Case study-1: Communication gap

It was 9:30 a.m .When two trucks brought some large crates to assembly shop .Everyone
saw truck crew unloading the boxes quickly , leave them piled near the gate of the stores
department and drive away . Mohan ,a worker ,watched and approached the foreman and
pointed to the boxes . The foreman stopped , shrugged his shoulders and walked way.

Mohan came across another worker who asked:”What’s in the boxes?” “ I don’t know “,
was the reply , “and the foreman doesn’t know either or at least ,he doesn’t want to tell
me.” Mohan went over his work but continued to wonder.”What could be in those boxes?
And why does not the foreman want to tell us? May be it is new machines …say , that’s
probably what is, those new automatic machines .All you have to do is push the button
and the machine will do the rest . There won’t be many jobs in they assemble shop if
these machines are installed.”

Mohan became very nervous . He got up and went over to the water cooler where two
other workers were gossiping.” The foreman doesn’t want to tell us what’s in those crates
because it is new automatic machinery . That will mean fewer jobs for us.” Mohan saw
fear and anger creep across the workers” faces

Words spread like a wildfire. Soon no one was working, all were talking and their voices
grew angrier and angrier. Finally, a worker stood on his bench and shouted,” If this is the
way the management treats us, then let’s teach them a lesson. If they fire us , We’ll fire
the boxes.”

Just then the superintend came running and stood in the middle of the men.”What’s the
matter “What’s happened?”

“You are trying to replace us with new machines.”

“What new machinery?”
“The new machinery in those boxes”
“Oh, my god! That’s equipment for our new plant. We’re only keeping these here for a
few days

Every one looked very foolish and tempers quickly cooled.” you should have told us”,
one man said dejectedly. Mohan quietly slipped away.

Questions:
1. What is the problem in this case?
2.Who is responsible for this episode?
3.Do you feel that the workers would have not agitated if there were two-way
communication between the management and the workers?
 BHOPAL GAS TRADEGY: COMMUNICATION FAILURES

On December 3,1984 ,a runaway reaction had occurred in a storage tank of

methelisocyanate (MIC) which was used to manufacture a pesticide. The values of the
tank had burst, and a could of poisonous gas had escaped . The winds carried it to nearby
shanty towns and the populous city of Bhopal, were thousands of people either died in
sleep or woke and died fleeing. Those who survived suffered from burning eyes and
lungs. Local medical facilities were not quipped for the disaster , and over the next few
weeks thousands more died.
Due to production problems , the plant was under a great deal of pressure to cut costs. A
number of shortcuts and thus been taken with such items as crew training . Staffing
patterns and maintenance schedules . The original procedure called for up to two years of
training for employees in critical superintend capacities, but the plant operates had
received about a month long training using classroom materials developed in the U.S and
printed in English
Perhaps most importantly at the time of the tragedy, the staff did not realize the gravity of
the situation and even took a break for tea after the leak had been noticed , thinking they
would have plenty of time to fix it. The operator in the control room did not notify his
supervisor when the temperature began to rise inside the tank and the entire situation
remained unattended for at least an hour.
Mr.Warrren Anderson sitting in U.S , as CEO of union carble , needed to know exactly
what had happened in Bhopal . He knew that he would have explain tragic accident to the
employees, to the government officials in the both the united states and India / to the
courts, and to the people. Yet he could not get answers to his own preliminary and
personal questions. When telephone contact failed to yield answers, he got on a plane and
few for India, Where he was immediately placed under house arrest ---unable to attend to
the very business that had brought him there. His planet managers had also been arrested
and were not allowed to talks to anyone.

Question:
1. Discuss the levels where the communication system failed resulting in the tragedy.
Base your answers on the information given in the above case.

SWOT analysis:
S-Strengths
W-Weakness
O- Opportunities
T- Threats
MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS :

Short Answer Questions:

1. Verbal & Non-Verbal Communication

2. Body Language
3. Face to Face Communication
4. Visual & Audio-Visual Communication
5. Media of Communication
6. Listening skills
7. Interpersonal Communication
8. Grapevine
9. Communication Styles
10. Role of Emotion in Interpersonal Communication
11. Perception
12. Oral Presentations
13. E-mail
14. Forms of Letters
15. Types of Reports
16. Formal and Informal Reports
17. Negative Report
18. Press Report
Essay Questions:

1. What is meant by Communication? Explain about human communication

process.

2. Explain about the methods of communication.

3. What is the role of Communication in the Modern Organization? Discuss

4. Differentiate between Intrapersonal and Interpersonal forms of

Communication

5. Write a note on Exchange Theory, Johari Window and Transactional

Analysis. Or Discuss briefly about the various models of Interpersonal
Communication.

6. Distinguish between Formal Communication and Informal Communication.

7. Explain about the Motivation and how it influences the Interpersonal

Communication.

8. Outline the various barriers of Communication. Briefly explain how to

overcome them.

9. Discuss in detail about Gateways of Communication for effective

Communication.

10. What are the characteristics of a Good Business Letter? Draft a Model
Letter.

11. Outline the significance and Essentials of effective Business

Correspondence.

12. What are the characteristics of a Good Report? What is the structure of
Report Writing?
 MODEL QUESTION PAPER
CP-107 :Business Communications
Time: 3 Hours Max.Marks: 70 Section – A (5 x 4 = 20 Marks)
Answer any FIVE questions not exceeding one page each.
I. a. Media of communication
b. Graperine communication
c. Process of communication
d. Audio-visual communication
e. Listening skills
f. Kinds of Reports
g. Formal or official letter structure
h. Information Technology use in communication.

Section – B (5 x 10 = 50 Marks)

II. a. Discuss the importance of communication in business organizations

Or
b. Differentiate between oral and written forms of communication.
III.a. Discuss the application of Johari Window model of communication in organizations
in detail.
Or
b. Differentiate between Intrapersonal and Interpersonal forms of communication ?
IV. a. Describe various barriers of communication
Or
b. Discuss in detail about Gateways of communication for effective communication.
V. a. Distinguish between formal and informal reports.
Or
b. Explain the precautions to be taken for writing good and bad news reports.
VI.a. Explain the dos and don’t’s of oral presentations
Or
b. Discuss about the increasing use of computers in communication in the society and
business as well.