Chapter 1 Notes Communicating Successfully in an Organization

Galilee College

Business Communications

Course No. ENG 341

Galilee Corporate Centre • Joe Farrington Road

P.O. Box EE 16507 - Nassau, Bahamas –

Tel. (242)324-9466/7 Fax (242)364-8202

Email:

Galilee College

Course Outline

COURSE NUMBER: ENG 341COURSE TITLE: Business Correspondence

DEPARTMENT: ENGLISHCREDIT VALUE: 3.0

COURSE DURATION: 1 SEMESTER DATE PREPARED: July 2008

PREREQUISITES ENG 211, Public Speaking

PROGRAM COORDINATOR ______

REQUIRED TEXTS:

Guffey, Mary Ellen. Business Communication: Process & Product. 4th Ed. Mason, OH: Southwestern

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS

As directed by the instructor.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The purpose of this course is to examine the wide variety of business correspondence as it is used in today's business community. Some of the areas studied are: The Business Letter, The Formal and Informal Business Report, Influential and Explicit Communication, dictation and oral communication.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to learn to think clearly and appropriately about how to communicate in the business world. Each student will learn to initiate and to respond to business communication.

Students will be able to:

Understand the principles and theories involved in constructing business correspondence.
Improve upon research skills.
Document sources within a paper and in a bibliography.
Improve upon writing skills (Grammar, spelling, MLA format, etc...)
Master editing and revision skills
Design, research, and write and effective memo, paper, presentation, resume, and other business correspondence.

Program Context:

This course is a second or third year course.

Course Learning Outcomes:

Learning outcomes identify the knowledge, skills and attitudes that successful students will have developed and reliably demonstrated as a result of the learning experiences and evaluations during this course.

Evaluation Strategies and Grading:

Class Attendance

Full participation and attendance is expected for this course. Students who miss a class are responsible for any information discussed, assigned or distributed in that class period.

Grade Distribution - The semester's grade distribution will be figured on the 3 unit exams, the final exam, homework, and a term paper as follows:

ASSIGNMENTS100%

100%

Note that violation of academic honesty can affect the course grade. "Cheating" on an exam (i.e., the giving or receiving of aid) will result in a course grade of "F."
Note that classroom behavior (for example, talking to other students during lecture) can negatively affect course grades by as much as three letter grades, e.g., an "A" can become a "D."

GRADING SYSTEM:

A 94% 100% Excellent 4.00 D 68% 74% Passed 1.00

B 87% 93% Good 3.00 F 0% 67% Failed 0.00

C 75% 86% Average 2.00

COVERAGE

Chapter 1 Notes -- Communicating Successfully in an Organization
Chapter 2 Notes -- Understanding Business Communication
Chapter 3 Notes -- Communicating Interculturally
Chapter 4 Notes -- Communicating Through Technology
Chapter 5 Notes -- Planning Business Messages
Chapter 6 Notes -- Composing Business Messages
Chapter 7 Notes -- Revising Business Messages
Chapter 8 Notes -- Writing Direct Requests
Chapter 9 Notes -- Writing Routine, Good-News, and Goodwill Messages
Chapter 10 Notes -- Writing Bad-News Messages
Chapter 11 Notes -- Writing Persuasive Messages
Chapter 12 Notes -- Writing Short Reports
Chapter 13 Notes -- Planning Long Reports
Chapter 14 Notes -- Completing Formal Reports and Proposals
Chapter 15 Notes -- Writing Resumes and Application Letters
Chapter 16 Notes -- Interviewing for Employment and Following Up

Business Correspondence

Contents

CHAPTER 1--COMMUNICATING SUCCESSFULLY IN AN ORGANIZATION

COMMUNICATION, BUSINESS, AND YOU

Communication skills help students obtain jobs and succeed in their careers
Individual employees act as links in the communication chain, transmitting messages to and from the outside world and up and down the organization.
the manager's essential function is to collect and disseminate information.

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

Each organization has its own communication requirements and methods for exchanging information.
Formal communication channels are defined by the official chain of command and govern the flow of information up, dow, and across the organization.
Messages may become distorted as they travel up and down the organization; the bigger the company, the bigger the problem.
Flat structures are less susceptible to distortion than tall structures.
Downward information flow: from upper to lower levels of the hierarchy; permits management to direct activities of employees.
Upward information flow: from lower to upper levels; enables management to monitor performance and obtain ideas.
Employees are inclined to suppress bad news
"Going through the channels" can be awkward for employees; some companies create alternative transmission lines from lower to higher levels.
Horizontal information flow: from department to department, peer to peer; enables employees to do their jobs efficiently.
Amount of horizontal flow depends on degree of cross-functional interaction required by the organization.
"Grapevine" supplements formal channels:
Contains mix of business and personal messages
Contains mix of facts, assumptions, opinions
Enables organization to function more efficiently
Successful managers use the grapevine to keep in touch.
Fluid nature of grapevine contrasts with relatively rigid structure of formal channels.

EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION

Organizations depend on communication with customers, suppliers, competitors, investors, government officials, community representatives.
Two types of external communication: formal and informal.
Marketing is a type of formal communication aimed at selling goods and services.
Another type of formal communication, public relations deals more broadly with establishing the organization's reputation.
the reaction to a crisis can profoundly affect a company's future.
One of the main functions of public relations people is to anticipate problems and outline steps for dealing with them.
Individual employees make informal contacts with outsiders: receptionists present a distinct image to customers, lower-level employees pick up bits of information helpful to the organization, and top managers encounter colleagues, competitors, suppliers, and so forth with whom they regularly exchange information.

CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

Corporate culture determines the degree to which management (1) encourages honesty and debate and (2) shares information with employees.
Three distinct management styles are associated with various communication climates:
Theory X: Workers are viewed as lacking motivation, requiring control through fear; closed communication climate.
Theory Y: Workers are viewed as motivated and responsible, deserving encouragement and support; open communication climate.
Theory Z: Workers are viewed as part of a family or team; open communication climate.
Employees prefer to work for companies that are ethical in their communication practices; that is, companies that are trustworthy, fair, and impartial in their dealings with people.
Conflicting loyalties may pose ethical dilemmas for business communicators, whereas an ethical lapse is choosing an unethical or illegal action.
Legal considerations: first priority is to obey the law

Avoid questions or comments that discriminate against people on the basis of gender, age, race, or religion

Avoid making false or misleading statements about products
Remember that comments, letters, and reports can be used as evidence in court

When the law does not apply, consider the moral implications of the message:
The legality
The balance of good and harm
The way the decision makes you feel
The way the decision works in the real world
the effect the message will have on people outside the company, supervisors, employees, and co-workers

So many communication situations are neither black nor white. Business people occasionally find themselves forced to choose between several alternatives that are a muddy shade of gray. when handling these ethical dilemmas, people face conflicting loyalties and difficult trade-offs between principles and practicalities. Often such dilemmas arise when organizations and individuals feel pressure to meet the competition, increase profits, or adhere to the "party line."
Intercultural communication is crucial both abroad and at home.
Culture determines our perceptions, customs, and social conventions.
Understanding, using, and adapting to technology is crucial to successful business communication.
Audience-centered approach is the best way to communicate effectively, openly, and ethically.
Many organizations are awash in a sea of paper. The solution:
Reduce the number of messages
Make instructions clearer
Delegate responsibility
Train writers and speakers
How to improve:
Assess strengths and weaknesses
Set goals
Practice

CHAPTER 2--UNDERSTANDING BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE

THE BASIC FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

Nonverbal communication is less structured and more spontaneous than verbal communication.
Nonverbal communication is important because it (1) has more impact than verbal communication, (2) is considered a more accurate and reliable indicator of meaning than words, and (3) conveys information quickly and efficiently.
Six varieties of nonverbal behavior:
Facial expressions and eye behavior
Gestures and postures
Vocal characteristics
Personal appearance
Touching behavior
Use of time and space
Men and women use and interpret nonverbal communication differently.
Verbal communication is the use of words arranged according to rules of grammar.
Although business people tend to rely more heavily on oral than written communication, some things need to be put in writing.
Using multiple channels (both written and spoken) gives your message maximum impact.
People spend more time receiving information than transmitting it.
the listening/reading process requires the ability to register, interpret, evaluate, sort, and store information.

THE PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION

Communication process:
Sender has idea
Idea becomes message (encoding)
Message is transmitted
Receiver gets message (decoding)
Receiver reacts and sends feedback
communication is a dynamic process that can be interrupted before it really begins. Problems include
Trouble selecting the right amount and type of material
Lack of information about the purpose of the message and the audience's needs
Lack of skill in using language

Communication barriers between people include
Individual perceptions of reality
Incomplete or overzealous screening or abbreviating of information before passing it on
Word choice and interpretation
Lack of attention on the receiver's part
Negative reactions to message content or sender-receiver relationship
Individual life experiences
Communication barriers within organizations include
Too much information
Individual conflicts about content as well as difficulty with dry or technical material
Divided audience attention
Unwillingness to give and receive bad news
Inability to build trust
Formal restrictions on who may communicate with whom
Lack of media richness
Directive or authoritarian corporate structure
Illegal or unethical messages
Unnecessary messages
Bad connections, acoustics, copy, and so forth

HOW TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION

Five qualities of good communicators:
Perception
Precision
Credibility
Control
Congeniality
Six steps to creating effective messages:
Think about purpose; analyze audience's background and needs
Tell audience what to expect; preview contents.
Use concrete, specific language; pin down general concepts with memorable, graphic words.
Stick to the point; weed out unnecessary information, but develop each idea adequately.
Connect new information to existing ideas to help audience sort, store, and accept message.
Emphasize and review key points: allocate the most space to the most vital ideas; use graphics, format, and body language to highlight main ideas; and summarize major sections.

To minimize noise:
Choose the communication channel and medium most likely to attract attention.
Tailor messages for the reader's convenience.
Remove environmental distractions.
Reduce the number of links in the communication chain.

Feedback is vital but can be disruptive in some situations, so
Think about how and when you want to obtain feedback.
Choose the channel and medium accordingly.
Encourage honest feedback.
Ask questions to draw out the audience's reaction.
Listen with an open mind.
Avoid defensive reactions.
Revise message and try again if audience doesn't understand.

CHAPTER 3--COMMUNICATING INTERCULTURALLY

BASICS OF INTERCULTURAL BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Culture: a shared system of symbols, beliefs, attitudes, values, expectations, and norms of behavior.
Subcultures: cultural groups that exist within a major culture
An individual belongs to many subcultures: ethnic, religious, social, professional, and son on.
Cultural differences that can affect communication:
Social values
Roles and status
Decision-making customs
Concepts of time
Concepts of personal space
Cultural context
Body language
Social behavior and manners
Legal and ethical behavior
Social values involve:
Attitudes toward material success
Attitudes toward efficiency
Attitudes toward progress
Culture dictates who you may communicate with and your concept of status.
Decision-making customs differ in process and authority.
Culture dictates the way you perceive and use time.
Personal comfort zones are dictated by culture.
Cultural context may be high (when people rely less on verbal communication and more on nonverbal and environmental cues) or low (when people rely heavily on verbal communication rather than nonverbal or environmental cues).
three ways body language can cause misunderstandings:
People may misread intentional signal.
People may overlook signal entirely.
People may assume that meaningless gesture is significant.
Etiquette may be formal or informal:
Formal etiquette is a learned, conscious set of rules (how to hold chopsticks); you don't necessarily expect outsiders to know all rules, so you excuse some mistakes.
Informal etiquette consists of subtle customs, acquired through experience and observation (when it is okay to touch someone); stranger's failure to conform to informal customs makes "natives" uncomfortable, although they may not know why.
From culture to culture, what is considered ethical (and even legal) may change.
Language barriers arise even when others speak English:
In English-speaking countries, problems are slight, arising from minor differences in vocabulary and pronunciation.
When people use English as their second language, some misunderstandings arise, but basic message usually gets through.
When others speak no English, you have three options:
Learn their language (time consuming, impractical for short trips).
Use intermediary or translator.
Teach other person to speak your language (may make sense for group of foreign employees)
How most U.S. companies that do business abroad handle written communication:
Write most letters, memos, and reports in English.
Translate such items as advertisements, warranties, repair manuals, product labels, and some internal documents.
Problems in handling oral communication may arise from differences in pronunciation, differences in inflection or volume, and confusion over idiomatic expressions.
When speaking to someone who uses English as second language:
Try to eliminate "noise."
Look for feedback.
Rephrase when necessary.
Don't talk down to person.
Use objective, accurate language.
Let other person finish his or her remarks
Problems arising from ethnocentric reactions:
Assuming others will react as we do makes us overlook possibility that we will be misunderstood.
Tendency to judge all other groups by our own standards makes us more likely to misunderstand others.
Stereotypes blind us to individual's unique characteristics.

TIPS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH PEOPLE FROM OTHER CULTURES

Two approaches to developing intercultural communication skills:
Learn as much as possible about specific culture.
Learn general skills that are useful when interacting with people from a variety of cultures or subcultures.
Don't expect to understand another culture completely.
General skills for intercultural communication:
Take responsibility for communication
Withhold judgment
Show respect
Empathize
Tolerate ambiguity
Look beyond superficial
Be patient and persistent
Recognize your own cultural biases
Be flexible
Emphasize common ground
Send clear messages
Take risks
Increase your cultural sensitivity
Deal with individual
Learn when to be direct
If you learn about your counterparts' culture before you start to negotiate, you will be better equipped to understand their approach to negotiation, their tolerance for open disagreement, and their problem-solving techniques.
Tips for writing letters:
Write in your own language (and use a professional translator if necessary).
Rely on specific terms and concrete examples.
Avoid slang, jargon, and buzz words.
Rely on short, simple sentences.
Keep paragraphs short.
Emphasize transitions.
Employ relatively formal tone.
Be tolerant of other styles in letters you receive.
Handling oral communication:
Be alert to other person's customs.
Consider unintentional meanings that may be read into your message.
Listen carefully and patiently.
Be aware that you may misread other person's body language.
Adapt your style to other person's.
Confirm that you both agree on outcome of communication.
Follow up with letter or memo if appropriate.