UNIT INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS

COMMUNICATION AND WRITING

SKILLS
Akugizibwe Pardon,
Dip Mgt, BSc.Ed, MPH, MA Mgt
(Tel: 0782/0703-367169)

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 Communication
• Refers to the exchange of information
between the sender and the receiver

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 Effective Communication
• The transfer of information from the sender to the
receiver with information being understood by the
receiver as communicated by the sender
• In the course of running their operations, healthcare
organisations deal with the public, other businesses,
financial institutions, government, etc.
• Health care organisations here are seen as business
organisations
• It is therefore important that health workers develop
effective communication that will help them to deal
and relate very well with their clients and other parties
or stakeholders.

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 Essentials/characteristics/principles
of effective communication
• Refer to the aspects which must be taken into
account in all media of communication.

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 Essentials/characteristics/principles
of effective communication……….
• These principles/aspects include;
• The 7Cs of Communication apply to writing skills
too!
1. Clarity
2. Completeness
3. Conciseness/ preciseness
4. Consideration
5. courtesy and
6. Correctness
7. Coherent
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 Clarity
• Refers to clarity of thought and expression.
The sender/ health worker must be clear
about the objective of the communication,
what is to be communicated and the medium
to be used for this purpose of communication.

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 Completeness
• Message sent by the sender should include all
the facts and details that the receiver needs
to know about the subject matter on which
communication is based.
• The sender should organise his/ her message
in such a way that the receiver is not in doubt
about anything contained in it.

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 Correctness
• The message given should be as correct as
possible in order to avoid misconceptions.
• In this case, the sender should give correct
facts, send the message at the correct time
and in the correct style.

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 Courtesy
• During communication, the sender should try
to create friendliness with all those he may
be communicating to.
• May be achieved by answering messages
promptly, avoiding of irritating expressions
and apologizing for any omissions.

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 Conciseness

• Give the message in the fewest words

possible that makes it complete i.e. the
message should not be too wordy to confuse
the receiver.

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 Consideration
• The sender should have the receiver in mind
when sending the message.
• Important that the sender uses positive words
rather than negative ones.

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 Preciseness
• Means that the message should be specific to
the point i.e. it should not be vague or too
general.

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 FORMS/ METHODS OF EFFECTIVE
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
1. Verbal / oral communication (VC)
2. Written communication (WC)
3. Nonverbal communication (NVC)
Other:
4. Audio-visual communication(sound-picture
communication) eg Radio

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 CHANNELS/MEDIA OF EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS
• In business, the commonly used specific media of
communication include the following:
1. The Press: includes newspapers, magazines, journals, etc.
2. Radio and Television: Health workers can communicate to
the public about the services they offer , disease
outbreaks etc This communication is in form of
advertisements which can be persuasive or informative.
3. Telephone: e.g. mobile phones.
4. Internet: A worldwide website for communicating across
continents.
5. Letters e.g. sent letters by post office

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 FORMS OF WRITTEN
COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS
1. Business letters/correspondence
2. Circulars
3. Notices/posters
4. Office memos/memorandum
5. Electronic mail (e-mail)
6. Faxes
7. Telegram
8. Others: Reports, Policy manuals etc

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 BUSINESS LETTERS
• A letter is a message written down or printed
on paper and usually put in an envelope, sent
to somebody, an organization or business.
• A good business letter should be neat, it
should not contain mistakes in spelling,
grammar or punctuation and it should follow
the business letter format.
• Usually, typewritten letters are preferable
because they are easier to read.

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 Components of a business letter
• Should have six major sections i.e
1. Heading: Indicates the name , address of the sender and
the date on which the letter is written. The name of the
sender appears on the first line, followed by his/her
address and on the third line, we indicate the date.
2. Inside address: Gives the name and address of the
addressee . Specify the department in the organization to
which one is writing. If you do not know the name of the
person you are writing to, it is better to address it to a title
e.g. The Medical superintendent
3. Salutation: Formal greeting to the addressee e.g. “Dear
Sir”. The salutation is always followed by a colon (:) in
business letters. When you do not know the name of
person you are writing to, you may use the word “Dear Sir
or Madam” as your salutation or, you may also use the
title of the person or department.
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 Components of a business letter…..
4. Body: This refers to the subject/content of your writing that
is usually presented in form of paragraphs (at least three
in case of a business letter).
5. Closing: Ensure that the left-hand margin of the closing is
aligned with the left-hand margin of the heading. The
closing is always followed by a comma (,). Notice that
when you are writing your closing of more than one word,
only the first word is capitalized for instance Yours
faithfully,
6. Signature: The signature should always be written in ink,
neatly and legibly below the closing. If the letter is typed,
skip four lines of space and type your name, then sign
your name in the space between the closing and your
typewritten name.
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 Format of a business letter
1. British style
2. Full bock form (American style)

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 British/ UK format
Heading
------------------------
------------------------
------------------------

Inside address
------------------------
------------------------
------------------------

Salutation
---------------------------

Body
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Closing
------------------------

Signature
- ---------------------------

NAME
-----------
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 Full bock form (American style)
Heading
------------------------
------------------------
------------------------

date

Inside Address
------------------------
------------------------
------------------------

Salutation
---------------------------

Body
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------

Closing
------------------------

Sign
------------------------

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 Note
• Today’s most official/ formal letters are a
mixture of both American and British style
• Others: RE are added

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 Question 1
• Write a letter of complaint to the Sales
manager of Uganda Pharmaceuticals industry
for supplying your health organisation expired
drugs

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 Example
PAKU HEALTH CENTRE
P. O. BOX 5716; Masindi
TEL: 04654-572156
29th April 2011

THE SALES MANAGER

UGANDA PHARMACEUTICALS
P. O. BOX 461 Kampala

Dear Sales Manager:

On April 4th 2011, we ordered 50 boxes of …we have received expired,,,

The drugs have … (inconvenience)

If for any reason our order cannot be fulfilled, then I think you should refund the firm’s money or else
maybe we place another order.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours truly,

……………………
KAJUBI DOUGLAS
Purchasing Manager
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 NOTICES/POSTERS
• A notice is a piece of paper or a sign giving
information, a warning, etc. that is put in a
place where every one can read it. Notices are
usually put on the organization’s notice
board(s)
• Not signed
• Qn: write a notice of immunisation in a health
centre that takes palce every Friday 8Am- 5Pm

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 Example
Kawempe Health Centre III
P.O. Box 342
Kampala
13th February 2011

The public is hereby informed that immunisation date is

Fridays 8:00Am- 5:00Pm.

Management

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 CIRCULARS
• A circular is a printed letter, notice or
advertisement that is sent to a large number
of people.
• They may also be put on the organization’s
notice board(s) where everybody can see and
read them.
• Are signed

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 Example
Kawempe Health Centre III
P.O. Box 342;
Kampala
Circular number 2/ 11
Date: 18th February 2011
Dear staff members,

Following the meeting held on 14th Feb 2011, it was agreed:

• All health workers should prepare duty reports.
• Departmental heads should work plans are adhered to
• All workers should report by 8:00am.
• Nurses on duty should vigorously supervise…..

We look forward to your maximum co-operation

Yours faithfully,
…………………
Asuman Tenis
MEDICAL SUP

Management
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 OFFICE MEMOS/MEMORANDUM
• An office memo is an official note from one
person to another in the same organization.
• For internal Organisation communication
• Memos are mainly used to communicate short
messages
• Three main parts: Reason for writing, Raise
the issue, action/ response required
• Organisation address not required
• Not signed
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 Example
PATIENCE HEALTH CENTRE
P. O. BOX 5716 Jinja
TEL: 0413-572156
In red, are not needed

Internal Memo
To: Members of staff
Copy: (optional)
From: Head, Nurses Department
Date : 14th February 2011
Subject: late coming

We have noted that for two weeks now, most Nurses report for duty late.
Victims of this Are warned to stop this habit or else a relevant action be
taken against them

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 Electronic mail (e-mail)
• E-mailing refers to the way of sending
electronic messages or data from one
computer to another.
• An e-mail is a message sent by electronically

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 FAXES
• A fax is a letter or message sent by fax.
• Faxes may be sent by e-mail from computer or
by using a faxing machine that sends and
receives documents in an electric form along
telephone wires and then prints them.

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 Example
Sender’s Address

Fax to : Sales manager, Uganda Pharmaceuticals Kla

Fax No.: +256-572156
Date : 21st February 2011
Subject: Supply of drugs
From : The purchasing manager

I am writing to ask you supply us with more 50 boxes of

Paracetamol. I need to know and please let me know the delivery
date.

Purchasing manager

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 TELEGRAM
• A telegram is short message sent by filling
information on a special form provided by the
post office.
• Suitable for sending urgent messages which
the addressee can receive within one or two
days.
• Cost of depends on the number of words
used.

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 Example
Sender’s address

To: The Chairman, Board of Directors -Child Health

International
From: The Manager
Date: 23rd Nov 2009

Board of Directors meeting for this year is on 22nd

Dec 2009

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 FACTORS CONSIDERED WHEN CHOOSING A
CHANNEL/MEDIUM OF COMMUNICATION
• The language to be used in the message: use language the
receiver understands
• Message performance: how long the conveyed message stays
Radio/ TV last short time than letters, E-mail before destruction
• Nature of the message to be communicated: Detailed msg require
letter, brief may require Fax
• The speed and urgency of the message: Telephone, telegram, e-
mail, fax take short time while letters and the press tend to take
long.
• Coverage of the media newspapers, the radio and television are
more appropriate for wide geographical area.
• Cost of the communication channel: conveying messages through
the press and television is more expensive compared to letters,
the internet (email) and radio.

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 FACTORS CONSIDERED WHEN CHOOSING A
CHANNEL/MEDIUM OF COMMUNICATION……
• Social and education status of the people one wants to
communicate to: ordinary people, the radio or posters/notices
may be used. TV ,Newspapers , Telegram, Fax, E-mail may be
appropriate for elite and wealthy class
• The availability of the medium: Use readily available medium
eg Radio than travelling long distance for a Fax
• Secrecy: Use letters for private and confidential info Vs Notices
• The age group of the recipients : the teenagers and youths
should be communicated through internet, magazines,
television and cinema halls (video), Elderly prefer Newspapers,
Radio
• Personality of the recipient eg Verbal communication for the
blind, sign language/ Body language for the deaf
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 BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION
• A barrier to communication is any hindrance
that stops the receiver from getting the
intended message the way the sender sent it.
• Refer to introduction to communication skills

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 BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION……
• Lack of interest in the message :lack of interest by the receiver in the message
being conveyed, may be due to boring message, nature of delivery
• Time and distance
• Poor retention eg some people may not retain info
• Faulty transmission eg in the process of interpretation, simplification and
translation, part of the message gets lost or distorted.
• Inattentiveness : esp if msg contain new idea
• Semantic barrier: Semantics refers to meaning of language used. Usually, one
word communicated by the transmitter is interpreted by different people
differently according to their mental attitude and understanding
• Attitudes and opinions: eg If information agrees with our opinions and attitudes,
we tend to receive it favourably. But if information disagrees without views or
tends to run contrary to our accepted beliefs, we do not react favourably
• Emotional blocks: If the sender is worried, afraid, excited or nervous, his thinking
will be blurred and he will not be able to organize his message properly.

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 BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION……
• The source of information
• Poor planning of response
• Language barrier:
• Using improper channels of communication: for example, a
message sent through newspapers may not be understood when
the target group cannot read.
• Incompleteness of the message: eg sender does not include all the
facts that the receiver needs to know about the subject matter on
which communication is based
• Poor listening skills and premature evaluation
• Poor personality: poor mannerism of the sender who may hurt the
receiver in the process of sending the message.
• Distractions eg noise interfere with VC

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 THANK YOU
==A BREAK==

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