CS Remedial

FYBScIT Sem I

Communication Skills

FYBScIT Semester I

Remedial questions with answers

Unit 1

1. Define communication.
Ans. The word communication is derived from the Latin word ‘communicate’ which means
to make common, to transmit, or to impart the ideas, knowledge, feelings, emotions
and gestures. According to the various dictionaries the definition of effective
communication skills are as follows:
“Effective communication skills includes lip reading, finger-spelling, sign language;
for interpersonal skills use, interpersonal relations.”
“Effective communication skills are the ability to use language (receptive) and express
(expressive) information.”
“Effective communication skills are the set of skills that enables a person to convey
information so that it is received and understood. Effective communication skills refer
to the repertoire of behaviours that serve to convey information for the individual.”
While it is an undisputable fact the communication forms one of the essential bases of
human existence, yet most individuals overlook the need to refine their
communication skills, from time-to-time. Effective communication skills are a must
whether it is individual or then effective team communication skills.

2. Explain the communication cycle with the help of a diagram.

Ans. Communication is a two-way process in which there is an exchange and progression
of ideas towards a mutually accepted direction or goal. For this process, to materialise,
it is essential that the basic elements of communication be identified. These elements
are: Ideation/Message, Sender, Encoding, Receiver, Medium and Transmission,
Barriers, Decoding and Feedback.

Sender
The person who initiates the communication process is normally referred to as the
sender. From his personal data bank, he selects ideas, encodes and finally transmits
them to the receiver. His message choice of images and words, and the combination of
the two is what goads the receiver to listen carefully. In this process a number of
factors come into play, primary among them being an understanding of the recipient
and his needs. If the message can be formulated in accordance with the expectations of

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the receiver, the level of acceptance is going to be higher.

Encoding
Encoding is the next step in communication. It is the process of changing the
information into some form of logical and coded message. The encoding process is
based on the purpose of communication and the relation between the sender and the
receiver. In a formal situation, encoding involves: Selecting a language; selecting a
medium of communication; and selecting an appropriate communication form.
Selecting the right language is essential for effective encoding. Verbal messages need
a common language code, which can be easily decoded by the receiver. If the receiver
is not able to decode or understand the message, communication will fail.

Receiver
The listener receives an encoded message which he attempts to decode. This process is
carried on in relation to the work environment and the value perceived in terms of the
work situation. If the goal of the Decoding of sender is envisioned as similar to his
own, the listener becomes message more receptive. The decoding of the message is
done in almost entirely the same terms as were intended by the sender.

Medium and Transmission

Another important element of communication is the medium or channel. It could be
oral, written or non-verbal. Prior to the composition of the message, the
medium/channel should be decided. Transmission refers to the flow of message over
the chosen channel. Transmission confirms the medium selected during the process of
encoding and keeps the communication channel free from interference or noise so that
the message reaches the receiver without any disturbance.

Decoding
Decoding is the process of converting a message into thoughts by translating the
received stimuli into an interpreted meaning in order to understand the message
communicated. It is important to note that it is the message that is transferred, as
meaning cannot be transferred from one person to another. The receiver has to assign
meaning to a message in order to understand it. The process of decoding involves
interpretation and analysis of a message. Decoding in written communication refers to
reading and understanding a written message. On the other hand, in oral
communication, decoding includes listening and understanding. Effective decoding is
very important for successful communication as any misinterpretation of a message
leads to communication breakdown and creates confusion and misunderstanding.

Feedback
Effective communication takes place only when there is feedback. Feedback is the last
stage in the communication process. It is the action or reaction of the receiver to the
message. It helps the sender know that the message was received and understood. The
feedback that goes to the sender makes it clear whether the receiver has accepted the
information and filed it in his/her memory or rejected it. He or she may ask for more
information or clarification. Response is, thus, the key to communication as the
effectiveness of communication depends on how congruent a receiver's response is
with the meaning intended by the sender.

3. List the seven Cs needed for effective communication.

Ans. 1. Clarity: The message should be clear and easily understandable to the recipient. The

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purpose of the communication should be clear to sender then only the receiver will be
sure about it. The message should emphasize on a single goal at a time and shall not
cover several ideas in a single sentence.

2. Correctness: The message should be correct, i.e. a correct language should be used,
and the sender must ensure that there is no grammatical and spelling mistakes. Also,
the message should be exact and well-timed. The correct messages have a greater
impact on the receiver and at the same time, the morale of the sender increases with
the accurate message.

3. Completeness: The message should be complete, i.e. it must include all the relevant
information as required by the intended audience. The complete information gives
answers to all the questions of the receivers and helps in better decision-making by the
recipient.

4. Concreteness: The communication should be concrete, which means the message

should be clear and particularly such that no room for misinterpretation is left. All the
facts and figures should be clearly mentioned in a message so as to substantiate to
whatever the sender is saying.

5. Conciseness: The message should be precise and to the point. The sender should
avoid the lengthy sentences and try to convey the subject matter in the least possible
words. The short and brief message is more comprehensive and helps in retaining the
receiver’s attention.

6. Consideration: The sender must take into consideration the receiver’s opinions,
knowledge, mind-set, background, etc. in order to have an effective communication.
In order to communicate, the sender must relate to the target recipient and be involved.

7. Courtesy: It implies that the sender must take into consideration both the feelings
and viewpoints of the receiver such that the message is positive and focused at the
audience. The message should not be biased and must include the terms that show
respect for the recipient.

4. What is Feedback and explain its importance in communication?

Ans. The term ‘feedback’ is used to describe the helpful information or criticism about
prior action or behaviour from an individual, communicated to another individual (or a
group) who can use that information to adjust and improve current and future actions
and behaviours.
Feedback occurs when an environment reacts to an action or behaviour. All can
benefit from feedback. Both common sense and research make it clear – feedback and
opportunities to use that feedback helps to improve and enhance, whether an
individual, group, business, business unit, company, or organization – and that
information can be used to make better informed decisions. It also allows us to build
and maintain communication with others.
Effective feedback has benefits for the giver, the receiver, and the wider organization.
Here are five reasons why feedback is so important.

1. Feedback is always there. If you ask someone in your organization when feedback
occurs, they will typically mention an employee survey, performance appraisal, or
training evaluation. In actuality, feedback is around us all the time. Every time we

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speak to a person, employee, customer, vendor, etc., we communicate feedback. In

actuality, it’s impossible not to give feedback.
2. Feedback is effective listening. Whether the feedback is done verbally or via a
feedback survey, the person providing the feedback needs to know they have been
understood (or received) and they need to know that their feedback provides some
value. When conducting a survey, always explain why respondents’ feedback is
important and how their feedback will be used.
3. Feedback can motivate. By asking for feedback, it can actually motivate employees
to perform better. Employees like to feel valued and appreciate being asked to provide
feedback that can help formulate business decisions. And feedback from client,
suppliers, vendors, and stakeholders can be used to motivate to build better working
relations
4. Feedback can improve performance. Feedback is often mistaken for criticism. In
fact, what is viewed as negative criticism is actually constructive criticism and is the
best find of feedback that can help to formulate better decisions to improve and
increase performance.
5. Feedback is a tool for continued learning. Invest time in asking and learning about
how others experience working with your organization. Continued feedback is
important across the entire organization in order to remain aligned to goals, create
strategies, develop products and services improvements, improve relationships, and
much more. Continued learning is the key to improving.

5. Explain the importance of technology in Business communication.

Ans. Technology has important effects on business operations. No matter the size of your
enterprise, technology has both tangible and intangible benefits that will help you
make money and produce the results your customers demand. Technological
infrastructure affects the culture, efficiency and relationships of a business. It also
affects the security of confidential information and trade advantages.

Communication with Customers

First and foremost, technology affects a firm’s ability to communicate with customers.
In today’s busy business environment, it is necessary for employees to interact with
clients quickly and clearly. Websites allow customers to find answers to their
questions after hours. Fast shipment options allow businesses to move products over a
large geographic area. When customers use technology to interact with a business, the
business benefits because better communication creates a stronger public image.

Efficiency of Operations
Technology also helps a business understand its cash flow needs and preserve precious
resources such as time and physical space. Warehouse inventory technologies let
business owners understand how best to manage the storage costs of holding a
product. With proper technology in place, executives can save time and money by
holding meetings over the Internet instead of at corporate headquarters.

Business Culture and Class Relations

Technology creates a team dynamic within a business because employees at different
locations have better interactions. If factory managers can communicate with shipment
coordinators at a different location, tensions and distrust are less likely to evolve.
Cliques and social tensions can become a nightmare for a business; technology often
helps workers put their different backgrounds aside.

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Security
Most businesses of the modern era are subject to security threats and vandalism.
Technology can be used to protect financial data, confidential executive decisions and
other proprietary information that leads to competitive advantages. Simply put,
technology helps businesses keep their ideas away from their competition. By having
computers with passwords, a business can ensure none of its forthcoming projects will
be copied by the competition.

Research Capacity
A business that has the technological capacity to research new opportunities will stay
a step ahead of its competition. For a business to survive, it must grow and acquire
new opportunities. The Internet allows a business to virtually travel into new markets
without the cost of an executive jet or the risks of creating a factory abroad.

6. Explain cross-cultural communication in the context of high and low context

cultures.
Ans. The concepts of high context and low context refer to how people communicate in
different cultures. Differences can be derived from the extent to which meaning is
transmitted through actual words used or implied by the context.

High context implies that a lot of unspoken information is implicitly transferred during
communication. People in a high context culture such as Saudi Arabia tend to place a
larger importance on long-term relationships and loyalty and have fewer rules and
structure implemented.

Low context implies that a lot of information is exchanged explicitly through the
message itself and rarely is anything implicit or hidden. People in low context
cultures such as the UK tend to have short-term relationships, follow rules and
standards closely and are generally very task-oriented.

Understanding whether your international colleagues are high context or low context
will help you to adapt your communication style and build stronger relationships with
them. These concepts are covered during cross-cultural training programmes such as
Communicating across Cultures and managing international teams. Cultural
awareness training which focuses on one or more specific cultures like Doing
Business in India or Living and Working in China will also address these concepts.

When doing business in a high context culture such as Mexico, Japan or the Middle
East, you might encounter the following:

•Misunderstanding when exchanging information

•Impression of a lack of information
• Large amount of information is provided in a non-verbal manner, e.g. gestures,
pauses, facial expressions
•Emphasis on long term relationships and loyalty
•‘Unwritten’ rules that are taken for granted but can easily be missed by strangers
•Shorter contracts since less information is required

When doing business in a low context culture such as Germany, Switzerland or the
US, on the other hand, you might find the following:

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•All meaning is explicitly provided in the message itself

• Extensive background information and explanations are provided verbally to avoid
misunderstandings
• People tend to have short-term relationships
•People follow rules and standards closely
•Contracts tend to be longer and very detailed

High Context Low Context

Indirect and implicit messages Direct, simple and clear
messages
High use of non-verbal Low use of non-verbal
communication communication
Low reliance on written High reliance on written
communication communication
Use intuition and feelings to make Rely on facts and evidence for
decisions decisions
Long-term relationships Short-term relationships
Relationships are more important Schedules are more important
than schedules than relationships
Strong distinction between in- Flexible and open
group and out-group

7. Explain any five merits of teleconferencing

Ans. 1. Saves Time – The most important advantage of teleconferencing is time-saving.
With teleconferencing, it is possible to hold meetings on a very short notice. In
addition, there is no time spent traveling to the venue of a meeting as all meetings are
held through machines or Internet. Reduced mileage translates to thousands of hours
of travel saved every year. Teleconferencing also encourages punctuality as meetings
are scheduled and done at fixed time frames.

2. Save on Travel Expenses – In addition to time, travel costs can be quite significant
when added up over a long period. Most companies that have a global reach incur
massive costs associated with the travel ever year. Teleconferencing, however,
removes the need to travel often and thus saves huge company resources. Attend
meeting thousands of miles away is now faster and less cumbersome.

3. Efficient Record Keeping – One of the main teleconferencing advantages is

efficient meeting recording keeping. Computing devices are able to record, keep logs
and track every detail of a particular online meeting without needing a lot of
monitoring. This makes teleconferencing facilities among the best tools for capturing
and storing important meeting data. Teleconferencing also makes it very easy to
retrieve this data in the future and make references whenever necessary.

4. Cut Conference Costs – There are indeed many logistical costs associated with
holding a conference. Hiring equipment, acquiring a venue, buying food and
refreshment are just some of the normal costs associated with any meeting.

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Teleconferencing removes all these costs as no such arrangements need to be made.

The flexibility of teleconferencing also ensures that meetings are held as often as
possible with no extra costs being incurred.

5. Encourage Productivity – The fifth teleconferencing advantage is that

teleconferencing ensures that workers at various hierarchies in the company structure
are in constant communication. This translates to effective information-sharing and
prompt actions. Such recurrent engagement is a motivational factor that results turns
out increased productivity. Teleconferencing also makes multi-branch management
easier as the proximity of every department of a company is optimized.

8. What is the importance of Business Communication?

Ans. Management has emerged as one of the dynamic field in the modern business
scenario. The importance of communication in management in organisation is best
summed up in the words of expert Harold Janis, "The world of management is a world
of action. Services are designed made and sold. People are hired. Services are
rendered. Policies are devised and implemented. Jobs are learned and performed. Yet
there is no practical way in which any of these events can take place without
communication."

Era of Specialisation
Unless the specialists know how to communicate, their vast knowledge of a limited
field remains unused. Mr. Jadhav Raje may be expert on taxation and the life
insurance but if he cannot communicate his knowledge to others and give them the
benefit of his advice, his knowledge is wasted. Similarly, in an organisation the
engineers, accountants, storekeepers and scientists must be able to communicate with
each other and their superiors.

An Age of Tension
Not being able to communicate can result in tremendous mental tension (not to
mention physical strain), especially when the banks knows that their rivals are more
successful only because they are better communicators.

Reduces Miscommunication
The manner in which a message is perceived by the receiver often leads to
miscommunication. To avoid this banks must learn to communicate, keeping in mind
the attitudes and mental framework of the customers as well as employees who
receives messages. If a manager asks a new clerk to get him information about the
"composition of the liquidated party", the young man will be at a total loss to
understand, for composition means the amount paid by a bankrupt to his creditors.
Such situations arise because most specialised branches of business have their own
sub codes or "jargon" and sometimes individual business houses have their own
special set of terms which outsiders cannot understand.

Healthy Organisational Environment

Many banks and insurance organisation are so large that they may be termed
"empires". They contain several branch offices within the country and even overseas
and have many sub branches too. Not only should the managements of such
organisations be able to communicate effectively with all the units but should also be
able to do so speedily. Modern banks and insurance organisations are managed by
communication which has in recent times become the chief management tool for

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achieving coordination and control. Effective communication leads to a healthy

organisational environment, better management–employee relations, proper delegation
of authority and division of work, helps to deal better with competition and solve trade
union created problems.

Aid to Managerial Process

This means that unless these organisations are effective, speedy, and use the best
means and instruments they will be wasting valuable time ("time is money" in these
organisations) and will lag behind their rivals. Also while receiving communications
they try not to receive maximum communication but pertinent information. Effective
communication promotes
managerial efficiency and performance.

Creates Relations
Lack of effective communication in any organisation may lead to many problems like
misunderstandings, groupism and negative thinking. An effective and systematic
communication system can do much to solve these problems. Good relationship within
the organisation and with outsiders is essential for success in business. This objective
can only be achieved with the help of effective communication. It ensures success.
There is need to save on cost and time in modern business. Only effective
communication can achieve this.

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Unit 2

1. What is business writing? State its importance.

Ans. 1. Remember Your Audience. Does your audience know as much as you do about
your area of expertise? Probably not, so remember to keep things simple. With this in
mind, you should:
•Drop the jargon. Remove phrases like “burn rate”, “touch base”, and “paradigm
shifters”
•Replace inflated language with simple words. For example, “transpired” means
“happened”, “paradigm” means “ideal”, and “conundrum” is just a fancy word for
“problem”.
2. Organization. Your message should always be presented in a sequential, logical,
step-by-step manner to make it is easy to follow.
3. Use Active Voice. Make it clear who is doing what. Sentences should be “we will
do this to achieve X” rather than “the company will achieve X by doing Y”
4. Use Clean Design. The presentation of your message is just as important as the
words you use. Effective use of white space, headlines, subheadings, colour, font,
images – are all elements that can either support your message, or distract from it.
5. Minimize Long Blocks of Text. Help your reader digest the information you are
presenting in small chunks whenever possible. Break long paragraphs into shorter
ones with subheadings, and make sentences no longer than 20 words.
6. Use Tables, Charts, and Examples. For information that is complex or data that
needs to be analysed, remember to include helpful visual aids or examples.

Boosts professional confidence

Every business document has its purpose. You write a business proposal to attract
investors or find partners. You send emails to reach potential customers. You craft a
report to impress your boss. When written communication leads a business to another
successfully completed project, you become more confident and inspired. And writing
itself gets easier.

Promotes career
If you are the best business communicator in your office, co-workers will ask you to
for help in editing their writing pieces before they go to their supervisors. Word will
get around. If the company needs someone to draft effective emails, they will ask
someone who writes with clarity and accuracy. The better your writing skills are; the
more responsibility you will be given.

Business writing builds a solid web presence

Business is all about presentation. Owners aim to set up an effective online presence.
It helps potential customers discover the company and its products. To attain this goal,
they create websites, blogs and social media accounts.

2. What are the different kinds of business letters?

Ans. Business letter is an old form of official correspondence. A business letter is written
by an individual to an organization or an organization to another organization or to
their clients. It is written for diverse reasons. One writes a letter to inquire
information, apply for a job, acknowledge someone's work, and appreciate one's job
done, etc.
As the motive of writing the letter is different, the style of the letter changes and you
get different types of business letters. No matter what is the motive of writing the
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letter, accuracy is essential. If you are able to achieve it, you can surely receive a
timely response from the people the letter is sent to.

Types of business letters:

1. Acknowledgement Letter: This type of letter is written when you want to

acknowledge someone for his or her help or support. It can be used to express your
gratitude towards someone for being with you in the time of trouble, or the financial,
emotional and moral support you received from them.

2. Apology Letter: An apology letter is written for a failure in delivering the desired
results, and any mistake that has caused trouble for others. With the letter, you can
confess your wrong doings and put your stand in a firmer manner on rectifying them.

3. Appreciation Letter: An appreciation letter is written to appreciate some one's work

in the organization. This type of letter is written by a superior to his junior. An
organization can also write it to other organization, thanking the client for doing
business with them.

4. Complaint Letter: A complaint letter is written to express you displeasure against

some product or service delivered to you by others. You can also use it to show that
you are not happy for the price charged to you on the invoice, or the service quality.

5. Inquiry Letter: It is clear from the title itself that the letter of inquiry is written to
make an inquiry. The inquiry could be about a product or service, renting an office or
a residential place, business terms, etc. If you have ordered a product and yet not
received it then you can write a letter to inquire when you will be receiving it.

6. Order Letter: This letter as the name suggests is used for ordering products and
services. It should contain correct information about the thing you are ordering with
the desired quantity and expected price. It is used as a legal document to guarantee the
transaction between customers and businesses.

7. Letter of Recommendation: This type of letter is written to recommend a person for

a job position. It states positive aspects of the applicant's personality and how he/she
would be an asset for the organization. It is also used for promoting a person in the
organization, recommending a supplier, vendor or a contractor to a company.

3. What is the difference between functional and chronological resume?

Ans. Chronological Resume

The chronological resume seems to be the most popular format used. This type of
resume usually contains an objective and/or career summary statement and a
chronological listing (from most recent to past) of all your employers along with
related accomplishments. Educational information is included along with certifications
and special skills.
This type of resume may be fine for someone who is experienced, but if you are
switching careers or are just entering the workforce, this type of resume will most
likely help you wind up in the "no" pile.

Functional Resume

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Functional resume, which lists experience and skills in a non-chronological format. A

typical functional resume includes a section highlighting qualifications and
elaborating accomplishments; another section with places of employment, job title,
and dates employed; and other sections with education and community service
participation.
Functional resumes are most often used by job hunters with gaps in employment
history, and they're sometimes used by people hoping to change careers or those who
have had many different types of jobs. Dates of employment are still included on the
functional resume, but the hope is that an employer will see past any gaps because the
applicant's skills are a good match with the skills required for the open position.

At first glance, the chronological and functional résumés look very similar. Both types
are about the same length -- no more than a page or two -- and are broken down into
sections with subheads. Unlike the chronological résumé, the functional résumé lists
work history in order of importance rather than chronologically and does not require
the job seeker to list the dates for the listed jobs. Another key difference is that, in a
functional résumé, the work history appears near the end of the résumé rather than at
the beginning.

4. How can one make the language of a business letter more effective?
Ans. •Proper Planning
Effective business letter is the product of good thinking and careful planning. In
writing business letter, the writer should go through the proper planning regarding
what, when, whom and how to write. A well planned letter is likely to best serve the
purpose of the organization.

•Identifying and Setting Purpose

Before writing, the writer should know, identify and select the purpose of the letter. In
business letters are written for different purpose. Therefore, every business letter must
be stated in one or two sentences in the letter.

•Knowing the Audience

In this step, the writer should guess the readers level of understanding and knowledge
about the message to the inserted in the letter. Here the writer evaluates what the
readers known and what will they do after reading the message. In this connection, the
writer should put himself in the reader’s place and look at the message from the
reader’s perspective.

• Gathering Information
After setting the purpose and scope of the letter, the writer needs to collect necessary
information. Generally, information is collected form libraries, taking interview of
concerned persons, writers own experience, knowledge and education office file,
documents and from other convenient sources. Information should be accurate,
relevant and reliable so that these can support the message.

• Organizing the Information

In this stage, the writer decides how the information will be arranged in the letter. It
depends on the subject and purpose of the letter. There are basically two approaches
for presenting information in the letter. These are direct approach and indirect
approach.

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5. What is a report and why is report writing important in modern business?

Ans. -Business reports are documents that share data and information in an informative,
factual, understandable and neatly presented way.
-Drawing on research, business reports are commonly utilized in the business world to
share information with supervisors, the executive staff, the board of directors or
clients.
-Credible and effective reports often have similar sections that present the material in
standardized ways.
-Business reports are formal in nature.
-Reports can be routinely written and submitted or created because of a special need or
circumstance.
-There are several types of business reports, which are all designed to enhance
understanding, communication and the overall performance of your business.
-A business report is an important document which reveals specific information about
a business. It is written to attract investors to the organization.
-Additionally, the purpose of a business report is to keep the employees abreast of the
company’s goals and achievements.
-At times, business reports are written to highlight a specific problem which has been
existing in the company. The reports are presented with effective solutions which help
solve the problem. One good example is when a company wants to downsize and
which in turn can affect the employees. A business report in this case will state the
standing of the business and why it is aiming at down-sizing. It will suggest strategies
which can be adopted so that the employees are not affected with the down-sizing.
-A business report plays a vital role when companies have to set up marketing
strategies. When a company tries to target a specific section of consumers and wants
to enter a new market, it can consider handing over the business report to an
advertising agency. The business report will help the advertising agency to come up
with an effective and successful marketing strategy.
-Not only does an annual report help employees, investors and clients to get the
complete picture of your business, but can help considerably in decision making. A
high quality and accurate report can help a company to keep track of the revenues and
expenses which are crucial not only in improving the operations but for setting new
goals as well. While reading the annual report you can easily find the bottle-necks and
devise strategies to eliminate them.

6. What is meant by WASP? How does it helping in holding an interview?

Ans. An interview is conducted in four phases understood by the acronym ‘WASP’.

W – Welcome
Greet your interviewee in a professional yet warm and welcoming manner. We tend to
formulate first impressions when we meet new people but our own first impression is
just as important.

A – Acquire Information
The second stage of the interview process is to acquire information from your
interviewee. You may ask questions about his job experience, ask him to take a short
customer service exam, or watch to see how he interacts with you and other members
of the management team.

S – Supply Information

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After you finish your part of the interview you should always give your interviewee
the chance to ask questions. The questions he asks will give you further insight into
how prepared he was for the interview and how much he cared about learning about
the organisation in advance.

P – Parting
End the interview on a cordial note. give your interviewee a time frame in which he
can expect to hear from you, and part ways.

7. What are the barriers to effective listening?

Ans. Nearly every aspect of human life could be improved by better listening, from family
matters to corporate business affairs to international relations.
The barriers to effective listening include:

Knowing the answer

"Knowing the answer" means that you think you already know what the speaker wants
to say, before he or she actually finishes saying it. You might then impatiently cut him
or her off or try to complete the sentence.
Even more disruptive is interrupting him or her by saying that you disagree, but
without letting the speaker finish saying what it is that you think you disagree with.
That's a common problem when a discussion gets heated, and which causes the
discussion to degrade quickly.

Treating discussion as competition

Some people feel that agreeing with the speaker during a heated discussion is a sign of
weakness. They feel compelled to challenge every point the speaker makes, even if
they inwardly agree. Discussion then becomes a contest, with a score being kept for
who wins the most points by arguing.

Trying to influence or impress

Because good listening depends on listening just for the sake of listening, any ulterior
motive will diminish the effectiveness of the listener. Examples of ulterior motives are
trying to impress or to influence the speaker.
A person who has an agenda other than simply to understand what the speaker is
thinking and feeling will not be able to pay complete attention while listening.

Reacting to red flag words

Words can provoke a reaction in the listener that wasn't necessarily what the speaker
intended. When that happens the listener won't be able to hear or pay full attention to
what the speaker is saying.
Red flag words or expressions trigger an unexpectedly strong association in the
listener's mind, often because of the listener's private beliefs or experiences.
Good listeners have learned how to minimize the distraction caused by red flag words,
but a red flag word will make almost any listener momentarily unable to hear with full
attention.

8. What are instructions? State its types.

Ans. An instruction is a detailed information about how something should be done or
operated.
Instructions consist of step-by-step processes of a task to be performed.
It should provide accurate and specific knowledge about performing a task in the

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correct manner.

Written instructions
They are the most common kind of instructions. Generally used in an organization by
managers to dictate the process to be followed by the sub-ordinates and companies to
specify how a product is to be used. The aim is to make the point so obvious and the
steps so self-explanatory that readers do not ask for additional help.

Oral instructions
It is a form of dyadic communication.
There is room for creativity.
It is necessary to keep in mind the audience so as to ensure that the message is grasped
Restrict to one task as diversions lead to ineffective communication. Often while
speaking, an instructor gets carried away and consequently the audience loses focus on
the main idea and the message that has to be conveyed.
Separate each instruction by a time-gap / clear signal in the event that more than one
information has to be conveyed.
Direct, plain and polite language must be used.
Sentences must be kept short.

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Unit 3

1. What is a meeting and why are business meetings necessary?

Ans. A meeting is a gathering of two or more people that has been convened for the
purpose of achieving a common goal through verbal interaction, such as sharing
information or reaching agreement. Meetings may occur face-to-face or virtually, as
mediated by communications technology, such as a telephone conference call, a
skyped conference call or a videoconference.
One can distinguish a meeting from other gatherings, such as a chance encounter (not
convened), a sports game or a concert (verbal interaction is incidental), a party or the
company of friends (no common goal is to be achieved) and a demonstration (whose
common goal is achieved mainly through the number of demonstrators present, not
through verbal interaction).
•Making Decisions: The foremost objective of any meeting is to take important
decisions on some predetermined issue. Decisions are taken here on consensus and it
is very crucial to take decisions on routine and non-routine business affairs.
•Exchanging Information: Meeting is arranged also to provide information to the
audience about various matters of the organization. Audience also exchange
information in meetings.
•Conveying Organizational Vision, Mission and Operational Plans: Meetings are also
called to convey organizational mission, vision and operational plans to the newly
appointed employees. Managers or heads of various departments call these types of
meetings for the fresher so that they can be better acquainted with organizational
culture, mission, vision, plans etc.
•Announcing Changes: Another purpose of arranging meeting is to announce the
upcoming changes brought in organizational policies, mission, vision, logo etc. before
the audience. The causes, benefits and ground of such changes are explained in the
meeting so that people understand and accept the probable changes without much
resistance.
•Negotiation: Meeting is also called for making negotiations between the conflicting
parties through fruitful discussion. Sometimes employers and employees or trade
union leaders sit in meeting together to reach on some agreement so that
organizational activities can be run smoothly.
•Resolving Conflict: In large organizations conflict among people is most common.
Healthy conflict helps to increase productivity but unhealthy or undesirable conflict
must be resolved immediately after found. Meeting helps the conflicting parties to
reach on common understanding and thus resolving or minimizing conflict.
•Solving Problems: An important purpose of meeting is to provide solution to
organizational problems. Problems that are critical and require opinions of most of the
members of a board or council must be solved by calling meeting. In meeting diverse
thoughts are found that help to face problem suitably.
•Reviewing and Informing Progress: Meeting is also called for reviewing and
informing the progress of any project, plan and activity and so on. Form it the
attendants of the meeting are able to know the present status of the projects and can
provide their opinions to improve if there is any loophole.
•Celebrating Success: Meetings are often called to celebrate the success of the
organization, completion of any project, achievement of any award etc. it increases the
organizational harmony and motivates employees to work united to achieve more.
•Interaction with External Stakeholders: Every organization is to work with different

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parties of the society and it must build a long term harmonious relationship with them.
Meetings are called to exchange information and to share experience with different
stakeholders of an organization so that their interaction with the firm is increased.

2. What is the difference between an Agenda and Minutes of Meeting?

Ans. Agenda and minutes are two of the most important ingredients of a meeting. There are
many things on the mind of the person who arranges the meeting such as the schedule,
timing, venue, the guests, the meeting plan, and so on. It, therefore, becomes
necessary to be aware of the differences between agenda and minutes.

Agenda
Agenda is a word that is used to describe the schedule or the program of a meeting. It
is a list of things that need to be done or discussed during the meeting. Any formal
meeting that is organized requires making its agenda. There is a sequence in which
items are taken up and discussed during the meeting and the agenda of the meeting
clearly mentions this sequence. This agenda is circulated among the guests well before
they actually arrive at the venue at the time of the meeting so as to allow them to
familiarize with the topics that will be discussed during the meeting. Another
objective of the agenda is to make sure that the participants prepare accordingly and
are not caught unawares.

Minutes
Minutes is a term that is used to refer to an official record of the proceedings during a
formal meeting. These minutes serve as records of what happened during a meeting as
also to remind people after some time if they forget. These minutes are also useful for
all those who are not able to attend the meeting as they get to know everything that
took place during the meeting. Minutes contain the name of the venue, the date and
time of the meeting, and the list of all those who attended the meeting. These minutes
also contain the name of the person who takes these minutes.

Difference Between Agenda and Minutes

•Agenda is the schedule of a meeting and tells the sequence of events during the
meeting to let the guests prepare in advance.
•Minutes refers to the official record of the proceedings of a formal meeting. Minutes
are important to remind what happened during a meeting on a future date if people
forget.

3. What are the duties of a chairperson?

Ans. In a more formal meeting, the chairperson will outline the purpose of the meeting and
remind members why they are there.
In such a meeting there is little need to refer to this procedure as this is implicit in the
established etiquette, namely:
•The chair controls the meeting.
•All remarks are addressed through the chair.
•Members do not interrupt each other.
•Members aim to reach a consensus.
•A vote is taken if consensus is not reached.
•The majority wins the vote.
•All members accept the majority decision.
When discussion is underway, it is the chairperson's responsibility to ensure that it

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continues to flow smoothly by involving all members present and by not permitting
one or two people to dominate the meeting. Summarising by the chairperson during
meetings can:
•Indicate progress, or lack of.
•Refocus discussion that has wandered off the point.
•Conclude one point and lead into the next.
•Highlight important points.
•Assist the secretary if necessary.
•Clarify any misunderstanding.
The chairperson should pace the meeting, ensuring it runs to time. If the planning has
been properly executed, this should not prove to be a problem.
At the end of a meeting, the chairperson should remind members what they have
achieved and thank them for their contributions. Finally, the time and date of the next
meeting should be arranged. Again this is one common model for effective meetings,
successful outcomes can be achieved in different ways with different strategies for
different purposes, so adapt as appropriate to specific situations.

4. How can a conference be made successful and effective?

Ans. For the smooth running of a conference, meticulous planning must be carried out well
in advance. All important aspects of the conference must be covered, so it is better to
maintain a checklist. A back-up plan to handle emergencies is always mandatory. The
planning works better when individuals in the planning and administrative committee
have clear roles and responsibilities assigned.

Firstly, the purpose of the conference must be clearly understood. The budget needs to
be defined. While some companies have sufficiently large conference rooms to
accommodate the event, an external venue is most commonly needed. The advantage
of using a conference room in a hotel is that accommodation costs might be offered at
a discounted rate. One needs to negotiate for the lowest price at several venues that
meet the specifications of the conference. eVenues.com offers online search and
booking facilities for all types of events, especially conferences.

Once the date, time and venue of the conference are fixed, the availability of all
presenters, vendors, attendees and special guests needs to be confirmed. Registration
forms have to be sent out and as the responses come in, they must be recorded to get
the confirmed number of attendees. This is needed to take care of the logistics for the
conference, such as flight bookings, accommodation and car pick-ups for important
attendees like the keynote speaker and special guests. Based on the theme of the
conference, the invites, agendas and brochures have to be designed. Sponsors' names
and logos must be included in these leaflets for advertising.

5. How should on conduct himself or herself in a group discussion?

Ans. Ensure you contribute to the group
Ensure you contribute to the conversation. Often candidates take up behaviours or
actions that aren’t actively contributing to the group’s outcome. For example, taking
lead of the group, standing up to make notes on a board. Be careful not to fall into the
trap of regarding these behaviours as earning you some positive points. In some cases,
these behaviours can even lead to you being alienated by other group members.

Manage your body language

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Ensure good body language and maintain relaxed eye contact. Make sure when you
are listening to others you are attentive and demonstrate this through nods and
gestures of agreement. If you feel uncomfortable in terms of how you are sitting,
simply ‘mirroring’ other people will help. Smiling always helps too.

Manage conflicts effectively

Avoid confrontation and ensure you allow everyone a chance to speak. If someone is
consistently rude and aggressive, do not resort to this behaviour yourself. Assessors
will pick this up. Avoid being forceful or speaking over anybody.

Manage your time

Keeping a check on the time will earn you points. Suggesting that you will keep a
check on the time and providing regular updates throughout the discussion will also
work well. However, if you commit to this responsibility then make sure you maintain
that check. There is nothing worse than the session running out of time when you have
appointed yourself as time-keeper.

Include others
Keep an eye out for those who do not say anything and take the opportunity to ask
them for their opinions. This will gain you both assessors’ appreciation and other
group member’s gratitude.

Ensure you are a team player

More often than not, the group discussion exercises require coming to an agreement
on a particular issue. For example, you may be given individual proposals and asked
to agree on two of these as a group. In these situations, remember you do not always
have to get your ideas accepted. Try to do what is better for the company or
organisation as presented in the exercise, rather than what you think might benefit
you.

6. What is team briefing and its advantages.

Ans. Team briefing brings managers together with their teams on a face-to-face basis so
that information can be delivered, questions asked and feedback collected. A team
briefing system is an excellent way to enable communication upwards, downwards
and sideways throughout an organisation.
Research has shown that face-to-face communication between managers and their
teams is vital to the efficient and effective operation of an organisation.
Team briefing is not just about giving information, it’s a forum where employees can
come together in their teams to discuss the points being raised and to ask questions;
and for their feedback to be recorded and relayed back up the organisation to the
appropriate management levels.
Team briefing is also an ideal forum for sharing good news and recognising and
celebrating your achievements as a team.

Team briefing provides:

•A channel for delivering clear messages and encouraging open communication
•Timely face-to-face communication which prevents rumour and the grapevine from
gaining credibility
•A great form of two-way communication - it’s not just about informing people, but
listening and responding to questions and concerns
•Employees with an opportunity to ask questions and for suggestions to be fed back

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from employees to the top

•A greater awareness of organisational issues and involvement at all levels
•A shared sense of mission, vision, collective aims and reasons about why we’re
working here
•The ability to reduce misunderstanding within your team and within other parts of the
University
•Employees with up to date information on performance, results, progress and policy
changes

7. What is a team presentation and its advantages?

Ans. Businesses and professional firms use presentations to inform, educate, motivate and
persuade internal and external audiences. They build presentations into sales, training
and internal communication programs, using the power of words and images to
engage their audience and retain attention. A well-crafted presentation also
demonstrates professionalism and helps to reinforce an organization’s corporate
image.

Face-to-Face
A presentation provides an opportunity to meet your customers and prospects in
person. Face-to-face meetings help to build trust and strengthen relationships,
according to a 2012 survey of marketing directors by the exhibition company
FaceTime. Using presentations as part of a sales campaign can improve results. The
FaceTime survey found that the value of orders resulting from face-to-face meetings
can be more than fifteen times greater than orders resulting from other marketing
activities.

Engagement
Presentations make it easier to engage your audience. Striking images can hold an
audience’s attention, while clear bullet points or summary text helps the audience
follows the logic of a presentation. The theatrical nature of a presentation can create
greater impact than an individual trying to make the same point by just talking. This
level of engagement ensures that you get your message across to the audience.

Flexibility
Flexibility is an important benefit of presentations. You can change content quickly
and easily to incorporate new information or to modify a presentation for different
audiences. If you are making a presentation on company capability to prospects in
different market sectors, for example, you can incorporate sector-specific content for
each client. That makes presentations more flexible than a printed medium, such as a
corporate brochure, which would be expensive to modify.

Consistency
Creating a standard presentation helps to ensure that different people in a company
communicate information in a consistent way. A presentation provides a framework
for communicating information about products, services or companies in a structured
way. The presentation should include bullet points or prompts to remind the presenter
to emphasize the most important points.

Versatility
Presentations are a versatile communication tool. You can use them in one-to-one
meetings, viewing the content on a laptop or tablet computer. The same presentation

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can feature as a core element in a large meeting, using a projector and screen. You can
also make presentations available online for downloading from the Internet or viewing
during a Web conference.

8. What are the ways in which an organization communication across functional

areas?
Ans. Cross functional collaboration is a group of people with different functional expertise
coming together to work toward a common goal. In many cases, the team is simply a
group of people from the different departments across a business working on solving a
specific problem. A team of this composition has the potential to implement
significant improvements throughout the organization, and thus is a powerful tool in a
culture of continuous improvement.

This type of diversity allows organizations to:

1.Create a culture of continuous improvement in which employees take ownership of
problems and work together to bring about solutions
2.Increase teamwork, leading to greater levels of commitment to continuous
improvement from everyone
3.Improve communication between diverse, dispersed groups of people
4.Increase the chance that positive change sticks

•Different perspectives spur innovation

Everyone sees problems from their own perspective, and the view can be very
different from the marketing office than the production floor. Bringing people from
different parts of the company together can shed light on process problems and deliver
innovative solutions that satisfy everyone.

•Increased momentum of change

Involving people with different areas of influence from the beginning helps secure buy
in, empathy, and trust. There’s less “turf” to be protected and everyone is on the same
page, so there are far fewer delays.

•Everyone Learns More

Collaboration with people who are experts in different areas of the business cross
pollinates knowledge and helps everyone to understand how their work fits into the
bigger picture. There’s certainly an advantage, for example, in having a marketing
coordinator who understands how finance processes payments to vendors.

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Unit 4

1. Which factors cause conflict?

Ans Conflicts occur when to or more competing responses or courses of action are
considered for a single event.
Organization conflicts arise when two or more parties, with perceived incompatible
goals-seeking capability.
Such conflicts are not based on personal value systems but are by products of
changing dynamics within a structure.
When left attended, these dynamics cause conflict within an organization. If these
forces clash with personal values, then interpersonal conflicts can also occur.
The main issue with conflict is not how much it occurs, but how it is managed.

Change:
New policies, changes in operational procedures and a certain amount of employee
turnover are common internal changes all organizations experience.
Municipal, state or central legislation can also necessitate changes. Drastic changes
can threaten job security.
Communication breakdown is sure to occur as responsibilities change and
relationships suffer. Changes thus cause conflicts.

Conflicting goals and objectives:

This is the result of poor communication and planning.
Better communication between department heads can usually resolve these issues.

Limited resources:
Limited resources can mean practically anything - not enough employees, lack of
space, shortage of finances, outdated equipment among many others.
Such problems can cause organizational conflict by limiting expected performance of
individuals, departments and perhaps even the organization as a whole.

2. What is negotiation? Discuss the six steps of negotiation.

Ans. Negotiation is the process in which two or more individuals or groups, having both
common and conflicting goals, state and discuss proposals for specific terms of a
possible agreement.
It is one of the key skills of effective conflict resolution and is central to success
because it combines communication, persuasion and resolution.
Six steps are involved in the negotiating process.

Getting to know one another

Negotiating is like any other social situation that has a business purpose. It moves
more smoothly when parties take time to get to know one another. It is helpful to
assess those involved before negotiations begin.

Statement of Goals and Objectives

Negotiating normally flows after the opening, into a general statement of goals and
objectives by the involved parties.
Specific issues may not be raised at this time because the parties are just beginning to
explore the needs of the other.

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An atmosphere of tryst and co-operation must be built.

Starting the Process

Some negotiations are complex and have many issues to be resolved. Others may only
have a few.
No one can product the direction negotiations will take until both parties have
presented the issues.
A skilled negotiator will study the issues closely before negotiations begin in order to
determine where the advantages lie, in so far as splitting or combining issues.

Expressions of Disagreement and Conflict

Once the issues have been defined, disagreement and conflict will often occur. Good
negotiators never try to avoid this phase because they realize that this process pf give
and take is where successful deals are made.
Disagreement and conflict, handled properly, will eventually bring the negotiators
together. If handles poorly, it will widen the differences.
Conflict has a way of bringing out different points of view.

Reassessment and Compromise

At some point of time, ordinarily, one party will move towards compromise.
Statements reflecting this often begin with sentences that asks for the other party’s
opinion.
The response should be carefully stated.

Agreement in Principle or Settlement

When an agreement is reached, it will be necessary to affirm it. Since agreement is the
ultimate objective of any negotiation, it is important to determine the level of authority
of the party you are negotiation with at the outset.

3. What is the meaning of business ethics? Explain its importance.

Ans. Regardless of context, communication involves choice, reflects values, and has
consequences.
For better communication, understanding the obvious and the subtle issues relating to
communication is necessary.
Any company that aims to be socially and ethically responsible must make a priority
of ethical communication both inside the company and in its interactions with the
public.
Ethics is an understanding of what is right and appropriate at specific situations.
Decisions taken within an organisation may be made by individuals or groups, but
whoever makes them will be influenced by the culture of the company. The decision
to behave ethically is a moral one; employees must decide what they think is the right
course of action.
This may involve rejecting the route that would lead to the biggest short-term profit.
Ethical behaviour and corporate social responsibility can bring significant benefits to a
business. They help to
-Attract customers to the firm’s products, which means boosting sales and profits.
-Make employees want to stay with the business, reduce labour turnover and therefore
increase productivity.
-Attract more employees wanting to work for the business, reduce recruitment costs
and enable the company to get the most talented employees.

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-Attract investors and keep the company’s share price high, thereby protecting the
business from takeover.
When working for a company with strong business ethics, employees are comfortable
in the knowledge that they are not by their own action allowing unethical practices to
continue.
Customers are at ease buying products or services from a company they know to
source their materials and labour in an ethical and responsible way.
Truthfulness, accuracy, honesty and reason are essential to the integrity of
communication.

4. Mention the ten commandments of computer ethics.

Ans. Ethics deals with an understanding of what is right and wrong.
Computer ethics deals with behaviour of individuals using computers.
The ten commandments of computer ethics:
Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.
Thou shalt not interfere with other people's computer work.
Thou shalt not snoop around in other people's computer files.
Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.
Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness.
Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary software for which you have not paid.
Thou shalt not use other people's computer resources without authorization or proper
compensation.
Thou shalt not appropriate other people's intellectual output.
Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you are writing or the
system you are designing.
Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that ensure consideration and respect for
your fellow humans.

5. What is meant by corporate social responsibility?

Ans. -Corporate social responsibility, often abbreviated “CSR,” is a corporation’s initiatives
to assess and take responsibility for the company's effects on environmental and social
wellbeing.
-The term generally applies to efforts that go beyond what may be required by
regulators or environmental protection groups.
-CSR may also be referred to as "corporate citizenship" and can involve incurring
short-term costs that do not provide an immediate financial benefit to the company,
but instead promote positive social and environmental change.
-While once it was possible to describe CSR as an internal organisational policy or a
business strategy, that time has passed as various international laws have been
developed and various organisations have used their authority to push it beyond
individual or even industry-wide initiatives.
-While it has been considered a form of corporate self-regulation for some time, over
the last decade or so it has moved considerably from voluntary decisions at the level
of individual organisations, to mandatory schemes at regional, national and even
transnational levels.
-Proponents argue that corporations increase long-term profits by operating with a
CSR perspective, while critics argue that CSR distracts from businesses’ economic
role.
-CSR is titled to aid an organization's mission as well as serve as a guide to what the
company represents for its consumers.

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-Most consumers agree that while achieving business targets, companies should
engage in CSR efforts at the same time.
-Most consumers believe companies doing charity work will receive a positive
response.
-A more common approach to CSR is corporate philanthropy.
-This includes monetary donations and aid given to non-profit organizations and
communities.
-Donations are made in areas such as the arts, education, housing, health, social
welfare and the environment, among others, but excluding political contributions and
commercial event sponsorship.

6. Why is piracy regarded as big business?

Ans. -Software piracy is the illegal copying, distribution, or use of software.
-It is such a profitable "business" that it has caught the attention of organized crime
groups in a number of countries.
-According to the Business Software Alliance (BSA), about 36% of all software in
current use is stolen. Software piracy causes significant lost revenue for publishers,
which in turn results in higher prices for the consumer.
-When you purchase a commercial software package, an end user license agreement
(EULA) is included to protect that software program from copyright infringement.
-Typically, the license states that you can install the original copy of software you
bought on one computer and that you can make a backup copy in case the original is
lost or damaged.
-You agree to the licensing agreement when you open the software package (this is
called a shrink wrap license), when you open the envelope that contains the software
disks, or when you install the software.
-Software piracy applies mainly to full-function commercial software.
-The time-limited or function-restricted versions of commercial software called
shareware are less likely to be pirated since they are freely available.
-Similarly, freeware, a type of software that is copyrighted but freely distributed at no
charge, also offers little incentive for piracy.
-Some think that there is nothing wrong with software piracy. They believe in the
freedom of information and expression (i.e., "information wants to be free").
-According to them, it is acceptable and ethical to copy the software because they
have a right to the information contained in the software. They also hold the idea of
that reproduction and distribution of software a part of fair use within copyright law.
-The attraction of piracy is due to its anonymity and the ease with which illegal copies
of software can be made and distributed.
-However, every person who makes illegal copies is contributing to the monetary
losses caused by piracy.
-Information really does not "want to be free."
-People who write the software have rights to profit from it, just as people who write
books have the sole right to sell them.
-Copying software is depriving the rightful owners of software of hard-earned wages.

7. Explain the various stages of mediation in resolving a conflict.

Ans. Mediation is one of the most popular dispute resolution processes.
It is used by corporations as an approach to conflict resolution in which a third party
helps disputants arrive at a resolution to a conflict.
A mediator does not make a decision or impose a solution but assists the disputants as

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they attempt to find their own way through the conflict. The stages of mediation are:

i. Introduction:
The mediator’s introductory statement in important. It sets the stage for mediation.

ii. Problem determination:

In this stage, each party has the opportunity to make a statement, fully describing his
or her perspectives of the situation.
The mediator might ask neutral, open-ended questions to clarify the issues and terms.
While each party talks, the mediator listens intently.
He or she then summarizes each party’s perspective.

iii. Problem identification:

This stage involves clarification of the presenting or underlying problems and a
statement of the parties’ intent to resolve the conflict. The mediator requests each
party to clarify the presenting problem or issue.

iv. Generation and evaluation of options:

The mediator helps the parties discuss relevant contract clauses, regulations, methods
of conduct, or what, if any, restrictions there might be on creating the best solution.
He or she then assists the parties to think creatively and search for remedies and
potential solutions.

v. Selection of options:
The appropriate options are selected.

vi. Agreement/ No agreement/ Partial agreement:

During this final stage, the mediator helps parties to clarify the selected option and
work out the details that may include exploring all identifiable ‘what ifs’. He or she
then helps the parties summarize the agreement and drafts it. If there is no agreement,
the mediator refers the case back to the sponsoring agency or court.

8. What is surrogate advertising?

Ans. -Surrogate advertising is a form of advertising which is used to promote banned
products, like cigarettes and alcohol, in the disguise of another product.
-These high revenue generating products have to be marketed in the garb of some
secondary product so as to pummel the name of the brand in the mind of the
consumers.
-This type of advertising uses a product of a fairly close category, as: club soda,
mineral water in case of alcohol, or products of a completely different category (for
example, music CD's or playing cards) to hammer the brand name into the heads of
consumers.
-The banned product (alcohol or cigarettes) may not be projected directly to
consumers but rather masked under another product under the same brand name, so
that whenever there is mention of that brand, people start associating it with its main
product (the alcohol or cigarette).
-In India there is a large number of companies doing surrogate advertising, from
Bacardi Blast Music CDs, Bagpiper Club Soda to Officers Choice playing cards.
-Trends before Ban in advertising:
“Wills” a cigarette brand of ITC, used to sponsor the Indian Cricket Team/Matches
Tennis Tournaments were sponsored by “Gold Flake”, another cigarette brand

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“Manikchand”, manufacturers of ghutka, sponsored the Filmfare Awards for a

considerably number of years
-Advertising post imposition of Ban:
However, after the imposition of a ban on advertising for liquor/tobacco and related
products, brands are increasingly using surrogates for advertising.

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Unit 5

1. What stages are involved in the planning of presentations?

Ans. -An effective presentation makes optimum use of the relationship between the
audience and the presenter.
-One of the first stages is audience analysis.
-It consists of assessing the audience to make sure the information provided to them is
at the appropriate level. The audience is often referred to as the end-user, and all
communications need to be targeted towards the defined audience.
-Defining an audience requires the consideration of many factors, such as age, culture
and knowledge of the subject.
-This helps to generate the content for the presentation in order to ensure that the
presentation is apt.
-The presentation must meet the expectations of the audience and also capture their
interest. The recipient of the information must be willing or else the point of the
presentation is lost.
-Powerful and effective presenters analyse audience, objectives, venue and remit.
-Objective refers to the purpose of the presentation.
-A framework must be prepared accordingly.
-A presenter must choose the main points and strengthen it with supporting
information.
-Linking statements must be used to ensure continuity.
-Developing emphatic opening and conclusion will help capture the audience interest
and therefore must be considered equally important as the core content.
-It is important to review the presentation in order to ensure that there is no error and
outdated data.

2. Mentions some do’s and don’t’s of good presentation

Ans. Dos
- Think about your key message first, outline its supporting points and examples,
rehearse it loudly, and time it. Start working on the slides only after finishing the
mentioned steps. The presentation needs to stand by itself while the slides are for
spicing it up to provide some visual experience.
-Browse a user-friendly presentation platform. The choice of presentation platforms is
quite large nowadays. Select templates and create presentation slides for a few
minutes at a low price or even free.
-Putting oneself in the listeners' shoes is important. When crafting the speech for the
presentation, try to listen to it from the audience’s perspective. What piece of
information is important to them? What may be boring for the listeners? Apply
WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) technique before finalizing the speech, allowing ther
audience to absorb all the important information.
-Choose photos wisely. Utilize quality images that communicate the concept of the
presentation and aren’t compositionally complex. Ideally, photos should help convey
the message to the audience without diverting their focus from the speech.

Don’t’s
-Don’t stuff the slides with text. Otherwise, the audience’s attention will be split
between what is spoken, and is being read. As a result, the effectiveness of both
speech and the slide text will only be weakened. List the specifics and any other info

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that supports the speech.

-Don’t read! This is a golden rule for every public speaker. Public speaking is a skill
worth developing. If you’re unable to reproduce your speech without the cues, it
shows you don’t fully understand the message you’re conveying, which in its turn is a
huge minus for your presentation. So, don’t slack off and do your homework
diligently preparing your speech.
-Body language must not be planned. Be natural and relaxed with gestures. Their main
function is to extend the message and reveal the emotions behind the topic. The
audience intuitively feels deliberate gestures as they don’t match your other bodily
signals.
-The presenter must avoid apologising if an answer to a question raised by the
audience is unknown to him or her. It’s totally okay to not know answers to all the
questions. Effects and transitions must not be overused. No matter how enticing
effects the most presentation platforms offer, resist the temptation to use them for
every other slide of the presentation. The practice shows that effects and transitions
don't really enhance the listeners' experience. Choose non-obtrusive effects if effects
and transitions must be used.

Creating a compelling presentation and delivering ideas in a persuasive way is an art

which needs practice and dedication.

3. What is the difference between brain storming and mind mapping?

Ans. -Brainstorming is a group creativity technique by which efforts are made to find a
conclusion for a specific problem by gathering a list of ideas spontaneously
contributed by its members.
-It is a situation where a group of people meet to generate new ideas and solutions
around a specific domain of interest by removing inhibitions.
-Mind-mapping uses mind-maps. A mind map is a diagram used to visually organize
information. A mind map is hierarchical and shows relationships among pieces of the
whole.
-It is often created around a single concept, drawn as an image in the center of a blank
page, to which associated representations of ideas such as images, words and parts of
words are added.
-Major ideas are connected directly to the central concept, and other ideas branch out
from those.
-Brainstorming is a way of expanding a thought-process on a specific topic.
-Mind-maps helps to organize ideas and consider the relationships between them.
-Brainstorming can be understood as the first stage which involves free-thinking and
production of ideas.
-Mind-mapping can be understood as the stage succeeding brainstorming which
involves identifying relationships and organizing ideas.

4. Mention the audio and visual aids that can be used while making a presentation.
Ans. Audio-visual aids must be used if they are necessary to maintain interest and assist
comprehension in the presentation. Do not use visual aids just to demonstrate
technological competence - doing so may compromise the main point of the
presentation.
If visual aids are used well they will enhance a presentation by adding impact and
strengthening audience involvement, yet if they are managed badly they can ruin a
presentation.

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Most visual aids will need advance preparation and should be operated with
efficiency.
The different types of audio-visual aids are:

•Whiteboards and Interactive Whiteboards: They are good for developing an

explanation, diagrams and simple headings, and for recording interaction with, and
comments from, the audience during brainstorming sessions.

•Flip chart: A flip chart is a popular, low cost, low tech solution to recording
interactive meetings and brainstorming sessions.
A flip chart can be prepared in advance and is portable, it requires no power source
and no technical expertise. Flip charts are ideal for collecting ideas and responses
from the audience and are good for spontaneous summaries. However, if the audience
is large, a flip chart will be too small to be seen by everyone.

•Over-head projector (OHP):

Displays can be prepared on acetates, both in written and graphic form.
They command attention but, as with other visual aids, care must be taken to talk to
the audience and not the screen.

•Slides: Slides of excellent visual quality can have great impact on any size of group.

•Video: Videos are excellent for training purposes, but can be difficult to fit into a
presentation structure. If a computer connected to a projector is available then videos
can be played as files, from a DVD or with an Internet connection via YouTube or
other online sources. Videos can also be built into a presentation using PowerPoint or
other presentation software.

•Power Point or other presentation software:

Use of PowerPoint and other presentation software is very common when presenting
today. Care should be taken, however, that visual effects do not detract from the
presentation itself.

5. Explain chunking theory

Ans. -In cognitive psychology, chunking is a process by which individual pieces of
information are bound together into a meaningful whole.
-A chunk is defined as a familiar collection of more elementary units that have been
inter-associated and stored in memory repeatedly and act as a coherent, integrated
group when retrieved.
-It is believed that individuals create higher order cognitive representations of the
items on the list that are more easily remembered as a group than as individual items
themselves.
-Representations of these groupings are highly subjective, as they depend critically on
the individual's perception of the features of the items and the individual's semantic
network.
-The size of the chunks generally ranges anywhere from two to six items, but differs
based on language and culture.
-The phenomenon of chunking as a memory mechanism can be observed in the way
individuals group numbers and information in the day-to-day life.
For example, when recalling a number such as 12101946, if numbers are grouped as
12, 10 and 1946, a mnemonic is created for this number as a day, month and year.

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Studies have shown that people have better memories when they are trying to
remember items with which they are familiar. Similarly, people tend to create chunks
with which they are familiar.
-Chunking is a flexible way of learning.

6. Mention the stages of executing an effective presentation.

Ans. -During presentations, a presenter realises that management of the text is crucial to
successfully execute a presentation/

-Whether he or she is confident enough to speak with very brief notes, or needs a full
text, the presenter needs to consider how to retain the information that has to be
presented.
-There are various examples of ways to manage your text.
These include:
•Full Text Notes: The main advantage of this method is that the entire text is in front
of the presenter so he or she cannot forget what has to be said.
The disadvantage, however, is that less attention tends to be paid to the group or
audience whilst reading the text. Reading the text is not always an easy option as it
can sound stilted and rather unnatural.
•Notes on Cue Cards: To use cue cards, the main points must be written on separate
index cards and, underneath each point, write the supporting material in a concise
way.
The advantage of using cue cards is that the presenter is speaking directly to the
audience, which increases his or her rapport with them.
Small index cards also look more professional than large sheets of paper which may
prove difficult to handle. The disadvantage is that the presenter has to write them by
hand since Powerpoint and similar packages don’t offer an option for ‘keycards’, only
‘Notes pages
•Mind Maps: Mind maps are diagrams used to represent words, ideas, tasks, or other
items linked to and arranged around a central key word or idea. Mind maps are used to
generate, visualize, structure, and classify ideas, and can be used as notes to aid a
presentation.
The advantages of using a mind map are similar to those of using keywords on cue
words but it is easier to illustrate complex relationships than with keywords.

7. What is the difference between mind maps and concept maps?

Ans. -A mind map is a diagram used to visually organize information. A mind map is
hierarchical and shows relationships among pieces of the whole.
-It is often created around a single concept, drawn as an image in the center of a blank
page, to which associated representations of ideas such as images, words and parts of
words are added. Major ideas are connected directly to the central concept, and other
ideas branch out from those.
-A concept map or conceptual diagram is a diagram that depicts suggested
relationships between concepts.
-A concept map typically represents ideas and information as boxes or circles, which it
connects with labeled arrows in a downward-branching hierarchical structure.
-The relationship between concepts can be articulated in linking phrases such as
causes, requires, or contributes to.
-The technique for visualizing these relationships among different concepts is called
concept mapping.

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-Both concept maps and topic maps can be contrasted with mind mapping, which is
often restricted to radial hierarchies and tree structures.
-Another contrast between concept mapping and mind mapping is the speed and
spontaneity when a mind map is created. A mind map reflects what you think about a
single topic, which can focus group brainstorming. A concept map can be a map, a
system view, of a real (abstract) system or set of concepts.
-Concept maps are more free form, as multiple hubs and clusters can be created,
unlike mind maps, which fix on a single two centered approach.

8. Describe steps to create an effective Power Point Presentation.

Ans. 1. Plan the presentation on paper first.
Keep away from the computer.
Structure the flow of your presentation around what your audience will want to know.

2. Put one statement on each slide

Take each main point of your presentation and express it as a short and succinct
statement. Put each statement on one slide.
There should not be more that six text-filled slides in a row.
Care should be taken to not include more than six bullet points in a slide.
The slides must not be loaded with too many pictures or too much text.

3. Add a relevant visual to each slide

An image or photograph which directly represents or is a metaphor for what is being
talked about
A diagram which helps the audience understand the concept being described.
A graph which shows the meaning of the data.
A flowchart that demonstrates the process being explained.

4. Pay attention to design

Use a simple background – decorative templates add clutter.
Use a sans serif font such as arial or helvetica.
Use text which contrasts well with the background.
If photos are used, have them fill the whole screen and put the text on top of them. If
necessary use a semi-transparent rectangle – a mask – behind the text to ensure that it
is readable.

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