Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • Shalini Verma

    Uploaded by

    abinashheishnam72751
    78 views472 pages

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Report this Document

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    78 views472 pages

    Shalini Verma

    Uploaded by

    abinashheishnam72751

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 472
    BUSINESS COMMUNICATION Essential Strategies for Twenty-first Century Managers Second Edition Prof. (Dr) Shalini Verma Management Consultant and Visiting Professor, IIMs Founder, Polyanna Positive Parivartan Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi VIKAS® VIKAS® PUBLISHING HOUSE PVT LTD. VIKAS® PUBLISHING HOUSE PVT LTD. E28, Sector-8, Nolda-201901 (UP) India Phone: +91-120-4078900 - Fax: +91-120-4078909 ‘YVRAS" Registered Office: 576, Masié Road, Jangpura, New Delhi-110014, India Emi hlplie@vikaspublshing.com + Website: www.vikaspublishing.com + Anmedabad : 305, Grand Monae, 100 Shyamal Road, Nea Seema Hal, ‘Armedabad 380051 » Ph, #91 7oe52B4208 + Bengaluru : Fst Floor, N'S Ahawan, 4th Cros, 4h Main, Gandhi Nagar, Benga s60000 «Ph. +91-60:22281258, 27204699 + Chennal:£-12, Neon Chambers, 15, Nelson Manickam Road, Aminjkara ‘Ghenna 600029 « Ph, +01-44-29744847, 23746090 + Hyderabad: Ashray Mansion, Fla-G (GF), 34-561, Set No, 20, Himayath Nagar, Hyderabad-500029 Ph vb'-40-23060002 «Fax so140-23260003 + Kolkata: 68, Rameshwar Shaw Road, Kokala-7000%4 « Ph, +91-99-22007888 + Mumbal—: 67168, 34 Flor, Acta industrial Estate, Chinchl under Bening Bala niematonal Scho! & Evertune Mal, Malad (West, umba00064« Ph. #91-22-20772545, 26708301 + Patna: Fat No. 101, Sn Ram Tower, Beside Chraiyatand Over Broo, XKenkartagh Main Rl, Kankarbagh, Patna 900020 « Ph, +91-612.2351167 Business Communication: Essential Strategies for Twenty-first Century Managers ISBN: 978-99250.8117-1 First Reprint 2015, ‘Vikas? the registered trademark of Vikas Publishing House Pvt Lis Copyright © Author, 2014 “Al raha reserved: No part of tla pubiealon which le mater! protecied by tie copyright noice may be Feprodiced or vansme or utized or stored in ay form or by any means now known or hereinafter verte, ‘lecroni, dialer mechanical, inducing photocopying, scanning, recotng or by any infomation storage or Fetieval system wou pror writen permieion rom the pbesher Tnfomaton contained this book has been pablished by VIKAS® Publshing House Pv Lidand hasbeen obtained by ts Authors fom sources beteved o be relable and ae coved othe best of th knowedge. However, be Publisher and is Authors shall tno event be babe fran eters, omission or damages arsing cut of use fs Information and specifcaly dslaim any implied warantes or mercrantblty of fness for ary partcular use Disputes, any, re subject to Delhi Juslcton ony Pnted in Ind, To My Family Contents Preface to the Second Edition ait Preface to the First Edition wv About the Author xvi Pedagogical Tools xix List of Case Studies and Featured Articles all Part 1: Basics of Business Communication 1. The Nature and Scope of Business Communication 1 CASE STUDY1 1 The Basics of Human Communication 2 Characteristics of Communication 2 Process and Cycle of Communication 3 (One-way and Two-way Communication 4 Communication in a Business Enterprise 5 Business Communication for Global Managers 5 How Does Business Communication Help Organizations? 6 TECH WORLD Cisco's NOW 7 Dimensions of Business Communication in an Organization 7 Intra-personal communication 8 Inter-personal communication 9 Verbal communication 10 Listening 11 Feedback 13, Types of Feedback 14 Importance of Feedback 15 Non-verbal communication 15 Intra-organizational communication 16 Inter-organizational communication 18 COMMUNICATION SNIPPET Haagen-Dazs in Hot Water 18 Intra-cuttural communication 20 Inter-cuttural communication 22 CASE STUDY 2 ReMeDi™: A Real Connecting Tool 24 Summary 25 Review and Discussion Questions 25 Applying Ethics 26 Simulation-based Exercise 26 Experiential Learning 26 References 26 2. Communication Barriers 29 CASE STUDY1 29 Communication Barriers 30 TECH WORLD Overcoming Language Barriers 33 Factors Causing Communication Barriers 33 Intra-personal communication barriers 33, Business Communication inter-personal communication barriers 36 Environmental communication barriers 42 ‘Approaches for Overcoming Communication Barriers 45 Sender-based approaches 45 Receiver-based approaches 47 COMMUNICATION SNIPPET Now Get Digital Convocation Certificates 48 Message-based approaches 49 ‘Adherence to the Seven Cs of Effective Communication 50 CASE STUDY 2 Overcoming the Distance Barrier with ‘e-Choupal’ 54 Summary 54 Review and Discussion Questions 55 Applying Ethics 55 Simulation-based Exercise 56 Experiential Learning 56 References 57 Part 2: Organizational Communication 3. Communication in Organizations 59 CASE STUDY 1 59 ‘Types of Organizations 60 Traditional organizations 60 ‘Moder organizations 61 Different Purposes of Communication in Organizations 63 Modes of Communication in Organizations 65 Levels of Communication in Organizations 68 Direction or Flow of Communication in Organizations 69 Downward flow of communication 69 Upward flow of communication 70 Horizontaltateral flow of communication 72 Diagonalicrosswise flow of communication 72 COMMUNICATION SNIPPET Axed by SMS (Short Message Service) 73 Networks of Communication 73 Wheel network 73 Chain network 73 Y network 74 Circle network 74 All-channel network 74 Channels of Communication in Organizations 75 Marketing Communication in Organizations 76 Crisis Communication in Organizations 78 TECH WORLD Virtual PAs 79 Effective crisis communication 81 CASE STUDY 2 Intra-organizational Communication at the Body Shop 8&3 Summary 64 Review and Discussion Questions 85 Contents © vii Applying Ethics 85 ‘Simulation-based Exercise 85 Experiential Learning 86 References 87 4. Non-verbal Communication 89 CASE STUDY1 89 Introduction to Non-verbal Communication 90 Body Language 91 Eye contact 91 Facial expression 92 Head position and movement 94 Kinesic Communication 95 Hand and leg positions: gestures say it all 96 Body movement 99 COMMUNICATION SNIPPET BSNL's Live Tutor 101 Body posture and gait 102 Proxemic Communication 102 Space language 102 Personal, social, and public teritories 103 Seating arrangement and furniture placement 103 Haptic Communication 105 ‘Touch behaviour 105 Handshakes and pats 105 Hugs and kisses 106 Paralinguistic Communication 107 Pace, pronunciation, voice intonation, and voice modulation 107 TECH WORLD inTouch: A Medium for Haptic Inter-personal Communication 108 Silences and pauses 109 Chromatics 109 Chronomatic Communication 111 Dress Sense 111 Kinds of outfits. 111 CASE STUDY 2 Interacting Face-to-Face Virtually 113 Summary 114 Review and Discussion Questions 115 Applying Ethics 115 ‘Simulation-based Exercise 115 Experiential Learning 116 References 116 5. Communication Strategy for Managers 119 CASE STUDY1 119 What Are the Different Communication Strategies for Managers? 120 Communicating Different Types of Messages 125 ‘Communicating positive or neutral messages 125, ‘Communicating positive or neutral messages effectively 126 Communicating negative messages 128 Communicating persuasive messages 132 Team Communication 137, Business Communication Effective team communication 138 Cross-cultural Communication 140 Effective cross-cultural communication 144 ‘Communicating for Negotiation 148 Effective communication for negotiations 148 COMMUNICATION SNIPPET P&G India’s ‘Thank You Mom’ Campaign 151 Corporate Communication 152 Corporate communication with intemal stakeholders (within organization) 154 Corporate communication with external stakeholders (through media) 156 TECH WORLD @ Sensor for Measuring Human ‘Feelings’ 159 Leadership Communication 159 Effective leadership communication 161 CASE STUDY 2 Adidas Cancels Release of ‘Shackled’ Sneakers 163, Summary 164 Review and Discussion Questions 164 Applying Ethics 165 ‘Simulation-based Exercise 165 Experiential Leaming 166 References 167 Part 3: Means of Business Communication 6. Spoken (Oral) Communication 169 CASE STUDY1 169 Selection of @ Suitable Medium and Communication Form for Dissemination of Business Messages 170 TECH WORLD Amazon's Kindle: Kindling New Reading Habits in the 21" Century 173 Different forms of spoken (oral) communication media used in organizations 174 COMMUNICATION SNIPPET Mobisur—the First-ever Talent Hunt for Singers on Mobile and the Intemet Platform 186 CASE STUDY 2 Talking Newspapers 187 ‘Summary 188 Review and Discussion Questions 188 Applying Ethics 189 ‘Simulation-based Exercise 189 Experiential Learning 189 References 190 7. Written Communication 191 CASE STUDY 1 191 Principles of Effective Writing 192 TECH WORLD Now Read Your Client's Business Card in Nineteen Languages 194 Contents © ix 3x3 Writing process 195 COMMUNICATION SNIPPET Facebook Unites Two Souls at the Age of 60 Plus 198 Different Forms of Written Communication Used in Organizations 199 Business Letters 199 Parts of a business letter 200 Letter formats 204 Envelope 207 ‘Writing mailing and return address on the envelope 207 Memorandum 209 Office order 212 Office circular 213 Notice, agenda and minutes 215 Performance Appraisal (with Pro Forma) 218 Different types of business letters 219 Formal invitation letters 224 Letters of appointment (with pro forma) 221 Enquiry letters 222 ‘Quotations and business tender letters 224 Order letters 226 ‘Acceptance and cancellation (order letter 228 ‘Status enquiry and trade reference letters 229 ‘Complaint and adjustment letters 231 Writing across Culture 232 CASE STUDY 2 How Words Get Included in a Dictionary 237 Summary 238 Review and Discussion Questions 238 Applying Ethics 239 Simulation-based Exercise 239 Experiential Learning 239 References 240 8. Technology-enabled Communication 243 CASE STUDY1 243 Role of Technology-enabled Communication in the 21 Century Businesses 243 Different Forms of Technology-enabled Communication Tools Used in Organizations 245 Telephone 246 Teleconferencing 247 Fax 248 Email 249 Instant Messaging (IM) 251 TECH WORLD ‘Advergaming’: The Next Level of Advertising 252 Text Messaging 252 Blog 253 Podcast 254 Wikis 255 Videos 256 Videoconferencing 256 Social Media 257 Business Communication Twitter 258 Facebook 258 Linkedin 258 Flickr and Instagram 259 YouTube 259 COMMUNICATION SNIPPET Marred by Marketing Mania 260 CASE STUDY 2 Growing Telecom Industry 261 Summary 263 Review and Discussion Questions 264 Applying Ethics 264 ‘Simulation-based Exercise 264 Experiential Learning 265 References 266 Part 4: Communication for Knowledge Management 9. Writing Reports, Business Proposals, and Business Plans 267 CASE STUDY 1 267 Writing Reports 268, Myth and Truth of Reports 268 Types of reports 269 TECH WORLD Reportika—The 21* Century Reporting Application 271 Formats of reports 273 Developing a report outine 274 Report planning 279 Writing a report 280 Using different visual representations in report writing 283 \Wiiting Business Proposals and Business Plans 288 Difference between a business proposal and a business plan 288 COMMUNICATION SNIPPET Connecting Dots... Entrepreneurs to Investors 269 Business proposal and its types 290 Developing an outline fora business proposal 290 Writing a business proposal 292 Business plans and their types 294 Developing an outline fora business plan 205 Writing a business plan 298 CASE STUDY 2 Networking for Entrepreneurs and Investors at TIE-ISB Connect 300 Summary 301 Review and Discussion Questions 301 Applying Ethics 301 Simulation-based Exercise 302 Experiential Learning 302 References 303 10. Planning and Delivering Business Presentations CASE STUDY 1 305 Making Presentations 306 ‘Types of presentations 307 ‘Stages of presentation development 307 Developing a content 314 Preparing an outline of the presentation 316 Different visual aids used for making presentations 317 TECH WORLD i-ads or interactive Ads 318 Designing powerpoint slides 319 ‘Communicative value of diferent types of visual aids 323 COMMUNICATION SNIPPET Bollywood Film Marketing Goes Digital 324 Delivering the presentation 325 Handling question and answer (Q&A) session 330 Making an Elevator Pitch 332 11. Con CASE STUDY 2 Selling IPO: The Facebook Way 334 ‘Summary 334 Review and Discussion Questions 335 Applying Ethics 335 Simulation-based Exercise 335 Experiential Learning 336 References 336 ducting Business Research and Analysing Case Studies CASE STUDY1 337 Business Research 338 Need for business research in organizations 338 ‘Types of business research 340 Conducting Business Research: A Five-step Process 342 Learning Through Case Study Method 351 What is a case study? 353 TECH WORLD Podcast, Webcast ... and Now Pencast! 353 Analysing a case study: a four-step process 954 COMMUNICATION SNIPPET Online Qualitative Market Research at Quipper 356 Ethics in Business Research 367 APPENDIXA APPENDIX B APPENDIX C. CASE STUDY 2 Zipcar: Selling Cars, One Ride at a Time 359 Summary 360 Review and Discussion Questions 361 Applying Ethics 361 Simulation-based Exercise 361 Experiential Learning 362 References 363 Employees’ Extended Hours in the Organizations: an Ethics Perspective 364 ‘The Karta Style of Leadership Embraced by the Sindhi Business House—the Future Group 373, Questionnaire on Brand Loyalty 380 Contents © xi 305 337 xii © Business Communication Part 5: Employment Communication for Career Advancement 12. Employment Communication for Internship and Campus Placement 381 CASE STUDY1 381 Employability Versus Unemployabilty 382 Filling the Industry-Academia Gap 384 Enhancing Employability: A Five-step Approach 389, How to use it? 391 COMMUNICATION SNIPPET ‘Broadcast’ Only Your Good Stuff! 392 TECH WORLD TED’s ‘18 Minutes Talks’ Comes to India 401 CASE STUDY 2 Trust, Flexibility and Values at SAS 410 Summary 411 Review and Discussion Questions 411 Applying Ethics 412 ‘Simulation-based Exercise 412 Experiential Learning 412 References 413 13. Business Etiquette and Professionalism 415 CASE STUDY1 416 Business Etiquette and Professionalism 416 Index COMMUNICATION SNIPPET Minding Manners Matters! 420 TECH WORLD A Wonder Called Web 2.0 424 CASE STUDY 2 Cultural Clashes Outweighed Euro Disneyland 439 Summary 440 Review and Discussion Questions 440 Applying Ethics 441 Simulation-based Exercise 441 Experiential Learning 441 References 442 Preface to the Second Edition There is hardly any dispute to the fact that in the knowledge economy, as the means of production has shifted from machines to what we call ‘grey matter’ and an accompanying personal computer, an effective communication is something that completes the KCC Triangle — knowledge (grey matter), computer and communication! To this end, the second edition of this book, Business Communication: Essential Strategies for Twenty-first Century ‘Managers, with the help of well-researched content and application-based pedagogical tools, presents a thorough analysis ‘on how communication skills can become a strategic asset to build a successful managerial career. In addition to the Pedagogical Tools given in the first edition of the book, the present second edition comes with a ‘resource-rich’ Companion Website with ample teaching resource material, namely 300+ MCQs (with answer key), chapter-wise PPTs and chapter-wise Instructor's Manual For access to the Teaching Resource Material, please visit the Companion Website of the Book: http://www. vikaspublishing com/shaliniverma. Acknowledgements This book is the result of immense encouragement and support from my family, colleagues, well-wishers, students and ‘a host of academicians, friends and associates from the academia and the industry, who, with their rich experience and inputs, helped me shape the book into its present form. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to the entire editorial staff of Vikas Publishing House for the editorial work and full cooperation in the timely production of this book. Besides, a number of books, websites, articles, blogs and other reference materials have been consulted while preparing this book Tam indebted to them all. Suauint Verma Preface to the First Edition Ina knowledge economy, as the means of production has shifted from machines to what we call “grey matter’ and an accompanying personal computer, most organizations today operate in an uncertain, risky, complex, and most importantly, competitive business environment. The pressures mounting from all sides compel organizations to match global standards. This is further intensified by the rapid technological and institutional changes that have almost revolutionized the way communication takes place in the 21* century. Organizations can no longer afford to rely on the traditional forms of communication alone, while managing their operations both nationally and transnationally. As we move into the digital age, those organizations, which are skilled both at using technology to create communication networks and at harvesting and sharing knowledge, have a competitive advantage over others. Using communication networks and information system effectively means an increased ability to respond rapidly to unpredictable and sometimes chaotic markets. This makes this book a must read as it draws together, for the first time, application-based knowledge and necessary workforce competencies in the field of communication to enable firms to compete successfully in the hyper-competitive global marketplace. The book is an attempt to keep budding global managers abreast of the technologically advanced means, modes and tools of communication to help them connect better with the world around them—people, processes, surroundings (professional, social and cultural). To this end, the book, with the help of well-researched content and application-based pedagogical tools, presents a thorough analysis on how communication skills can become a strategic asset to build a successful managerial career. Organization of the Book The book has been divided into five parts: Part | comprises two chapters dealing with the nature and scope of business communication in the context of the present-day competitive business scenario, including eight dimensions ‘of communication in any organization, such as intra-personal communication, inter-personal ‘communication, verbal communication and listening skills, non-verbal communication, intra-organizational communication, inter-organizational communication, intra-cultural communication, and inter-cultural communication. Additionally, different types of intra- personal, inter-personal, and environmental barriers that may come in the way of effective ‘communication have been dealt with in detail in this part of the book Part 2 of the book has been divided into three chapters that discuss the importance of organizational communication, non-verbal communication and different communication strategies for managers, respectively. The first chapter of this part throws light on different modes of communication in modem day organizations, such as. formal ‘communication, informal communication, technology-free communication, technology- enabled communication, etc. at intra-organizational and inter-organizational levels. It also talks about different directions and networks of communication. Besides, marketing ‘communication (including AIDA model) and crisis communication have been discussed in detail. While the second chapter of this part is fully devoted to the various non-verbal aspects of communication, the third chapter deals with the various communication strategies, like ‘tell style’, “sel style’, ‘consult style” and ‘join style’, which can be used by managers for ‘communicating different types of messages such as positive or neutral messages, negative messages, and persuasive messages. The chapter also throws light on team communication, Business Communication cross-cultural communication, communication for negotiation, corporate communication (both with internal and external stakeholders) and leadership communication-all of which play a decisive role in a manager’s career advancement. art 3 of the book focuses on the various means of business communication. It has also been divided into three chapters that discuss the different types of spoken, written and technology- enabled communication formats, tools and devices used in the present-day organizations across the world. Part 4 deals with the various formats of advanced business communication tools such as writing reports, business proposals, business plans, case studies, making presentations, etc. It too has three chapters that elaborate on the different types of reports and presentations, their formats and the different visual representations used in them, Part 5 of the book focuses on employment communication, business etiquette and professionalism necessary for career advancement. It has two chapters, of which, the former throws light on the difference between employability and unemployability, importance of internship/summer training in filling the industry-academia gap along with the five-step approach to enhance employability—setting goals for employment through self-analysis using tools such as SWOT analysis and Johari Window; gathering job-related information through research; learning to write CV, résumé, cover letter, job suitability statement; reaching out to the prospective employer; and preparing for the recruitment and selection process with written/aptitude/technical test, psychometric test and group discussion (GD). The second chapter of this part deals with the importance of business etiquette and professionalism in the present-day multicultural workplace and differentiates between general business etiquettes and culture-specific business etiquettes. This book is a humble effort towards helping budding managers in their career advancement by equipping them with effective strategies of communication required in the technology savvy twenty-first century. For suggestions and feedback for further improvement of the book, professors, course instructors and students can reach me through www:shaliniverma.com, or contact me at reachme@shaliniverma.com and shaliniverma99@gmail.com, About the Author Shalini Verma has over wo decades of experience in teaching, training, research and consultancy. ‘Apart from her PhD in Communications and Diploma in Training and Development, she has master’s degrees in four varied areas ~ English, Communications and Journalism, Human Rights and Business Administration, Dr Verma is a management consultant and the founder of Pollyanna Positive Parivartan Pvt. Ltd., a Delhi-based consultancy firm with operations across the world. In addition, she has been associated as Visiting/Adjunct Professor of Communication, Soft Skills and A T&P (Training and Placement) trainings with several reputed business schools, including “the IIMs. Formerly, she was associated as Assistant Professor, Business Communication with the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business)-accredited India MBA program, College of Business, Ohio University, USA and ISTAO, Italy. Corporate training being her forte, Dr Verma has conducted more than 500 MDPs (Management Development Programmes), FDPs (Faculty Development Programmes) and Leadership Training Programmes for the senior-level managers across sectors and verticals. Some of the national and international organizations to whom she has provided training/consultancy services are Climentoni (Italy), Fiam (Italy), Faam (Italy), Sacma (Italy), Inoxa (Italy), Hindustan Times (PACE), ICWAI, ICSI, NTPC, IK Tyres, IGL, IFFCO, NFL, Cooper Standard, Coal India, IICM, Ecorys, to name a few. She has authored around SO books on different genres such as management, self-help, ELT (English language teaching/training), reference and competition books, among others. She has also been writing columns, both in English ‘and Hindi, in some leading national newspapers, including Hindustan Times. Pedagogical Tools Learning Objectives After reading this chapter, students would be able to understand: Learning Objectives, appearing at the beginning of each chapter, enlist the What human communication is, and how it helps People to connect topics/concepts that the * The characteristics of human communication readers would gain an insight * The process and cycle of communication into after reading the chapter. © One-way and two-way communication # The role of communication in a business enterprise, and that of business communication for global managers Interpersonal communication takes place when ‘Marginalia, spread across the there isa person who isa sender or transmitter body of each chapter, clarify sehen perivrd He se sre en eee ame tunderstands the message and responds tthe ‘message in the form of feedback {A delegation of a renowned business house from India had travelled to Japan to finalize a ‘deal with Japanese battery manuficturing company. Mr Saat Singhania was the leader of the delegation, During the negotiations, Singhania and his team ended up making a large number ‘of unplanned concessions, as every time they proposed something, Mr Katsumi, the CEO of ‘the Japanese battery manufacturing company and his other team members would reciprocate ‘with silence or simply say aera long pause, ‘Well think it over: Mr Singhania and his team, a ‘being Indians, were not aware of the Japanese style of negotiation—maintaining/having long Case Study 1 sets the periods of silence between one group of comments and the next, whereas Mr Singhania’s team stage for the areas to be tended to speak without pauses and expected immediate responses. The Japanese, in contrast discussed in the eoncemed ‘were relatively silent. therefore, when Me Singhania and his team were met with silence, they chapter ‘continued to talk; when they finaly finished, they had given up more than they wante. {As you progress further into this chapter, you wll see how, in some cultures, those who are ‘quiet are thought to be more knowledgeable than those who are mote vocal. Infact, a Conf= cian proverb states: “Those who speak, do not know: those who know, do not speak” Japan, ‘South Korea, and the Scandinavian countries are examples of cultures that are comfortable ‘with silences and ong pauses. People in some other cultures, on the other hand, find such long pauses and silence disconcerting and uncomfortable: hence they may continue to talk i others are quiet xx * Business Communication TECH WORLD isco NOW. isco, giant networking company started its nda operations in 2003 As art of expanding is arket share snd ping into the small nd medium enterprise (SME) by focusing trata on the SME, the company role out its ‘Network on Wel (popularly koown s the ‘NOW Van) programme in Tech World throws light on fech World throws light o 7 the latest advancements in ‘communication technology Css NOW Van isa mobile showcase ofthe company’s networking solutions for SMES and features ‘and how real-time business demonstrations o advanced technologies ike security, wireless connectivity, mobility and unified commu: houses are leveraging ications Physically the NOW Van's 25 fot mobile showcase equiped wth he test SME-customined them to stay ahead of their Cisco networking solution simed at epg the Indian SMES leverage the power of networking technology ‘competitors. forbasiness growth. “The van vis sree industrial locations across key ter ne two, and thee ces and hosts live demon strains fr more than on hunded customers pr city lt demonstrates interactive technology solutions for SMEs, which re designed o increase productivity enhance customer care and loyalty, et During the ist phase ths programme worked with ove 3500 SMEs acrosIndi, ‘With over 6 milion SMEs operating in Indi at present, and a lage percentage ofthese businesses onthe threshold f globalization, Cisc’s NOW Vani certainly connecting wih the fast-growing etrs ike I, ‘education, sock broking, automotive and ete, et COMMUNICATION SNIPPET. Haagen-Dazs in Hot Water Haagen-Dazs, one ofthe lags super premium ie cream bands inthe world, was established in 1961 by Polish immigrant couple Reuben and Rose Matus. isthe marke eaerin the United tates and pene firs retail tet in New ork in 1976 Bstered by its sacs ra in China, where it ad been in operation sine 1956, the company opened its first branded cain a malin New Deli in 208 This happened though enc del track with TC Restaurants. 2009 aslo the yar when Haagen-Dazs had won an award at Cannes ris campaign «ndcaouting save honey beesin North America. ‘Communication Snippet talks about real organizations! people at workplaces, their ‘on-job communication challenges and their use of multiple communication channels to gain a competitive edge. However the company’ fray into the Indian market has not eatly been smooth. One day before aagen-Dars was abot to open itt ote in Ini it pat up signboard around the place which procimed Ei rested ony to hoes ofiternational passports, No doubt that th company oj in opening an tt in New Dh was tp into Inns ml css spending, bat the bran marketing communication early ovedoked a mao fit about Indian consumes «hanging atid owas aaa companies. AS the Indian middl-lssging goal itis 0 loogeraved by oegnror‘inkernatina passports (watever thy are). ince paspors are usa asa proof of matonaiy the use ofthe word ‘international came ars as impling tat nl foreigners would beled erry int the out. Pedagogical Tools © xxi OVERCOMING THE DISTANCE BARRIER WITH ‘E-CHOUPAL’ Re ee ee ea orgs eens feria erin Se ee eee sghauaremorcmmrrao y pnmghy naman “teas nd, emt i oe Smee mae Tseng. em Se ee" Rime mpm oe to significantly enbanee its competitiveness by meet, peice ee, =r seeeghaeieae antparpet =/Nchabguinis pa a ceo eye ‘world scenarios and challenges fas progrenely created a he rural sti. cuiput marketing. chanel for coe: een ee ee eS ea Pp I EES we farmer right at his doorstep TiS ths hl a> gS a mea aa cyrus case tie 7 ST ing wt the ease analysis method. eee ee Se eed Boiss Eeegeiemerieeetimein sing the fires an use tht nation Fer geting ig arg for hemseles they TM n tr, hl mers wo lc se igh ‘eh tefamer ramping the proper. IN he producto Hh fms revolt pont ectme market ockened by saying ned 1 ao embles the company to setup a shut the actual pice being eee the cup psa sec suport athe viloge mae. enling ster pricerelztion, Ieee! Chops thoghaSanchalk-a TTC Choa is this, an inooaie open led farmer who ase an the interac ete rnin ple that Bogs fog the computer andthe Famer ITC accumu the sakcholes—irmes ele, jes Ite inlrmation searing wether, eden lg with wel nema and serve farming practic, ut market pice fm Ponder. he sme page” SUMMARY \ Summary helps focklacity cod eons sto thou vedas informatio oe det aly ta recapitulate the different el with our nner elf The word tommunl- expecting te receivers feedback whl wo-wa topics discussed in the [stot which comes rm the Lain ot cnomnss or nlidectional’ communion acc chapter. [means Yo share’ to impart, Yo participate or ‘io when there is a sharing of information between) Jake common: Communication i a connuous two of more partes ina constructive exchange proces which i ot static but dynamic. R Beings of message, Sa REVIEW AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Questions help readers |. Define business communication and discuss ‘that one form of communication (either of assess their understanding tment reso then rs) ye ee an eter ofthe diferent topics 2 Kihreamtn enn etn hao me ot he die Sitmcepeondcemaceentespon _ Secon discussed in the chapter. 3. ur esa nes ea. Jstelsyng yo tien you wea eg ee” ltyncbeayu elutes anos thee impact onthe overall eftvenesand____udestand you wil ear Also enlist and xxi * Business Communication APPLYING ETHICS (situation: You work in a Dubai-based makina tional company that as a prot centre in India The salt support of your centre ie thity people [OF this sty per cent are fom the Middle Fas. Nour jo ental coordinating between the Indian lupliers and the purchase and logics depart. Simulation-based Exercise is role play management game that helps readers simulate real managers or workplace situations, and thereby enables students to apply the theoretical concepts learned in the classroom setting not comfortable withthe English a 's your supplier functional lan euags, which of comm es confusion and) turds inthe day-to-day operations How can you Best handle this sittin? Expl with the help of «hypothetical sation where you Applying Ethies deals with the situation-based ethical dilemmas faced by real managers in their professional lives. SIMULATION BASED EXERCISE [Name of game: Draw a tree” "Type of game: Indoor [Number of participants: 6-8 members per team (umber of teams depending on the class se) Each person needs a pen and a piece of paper. Time required: Five minutes, Howto play: The course instructor wil divide the participants into teams comprising 6-8 members tach and ask the participants to listen carefully to the instructions given ot They may make a note of [EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING ngs based Hippocampus Learning Centres HILO), astartppeovidingraltuaial services ‘and preschool services, was estalshed in 2003 ‘oth the vision one cide to want to ead tot In is two years the company has started 0 Sindergarten centre in the ural ares of Karnal, ‘wth daycare flies for 1250 children Hippocampus estes and uns its own branes and oles assistance and guidance to References at the end of each chapter provide references for the concepts and theories discussed in the chapter. 1 Hippocampus hs als been appointed puter by the Goethe Insitute ona peo 1 promote reading in the cy” across Indi tnd mainstream schools a8 part of th (German year in India 2011 Individual Activity In view of the above, develop a 10-questio uestionnaeé’ that can be used by Hippocampus REFERENCES Experiential Learning provides two caselets, each followed by an Individual Activity and a Team Activity, based on real-time business processes that help readers ‘feel’ or ‘experience’ the concepts and theories they learn in the concerned chapter to gain hands-on experience. 1. Hallowell, ward M, Connect: 12 Stal Tes That Open Your Heart, Lengthen Your Life, and Deepen Your Soul (New York: Pocket Books, 1095), pw worldatorgcpalserleUDCARead?standardNo-O7 4340621 4andstandardNoType=landexcerptr, (Last accessed on 21 June 2012). List of Case Studies and Featured Articles A large number of case studies and articles have been presented in the book. They are: Cisco’s NOW Haagen-Dazs in Hot Water ReMeDi™: A Real Connecting Tool Overcoming Language Barriers Now Get Digital Convocation Certificates Overcoming the Distance Barrier with “e-Choupal * Axed by SMS (Short Message Service) Virtual PAs. 9. Intra-organizational Communication at the Body Shop 10. BSNL's Live Tutor 11. inTouch: A Medium for Haptic Inter-personal Communication 12. Interacting Face-to-face Virtually 13, P&G India’s “Thank You Mom’ Campaign 14, Q Sensor for Measuring Human ‘Feelings’ 15. Adidas Cancels Release of ‘Shackled’ Sneakers 16. Amazon’s Kindle: Kindling New Reading Habits in the 21* Century 17. Mobisur—the First Ever Talent Hunt for Singers on Mobile and the Internet Platform 18. Talking Newspapers 19. Now Read Your Client’s Business Card in Nineteen Languages 20. Facebook Unites Two Souls at the Age of 60 Plus 21. How Words Get Included in a Dictionary 22. ‘Advergaming’: The Next Level of Advertising 23. Marred by Marketing Mania 24. Growing Telecom Industry 25. Reportika—the 21* Century Reporting Application 26. Connecting Dots ... Entrepreneurs to Investors 27. Networking for Entrepreneurs and Investors at TiE-ISB Connect, 28. i-ads or Interactive Ads 29. Bollywood Film Marketing Goes Digital 30. Selling IPO: The Facebook Way 31. Podeast, Webeast ... and Now Pencast! 32. Online Qualitative Market Research at Quipper 33. Zipcar: Selling Cars, One Ride at a Time 34, ‘Broadcast’ Only Your Good Stuff! 35. TED’s ‘18 Minutes Talks’ Comes to India 36. Trust, Flexibility and Values at SAS 37. Minding Manners Matters! 38. A Wonder Called Web 2.0 39. Cultural Clashes Outweighed Euro Disneyland eI aMewne The Nature and Chapter Scope of Business Communication There are all different kinds of connection. To thrive, indeed just to survive, we need warm-hearted contact with other people... . Like a vitamin deficiency, a human contact deficiency weakens the body, the mind, and the spirit. .. Just as we need vitamin C each day, we also need a dose of the human moment—positive contact with other people.! —Edward M, Hallowell Learning Objectives After reading this chapter, students would be able to understand: What human communication is, and how it helps people to connect * The characteristics of human communication * The process and cycle of communication © One-way and tw fay communication # Therole of communication in a business enterprise, and that of business communication for global managers © How business communication helps organizations * The four dimensions of communication in any organization CASE STUDY 1 ‘A delegation of a renowned business house from India had travelled to Japan to finalize a deal with a Japanese battery ‘manufacturing company. Mr Sanat Singhania was the leader of the delegation. During the negotiations, Singhania and his team ended up making a large number of unplanned concessions, as every time they proposed something, Mr Katsumi, the CEO of the Japanese battery manufacturing company and his other team members would reciprocate with silence or simply say after a long pause, “We'll think it over’. Mr Singhania and his team, being Indians, were not aware of the Japanese style of negotiation—maintaining/having long periods of silence between one group of comments and the next, whereas Mr Singhania’s team tended to speak without pauses and expected immediate responses. The Japanese, in contrast, were relatively silent. Therefore, when Mr Singhania and his team were met with silence, they continued to talk; when they finally finished, they had given up more than they wanted. As you progress further into this chapter, you will see how, in some cultures, those who are quiet are thought to be ‘more knowledgeable than those who are more vocal. In fact, a Confucian proverb states: “Those who speak, do not know; those who know, do not speak.” Japan, South Korea, and the Scandinavian countries are examples of cultures that are comfortable with silences and long pauses. People in some other cultures, on the other hand, find such long pauses and silence disconcerting and uncomfortable; hence they may continue to talk if others are quiet 2. + Business Communication ‘Communication connects, It connects tus tothe outer world ‘aswell as with our inner self. The ability to communicate our ideas effectively is one element that governs almost everything n our ife— from our personal life 10 ‘our professional life “nformation’is the key word n any kind of communication situation ‘Communication, in fact, transmits information ‘not only about tangible ‘acts and determinable “ideas and opinions but ‘also about emotions. Communication isa social activity. The people who make up a Society are also engaged ina relationship of sharing—be it information, feelings, or emotions THE BASICS OF HUMAN COMMUNICATION “Most of us already have some idea of what we mean by communication. Even then, it is worth- while to make an attempt to understand the exact meaning and nature of this most important activity of human beings. Communication connects. It connects us to the outer world as well as with our inner self. The ability to communicate our ideas effectively is one element that governs almost everything in our life—from our personal life to our professional life. It decides whether we gain recognition or rejection, honour or dishonour, fortune or failure.* The word ‘communication’ comes from the Latin word communis, which means ‘to share’, “to impart’, ‘to participate” or “to make common’. Hence, the sense of “sharing” is inherent in the very origin and nature of communication. And what is it that we share in communication? ‘We share ‘information’ or ‘something to be made known’ to others in whatever way we like or whichever way the situation demands. Another very simple definition of ‘communication’ has been provided by W. H. Newman and C. F. Summer Jr: ‘communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions, or emotions by two or more persons.” Inhis book Communication in Business, Peter Little defines communication as ‘the process by which information is transmitted between individuals and/or organizations so that an under- standing response results’ Thus, information is the key word in any kind of communication situation. Communication, in fact, transmits information not only about tangible facts and determinable ideas and opinions but also about emotions. When communicators pass on or transmit information, they may also, either intentionally or unintentionally, communicate their attitude or their frame of mind, One more definition of communication offered by William Scott could be taken into consid- eration for young management students studying business communication ot professional communication, or for that matter organizational communication, since it touches all aspects of the communication process: Administrative communication is a process which involves the transmission and accurate replication of ideas ensured by feedback for the purpose of eliciting actions which will accomplish organizational goals.° This definition stresses these important points 1. The process of communication involves the exchange of ideas. 2. The ideas should be accurately replicated or reproduced in the receiver's mind so that the receiver would receive exactly the same ideas that were transmitted by the sender of the ideas in form of a ‘message’. If the process of communication is perfect, there will be no dilution, exaggeration, or distortion of the ideas, 3. The sender is assured of the accurate replication ofthe ideas in the form of feedback or the receiver's response, which is communicated back tothe sender. Here, it is suggested that ‘communication is a two-way process, including the transmission of feedback. 4. The purpose of all communication is to call forth the desired action, CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNICATION Based on the different definitions of communication discussed earlier, its characteristics could be listed as’ 1. Interchange of information: The basic characteristic of human communication is that it aims at exchanging information. It isa two-way process. The exchange can be between two or more people. It may be at the individual or the organizational level. 2. Continuous process: Communication is a continuous process. It is not static. It is constantly subject to change and is dynamic. The people with whom we communicate, ‘The Nature and Scope of Business Communication * its content and nature, and the situation in which communication is held—all keep changing, 3. Mutual understanding: The main purpose of communication is to bring about ‘mutual understanding. The receiver should receive and understand the message as intended by the sender. 4. Response or reaction: Communication always leads to some response or reaction, A message becomes communication only when the receiving party understands/acknowledges it, and also reacts or responds to it. 5. Universal function: Communication is a universal function, which covers all levels of authority, 6. Social activity: Communication isa social activity too. All the components of a society are in a relationship of sharing—be it information, feelings, or emotions. The same holds true for business communication. It involves the effort of people who get in touch with one another and make themselves understood to others. The process by which people attempt to share meaning and relate to one another is, thus, a social activity PROCESS AND CYCLE OF COMMUNICATION ‘The basic process of communication begins when a fact is observed or an idea is formulated by intra-personal communication in the person’s mind. Thereafter, the person or sender, also known as the source, decides to translate the observation into a message or informa tion by encoding, and then transmits that encoded message through a medium of communi- cation to another person (the receiver). The receiver then decodes, interprets or understands the message and provides feedback to the sender indicating that the message has been understood and appropriate action is taken or will be taken. ‘Thus, inter-personal communication or communication between two or more people takes place when: 1. There is a person (sender or source or transmitter) desirous of passing on some information (verbal, ie., using words, or non-verbal, ie., without using words). 2. There is another person (receiver) to whom the information is to be passed on. 3. The receiver partly or wholly interprets or understands the message passed on to them. 4. The receiver responds to the message in the form of feedback. Inter-personal communication cannot exist in the absence of any of the above mentioned four components. For instance, two students from two different English speaking coun- tries—Silvia from Australia and Saksham from India—meeting for the first time under their university exchange programme, greet each other with extended hands (a handshake), which ‘constitutes an inter-personal communication situation. This is because: 1. There is Silvia, a person desirous of sending a message of ‘greeting’ 2. There is another person, Saksham, to receive that message of ‘greeting’ 3. When Silvia, the first person extends her hands, Saksham, the second person at the receiving end, understands that ‘he is being greeted” 4, Saksham, the second person, immediately responds to the message of “greeting” passed onto him by Silvia by extending his own hands (feedback to the initial message of greeting). However, if an English-speaking person addresses a Chinese-speaking person (who does not understand English) in English, communication does not exist. Despite an English- speaking person being present (the sender), the message is not interpreted or understood by the other person and as the message itself isnot ‘decoded’ or interpreted by the receiver, there is no feedback given to the sender. The basic process of ‘communication begins when a fact is observed cr an idea is formulated by intrapersonal ‘communication in the person’ mind. JInter-personal communication takes place ‘when there i a person who isa sender or transmiter ‘and another person who isa receiver. The receiver, partly or wholly interprets ‘or understands the ‘message and responds to the message in the form of feedback. 3 4 + Business Communication we Interpersonal communication is, in this way, @ essage social activity. In society, we share our thoughts, qT feelings, emotions, reactions, propositions, facts and Encoding figures with individuals as well as groups at all levels. i Inthe words of John Adair, ‘Communication is essen- wm ; tially the ability of one person to make contact with cxepenenel Channel another and to make him or herself understood,”* (Gatton Stage) q In fact, the transmission of the sender’s ideas to Output the receiver and the receiver’s feedback or reaction to the sender constitutes the communication process. = The main components of this process are as follows: 1. Idea or input: The information or ideas Sender Receiver the sender wants to give the receiver. 2. Sender: The sender who wants to send the information Decoding 3. Message: The actual message that is sent. 4, Encoding: The sender selects a common Fig. 4.1 Chain of ‘Communication—the ‘Communication Process One-way communication ‘occurs when the sender transmits information in 4 ‘unidirectional'form, without any expectation of discussion or feedback. Two-way ‘communication follows a ‘multidirectional form, It involves the sharing of information berween ‘80 or more partes in a constructive exchange of messages. Feedback language that can be understood by the receiver and encodes the information. 5. Channel: The sender selects an appropriate Interpersonal ‘medium or channel such as face-to-face Communication dialogue, letters, faxes, telephone calls, (Response Stage) electronic mails, and so on for the delivery Of the information to the receiver. ‘Output: The information received by the receiver. 7. Decoding: In order to interpret or understand the information, the receiver deciphers the encoded information sent by the sender. 8. Feedback: The receiver’s response (or non-response) to the sender’s information. Apart from these, noise, errors, or other disturbances may also interfere with the process of communication. These may lead to the possibility of misinterpretation, misunderstanding, partial understanding, or negligible understanding of the information at the receiver's end We can illustrate the communication eycle with the help of Fig. 1.1 ONE-WAY AND TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION In general terms, inter-personal communication can be either one-way or two-way. One-way communication occurs when the sender transmits information in a ‘unidirectional’ form, without any expectation of discussion or feedback. For example, a manager may stop by an employee's desk to inform the employee that a certain project will be due the following day. One-way communication is faster and easier for the sender as he/she does not have to deal with potential questions or disagreement from the receiver. Technology-backed unidirectional communication tends to be overused in business of the present day workplaces. For instance, staffing team of Bangalore based Netapp India has created a staffing wiki page to provide a forum for sharing best practices and education about current methods in interviewing and recruiting,’ In contrast, ‘two-way communication follows the ‘multidirectional’ form. It involves the sharing of infor- ‘mation between two or more parties in a constructive exchange of messages. For example, a ‘manager may hold a staff meeting in order to establish the due dates for a number of projects. Engaging in two-way communication indicates that the sender is receptive to feedback and is willing to provide a response. Although it is more difficult and time-consuming for the sender than one-way communication, it also ensures more accurate understanding of the message. HT ‘The Nature and Scope of Business Communication * Media Ltd, one of India’s largest media companies which operates 19 printing facilities across India, holds sessions called ‘Fresh Eyes’ where its new recruits give feedback about their experience within the first three months of their joining.* COMMUNICATION IN A BUSINESS ENTERPRISE ‘Communication is positioned to play a key role in the business world of the 21st century— ‘a world with unlimited growth potential. If we look back, we see that humankind began with ‘an economy based on hunting and gathering. That was the first kind of economy. After that, a period of settlement occurred and gave rise to the second kind of economy, based ‘on agriculture. By the seventeenth century AD, industrial expansion created the third type of economy—the industrialized economy. Today, we are in a knowledge-based economy, also referred to as the ‘the fourth economy’. ‘The nature of the world in which we live—one that is weird, connected, mobile, fast- paced—has changed in some not-so-subtle ways in recent years. The organizations which employ you and the businesses which depend on your skills now recognize that communica- tion is at the centre of what it means to be successful Business communication, to this end, is the most essential function of any business enterprise as it helps in generating business. It is very important to understand how crucial a role, communication plays in any business. It would not be wrong to say that business ‘communication is the process that oils the gears that turn the machinery of an enterprise. Whether it is written or oral, itis the channel through which an enterprise speaks to its customers. It is the management’s mechanism for connecting with its internal and external clients. It communicates internally for influencing employees and supervising the work they do, for prescribing methods and procedures, and for announcing policies and orga- nizational changes. It also communicates externally for selling and obtaining goods and services, reporting to the government and the share-holders on the company’s financial posi- tion and business operations and also creating conducive environment for operating and expanding business. Any organization that is clear, consistent, and effective in its commu- nication with customers, employees, shareholders, creditors, and the community is in a 200d position to establish trust and to secure collaboration from its audience, BUSINESS COMMUNICATION FOR GLOBAL MANAGERS As the world is moving rapidly towards globalization which in turn leads to an increasing demand for goods and services world-wide, all kinds of companies—start-ups to big corpo- rate houses—are looking at global markets, which are no longer the domain of large multi- national firms alone. This has led to rapid market expansion, which calls for a growing need for global professionals who have a high degree of cross-cultural intelligence (CCI—to be discussed in detail later) and are well-adapted to work in various environments.” When working in other countries with cultures quite different to one’s home country, the ability to think outside one’s own culture and see an issue through the eyes of another is critical to success. From a marketing point of view, empathizing with the customer’s culture is of ‘paramount importance. As firms evolve from national to multinational, they invest considerably in hiring or training their hired workforce on the nuances of multinational and transnational businesses, transforming them to global professionals who are adept not justin day-to-day business activ- ities, but are equally comfortable with intra-cultural and inter-cultural issues. For instance, a multinational company investing around the world is bound to deal with clients and customers from cultures different from that of the country where it is headquartered. For example, business in Latin America is very based much on relationships of personal trust: one needs to know a Mexican or Argentinian boss before one presents him with a formal contract. In France, one deals directly with the powerful patron at the top. In Germany, on the other hand, Business communication is the most essential function of any business enterprise 4 it helps in generating business As the world is moving rapidly towards ‘globalization, all kinds of companies—even smaller ‘ones—are looking at ‘global markets, which are ‘no longer the domain of large multi-national firms. 5 6 * Business Communication By its very nature, ‘communication forms the basis for establishing cooperative and supportive relationships benween employees, ‘managers, team ‘members, co-workers, clients, vendors, suppliers and almost all stakeholders; reducing Sriction and minimizing ‘work-relation conflicts People may inspire yyou in some way or the ‘other in your personal or professional fe. They may be your parents, lose relatives, frends, ‘colleagues, business ‘or political leaders. written rules and procedures are important: a manager unaware of the German tradition, for example, on seeking to speak to a German CEO, will immediately be directed to the appro- priate department head. In contrast to Germany's strict written rules, the Japanese operate on equally strict unvritten rules, known as kata, Job security is considered in the USA to produce a mediocre employee, but in Japan, the Jack of job security will do the same." Itis interesting to consider the Scandinavian countries. Finnish and other Scandinavian managers cannot afford to focus on just their neck of the woods—itis simply too unimportant—former Nokia chairman and CEO Jorma Ollila is an outstanding example of the new breed of Scandinavian global ‘manager. The several degrees that he holds are from universities in Helsinki as well as from the London School of Economics. He realized that it was not sensible for Nokia to maintain its strong focus on Finland since so many of its employees worked outside Finland and even outside Europe. ‘This is in sharp contrast with Wal-Mart—the world’s largest retailer but almost exclusively a North ‘American business, with a very small number of stores outside the North American Free Trade ‘Agreement (NAFTA) area. Most of Wal-Mart's revenues come from North America too. Thus, it is obvious that while managers of some businesses like Wal-Mart do not need to worry about global ‘marketing strategies, other businesses like Nokia and Volvo need to be well-versed about markets outside their countries of origin, Professionals working in companies based in emerging economies like India and other BRICS countries (BRICS is the title of an association of leading emerging economies. It includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Afica.), must, of necessity, entertain two views of the world. Ifa company intends to establish branches in China and Russia, itis imperative for its officials to know about Chinese and Russian cultures. Great global managers need to know about other cultures in some detail, in order to run their global companies successfully.” HOW DOES BUSINESS COMMUNICATION HELP ORGANIZATIONS? ‘Scores of studies and surveys conducted in various areas indicate that effective inter-personal skills are imperative for individual as well as organizational success. By its very nature, it forms the basis for establishing cooperative and supportive relationships between employees, managers, team ‘members, co-workers, clients, vendors, suppliers and almost all stakeholders; reducing friction and minimizing work-relation conflicts. Hiring managers at Equitas Microfinance India, a Chennai- based micro-finance company, visit the homes of the shortlisted candidates to meet their families under their process called Know your Employee. This not only helps in understanding how well the candidate's role fit the required role set in the organization but also helps in building the brand with families." To this end, communication does play an important role and contributes to the success of both—the individual as well as the organization, According toa report published by the National Communica- tion Association, Washington, D.C, research shows that if managers come out and give concrete reasons for not granting an employee a specific leave, he or she can maintain greater cred- ibility in the eyes of the subordi nates." Strong inter-personal communi- cation skills, utilizing @ variety of styles and techniques, are impor- tant for anyone who strives for success as a ‘manager’ in professional life. Some of the ‘mana~ gerial characteristics” that indicate high communication proficiency with others are: ‘The Nature and Scope of Business Communication * TECH WORLD Cisco's NOW Cisco, a giant networking company, started its India operations in 2003. As part of expanding its market share and tapping into the small and medium enterprise (SME) by focusing strategically on the SME, the company rolled out its “Network on Wheels’ (popularly known as the ‘NOW Van’) programme in 2008. Cisco’s NOW Van is a mobile showcase of the company’s networking solutions for SMEs and features demonstrations, of advanced technologies like security, wireless connectivity, mobility, and unified communications. Physically, the NOW Van is a 25 foot mobile showcase equipped with the latest SME-customized Cisco networking solutions aimed at helping the Indian SMEs leverage the power of networking technology for business growth. The van visits strategic industrial locations across key tier one, two, and three ities and hosts live demonstrations for ‘more than one hundred customers per city. It demonstrates interactive technology solutions for SMEs, which are de- signed to increase productivity, enhance customer care and loyalty etc. During the first phase, this programme worked with over 3,500 SMEs aeross India With over 6 million SMEs operating in India at present, and a large percentage of these businesses on the threshold of lobalization, Cisco’s NOW Van is certainly connecting with the fast-growing sectors like IT, education, stock-broking, automotive and textiles, ete 1. The manager, as an individual, tends to communicate more than other employees, explaining the reasons behind decisions and providing advance warning of changes. 2. ‘The manager tends to employ an egalitarian rather than a controlling style when communicating with teammates—'asking for’, instead of ‘demanding’ their compliance, 3. ‘The manager tends to be empathetic, taking others’ needs and feelings into account when communicating, 4. Most effective managers are good listeners, giving careful consideration to employees” concerns and taking the time to respond to their questions, What is true about communication at the enterprise level applies equally at the individual level. People who are good communicators are more successful at advancing their careers, if all other factors remain equal. Think about the people who have inspired you in some way or the other in your personal or professional life. They may be your parents, close relatives, friends, colleagues, managers, CEOs, industry spokespersons, or political leaders. In addition to having other qualities, these people are probably very good communicators. When they speak to a group, send a letter, or talk face-to-face, their messages are thought- ‘out, focused, and purposeful. They use every communication opportunity to engage people, share information, or advance their agenda ‘You will be surprised to know that in a recent survey (by the University of Pittsburgh's Katz Busi- ness School) conducted among recruiters from companies with more than 50,000 employees, ‘communication skills were cited as the single most important decisive factor in choosing ‘managers. It was discovered that communication skills, (including written and oral presentations) and the ability to work with others, were the main factors contributing to job success.“ DIMENSIONS OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION IN AN ORGANIZATION Knowing about the different dimensions of business communication will only make you more strategic and methodical in your endeavours to be a better communicator (see Fig. 1.2) 8 + Business Communication Fig. 4.2 Different Types of ‘Communication Used in a Business Enterprise According to some experts, we communicate with ‘ourselves 50,000 times «aday; which is indeed 4 lot of communication, rel com aren singed shot om ++ Comms ia oy

    You might also like