes a sense of specialness, deserving ness, and entitlement.

Group-level worldview: Many of these elements are also present in the superiority worldview at
the group level. This worldview encompasses shared convictions of moral superiority, closeness,
entitlement and special destiny. Several joint working committees of the American Psychological
Association have identified "belief in the superiority of one group's cultural heritage (history,
values, language, traditions, arts and crafts, etc.) over another's as a defining characteristic of the
phenomenon they termed ethnocentric monoculturalism.

2. Injustice

Individual-level core belief: The perceived mistreatment by specific others or by the world at
large. This mindset can lead the individual to identify something as unfair which is merely
unfortunate, and thereby to inappropriately engage in retaliatory acts.

Group-level worldview: The injustice worldview reflects the in-groups conviction that it has
significant and legitimate grievances against another group. This mindset can mobilize powerful
and violent collective insurgencies, especially because shared perceptions of injustice typically
heighten the identification and allegiance that individuals feel towards their group. Further, these
assessments of mistreatment are particularly common across cultural divides because different
cultures tend to have different definitions for what constitutes justice, and different norms for how
it should be achieved.

3. Vulnerability

Individual-level core belief: The vulnerability core belief revolves around a person's conviction
that he or she s perpetually living in harm's way. Vulnerability involves a person's perception of
him or herself as subject to internal or external dangers over which control is lacking, or is
insufficient to afford him or her a sense of safety.

Group-level worldview: Important parallels to this individual-level core belief are present in a
collective vulnerability worldview that again appears to be widespread among ethnic groups. Fears
about the future are the most common cause of ethnic conflicts and often produce spiralling
violence. The vulnerability worldview is catastrophic thinking in which a group's imagined worst
case scenarios take on the inexorable logic of inevitability.

4. Distrust

Individual-level core belief: This core belief focuses on the presumed hostility and malign intent
of others. The critical role played by issues of trust in individual psychological development has
long been recognized. The expectation that others will hurt, abuse, humiliate, cheat, lie, or take
advantage usually involves the perception that harm is intentional or the result of unjustified and
extreme negligence. People who consistently assume the worst about the intentions of others
prevent truly collaborative relationships from developing.

Group-level worldview: As an extension of this individual-level core belief to larger groups. the
distrust worldview focuses specifically on perceptions of outgroups and revolves around beliefs
that the other is untrustworthy and harbors malign intentions toward the in-group.

5. Helplessness

Individual-level core belief: The conviction that even carefully planned and executed actions will
fail to produce desired outcomes. In some cases, the individual may perceive him or herself as
lacking the ability necessary to attain a goal. Regardless of the extent to which helplessness is a
matter of distorted perception or objective reality, this core belief tends to be self-perpetuating
because it diminishes motivation.

Group-level worldview: The helplessness worldview describes a collective mindset of


powerlessness and dependency. The extent to which a group perceives itself as helpless reflects
assessments not only of its capabilities, but also of whether the environment is rich or poor in
opportunities for group advancement.

This was something about the term Conflict and as to what leads to its emergence & now let us
have a look at what is the term negotiation , that would be solving the aspect of conflict
Negotiation is a dialogue between two or more people or parties intended to reach a beneficial
outcome.

This beneficial outcome can be for all of the parties involved, or just for one or some of them, in
situations in which a good outcome for one/some, excludes the possibility of a desired result for
the other/others.

It is aimed to resolve points of difference, to gain advantage for an individual or collective, or to


craft outcomes to satisfy various interests.[1] It is often conducted by putting forward a position
and making small concessions to achieve an agreement. The degree to which the negotiating
parties trust each other to implement the negotiated solution is a major factor in determining
whether negotiations are successful. Negotiation is not a zero-sum game; if there is no
compromise, the negotiations have failed. When negotiations are at an impasse it is essential that
both the parties acknowledge the difficulties, and agree to work towards a solution at a later date.[2]

Negotiation occurs in business, non-profit organizations, government branches, legal proceedings,


among nations, and in personal situations such as marriage, divorce, parenting, and everyday life.
The study of the subject is called negotiation theory. Professional negotiators are often specialized,
such as union negotiators, leverage buyout negotiators, peace negotiators, hostage negotiators, or
may work under other titles, such as diplomats, legislators or brokers

In order to achieve a desirable outcome, it may be useful to follow a structured approach to


negotiation. For example, in a work situation a meeting may need to be arranged in which all
parties involved can come together.
The process of negotiation includes the following stages:
1. Preparation

2. Discussion

3. Clarification of goals

4. Negotiate towards a Win-Win outcome

5. Agreement

6. Implementation of a course of action

1. Preparation Before any negotiation takes place, a decision needs to be taken as to when
and where a meeting will take place to discuss the problem and who will attend. Setting a
limited time-scale can also be helpful to prevent the disagreement continuing.
This stage involves ensuring all the pertinent facts of the situation are known in order to clarify your own
position. In the work example above, this would include knowing the rules of your organisation, to whom
help is given, when help is not felt appropriate and the grounds for such refusals. Your organisation may well
have policies to which you can refer in preparation for the negotiation.

Undertaking preparation before discussing the disagreement will help to avoid further conflict and
unnecessarily wasting time during the meeting.
2. Discussion During this stage, individuals or members of each side put forward the case as they
see it, i.e. their understanding of the situation.
Key skills during this stage include questioning, listening and clarifying.
Sometimes it is helpful to take notes during the discussion stage to record all points put forward
in case there is need for further clarification. It is extremely important to listen, as when
disagreement takes place it is easy to make the mistake of saying too much and listening too
little. Each side should have an equal opportunity to present their case

3. Clarifying Goals From the discussion, the goals, interests and viewpoints of both sides of the
disagreement need to be clarified.
It is helpful to list these factors in order of priority. Through this clarification it is often possible
to identify or establish some common ground. Clarification is an essential part of the negotiation
process, without it misunderstandings are likely to occur which may cause problems and barriers
to reaching a beneficial outcome.

4. Negotiate Towards a Win-Win Outcome This stage focuses on what is termed a 'win-win'
outcome where both sides feel they have gained something positive through the process of
negotiation and both sides feel their point of view has been taken into consideration.
A win-win outcome is usually the best result. Although this may not always be possible, through
negotiation, it should be the ultimate goal.
Suggestions of alternative strategies and compromises need to be considered at this
point. Compromises are often positive alternatives which can often achieve greater benefit for
all concerned compared to holding to the original positions

5. Agreement Agreement can be achieved once understanding of both sides viewpoints and
interests have been considered.
It is essential to for everybody involved to keep an open mind in order to achieve an acceptable
solution. Any agreement needs to be made perfectly clear so that both sides know what has been
decided.
6. Implementing a Course of Action From the agreement, a course of action has to be
implemented to carry through the decision.
This is how the process of negotiation takes place , basically this is an art and very few of us are
at masters in it , therefore we are required to negotiate but with very ease. In the upcoming chapter
let us see and have a look at Group decision making i.e. how the entire process takes place and
that too in detail.
Basically the conflict arises due to the personal treachery and some foul plays at the meeting or in
the group , but we need to be really humane during the process of conflict
Chapter 6
Group decision making

GROUP DECISON MAKING :


Group decision-making (also known as collaborative decision-making) is a situation faced
when individuals collectively make a choice from the alternatives before them. The decision is then no
longer attributable to any single individual who is a member of the group. This is because all the
individuals and social group processes such as social influence contribute to the outcome. The decisions
made by groups are often different from those made by individuals. Group polarization is one clear
example: groups tend to make decisions that are more extreme than those of its individual members, in
the direction of the individual inclinations.[1]
There is much debate as to whether this difference results in decisions that are better or worse. According
to the idea of synergy, decisions made collectively tend to be more effective than decisions made by a
single individual. However, there are also examples where the decisions made by a group are flawed,
such as the Bay of Pigs invasion, the incident on which the groupthink model of group decision-making is
based.[2]
Factors that impact other social group behaviours also affect group decisions. For example, groups high
in cohesion, in combination with other antecedent conditions (e.g. ideological homogeneity and insulation
from dissenting opinions) have been noted to have a negative effect on group decision-making and hence
on group effectiveness.[2] Moreover, when individuals make decisions as part of a group, there is a
tendency to exhibit a bias towards discussing shared information (i.e. shared information bias), as
opposed to unshared information.
GROUP DECISION MAKING PROCESS :
Having an effective group decision making process can be a major source of productivity improvement
for your organization. Some surveys show that nearly 50% of participants consider unfocused projects
and meetings as the primary source of lost time and workday productivity. Many of these meetings
support group decision making activities. Any improvement in the group decision making process
increases value generated from a decision while simultaneously improving organizational productivity.
The first choice - What participation level is needed?
When starting to make a decision, an initial choice should be made regarding the level of collaborative
decision making that is needed. This helps determine what is required from the leader and participants to
meet decision success criteria, while guiding participation level to achieve commitment to the decision
implementation. Additional factors that will influence this choice include the value of the decision,
complexity, available time, number of solution alternatives, and level of understanding required for
needs/desires.
The Vroom-Yetton-Jago decision tree can also help in choosing the level of involvement with simple
responses to eight questions.
Selecting the Process
With participation level determined, a group decision making process should be used to manage the
activities and discussions that will generate the decision outcome. The process should:
plan the decision making which includes defining the success factors or criteria for the decision;

identify and generate decision alternatives;

make the decision by selecting the best alternative and;

manage the decision implementation.

See our decision making process for more information and detail.
Facilitating group decision making activities and discussions
When dealing with larger groups, an effective group decision making process will address how group
interactions will be managed and facilitated. This should be addressed in initial planning to ensure that the
benefits of group contribution and coordination can be gained at all appropriate steps in the decision
making process. Good facilitation can avoid inadequate exchange of relevant information and process
losses that are characterized by the meeting surveys mentioned in the opening paragraph.
Group facilitation or coordination should aim to:
Motivate people to perform joint work

Provide goal clarity

Structure group discussions and provide explicit


coordination where mechanisms are clearly and
intentionally described to eliminate any
misunderstanding in intention

Supply information to establish common understanding (such as definition of key terms) and
promote appropriate sharing

Provide mechanisms for information storage, retrieval, sharing, summarization and repetition

Establish the communication channels needed to satisfy task complexity needs

Offer methods for reconciliation of conflicting information and the meaning of shared
information

Address social needs for interaction rules (such as equal treatment) and facilitating non-
conflicting personal goals

Promote objectivity, equal participation, and consensus while meeting objectives


Intervene in crises, maintain order, and resolve emotional conflicts

Optimize integration of knowledge, opinions and preferences into the collective group decision.

Make the decision and meet decision making process performance objectives to achieve required
decision quality

Various facilitation approaches have been adapted to the group decision making process with
different advantages and disadvantages. Examples include the Nominal Group Technique, the Delphi
method, Six Thinking Hats (a parallel thinking process), and the stepladder technique. An important
approach for avoiding groupthink captures minority positions, helping to avoid decision making biases,
and potentially leading to a different way forward. In addition, many problem decomposition approaches
and project management methods have been integrated with individual decision making techniques to
address team decision making.
Choosing the group decision making method
In executing the process, it will be necessary to determine the method to be used to combine individual
responses and generate specific outcomes. Group decision making methods generally fall into these major
approaches:
Consultation with a single decision maker - The decision group is consulted for information
and advice but one person consolidates and makes the final choice.

Group averaging - The decision is derived from some form of averaging of independent
individual selections.

Voting - A selection is made based on achieving an


agreed portion of votes from the group. Multiple rules
exist that include majority, super majority (60%, two-
thirds), or highest number of votes (winner takes all),
and often rules can consider establishing minimum
participation for validity.

Consensus - A majority agrees and no one objects.

Unanimous - All must agree.

There is an amazing amount of research devoted to understanding these various methods, and the group
decision making process will be more efficient when specific methods are selected during decision
planning using the participation level choice described above.
Tools to support the group decision making process
Software tools can provide significant support for the process by addressing many of the needs identified
above. Group decision making techniques are facilitated in many tools, and often incorporate methods for
combining individual responses into proven decision making techniques such as Multiple Criteria
Decision Analysis (MCDA).
For large groups, complexity in managing communications and tasks can be facilitated with project
management tools currently in use within the organization. Once the group decision making process has
been defined for the specific decision, look for a tool or tools that will address specific needs for:
Determining participation level;

Facilitating group communication;

Sharing information;

Combining group input;

Managing tasks;

Applying the agreed decision making technique or techniques;

Recording decision information and;

Providing needed reports.

Decisions of high value, complexity, and uncertainty may also benefit from expert facilitation,
particularly if there is the expectation of high emotions and conflict in motivation

This was something about the aspects of group decision making process let us now have a look
at the last aspect in the work team communication and that is off Listening skills which are of
utmost importance to make the group and perform to the best of understandability
The best way to make a decision is to make it unanimously so that the process is understood at
once , but be careful of what is the decision .
Chapter 7
Listening Skills

We were given two ears but only one mouth, because listening is twice as hard as talking."
Expressing our wants, feelings, thoughts and opinions clearly and effectively is only half of the
communication process needed for interpersonal effectiveness. The other half is listening and
understanding what others communicate to us. When a person decides to communicate with
another person, he/she does so to fulfill a need.
When the other person receives the coded message, they go through the process of decoding or
interpreting it into understanding and meaning. Effective communication exists between two people when
the receiver interprets and understands the senders message in the same way the sender intended it.
While the process of communication is going on it is both the speaker and the listener that they both have
to suffer with a problem sort and that is as follows :
Sources of Difficulty by the Speaker
Voice volume too low to be heard.
Making the message too complex, either by including too many unnecessary details or too many issues.
Getting lost, forgetting your point or the purpose of the interaction.

Paying too much attention to how the other person is taking the message, or how the person might react.
Using a very unique code or unconventional method for delivering the message.
Sources of Difficulty by the Listener
Being preoccupied and not listening.

Formulating and listening to your own rebuttal to what the speaker is saying.
Listening to your own personal beliefs about what is being said.
Evaluating and making judgments about the speaker or the message.
Not asking for clarification when you know that you do not understand.
The Three Basic Listening Modes
1. Competitive or Combative Listening happens when we are more interested in promoting our
own point of view than in understanding or exploring someone elses view. We either listen for
openings to take the floor, or for flaws or weak points we can attack. As we pretend to pay
attention we are impatiently waiting for an opening, or internally formulating our rebuttal and
planning our devastating comeback that will destroy their argument and make us the victor.

2. In Passive or Attentive Listening we are genuinely interested in hearing and understanding the
other persons point of view. We are attentive and passively listen. We assume that we heard and
understand correctly. but stay passive and do not verify it.

3. Active or Reflective Listening is the single most useful and important listening skill. In active
listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the other person is thinking,
feeling, wanting or what the message means, and we are active in checking out our understanding
before we respond with our own new message. We restate or paraphrase our understanding of
their message and reflect it back to the sender for verification. This verification or feedback
process is what distinguishes active listening and makes it effective.

Let us look at the other aspects of listening also:


Process of listening : Listening is really a act which involves lots of patience let us have a loo as to what
are the process of listening involve :
1. HEARING - it refers to the response caused by sound waves stimulating the sensory receptors of
the ear; it is physical response; hearing is perception of sound waves; you must hear to listen, but
you need not listen to hear (perception necessary for listening depends on attention

2. ATTENTION- brain screens stimuli and permits only a select few to come into focus- these
selective perception is known as attention, an important requirement for effective
listening; strong stimuli like bright lights, sudden noiseare attention getters; attention to more
commonplace or less striking stimuli requires special effort; postural adjustments are aided by
physical changes in sensory receptor organs; receptor adjustments might include tensing of the
ears tympanic muscle for better response to weak sounds

3. UNDERSTANDING- to understand symbols we have seen and heard, we must analyze the
meaning of the stimuli we have perceived; symbolic stimuli are not only words but also sounds
like applause and sights like blue uniformthat have symbolic meanings as well; the meanings
attached to these symbols are a function of our past associations and of the context in which the
symbols occur; for successful interpersonal communication, the listener must understand the
intended meaning and the context assumed by the sender.

4. REMEMBERING- it is important listening process because it means that an individual has not
only received and interpreted a message but has also added it to the minds storage bank; but just
as our attention is selective, so too is our memory- what is remembered may be quite different
from what was originally seen or heard.

5. EVALUATING- it is a stage in which active listeners participate; it is at these point that the
active listener weighs evidence, sorts fact from opinion, and determines the presence or absence
of bias or prejudice in a message; the effective listener makes sure that he or she doesnt begin
this activity too soon ; beginning this stage of the process before a message is completed requires
that we no longer hear and attend to the incoming message-as a result, the listening process
ceases

6. RESPONDING- this stage requires that the receiver complete the process through verbal and/or
nonverbal feedback; because the speaker has no other way to determine if a message has been
received, this stage becomes the only overt means by which the sender may determine the degree
of success in transmitting the message

This was all about the aspects of hearing in this chapter we came across something exceptionally great
that is to say to make a good group communication we ought to have a good listening ability to make the
process of feedback prompt.
Listening with great ease , specially when you must have to , to give the right kind of feedback .
UNIT 3: Technology and Communication:

ACCESSING ELECTRONIC INFORMATION


INTERNET, PROTOCOL, BROWSING AND SEARCHING THE
INTERNET
SHARING ELECTRONIC INFORMATION
WORD PROCESSING. E-MAIL: EFFECTIVE E-MAIL PRACTICES
CORRESPONDENCE PLANNING
DRAFTING, REVISING. REPLIES, ROUTINE CLAIM LETTERS,
ADJUSTMENT LETTER
GOODWILL MESSAGES, CONGRATULATING MESSAGES,
THANK-YOU NOTES, SYMPATHY NOTES. PERSUASIVE MESSAGES:
REQUEST
Chapter 1

ACCESSING ELECTRONIC INFORMATION


With the advent of new technology things particularly the communication has improved, The
Internet represents one of the most successful examples of the benefits of sustained investment and
commitment to research and development of information infrastructure. Beginning with the early research
in packet switching, the government, industry and academia have been partners in evolving and deploying
this exciting new technology. Today, terms like "bleiner@computer.org" and "http://www.acm.org" trip
lightly off the tongue of the random person on the strees

Electronic media have made research vastly easier; but remember that just because somethings
on the web doesnt make it true. A mistake in a family tree posted on-line can get copied and
repeated endlessly. So whenever possible, tie your research back to primary sources original
documents from within the lifetime of our ancestor

1. Using web browsers (for example, Google): If you have done a standard web browser
search for your ancestors name and come up with nothing relevant, dont be
discouraged: some of the best genealogical web sites do not link individual pages to
search engines such as Google, but expect you to come in the front door and then use
their own internal search engines. Also remember that spelling variations of an ancestors
name (Thomson vs. Thompson), plus variations in name order (Robert W. Smith vs.
Robert Walker Smith vs. Smith, Robert W.) can make Google searches inefficient.
But it doesnt hurt to do a standard web browser search, especially if you are researching
an unusual name, and you might get lucky.
2. Posting a query on a message board: If you are looking for information about a specific
ancestor, its a good idea to post a query to a bulletin board dedicated either to your
ancestors surname, or to the county where they lived, or one of each. (See the tip sheet
on Recommended Web Sites, but Genforum.Genealogy.com and Rootsweb.com are
especially good for this.) You will need to register with the site. You can decide whether
or not to make your e-mail address visible to other researchers. In your posted request, be
as detailed as possible.
3. Joining a mailing list: There may already be an e-mail list for the surname or other topic
you are interested in for example, the small town where your ancestors lived, their
religious group, and so on. (The site Rootsweb.com has an especially good range of lists.)
Subscribing or unsubscribing to a list is easy; and you will get an e-mail each time one of
the other subscribers sends out a new message on your topic.
4. E-mail communications: Some sites list the e-mail addresses of volunteer researchers
who are willing to provide information or do look-ups in obscure books they have copies
of. Be sure to show courtesy to these individuals. Genealogists are by nature generous
people, but some of them have spent years obsessively researching a particular subject,
and they can be a mite testy (you would, too) if they give this information away and dont
get a simple thank you.
5. Using computer database programs: There are a variety of computer database
programs on the market to help you organize and share your family tree data. The more
names you have in your files, the greater the advantages of using one of these. They let
you upload and download family trees from the web, print reports, and generate
relationship charts. Many (but not all) programs allow you to add photos and video; or
have features to help you build your own website. Some are more flexible than others in
allowing you to record non-traditional families, such as same-sex couples or children
born out of wedlock.
6. GEDCOM Files: Most programs use an underlying file format called GEDCOM, an
acronym for Genealogical Data Communication. This is a generic database format using
plain text to encode family relationships, designed to allow easy file sharing.
7. Programs for Windows: One of the best programs is free: Personal Ancestral File can
be downloaded from FamilySearch.org. The biggest seller is Family Tree Maker. But
there are dozens of other programs, so shop around. For Windows users, some of the
popular programs are Ancestral Quest, Roots Magic, Family Origins, Generations Family
Tree, and Legacy.
8. Programs for Mac: Some of the most popular are Family Tree Maker for Mac, Mac
Family Tree, and Reunion. Again, there are dozens of options.

Information access is an area of research at the intersection of Informatics, Information


Science, Information Security, Language Technology, Computer Science, and Library Science.
The objective of the various research efforts in information access is to simplify and make it more
effective for human users to access and further process large and unwieldy amounts of data
and information.

Several technologies applicable to the general area are Information Retrieval, Text
Mining, Machine Translation, and Text Categorization.

During discussions on free access to information as well as on information policy, information


access is understood as concerning the insurance of free and closed access to information.
Information access covers many issues including copyright, open source,privacy, and security.

Groups such as the American Library Association, the American Association of Law
Libraries, Ralph Nader's Taxpayers Assets Project have advocated for free access to legal
information. The vendor neutral citation movement in the legal field is working to ensure that
courts will accept citations from cases on the web which do not have the traditional (copyrighted)
page numbers from the West Publishing company. There is a worldwide Free Access to Law
Movement which advocates free access to legal information. The Wired Magazine Article Who
Owns The Law is an introduction to the access to legal information issue

Electronic information has gone to the apex and has lead the people to take and make their own
decision with the help of the relevant information at all levels of organization , this was something
about the aspects of accessing electronic information in the next chapter we will be going through
the aspects of Internet, Protocol, Browsing And Searching The Internet
Accessing of information is only relevant when you actually know the correct utilization of it.
Chapter 2
INTERNET, PROTOCOL, BROWSING AND SEARCHING THE
INTERNET

The Internet has revolutionized the computer and communications world like nothing before. The
invention of the telegraph, telephone, radio, and computer set the stage for this unprecedented
integration of capabilities. The Internet is at once a world-wide broadcasting capability, a
mechanism for information dissemination, and a medium for collaboration and interaction between
individuals and their computers without regard for geographic location. The Internet represents
one of the most successful examples of the benefits of sustained investment and commitment to
research and development of information infrastructure. Beginning with the early research in
packet switching, the government, industry and academia have been partners in evolving and
deploying this exciting new technology. Today, terms like "bleiner@computer.org" and
"http://www.acm.org" trip lightly off the tongue of the random person on the street. Let us have a
quick view at the timeline aspect of internet :
1. The history of the Internet begins with the development of electronic computers in the
1950s..
2. The US Department of Defense awarded contracts as early as the 1960s for packet network
systems, including the development of the ARPANET (which would become the first
network to use the Internet Protocol.)
3. Packet switching networks such as ARPANET, NPL network, CYCLADES, Merit
Network, Tymnet, and Telenet, were developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s using a
variety of communications protocols
4. Following, ARPANET further led to the development of protocols for internetworking, in
which multiple separate networks could be joined into a network of networks
5. In the 1980s, the work of Tim Berners-Lee in the United Kingdom, on the World Wide
Web, theorized the fact that protocols link hypertext documents into a working
system,[4] marking the beginning of the modern Internet
6. Access to the ARPANET was expanded in 1981 when the National Science
Foundation (NSF) funded the Computer Science Network (CSNET).
7. In 1982, the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) was introduced as the standard networking
protocol on the ARPANET
8. In 1986 with the NSFNET project, which also created network access to
the supercomputer sites in the United States from research and education organizations
9. Since the mid-1990s, the Internet has had a revolutionary impact on culture and commerce,
including the rise of near-instant communication by electronic mail, instant
messaging, voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone calls, two-way interactive video
calls, and the World Wide Web with its discussion forums, blogs, social networking,
and online shopping sites
10. in the year 1993, already 51% by 2000, and more than 97% of the telecommunicated
information by 2007
11. Today the Internet continues to grow, driven by ever greater amounts of online information,
commerce, entertainment, and social networking
INTERNET PROTOCOL: The Internet Protocol (IP) is the principal communications
protocol in the Internet protocol suite for relaying datagrams across network boundaries.
Its routing function enables internetworking, and essentially establishes the Internet.
IP has the task of delivering packets from the source host to the destination host solely based on
the IP addresses in the packet headers. For this purpose, IP defines packet structures
that encapsulate the data to be delivered. It also defines addressing methods that are used to label
the datagram with source and destination information.
Historically, IP was the connectionless datagram service in the original Transmission Control
Program introduced by Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn in 1974; the other being the connection-
oriented Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). The Internet protocol suite is therefore often
referred to as TCP/IP.
The first major version of IP, Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4), is the dominant protocol of the
Internet. Its successor is Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6)
The design of the Internet protocols is based on the end-to-end principle. The network
infrastructure is considered inherently unreliable at any single network element or transmission
medium and assumes that it is dynamic in terms of availability of links and nodes. No central
monitoring or performance measurement facility exists that tracks or maintains the state of the
network. For the benefit of reducing network complexity, the intelligence in the network is
purposely mostly located in the end nodes of data transmission. Routers in the transmission path
forward packets to the next known, directly reachable gateway matching the routing prefix for
the destination address.
As a consequence of this design, the Internet Protocol only provides best effort delivery and its
service is characterized as unreliable. In network architectural language, it is aconnectionless
protocol, in contrast to connection-oriented modes of transmission. Various error conditions may
occur, such as data corruption, packet loss, duplication and out-of-order delivery. Because
routing is dynamic, meaning every packet is treated independently, and because the network
maintains no state based on the path of prior packets, different packets may be routed to the same
destination via different paths, resulting in out-of-order sequencing at the receiver.
Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) provides safeguards to ensure that the IP packet header is
error-free. A routing node calculates a checksum for a packet. If the checksum is bad, the routing
node discards the packet. The routing node does not have to notify either end node, although
the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) allows such notification. By contrast, in order to
increase performance, and since current link layer technology is assumed to provide sufficient
error detection,[2] the IPv6 header has nochecksum to protect it.[3]
All error conditions in the network must be detected and compensated by the end nodes of a
transmission. The upper layer protocols of the Internet protocol suite are responsible for
resolving reliability issues. For example, a host may cache network data to ensure correct
ordering before the data is delivered to an application

BROWSING AND SEARCHING THE INTERNET : A browser is a program on your computer


that enables you to search ("surf") and retrieve information on the WorldWideWeb (WWW),
which is part of the Internet. The Web is simply a large number of computers linked together in
a global network, that can be accessed using an address (URL, Uniform Resource Locator,
e.g. http://www.veths.no for the Oslo Veterinary School), in the same way that you can phone
anyone in the world given their telephone number.
URLs are often long and therefore easy to type incorrectly. They all begin with http://, and
many (but not all) begin with http://www. In many cases the first part (http://, or even
http://www.) can be omitted, and you will still be able to access the page. Try this
with http://www.cnn.com.
URLs are constructed in a standard fashion. This may be of use to you. Take, for example,
the address of this page:

http://oslovet.veths.no/teaching/internet/basics.html

The ".no" indicates that the server is in Norway. The page you have accessed is called
basics.html, and it resides in a folder on the server called "internet", which is in the folder called
"teaching". If the URL that you type does not work, and you have typed it correctly (no
mistakes are allowed!), the reason may be that the host has renamed the web page, or moved it to
another folder on the server, or you are not allowed access to that level.
Try removing the text of the URL stepwise from the right-hand end in this example, until you
reach the main page:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/purpose/public_purposes/index.shtml.

It is possible, in many cases, to find your way back down through the hierarchy to the page you
were interested in.

You don't need to know how the telephone network functions to be able to make a phone
call. However, you ought to know how to use your telephone apparatus and the finesses
(software) it contains. Your computer is the equivalent of the telephone, and a browser is the
equivalent of the software that modern telephones contain. (A browser can also be used to
handle electronic mail, create and edit information on the Internet, as l have done here, and to
contact discussion groups. This presentation is limited to the use of browsers to surf the World
Wide Web).

Searching the Web

If you don't know the telephone number of the person you wish to ring to, you need a telephone
directory. The Web provides two methods of searching for pages providing information:
sites presenting web pages sorted by category and subcategories, e.g. Yahoo (several sites,
including http://www.yahoo.com and http://www.yahoo.no)
sites offering search engines that return lists of web pages containing text that matches a
search word or string, e.g. Google (http://www.google.com), AltaVista
(http://www.altavista.com) and FAST Search (http://www.alltheweb.com).

Many web sites offer both, or a combination of, these alternatives.

Before you conduct a search, it is important to consider, among others, the following points:

1. Is your choice of search term is adequate, too restrictive or too general?


2. Is the search you have planned to undertake most suited for a search engine that categorizes
web sites, so that you can browse through appropriate subcategories when the first results are
returned?
3. Are you more interested in using a search engine that merely returns all the web pages it has
found containing the search term?
4. Have you read the Search Help pages that most search pages offer? These will tell you how
the search engine conducts the search, and therefore how you ought to plan your search.
5. Bear in mind the fact that engines differ in their coverage of the Internet, their speed and
whether they are largely compiled manually by people or automatically by 'robots' that scan the
Internet.

A search strategy must include knowledge of how the search engine you have planned to use
handles Boolean Logic and other similar search terms, e.g.

transgenic AND mice will find all pages covering transgenic mice, but not pages that only
mention transgenic rats
transgenic NOT mice will return pages on all species other than mice.
"transgenic mice" will find pages that contain the phrase "transgenic mice", i.e. where the
words are adjacent in the text, but will not return a page containing the text "transgenic rodents,
including mice", for which transgenic NEAR mice would be necessary
transgen* will return occurrences of trangenesis, transgenic and transgenic (thereby increasing
your chances of finding pages you are interested in), but will als47777o return pages featuring
the word 'transgender', which is probably not what you were looking for!

N.B. Not all search engines support all these options, some support many more, and all of them
have a "default" function (e.g. AND or OR) which you must check before you start.

To illustrate the enormous implications that this may have for your search results, try out the
following search strings in the AltaVista or Google search engines and note the number of web
pages returned for each alternative:

Karina Smith
"Karina Smith"
Karina and Smith
KARINA and SMITH
Karin* Smith
Karin*Smith

Some websites about the Internet in general and animals in particular

These include:

NetVet
The Electronic Zoo

The author of these two sites, veterinarian Ken Boschert, has published a book containing
summaries of the most important links on these pages: "Mosby's Guide to the Internet".
An introduction to the Internet written in Norwegian.

While you are on the Internet, you can donate free food to the
starving: http://www.thehungersite.com

Usage of everything specially internet is only to gain more and more information , but not at the
cost of health , in the next chapter we would be dealing with the aspects of Sharing electronic
information
Chapter 3
Sharing Electronic Information
Electronic media have made research vastly easier; but remember that just because somethings
on the web doesnt make it true. A mistake in a family tree posted on-line can get copied and
repeated endlessly. So whenever possible, tie your research back to primary sources original
documents from within the lifetime of our ancestor
1. Using web browsers (for example, Google): If you have done a standard web browser
search for your ancestors name and come up with nothing relevant, dont be
discouraged: some of the best genealogical web sites do not link individual pages to
search engines such as Google, but expect you to come in the front door and then use
their own internal search engines. Also remember that spelling variations of an ancestors
name (Thomson vs. Thompson), plus variations in name order (Robert W. Smith vs.
Robert Walker Smith vs. Smith, Robert W.) can make Google searches inefficient.
But it doesnt hurt to do a standard web browser search, especially if you are researching
an unusual name, and you might get lucky.
2. Posting a query on a message board: If you are looking for information about a specific
ancestor, its a good idea to post a query to a bulletin board dedicated either to your
ancestors surname, or to the county where they lived, or one of each. (See the tip sheet
on Recommended Web Sites, but Genforum.Genealogy.com and Rootsweb.com are
especially good for this.) You will need to register with the site. You can decide whether
or not to make your e-mail address visible to other researchers. In your posted request, be
as detailed as possible. Dont just say, Seeking information on Harriet Dawkins. Give
her birth date, birthplace, names and birth dates of spouses and children, etc. Youre
much more likely to get a response that way. When you post a response to someone
elses query, its a good idea to also send the questioner an e-mail directly. Its a personal
touch, and if you get a bounce-back, you will know that this e-mail address is no longer
in service (something you wont find out from the host site).
3. Joining a mailing list: There may already be an e-mail list for the surname or other topic
you are interested in for example, the small town where your ancestors lived, their
religious group, and so on. (The site Rootsweb.com has an especially good range of lists.)
Subscribing or unsubscribing to a list is easy; and you will get an e-mail each time one of
the other subscribers sends out a new message on your topic.
4. E-mail communications: Some sites list the e-mail addresses of volunteer researchers
who are willing to provide information or do look-ups in obscure books they have copies
of. Be sure to show courtesy to these individuals. Genealogists are by nature generous
people, but some of them have spent years obsessively researching a particular subject,
and they can be a mite testy (you would, too) if they give this information away and dont
get a simple thank you.
5. Using computer database programs:There are a variety of computer database programs
on the market to help you organize and share your family tree data. The more names you
have in your files, the greater the advantages of using one of these. They let you upload
and download family trees from the web, print reports, and generate relationship charts.
Many (but not all) programs allow you to add photos and video; or have features to help
you build your own website. Some are more flexible than others in allowing you to
record non-traditional families, such as same-sex couples or children born out of
wedlock.
6. GEDCOM Files:Most programs use an underlying file format called GEDCOM, an
acronym for Genealogical Data Communication. This is a generic database format using
plain text to encode family relationships, designed to allow easy file sharing.
7. Programs for Windows:One of the best programs is free: Personal Ancestral File can be
downloaded from FamilySearch.org. The biggest seller is Family Tree Maker. But there
are dozens of other programs, so shop around. For Windows users, some of the popular
programs are Ancestral Quest, Roots Magic, Family Origins, Generations Family Tree,
and Legacy.
8. Programs for Mac:Some of the most popular are Family Tree Maker for Mac, Mac
Family Tree, and Reunion. Again, there are dozens of options.
9. information is only useful when it is shared, but this entails taking just the right data,
packaging it in a secure, but usable, form, and ensuring that it gets to the right people in
the right timeframe. If this can be achieved then the benefits will be enormous. If done
correctly, information sharing will be the key to providing better public services for
citizens - helping, for example, in the fight against crime and the provision of healthcare
and housing.
10. Most government legacy IT systems were designed to collect and protect, not share
information. As a result, many government organisations still rely on manual processes -
shuffling paper documents informally around the office, printing, downloading or
copying data onto hard drives, CD-Roms or networks - which not only increases costs
and the risk of errors, but also makes cross-agency collaboration less efficient.
11. But information sharing between government agencies is in the public interest, as the
Victoria Climbi and the Soham murders have already highlighted. And simple
technologies, such as document management, already exist that address these concerns.
12. With notable advances in security around documents management, from encryption to
policy protection and digital signatures to identity management tools, government
agencies can be empowered to share information with confidence and accountability. By
extending security to the document level, government agencies will be able to share
information and ensure that data remains protected. Confidentiality, privacy and
accountability policies travel with a document so that agencies can control, open, view,
print, copy, or modify a document with the highest degree of confidence and certainty
that it is protected. Importantly, should a CD of valuable data "go missing", you can set
policy protection that instantly denies anyone access to the material.
13. It is true to say that information is the lifeblood of every government process but public
confidence in them managing this information - both securely and accurately - is at an all
time low. Government cannot be complacent and needs to put in place the often simple
steps to make sure document and information management is not only accurate across
departments but secure.

This was something about the aspects of sharing electronic information, which incorporates the
above mention aspects. Next chapter would discuss on MS word & Email writing .

One has to be very particular about the sharing of the information, and as to what limit can we
really share to have the correct results.
Chapter 4
WORD PROCESSING. E-MAIL: EFFECTIVE E-MAIL PRACTICES

Using a computer to create, edit, and print documents. Of allcomputer applications, word processing is
the most common. To perform word processing, you need a computer, a special programcalled a word
processor, and a printer. A word processor enables you to create a document, store it electronically on
a disk, display it on a screen, modify it by entering commands and characters from the keyboard, and
print it on a printer.
The great advantage of word processing over using a typewriter is that you can make changes without
retyping the entire document. If you make a typing mistake, you simply back up the cursor and correct
your mistake. If you want to delete a paragraph, you simply remove it, without leaving a trace. It is
equally easy to insert a word, sentence, or paragraph in the middle of a document. Word processors also
make it easy to move sections of text from one place to another within a document, or between
documents. When you have made all the changes you want, you can send the fileto a printer to get a hard
copy.
Word processors vary considerably, but all word processors support the following basic features:
insert text:Allows you to insert text anywhere in the document.
delete text: Allows you to erase characters, words, lines, or pagesas easily as you can cross them out
on paper.
cut and paste : Allows you to remove (cut) a section of text from one place in a document and insert
(paste) it somewhere else.
copy :Allows you to duplicate a section of text.
page size and margins :Allows you to define various page sizes and margins, and the word processor
will automatically readjust the text so that it fits.
search and replace : Allows you to direct the word processor to search for a particular word or
phrase. You can also direct the word processor to replaceone group of characters with another everywhere
that the first group appears.
word wrap :The word processor automatically moves to the next line when you have filled one line
with text, and it will readjust text if you change the margins.
print: Allows you to send a document to a printer to get hardcopy.
Features of Standard Word Processors : Word processors that support only these features (and maybe a
few others) are called text editors. Most word processors, however, support additional features that enable
you to manipulate and format documents in more sophisticated ways. These more advanced word
processors are sometimes called full-featured word processors.Full-featured word processors usually
support the following features:
file management :Many word processors contain file management capabilities that allow you to
create, delete, move, and search for files.
font specifications: Allows you to change fonts within a document. For example, you can
specify bold, italics, and underlining. Most word processors also let you change the font size and even
the typeface.
footnotes and cross-references: Automates the numbering and placement of footnotes and enables
you to easily cross-reference other sections of the document.
graphics graphics:Allows you to embed illustrations and graphs into a document. Some word
processors let you create the illustrations within the word processor; others let you insert an illustration
produced by a different program.
headers , footers , and page numbering:Allows you to specify customized headers and footers that
the word processor will put at the top and bottom of every page. The word processor automatically keeps
track of page numbers so that the correct number appears on each page.
layout :Allows you to specify different margins within a single document and to specify various
methods for indenting paragraphs.
macros : A macro is a character or word that represents a series of keystrokes. The keystrokes can
represent text or commands. The ability to define macros allows you to save yourself a lot of time by
replacing common combinations of keystrokes.
merges: Allows you to merge text from one file into another file. This is particularly useful for
generating many files that have the same format but different data. Generating mailing labels is the classic
example of using merges.
spell checker : A utility that allows you to check the spelling of words. It will highlightany words that
it does not recognize.
tables of contents and indexes:Allows you to automatically create a table of contents and index based
on special codes that you insert in the document.
thesaurus:A built-in thesaurus that allows you to search for synonyms without leaving the word
processor.
windows : Allows you to edit two or more documents at the same time. Each document appears in a
separate window. This is particularly valuable when working on a large project that consists of several
different files.
WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get): With WYSIWYG, a document appears on the display
screen exactly as it will look when printed.
The line dividing word processors from desktop publishing systems is constantly shifting. In general,
though, desktop publishing applications support finer control over layout, and more support for full-color
documents
Electronic mail, most commonly called email or e-mail since around 1993, is a method of
exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Email operates across
the Internet or other computer networks via an email provider's server facility.

Some early email systems required the author and the recipient to both be online at the same time,
in common with instant messaging. Today's email systems are based on a store-and-
forward model. Email servers accept, forward, deliver, and store messages. Neither the users nor
their computers are required to be online simultaneously; they need connect only briefly, typically
to a mail server, for as long as it takes to send or receive messages.

Historically, the term electronic mail was used generically for any electronic document
transmission. For example, several writers in the early 1970s used the term to describe fax
document transmission. As a result, it is difficult to find the first citation for the use of the term
with the more specific meaning it has today.

An Internet email message consists of three components, the message envelope, the
message header, and the message body. The message header contains control information,
including, minimally, an originator's email address and one or more recipient addresses. Usually
descriptive information is also added, such as a subject header field and a message submission
date/time stamp.

Originally an ASCII text-only communications medium, Internet email was extended


by Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) to carry text in other character sets and multi-
media content attachments. International email, with internationalized email addresses using UTF-
8, has been standardized, but not yet widely adopted.
Electronic mail predates the inception of the Internet and was in fact a crucial tool in creating
it, but the history of modern, global Internet email services reaches back to the early ARPANET.
Standards for encoding email messages were proposed as early as 1973 (RFC 561). Conversion
from ARPANET to the Internet in the early 1980s produced the core of the current services. An
email message sent in the early 1970s looks quite similar to a basic text message sent on the
Internet today.

Email is an information and communications technology. It uses technology to communicate a


digital message over the Internet. Users use email differently, based on how they think about it.
There are many software platforms available to send and receive. Popular email platforms include
Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail, Outlook, and many others.[6]

Network-based email was initially exchanged on the ARPANET in extensions to the File Transfer
Protocol (FTP), but is now carried by the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), first published
as Internet standard 10 (RFC 821) in 1982. In the process of transporting email messages between
systems, SMTP communicates delivery parameters using a message envelope separate from the
message (header and body) itself.

Email networks

To facilitate electronic mail exchange between remote sites and with other organizations,
telecommunication links, such as dialup modems or leased lines, provided means to transport email
globally, creating local and global networks.

In 1971 the first ARPANET email was sent,[47] and through RFC 561, RFC 680, RFC 724, and
finally 1977's RFC 733, became a standardized working system.
PLATO IV was networked to individual terminals over leased data lines prior to the
implementation of personal notes in 1974.
Unix mail was networked by 1978's uucp, which was also used for USENET newsgroup
postings, with similar headers.
BerkNet, the Berkeley Network, was written by Eric Schmidt in 1978 and included first in the
Second Berkeley Software Distribution. It provided support for sending and receiving
messages over serial communication links. The Unix mail tool was extended to send messages
using BerkNet.[39]
The delivermail tool, written by Eric Allman in 1979 and 1980 (and shipped in 4BSD),
provided support for routing mail over different networks, including Arpanet, UUCP, and
BerkNet. (It also provided support for mail user aliases.)[49]
The mail client included in 4BSD (1980) was extended to provide interoperability between a
variety of mail systems.
BITNET (1981) provided electronic mail services for educational institutions. It was based on
the IBM VNET email system.
In 1984, IBM PCs running DOS could link with FidoNet for email and shared bulletin board
posting.

Web-based email: Many email providers have a web-based email client (e.g. AOL
Mail, Gmail, Outlook.com and Yahoo! Mail). This allows users to log into the email account by using any
compatible web browser to send and receive their email. Mail is typically not downloaded to the client, so
can't be read without a current Internet connection.

POP3 email services :The Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) is a mail access protocol used by a client
application to read messages from the mail server. Received messages are often deleted from the server.
POP supports simple download-and-delete requirements for access to remote mailboxes (termed maildrop
in the POP RFC's).[84]
IMAP email servers: The Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) provides features to manage
a mailbox from multiple devices. Small portable devices like smartphones are increasingly used
to check email while travelling, and to make brief replies, larger devices with better keyboard
access being used to reply at greater length. IMAP shows the headers of messages, the sender and
the subject and the device needs to request to download specific messages. Usually mail is left in
folders in the mail server.

MAPI email servers: Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI) is a messaging


architecture and an API based on the Component Object Model (COM) for Microsoft Windows.

Be very particular about the aspects of email so that the messages are translated in the exact tone
and language as it is deemed off. In the upcoming chapter we will be discussing the aspects of
Correspondence planning.
Chapter 5
CORRESPONDENCE PLANNING

There is no single best writing process . in fact all good writers dvelope their own process that suits their
own ways of tackling a problem . But one way or the another , in lieu of this the person before actually
starting the process of writing a letter or correspondence , he needs to go through the following five steps
which will make the process more easy .

PLANNING: Determine the exact purpose of the message and what is the intention of the
reader , what information we need to give to our reader how to achieve the basic purpose and
also in what order the information should be presented .in order to have a clear idea of what
exactly is the planning process we need to have a an answer for all the mentioned question :
What is the main purpose of your letter, or What do you want to do in the letter? (e.g., to sell our
companys newest product, to encourage volunteer work in a charity organization, to ask for a
refund for Product A, to reject a request for deadline extension)
What is the core message that you want to convey to the reader? (e.g., I want a refund for
Product A, Buy our newest product in the market, Please volunteer your time in a charity
work for children, We reject your request for a deadline extension
What is/are the reason(s) for the main message? (e.g., I want a refund for Product A because
your customer service is bad, Buy our newest product in the market because it has unique
features, Please volunteer your time in a charity work for children because it is a worthwhile
activity)
What is the nature of the letter based on your message? (e.g., persuasive, informative,
descriptive)
How familiar is your reader with the subject you are writing about?
What specific pieces of information do you need to furnish your reader in order for her to
understand your letter?
Which parts of your letter is the reader likely to accept, and which parts is she likely to reject?
What are your readers characteristics with respect to her position in the organization,
educational background, familiarity with the technicalities of your profession, and any other
characteristics that you need to consider in writing this letter
What is your social and professional relationship with your reader? How may this influence her
response to your letter
What is your social and professional relationship with your reader? How may this influence her
response to your letter
The next and the most important of the correspondence process is that of Drafting , let us begin
with it and see what does it mean :
DRAFTING : The process of analysing your being that is who is the exact potential person to
whom you want to communicate with the writing part , now it is the time to get started upon the
letter itself , better termed as drafting .the success of this page is totally depending upon what
and how much you have given attention to the preceding stage .We often expect too much from
the first draft of ourselves , but we have to keep a very important thing into our mind and that is
the first draft is just a draft and we should not expects too much from it . It is a proven fact that
almost every people , when in corporate , before writing spends 35 minutes in thinking what to
write and 10 min on actually writing a matter , so therefore a total of 45 min is actually spend
upon correspondence making or drafting .
In drafting your letter, there are three important things that you need to consider. These are:
o Be coherent
o Use appropriate language (3Cs)
o Establish good readerwriter relationship (4Ps)
COHERENCE The earlier set of notes should have given you a clear idea of the role of organiz
ation in business letter writing. Specifically, the earlier notes should have provided you with an
overview of the many possible ways of organizing your business letter according to the needs of
your target readers. However, while you now may have a clear idea of how to deliver your main
message in an organized way, the drafting stage still requires you to work on your organization i
n more specific ways. That is, you must now use language strategically to put your ideas togethe
r in order to achieve a coherent letter. In other words, how you want to organize the content of y
our letter must be surfaced explicitly through your use of language.
THE 3Cs: Three words best sum up what good business language should be: Clear, Concise an
d Correct. Your writing, in other words, must be simple and understandable. Essentially, the lan
guage of business to be described below is important in all forms of business communication.
CLEAR:
Short, familiar words communicate more clearly than longer, less used words. Long words may
look impressive, but they may not be understood and they may distract the reader from the messa
ge.

However, the above examples, and all other possible examples, must be used with caution. Whil
e the objective is to use simple and shorter words, you do not do so at the expense of other consi
derations, such as the use of concrete and specific words.

CONCISE:
Being concise means using the fewest possible words to get a message across to the reader. Lon
gwinded writing can be annoying because unnecessary words, irrelevant details and muddled exp
ressions waste the readers time. However, concise writing does not mean sacrificing clarity or \
essential information. Conciseness is still about using the fewest possible words to get the same
message across in the clearest possible way.
CORRECT:
Grammatical correctness is vital in business writing. A letter or report going outside the comany
and bearing the company's letterhead gives a poor impression of the company if it contains obvi
ous errors.
Correspondence planning is one of the most essential aspects of communication and is very
much essential so as to make the understanding better clear between the two parties , one has to
measure and think really hard to get a proper and easy conversing correspondence . In the next
chapter we would be focusing on the aspects of
Chapter 6
DRAFTING, REVISING. REPLIES, ROUTINE CLAIM LETTERS,
ADJUSTMENT LETTER
DRAFITING: In drafting your letter, there are three important things that you need to consider.

These are:

Be coherent

Use appropriate language (3Cs)

Establish good readerwriter relationship (4Ps)

COHERENCE:
The earlier set of notes should have given you a clear idea of the role of organization in business
letter writing. Specifically, the earlier notes should have provided you with an overview of the m
any possible

ways of organizing your business letter according to the needs of your target readers.However,
while you now may have a clear idea of how to deliver your main message in an organized way,
the drafting stage still requires you to work on your organization in more specific ways. That is,
you must now use language strategically to put your ideas together in order to achieve a coherent
letter. In other words, how you want to organize the content of your letter must be surfaced expl
icitly through your use of language

USE APPROPROATE LANGUAGE (3CS): The three 3 c include the following aspects:

CLEAR (Prefer short, simple words):


Short, familiar words communicate more clearly than longer, less used words. Long words may look imp
ressive, but they may not be understood and they may distract the reader from the message. For example,
the word ask may be shorter than enquire or demand, but these last two words have shades of meanin
g which are concrete and specific. To ask for an explanation is different from to demand an explanation.
CONCISE

Being concise means using the fewest possible words to get a message across to the reader. Longwinded
writing can be annoying because unnecessary words, irrelevant details and muddled expressions waste the
readers time. However, concise writing does not mean sacrificing clarity or essential information. Conci
seness is still about using the fewest possible words to get the same message across in the clearest possibl
e way.

CORRECT

Grammatical correctness is vital in business writing. A letter or report going outside the company and be
aring the company's letterhead gives a poor impression of the company if it contains obvious errors.

ESTABLISH GOOD READERWRITER RELATIONSHIP (4PS) :

Be polite

No matter how aggravating the circumstances, always write courteously as this style of writing f
osters a positive relationship with your reader and is more likely to bring about a favorable respo
nse. To come across as polite in your writing, you need to write in a style that:
reflects an appropriate readerwriter relationship,
does not convey a sense of superiority/anger/condescension, or
does not embarrass the reader.

Be positive

Being positive in your writing also helps to generate a more favorable response to your message, so:

use positive words and phrases, and


stress what can be done.

Be personal

The style and tone of your letter will also be improved if you could be more personal in your writing. Th
e ways to achieve this include:

adopting a you attitude,


using personal pronouns, and
avoiding pompous words/phrases
Be professional

Finally, you can also improve the style and tone of your messages by being professional in your writing.
This requires you to look at situations in an objective and professional manner. To do this, you must try t
o:

Generalize experiences and simplify examples


Be objective
Maintain dignity
Be sincere

REVESING : The revising aspect of letter include the following aspects which primarily include
the following aspects

First Revision: Structure and Clarity: Read relatively quickly over your document to
look for logical fallacies, parts of the text that you need to clarify, places where you
should include additional information, and organizational and other broad structural
changes that need to be made. Dont worry too much about spelling, punctuation, and
similar errors right now.

1. As you read, look for passages that could be made more coherent: parts that could
be reworded to be more original, creative, or artistic; or information that is repetitious
or unnecessary that should be deleted. Also as you are reviewing your document,
revise as needed to make it more cohesive by adding or improving transitions and by
tying in new information with old information.

2. Finally, look for information that needs to be cited (That is, that needs to have the
reference information included, such as original authors name, work title, and the
publication information). As you do so, be on the watch for citations or parts of your
own writing that weaken, rather than strengthen, your arguments or your thesis, and
evaluate them

Second Revision: Mechanics After you have made any necessary changes to improve
structure, organization, coherence, clarity, logic, redundancy, and so forth, then go back
and read over your document more closely

1. Peer Revision It is essential to read over your work yourself, but dont stop there; have
others read over it as well. Just because something sounds clear to you, doesnt
necessarily mean that it will be clear for other readers
2. Vocal Revision After you do the major revising of your document, it is a good idea to
read it out loud. This is an excellent way to notice awkward or less aesthetic passages that
you wouldnt necessarily notice from just reading silently.

Final Revision After the substantive and then the mechanical revising, your peer review,
and reading the document aloud to yourself, you should read over your document one
more time, looking for any spelling, punctuation, or other errors that may have been
introduced or overlooked in the revision process.

Though revising your writing admittedly can take a fair amount of time and effort, the far
better results are well worth the effort. If youve ever hurriedly submitted something and then
later noticed a glaring (or even embarrassing) mistake or omission, you know what I mean.
Thats why revision is an essential part of the writing process
REPLIES: A response is given to any kind of complaints received from the customers due to any
fault in the services or any defect in the products. Through this letter, an acceptance to the complaint
is shown and the customer is provided with a proper priority with well assistive services and
proposals for the solving the respective problem reported by the customer. In many cases the
customer is asked for some kind of information to be provided so as to take the proper steps to
provide the satisfactory services to the customers.

Some important tips to write a perfect response letter:

1. The letter must necessarily be a formal one.

2. The letter must contain any kind of mistakes or errors to avoid any kind of misunderstandings.

3. The letter must be addressed to the exact person.

4. Relevant information must be provided with letter so as to provide the best services.

5. Proper respect and gratitude must be shown in the letter.

It is difficult to eliminate rumors completely either from a society or from an organization. Any kind
of violent efforts to stop rumors completely in an organization can make the management of
organization appear too rigid and intolerant. This can even work against the interest of the
organization and can put an adverse impact on its productivity and can diminish the image of that
particular organization. So writing a letter in response to a rumor can be very much effective in these
kinds of situations which can convince the people that the rumor is not true and at the same time
maintain the reputation of the organization.
Some tips to write the letter

Once a rumor starts it is difficult to control. It is better to reduce the incidence of start of
rumors by keeping the people in the organization informed through a proper response letter.
The response letter should be written in such a way so that it is able to convince the people
that the rumor is not true.
The best way to write the letter is to give as much related information as can be given
without compromising with confidentiality requirements.

These types of letters are generally written in order to provide positive response to any kind of
negative feedback. These types of letter generally help in improving the success of a business and
can helps in achieving a greater platform for better customer relations. These types of letters are
usually written in order to provide customer satisfaction with various kinds of services. The letter
must be provided with all the necessary details.

Important tips which must be followed:


1. The letter must be totally formal and must be written with due respect and gratitude must be
shown toward the customer.
2. The letter must be checked thoroughly after finishing so that the letter must be error free.
3. The letter must be clearly responded with simple language and also must be addressed
properly and solutions must be offered to the particular problem.
4. The letter must be provided with necessary details which must be informative so that the
customers dont face any kind of problem.

ROUTINE CLAIM LETTERS A claim letter is a letter written to a company or a person for an
unsatisfactory product or unsatisfactory work. The letter is very serious and will ask for the
money returned or that the item or services be replaced without cost
Routine claims, which follow the direct plan, involve a claim that is backed by a contract, a
guarantee, or the company's reputation.
Make the tone courteous and reasonable; your goal is to achieve results.

Explain the problem in enough detail to clarify the basis for your claim

A letter of claim (sometimes known as a letter before action) is a letter asserting wrongdoing of
some kind by the recipient. It is most commonly used as the first step in the legal process of a
personal injury claim. For example if you slipped on an unmarked wet floor in a restaurant, you
or your lawyer may write a letter briefly outlining the facts as you see them, noting that you will
be officially perusing a claim against them.

Letters of claim are also often used to notify someone of incomplete or unsatisfactory
work on a specific project, or more formally a breach of contract. For example, if you
hired someone to decorate your office, but they never finished the job or did not complete
it to your specifications, you would write them a letter of claim stating you grievances
and possible reparations. Like an injury claim this is the first step before proper legal
action is taken.

Letters of claim may also be written for alleged copyright infringement and many other
scenarios.

ADJUSTMENT LETTERS : Adjustment Letter is response letter to customer complaint or claim. It


is official in nature and explains the relevancy of the complaint or claim and how it can be resolved.
Adjustment Letter Definition
A type of letter addressed in response to a customer's claim or complaint letter, written by a
representative of an organisation or a group

Because of the client-vendor relation, a letter of adjustment also acts as a legal document demonstrating
the details of the correspondence and the resolution or dissolution the between the two parties. A letter of
adjustment doesnt mean that your complaint or claim will be accepted. It notifies the sender that their
claim or complaint letter has been received. It depends upon the validity of your claim that a letter of
adjustment will contain conformity of its mistake and its rectification.

Adjustment letters are meant to resolve a conflict that is why they are known as such. Letters of
adjustment are also referred as Claim Adjustment Letters, Complaint Response Letters, Customer
Complaint Reply, Letter of Complaint Response, Letter of response to Complaint and similar other terms.
A letter of adjustment deals with all sorts of claims and complaints; defective product, poor service, goods
not delivered, shipment arriving late, salary not received and others.
How to write an Adjustment Letter?
Before you know about writing adjustment letters, it is important to know their value. Claim and
adjustment letter are important because they inform the firms of their shortcomings. Knowledge of claims
and complains enables prevention of further such incidents. The writer and the vendor gain a valuable
experience in customer care satisfaction. Handling genuine complaints and claims ensures that laws are
being adhered to and its saves the efforts of both the sides. Giving the client their dues share ensures
establishment of justice, protects the citizens rights. When this practice becomes a norm it barricades
corrupt practices. When a claim or complaint is addressed in a proper manner, the client becomes your
advertiser or brand ambassador. His Word of Mouth about your response will be acknowledged many
times during the course of his social life. The company also wins a loyal customer who wouldnt shun at
the name of your firm
Tips for writing Adjustment Letter
Organise the material A must essential before one starts to write. Collect all the relevant
documents, previous correspondence, company policy, record of previous such cases and other
required material. Organizing these will establish a framework and order in which to present
information in the most appropriate manner. The framework of your letter should be in sequential
order..

Drafting Drafting is the rough copy of your letter. It is open to mistakes and editing. Since you
have organised the material, you just need to use them in the most effective manner making sure
that you havent left out any important aspect of the letter. Use the information of the outline and
divide into short paragraphs. Go through the contents again and refer them with the outline and
your objective.

Admit your Mistake and make Prompt Rectification Once it has been established that your
client is actually a victim, initiate an instant rectification process. Apologise and regret in the
most responsible way using words which will soothe the irritation or anger of the reader. Words
like Mistakes do happen but we always have a solution, Your satisfaction is of the utmost
concern to us, It is good to know that you have brought this matter to our light, we will ensure
that these incidents never happen etc.
Maintain a Positive Tone Adjustment letter with an adjusted tone towards positive attitude
works both ways. The client is satisfied and the vendor is also satisfied. Always begin by
sympathising your client, establishing a positive tone. Make them feel understood. Only then you
move to the next step, which is to break the news, in favour or against. Even if the client is at
fault, it is necessary that you dont provoke the customer. Never accuse them of the wrongdoing
or offer an adjustment with resentment.

Use Diplomatic Language It comes across many times that clients are not right. Here you have
to be diplomatic so that complainer or claimer is satisfied with your reasoning or logic. When
compensation, refund etc. is not justifiable, you cannot be blunt; you have to be tactful in
approach. Deny the request in the most pleasing manner. Express your concern over the issue and
appreciate their concern over the matter. Mention the issue at hand and how you understand what
happened. Bring forth all the policies and regulations and translate them into laymans language.

Politeness Politeness is often stressed in most type of letters. This is because it is a virtue which
exudes a positive vibes, especially in a conflict situation. It also reasserts the dignity of the client.
It is a basic courtesy and can make all the difference. Adjustment letters are meant to satisfy the
client even when he isnt right in his actions. Choose your words carefully, so that there is no
room for offence. Use the title or name of the person in focus..

Personal Touch Personal touch doesnt mean getting intimate with the client. It means making
the client comfortable and giving him the respect. To do this, address your client with his name.
This is a sign of recognition of the clients individuality; a person is known in the society by his
name and the name becomes his identity. By addressing to his identity, you reaffirm his
importance in the same way as is done in the society.

Use a Letter head - As a rule in terms of official and business letters, Claim Adjustment Letters
should always have a company letter head on the Top Margin of the page, left, right or middle.
This establishes the authority of the letter and increases the importance of the document. A letter
head signifies that the client is dealing with a responsible authority. It asserts his belief in the
company.

Proofreading - Check your grammar, spellings, sentence formation and structure. Check the
accuracy, clarity and a sense of completeness of your paragraphs. Keep your tone consistent,
avoids abstract terms which are generally not understood by all like slang, clichs or phrases.
Remove any confusing items.
One has to be really very careful at these
types of letters as the claim letter literally need to be worked upon in such a way so as to satisfy
the quench of the claim chaps .

The adjustment letters are to such as to make the clear and


cut adjustment without really emphasizing upon the aspects of what to do or what not to do. In
the next chapter we will be focusing upon the two other types of aspects such as the goodwill
messages and congrats messages .
Chapter 7
GOODWILL MESSAGES, CONGRATULATING MESSAGES

Goodwill messages are special messages. Unlike good news message that say yes" to the reader related
to business, goodwill messages are meant to build goodwill. These messages are always appreciated.
Goodwill messages are very nice letters to receive because they often come as a pleasant surprise. Unlike
good news letters that give positive news related to business, goodwill letters build relationships. Do not
use the letter to make a sales pitch. The purpose of these letters is to build goodwill without any hidden
business scheme. So a goodwill message thanking a customer for his/her business would NOT include an
announcement about an upcoming sale. Finding the right words to express feelings is sometimes more
difficult than writing ordinary messages. A ready-made card, even one that's well designed and attractive,
simple does not have the same emotional impact as a personalized letter.
Dr. Mary Ellen Guffey, best-selling author, recommends these five Ss of Goodwill Messages:
1. Be selfless. Focus on the reader, not on the sender. A sincere thank you to a customer should not
include a notice of an upcoming sale.
2. Be specific. Instead of vague statements (You did a good job), include special details (Your strategy for
approaching customers proved to be outstanding)
3. Be sincere. Show your honest feelings with conversational, everyday language.
4. Be spontaneous. Strive to make the message natural, fresh and direct. Avoid canned phrases (If I may
be of service, please do not hesitate...)
5. Be short. Goodwill messages are fairly brief.
Good will messages have to be to very particular to avoid any kind of discrepancy as such

Congratulating messages: Congratulations messages allow us to celebrate another person's


accomplishment and sometimes, the bigger the accomplishment, the harder it is to write.
wedding, baby, engagement, retirement, new house, new job, and graduation are all important occasions
that merit a thoughtful card. Luckily, below, you will find examples of all of these.
But first, here are a few general congratulations message examples:
"You are amazing. We knew you had it in you. You were a sure thing in our book, even if your
accomplishments feel like a surprise to you."

"Congratulations! I'm only surprised at the fact that you're still able to surprise me with your
accomplishments."

"With so much excitement and happiness for you, congratulations!"

Sometimes one word or short phrase is enough to say what you want to say. Here are some super short
ways to congratulate someone. These work for SMS messages, social network sites, or group
congratulations cards when there isn't much room to write:
You should be proud of yourself.

Hooray for you! I knew you had it in you.

You're a genius!

You've proven yourself.


When choosing a graduation card message, you may want to include a saying about the importance of
education, make a joke, or just recognize the accomplishment. Whatever you decide to do, you should
make your message stand out from the others that the graduate will receive, by being personal and
original.

Message should be very direct and to the


point to avoid any kind of faulty representations. In the next chapter we would be dealing with
the aspects of Thank you notes , sympathy Notes , Persuasive messages , request .
Chapter 8
THANK-YOU NOTES, SYMPATHY NOTES. PERSUASIVE MESSAGES:
REQUEST

Sending a thank you note is always a lovely gesture and often an expected one. Im sure that
when you were a child, your parents encouraged (or forced) you to write thank you notes for
birthday and Christmas presents. As an adult, you should still make a point of writing a thank
you note to express gratitude in a number of situations. These come in both personal and
business context
.Writing a Personal Thank You Note
If merely expressing your gratitude doesnt seem like a good enough reason to write a thank you
note, you might like to read these words of advice from Leslie Harpold.
I will also grudgingly tell you the hidden secret of thank you notes: They improve the frequency
and quality of the gifts you receive. People like being appreciated, and if they feel you actually
notice the nice things they do for you, theyre more likely to give an encore performance.
-
Ideally, your letter should be on paper rather than emailed. If you are emailing, you must
send individualthank you notes rather than mass-emailing everyone who gave you a gift.
In most cases for a personal note, its not appropriate to set it out as a formal business letter.
Instead, use good-quality notepaper or a nice greetings card.
Structuring a Personal Thank You Note
1. You should put your address at the top (or, if you know the recipient will already have
your address, simply put the name of your town and state). Add the date.

2. Address the recipient as Dear [[name]], then open the letter by thanking them for the
gift, hospitality or kindness offered.

3. Your second sentence or paragraph should give some indication of your enjoyment or use
of the gift.

4. Some people like to go on to share a little news, especially if they have been out of touch
with the recipient for a while. Some etiquette experts, though, suggest that the thank you
note should purely be about the recipients kindness, not about your own life. I believe
that in a personal context, its fine to share your news.
5. A good closing sentence or paragraph is one which looks forward to seeing or speaking
to the recipient especially if a reunion or holiday is coming up. Mentioning thank you
again is a good idea, to emphasise the point of the letter.

6. You should not end with yours sincerely but with a less formal phrase; love or love
from is often As you can see, a thank you note neednt be long to be friendly, polite and
effective.

Writing a Business Thank you Note


Thank you notes are mandatory and expected in some situations. A recent survey by
CareerBuilder.com found that:
Nearly 15 percent of hiring managers would reject a job candidate who neglected to send
a thank you letter after the interview

32 percent said they would still consider the thankless prospect but that their opinion of
him or her would diminish

Structuring a Business Thank You Note


As with the personal thank you note, theres an easy formula to follow.
1. Set your letter out as a proper business letter, using letter headed paper and including
your address, the recipients address, and the date. (You can find instructions on US
business letter format and UK business letter format here on Daily Writing Tips.)

2. Address the recipient as Dear [name], erring on the side of caution regarding formality.
(Mr Jones or Dr Smith rather than Bob).

3. Start by thanking them for the interview, pay rise, promotion, event, or other occasion
that youre writing about.

4. Go on to mention something specific about how it has helped you, or how you enjoyed
the event. Be sincere, and make it clear how much you appreciate their time and effort.

5. You may want to mention the next occasion on which you hope to see them though try
not to be presumptuous. If youre writing a thank you note for an initial interview, dont
act as though youve already been given the job!

6. End with Yours sincerely when writing to someone you dont know well (an
interviewer or acquaintance from another company). If youre writing to your boss or
manager, Best wishes or Many thanks might be an appropriate way to close your
letter.

Sympathy Notes : When sending a sympathy card or note of condolence it is often difficult to
know what to say or how to phrase your thoughts and feelings. We have compiled a list of
appropriate and warm sympathy sayings to give you a guideline of what to write in a sympathy
card. Feel free to combine phrases and write what feels natural and comfortable to you. The
most important thing to remember while writing this is that your sympathy message comes from
the heart. Your friend or loved one is going to appreciate that you are acknowledging their grief
and honoring their loss.

We encourage your sympathy message to include a sentence or two sharing a memory of the
deceased. Most people relate that receiving cards with personal memories helps them in their
healing journey. They want to recall the wonderful and special memories of their loved one and
when you share some special aspects of your relationship with the deceased, it brings warmth to
their grieving heart. If you did not have a personal relationship with the deceased, don't worry
and don't stretch to make up a memory. Just know that your message of sympathy will be
appreciated.
o You are in my thoughts.

o Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

o We are thinking of you.

o We are thinking of you during this difficult time.

o With deepest sympathy,

Persuasive Messages: Persuasive techniques are a cornerstone of marketing and selling, but
even if you never work in those fields, you'll still need good persuasion skills to advance in your
career. Successful professionals understand that persuasion is not about trickery or getting people
to make choices that aren't in their best interest; rather, it lets your audience know they have a
choice and helps them choose to agree with you there are various series of steps to be followed
while conducting the persuasive message:

1. Plan Your Message: Unlike the routine positive messages we covered in an


previous module, persuasive message aim to influence audiences who may be inclined to
resist at first. Even if they agree that your idea or product is attractive, they face so many
options in today's crowded markets that you'll often need to use persuasive techniques to
convince them the your choice is the best of all the attractive alternatives.
2. Write Your Message: The generally uninvited and occasionally even unwelcome
nature of persuasive messages means the "you" attitude is more critical than ever when it
comes to writing them. Most people won't even pay attention to your message, much less
respond to it, if it isn't about them.
3. Complete Your Message The pros know from experience that the details can make
or break a persuasive message, so they're careful not to short-change this part of the
writing process. Advertisers may have a dozen or more people review a message before
it's released to the public.
The word persuasion has negative connotations for some people, especially in a marketing or
sales context. They associate persuasion with dishonest and unethical practices that lead
unsuspecting audiences into accepting unworthy ideas or buying unneeded products.

The above three pictures show a clear distinction between the types of three
that is the sympathy, persuasive, thanks you messages
UNIT 4: Report Writing

CHARACTERISTICS OF BUSINESS REPORTS, TYPES OF REPORTS,


PURPOSE OF REPORTS
COLLECTING AND ANALYZING DATA THROUGH QUESTIONNAIRE
INTERVIEWS
CONSTRUCTING TABLES, PREPARING CHARTS, INTERPRETING
DATA
WRITING REPORT :PLANNING,DRAFTING, REVISING,
FORMATTING AND PROOF READING
Chapter 1
CHARACTERISTICS OF BUSINESS REPORTS, TYPES
OF REPORTS, PURPOSE OF REPORTS

Report is a self-explanatory statement of facts relating to a specific subject and serves the purpose
of providing information for decision making and follow up actions. It is a systematic presentations
of ascertained facts about a specific event / subject. Report is a summary of findings and
recommendations about a particular matter / problem. Report is for the guidance of higher
authorities including company executives and directors. Report facilitates timely decisions and
follow up measures.

1.1.1 CHARACTERISTICS OF BUSINESS REPORTS

1. Complete and Compact Document: Report is a complete and compact written document
giving updated information about a specific problem.
2. Systematic Presentation of Facts: Report is a systematic presentation of facts, figures,
conclusions and recommendations. Report writers closely study the problem under
investigation and prepare a report after analyzing all relevant information regarding the
problem. Report is supported by facts and evidence. There is no scope for imagination in a
report which is basically a factual document.
3. Prepared in Writing : Reports are usually in writing. Writing reports are useful for
reference purpose. It serves as complete, compact and self-explanatory document over a
long period. Oral reporting is possible in the case of secret and confidential matters.
4. Provides Information and Guidance : Report is a valuable document which gives
information and guidance to the management while framing future policies. It facilitates
planning and decision making. Reports are also useful for solving problems faced by a
business enterprise.
5. Self-explanatory Document : Report is a comprehensive document and covers all aspects
of the subject matter of study. It is a self-explanatory and complete document by itself.
6. Acts as a Tool of Internal Communication : Report is an effective tool of communication
between top executives and subordinate staff working in an organization. It provides
feedback to employees and to executives for decision making. Reports are generally
submitted to higher authorities. It is an example of upward communication.
7. Acts as Permanent Record : A report serves as a permanent record relating to certain
business matter. It is useful for future reference and guidance.
8. Time Consuming and Costly Activity : Report writing is a time consuming, lengthy and
costly activity as it involves collection of facts, drawing conclusion and making
recommendations.

TYPES OF REPORTS

Business reports are used to communicate past work while proposals are used to pitch ideas or
future plans. No matter the subject, the content of business reports should be complete, properly
documented, objective, written clearly and error-free. Ensuring that the document matches the
assigned requirements and careful proofreading can save a report writer time, money and
frustration.

Annual Reports: Annual reports are one of the better known types of business communications.
Public companies are required by the Securities and Exchange Commission to draft and
distribute an annual report with financial information to stakeholders. Privately held companies
or associations may also issue an annual report to employees, stakeholder groups or volunteer
boards of directors. In addition to financial information, these reports include an overview of the
past year, including new products released, milestones achieved or communication campaigns
launched.
Project Reports A project report updates management, team members or a client on the status of
an assignment or undertaking. Reports may be assigned at regular intervals or conducted by
request. Effect report writing requires the author to strike an appropriate balance of "need to
know" information with supporting detail. For example, a report on the development of a new
website intended for the CEO should be organized with the main points first combined with any
calls or requests for action. Including every single detail covering all twists and turns of the
project will frustrate the reader and may cause him to question the thinking behind the project
Research Reports Company leadership may ask for a research report from a department or
outside firm before embarking on a new venture or to evaluate the effectiveness of programs or
products. A research report includes an abstract that summarizes the problem researched and its
solutions, a summary of the method used during the research, the results of the research and a
conclusion or discussion section that outlines recommendations. The size of the report will
depend on the complexity of the research project.
Statutory or Required Reports: Statutory reports detail a company's compliance with federal,
state or local laws. Although filed with a governing agency, some statutory reports may be
available to the public. Types of reports required will depend on the size and type of company
and its location. Types of statutory reports include how a company is meeting mandated
accounting, human resource, health or environmental laws.
PURPOSE OF REPORTS
1. Complete and Compact Document : Report is a complete and compact written document
giving updated information about a specific problem.

2. Systematic Presentation of Facts : Report is a systematic presentation of facts, figures,


conclusions and recommendations. Report writers closely study the problem under
investigation and prepare a report after analyzing all relevant information regarding the
problem. Report is supported by facts and evidence. There is no scope for imagination in
a report which is basically a factual document.

3. Prepared in Writing : Reports are usually in writing. Writing reports are useful for
reference purpose. It serves as complete, compact and self-explanatory document over a
long period. Oral reporting is possible in the case of secret and confidential matters.

4. Provides Information and Guidance : Report is a valuable document which gives


information and guidance to the management while framing future policies. It facilitates
planning and decision making. Reports are also useful for solving problems faced by a
business enterprise.
5. Self-explanatory Document : Report is a comprehensive document and covers all aspects
of the subject matter of study. It is a self-explanatory and complete document by itself.

6. Acts as a Tool of Internal Communication : Report is an effective tool of communication


between top executives and subordinate staff working in an organization. It provides
feedback to employees and to executives for decision making. Reports are generally
submitted to higher authorities. It is an example of upward communication. Similarly,
reports are also sent by company executives to the lower levels of management. This is
treated as downward communication. In addition, reports are also sent to shareholders
and others connected with the company. It may be pointed out that report writing /
preparation acts as a backbone of any system of communication.

7. Acts as Permanent Record : A report serves as a permanent record relating to certain


business matter. It is useful for future reference and guidance.

8. Time Consuming and Costly Activity : Report writing is a time consuming, lengthy and
costly activity as it involves collection of facts, drawing conclusion and making
recommendations
Be specific for
the spellings and the meanings in the report writing aspects.

In the next very chapter we would be studying on the aspects of Collecting and analyzing data
through questionnaire
Chapter 2

COLLECTING AND ANALYZING DATA THROUGH


QUESTIONNAIRE

Questionnaires can be paper-based, or electronic. Virtual learning environments such as MOLE


often have evaluation or survey tools built into them (See also Electronic Questionnaires).

Structured questionnaires are based predominantly on closed questions which produce data
that can be analysed quantitatively for patterns and trends. The agenda is entirely predetermined
by the evaluator and provides little flexibility for respondents to qualify their answers.

Unstructured questionnaires, whilst still having a structured sequence and focus predetermined
by the evaluator, are based on open questions allowing respondents the freedom to answer in
their own words and therefore to provide greater qualification in their response.

Semi-structured questionnaires take a mixed approach.

Why use questionnaires?

To allow for feedback from a large number of students, where it is impractical to collect
feedback using other more resource intensive methods.

To allow each student the opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on their
experience.

Structured questionnaires allow for the exploration of patterns and trends which help to
describe what is happening in the L&T context and provide a measure of respondents
opinions, attitudes, feelings, and perceptions about issues of particular concern to the
evaluator. They also help to identify patterns and trends that merit further exploration
using qualitative methods.

Unstructured questionnaires allow for richer feedback that may provide insight into
explanations for what is happening and participants opinions, attitudes, feelings,
perceptions etc. They also allow for issues to emerge that are not necessarily foreseen by
the evaluator.
Strengths

Questionnaires can be used to collect data quite quickly.


All participants can be given the opportunity to provide feedback.
Feedback is generally anonymous, which encourages openness and honesty.
Structured questionnaire data can be processed by software packages such as Excel and
SPSS.

Limitations

Questions could be interpreted differently by respondents. It can be difficult to design


questionnaires to minimise this effect.

Data processing and analysis for large samples can be time consuming.

It can be difficult motivating potential respondents to complete questionnaires.

Using questionnaires

The main topics and sub-topics that need to be covered in the questionnaire will be guided by
your overall framework for the evaluation. For example see

Example evaluation questions

The extent to which the questionnaire is structured will depend on its purpose in the evaluation
and how it is being used with other data collection methods.

In the context of learning and teaching sampling may not be an issue, since the aim is likely to be
to provide every student with the opportunity to give feedback on their experience. Larger
samples generally require more structured questionnaires, but you may then need to use with
another more qualitative approach to data collection to seek insight into reasons behind trends
and patterns in questionnaire responses.

Practicalities

It is advisable to test questionnaires before using them, to ensure that participants understand
them and interpret them in the way that you expect, that they do not take too long to complete,
and that they yield useful data.

It can be difficult to achieve an appropriate balance between asking sufficient questions to get
useful feedback, but not so many questions that respondents get bored or feel they dont have
sufficient time to devote to completing them.
Complex questionnaire formats and structures can be difficult for respondents to complete.

Longer questionnaires can be answered more quickly if the format of the question is
fairly similar and respondent do not need to keep learning how to complete different
types of questions, or have to make too many decisions about which sections apply to
them.
Different approaches to phrasing questions may have strengths and weaknesses for
collecting the data needed (see section on Question design).
Questions will need to be in accordance with the relevant legislation and University
guidance for the ethical handling of data. This involves not collecting unnecessary
personal data, and if the questionnaire is intended to be anonymous, any personal data
that will enable respondents to be identified. (See also Ethical evaluation)

Distributing and allowing students to complete paper-based questionnaires in class time is likely
to maximise representative completion.

Information to give respondents in the questionnaire, or information that accompanies it, is

the purpose of the questionnaire


how to complete the questionnaire
how feedback will be used in the evaluation
how respondents can find out about the evaluation findings and any action that will be taken as a
consequence of the evaluation findings
how confidentiality, anonymity, data protection etc will be assured
how to return the form, to whom, where and by when. For postal surveys, e.g. of part-time students, return
addressed and postage paid envelopes will encourage return

How to analyse questionnaire responses


If the group used an online survey, the software will automatically collate the data someone
will just need to download the data, for example as a spreadsheet.
1. If the group used a paper questionnaire, someone will need to manually transfer the
responses from the questionnaires into a spreadsheet. Put each question number as a
column heading, and use one row for each persons answers. Then assign each possible
answer a number or code.
2. Go through each respondents questionnaire in turn, adding in the codes. Enter this data
into a spreadsheet. See below for an example of what this might look like.
3.
4. Once the group has entered the data from all the questionnaires into a spreadsheet, it is a
good idea for someone else to check some of the data for accuracy. If there are many
errors, consider checking more of the data.
5. When the group is happy that all the data is present and correct, calculate how many people
selected each response. The young researchers could count this up manually, but it is easier
to let the spreadsheet do the work, by adding a filter to each question within the
spreadsheet.
6. Once the group has calculated how many people selected each response, the young
researchers can set up tables and/or graph to display the data. This could take the form of a
table or chart, for example:

7.
8. If there are enough questionnaires, the group could look at whether there is any variation in
the way that different types of people responded. For example, they might look at just the
girls responses, compared to just the boys responses. If you have a small number of
questionnaires, be wary of doing sub sample analysis because the results are likely to be
misleading.
9. Once the young researchers have analysed all the data, they should discuss what story the
data is telling, and what it means in terms of the research questions.
How to present your results
When the group has analysed the data it will need the present the results. This could be in a
presentation, video or written report. Before starting shaping your presentation, decide who the
group wants to influence with the research. This will affect how the young researchers should
present the findings, the language they will use, and the recommendations that they will make.
In a written report it is a good idea to include:
a one page summary of what the report says at the front
an introduction, stating the research question and why the group chose it
a methods section that says how the group carried out the research and why it used
those methods, along with how many people participated in the research
the main themes and findings coming out of the analysis - using each theme as a sub-
heading can work well
conclusions: the groups answer to the research question based on its interpretation of the
data
recommendations: what the group wants to happen on the basis of their conclusion - the
impact they want to have
any research instruments as appendices.
Here are some hints for presenting qualitative research:
dont get bogged down in the detail - tell the reader about the main themes as they relate
to the research question, rather than reporting everything that interviewees said
triangulate the data and tell the reader what level of consensus there was - did all the
different types of people you spoke to agree, or did views differ by group?
state that most people said or few people felt rather that giving the number of
people who said a particular thing
use brief quotes where these illustrate a particular point really well
respect confidentially - you could attribute a quote to a teacher rather than Mrs Jones,
for example.
Here are some hints for writing up quantitative research:
use charts or tables to help the reader understand the data and then highlight the most
interesting findings
dont feel that you have to report every detail
analyse the data rather than just describing it - use it to tell a story that focuses on
answering the research question
dont use percentages or proportions to report findings if you have fewer than 100 filled
in questionnaires, as this can be misleading. Instead, use numbers rather than percentages
when you report your findings. For example, if you received 25 questionnaires back, say
that 20 students felt that ... rather than 80% of students felt that...
If the group has used more than one method in the research, comment on the research findings
across the different methods
The questionnaire should be made such a way so as to get all the information, in a detail manner.
In the next chapter we would be dealing with the aspects of Interview and as to how we can get
the data from interview
Chapter 3
Interview

An interview is a conversation between two or more people where questions are asked by the
interviewer to elicit facts or statements from the interviewee.[1] Interviews are a standard part
of qualitative research. They are also used in journalismand media reporting (see Interview
(journalism)) and in various employment-related contexts.

The qualitative research interview seeks to describe and the meanings of central themes in the life
world of the subjects. The main task in interviewing is to understand the meaning of what the
interviewees say. Interviewing, when considered as a method for conducting qualitative research,
is a technique used to understand the experiences of others.

Characteristics of qualitative research interviews

Interviews are completed by the inter man based on what the interviewee says to be
conformed and done.

Interviews are a far more personal form of research than questionnaires.


In the personal interview, the interviewer works directly with the interviewee.
Unlike with mail surveys, the interviewer has the opportunity to probe or ask follow up
questions.
Interviews are generally easier for the interviewee, especially if what is sought are opinions
and/or impressions.
Interviews are time consuming and resource intensive.
The interviewer is considered a part of the measurement instrument and has to be well trained
in how to respond to any contingency.
Interviews provide an opportunity of face to face interaction between 2 persons; hence, they
reduce conflicts.

Types Of Interviews
Informal, Conversational interview No predetermined questions are asked, in order to remain as
open and adaptable as possible to the interviewees nature and priorities; during the interview the
interviewer goes with the flow.
General interview guide approach Intended to ensure that the same general areas of information
are collected from each interviewee; this provides more focus than the conversational approach,
but still allows a degree of freedom and adaptability in getting the information from the
interviewee.
Standardized, open-ended interview The same open-ended questions are asked to all
interviewees; this approach facilitates faster interviews that can be more easily analyzed and
compared.
Closed, fixed-response interview All interviewees are asked the same questions and asked to
choose answers from among the same set of alternatives. This format is useful for those not
practiced in interviewing. This type of interview is also referred to as structured.

Household research: Research on households pose specific ethical problems

of anonymity and consent among interviewees, and there is an ongoing controversy over

whether spouses should be interviewed in personal, individual interviews or in couple interviews.


Interviewer's Judgements According to Hackman and Oldman several factors can
bias an interviewer's judgment about a job applicant. However these factors can be reduced or

minimized by training interviews to recognize them.

.
Interviewers' Prejudices
This can be done when the interviewers' judgement is their personal likes and dislikes. These may
include but are not limited to racial and ethnic background, applicants who display certain qualities
or traits and refuse to consider their abilities or characteristics.

Other types of interviews

Cognitive interview
Computer-assisted personal vs. telephone interviewing
Ladder interview
Mall-intercept personal interview
Online interview
Psychiatric interview
Reference interview, between a librarian and a library user
Repertory grid interview
Structured, semi-structured, and unstructured interview
Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV

Stages of interview investigation

Thematizing, the why and what of the investigation


Designing, plan the design of the study
Interviewing, conduct the interview based on a guide
Transcribing, prepare the interview material for analysis
Analyzing, decide on the purpose, the topic, the nature and methods of analysis that are
appropriate
Verifying, ascertain the validity of the interview findings
Reporting, communicate findings of the study based on academic criteria

The interview questions should be well prepared , or at times it can misfire the respondent to
whom the question is being asked .In the next chapter we would be dealing with the aspects of
Chapter 4
CONSTRUCTING TABLES, PREPARING CHARTS, INTERPRETING
DATA

In order to constructing a table we need to follow the following procedure:

1. Summarized data presented in columns and rows are referred to as tables. All other
items (graphs, pictures, drawings, maps, etc.) are referred to as figures. Do not refer to
them as graphs or charts.

2. Tables often are used to present many numerical values. For example:

Table 1. Mineral element composition of several plant species

grown in the same soil.

Mineral Element Content

(Percent Dry Weight)


Species Ca K Mg N P
Sunflower 1.7 3.5 0.7 1.5 0.08
Bean 1.5 1.2 0.6 1.5 0.05
Wheat 0.5 4.2 0.2 2.3 0.06
Barley 0.7 4.0 0.3 1.9 0.13

3. When you need to show a pattern or a trend in the data, you should consider using a
graph. For example, sometimes a scatter graph is appropriate:
Figure 1. Plasmolysis of Allium bulb outer epidermal cells in external sucrose
solutions

at various concentrations. Number of cells observed = 230 / treatment.

At other times (to show results that differ among treatments, for example), a bar graph is
better:
Figure 1. Gas production by yeast respiration in media supplemented with various sugars.

4. Whenever a table and/or figure is included in the paper, some reference to that table or
figure must be included in the text of the paper. For example, "The effect of various
concentrations of gibberellic acid on the growth in height of tomato plants is summarized
in Table 1." or "Various concentrations of gibberellic acid have different effects on
growth in height of tomato plants (Table 1)."

5. Tables and figures are numbered independently of each other. For example, with three
tables and two figures, the tables would be labeled Table 1, Table 2, Table 3 and the
figures would be labeled Figure 1 and Figure 2.

6. Tables and figures are assigned their respective numbers by the order in which they are
first mentioned in the text.

7. Tables and figures should be placed as close as possible to the page where the table or
figure is mentioned in the text so that the reader can easily refer to it when it is mentioned
in the paper.

8. All tables and figures must be labeled (numbered) and must have self-explanatory
titles. The "rules" for composing the titles are the same as those for composing the title of
a paper itself. The reader should be able to look at a table or figure and, simply by
reading its title, know exactly what was done in that part of the experiment without
having to read the text of the paper for information.

9. Titles and labels for tables are always placed at the top of the table. Titles and labels
for figures are always placed below the figure.

10. All tables and figures must include the units of measurement involved. All columns
in a table should have separate headings identifying the entries. On both axes of graphs,
name the variable and its corresponding unit of measurement. The independent variable
is placed on the x-axis and the dependent variable is placed on the y-axis.

This how the tables are constructed , let us now have a look as to how to prepare charts , and
what are the methodologies to be adopted

Preparing Chart : The chart in the chart tab is based on the data that is visible in the Data
tab. Accordingly, there are several ways to fetch the appropriate data for your chart.

You can create a graph of all test cases.


You can limit the list by filtering by one or more fields.
You can search for relevant test cases using an saved search.
You can group the list by a field and then expand the groups you want to include in the chart.
How do I choose between these methods?
Use filtering if you want to base your selection on several fields, such as subsystem and priority
(for example, if you want to find all test cases that are high priority and relate to the User
Preferences subsystem).

Use a saved search to save the selection criteria for reuse (for example, if you want to create a
chart for a weekly report every Friday).

Use grouping when you want to choose several values for a field. If you group by priority and
then expand the High and Medium groups, you will get a chart that includes both groups.

Draw chart
Once you've selected the data you want to base your chart on, click the Chart tab above the data
table.

The Chart tab shows a sample chart based on your data. Above the chart, there are controls for
changing chart settings; below the chart is a table summarizing the data on which the chart is
based.

You can draw two kinds of graphs: pie charts and bar charts. You can switch between chart
types using the buttons above the chart.

Use the drop-down menus above the chart to select the fields for the chart. You can choose from
all fields that are drop-down lists, user lists, or (for test cases) test run results.

If you choose to draw a bar chart, you can select two fields. (Pie charts can only be plotted for a
single field.) You can then choose to have sub-categories stacked atop each other, or side by
side.
Read more about this and other chart settings.

The data table below the chart shows the same data as the chart itself, but in the form of a table.
Each data cell in the table is clickable, as are the row and column totals. Click on a cell to see a
list of data rows for that group.

This is the procedure for preparing charts , let us now have a look at the how to interpret the data

Interpret Data : When you have all this information about your business or project
saved and tracked, what do you do with it? Thats where interpretation of data comes in. It is
designed to help people with limited statistical or programming skills quickly become
productive in an increasingly digitized workplace.

Data analysis and interpretation is the process of assigning meaning to the collected
information and determining the conclusions, significance, and implications of the findings.
The steps involved in data analysis are a function of the type of information collected,
however, returning to the purpose of the assessment and the assessment questions will provide
a structure for the organization of the data and a focus for the analysis.

Numerical vs. Narrative Quantitative vs. Qualititative


The analysis of numerical (quantitative) data is represented in mathematical terms. The most
common statistical terms include:

Mean The mean score represents a numerical average for a set of responses.For a data
set, the terms arithmetic mean, mathematical expectation, and sometimes average are
used synonymously to refer to a central value of a discrete set of numbers: specifically,
the sum of the values divided by the number of values. If the data set were based on a
series of observations obtained by sampling from a statistical population, the arithmetic
mean is termed the sample mean to distinguish it from the population mean.
Standard deviation The standard deviation represents the distribution of the responses
around the mean. It indicates the degree of consistency among the responses. The
standard deviation, in conjunction with the mean, provides a better understanding of the
data. For example, if the mean is 3.3 with a standard deviation (StD) of 0.4, then two-
thirds of the responses lie between 2.9 (3.3 0.4) and 3.7 (3.3 + 0.4).
Frequency distribution Frequency distribution indicates the frequency of each
response. For example, if respondents answer a question using an agree/disagree scale,
the percentage of respondents who selected each response on the scale would be
indicated. The frequency distribution provides additional information beyond the mean,
since it allows for examining the level of consensus among the data.
Higher levels of statistical analysis (e.g., t-test, factor analysis, regression, ANOVA)
can be conducted on the data, but these are not frequently used in most program/project
assessments.

Try this course for a comprehensive instruction on data analysis for excel.

The analysis of narrative (qualitative) data is conducted by organizing the data into common
themes or categories. It is often more difficult to interpret narrative data since it lacks the built -
in structure found in numerical data. Initially, the narrative data appears to be a collection of
random, unconnected statements. The assessment purpose and questions can help direct the
focus of the data organization. The following strategies may also be helpful when analyzing
narrative data.

Focus groups and Interviews:

Read and organize the data from each question separately. This approach permits focusing on
one question at a time (e.g., experiences with tutoring services, characteristics of tutor, student
responsibility in the tutoring process). Group the comments by themes, topics, or categories.
This approach allows for focusing on one area at a time (e.g., characteristics of tutor level of
preparation, knowledge of content area, availability).

Documents

Code content and characteristics of documents into various categories (e.g., training manual
policies and procedures, communication, responsibilities). This approach keeps your
information organized and easily accessible when you

Observations

Code patterns from the focus of the observation (e.g., behavioral patterns amount of time
engaged/not engaged in activity, type of engagement, communication, interpersonal skills).

Data Interpretation and Analysis Techniques

The analysis of the data via statistical measures and/or narrative themes should provide
answers to your assessment questions. Interpreting the analyzed data from the appropriate
perspective allows for determination of the significance and implications of the assessment.

Analysis of data is a process of inspecting, cleaning, transforming, and modeling data with the
goal of discovering useful information, suggesting conclusions, and supporting decision
making. Data analysis has multiple facets and approaches, encompassing diverse techniques
under a variety of names, in different business, science, and social science domains.

Data mining is a particular data analysis technique that focuses on modeling and knowledge
discovery for predictive rather than purely descriptive purposes. Business intelligence covers
data analysis that relies heavily on aggregation, focusing on business information. In statistical
applications, some people divide data analysis into descriptive statistics, exploratory data
analysis (EDA), and confirmatory data analysis (CDA). EDA focuses on discovering new
features in the data and CDA on confirming or falsifying existing hypotheses. Predictive
analytics focuses on application of statistical or structural models for predictive forecasting or
classification, while text analytics applies statistical, linguistic, and structural techniques to
extract and classify information from textual sources, a species of unstructured data. All are
varieties of data analysis.

Some Data Interpretation and Analysis Tips

Consider the data from various perspectives. Whatever your project may be or whatever
data you have collected from your business its always best to ask what that data means
for various actors or participants.
Think beyond the data but do not stray too far from the data. Be mindful that you are
not making too much of your data or too little. Make the link between the data and your
interpretations clear. Base your interpretations in your research.
Make visible the assumptions and beliefs, or mental models, that influence
your interpretation. We each carry images, assumptions, and stories in our minds about
ourselves, others, the organizations we work in, etc. As a composite, they represent our
view of our world. Because these models are generally unarticulated, i.e., below our
level of our awareness, if left unexamined, these assumptions and beliefs can lead to
incorrect interpretations. Reflect on your own thinking and reasoning. Individually
and/or collectively list your assumptions about the inquiry focus.
Take care not to disregard outlying data or data that seems to be the exception.
Data that is surprising, contradictory or puzzling can lead to useful insights (insites.org
Speculation at times of interpretation of the data is always not
correct.
Chapter 5
WRITING REPORT: PLANNING, DRAFTING, REVISING,
FORMATTING AND PROOF READING

A report can be defined as a testimonial or account of some happening. It is purely based on


observation and analysis. A report gives an explanation of any circumstance. In todays
corporate world, reports play a crucial role. They are a strong base for planning and control in an
organization, i.e., reports give information which can be utilized by the management team in an
organization for making plans and for solving complex issues in the organization.
A report discusses a particular problem in detail. It brings significant and reliable information to
the limelight of top management in an organization. Hence, on the basis of such information, the
management can make strong decisions. Reports are required for judging the performances of
various departments in an organization.
An effective report can be written going through the following steps-
1. Determine the objective of the report, i.e., identify the problem.

2. Collect the required material (facts) for the report.

3. Study and examine the facts gathered.

4. Plan the facts for the report.

5. Prepare an outline for the report, i.e., draft the report.

6. Edit the drafted report.


7. Distribute the draft report to the advisory team and ask for feedback and
recommendations.

The essentials of good/effective report writing are as follows-


1. Know your objective, i.e., be focused.

2. Analyze the niche audience, i.e., make an analysis of the target audience, the purpose for
which audience requires the report, kind of data audience is looking for in the report, the
implications of report reading, etc.

3. Decide the length of report.

4. Disclose correct and true information in a report.

5. Discuss all sides of the problem reasonably and impartially. Include all relevant facts in a
report.

6. Concentrate on the report structure and matter. Pre-decide the report writing style. Use
vivid structure of sentences.

7. The report should be neatly presented and should be carefully documented.

8. Highlight and recap the main message in a report.

9. Encourage feedback on the report from the critics. The feedback, if negative, might be
useful if properly supported with reasons by the critics. The report can be modified based
on such feedback.

10. Use graphs, pie-charts, etc to show the numerical data records over years.

11. Decide on the margins on a report. Ideally, the top and the side margins should be the
same (minimum 1 inch broad), but the lower/bottom margins can be one and a half times
as broad as others.

12. Attempt to generate readers interest by making appropriate paragraphs, giving bold
headings for each paragraph, using bullets wherever required, etc.

What is a report purpose


9. Complete and Compact Document : Report is a complete and compact written document
giving updated information about a specific problem.

10. Systematic Presentation of Facts : Report is a systematic presentation of facts, figures,


conclusions and recommendations. Report writers closely study the problem under
investigation and prepare a report after analyzing all relevant information regarding the
problem. Report is supported by facts and evidence. There is no scope for imagination in
a report which is basically a factual document.

11. Prepared in Writing : Reports are usually in writing. Writing reports are useful for
reference purpose. It serves as complete, compact and self-explanatory document over a
long period. Oral reporting is possible in the case of secret and confidential matters.

12. Provides Information and Guidance : Report is a valuable document which gives
information and guidance to the management while framing future policies. It facilitates
planning and decision making. Reports are also useful for solving problems faced by a
business enterprise.

13. Self-explanatory Document : Report is a comprehensive document and covers all aspects
of the subject matter of study. It is a self-explanatory and complete document by itself.

14. Acts as a Tool of Internal Communication : Report is an effective tool of communication


between top executives and subordinate staff working in an organization. It provides
feedback to employees and to executives for decision making. Reports are generally
submitted to higher authorities. It is an example of upward communication. Similarly,
reports are also sent by company executives to the lower levels of management. This is
treated as downward communication. In addition, reports are also sent to shareholders
and others connected with the company. It may be pointed out that report writing /
preparation acts as a backbone of any system of communication.

15. Acts as Permanent Record : A report serves as a permanent record relating to certain
business matter. It is useful for future reference and guidance.

16. Time Consuming and Costly Activity : Report writing is a time consuming, lengthy and
costly activity as it involves collection of facts, drawing conclusion and making
recommendations

.Planning: Planning your report is the start of the writing process. If you have been given a
detailed brief and specific structure for your report then this can form the basis of your plan. Once
you understand your brief and know the purpose of each section you can map out your content. If
you havent been given a specific structure for your report you will need to come up with your
own headings.
Planning your time
You will also need to plan your time. A report is the final product of a project or investigation
that you have carried out and in addition to planning your time for the project itself you will
need to plan when you will be writing up your report and ensure that you have sufficient time to
produce your best written work and proofread it thoroughly.

Coming up with sections for your report


If you havent been given instructions on how to structure your report, look at examples of other
reports in your discipline. For some reports, (often business or management reports) it isnt
appropriate to use the 'introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusion' model. Instead,
you have to create appropriate sub-headings depending on the brief you have been given.
All reports aim to inform the reader about a specific investigation so you need to select the best
headings to lead the reader through the different stages of this investigation:

1. Read your brief carefully,


2. Brainstorm what you need to include,
3. Group similar ideas together;
4. See if these groups would make logical sub-headings.

Drafting, Revising

Drafting :

1. Selecting your Topic:

a. Understand the assignment

b. Choose a good topic that you love

c. Pick an original topic

d. Keep in mind that you can change your topic

2. Researching Your Topic

a. Research your topic.Make sure you have the correct number of sources for your
paper (your guidelines should cover how many sources your teacher expects you
to have)
b. Visit the library
c. Make sure your online sources are reputable
d. Keep track of all of the information you find.
3. Prewriting for Your Report
a. Come up with a thesis statement.
b. Create an outline
c. Decide how you will format your report
4. Writing Your Report
a. Write your introduction.
b. Write your body paragraphs.
c. Support your topic sentence
d. Write your conclusion.
e. Cite your sources.
f. Format your report
5. Finalizing Your Report
a. Read through your report from an outsiders perspective.
b. Get someone else to read your report
c. Proofread your report

REVISING THE REPORT :

Large-Scale Revision: This kind of revision involves looking at the entire paper for places
where your thinking seems to go awry. You might need to provide evidence, define terms,
or add an entirely new step to your reasoning. You might even decide to restructure or
rewrite your paper completely if you discover a new idea that intrigues you, or a structure
that seems to be more effective than the one you've been using.
Small-Scale Revision: Small-scale revision needs to happen when you know that a
certain part of your paper isn't working. Maybe the introduction needs work. Maybe one
part of the argument seems weak
Editing: Too often students confuse editing with revision. They are not the same processes.
Editing is the process of finding minor problems with a text - problems that might easily
be fixed by deleting a word or sentence, cutting and pasting a paragraph, and so on. When
you edit, you are considering your reader. You might be happy with how you've written
your paper, but will your reader find your paper clear, readable, interesting? How can you
rewrite the paper so that it is clearer, more concise, and, most important of all, a pleasure
to read?
Proofreading: When you proofread you are looking for mistakes in your paper.
Common mistakes caught in proofreading are punctuation errors, spelling errors, subject-
verb agreement, its/it's confusion, their/there confusion, and so on. When you proofread,
you need to slow down your reading, allowing your eye to focus on every word, every
phrase of your paper. Reading aloud can help you slow down, pointing your attention to
errors that have gone unseen. Also, USE YOUR SPELL CHECK. Professors are less
forgiving of spelling errors and typos than they were before the invention of this very
helpful tool

FORMAT:

Understanding how to format a report helps you to organise and present your report. This part
will take you through some common formatting options in Word.

Long reports
Headings & sub-headings
Bullet points & numbered lists
Headers & footers
Figures & tables
Other useful tools
Long reports :

Reports tend to be long documents so they therefore need to have a structure. Most long reports
have the following sections. Check with your teacher / lecturer for specific assessment
requirements.

Section 1: preliminary pages

Title page
Summary (Abstract)
Acknowledgements & disclaimer
Table of contents
List of figures and / or tables (if many)
List of symbols and / or abbreviations (if many)

Section 2: the 'guts' or body of the report


The type of report and its content will help to establish what headings should be used. These
headings are only guidelines.

Introduction
Method / methodology
Results / findings
Discussion
Conclusions
Recommendations

Section 3: supplementary materials

Many long reports provide additional material in appendices.

Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Using heading styles

Word has pre-formatted heading styles in the style section of the formatting toolbar. The drop
down menu gives you quick access to the styles. Generally, Heading 1 is used for higher level or
section headings, eg Chapter 1, while Heading 3 is used for sub-headings.

Applying a heading style

1. Type text for heading


2. Select (highlight) text
3. Click on Styles drop-down menu
4. Select the (heading) style to apply to the text.

Using bullet points & numbered lists

Bullet (dot) points and numbered lists are used to list or highlight important information in texts.
Bullet points are used when all the information is equal, that is there is no hierarchy or sequence,
while numbered lists are used to show a sequence or place information in hierarchical
importance, eg most important to least important.

To start a list, select either the bullet or numbered list icon from the formatting toolbar. The
indent and outdent can be used to create sub-lists within lists.

Part or full sentences?


Both bullet point and numbered lists can consist of part or full sentences. Part sentence lists
consist of an introductory phrase, followed by a colon (:), then each list point is a part sentence.

Part sentence lists are constructed by:

writing an explanatory phrase followed by a colon


starting each line with a lower case letter (not a capital)
making verb tenses and word forms consistent
punctuating only the final line with a full stop.

In full sentence lists, each list point is a complete sentence. They are generally introduced by a
heading. Each list point starts with a capital letter and has a full stop on each line. Remember:
numbered lists are only used when there is a hierarchy of importance or specific sequence in
time. Look at the example below.

Rules for using bullet points (heading)

Write in complete sentences and use a full stop. (full sentence)


Use a consistent type of bullet point. (full sentence)
Using headers & footers

Headers and footers are areas in the top and bottom margins of a page where you can place text
or graphics, eg name, student number, report title, logo, page numbers etc. They apply to
sections, so anything you place in the header and footer areas will appear on all pages in that
section. You can format different headers and footers for different sections of your report /
assignment.

Further information

Long documents & creating a table of contents

Headers & footers

Headers and footers can be accessed by View>headers and footers. The page changes to
background view; any text on the page will go a light grey. The header and footer areas become
active (black) and the header and footer toolbar opens. Have a look at the options available in the
toolbar by moving your mouse over the icons.

Tabs

Both the header and footer sections have pre-set left, centre and right aligned Tab stops. The
default position is left aligned, but to change the position, press the TAB button once to move to
centre aligned and twice to move to right aligned.
Further information

Word has an excellent help section. Either use the search query box or press F1 to bring up the
help pane, type in headers and footers, press Enter then select the appropriate topic.

Figures & tables

Figures (diagrams, graphs, maps and photographs) and tables (representations of numerical data
in a grid format) should be used to enhance what you write, not repeat it or stand separate from
it. Detailed results, statistical analysis, transcripts and more detailed diagrams should go in the
appendices.

Different types of figures and tables fulfil different functions. You should always choose the
most appropriate type of illustration for your purpose.

Line graphs and histograms are useful for Photos to provide evidence (e.g.
depicting trends pollution)

Bar graphs are effective when making Pie graph shows sub-categories in
comparisons relation to the whole

Tables are good for summarising and


presenting numerical data

Other useful tools

Word has a range of quick and useful tools.

AutoCorrect allows you to pre-define words to be auto-corrected. Tools>AutoCorrect


options>fill in the text to be replaced, then what it is to be replaced with.

Track Changes allows you to track changes made to a document, Tools>Track


changes. This opens up the track changes toolbar which allows you to follow what changes
are made to a document, and to accept or decline the changes.
Word Count gives you a word count of the document or section of a document. Open the
Word Count toolbar Tools>Word count, select the area you wish to check, then press
Recount.

Proofreading :

Proofreading means examining your text carefully to find and correct typographical
errors and mistakes in grammar, style, and spelling. Here are some tips.

Before You Proofread


When You Proofread
When You Want to Learn More

Before You Proofread

Be sure you've revised the larger aspects of your text. Don't make corrections at the sentence
and word level if you still need to work on the focus, organization, and development of the
whole paper, of sections, or of paragraphs.
Set your text aside for a while (15 minutes, a day, a week) between writing and
proofing. Some distance from the text will help you see mistakes more easily.
Eliminate unnecessary words before looking for mistakes. See the writing center
handout how to write clear, concise, direct sentences.
Know what to look for. From the comments of your professors or a writing center instructor on
past papers, make a list of mistakes you need to watch for.

When You Proofread

Work from a printout, not the computer screen. (But see below for computer functions that
can help you find some kinds of mistakes.)
Read out loud. This is especially helpful for spotting run-on sentences, but you'll also hear other
problems that you may not see when reading silently.
Use a blank sheet of paper to cover up the lines below the one you're reading. This
technique keeps you from skipping ahead of possible mistakes.
Use the search function of the computer to find mistakes you're likely to make. Search for
"it," for instance, if you confuse "its" and "it's;" for "-ing" if dangling modifiers are a problem;
for opening parentheses or quote marks if you tend to leave out the closing ones.
If you tend to make many mistakes, check separately for each kind of error, moving from
the most to the least important, and following whatever technique works best for you to
identify that kind of mistake.
For instance, read through once (backwards, sentence by sentence) to check for fragments; read
through again (forward) to be sure subjects and verbs agree, and again (perhaps using a computer
search for "this," "it," and "they") to trace pronouns to antecedents.
End with a spelling check, using a computer spelling checker or reading backwards word
by word.
But remember that a spelling checker won't catch mistakes with homonyms (e.g., "they're,"
"their," "there") or certain typos (like "he" for "the").

When You Want to Learn More

Take a class.
The Writing Center offers many workshops, including a number of grammar workshops.
Use a handbook.
A number of handbooks are available to consult in the Writing Center, and each Writing Center
computer has an online handbook.
Consult a Writing Center instructor.
Writing Center instructors won't proofread your papers, but they'll be glad to explain mistakes,
help you find ways to identify and fix them, and share Writing Center handouts that focus on
particular problem

Report writing is one of the most important and essential aspects of the business
communication that need to be filtered with great ease and patience
Summary by the author :

Communication motivates, informs, suggests, warns, orders, changes behavior, and establishes
better relationships, to make interaction meaningful and make oneself understood. Communication
is effective when a communicator is effective enough to communicate competently, simply,
clearly, sincerely and dynamically. Ones communication can be termed as successful, if the
receiver acknowledges it, i.e., when a listener or reader understands, reacts, responds to this
communication and shapes his/her learning behaviour. The word communication is derived from
the Latin word communis, which means common, i.e., to share, exchange, send, transmit, write,
relate and communicate. The other etymological source mentions that communication is derived
from the Latin term communicare, which means to impart or participate. This word often denotes
and means different things to different people. In short, we can define communication as sharing
ideas and feelings mutually. As it involves interaction, it encourages exchange of ideas until all
the experiences become a common profession. But comunciation has may of its impediments , we
in this chapter have focused upon this aspect also , secondly we have learned about the various
aspects of comunciation and also we came across the effects of business writing and as to how we
can work on the correspondence.

Communication occurs when those involve have shared meaning and understanding. Since we
dont know what something means to someone unless we ask, communication involves asking
questions and getting clarification. It also means speaking up (assertive) so that others know your
meanings and understandings about what and how things should be done. Group decision-
making (also known as collaborative decision-making) is a situation faced when individuals collectively
make a choice from the alternatives before them. The decision is then no longer attributable to
any single individual who is a member of the group. This is because all the individuals and social
group processes such as social influence contribute to the outcome. The decisions made by groups are often
different from those made by individuals. No team can exist in a vacuum. In order to work effectively,
team members need to communicate effectively with each other, and with the company's
management.

Electronic media have made research vastly easier; but remember that just because somethings
on the web doesnt make it true. A mistake in a family tree posted on-line can get copied and
repeated endlessly. The Internet has revolutionized the computer and communications world like
nothing before. The invention of the telegraph, telephone, radio, and computer set the stage for
this unprecedented integration of capabilities. Goodwill messages are special messages. Unlike
good news message that say yes" to the reader related to business, goodwill messages are meant
to build goodwill. These messages are always appreciated. Goodwill messages are very nice
letters to receive because they often come as a pleasant surprise. The word persuasion has
negative connotations for some people, especially in a marketing or sales context. They associate
persuasion with dishonest and unethical practices that lead unsuspecting audiences into accepting
unworthy ideas or buying unneeded products

Report is a self-explanatory statement of facts relating to a specific subject and serves the purpose
of providing information for decision making and follow up actions. It is a systematic presentations
of ascertained facts about a specific event / subject. Report is a summary of findings and
recommendations about a particular matter / problem. Report is for the guidance of higher
authorities including company executives and directors. Report facilitates timely decisions and
follow up measures

Make the process of communication so easy as to make other understand as to


intend to
Terms to Remember:

Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4


Communicare Work team Technology Report

Sender Conflict Email Proofreading

Message Negotiations Internet Protocol Drafting

Medium Group decision Browsing & Surfing revising


making the net

Feedback effective listening Correspondence Interviews


Planning

Receiver solving group Drafting


problem

Impediments revising

, Network Claim Letters

Types of Goodwill Message


Communication

Business writing Thank you notes


Fill in the blanks, True & False, Long & Short Questions from each
of the unit:
Unit 1
Fill in the blanks:

1. _______is the receivers interpretation of the senders message.


2. The other etymological source mentions that communication is derived from the Latin term
_______which means to impart or participate
3. Culture plays an important role in_______ communication.
4. _________is a process of transmitting messages to a large number of scattered audiences
5. Business Writing is a type of ____________usually with standard structure and style.
True & False:
6. The main purpose of communication is to ensure smooth functioning of organizational activities.
7. Distance is not an impediment of communication , and can be eradicated easily
8. Speaking is more easy job than hearing
9. Feedback serves as the main purpose, with help of which communication gets complete.
10. We can be harsh at writing something , as humbleness hardly matters

Short Answers:

1. What is a difference between Y pattern and wheel pattern of communication?


2. How many times the message gets encoded and decoded?
3. Define communication in terms of William Rice-Johnson.
4. How will you differentiate between the Verbal and nonverbal communication.

Long Answers:

1. Explain in detail how would you sedate the impediments of Communication


2. Describe how to analyse a receiver, in terms of a key aspect of the entire process of
communication.
3. Delineate what makes e-mail an important aspect in your life as an individual.
Answers for Fill in the blanks & True and False:
1. Decoding
2. Communicare
3. Non verbal
4. Mass communication
5. Written Communication
6. True
7. False
8. False
9. True
10. False
___________________ ________________________ ____________ ________________

Unit 2
Fill in the blanks:

1. Tension naturally arises in groups when they work toward shared _________.
2. According to the idea of _______ decisions made collectively tend to be more effective
than decisions made by a single individual.
3. Having an effective _______making process can be a major source of productivity
improvement.
4. Resolution of group _______that lead to the development of group cohesion.
5. It is extremely important to listen, as when ______takes place it is easy to make the
mistake of saying too much and listening too little

True & False :

6. We should Negotiate always with an attitude of Winning Over


7. Lack of clear goal not always leads to Conflict in a Team
8. Active listening and reflective listening are one and the same.
9. If we want to negotiate and make the conflict dissolve , we need to clarify the goals.
10. Active Listening can also be done without the responding part of the receiver.

Short answer questions :


1. What is the difference between Forming & Norming ?
2. What do you mean by negotiating towards win win object?
3. What are the modes of Listening ?
4. What are the four stages of group facilitation?

Long answer questions :


1. Delineate upon the view We were given two ears but only one mouth.
2. You are in the middle of a conflict , as your two of your colleagues are about to
go physical how would you sedate the process and negotiate. Explain clearly
3. Conflict is a part of human consideration, in lieu of this statement explain why
do conflict occur.

Answers to the fill in the blanks and true & false


1. goals and face challenges
2. synergy
3. group decision
4. conflicts
5. disagreement
6. True
7. False
8. True
9. True
10. False
______________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________

Unit 3

Fill in the blanks :

1. The __________ is the principal communications protocol in the Internet.


2. Goodwill messages are very ________to receive because they often come as a pleasant
surprise.
3. The _______ is a mail access protocol used by a client application to read messages from
the mail server.
4. Being concise means using the ________ to get a message across to the reader
5. is a messaging architecture and an API based on the Component Object Model (COM) for
Microsoft Windows

True and False :

6. Grammatical correctness is vital in business writing

7. Nearly 25 percent of hiring managers would reject a job candidate who neglected
to send a thank you letter after the interview

8. The letter must not be checked after finishing as its not worthy to do it.
9. In order to develop an amicable nature towards the recipient, personal touch should
be included.
10. Persuasive techniques are a cornerstone of marketing and selling, but even if you
never work in those fields, you'll still need good persuasion skills to advance in your
career

Answers to the fill in the blanks & true & false


1. Internet Protocol
2. nice letters
3. Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3)
4. fewest possible words
5. Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI)
6. True
7. False
8. False
9. True
10. True
________________ _______________ ________________ ______________________ ____________

Unit 4
Fill in the blanks :

1. Interviews are a far more ________of research than questionnaires.


2. When you ___________you are looking for mistakes in your paper
3. A____ can be defined as a testimonial or account of some happening
4. ______your report is the start of the writing process

5. Label your ___so that readers know what scale points are plotted on

True & False :

6. Data interpretation is part of daily life for most people


7. Annual reports are one of the better known types of business communications
8. Pie chart is the only way to represent your data
9. Report is a complete and compact written document giving updated information
about a specific problem.
10. You can also judge the people on the basis of informal interview
Short Answer :

1. What are Long Reports


2. What is the difference between proofreading & Editing
3. What is Header & Footer
4. What do you mean by planning your time

Long Answer:

1. Delineate the process of drafting in detail?


2. Elaborate upon the aspect of Interview and its type
3. Describe the process of Analysing the data through questionnaire

Answers Of True And False And Fill In The Blanks :

1. Personal Form
2. Proofread
3. Report
4. Planning
5. Axes
6. True
7. True
8. False
9. True
10. False

________________ _______________________ ___________________________ _________________


Cases studies to make the Better Understanding:
Case 1 : Champions for Effective Communication
As one of the worlds leading consumer packaged foods companies, General Mills is aware that
a key to its ongoing success is keeping employees in the know. However, with more than 28,000
employees in more than 100 locations scattered around the globe, good communication has
meant relying on innovation, found in its streaming media portalChampions TV. The portals
name gives a nod to the food companys well-known slogan"Breakfast of Champions"
created for its Wheaties cereal. First implemented in 1999, the Champions TV portal uses
Microsoft Windows Media to efficiently deliver corporate content 24 hours a day to desktop
PCs and manufacturing plant kiosks in both live and repeat broadcasts.

Champions TV means the company can broadcast live events simultaneously in the U.S. and in
other countries along with rebroadcast events. General Mills employees can access a wide
range of information including quarterly and annual company meetings, departmental
meetings, product demonstrations, and training materials. The daily content is scheduled in
eight-hour time blocks and then rebroadcast, so employees on different shifts and in different
time zones can view it.

While the portal was successful from the start, there were obstacles. "One of the biggest
problems they had was that not everybody could access it," says Tom Forsythe, Director of
Corporate Communications. "And so we had to decide whether to build for the future, or build
for today." An important tool from the outset, the portal was limited to General Mills facilities
with strong infrastructures and networks. "It was important not to over-rely on it early, but also
to continue to leverage it where possible," he says.

Getting all of General Mills operations up to speed to Accommodate the portal also proved to
be cost-effective. "We have consistently piggy-backed on other network expenditures, and
Champions TV, by itself, did not drive any network investment," says Forsythe. As General Mills
was an early adopter of SAP enterprise resource planning software, it was necessary to have a
robust network with sufficient bandwidth to support it. "When those infrastructure
investments were made, we just tucked right behind them and then provided this tool as well."

To watch Champions TV, corporate employees simply click on the Windows Media Player
embedded in the home page on their PC desktops. However, Champions TV is not for just office
workers; blue collar employees working in General Mills manufacturing plants can take a
break, walk up to kiosks located right on the plant floors, and access not only Champions TV,
but the entire corporate intranet. They can also access performance measures for each plant to
see how they compare to their peers in other plants. Additionally, the company uses Windows
Media to stream on-demand video to its advertising and marketing employees. Videos are of
General Mills product commercials that date back to the early days of TV, and workers can
search and request commercials from an online video library.
The General Mills portal has improved communication while cutting down on travel costs and
employee downtime, as people dont have to travel for meetings or training events. During a
live event, employees are able to submit questions to a special email box and have their
questions answered and can also choose to submit questions anonymously. This means that if
the company chairman makes a presentation to all employees, he can also take and answer
questions from workers in a variety of locations. o deploy the Windows Media solution, General
Mills originally spent $60,000 for Compaq servers; the software came at no extra cost because
it was included in the companys existing Windows NT server software. The corporations IT
staff built the solution in two weeks of development time. General Mills uses three Windows
Media serverstwo are dedicated to Champions TV; one machine is used for live video and
another is used to send a multicast stream of regular broadcasts. A third server is used to
unicast downloads of the companys commercials archive. General Mills encodes the content
with Windows Media Encoder and schedules Champions TV content with Microsoft Outlook
and a proprietary scheduling tool that was built by General Mills and which runs on the
Windows Media server. A staff member then makes content entries in Outlooks calendar, and
the scheduling tool reads the calendar and tells the server when to broadcast videos.
Forsythe says the first, most notable result in using streaming media was the drop in
attendance at live meetings. With Champions TV, employees can monitor meetings online from
their computers and still keep up with their workflow. "I think thats actually a sign of success,
and so we had to return our focus on live meetings by better packaging the live event itself, so
that it had an appeal of its own," says Forsythe.
There was a cost savings in smaller attendance; in times past, the meeting room facilities could
not accommodate all the employees who were required to come to meetings. "Because of the
success of Champions TV, we actually downsized the meeting room and moved to a small room
and saved a lot of money on what we had previously spent on event support," he says.
Like the General Mills facilities, Pillsbury buildings eventually were outfitted to be able to
access Champions TV as well. Upon completion of the acquisition, on the first day of the new
company, all the employees participated simultaneously in a company meeting. "We had one
meeting that took place in multiple locations, both at the Pillsbury center and here at our
headquarters," says Forsythe, "and we had the Chairman live in New York where he rang the
opening bell at the New York STOCK Exchange. We carried this message to them all at the
same time
Question 1
1 What IS Corporate communication , and why it is used , also tell What made the . General
Mills adopt the policy of This type , can you name or give another example of this type
2 Does the evolution of this type of software where the employee can take part from any
sphere of world , Is of great use , if yes how , according to you does it really mitigate the
absentees?

Case 2 : Did you hear what I said ?


John Simons head of HR , had just given a short presentation to the group of 35 International
HR colleges at the meeting in Zurich about his ideas for a new leadership competence model .
He was well prepared he had at his fingertips lots of funny anecdotes from colleagues about
leadership failings in the company . And he had a new model to present which he had
developed himself based on the latest thinking from Harvard University research . Things
seemed to start well :
Well what I want to get the ball rolling wit today is question . Its probably not a question we
put to ourselves that often but..bear with me for few seconds , humour me ,. My question is ,
why do we actually bother to train leaders in our company ? If leaders are born rather than
crafted by training , maybe we are overlooking the obvious .recruitment , not development ,
is the real solution to our leadership deficiencies . Now before my L& D collages decide to lynch
me , let me explain a little bit where I am coming from ..
But not alls well that start well . During his introduction , John had mad e it quite clear that
he wanted the audience to join in to participate and comment on his ideas .ThT why he said
Please Interrupt me if you have any questions. During the presentation he had said a few times
any thoughts on this ? a few colleges from the London and Chicago offices chipped in . But
among the entire group of non native English speaking colleagues , not one question was asked
during the whole presentation . Most pupils just sat starring at him with what seemed like a
hostile stare .
At close , one of his Dutch collages finally raised a hand to make comment and ask a question :
I dont think this leadership model offers anything new . Why should we take it in Holland if it
offers no extra value ? John straggle to bite his tong . He head heard about a legendry Dutch
resistance to any ideas coming from the headquarters before . He decide to make a stand :
The new model has the backing of CEO . Its strategic and need to be implemented by all of us .
Silence followed from the Dutch collages . it seemed to John that he had taken the right
decision , in drawing a line in the sand . And with no more questions forthcoming from anyone ,
it was time to end the presentation .
Later john reflected on what to make of it all . Why so little feedback , was he somehow too
provocative at the start ? was his northern accent a problem? Did anyone outside the UK & US
offices actually speak English ? was he just he too boring ? was he a little side to the Dutch HR
director ? John headed for the evening event rather despondently .

Questions :
1 what do you think of johns general reaction to his presentation experience ?
2 How well do you think John handled the questions from his Dutch colleges ?
3 How well do you think he understood the behaviour of the rest of his audience ?
4 How effective do you think John s use of English was when communicating to the non native
English speakers in the audience ?
5 John wanted his audience to interact and give feedback on his ideas . How might he have
handled his presentation , differently to achieve this .

Case 3 : Case Study on Communication Challenges


Ken worked in a research department for a year as a researcher and he was laid off as the entire
department was closed due to recession. He decided to meet the CEO for a possible
outplacement as the organization had several other departments to accommodate him. However
the secretary of the CEO, Diana did not permit Ken to meet by saying that CEO was busy. Ken
returned without meeting the CEO. He got better employment opportunity elsewhere and joined.

Ken, being a researcher, wrote an article for an international journal while working in the
research department. It was published after 9 months and received complimentary copies from
the publisher. Therefore, Ken wanted to share the successful publication with his former CEO
and went to meet him to gift the book as a complimentary copy. Below was the conversation Ken
had with the secretary of the CEO.

Ken: I would appreciate if you could arrange an appointment with CEO. I want.. (Secretary
interrupted)

Secretary: Why did you come? We had already handed over your resume to Jim for
outplacement. You may go now.
Ken: I did not come for employment opportunity. Dont assume that people would come here for
employment only. I have come to gift a complimentary copy where my article featured in
international journal. The CEO would be glad to share the success.

Secretary: No, No, the CEO sees everything and knows everything as every article publication is
known to him.

Ken: It is not departmental journal. It is a prestigious journal globally and I want to inform him
and gift the book.

Secretary: You will not get appointment. The CEO is busy said firmly.

Ken: I anticipated that CEO would be busy and I have already written the details of my name
over the complimentary copy.

Secretary: Okay, leave it and go. (She said impolitely and started looking here and there)

Ken handed over the complimentary copy to Secretary.

Ken: Fine, please hand over to CEO. I am leaving the place. However, I will send an email to
CEO about my coming physically to gift the book. (Secretary probably worried as the Ken had
already mentally prepared to send the email and keep the CEO informed. If Secretary had any
intention to skip handing over the complimentary copy, CEO will know as Ken would send
mail.)

Ken handed over the complimentary copy to Secretary and departed the office. He sent an email
to his ex-CEO about his coming and he could not meet as the latter was busy with his schedules.

After 5 hours, the Secretary telephoned Ken and said firmly, CEO told to return the book to
you. You come and take the book back.

Ken replied, It is the complimentary copy meant for the CEO only. Secretary insisted to take
back the book immediately. Ken told Secretary to courier and he was about to give his address.
Secretary interrupted Kens conversation and replied, No we dont send you through courier.
You have to come and take. Ken responded politely, Right now, I am far away from that place.
When I come to that area I would take back the book.

The very next day, Ken received email from his ex-CEO congratulating Ken for the publication
and thanked for coming all the way to gift the book. Ken felt excited that his ex-CEO was
pleased with publication.
Questions
1 What were the communication challenges in the above case study?
2 Was the Secretary right in avoiding the Ken who came all the way from long distance to gift
the complimentary copy?
3 Was it right for Secretary in insisting to come and take the complimentary copy back
physically instead of couriering?
4 Was Secretary a good listener?
5. Did Secretary empathize with Ken?
6. What were the other challenges prevented smooth communication between Ken and
Secretary?

Case 4 : Didnt we decide that already


Paul Jacobs , a software specialist for a global Pharmaceutical company based in Chicago , was a
little confused . He normally enjoyed working in Europe , but he had just got off the phone to his
project leader Karl Weiss having had what he at best would call a curious conversation . Paul ,
Karl and the rest of the project team had been in Vienna at the beginning of the week to kick off
a new European project , yet another roll out of corporate software to subsidiary in Eastern
Europe , this time Moldova. The discussion at the meeting had been rather difficult , trying to get
everyone on to agree on some pretty basic stuff, such start date for implementation, quality KPI(
Keep performance indicators ) and a provisional timing for the go live . There had been a lot of
discussion around a possible risk no one really knew the Moldovan business unit very well ,
and people were concerned about hidden problem .
The discussion had really dragged on for Paul who had only just managed to control his
frustration. He was very much a doer and was quit happy to get started without pinning
everything down first . I f things were to go wrong , he knew he could put them right . This is
what 15 years of project experience had taught him . Eventually , after a lot of towing and
frowning a decision was to make a separate project work stream just looking at risk .
On the flight home from Vienna Paul had have an idea . Why not involve a risk expert ? there
were several excellent people who knew in the US . These Guys could take a look at the project
plan , and possibly talk to the people in the Moldovan business unit . This could generate really
useful insights for the project team it might even had an impact on schedule and help planning.
He telephone Karl to talk about his idea but things did not go as expected
Paul : So Karl , I have had this idea to help sought out the risk problem in Moldova . What
we could do is involve a couple of risk experts from the US , just on a pretty informal basis ,
to hep us out to evaluate things a little .I know a couple of excellent guys .
Karl : Paul , we took a decision at recent meeting together . we are going to crate a specific
work stream Jean Paul will take charge of that I dont understand
Paul I know we discussed it but ......
Karl : we dint discuss it , we took a decision .
Paul : Ok, we took a decision . whatever, but its not cast in stone . I just think we need to be
creative. I had a quick word with the guys here and they said they can help . They actually
did something similar on another project recently . You see what I mean ?
Karl : Paul sorry I dont . as I said we took a decision we are a team and we need to act a s a
team , Its not good if we start trying to change things behind the backs off colleagues . its
going to damage trust

The cal ended shortly afterwards Paul was frustrated Karl was the one showing a lack of trust ,
Not him . Karl was not showing in his ideas . The idea to involve risk guys could clearly hep the
project but it was falling of deaf ears . Karl was inflexible , if things continued like this , it
clearly meant that this was going to be a very difficult and very long project

Questions :
1 What differences in decision in making style created lack of understanding between Pau
and Karl ?
2 What strategies did Paul sue to persuade Karl to except his idea ? How successful was he?
3 How could Paul could introduce his ideas to Karl more persuasively ?
4 What do you think of Paul conclusion after his call with Karl , how else could he have
reacted

Case 5 : Barry and Communication Barriers


Barry is a 27-year old who is a foodservice manager at a casual dining restaurant. Barry is
responsible for supervising and managing all employees in the back of the house. Employees
working in the back of the house range in age from 16 years old to 55 years old. In addition,
the employees come from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. For many, English is not
their primary language.
Barry is ServSafe certified and tries his best to keep up with food safety issues in the kitchen
but he admits its not easy. Employees receive on the job training about food safety basics
(for example, appropriate hygiene and handwashing, time/temperature, and cleaning and
sanitizing). But with high turnover of employees, training is often rushed and some new
employees are put right into the job without training if it is a busy day. Eventually, most
employees get some kind of food safety training.
The owners of the restaurant are supportive of Barry in his food safety efforts because they
know if a food safety outbreak were ever linked to their restaurant; it would likely put them
out of business. Still, the owners note there are additional costs for training and making sure
food is handled safely.
One day Barry comes to work and is rather upset even before he steps into the restaurant.
Things havent been going well at home and he was lucky to rummage through some of the
dirty laundry and find a relatively clean outfit to wear for work. He admits he needs a haircut
and a good hand scrubbing, especially after working on his car last evening. When he walks
into the kitchen he notices several trays of uncooked meat sitting out in the kitchen area. It
appears these have been sitting at room temperature for quite some time. Barry is frustrated
and doesnt know what to do. He feels like he is beating his head against a brick wall when it
comes to getting employees to practice food safety.
Barry has taken many efforts to get employees to be safe in how they handle food. He has
huge signs posted all over the kitchen with these words: KEEP HOT FOOD HOT AND COLD
FOOD COLD and WASH YOUR HANDS ALWAYS AND OFTEN. All employees are given a
thermometer when they start so that they can temp food. Hand sinks, soap, and paper
towels are available for employees so that they are encouraged to wash their hands
frequently.

Questions:
1. What are the communication challenges and barriers Barry faces?
2. What solutions might Barry consider in addressing each of these challenges and barriers?
3. What Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) would be helpful for Barry to implement and
enforce?
4. What are some ways Barry might use effective communication as a motivator for
employees to follow safe food handling practices?
Case 6 : The Importance of Communication in
Transition of Care

A 59-year-old male with a history of insulin-dependent diabetes was admitted to the hospital
for a total knee replacement. The admitting process went smoothly as did the holding-area
workup, but the surgery was a bit delayed due to the preceding case taking longer than
expected. The patient was, however, kept comfortable while waiting for his surgery, and the
family was allowed to remain at the bedside until the patient went into the operating room.
Some difficulty was encountered during the procedure, as the knee was so "old" and
overused that removal took some time; this was coupled with difficulty in the installation of
the new knee. The patient tolerated the procedure well, however, and was transferred to the
recovery room where he stayed until after the next change of shift. He was taken to his room
at 8:00 pm. Although he was on a Dilaudid (hydromorphone) pump, it did not seem to
provide sufficient relief, as he was experiencing breakthrough pain and was immediately
asking for pain medication upon entering his room.
The patient progressed slowly over the next few days. He was finding it difficult to bend his
knee to 80 degrees and, as a result, was placed on a constant passive motion machine (CPM).
This increased his pain, making him intolerant of the machine for any length of time. The
recovery process was slower than anticipated.
As a patient with insulin-dependent diabetes who, 1 year prior, had 2 stents placed in the left
anterior descending (LAD) artery, he was on clopidogrel sulfate, warfarin, and ASA at the time
of admission. The clopidogrel sulfate and ASA were discontinued during the hospitalization
due to the surgical procedure, and he was placed on enoxaparin. For these reasons, the
hospital was drawing blood daily to monitor his INR, and his daily doses of warfin were varied
based on the INR measurements. In addition, blood sugar checks were performed before
meals and at bedtime. Although he was assured that it was common for his blood sugar to be
elevated and to fluctuate following surgery, it was not coming down, and his INR was not
within therapeutic range. This, coupled with his inability to reach 90 degrees flexion of his
right knee, suggested he was not ready for a safe discharge home. His surgeon recommended
a rehabilitation facility for additional therapy and health status monitoring.
Therefore, at two days post-surgery, discharge plans were initiated to find a rehabilitation
center that would accept the patient. However, because of the type of health insurance he
had, he was not eligible for a rehab center and was only covered if he had bilateral knee
replacements. The only type of facility that would accept the patient for rehabilitation was a
nursing home. The patient had difficulty accepting this option as he was only 59 years old, but
once the concept settled in, the family, in collaboration with the licensed clinical social
worker (LCSW) who was acting as the discharge case manager on the floor, began to
coordinate a transfer to a nursing home. At 3:00 pm, a nursing home was found that would
accept the patient, and the LCSW was advised of the family preference. However, it wasn't
until 5:15 pm that the LCSW submitted to admissions the transfer form for acceptance and a
discharge the following day; and because it was a Friday, the nursing home admissions
department had already closed at 5:00 pm, and the insurance company had no one over the
weekend to give an authorization number. The transfer could not take place until Monday of
the following week. The family realized that the hospital was already aware of this particular
insurance company's being closed over the weekends, as the discharge case manager advised
the family that their predicament was a common occurrence. The family asked why, then, the
discharge plan was not initiated in a timelier manner, to which he commented that there
were other patients waiting for transfers as well.
The following Monday, the transfer was still not complete; the nursing home had yet to
receive the proper paperwork in order to get an authorization from the insurance company.
The patient's wife, in trying to assist with facilitating the transfer, was able to obtain the
name of the patient's insurer hospital case manager. By the end of the day, she had been
referred to 3 different names of case managers from the previous one contacted, and the last
one did not call back. At 3:00 pm still no calls had been received from the regularly assigned
floor case manager as to the status of the discharge transfer. With the hour of 5:00 pm again
approaching, the patient and his family were extremely frustrated with the entire transfer
process. Shortly after, the floor nurse advised the patient and his family that the transfer
work was complete and that the medics would be called as soon as the patient had his dinner
and received his insulin. The medics were called at 6:30 pm, and the transfer to the nursing
home was completed by 8:30 pm.
Difficulties arose at the nursing home as well. On Tuesday, the patient was kept from
receiving his morning medications, as the nursing home claimed to not have an order for his
clopidogrel sulfate. The attending physician, who had not yet seen the patient to date, did
not make his rounds until Wednesdays, and his PA did not see patients until Tuesday nights.
In order to remedy the problem, the nurse said she would borrow a pill from another patient
once she received the order. There was no pharmacy on site at the nursing home, and thus it
took time to dispense new arrival medications.
By 2:00 pm, the patient had not yet been taken to physical therapy, nor had there been any
mention of it. Until the patient asked for it, he had not known that he should have been
advised to wheel himself down to the PT department. The patient responds with, "What
wheelchair?" No one had discussed any arrangements with him. The patient was finally
transported to physical therapy. There, he was asked if he could walk. At this point the
patient doubted that anyone had read his transfer paperwork. An evaluation was completed,
and right knee exercises were begun.
The patient continued to improve on a daily basis. The family began to install a plan of care
for a discharge over the weekend, only to discover that patients were not discharged during
that time period and were only discharged after the attending physician had seen them. The
discharge, therefore, could not take place until Wednesday of the following week. The family
was beginning to get upset, and on Friday the patient's wife left the case manager at the
nursing home a message saying that the family had a plan of care in place and wanted to
have the patient discharged home on Monday. On Monday, the case manager from the
nursing home called the family to advise that the patient had been cleared for discharge and
was ready to go home. Finally able to take his care into his own hands, the patient left the
nursing home very frustrated with the lack of efficiency and communication in the health
care system.
On another note, there still was no call back from the insurer case manager from the calls
placed by the patient's wife on Friday asking for help. On Wednesday, two days after the
patient's discharge from the nursing home, his wife received a call from a scheduler from the
insurer, saying that a wellness nurse wanted to discuss the patient. The wife asked what
happened to the call from the insurer case manager that she reached out to, to which the
scheduler replies that he did not know and was sorry that no one responded. The wife then
mentioned that there was now no need for the nurse to call, as the patient was doing fine,
and that it was "a little late to be checking".
Lack of communication within the health care system can lead to inefficient transfers,
frustrated patients and families, decreased quality of patient care and suboptimal health
outcomes. Case managers are an integral part of the health care system, and an important
message that case mangers can take away from this case is that timely communication can
make a significant difference in how a patient's recovery process progresses

Questions :
1 Often we say that communication is of great use , is it really true in every , discuss your
learning based on the case .
2 Analyse the case and deduce and decide that what do you mean by that timely
communication can make a significant difference in how a patient's recovery process
progresses?

Case 7 : Barriers To Effective Communication Leigh


Randell as supervisor of in-flight services at the Atlanta base of Omega Airlines, a successful
regional air carrier with routes throughout the South and Southwest. In addition to Atlanta, it has
bases in six major cities.
Randells job involves supervision of all in-flight services and personnel at the Atlanta base. She
has been with the airline for seven years and in her present job for two years. While preferring
flying to a permanent ground position, she decided to try the management position. In her job,
she reports directly to Kent Davis, vice president of in-flight services.
During the past year, Randell has observed what she believes is a great deal of duplication of
effort between flight attendants and passenger service personnel in the terminal with respect to
paperwork procedures for boarding passengers. This, she believes, has resulted in unnecessary
delays in departures of many flights-especially through flights (those that dont originate or
terminate in Atlanta). since most Omega through flights stop in Atlanta, Randell believes that
such delayed departures are probably not a major problem at Omegas other bases or at smaller
airports. Thus, she has decided to try to coordinate the efforts of flight attendances and passenger
service personnel with a simpler, more efficient boarding procedure, thereby reducing ground
time and increasing passenger satisfaction through closer adherence to departure times.
In this respect, she has, on three occasions during the past two months, written memo to Tom
Ballard, Omegas passenger services representative at the Atlanta base. Each time, Randell has
requested information regarding specific procedures, time, and costs for boarding passengers on
through flights. She has received no reply from Tom Ballard. His job involves supervision of all
passenger service personnel. He has been with Omega for five years, having joined its
management training program immediately after graduating from college. He reports directly to
Alan Brock, vice president of passenger services at the Atlanta base
Last week, Leigh wrote a memo to Kent Davis:
For several months, I have been trying to develop a new method for facilitating the boarding of
passengers on through flights by more closely coordinating efforts of In-Flight Services and
Passenger Services. the results would be a reduction in clerical work, cost and ground time and
closer adherence to departure times for through flights: Unfortunately, I have received no
cooperation at all in my efforts from the passenger service representative. I have made three
written requests for information, each of which has been ignored. Needless to say, this has been
frustrating to me. While I realize that my beliefs may not always be correct, in this instance I am
only trying to initiate something that will be beneficial for everyone involved: Passenger
Services, In-Flight Services, and, most important, Omega Airlines. I would like to meet with you
to discuss this matter and the possibility of my transferring back to flight duty.
Kent Davis summoned Alan Brock and Tom Ballard to a hastily called conference. tom Ballard
was mildly asked why he had not furnished the information that Randell has requested.
Too busy, he said. Her questions were out of sight. There was no time for me to answer this
sort of request. Ive got a job to do. Besides, I dont report to her.
But Tom, you dont understand, Kent Davis said. All Leigh Randell is trying to do is improve
the president system of boarding passengers on through flights. she has taken the initiatives to
work on something that might benefit everyone.
Tom Ballard thought for a moment. No, he replied, it didnt look like that to me. You know
Ive also had ideas on how to improve the system for quite sometime. Anyway, shes going
about it all wrong.
As a Business Communication student which has already learned effective communication,
analyze and discuss the following questions:

Questions :
1. What barriers to effective communication do you detect in this case?

2. Is anyone wrong in this situation? By what other means could Randell have requested
the information from Tom Ballard? What do you think of Tom Ballards reaction? Why?

3. While communicating information vertically up or down the organization does not


present a major problem, why is horizontal and diagonal communication are more
difficult to attain?

4. What would you recommend that the management of Omega Airlines do to remedy this
situation?

5. How would your recommendation improve communication in the organization?

Case 8 : Cultural Differences :


Wise web Analytics is a California multinational company that has set its offices in Hyderabad
and Bangalore . Santosh recently has joined this company in Hyderabad office. He is part of
team that has members from new York , Shanghai , and Malaysia for the major project in the
area of Risk analysis. His project manager Julie is based In San Jose . In the first week of join the
company , Julie wanted to call for a project meeting of all the member through vedio
conferencing . She asked Santosh whether it would be convenient for him to join the meeting at
7pm . Santosh knew that he had another important assignment at 6 pm and he was not sure
whether that would be over or not by 7 pm , but he did not directly say no to Julie . He said that
if the team cold wait for sometime it was fine or else , they could go ahead with the meeting and
he would join later . Put by his reply , she firmly asked him whether he said YES or NO
and this confused Santosh .

Questions :
1 Analyse the cultural difference involved in this case keeping in mind the discussion of
communication
2 What do you feel about Santoshs Way of Answering?

3 What would Julie think about Santosh


Case 9: Goodwill corporation Ltd :
The president of goodwill corporation ltd . , Mr Abhishek Murkherji , wanted to facilitate
upward communication . He believed an open door policy was good option . he announced that
hi own door was open to all employees and encouraged senior managers to do the same . He felt
this would give him a way to get warning signals that would not be filtered or redirected through
the formal chain of command . Mr Mukherji found that many employee who use the open door
policy had been with the company for years and were comfortable to talk to president. Sometime
messages came through about inadequate policies and procedures . Mr Mukeherji would raise
these issues and explain any changes at the next senior manager meeting , the most difficult
complaints to handle were those from people who were not getting along with their bosses
One such case was Anand , complained bitterly that his manager had over committed on behalf
of the department and put everyone under tremendous pressure . He argued that long hours and
low morale were major problem . However he would not allow Mr Mukherji to either bring the
manager into discussion or seek out other employees to confirm and complaint . Although Mr
Mukherji suspected that Anand might be right , he could not let the matter lie and said Have
you considered to leave the company , this made Anand release that meeting with his immediate
boss is unavoidable
Before the three party meeting , Mr Mukherji contacted Anands manager and explained what
was going on . He insisted that the manager come to the meeting willing to listen and without
hostility toward Anand .During the meeting Anands manager listened attentively and displayed
no ill will . He learned the problem from Anand perspective and relieved that he was over his
head in the new job . After the meeting the manager said he was relieved , he had been promoted
in the new job from a technical position just few months earlier and had no managerial or
planning experience . he welcome the Mr Mukherjis offer to help him do a better job planning .

Questions :
1 What technique increased Mr Mukherjis communication effective ?
2 Do you think that he open door policy was right way to improve upward communication ?
what other technique you suggest ?
3 What problems do you think an open door policy creates . do you think many employee are
reluctant to use it Give suitable reasons .
Case 10: Image and rumour at Procter & Gamble :
Since the late 1970s Proctor and gamble has plagued by rumours connecting the company with
Satanism and devil workshop . the rumour comes in two cycle from late 1981 to the end of
summer of 1982 and from the autumn of 1984 to early 1985 . Proctor & Gamble primarily
manufactures and distribute household products including Crest toothpaste and Pampers
disposable diapers. the company attributes its success to developing products based on consumer
needs and promoting these products with extensive advertising .It contact consumers through an
extensive network of tool free numbers and market research projects.
The first rumour that surfaced that the company was owned by the church of Satan . The Poof of
this relationship was Proctor and gambles 100 year trade mark , a quarter moon and 13 stars .
Proctor and gamble was not overly concerned until late October 1981 , when the second rumour
began to circulate . It claim that John Smale , president and chief executive , had appeared on the
fill Donahue Show , or a similar talk show , where he supposedly stated that he was a
member of the church of Satan , that the company contributed money to the church , and that
their arent enough christens in the world to stop it . he had never been on any such programme
, of course , but the rumour also urged the boycott of all Proctor and gamble products
Calls began flooding the tool free telephone lines asking about the legitimacy of the rumours .
most of the calls were from retailers informing the company that some customers were returning
the companies products or asking why the good were not been taken of the shelves . employees
were being threaten , and some had had their tyres slashed
The number of calls peeked at 15000 July 1982 . The company attacked by sending out the
factsheet to 48000 churches in southern US . This group was targeted because the rumours were
being spread by fundamentalist religious groups mostly in the south . the company also enlisted ,
the aid of certain member of the clergy , including Rev , Jerry Farwell , president of the Moral
Majority, and Rev. Donald E wide men , Chairman of the coalition for the better television .
these clergymen issued statements discrediting , the rumours and suggesting the people that they
must continue using the companies products . The company also obtain descent from television ,
talk show producers confirming that no one from the company had appeared on the programme .
The PR programme dispelled the notions about the company supposed link to the devil . The
rumours died down and the number of calls mitigated to 30 -40 a month . after the success of this
counterattack , the company was surprised when the number of calls suddenly jumped to 1000 in
sep 9174 and then become 3000 in October .
This time the rumours concern the companies trade mark and it supposed symbolism in devils
worship and sadism . unlike the frost wave of calls these calls seemed to come from across the
country . The company began sending around media information kits , similar to that used
previously ,containing brief study of logo . they include the letter from the producers from the
television talk show and letter from the clergyman the company also send the security team to
track the rumour source and to look for patterns in its remission . They even threaten to sew
anyone caught speeding rumours.
However by spring 1985 the problem had gotten out of controlee . The company was forced to
change the logo , which was then 103 year old . observers agree theta this was the right move .
because the hysterical rumours came out last reasoned explanations and even law suits , by the
time the logo ad been changed , the company had spend the 1000 dollars on anti rumour PR and
on extra telephone staff to handle calls on the matter
The final result was the company lost hysterical symbol that stood for trustworthy , reliable
products to millions of consumers were over a 100 years .

Questions :
1What category of communication had the company using in this case?
2 what change if any, would you have recommended for the company entail strategy in 1982 to
stop rumours ?
3 Were the toll free lines advantageous for the company or not?
4 Due you agree with decision of company to change established logo? Justify your view.

Case 11 : Devising a communications plan A Kellogg's


case study
Research shows that children benefit from eating a healthy breakfast prior to the start of the
school day. However, too often children have no breakfast at all or eat chocolate or crisps and a
fizzy drink on their way to school.
Kelloggs is the worlds leading producer of cereals. Its products are manufactured in 18
countries and sold in more than 180 countries. Kelloggs produces some of the worlds most
easily recognisable brands such as Kelloggs Corn Flakes, Coco Pops and Rice Krispies. For
more than 100 years, Kelloggs has been a leader in health and nutrition through providing
consumers with a wide variety of food products.
Breakfast clubs
Kelloggs has been active in supporting breakfast clubs in schools for many years, working with
the education charity ContinYou, the experts on breakfast clubs. Breakfast clubs provide a
healthy meal at the start of the day in a safe and friendly environment. They also provide a great
opportunity for kids to play, learn and socialise with classmates.
Since 1998, this partnership has set up 500 breakfast clubs in schools across the UK. Interested
schools have been supported with training on how to start a club and have received a start-up
grant from Kelloggs.
According to research by Kelloggs, many schools have run into trouble with the funding of
their breakfast club due to recent budget cuts by the UK government. Kelloggs responded by
putting a team together to create a communications plan which highlighted the importance of
breakfast clubs to parents, schools, the UK government and the public.
The communication process involves transmitting information from a sender to a receiver.
However, effective communication needs to ensure that the message has been not only received
but also clearly understood. This is relevant whether the communication is internal or external.
The message needs to be sent in a way that it will appeal to and be understood easily by the
target receiver or audience. This involves selecting an appropriate format or channel to deliver
the message.
Examples of media that may be used include a leaflet, a television advert and a personal letter.
The feedback part of the process is vital as this is how the sender knows if the message has been
received correctly.
For the message to be effective, barriers to communication (known as noise) need to be
eliminated or reduced. Noise is anything that might distort the message or prevent the receiver
getting or understanding the message. For example, noise might include using language or jargon
that the receiver will not understand or using a channel such as email or the internet when the
receiver does not have a computer.
Tailoring the message

A communications plan uses the same principles of tailoring the message and the delivery
channel for a target audience. A communications plan also sets out the overall objectives to be
achieved and the means by which these will be measured.
Businesses engage in both internal and external communication. Internal communication may
involve transmitting messages to shareholders, senior managers, other employees or contractors.
Communication externally may be to a range of stakeholders including customers, suppliers,
the media, government or the wider public. In each case, the nature of the message and the
format used may be tailored to suit the audience. An effective internal communications plan can
help to give clear direction within the organisation and improve employee motivation.
Externally, it can even change public opinion
Research commissioned by Kelloggs showed that as many as 1 in 7 children in the UK do not
eat breakfast and that up to 25% eat crisps, chocolate or fast food on the way to school. In
addition, 1 in every 8 (around 3,000) breakfast clubs in the UK have closed due to government
budget cuts and up to 45% of remaining clubs were at risk of closure.
Research with teachers showed that the majority believe that the lack of breakfast opportunities
would lead to poorer academic results and worsening behaviour in schools. The purpose of the
Kelloggs campaign was to show its commitment to breakfast clubs in schools in the UK. The
important messages that the campaign was aiming to get across were that:
breakfast is important for people of all ages especially young people

breakfast clubs positively impact on childrens behaviour, attendance and ability to


concentrate in morning lessons

Kelloggs has supported breakfast clubs since 1998

by buying Kelloggs Corn Flakes you are helping to feed children at breakfast clubs.

Kelloggs faced potential noise for its messages from different sources. At the time, the
government spending review was high profile in the press which could have resulted in the
Kelloggs story being overlooked. In addition, other food companies also support breakfast clubs
which could have led to confusion or dilution of its messages.
It also needed to make clear that this was not a marketing effort to promote Kelloggs brands but
a part of the companys longstanding Corporate Responsibility programme. Corporate
Responsibility involves understanding the impact the business has on the wider community and
working to make that impact positive. Kelloggs has been supporting breakfast clubs in schools
and local communities for 14 years and has invested over 1.5 million to date.
However, the campaign was primarily designed for the needs of external audiences. These
included:
Schools to Alert them to the Kelloggs grants available, inviting them to apply
for Funding

The media to generate excitement and press interest about the campaign and to increase
public awareness of the issues involved.

Parents to demonstrate Kelloggs socially responsible stance and inform them how
breakfast clubs could support their children.

Members of Parliament (MPs) asking them to encourage schools in their constituencies


(i.e. the area that they had been voted to represent) to apply for Funding

The public to attract consumers to buy Kellogg

As a food company that takes its responsibility for nutrition seriously, Kelloggs has
maintained its commitment to write to and talk to key government officials to get the
message over about the importance of breakfast for children. This highlights how effective
communication is not just a one-off event but an ongoing cycle requiring evaluation and a
response to feedback received.
Questions :
1 What made the Kellogs think to devise the communication plain , is the plan effective , if
yes can you suggest what else can the company do for targeting more audience .?
2 Can you suggest some other plan of communication those audience who are not conversant
and form the untouched elements of the society (BPL)

Case 12: Conversation styles :


There are three conversation presented here which are of a misunderstanding due to differences
in communication styles indirect in one culture , direct in the other .
THE TRIP : -
A: Hi ! How did the visit to the plat go?
B: Quite well , I think they are interested in using my expertise.
A: Thats great . Did they show you around ?
B: Yes . I saw the whole plant .
A: The whole thing ! that must have taken hours .
B: Actually , we were in and out in less than 30 min .they said that other guy is coming at noon .
A: Oh!
THE MEETING :
A: How did it go with the board members ?
B: A lot easier than I was expecting .
A:Really? Did they asked you about investing in the new building for storage ?
B: Yes . I explained we had to have it and told them how much would it cost .
A: Ok. So what was their reaction ?
B:There was no discussion . They said fine and asked me to move on the next point .
GETTING BACK :
A: How was your meeting with the director ?
B: Very well , I think , for the first meeting .
A: When will you see the director again ?
B: In the end, I didnt meet the director . I meet with wit his assistant.
A: Did she asked you lot of questions about your proposal ?
B : A few .
A: When are you going back ?
B: Probably next week .
A: You are not sure?
B: I asked for another appoint , and she said she will get back to me .
NEED HELP :
A: Hi ! what can I do for you ?
B: Excuse me . I need some help with this new machine .
A: Of course . Let me explain it again.
B: I asked Kanti , But she couldnt help me .
A: No , she hasnt tried it yet
B: It is a little bit complicated .
A: Its very complicated , but after I explain it to you and I asked you if you understood , you
said yes !
B: Yes . Please excuse me .

Question :
1. Analyse the conversations and deduce the difference between what was said or done and how
the receiver interpreted it
About the author :

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