Unit-II

COMMUNICATION NETWORKING

GROUP COMMUNICATION
Group communication means a group of people who have common objective, interest or
problems, duties, functions or responsibilities. A group of people talking or working on the same
cause or topic - Meetings, seminars, conferences, training, panel discussions, symposium.

SEMINARS
A seminar is a meeting of students or professionals or scholars who exchange views or discuss a
particular subject under the guidance of one or more experts like teachers or professors.

The term has an educational or research orientation.

Refers to the discussion in a small group in which the result of original research or advance study
is presented through oral or written reports.

It may also be organized for discussion of more ideas.

One person presents his paper on his findings & then there is an in-depth discussion on that.

Other members are knowledgeable & take active part in the discussion.

They closely interact with the lead speaker by expressing their views as seen by them from
individual angles. If any doubts, are clarified by asking specific questions.

Conducting Seminars
The person organizing a seminar is called seminar co-coordinator or seminar director.

A detailed plan has to be drawn to conduct a seminar. Each seminar has an objective, lead
speaker & a number of participants. First formulate the theme, and then decide on the lead
speaker, the number of participants. Select the venue. Fix date & time of the seminar. If it is
more than one session, identify a chairman for each.

It is the Seminar co-coordinators it is the responsibility to send the above details to all
participants well in time either through a circular letter or through a brochure with a covering
letter.

This should be properly structured & state clearly the objective of the seminar & the
arrangements that have been made for conducting it & also boarding & lodging if participants
are invited from other towns or cities. Give a last date for replies regarding the participant’s
decision about attending the seminar.

Once the replies have been received by the last date mentioned, the information has to be
tabulated for further action.
Then the following arrangements have to be carried.
Transport
Allotment of rooms booked
Menu, timing & place for different meals, snacks, tea etc.
Seating, AV presentation aids, stationery, public address system, facilities for recording &
note taking. Allocation of duties / manpower for various tasks

Beginning of a seminar
As co-coordinator one should welcome the participants, introduce the topic, the lead speaker &
the chair man/men of the sessions.

Briefly mention the arrangements done for the discussion.

Then hand over to chairman. The Chairman introduces the scope of the topic & then hands
over to the lead speaker.

The lead speaker gives the background of the study he has made, methods & procedures
followed & the results or conclusion he has reached. The emphasis is on the conclusion.

Memorize
After his presentation is over, the chairman invites discussion.
In the last session the co-coordinator sums up the conclusion reached & propose a vote of thanks.
In the vote of thanks, acknowledge publicly gratitude to people who have helped to make this
seminar a success.
Prepare the beginning & closing sentence before hand
Opening – Mr. Chairman, I’ve great pleasure in proposing a vote of thanks…..
Closing – in the end I’d like to thank you all for having accepted our invitation & making the
discussion lively& purposeful. Good night.
The order in which people are referred must be clear in the mind. If not confident one may write
&
A vote of thanks is never read out as it is the last face – to - face contact between the
coordinator & the members of the seminar group. Impact of oral interaction will be lost if read
out.

Post seminar
Once the seminar is over the conclusion/ proceedings of the seminar will have to be printed for
circulation to the participants. For doing this one should plan well in advance so that the impact
of the discussion is not lost.
Send the documents with a thank you letter to each
participant. Implement according to each situation.

CONFERENCES
A conference is a large gathering of persons who meet to confer on a particular theme or to
exchange experience or information.
Since the information to be sent to the potential delegates is substantial, it is better to prepare a
brochure containing all the details. It should be mailed to the expected participants well in
advance.

Structure of brochure:
Page 1: Theme of the conference, name of sponsor, dates, name of the organizers.

Page 2: A short note on the theme of the conference.

Page 3: Names of the conference president & secretary, names of rapporteurs, venue, time, date
& place of plenary & valedictory sessions & also those of small group discussions.

Page 4: Details of invited lecturers – name of speaker, topic, time, date & place; exhibitions –
nature, timings& venue; audio-visual aids available for use during the conference.

Page 5: Reception, transport, board & lodging arrangements; postal & telegraphic address of the
conference secretary & his phone no, delegate fee.

The brochure is sent along with a covering letter &proforma for reply from the intending
participants. Usually the size of the brochure is 12cms by 21cms. After the replies are received
prepare a list of delegates & go ahead with the arrangements for reception, transport, board &
lodging. At the same time, send a short note acknowledging the receipt of the acceptance form&
informing them of the arrangements made.

At the plenary session, usually there is a welcome address by the secretary, keynote address by
the president& a vote of thanks. Sometimes a dignitary inaugurates a conference & in this case
the inaugural address is scheduled between the welcome address & keynote address. Often the
important addresses are printed or cyclostyled & distributed to the audience before they are read
out. This practice takes away the impact of face - to - face oral communication; therefore it is
best to distribute these addresses after the speeches have been delivered.
Some organizations wish to find out the extent to which the conference objectives were
achieved. Such evaluation is helpful in determining more effective follow-up action &
suggesting how future programs can be made more successful. The most convenient way to do
so is through a conference questionnaire, which should be got filled in by the participants.

GROUP DISCUSSION
A situation in which a small number of persons meet face-to-face & through free oral interaction
amongst them, exchange information or attempt to reach a decision on shared problems. Each
member is expected to participate actively. If a member tries to dominate the discussion or to go
on speaking continuously for a long time, it is the duty of others to curb his ebullience & to
interrupt him politely so that others are able to make their contribution. Therefore if the number
is kept 5-9, fruitful discussion is possible. If there are less than 5, then there is lack of diversity of
opinions, knowledge & skill. If there are more than 9, then some tend to avoid participation &
remain just passive listeners.

Purposes
Group Discussion is used in addition to written tests or interviews for employment. Therefore a
representative of the prospective employer sits through the Group Discussion & observes the
performance of the group. He judges each individuals personality traits such as intellectual
ability, creativity, approach to solving problems, qualities of leadership, tolerance & group
behavior. In this process he would also note the clarity of thought & felicity of expression of
each member.

Sometimes a Group Discussion is used as an instrument of education to develop a student’s

personality traits. It helps the student to function in the professional world efficiently.

Organizing a Group Discussion

There are 2 ways

1. The topic is given beforehand& the participants are expected to have prepared before
coming for the discussion.
2. The topic is announced after the members have assembled & five to ten minutes is
given to them for preparing.

Both cases, formality is avoided & the rules are kept to the minimum.

Hints for self-improvement

After each Group Discussion, one should analyze their performance to improve for the next time.
 1. Whether one was clear in speech & put stress on appropriate syllables.
2. Whether one regulated the speed of speech & paused wherever necessary to make the
point clear& effective.
3. Whether according to one’s judgment, what was said was grasped by other
participants & reflected in their responses.
4. Whether one’s intervention, if any, annoyed the concerned speaker.
5. Whether one could keep the mind focused at all times on what was being said.

Benefits of Group Communication

1. Brainstorm (when all think together) to generate new ideas

2. Variety of ideas & opinions
3. Better team work
4. Better co ordination, cooperation & mutual understanding between employees
5. Work can be done smoothly, quickly & efficiently
6. Personal grudges can be handled between employees
7. Feeling of belongingness among employees
8. Job satisfaction leading to motivation

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Maintaining public relations is also important in communication. Every organization has a Public
Relations wing headed by a Public Relations Officer. The job of this person is to maintain good
& amicable relations with other organizations, customers, press & other mass media. He/she is
mainly responsible for dealing with matters involving relations with the general public, on behalf
of the organization. Hence he/she has to maintain good relations as an officer of his parent
organization with other public & private organizations.

It is a deliberate, planned & sustained effort to create and maintain mutual understanding
between an organization& its public. It tries to create understanding between the organization &
its public to promote good relation with them, to project the public image of the organization, to
broaden the sphere of its influence& to eliminate any possibility of misunderstanding.

The Public Relations department doesn’t sell the product; it sells the image of the organization.
They try to promote the respectability of the organization so that people are impressed and are
prepared to buy its products.

A public campaign is a one-way communication process, in which the response is measured in

terms of sales. Public Relations is a two way communication process, in which the department
tries to transmit information to the public & also get a feedback.

Public Relations Department’s Responsibilities

 Dealing with public enquiries, providing information to the public &
receiving feedback. Arranging seminars & conferences.
 Arranging reception, transport &
accommodation facilities for VIPs. Arranging
press conferences & issuing press releases.
 Arranging visits to the factory or plant for the general public.
 Arranging get together, sports meet, social functions etc with a view to
promote sense of togetherness among employees
 Maintaining cordial relations with the
government officials.
 Publishing house journals & bulletins.
 Getting in direct touch with the customers.

Public Relations department’s role in a Hotel Industry

External Publics of Hotel Internal publics of a Hotel"

Customers/ Employees
Guests
Suppliers Board of Directors
Media
Industry People Travel Agents
VIPs
Associations Government offices like tourism, police etc

ETIQUETTES & MANNERS

 Formal dining experience

 Always eat in small morsels.
 Don’t talk while your mouth
is full. Don’t fill your plate.
 Don’t bend too much while eating. Sit straight &
upright. Don’t keep your elbows on the table.
 Don’t make sound with the
cutlery. Wait for everyone to
start eating.
 Don’t leave the leave table until others have finished
 eating. Don’t drag the chair while sitting.
 Say sorry or excuse me while coughing, sneezing or
burping. Maintain hygiene.
 Use napkins.
 Offer seat to the ladies first.
 Do not look into the plate of others.
 Keep your legs together, never cross them.

Face to face conversation

Introducing yourself – interviews
Name – I’m ……… or my name is ………
Work experience – mention only if substantial i.e., more than 6
months Latest education qualification – completed & still
pursuing
Family background – keep it brief. No need to divulge parents name
Hobbies & interest – indulge in brief details while mentioning hobbies & interests. Mention any
victories inextra curricular activities after mentioning the hobbies and interests.
Strength – mention at least three. Go prepared with
weaknesses too You are judged in two arenas – job skills &
people skills
Never mention that you are self-confident or have good communication skills, because then you
would be laying a self-trap as the interviewer may be tempted to test you. Instead, let it show
through your interview.
Incase you are a fresher/new you need to mention your objective & aim.
Incase you have a shift in career or are from an unlikely stream be prepared to answer
WHY? Be prepared to describe yourself in a word.

SHAKING HANDS
People shake hands more frequently today then they did years ago. Today, the handshake has
come to be the most accepted form of greeting & occurs in the most varied cultural areas of the
world with a few exceptions. There is more to a handshake than a flick of the wrist or the press
of a palm. A handshake can reveal our hidden personality traits. Nobody likes a handshake that
feels like a jellyfish or a vice-like grip that makes you wince. A frim but smooth grip is
considered the best handshake. It gives a message of warmth and friendliness to the other person.
In a sense, it seems to be saying: “ You can depend upon me”.

Handshaking usually accompanies all expressions of greeting, farewells, gratitude,

congratulations, introductions, and etc. When formally joining or departing from a group, it is
customary to shake every individual’s hands.
FACE -TO - FACE CONVERSATION
Conversation is not the mere utterance of some words. Tone, facial expressions and the gestures
add to what we say. Therefore, intonation (i.e., the rise and fall in pitch of the voice in speech)
plays a vital role in effective spoken communication.

The best way to team spoken English is to practice conversations and dialogues in English with
one or two friends by taking up different roles. The dialogues have to be memorized before
beginning to reproduce them orally without the help of the book.

Some sample conversations are given here. They contain the kind of language we use in
everyday life. Such language is called colloquial or informal language. Therefore, it has to be
emphatically said that formal and literary type of English is different from the informal samples
presented below.

I.INTRODUCTIONS

1. Self Introduction
Note : Here A,B,C etc., are used to indicate imaginary persons.

Practice I
A : Good morning , Madam,
B : Good morning please come in.

A : I’m Jasmine from N.I.I.T. Could you spare a few minutes of your precious time ?
B : Certainly, Ms.Jasmine. What can I do for for you,
——————— Conversation continues ————————

Practice II
A : Excuse me. My name is Ramu. I am son of Mr. R.S.Kumar
Assistant Engineer in this office, Could you tell me
where he sits.
B : Oh, you’re my friend’s son. Nice meeting you, Ramu.
A : Thank you, Uncle.
B : You are welcome, Ramu

Practice III
A : Good evening, doctor. I’m Ujwal from Glaxo
Pharmaceuticals. You Know ………
B : Good evening. Sorry, Mr.Ujwalo. I’m very busy at the moment. Why don’t you come
 tomorrow evening.
A : Oh, Sure, doctor. I am extremely sorry for disturbing you now, Sir.
B : That’s fine.

2. Introducing others :
A
=
Su
ma
nB
=
Ani
l
C = Maduri

Practice I

A : Anil may I introduce Ms. Madhuri to you ?

B : How do you do ?
C : How do you do ?
B : Where are from, Ms. Madhuri ?
C : I am from Kanpur. I Have come to Hyderabad to join Hotel Management
Course.
B : That’s really interesting. Do you like Hyderabad and Hyderabadis.
C : Of course. I am fascinated by Hyderabad but I don’t think I can comment on
people here for I came here very recently.
B : I appreciate your frankness, Ms. Madhuri.
A : Let’s go to Hotel Sanman and have some hot coffee.
B&C : That’s a good idea.

Practice II
A = Ramu
B = Robert
C = Rahim

A : Robert this is my friend Rahim. Rahim meet my friend Robert.

B : Very glad to meet you, Mr.Rahim.
C : Pleased to meet you, mr.Robert.
B : Have you been here before?
 C : Of Course, I Visited this place twice, but I know nothing except Abids Road
and
Hyderabad Airport.
A : Shall we go for sight seeing tomorrow, since it is a Sunday.
B&C : It’s a wonderful idea.

Practice III

[A student wants to introduce his brother to the principal while the latter is talking to
the Vice-Chancellor in the corridor]

A = Vinod {the student}

B = Principal
C = Vice-Chancellor

A : Good Afternoon, Sir. This is my brother, Raja Rao. He works as a junior

manager in F.C.I { Food Corporation of India }
B : Vinod, I am glad to meet your brother. But you know right now I am talking to
your Vice-Chancellor. I think it is not proper to introduce somebody while
we are discussing something important. Anyway, Please meet me some
time next week.
C : That’s all right.

II Meetings & Greetings

Practice I

A : Hi, Gangadhar.,
B : Hi,Sam. How are you?
A : I am fine and how about you?
B : I am Okay.

Practice II
A : Good morning John. Wish you a very happy Christmas.
B : Very good morning, Sunita. Thank you for your affectionate greetings. It comes
to me as a surprise that you are awake by 4:00a.m.
A : It is my pleasure to wake up early for a person like you.
B : Thank you for everything. See you tomorrow in the college.
A : See you, bye.
B : Bye, bye.
Practice III
{At the Airport }

A : Dr.Habib
B : Dr.Rajashekar
A : Excuse me. By any chance are you Dr.Rajashekar?
B : Yes, I am. Well….. your face looks familiar to me … you are Dr.Habib?
A : That’s right. I haven’t seen you for ages. Where do you live now?
B : It surprises me that you don’t know where I live. I am a film actor in Telugu
film
Industry. Didn’t you see me in telugu movies?
A : No Raju. You believe it or not, after becoming a cardiologist, I haven’t watched
a single Telugu Moivie.
Anyway, I am glad that my doctor friend has become a filmstar.
B : I am also very happy that my friend has become a devoted cardiologist. Think its
time for the flight. Let’s check in.

III Some Polite Expressions

Some Polite Remarks

Q1. Would you like to accompany us?
Ans. With pleasure.

Q2. I would like to invite you to our house.

Ans. I won’t say no / That’s very kind of you.

Q3. Would you be interested in watching a movie tomorrow?

Ans. That sounds like a nice idea.

Q4. Could you give me your pen for a moment, please?

Ans. Oh, sure, please take it / certainly. Here you are.

Q5. Will you please stay here for one more day?
Ans. Thank you very much for asking me, but I have already promised them that I would be
there by tomorrow.

Q6. I Will be grateful to you if you kindly extend your departure.

Ans. I am terribly sorry. It’s not possible.

Q7. Could I visit your house tomorrow?

Ans. That should give us the greatest pleasure.

Q8. Like to smoke?

Ans. No, Thank you.

Q9. Could I talk to Prof. Rao, please?

Ans. I’m afraid he has left the office. /All right O.K.

Q10. Would you mind if I go home early today?

Ans. Not at all.

Q11. Do you mind sending the message through your attender?

Ans. Absolutely not. Please feel free to utilize our services.

Q12. I’d be grateful if you could kindly drop my sister at her college.
Ans. I’d like to, but you know the air pressure is too low in the rear wheel. I am very sorry,
my
friend.

Q13. Please do me a favour by asking Mr. ShanthaRao to see me

Ans. With pleasure.

Q14. I am sorry to trouble you, but you could you fetch me a glass of drinking water?
Ans. I won’t say no./ Yes, please.

Q15. Please, let me know, if there is anything I can do for you.

Ans. Thanks/ Thank you / That’s very kind of you.

Q16. Can I help you? / Could I help you? / May I help you?
Ans. If you don’t mind / Ifits no trouble for you.

Q17. Is there anything I can do?

Ans. No, thank you/ No, I can manage myself. Thank you.

Q18. What I can do for you?

Ans. No, don’t bother, Thankyou

Q19. Let me do it for you.

Ans. Thanks a lot, but I have almost finished the job.

Q20. Am I supposed to go there by 5:00 pm?

Ans. I think, you are.

Q21. Are we expected to leave now?

Ans. There is no need.

Q22. I hope you agree with me that we should have such a get-together at least once in a month.
Ans. I don’t think any one would disagree with you. / Oh, definitely

Q23. Do you prefer American English to British English?

Ans. I’d rather prefer British English to American.

Q24. Which would you prefer, tea or coffee?

Ans. If it’s all the same to you, I would prefer tea. / If it’s up to me I’d like to have tea.

Q25. Is there any possibility, getting tickets now?

Ans. It’s quite possible. May be.

Q26. Is he going to help us?

Ans. It’s reasonable to believe that he would help us.

Q27. Is it likely to rain?

Ans. Yes I think it’s going to rain. / I don’t think so.

Q28. Did you hear about an earthquake in Latur?

Ans. Yes, I heard about it.

Q29. Have you heard the release of this movie in India ?

Ans. Yes I have been told about it. / Yes, Ravi told me about it.

Q30. Would I be correct in supposing that there would be midterm poll next
month?
Ans. Yes, of course.

Q31. Would you repeat what you said, please?

Ans. I was just saying that we should admit her somehow.

Q32. Are you quite sure about his honesty ? Ans.

I don’t think there can be any doubt about it.

Q33. Do you mean to say that she is the number one in telugu film industry?
Ans. There can’t be any doubt about it. / There can’t be any second opinion. / I’m a
 hundred percent certain.

Q34. Is she sure about her success in this exam?

Ans. I can’t say for certain. / I’m afraid I can’t be certain about it.

Q35. Really?
Ans. I wouldn’t be too sure about it.

Q36. What do you feel about our new boss?

Ans. I think, he is a nice man. / In my opinion, he is Okay

Q37. May I suggest that is the best

alternative? Ans. Thank you for your
suggestion. / Thanks.

Q38. I am sorry to say this, but you know your brother hasn’t been attending the classes
regularly. Ans. Thank you for bringing this up to my notice. I will take him to task.

Q39. I am afraid I have got a complaint about the T.V. I bought from you yesterday.
Ans. I am extremely sorry for the troubling, Sir. I am sending the technician along with
you right now.

Q40. Let me congratulate you on your getting selected as an I.A.S

Officer. Ans. So nice of you for your greetings. / Thank you for your
warm greetings.
IV. Apologies

Q1: Please allow me to offer my apologies.

Ans. Please don’t worry.

Q2: I can’t tell you how sorry I am about the lapse.

Ans. Let’s forget it.

Q3: Please forgive me for my ignorance.

Ans. There is no need to apologise.

Q4: We are extremely sorry for troubling you like this.

Ans. It doesn’t matter at all.

Q5: It was foolish to me to have talked so irresponsibly.

Ans. Please don’t feel bad about it.
 Q6: Pardon me please.
Ans. That’s alright.

Q7: I am terribly sorry for the inordinate delay.

Ans. Please don’t worry.

Q8: Excuse me, please.

Ans. Please don’t worry

Q9: Will you excuse me please.

Ans. There is no need to apologise.

Q10: Oh I’m very sorry.

Ans. That’s O.K.

V. Agreement and Disagreement

A = Agreement
D = Disagreement
1. Could I take this
please? A = Yes
of course.
D = I’m afraid you can’t.

2. May I speak to the Chief Minister,

Please? A = You may if you want.
D = I’m sorry, I don’t have the authority to let you speak to the Chief Minister.
3. Is it alright if I return these books next
month? A = By all means.
D = I’m afraid that is out of the question. .

4. Would you mind my opening the

window? A = Please go ahead.
D = Sorry you shouldn’t open it.

5. If you don’t mind, I would like to take my

fees back. A = I don’t see any objection.
D = Sorry, that is not possible.

6. Would it be possible to extend my stay in this

 hotel? A = By all means.
D = I’m afraid it is not possible, because some other party has already booked the
same suite from tomorrow. .

7. May I help you? /Could I help you? A = That’s most

thoughtful of you. D = No please don’t bother.

8. Let me do it for you.

A = That’s very kind for you.
D = No, thank you. I can manage myself

9. Please let me know, If there is anything I can do for you. A = If it is no trouble for
you.
D = Thanks a lot, but Ms. Savithri is already on the job.

10. Is there anything we can do for you? A = If you don’t mind.

D = No, thank you..

11. Do you mean to say that he is the assassin? A = There can’t be any
doubt about it.
D = I’m afraid I can’t be certain about it.

12. Are you sure about his honesty? A = I’m quite sure.
D = I can’t say for certain.

13. Did you hear about God’s second coming? A = Yes I did.
D = I wish I heard I am yet to hear such a thing.

14. Is there any chance of his winning the elections? A = It’s quite possible.
D = It’s quite impossible.

15. Do you think she can displace the Chief Minister? A = I think she can.
D = I don’t think she can.

GREETING & INTRODUCING

Useful phrases for greeting others

Informal/friendly greeting: Formal/business greetings: Formal conversation starters:

Hello!Hi! Good morning! How do you do?
Good afternoon! How are you?
Good evening!
Response to conversation When meeting someone Phrases to close a
starters: after a while: conversation:
How do you do? Good to see you again.
Very well.Fine, It’s been a long time. Good night.See you later.
thank you.

Useful Phrases for introducing self & others

Introducing oneself: Introducing others:

I’d like to introduce myself. This is ________.
I’m ____________. I’d like to introduce ________ from
________.
My name is _________ and I’m from ________. Here’s _________.
Hi! I’m ____________.
When meeting for the first time/on being introduced: I feel privileged to introduce _______.
Pleased to meet you. Responding to a greeting:
Nice meeting you. Pleased to meet you too.
Nice to meet you. Nice meeting you too.
Glad to meet you. Glad to meet you too.
It’s a pleasure meeting you.

Introducing one:
Introducing oneself is much more difficult because here you are totally on your own & the other
person is an absolute stranger to you.

At a formal party: Never ask the other person’s introduction without giving yours first. If you
are an extrovent, go up to a person & introduce yourself by saying something like “Hello, I’m
_________…” And set the ball rolling.

At an office: You go to an office to meet a person whom you have never met before. The best
way is to walk up to the reception and enquire about him/her.
 You : “Excuse me, I want to see Mr. _______”.
Receptionist : “May I know your name, please?”
You : “I’m ________ from ________”.
Receptionist : “Kindly wait, I’ll inform him”.
You : “Thank you”.
If there is no reception around, you can walk up to the first person you see & enquire.
You : “Excuse me, I’m here to meet Mr. _______. Would you be able to help me?”
Reply : “You can go inside. He is in his office”.
Once you have been able to locate Mr. ________, introduce youself.
You : “Mr. ________?”
Mr. ______ : “Yes.”
“Hello, I’m ________ from _________. I’m here regarding
You : ……”