Discuss the principles of business writing

Business writing is different Writing for a business audience is usually quite differentthan writ ing  in the humanities,  social  sciences,  or other academic discipl ines.Business writing strives to be crisp and succinct rather than evocative or creative; itstresses specificity and accuracy. This distinction does not make business writingsuperior or  inferior  to other styles.  Rather,   i t  ref lects the unique purpose andconsiderations involved when writing in a business context.When you write a business document, you must assume that your audience haslimited time in which to read it and is likely to skim. Your readers have an interest inwhat you say insofar as it affects their working world. They want to know the"bottom line": the point you are making about a situation or problem and how theyshould respond.Business writing varies from the conversational style often found in email messagesto the more formal, legalistic style found in contracts. A style between these twoextremes is appropriate for the majority of memos, emails, and letters. Writing thatis too formal can alienate readers, and an attempt to be overly casual may comeacross as insincere or unprofessional. In business writing, as in all writing, you mustknow your audience.In most cases, the business letter will be the first impression that you make onsomeone. Though business writing has become less formal over time, you shouldstill take great care that your letter's content is clear and that you have proofread itcarefully.Simple vs. Complex WordsAs far as possible the sender should select words that are within the receiver’svocabulary. If the words used are outside the vocabulary of the receiver, the lattermay either not get the message at all, get the wrong message by guessing them e a n i n g   i n c o r r e c t l y   o r   w o n d e r   w h e t h e r   t h e  s e n d e r   i n t e n t i o n a l l y   s e l e c t e d   a complicated word for making an impression. Therefore, it is better to rely on plain,simple words.

  Jargon, Slang and Metaphors Jargon refers to technical terms that belong to a particular subject area or discipline.For example, medical jargon would include terms that only medical practitionersand not lay person might understand.Slang refers to casual words that are not accepted and recognized in a StandardEnglish dictionary.A metaphor is a figure of speech and refers to colorful comparisons which evokevisual images.Pronouns and active versus passive voicePersonal pronouns (likeI,we, and you) are important in letters and memos. In suchdocuments, it is perfectly appropriate to refer to yourself asIand to thereader as you. Be careful, however, when you use the pronounwein abusiness letter that is written on company stationery, since it commits yourcompany to what you have written. When stating your opinion, useI; whenpresenting company policy, usewe. The best writers strive to achieve a style that is so clear that their messages cannotbe misunderstood. One way to achieve a clear style is to minimize your useof the passive voice. Although the passive voice is sometimes necessary,often it not only makes your writing dull but also can be ambiguous or overlyimpersonal.Focus and specificityBusiness writ ing should be clear and concise.  Take care, however,  that yourdocument does not turn out as an

endless series of short, choppy sentences.Keep in mind also that "concise" does not have to mean "blunt"—you stillneed to think about your tone and the audience for whom you are writing.Consider the following examples:  After carefully reviewing this proposal, we have decided to prioritize other projectsthis quarter. Nobody liked your project idea, so we are not going to give youany funding.Business letters: where to begin

 Reread the description of your task (for example, the advertisement of a  jobopening, instructions for a proposal submission, or assignment prompt for a course). Think about your purpose and what requirements are mentioned or implied in thedescription of the task. List these requirements. This list can serve as an outline togovern your writing and help you stay focused, so try to make it thorough. Next,i d e n t i f y   q u a l i f i c a t i o n s ,   a t t r i b u t e s ,  o b j e c t i v e s ,   o r   a n s w e r s   t h a t   m a t c h   t h e r e q u i r e m en t s   y o u   h a v e   j u s t   l i s t e d .   S t r i v e   t o   b e   e x a c t   a n d   s pe c i f i c ,   a v o i d i n g vagueness,  ambiguity,  and platitudes.  I f  there are  industry-  or f ield-specif icconcepts or terminology that is relevant to the task at hand, use them in a mannerthat will convey your competence and experience. Avoid any language that youraudience may not understand. Your finished piece of writing should indicate howyou meet the requirements you've listed and answer any questions raised in thedescription or prompt.

. Describe a situation that you experienced where communication went wrong because the non-verbal behaviour sent conflicting signals. Which aspect of non-verbal communication was responsible for the communication failure? How would you rectify this?

As a Manager, I was a sender for a communication and intended to be received by myexecutives.I have sent the following communication to my executives through a notice and displayed onthe notice board:“Coming Sec

ond Saturday to complete our targets for the month a review meeting is arrangedand all should attend. If any executive is not able to attend should find out the contents of themeeting from their peers without fail”. But my communication went wrong and out of 10 executives, only three executives haveattended at 4.00 PM who checked-in with me the time of the meeting.Following were the barriers of communication which stood in the way of mycommunication:

The “Channel” I have chosen did not ensure thereceipt of the communication by“Receivers”  The communication lacked the “Chronological context” The second Saturday being a nonworking day. The communication has created a “Psychological noise” by not mentioning correct timeof the meeting and confusion has been created. The “social context” also is one of the cause for the failure of the communication as Ihave not taken all my executives into confident by giving any advance information or aintention of the meeting earlier.Lessons learnt in order to overcome these barriers of communication: My communication was unclear by not giving exact time of meeting.

 The media I have used is the placing the notice on the notice board, instead had Icirculated to all the receivers and obtained their signatures by asking their availability orfeedback my communication would not have failed. I have chosen a wrong day a holiday though the task was a routine one. I could have maintained good relations with my executives for success of mycommunication.

Q2. Explain why Public Relations is an important part of external business communication

 Public relations(PR) is the practice of managing the flow of informationbetween anindividual or anorganizationand thepublic . [1] Public relations provides an organization orindividual exposure to their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that do not require direct payment.[2] The aim of public relations by a company often is topersuade the public, investors, partners, employees, and other stakeholders to maintain acertain point of view about it, its leadership, products, or of political decisions.

Q3. Select a company of your choice in a sector that you would like to work in. Imagine thatyou have to make a brief presentation on this company to business school students. Develop –  a) A general and specific statement of purpose b) The key idea c) Your style of delivery.Q4. Discuss the principles of business writingQ5. Write a short note on the SQ3R technique of reading.Q6. (a) List the importance of effective communication in the workplace(b) Explain the advantages of oral communication with the help of suitable example.

Q1. Explain the purpose of keeping minutes of a meeting. What goes into the contents of minutes of a meeting?At some point your boss may ask you to take minutes at a meeting. This task isn't reservedfor secretaries only. Any person who attends a meeting may be asked to do this. Since theminutes will serve as an official record of what took place during the meeting, you must bevery accurate. Here are some pointers to help you master this skill.Before the Meeting Choose your tool: Decide how you will take notes, i.e. pen and paper, laptop computer, ortape recorder. 

Make sure your tool of choice is in working order and have a backup just in case. Use the meeting agenda to formulate an outline.During the Meeting Pass around an attendance sheet. Get a list of committee members and make sure you know who is who. Note the time the meeting begins. Don't try to write down every single comment -- just the main ideas. Write down motions, who made them, and the results of votes, if any; no need to writedown who seconded a motion. Make note of any motions to be voted on at future meetings. Note the ending time of the meeting.After the Meeting Type up the minutes as soon as possible after the meeting, while everything is still fresh inyour mind. 

Include the name of organization, name of committee, type of meeting (daily, weekly,monthly, annual, or special), and purpose of meeting. Include the time the meeting began and ended. Proofread the minutes before submitting them.

Q2. Prepare a brief notice to be put up on official notice boards, informing employees of yourorganization about a newly introduced, official bus service.

Notice boards are an ideal platform to allow you to put up information if you want it to beseen by everyone around you. Notice boards are often used in a variety of setting includingschools, offices, government buildings, and in private homes.Notice boards serve the purpose of informing, warning and directing people to the right placefor the right purpose. Notice boards are made up of several materials. Cheap notice boards  do not last as long as higher quality more expensive boards, but then can howeverprovide the ideal solution for those on a budget or those looking for just light or short tomedium term use.Six Steps to Effective UseStep 1 – AUDITIdentifying the locations of notice boards can be the first, difficult step. There are manydifferent boards, often hidden away.Here are some criteria to identify the boards to concentrate on:Position – e.g. in a populated office area where staff work, or a waiting room.Footfall – i.e. how many people pass the notice board and will see it. Bear in mindthat many facilities have developed organically. Most staff may use differententrances to the original entrance

hallways, but notice boards might not havemigrated along with the footfall.Size –  larger boards can become „wallpaper‟ and not really arrest the eye. Anythingposted above average eye height in a corridor will probably not be seen.Visibility – is a board obscured by equipment?Current usage – do people look at it / act on information they see already? Uselocal staff contacts to identify the best boards for staff traffic. (This may beproblematic in some places e.g. in one Welsh health board there are no majorfootfall sites.)The challenge is large. There are thousands of notice boards and it is not feasible to dealwith every single one. Auditing current boards will help identify the key boards and focuson them.At this point, it‟s worth identifying boards that are „standing empty‟ – if they are not beingused then it should be easy to claim them and corporatize them with key messages.Step 2 – RESITEPosition is very important – a great board can be in totally the wrong place. It might benecessary to reposition boards and the criteria identified in the previous step all apply.Conversations with staff are valuable at this point to identify areas where people are, andwhere they linger. Notice boards in staff break rooms are more likely to have an impactthan in busy corridors where people rush past.Unusual sites can catch the eye. Posters in toilet facilities (in easily-cleaned plasticposter holders) are used in many commercial settings for advertising and raisingawareness.Step 3 – 

RECRUITPromote local ownership / management of general boards, e.g. by asking people workingin the area to be „board guardians‟. It‟s important for people to know which boards theyare responsible for, and what exactly they are required to do. Think of what a „jobdescription‟ would look like – maybe a commitment to put items up when required, spenda few minutes at the end of each month reviewing notices and removing out-of-date ones,and so on.Informal training in „good practice‟ will help. For example, taking photos of good boardsto show what „best practice‟ looks like.In some places, e.g. on wards, there may be certain boards designated for specificpurposes like communicating progress on patient safety initiatives. These will probablyalready have „owners‟ who may be willing to take responsibility for other boards as well Step 4 – ADD CONTENTBefore adding content, it may be useful to purge boards of out-of-date or tatty material.The first step to adding content is to decide what key messages should be standard acrossall „official‟ notice boards. This may include a values statement, the latest edition of anewsletter, patient safety and other improvement messages, contact details for patientfeedback, and so on.It‟s possible to sub-divide boards, for example with colouredtape, into „corporate‟ messages and „local‟ messages (seeright). Alternatively, use separate boards that are clearlylabelled, e.g. „Health Board Staff News‟ or „1000 Lives Plus‟. Corralling information in this way will help those using theboard to find the information they need.Consider the design of corporate messages – 

well designedposters with prominent headlines will always attract the eye and be read more than ablack and white printed policy with small dense text.If staff need to be redirected to further information provide pre-printed tear-off sheetswith web addresses or contact details on. This can be a useful audit tool later –  interactivity with the board can be measured by how many tear-off pieces have beentaken.Content-wise, it is good to separate out notices „for staff‟ and „for the public‟ – they aredifferent audiences. Are all internal messages suitable? Some are –  it‟s good for patients to think „they know what they‟re doing‟. This builds confidence in staff.

 Prioritise the messages and information that most need to be on the boards. Emailmessages out to „board guardians‟ for them to put up. It is good for there to be a regularschedule for updating the boards – perhaps monthly or quarterly. Again, review whichmessages to cascade via boards. Long memos may not be suitable for printing anddisplaying.Not all messages are best promoted via boards. Some information which is aimed at staff would be better covered in team meetings so conversations can develop or feedback canbe received.Controlling content could be challenging. Putting the name of the person responsible forthe board onto it may help in controlling the content that gets placed on there. „ContactJames Jones if you want to put something on this board‟ will help prevent board overloadand material being put in the wrong place.Encourage the use of „expiry dates‟ on notices so that they can be binned when no longer relevant. This will help „board guardians‟ remove irrelevant information. Taking a photo

 every three months and comparing them will help identify stale messages – be ruthless andtake them down. One out of date poster undermines the relevancy of all the information.

Write a short note on the SQ3R technique of reading.

This method was designed to help people become more active in their reading and retain information more easily. If you can discipline yourself to use these tools, you will feel better prepared for class, have a better grasp of the material, and perform better on exams as well.

S = Survey Q = Question R = Read R = Recite R = Review

SURVEY:Objective: get a solid overview of what you are going to be reading.1) Read the introduction. This will give you a good outline of what’s to come in the reading.2) Skim through the main headings of the chapter.3) Read the summary--this will help you pick out key points.4) Read over any chapter question. Keep these in mind as you read.

QUESTION:Objective: Asking questions of yourself while reading keeps your mind and the process active.1) Make a question out of the main heading2) Write questions as you survey the chapter3) Use the author’s list of questions at the beginning and end of chapters4) Be aware of and use study guides.5) If available, use workbooks for review after completing each chapter.

READ:Objective: Keep yourself aware of your reading habits.

1) Read actively. Seek answers to the questions you have already established.2) Look for main ideas and important details.3) Notice italicized or bold words. Make sure you know what they mean and how to spell them. 4) Read everything! Tables, graphs, and pictures help you remember the information visually.5) Keep challenging yourself to make sure you’re understanding what you are reading!

RECITE:Objective: Find out what you really remember by reciting it to yourself out loud.1) Stop periodically and try to recall what you’ve read so far.2) Try to recall main headings and the principle ideas under each.3) This practice becomes even more important if you need to memorize details.4) Recitation should come immediately after learning to solidify the information before forgetting.5) The more disconnected the information is, the more time you should spend on recitation.

REVIEW:Objective: Survey what you have done and find out where your strengths/weaknesses are.1) Look at each main heading in the chapter and try to fill in the information you know.2) Review the summaries and see if you can recite them.3) Go over notes you’ve taken from both the book and any classroom work on the same subject.4) Do several review sessions. Once a week set aside time to review what you’ve done so far.

List the importance of effective communication in the workplace

Explain the advantages of oral communication with the help of suitable sutable example.

Communication is the nerve center of business today. As you go up the corporate ladder, you will find that communication skills are required, more than technical skills. Communication research has revealed that among the factors most important for managerial success, communication skills rank above technical skills. Several surveys conducted among people who have been successful in their professions have indicated that communication skills are more vital to job success than subjects taken in college.Communication has assumed even greater importance today, since the new model of business is based on teamwork, rather than on individual action. Teamwork requires greater coordination and communication.Communication is also required all the more in this age of information and technology. Without communication and human skills, technology will overwhelm an organization. Communication helps to make sense of technology and to manage all this information. For example, communication is required to explain a new computer program or software. While computers can perform routine tasks, jobs like responding to customers’ needs require a high degree of communication skills.Effective communication serves the following specific purposes in an organization :

Greater Awareness of Organizational Goals and Teamwork – When there is open communication between superiors, co-workers and subordinates, there is smooth flow of information regarding the goals of the organization. Coordination between the different departments in particular, leads to greater motivation to work together towards achieving a common organizational goal, rather than working in isolation.

Better Employer-employee Relationships – By listening to employees, showing empathy and giving them the freedom to express their opinions without fear of being repressed, a manager can create a climate of openness that leads to better work relationships. Employees will then feel more

comfortable in approaching their superiors and discussing any matter with them.

Problem-solving – Effective communication can help resolve conflicts between co-workers, work related and performance related problems. Face–to-face communication is especially suited for achieving this task, since it is one to one and highly personalized in nature.

Improved Performance – Effective communication by managers at the time of appraising the performance of their employees can point out areas for improvement. A constructive review of performance, through which a manager gives positive feedback and counsels the employee, instead of criticizing him for poor performance, can motivate the employee to perform better.

Stronger Link between Managers and the External Environment – Apart from internal communication within the organization, effective communication by managers with external audiences such as customers, government, bankers, media and suppliers leads to a better rapport with them.A manager will be able to understand the needs of his customers, be aware of the presence of quality suppliers of material, of government regulations and of the expectations of the community at large, only through proper communicatio

(b) Advantages of Oral Communication:Oral communication may be defined as a process whereby a speaker interacts verbally with one or more listeners, in order to influence the latter’s behavior in some way or the other.

Example: In a business context, a manager is doing a performance appraisal with an employee, or a sales manager making a sales plan presentation to his sales team. In the first example, the manager may point out areas for improvement and in the second case, the sales manager may be explaining how to achieve new sales targets.Oral communication in a business context can take the form of meetings, presentations, one-to-one meetings, performance reviews and so on.

Oral communication has some advantages compared to written communication. These include its personal quality, high interactivity, possibility of making immediate contact, instantaneous feedback and control over the receiver’s attention.

Oral communication was also classified into oral face-to-face communication (meetings and presentations) and oral non face-to-face communication (teleconferencing, telephone and voice mail). While face-to-face meetings are more effective than non face-to-face communication in most ways, they are expensive and impractical sometimes, due to the distance factor. Thanks to advances in technology, meetings today can still take place without being face-to-face, through teleconferencing. Teleconferencing allows participants at distant locations to speak and sometimes to see each other. Apart from the high cost and the difficulty in setting it up, teleconferencing has the same advantages as oral face-to-face communication.

Example: Several retailers like Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, make use of teleconferencing to keep their US headquarters in touch with their store managers worldwide. Some headhunters also make use of the facility to conduct preliminary interviews and shortlist candidates based in other countries, before inviting them for a face-to-face interview.Many multi-national corporations and large Indian organizations also use this facility extensively.

In spite of its advantages, teleconferencing will not replace face-to-face meetings completely, since it is unsuitable for certain types of communication that involve brainstorming, negotiations, persuasion and problem solving.

Telephone communication, another form of non face-to-face communication, has the biggest advantage of being able to contact a receiver who would be impossible to reach in person. Today, mobile phones have made it even easier to contact people who are on the move. Telephone communication also has a personal quality and permits the use of some non-verbal cues such as tone of voice, to enhance the communication.

Voice mail is a type of telephone communication and is similar to an answering machine. Although it is generally inferior to

speaking in person to the other party, it has some advantages. When you leave a recorded message, you can make your point felt and save time that might be wasted in exchanging pleasantries. Invitations can also be declined without having to give an explanation or reason, or having the other person talk back. Thus, there is greater control over how the message is composed and delivered. Besides, voice mail also makes it possible to keep a permanent record of the communication, unlike other types of oral communication. In spite of these advantages however, voice mail has not caught on in India.

 

Select a company of your choice in a sector that you would like to work in. Imagine that you have to make a brief presentation on this company to business school students. Develop – a) A general and specific statement of purpose b) The key idea c) Your style of delivery.

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a) A general statement of purpose could be expressed in terms of one of the followingTo Inform – A presentation that seeks to inform would merely create awareness about developments and progress on specific fronts, or try to spread knowledge about something new. In the table above, the first eight types of presentations are aimed at informing different audiences about something or the other – new procedures, new terminology, new software, findings of a study, sales progress, company achievements, viewpoints and background.

To Persuade – A presentation that aims to persuade would try to change the attitude or behavior of the audience. It usually involves selling either a product, or an idea. In the above table, the product presentation, project proposal and policy proposal, are all persuasive presentations. The product presentation seeks to persuade consumers to try a new product, the project proposal tries to persuade bankers to provide funds for a new project and the policy proposal tries to persuade top management to adopt a new policy of reimbursing mobile expenses.

To Entertain – A presentation with this purpose is meant to make the audience relax and have a good time. In the table above, presentations marking special occasions such as the company anniversary, may merely focus on making people feel good about them.

b) Although it is useful to define the general purpose of a presentation, it is more important to frame a specific statement of purpose, which clearly spells out the answers to the following questions1. Whom do I want to influence?2. What do I want them to do at the end of the presentation?3. How do I want them to do it?4. When?5. Where?

Example – “I want 50% of my prospective customers to be convinced enough to walk in to the store and try out the new product on a trial basis, within the next one week.” The above statement of purpose describes the reaction that you are seeking from your audience and also describes the goal in measurable terms. The number of customers who walk into the store and sample the product during the one week period would indicate whether the goal has been achieved or not. As far as possible, the goal should be quantified, so that it is measurable.

Presentation goals should also be realistic, keeping in mind the limitations of time, the topic of the presentation and the nature of the audience. For example, a presentation that aims to train employees on the use of complicated software should not expect them to become experts at the end of the session.

c) The key idea of a presentation is a statement that expresses the main message to be conveyed to your audience. It is different from a statement of purpose, in that the purpose is generally meant for you as the presenter, while the key idea is mentioned to the audience at the beginning of the presentation. Example – If the purpose is to persuade a prospective customer to try out your

company’s brand of vacuum cleaner, the key idea or message may be to explain how your brand is superior to other brands, feature for feature. Once the key idea is clearly stated, it becomes easy to develop the rest of the presentation.

d) Audience AnalysisMaking a good presentation alone is not enough. It also has to be tailored to your listeners, in such a way that they understand and appreciate it. The following information should be gathered about your audience, even before you begin preparing for the presentation – Job Designations and Areas of Expertise – You need to find out whether the audience comprises of specialists in a particular area such as information technology, or generalists. If they are specialists, your presentation could include technical aspects and jargon, which they would be able to understand. If not, you may have to make the presentation simpler, or explain some of the terms elaborately. Preferred Style of Presentation – It would also be relevant to know the personal preferences of your audience, with regard to the style of presentation that they are most comfortable with. Some people may prefer a more informal or conversational style with some humor thrown in, to a more formal style. Others may like the presentation to be made at a slower pace. It should be remembered however, that humor should be used with care, so that it is relevant and does not offend the audience. Analyzing all this in advance would help in determining how the presentation should be delivered. Demographic Characteristics of the Audience – The gender, age, cultural background and economic status of the audience also needs to be studied in advance, so that the presentation may be tailored to appeal to that particular audience. Size of the Audience – The size of the audience would determine your presentation style, the time set aside for questions and answers, the size of visuals and so on. With a smaller group, the presentation could be made less formal, the time for questions and answers less and the visuals smaller, than for a larger group. The Level of Knowledge on the Subject – You need to know how familiar your audience is with the subject of the presentation.

If the audience comprises of experts in that particular area, basic explanations may not be needed. On the other hand, if the level of familiarity is not so high, a lot of background information and explanation will be required. The Attitude of the Audience – The attitude of your listeners, both towards you as a speaker and towards the topic of the presentation, needs to be studied in advance. If the audience is prejudiced towards you for some reason, you may have to alter your style of presentation considerably. If the presentation happens to be on a sensitive topic, you may have to proceed very tactfully. This is especially true of presentations that aim to persuade.

e) Apart from analyzing audience, we also need to do a self-analysis to determine our own purpose of making the presentation, our level of knowledge on the subject and our feelings about the subject. A clear statement of the specific purpose of the presentation should be developed. If you have a choice of subject, it is always better to speak on a subject on which you are an authority. If the choice is not given to you and you are less knowledgeable, then it is important to research the subject thoroughly, so that you are in a position to anticipate and answer any questions. Finally, you need to assess your feelings about the subject and make sure that you are convinced enough to be able to persuade others as well. This is similar to a salesperson being convinced about a product to be sold.

This includes taking into consideration any limitations of infrastructure, time and context that might affect your presentation in any way. For example, if you will be speaking in a small room where the lighting and the acoustics are insufficient, you may have to overcome these limitations by altering the seating arrangement, using brighter visuals and speaking loudly. If the presentation is to be made after lunch, it may have to be made more attention getting, so that the audience is kept alert. If you are making a presentation as part of a team, your style of presentation has to be consistent with that of your team members.

Write short notes on (a) Upward communication (b) Downward communication (c) Horizontal communication

Upward Communication – This may be defined as information that flows from subordinates to superiors. Some of the reasons for upward communication include discussing work related problems, giving uggestions for improvement and sharing feelings about the job and co-workers.[ad#l]This type of communication has both benefits and disadvantages. One of the biggest benefits is problem-solving. Once a subordinate has brought a problem to his superior’s notice, chances are that the problem will not recur, since the subordinate learns from his superior how to tackle it the next time. Thus, his ability to solve new problems and therefore his managerial ability, improves. Another benefit that could arise from upward communication is that valuable ideas and suggestions may sometimes come from lower level employees. Therefore organizations should encourage this kind of communication.

A third benefit is that employees learn to accept the decisions of management and thereby work as a team.

The biggest problem associated with this type of communication is that it may lead to “handing down” of decisions by superiors. When subordinates frequently seek the superior’s guidance, the latter may adopt an authoritarian approach and merely give instructions, disregarding the subordinate’s opinion completely.

Downward Communication – This may be defined as information that flows from superiors to subordinates. The most common reasons for downward communication are for giving job instructions, explaining company rules, policies and procedures

and giving feedback regarding job performance. A number of studies have indicated that regular downward communication in the form of feedback given to employees is the most important factor affecting job satisfaction. Therefore organizations today are trying to encourage more of this type of communication.

There are both benefits and disadvantages associated with this type of communication. Downward communication that provides regular feedback will be beneficial if the feedback or review of performance is constructive. A constructive review is one where a manager “counsels” an employee, or advises him on how to improve his performance. On the other hand, a destructive review can destroy employee morale and confidence. Regular downward communication also creates a climate of transparency or openness, where information is passed on through official channels, rather than through rumors.

Thirdly, downward communication boosts employee morale, since it indicates that management is involved in their progress.

The problems with this type of communication are the danger of doing destructive reviews, as mentioned, and that of “message overload.” This means that superiors many sometimes burden their subordinates with too many instructions, leading to confusion.

Horizontal Communication – This type of communication is also known as “lateral” communication. It may be defined as communication that takes place between co-workers in the same department, or in different departments, with different areas of responsibility. For example, Sales Managers and Advertising Managers in the Marketing department, or Marketing Managers and Finance Managers.

The reasons for this type of communication are for coordination of tasks, sharing of information regarding goals of the organization, resolving interpersonal or work related problems and building rapport.

The biggest potential benefit of horizontal communication is the sense of teamwork that is created. Regular communication of this type ensures that all co-workers work together towards achieving a common goal in the overall interest of the organization. The biggest potential problem is that conflicts such as ego clashes are bound to arise, when co-workers at the same level communicate on a regular basis.

 

Discuss the different types of business reports This particular article I located discusses the different types of reports used for communication in the business world. Choosing the right type of report also requires a smart analysis. The writer must decide what type to use based on the information that he or she is trying to communicate. Also the writer must take into consideration their intended audience. Is the audience expecting the report to be in a specific format? Are they used to receiving information in one way? and which format will convey the message in the most appropriate way? Finally, how formal or informal should the report be.

Reports, according to this article, can be classified as according to function or according to formality. Reports according to function can also be subdivided into the following:

Informational reports. Analytical reports Research reportsWhere as reports according to formality can be subdivided into the following:

Statutory reports Non statutory or voluntary reports

The article goes further into outlining other types or reports such as information, analytical, research, statutory, non-statutory, special, and routine reports.

Information reports are solely to provide facts with out suggestion or personal opinions. What ever ones findings are that is whats reported. These facts are given with out personal explanation or, again, any suggestions.

Analytical reports are one step further as they contain facts along side analytical explanation of these facts. They contain a sort of a narration of facts and collected data. They also contain a conclusion or a set of interpretations reached by the writer.

List the different steps involved in report preparation

Ans.

Steps in Report Preparation Since reports are a key to the success of any business, they should be carefully planned,organized, written and presented. A lot of groundwork should precede the actualwriting of the report. We shall briefly discuss the five main steps in report preparation –  1.Planning the report  – The first question to be asked before gathering information andwriting the report, is regarding the type of report that is required. We classified reportsinto four main types, based on the purpose, the audience to whom they are addressedand the frequency of the report.Secondly, it must be remembered that most reports are required by management tosolve aproblem,

or to make a decision. Therefore, the basis, or starting point for areport is a problem. Reports are written after a problem is analyzed and a solution tothe problem is found. The problem may be of a day-to-day nature, such as determiningwhich brand of overhead projector to recommend for purchase. Or, the problem maybe a negative one, such as sales of the company showing a decline. In any case, theproblem isthe single fundamental issue to be addressed in the reportand should be clearlydetermined, right at the outset.

  Once the problem has been defined, it must be broken up into sub issues or subproblems, by asking the questions “what”, “ why”, “when”, “where” and“who?”. Example – Suppose the purpose of a study is to survey clerical salaries in public sectorbanks in Bangalore city, in order to determine whether salaries in your bank arecompetitive and consistent. The problem may be broken up as follows –  What? – A study of clerical salariesWhy? – To determine whether salaries in our firm are competitive and consistentWhen? – CurrentWhere? – Bangalore cityWho? – Clerical employees in public sector banksAsking the above questions determines the exact scope of the study and reduces theproblem to a workable size.The next step in planning the report is to do an “

audience analysis”. We have seen thatreports may be addressed to internal or external audiences of an organization. Some of thequestions to be asked about the audience, or the reader of the reportare –  · Is the audience internal or external to the organization?· Who is the specific audience or reader? - for example, top management, customers orthe government? Reports written for the government and for top management shouldbe more formal than for other audiences.· Is the audience known to you?· What is the level of knowledge of the audience? Is the topic familiar to the reader? If the report is of a technical nature and the reader is a layperson, the technical terms mayneed detailed explanation.· What is the level of interest of the reader? If the report has been solicited orauthorized, the reader’s level of interest will be high. On the other hand, if the report isvoluntary or unsolicited, it may have to sustain reader interest.The tone, length, complexity and degree of formality of the report will depend largelyon the reader’s characteristics. For example, reports addressed to peers would adopta more conversational tone, while reports on company policies and proceduresaddressed to subordinates would adopt an emphatic tone.2. Selecting a Method to Solve the Problem  – After defining the problem and doing anaudience analysis, a method has to be selected to collect the necessary information tosolve the problem. Broadly, information may be gathered usingsecondary research 

 

 methods,such as books, magazines, newspapers, internet and otheravailable sources,orthroughprimary research methods,such as surveys that providefirst hand information. 3. Gathering and Organizing Data –  Once the method of gathering information has beenselected, the actual process of gathering the information begins. Since this is timeconsuming and expensive, only information that is relevant to the report and the studymust be gathered. The raw data should be evaluated for its usefulness and organized ina form that is meaningful to understand. Tables, charts, graphs and summaries shouldbe used to do this.4. Arriving at a Conclusion  – Once the information has been checked for its validity andreliability, it must be interpreted and conclusions drawn. Correct interpretation of thedata is needed for the success of the report. Sound conclusions cannot be made if theinterpretation of the data is faulty. A common mistake made in the interpretation of data is the tendency of the researcher to use subjective judgments, instead of objectivereasoning based on facts.5. Writing the Report –  The actual process of writing the report should begin only after asatisfactory solution to the problem has been found. As pointed out earlier, a wellwritten report that

contains a bad answer is worse than a badly written report thatcontains a good answer.

Go through business magazines and daily newspapers and select a situation when a company was facing a crisis (e.g., Coke and Pepsi pesticide controversy). How did the company communicate with its shareholders and other stakeholders to overcome the crisis? Was the communication effective?

Examples  –A few years ago, Reliance was prosecuted by the governmentfor irregularities in the stock market. Shareholders lost confidence in thecompany. Reliance then mounted a counter campaign against thegovernment, where they told the truth, gave the facts and figures and deniedthe allegations made against them. This helped them to regain lostconfidence and salvage their image.Similarly, when Coke and Pepsi were accused of pesticides in their softdrinks, they had to undertake a massive public relations exercise to set righttheir image in the eyes of the public.