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Communicati

on group
2022

assignment

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SUBMITTED TO: ADMAS UNIVERSITY, DEPARTMENT OF
ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE
Communication GROUP ASSIGNMENT
GROUP MEMBERS ID N0
1. Medhane Nega ……………………. 1861/19
2. Nahom Abera ……………………… 0404/21
3. Wondesen Kebede …………….. 0398/21
4. Yehunlet mitiku …………………… 0356/21
5. Kidus Tsegaye ……………………… 0380/21
6. Bamlaku yetayal ………………….. 0403/21
7. Matiyas Terfe ………………………. 0399/21
8. Biruk zerihun ……………………….. 0347/21
9. Rahel samuel ……………………….. 1541/21

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Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................4
Difference Between Public Relations (PR) and Marketing...........................................................5
Comparison Chart........................................................................................................................6
Definition of Marketing................................................................................................................6
Definition of Public Relations.......................................................................................................7
BasicDifferences Between Public Relation and Marketing..........................................................7
Tools in common......................................................................................................................8
Demographics and goals..........................................................................................................8
Departmental collaboration....................................................................................................8
Business Reports vs. Business Letters..........................................................................................9
What is the Purpose of a Business Report?...............................................................................10
The Purposes of a Business Letter.............................................................................................12
Components of a Business Letter..............................................................................................13
Differences between Business Letter and other Letters......................................................15

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Introduction
Nowadays, people find it hard to distinguish marketing from public relation (PR), due to
the emergence of social media, which filled the gap amidst these two. However, they are
two different concepts.

Marketing is a management process, which is concerned with the buying and selling of
products and services, which includes all the activities that involve the movement of
product from concept to the customer. Product designing, warehousing, packaging,
transportation, delivering, advertising, branding, selling, pricing, etc. are all part of
marketing activities. In short, Marketing is everything a company does to gain and retain
customers, on the other hand Public Relations is defined as an act of managing the
dissemination of information amidst the company and the general public. It is a process,
where an organization gains exposure to the audience through third party endorsements,
wherein news or other topics of public interest are used to share organization’s positive
stories. Examples include newsletters, press conferences, featured stories, speeches,
public appearances and similar other forms of non-paid communication.

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Difference Between Public Relations (PR) and Marketing
Nowadays, people find it hard to distinguish marketing from public relation (PR), due to
the emergence of social media, which filled the gap amidst these two. However, they are
two different concepts.

Marketing is a business activity that aims at promoting, advertising and selling company’s
products and services. On the other hand, public relations or commonly called as PR is a
communication process; wherein the company seeks to build such a relationship between the
company and the general public, which is mutually beneficial for them.
While marketing is mainly concerned with the promotion and sales of the product, Public
Relations (PR) is intended to create and manage a favorable image of the company amongst the
public.

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Comparison Chart

BASIS FOR PUBLIC RELATION


MARKETING
COMPARISON (PR)

Meaning Public Relations (PR) refers Marketing is defined as an


to the process of activity of creating,
maintaining positive communicating and
relationship and managing delivering products and
the flow of information services of value to the
between company and the customers.
general public

Involves Promotion of company and Promotion of products and


brand services

Function Staff function Line function

Media Earned Paid

Audience Public Target Market

Focus on Building trust Making sales

Communication Two-Way One-Way

Definition of Marketing
Marketing is a management process, which is concerned with the buying and selling of
products and services, which includes all the activities that involve the movement of
product from concept to the customer. Product designing, warehousing, packaging,
transportation, delivering, advertising, branding, selling, pricing, etc. are all part of

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marketing activities. In short, Marketing is everything a company does to gain and retain
customers.

Definition of Public Relations


Public Relations is defined as an act of managing the dissemination of information amidst
the company and the general public. It is a process, where an organization gains exposure
to the audience through third party endorsements, wherein news or other topics of public
interest are used to share organization’s positive stories. Examples include newsletters,
press conferences, featured stories, speeches, public appearances and similar other forms
of non-paid communication.

BasicDifferences Between Public Relation and Marketing


The following points are noteworthy so far as the difference between Public
Relations (PR) and Marketing is concerned:

 The process of maintaining a positive relationship and managing the flow of


information amidst the company and society at large is called Public
Relations (PR). The range of activities that includes creation,
communication and delivering products and services of value to the
customers, is called marketing.
 Public relation involves the promotion of the organization and the brand.
Although, in the case of marketing, promotion of products and services
offered by the company to its customers, is done.
 Both marketing and public relations are a part of the management function,
wherein marketing is a line function, whose contribution to the company’s
bottom line is direct. On the other hand, public relations is staff function
which assists organization indirectly in achieving its goals and objective.
 Public relation is earned media, i.e. free media whereby the organization
gains publicity through third-party endorsements such as word-of-mouth,
press conferences, news releases, speeches, etc. As opposed to marketing,
whose foundation is paid media, which includes radio, television and print
advertising.
 Public Relation covers general public as a whole whereas marketing
activities are oriented towards a target audience.

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 Marketing aims at converting shoppers into buyers, i.e. to create sales. On
the contrary, public relation aims at building trust and maintaining
company’s reputation.

Similarities between PR and marketing


Tools in common

While PR and marketing use different tools to achieve their goals, they also share
some common tools. Social media provides PR departments with a platform to
broadcast their brand's personality, values, and identity. Similarly, marketers
benefit from social media's ability to advertise specific promotional activity,
product launches, and partnerships. Often, one corporate social media account
promotes both PR and marketing initiatives.

Both PR and marketing may use print media, but in different ways. PR
departments may organize for articles to be written about the company they work
for or their representatives to be interviewed to raise awareness of the company.
Marketers, conversely, may place advertisements in magazines or newspapers for
specific products, often with pricing information. Corporate sponsorships also help
to align brands with reputable celebrities, events, or products, benefiting both
approval and sales.

Demographics and goals

While PR and marketing aim to influence the public in different ways, to take
action versus to build relationships, they also share a similar scope of
demographic. PR aims to increase approval among the public, but it also focuses
on particular demographics like marketers do. Every company has a demographic
with which they aim to succeed. For instance, if you work in PR or marketing for a
women's fashion brand, you likely have a very specific demographic based on age,
gender, and socioeconomic factors. This demographic represents the most
important group of people with which to increase approval and sales.

Departmental collaboration

Another element that these two different yet similar departments have in common
is that they both work in tandem. You can't effectively do PR without marketing in
the process, and so you can't market a product without maintaining a positive

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image to the public. For larger companies, these may be separate departments
who work closely to align their goals of promoting the brand as a whole, and the
brand's specific sales activity. Smaller companies may have marketing
departments who aim to develop positive public relations as part of their activity.

Business Reports vs. Business Letters


Business reports and business letters are two different genres in the area
of workplace writing. While a business report may be preceded by a
business letter and a business letter may have a business report as an
enclosure, these are two entirely different documents that serve two
different purposes. It is important to understand how to write both of
them if you want to be a successful business person

Purpose

Business letters and reports can be written for a variety of purposes. In


some cases, both may be written to inform. A business letter may be
written to notify an employee that she has been hired or fired. Business
letters may also be sent out to everyone working in a company, along with
its stockholders, to inform them of a certain company success. Both
publications may also be written to persuade. Business letters are often
requests for a bigger salary, more resources, time off or permission to
head a certain program, for instance. In addition, reports may be written in
order to persuade a manager not to discontinue a certain program or to
give more funds to one sector of a business. Business people who need
to write a document that either persuades or informs, may have to choose
between a business letter or a report. If you have a great deal of
information to communicate, a report allows for the greatest expansion,
and it is your better option. If you want to communicate a specific, concise
success, a letter is your best option.

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Genre

Because a business report and a business letter are two different genres,
different content and formatting rules govern each. While both a business
report and letter should be written clearly and as to-the-point as possible,
a business letter should rarely extend beyond a page. However, business
reports are often several pages long, comprised of appendices, charts,
graphs and photos in addition to text. Further, letters are generally used
when a person has a specific issue to communicate. Reports, on the other
hand, may be used in conjunction with making a specific decision, but
they may also be compiled simply to share information about a project.

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Audience

Both writers of business letters and reports need to consider their


audiences when they write. While reports are generally written for wide
audiences, as they can be used by anyone from executives and
shareholders to employees and potential clients, letters usually have a
more specific audience. Although you can write a business letter to more
than one person, or copy several people on one letter, people usually write
business letters to one certain colleague or group. In each case, the
information, language and other elements you include should be dictated
by your audience. For example, if you write a statistical report for
employees who don't have a stats background, you will need to add a
detailed explanation of the implication of your statistics .

Format

Business letter and report formats change based on the type of letter or
format that you are writing. However, letter and report formats are
significantly different from one another. Business letter format begins
with an address, salutation and the name of the addressee. The body of
the letter is usually written in block format with all items flush left. The
letter is short -- sometimes only a paragraph, but generally never longer
than a page -- and it ends with a closing, signature and the sender's typed
name. Most business reports begin with a title page and an abstract or
summary. Information is then divided and organized by subheadings. For
example, if you are writing a report on a recent program launch, you might
have the following sections: overview, participants, successes, challenges
and implications. Often, reports end with a conclusion that discusses the
implications of the findings or information.

What is the Purpose of a Business Report?

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A business report is an evaluation of a particular issue, set of circumstances, or
financial operations that relate to the performance of a business. Its main
purpose is to communicate relevant information succinctly and efficiently. It is
often written in response to an executive of the company, and often takes the
form of a memo with the report attached.
The Format of a Business Report
A business report is written in an abbreviated style that allows the reader to
navigate the report quickly, and identify key elements. It makes use of headings,
sub-headings, bullet points, diagrams and tables, to communicate the relevant
information. Business reports can range from brief one-or-two page reports, to
reports of a hundred pages or more. However, any business report that you are
asked to write for assignment purposes will probably run around four or five
pages. It will usually include the following five elements:
Table of Contents
The table of contents should be arranged according to the headings and
subheadings of your report (University of Newcastle, 2016). NOTE: the title of
each part below also indicates what % of your word count should be dedicated to
each section.
Executive Summary (10% of word count)
• Briefly state the purpose of the report.
• Briefly describe the methodology used to investigate the issue (for example, you
may have conducted interviews, circulated a questionnaire, or carried out
independent research).
• List the key points and findings found in the report.
Body (40% of word count)
• Provide details of the evaluation process.
• Describe in detail the methodology used to investigate the issue.
• Identify particular issues that impacted the evaluation.
• Include any relevant tables and/or diagrams.

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Key Findings/Recommendations (40% of word count)
• Identify and discuss/describe the key findings.
• Make your recommendations.

Conclusion (10% of word count)


• Summarize your findings and relate back to original issue that has given rise to
the report.

The Purposes of a Business Letter


Business people have to communicate with the suppliers, debtors, creditors,
customers and with other concerned parties to exchange information. Business
letters are basically used to communicate with the above parties.
According to Ricks and Gow, “The primary purposes of business letters are to
inform, instruct, request, inquire, remit, order, advice, correct and to question.”
The main purposes of Business Letter are;

 Convey Information: The basic purpose of any business letter is to convey


information regarding business activities. Information can be transmitted through
business letter to customers, suppliers, debtors, government authorities, financial
institutions, bank and insurance companies and to any other parties related with
the business.
 Conclude Transaction: This is one of the specific purposes of business letter. To
conclude in completed transactions business letters are frequently used.
 Creation of Demand: Business letters especially circular letters used to create
demand for new products. Circular letters can communicate many people in the
same time.
 Creation of Goodwill: In this electronic era messages can be sent within few
seconds through electronic media but a well decorated business letter has its
own importance in creation positive image of the company.
 Expansion of Business: Through goodwill messages and through circular letters
existing market can be expanded.

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 Establishment of Relationship: Another important purpose of business letter is,
it helps to establish mutual relationship with the customers, suppliers and with
the other interested parties.
 Evidence: Business letters are also used to maintain documentary evidence.
Letters can be preserved for future reference.
 To Inquire: A business concern not only sends messages but also receive
information from the outside. To run the business any firm need different types
of information from outside. Through business letters firms can inquire regarding
necessary matters.
 Placing Order: It is a very common purpose for using business letter. Both
trading and manufacturing concerns need to place orders for finished goods or
raw-materials to run the business.
 Problem Solving: In the course of business, disputes and misunderstanding may
arise. Business letters play vital role in solving such misunderstandings.

Components of a Business Letter


The components of a letter constitute the different parts of a letter. The following parts
usually constitute the structure of a business letter.

1. Heading: The heading which is also known as „head address‟ or “letter head”


contains information relating to the name of the organization and its address. It
is usually given at the top centre or top right side of the paper. Following
information’s are provided in the heading.  The firm’s name, address, trade mark,
telephone number, telexes number, Ethics-mail address etc.
2. Reference Number: The number which the receiver refers in all future
correspondence is called reference number. It is usually printed below the date
line or on the same line where the date is written to the right margin. The
purpose of reference number is to enable replies to be linked with the previous
correspondence and to send replies to these letters to the proper official or
department.
3. Date: The date consists of day, month and year. The date finds its place either at
the starting of left margin or at the closing of the right margin as the style
adopted. Date enables quick references in future and helps in prompt action and
orderly filing.
4. Inside address: The inside address contains the name and address of the
organization or the individual to whom the letter is written. It is written below the
reference time starting from the left margin. The inside address makes a record
on the copy which helps in identification for filling purpose.

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5. Attention line: Attention line is placed below the attention time and above the
salutations and is underlined. It indicates the name of those for whom the letter is
meant.
6. Salutation: Salutation means to greet the addressee. It is the complementary
greeting with which the writer begins his letter. it is written below the inside
address or attention line leaving some space. It starts from the left side margin. It
may or may not end with comma depending upon the style of the letter.
7. Subject line: Subject line tells what the correspondence is about. It is placed just
below the salutation line. It usually begins at the left margin and may also begin
from the center. It may contain apart from the subject any specific identification
material i.e. date of previous letter, invoice number etc.
8. Body of the letter: It is that part of the letter which contains the message to be
converged. It is the most important part of the letter and usually consists of three
to four paragraphs.  
1. The first (or the opening paragraph) begins the letter and builds up a
relationship with the reader.
2. The second paragraph contains the proper subject matter. It is the main
paragraph of the letter.
3. The third paragraph is an extension of the second paragraph.
4. The fourth (or the closing paragraph) brings the letter to an end. It must
be natural and logical must be final and complete.
5. Closing with an important statement, a question, an offer or a request
leaves the door open for further communication.
9. Formal Close: It is also known as subscription. It is merely a polite way of ending
a letter. It is written below the last paragraph of the body of the letter, either at
the left side or at the right side, depending on the style of letter. The subscription
should be corresponding to the salutation.
10. Signature block/slot: Signature is the assent of the writer to the subject matter
of the letter and is a practical necessity. It is usually hand written and contains the
writers name, status, department, firm etc. Signature is put just below the
complementary close.
11. Enclosures: Sometimes some documents like price list catalogue etc are attached
with the letter. Enclosure mentions the documents which are enclosed or
attached with the letter. The enclosures usually find their place at the bottom left
margin.
12. Postscript: It is commonly known as is something written after the letter is
closed. It is usually done when the writer forgets to put in some information or
message in the main part. It should be very precise and to the point.
13. ‘CC’ or Carbon Copy notation: When copies of the letter are meant to be sent
to more than one person it is mentioned under “CC” or carbon copy notation.

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14. Reference initial: When typed initials are put it refers to reference initials. These
are useful for office checking. They are typed adjacent to the left margin.

Differences between Business Letter and other


Letters
 Nature: Business letter or commercial letter it is impersonal and universal in
nature. But other letters may be fully or partly personal in nature.
 Purpose: Business letter is exchanging various business related issues and
information. But other letters are mainly exchanging personal or family related
affairs and information.
 Scope: Business letter scope is wide and contains various types of business
information. But Scope of other letters is limited and contains only personal
information.
 Structure: Business letter follow officially recognized structure. But other letters
may or may not follow any recognized structure.
 Formality: Business letter it maintains formal rules and procedure. But other
letters may be informal.
 Size: Business letter generally it is concise in size and avoids irrelevant matter. But
other letters may be concise or large in size.
 Types: Business letter it can be categorized differently. But other letters generally
cannot be categorized.
 Language: Business letter language should be easy and simple. But other letter’s
language may easy, poetic, emotional etc.
 Copy: Business letter copy of business letter is preserved. But Copy of other
letters may or may not be preserved.
 Method: Business letter it uses direct and persuasive method. But other letters
may use only direct method.

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