WRITING EFFECTIVE BUSINESS

CORRESPONDENCE

Prepared by: Gabriela C. Flores

Learning Outcomes
At the of the chapter, the students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate how communication works in business
and in organization;
2. Compare personal and business letters;
3. Evaluate and explain the characteristics and elements
of a business letter;
4. Compose basic and optional parts of a business letter;
5. Distinguish different types of business letters;
6. Distinguish different business letter punctuations and
styles; and
7. Analyze and write a memorandum
 Introduction
People are highly engaged in various daily
communications through email, texting, chatting, formal
presentation or even face to face conversation. This
phenomenon leads to unending quest on how to
communicate effectively to survive the digital era. No
matter how technological the workplace may become,
there will always be the real power in the written world
(Roberts, 1999). Technology has not eliminated the need
for people to write clearly, it merely simplified the writing
process.
 Introduction
If we compare writing with the other macro skills such
as listening, speaking, reading, viewing, writing probably is
the most difficult skill because it covers a great deal of
knowledge as well as principles of organization to produce
a good composition (Tangpermpoon, 2008). Since then,
writing business correspondence never goes out of styles
especially in the corporate world. Employers keep on
looking for professionals who can communicate messages
well both in written and oral, inside and outside of an
organization.
Communication in Business and
Organization
 Communication in
Business
➢Effective communication is the key to success.
➢Business depends so much on communication.
➢People must communicate to plan products, hire, train,
and motivate workers, coordinate manufacturing and
delivery, persuade customers to buy, and bill them for
sale (Locker, 2006).
➢Communication can’t be set apart from business for it
gives life and light to any business transactions.
 Business communication
refers to how people
communicate , whereas
organizational
communication deals with
whom to communicate
 Communication
in Business

➢Communication in business is a two-way process that

follows the common communication process of sending
and receiving messages.
➢However, business communication differs on the medium
for it uses, paper, pen, typewriter or computer to make
the message tangible to the receiver.
 Communication
in Organization
➢Communication in organization is relaying messages or
information between or among people inside and outside
an organization.
➢There are several written documents needed to run an
organization.
➢Every single document has one or more of the three basic
functions of organizational writing which is to inform, to
promote goodwill, or to persuade.
 To inform

Basic functions
of
communication
To persuade To promote goodwill
Table 1: Internal Documents Produced in one Organization

Description of Purpose(s) of
Document
Document Documents
Memo accompanying document, Inform: persuade reader to read
Transmittal telling why it is being forwarded to document; build image and
the receiver goodwill

Report summarizing profitability, Inform; build image and good will

productivity, and problems during (report is accurate, complete;
Monthly or quarterly report
period. Used to plan activity for writer understands company)
next month or quarter
Evaluation of an employee’s Inform; persuade employee to
performance, with recommended improve
Performance appraisal
areas of improvement or
recommendation for promotion
Congratulations to an employee Promote goodwill
who have won awards, been
Memo of congratulations
promoted, or earned community
recognition
Table 2: External Documents Produced in one Organization

Description of Purpose(s) of
Document
Document Documents

Letter giving price for a specific Inform; promote goodwill (price

Quotation
product, fabrication, or service reasonable)

Letter granting or denying Inform; promote goodwill

Claim/adjustment customer request to be given
credit for defective goods

Report to stockholders Inform; persuade stockholders to

summarizing financial information retain stock and others to buy;
Annual report
for year build goodwill (company is a good
corporate citizen)
Letter to suppliers, customers, or Promote goodwill
Thank you letter other people who have helped
individuals or the company
 TWO BASIC STRUCTURES THAT MAKE UP THE
COMMUNICATION CHANNELS OF AN ORGANIZATION
1. Formal channel of 2. Informal channel of
communication follows communication follows an
the usual pattern of an unstructured channel of
organizational chart communication where lines
where the superiors are and patterns of the
classified from the organization are vague. This
subordinates through is sometimes referred to as
connecting the lines of grapevine because it usually
communication to every relays more information than
member of the the formal communication
organization through chismis or rumor-
mongering.