UNIT I : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Q1 : What is Communication ? Explain briefly about the objectives of Communication

Introduction: Communication is the process of sending and receiving messages through verbal or
nonverbal means, including speech, or oral communication; writing and graphical representations
(such as info graphics, maps, and charts); and signs, signals, and behavior.

More simply communication is said to be "The creation and exchange of meaning."

Meaning: The word “communication” comes from the Latin word “communicare”. It’s meaning to
make common. It is used in common talk, usually, to man speaking or writing or sending a
message to another person. Communication is really much more than that.

Definition of Communication: The word communication is defined by different authors they are

According to W.H. Newman and C.F. Sumer Jr: “Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas,
opinions or emotions by two or more persons.”

According to Keith Davis: “Communication is the process of passing information and

understanding - from one person to another.”

Communication is Transmission of information + Reception + understanding Response.

According to M. T. Myers and G.E. Myers: “Communication refers to a special kind of patterning: a
patterning which is expressed in symbolic form.” For communication to take place between or
among people, two requirements must be met: (1) a symbolic system must be shared by the people
involved (we need to speak the same language or jargon or dialects) and (2) the associations
between the symbols and their referents must be shared

Objectives of Communication: The Objectives of communication are as follows

1. To obtain information: The main objective of the information is to extract the information which
will be given by the sender and received by the receiver by the help of communication channels

2. To provide the information: In this communication the sender can send the required
information to the receiver sender sends the message and receiver decodes it and grasp that
information

3. Exchange information: The main objective or goal of the communication is to exchange or

sharing the information, ideas, expressions, sounds, colors and etc. Without this primary motto the
word communication is not be fulfilled
4. To develop plan: By the help of this communication we are able to expand and develop our
individual plans, which means an effective communication can be used for successful planning
implementation. In this process it will use some communication channels.

5. Implementation of plan: The objective of the Communication is not only the developing the plan
but also implementing such plan into the any kind of organization or business and various places,
if the plan is not sufficient the meaning of communication is not satisfied

6. Coordinating: An effective communication is used to coordinate the parties and make them to
sure about their needs and objectives. For Example: If a coordinator in a company is directing in a
sufficient way the subordinates of him also will do like that.

7. Better relationship: An effective communication leads to make the friendly behavior between
the persons; if any is person good in the communication then he will be able to build a beautiful
relationship round his environment.

8. Developing the resources: The communication helps the organization to develop its resources
like Human Resources, Financial Resources and etc. that is used to make an effective negotiation
also.

Importance of Communication in Society: Society moves on human interactions and exchange of

ideas, thoughts, and feelings. Relationship builds up through communication. Communication is as
important and meaningful in individual life as in the society. Individuals make friends, builds up
relationship and lead a true social life through communicating effectively with the fellow beings.

Importance of Communication in Business: Communication is the lifeline of a business

organization. It is essential for realizing the objectives of an organization.

According to Millet “Communication is blood stream of an organization”.

Chester Barnard viewed communication as the means by which people are linked together in an
organization to achieve a common purpose.

The importance of communication can be assessed as follows:

 Communication is needed to establish and disseminate the goals of a business organization.

 The smooth and unperturbed functioning of an enterprise.

 Communication helps the organization in arriving at vital decisions.

 It also helps a lot in planning and coordination.

  It is a basic tool for motivation and an increase in the morale of the employees largely
depend upon the effectiveness of communication.

 It helps a business as means of bringing about maximum production at the lowest level by
maintaining good human relationship in the organization.

 It works as an effective link between branches of the organization situated at great distances.

 It helps in publicizing goods and services.

Q2 : What is the process of Communication ? Explain it briefly.

Communication is a continuous and dynamic process involving more than one person. It is a cyclic
process denoting continuous flow of information. It essentially involves sender, message and
recipient. The sender conceives ideas and encodes them into suitable medium (facts, figures,
pictures), sends them through appropriate channel (email, phone, speech) to the recipient. The
recipient decodes the message, understands it and encodes feedback and sends it to the sender.
The process of the Communication is as shown the below figure.

Communication Process

-------------- Encoding ------------

Feedback
Sender sends the information
Sender Receiver
(First Party)
Mediator Or Medium i.e. Channels (Second Party)
aand etc
Receiver receives the information

Feedback
-------------- Decoding ------------

Steps or Parties involved in the Communication Process: The Parties or Steps which are
involved in the communication process is as follows

1. Sender: The sender or the communicator is the person who initiates the conversation and has
conceptualized the idea that he intends to convey it to others.

2. Encoding: The sender begins with the encoding process wherein he uses certain words or non-
verbal methods such as symbols, signs, body gestures, etc. to translate the information into a
message. The sender’s knowledge, skills, perception, background, competencies, etc. has a great
impact on the success of the message.
3. Message: Once the encoding is finished, the sender gets the message that he intends to convey.
The message can be written, oral, symbolic or non-verbal such as body gestures, silence, sights,
sounds, etc. or any other signal that triggers the response of a receiver.

4. Communication Channel: The Sender chooses the medium through which he wants to convey
his message to the recipient. The choice of medium depends on the interpersonal relationships
between the sender and the receiver and also on the urgency of the message being sent. Oral,
virtual, written, sound, gesture, etc. are some of the commonly used communication mediums.

5. Receiver: The receiver is the person for whom the message is intended or targeted. He tries to
comprehend it in the best possible manner such that the communication objective is attained. The
degree to which the receiver decodes the message depends on his knowledge of the subject matter,
experience, trust and relationship with the sender.

6. Decoding: Here, the receiver interprets the sender’s message and tries to understand it in the
best possible manner. An effective communication occurs only if the receiver understands the
message in exactly the same way as it was intended by the sender.

7. Feedback: The Feedback is the final step of the process that ensures the receiver has received
the message and interpreted it correctly as it was intended by the sender. It increases the
effectiveness of the communication as it permits the sender to know the efficacy of his message. The
response of the receiver can be verbal or non-verbal.

Note: The Noise shows the barriers in communications. There are chances when the message sent
by the sender is not received by the recipient.

Q3: What are the Channels of Communication?

Introduction: Communication is central to all meaningful collaboration and teamwork.

Communication keeps a whole organization moving. There are different ways we can communicate
such as written communication, verbal communication, non-verbal communication and visual
communication. It is important that whatever type of communication we choose, the information
needs to be conveyed effectively. Various modes or medium to transmit and receive the information
is referred as “communication channels”

The above communication channels further can be categorized as:

I. Formal, Informal and Unofficial Channels:

1. Formal channels: It is an official way of communicating. A formal communication channel

transfers information such as the goals, policies and procedures of an organization. Messages in
this type of communication channel follow a chain of command. This means information flows from
a manager to his subordinates and they in turn pass on the information to the next level of staff.
Some examples include company newsletters, business plans, instructions, annual reports,
agreements, company-wide communications, board presentations etc.

2. Informal channels: It is also an official way of communicating; there may not be a need for a
chain of command or hierarchy in this kind of communication. There will be immense official
communication where such hierarchy or command is not needed, but they happen within the
official framework. Some examples will include conversations on the work floor addressing queries
of team members, lunch time conversations, many of the emails where formal command is not
needed such as someone is seeking some quick information etc.

3. Unofficial channel: There exists an unofficial mode of communication as well. The employees
communicate outside work environment on topics not related to work. General social, sports,
political and personal communication are unofficial channels. But a manager needs to be aware
about the existence of such a channel and information flowing in them. Many times rumors and
gossips also provide very important information which otherwise will not be available.

II. Modern Communication Channels:

1. Face-to-Face or Personal Communication: Face-to-face or personal communication is one of

the richest channels of communication that can be used within an organization. Physical presence,
the tone of the speaker's voice and facial expressions help recipients of a message interpret that
message as the speaker intends. A speaker can evaluate whether an audience has received his
message as intended and ask or answer follow-up questions.

2. Broadcast Media Communications: TV, radio and loud speakers all fall within the broadcast
media communication channel. These types of media should be used when addressing a mass
audience. Businesses seeking to notify customers of a new product may advertise or do promotions
using a broadcast channel. Similarly, a CEO may do a global company address by having a
television feed broadcast across global sites. When a message intended for a mass audience can be
enhanced by being presented in a visual or auditory format, a broadcast channel should be used.

3. Mobile Communications Channels: A mobile communication channel should be used when a

private or more complex message needs to be relayed to an individual or small group. A mobile
channel allows for an interactive exchange and gives the recipient the added benefit of interpreting
the speaker's tone along with the message.

4. Electronic Communications Channels: Electronic communication channels encompass email,

Internet, intranet and social media platforms. This channel can be used for one-on-one, group or
mass communication. It is a less personal method of communication but more efficient. When
using this channel, care must be taken to craft messages with clarity and to avoid the use of
sarcasm and innuendo unless the message specifically calls for it.

5. Written Methods of Communication: Written communication should be used when a message

that does not require interaction needs to be communicated to an employee or group. Policies,
letters, memos, manuals, notices and announcements are all messages that work well for this
channel. Recipients may follow up through an electronic or face-to-face channel if questions arise
about a written message.

Q4 : What is Oral Communication ? Mention the Advantages and Disadvantages of it.

Introduction: Oral communication: Oral Communication is the process of communication in which

messages or information is exchanged or communicated within sender and receiver through the
word of mouth

Characteristics or preconditions or essentials of oral communication: Good oral

communication must have some characteristics as follows

1. Clearness: The speech of the communicator must be clear in oral communication. Language
should be easy and understandable.

2. Pre-planned: Before communicating orally the speaker should take the proper plan of the
subject matter of the communication.

3. Conciseness: The speech of oral communication should be concise and meaningful. Short but
informative speech makes the communication effective.

4. Attractive: The message or the speech of the sender should be attractive. The receiver gives
more attention to attractive speech.

5. Realistic: The speech of oral communication must be realistic and relevant to the subject
matter. Irrelevant an unnecessary speech should be avoided.

6. Free form error: Another pre-condition of successful oral communication is that the message
must be free from all kinds of errors. Errorless speech makes the communication fruitful.

7. Consideration for the receiver: The communication should consider the receiver’s status,
knowledge, educational qualification and desire. That is to say the speaker must be receiver
oriented.

Oral communication Channels: They are may be classified broadly in two categories they are

I. Non-Mechanical Channels II. Mechanical Channels

 Oral Communication Channels

Non Mechanical Channels Mechanical Channels

Conversation Interview Does Speech Group Discussion Conference….

Telephone Tele - Conferencing Video - Conferencing Radio & etc.

(Source: www.businesscommunicationflatform.com)

I.Non-mechanical channels:

1. Conversation: conversation means the informal discussion among the people. When one person
discusses his views, opinion to another person and exchanges their views in the presence of both
then it is called face to face conversation. In this method, both the information receiver and sender
can exchange their views freely and fairly

2. Interview: This is a meeting between two or more persons for the purpose of getting a view of
each other or for knowing each other. Its first, the speaker asks questions to the listener and then
the listener answers the question.

Examples: There are three major techniques of interview. Direct questioning, Non-directive
interview and Guided interview

3. Does speech: Speech means what the speaker says in front of the audience. It is a fully
audience-oriented system. Generally, the political leaders, the managers, the businessman or the
workers leaders use this system sometimes. In needs to considerable skills otherwise, it is not
effective.

4. Group discussion: Group discussion is a popular method of oral communication. Management

arranges group discussion to take a decision on a special matter. Group discussion is very helpful
to human relation, idea getting an idea development and training.
5. Formal training courses: Effective communication can be performed through formal training
courses. It is a widely used technique of oral communication.

6. Meeting: Meeting means the formal group discussion about a specific predetermined topic or
subject. Meeting members to get together and discuss a problem or issue or a special matter.
Examples: There are several types of meeting such as ; Security meeting, Minutes meeting, Social
meeting, General meeting and etc.

7. Counseling: Counseling is an effective medium of oral communication. Generally, it held yearly

or bi-yearly. It is adopted by the higher authority for their followers.

8. Committee: Committee is an organization. The committee meeting is a popular technique of oral

communication.

9. Lectures: Lecture is used to create an understanding of a topic or to influence behavior,

attitudes of the trainee through spoken words.

II. Non-Mechanical Communication:

1. Telephone: The Telephone plays a vital role in communication when the two persons stay in
different places they communicate with each other by telephone. Nowadays we can see that every
organization is using the telephone to exchange the information and views orally. Mobile or cell
phone: A mobile phone (also known as a cellular phone, cell phone, and a hand phone) is a portable
telephone that connects to the telephone network over the radio wave transmission.

2. Radio: Radio is the indirect media of oral communication. It is a one-way communication

system. The receiver can only hear the message from the sender. The receiver cannot reply.

3. Television: Television is also the indirect media of oral communication. It is a one-way

communication system. Here, receiver cans here the messages and side by side see the sender. The
receiver cannot reply.

4. Video conference: Video conference is a kind of teleconferencing communication where people

staying in different corner or locations and participate in a face-to-face group meeting or group
discussion through the help of electronic video camera technology.

5. Teleconferencing: Teleconferencing is a kind of communication where people staying in different

corner or locations and participate in group meetings.

Advantages of oral communication: Oral communication involves many advantages. In a recent

survey about communication it is clear that more than 55% of the executives choose this
communication. The advantages of oral communication are as follows
1. Time saving: When action is required to be taken immediately it is best to transmit a message
orally. If the executive’s workload is high then they stop writing and by oral instructions, they
complete their message transmission and released their workload and also it saves time.

2. Cost savings: Cost is involved in any communication. When the communication is needed within
the organization and if it and is completed in orally, it has not needed any paper, pen or stamp or
computer. So it saves the money of the organization.

3. More powerful: Speech is a more powerful means of persuasion and control. Therefore,
executives often prefer to transmit messages orally.

4. Effectiveness: With the help of variations in the tone, pitch, and intensity of voice, the speaker
can convey shades of meaning. This factor also contributes to the effectiveness of oral
communication.

5. Immediate feedback: The speaker can get immediate feedback on whether it is creating a
favorable impression on the receiver or not.

6. More suitable: The employees felt more suitable when the message transmits in orally. They get
an opportunity for feedback and clarification.

7. Relationship develops: Oral communication is mostly carried out helps to promote friendly
relations between the parties communicating with each other.

Disadvantages of oral communication: Oral communication contains many advantages, Inspit

there are some disadvantages which are as follows

1. No record: In oral communication, messages are difficult to record. So it is impossible to

preserve the message for the future.

2. Expensive: It is also expensive media of communication. Sometimes the audience can be

managed by paying .A and D.A. On the other hand Technological devices that are used in this
system are costly.

3. Distortion of the word: If distortion of the word occurs in oral communication, then main goals
of the organization may be filed

4. Inaccuracy: There is very possibility of inaccurate messages to reach the destination. So, the
reverse result of expected plan may be occurred.

6. Probability of omitting main subject: Sometimes, main subject may be omitted to express a
word for communicating. So, expected result may not be achieved.
7. Confused speech: Sometimes the receiver fails to understand the meaning of a message due to
habitual productions of the speaker.

Q5 : What is written Communication ? Explain Advantages and Disadvantages of it

Introduction: The communication which is performed through any written document is called
written communication. When messages or information is exchanged or communicated in written
form is called written communication. It is a word based communication system. Memos, letters,
reports, notes, email etc. Is used to transmit meaning in written communication. There are two
types of written communication.

Formal communication: Like official letters, business letters, circulars, notices, pamphlets and
leaflets, press releases and press reports, reports of departmental heads and auditor's
questionnaires, manuals, bulletins, newsletters, house journals. Etc.

Informal communication: Like personal letters and personal essays.

The Medias of written communication: The Medias of the Written Communication can be as
shown in the below figure

Written Communication Channels

Media for the Management Media for the Employees

Bulletin News Copy Management report Note Book Publications

Newspapers Publications Notice Complain Book Internal Circular

A. Media of written communication to management: it is discussed as follows

1. Special management bulletin: The bulletin which is issued for emergency matters related to
management are called special management bulletin. This kind of bulletin must be published
promptly.

2. Management news copy: The less important management issues are published in this news
copy. Generally, this new copy is published weekly.

3. Formal management report: Formal management report is one of the most important media of
written communication to management. It emphasizes the upward communication.

4. Officer’s notebook or handbook: Sometimes high officials are given handbooks by the company
in which rules, procedures, principles, work facilities are stated. It acts as a guide of the officer.

5. Publications: Some organizations publish special journals or publications for the high-level
officer. It provides officers information about lost-reduces, safety system, decreases of accident,
improvement of quality etc.

B. Media of written communication for employees: It is discussed as follows

1. Bulletin for employees: Bulletin is published to inform the employees of emergency and
important matters within a very short time. Generally, it is hanging on a notice board.

2. Newspaper: Newspaper is a widely used medium to communicate with employees. Company’s

planning, policy, procedure objectives, problems is published in it to inform employees. Generally, it
is published weekly.

3. Publication of monthly paper: Some large companies publish it to inform everything to the
employees. The company’s role and plan are also stated here.

4. Letters: Letter is one of the most important media of written communication for employees.
Sometimes the higher authority sends letter to the employee without asking any response.

5. Employee’s notebook: Sometimes the management supplies notebook to the employees in

which speech of executives, history of the organization, planning, policy, order for the work are
stated.

6. Reading rack: Necessary books for the employees can be arranged on the shelf so that they can
read and get knowledge.

7. Notice: Notice is an important medium to communicate with employees. By which the employees
are invited to attend a special meeting.
8. Internal circular: It is one of the most important media of written communication. It is used for
internal communication. When all the employees are informed at a time, internal circular is used.

9. Daily Newspaper: Daily newspaper is used to warn the employees due to a long absence from
the organization. Sometimes it is used as a precious notice before termination.

10. Complain Book: A complains book can be kept in a definite place so that the employees can
write their complaints about it.

11. Memo: Memo is a popular medium of internal written communication. A memo is a short form
of letter usually used to communicate with the employees of the same organization.

12. Report: Report is an organized statement of facts and findings that contains information
obtained by proper inquiry and examination and evaluation of any past event relating to a
particular subject or problem that helps to decision making.

13. Other media: Salary envelope, annual financial reports or statements, Note sheets, Question
box, Essay competition etc.

Advantages of written communication: There are some advantages in written Communication

they are as follows

1. Easy to preserve: The documents of written communication are easy to preserve. Oral and non-
verbal communication cannot be preserved. If it is needed, important information can be collected
from the preserved documents.

2. Easy presentation of complex matter: Written communication is the best way to represent any
complex matter easily and attractively.

3. Permanent record: The documents of written communication act as a permanent record. When
it is needed, important information can be easily collected from the preserved documents.

4. Prevention of wastage of time and money: Written communication prevents the waste of
money and time. Without meeting with each other the communicator and communicate can
exchange their views.

5. Accurate presentation: Through the documents of the written communication top executive can
present the information more accurately and clearly. As it is a legal document everybody takes
much care does draft it.

6. Use as a reference: If it is needed, written communication can be used as future reference.

7. Delegation of authority: Written communication can help the authority to delegate the power
and authority to the subordinate. It is quite impossible to delegate power without a written
document.

8. Effective communication: Written communication helps to make communication effective. It is

more dependable and effective than those of other forms of communication.

9. Maintaining image: Written communication helps to maintain the images of both the person
and the organization. It also protects the images of the company or organization.

10. Proper information: It is a proper and complete communication system. There is no

opportunity to include any unnecessary information in a written document.

Disadvantages of written communication: The limitations and disadvantages of written

communication are given below

1. Expensive: Written communication is comparatively expensive. For this communication paper,

pen, ink, typewriter, computer and a large number of employees are needed.

2. Time consuming: Written communication takes time to communicate with others. It is a time
consuming media. It costs the valuable time of both the writer and the reader.

3. Useless for illiterate person: It messages receiver is illiterate, written communication is quite
impossible. This is major disadvantage written communication.

4. Difficult to maintain secrecy: It is an unexpected medium to keep business secrecy. Secrecy is

not always possible to maintain through written communication. Because here needs to discuss
everything in black and white.

5. Lack of flexibility: Since writing documents cannot be changed easily at any time. Lack of
flexibility is one of the most important limitations of written communication.

6. Delay in response: It takes much time to get a response from the message receiver; prompt
response is not possible in case of written communication that is possible in oral communication.

7. Delay in decision making: Written communication takes much time to communicate with all
the parties concerned. So the decision maker cannot take decisions quickly.

8. Cost in record keeping: It is very difficult and expensive to keep all the records in written
communication.

9. Complex words: Sometimes the writer uses complex words in writing a message. It becomes
difficult to meaning out to the reader. So the objectives of the communication may lose.
Q6: What are the difference between Oral Communication and Written Communication ?

The key differences between oral and written communication are as follows:

1. Transmission Type:

Oral Communication: In oral or verbal communication, messages or opinions are exchanged or

transmitted verbally (spoken words.)

Written Communication: In written communication, messages or information are transmitted in

written format.

2. Verification:

Oral Communication: It cannot be verified because there is no record of verbal communication.

Written Communication: It can be easily verified because there is proper record of written
communication.

3. Speed:

Oral Communication: Information are exchanged very fast in oral communication.

Written Communication: It takes more time for the transmission of message.

4. Literacy:

Oral Communication: Literacy is not required for verbal communication.

Written Communication: Literacy is very important in written communication.

5. Feedback:

Oral Communication: Immediate feedback is possible in verbal or oral communication.

Written Communication: Immediate feedback is not possible in written communication. It takes

some time.

6. Cost:

Oral Communication: It is very economical.

Written Communication: It is expensive than verbal communication.

7. Revision of Message:

Oral Communication: Revision of message before delivering is not possible in oral communication.
Written Communication: Revision of message before delivering is possible in written
communication.

8. Usefulness:

Oral Communication: Verbal communication is useful when recipient is near.

Written Communication: It is useful if the recipient is at distant.

9. Misunderstanding:

Oral Communication: There is high chance of misunderstanding,

Written Communication: There is very less chance of misunderstanding in this type of

communication.

10. Legal Evidence:

Oral Communication: Verbal or oral communication cannot be used as legal evidence.

Written Communication: It can be used as legal evidence if required.

11. Examples:

Oral Communication: Telephone conversation, lecture, face to face talk etc.

Written Communication: Letter, bulletin, e-mail, fax etc.

Q7 : What is Audio-Visual Communication ? Explain Advantages and Disadvantages of it.

Introduction: Audio-Visual Communication is the use of a medium which combines audio and
visual content with the purpose of transmitting certain information to the audience. The
information which contains audio and visual effect is to be sharing from one person to another
person is known as the Audio-Visual Communication.

Definition: “The Speaker or Sender sends the information in the form of audio and also the visual
effect is known as the Audio-Visual Communication”

Forms of Audio-Visual Communication: The Audio-Visual Communication is going to be shared

in the form of different ways such as Power Point Presentation, Movies, Graphical Videos, YouTube
Videos, Editing Videos and etc.

Requirements for Audio-Visual Communication: The Audio-Visual Communication will effective

when the following mechanisms are be installed, mechanism are Projector in case of the PowerPoint
Presentation, Speakers, Mike settings, Dias, Wireless Microphones and etc.
Types Of Audio Visual Communication: The following types are using by the people nowadays for
the Audio-Visual Communication

Media for Audio-Visual Communication

Industrial wise Channels Entertainment Wise Channels

PPT Presentations Graphs & Pictures Graphical Wonders Video Conferencing

Videos YouTube Videos Editing Videos AV Wonders

I. Industry wise Channels: If you see the Industry wise Channels there are so many things Mostly
So many Politicians, Students, Lectures, Business People, and others prefer to do the Audio-Visual
Communication in the form of Power Point Presentations, Visual Wonders and Video Conferencing
while giving the seminars and etc. They are discussed as follows

1. PPT Presentations: The PPT is an acronym for the Power Point Presentation, which contains
Pictures, Videos, Audios and Graphs and etc. While giving this type of Presentation the speaker
should aware about the usage of such kind of Presentations and mechanisms. Business persons
will give a seminar about the new projects of the company by using this type of PPTs, Politians are
also used it. Generally the Power Point Presentation contains the following things they are

(A) Pictures: The Pictures are widely used in Power Point Presentations for the effective
communication, there are two ways for the adding the pictures one is pre-installed pictures adding
and browsing or created pictures adding.

(B) Videos: The content what we are saying that to be recorded or stored in the video that is able to
add in the Power Point Presentation
(C) Graphs: Sometime we have to say the pictures in the form of Graphs model in such case we
prefer to use the Power Point Presentation to communicate effectively

(D) Audios: The speaker is able to add the Audio of his content into the Power Point Presentation;
there are some additional mechanisms for adding the audio into the Power Point Presentation

(E) Other Techniques: There are some other techniques for Power Point Presentations they are
Slide Styles, Transforming effects, and etc.

2. Graphs & Pictures with Audio Effect: Generally we need to present our content in the form of
Graphs and pictures in such cases if we present them with some additional techniques that will be
more effective and attractive. If we submit the pictures and Graphs without any audio effect that
wouldn’t be Audio Visual Communication.

3. Graphical Wonders: The technology is being developed in the form of it our presentation also be
like it. There are number of ways for communicating with the people, now a day’s children and also
adults also willing to watch the graphical content for them it is easy to understand.

4. Video Conferencing with AV effects: This is possible when the speaker is unable to present in
front of the audience, the speaker can attract with his audiences through the Video Conferencing.

II. Entertainment Purpose Channels: There are some channels which are being used by the
people for the purpose of entertainment. There some pre uploaded videos for communicating. The
channels are discussed as follows

1. You Tube: You Tube is well known for everybody to find out the any kind of information in the
form of video with also Audio. There are number of techniques to create such kind of videos such as
Applications, and Programming techniques etc.

2. Editing Videos: We have to edit the videos for the purpose of the Communication by using
techniques. The speaker should aware while making the videos for communicating with his
audience.

3. Audio-Visual Videos: Audio-Visual Videos in the sense the videos contains not only video and
audio that also contain some visual effects to extract the content of the video easily.

Advantages of Audio-Visual Communication: When action is required to be taken efficiently it is

best to transmit a message orally. There are so many advantages by using the Audio Visual
Communications they are discussed as follows

1. More powerful: Presentation is a more powerful means of persuasion and control. Therefore,
executives often prefer to transmit messages orally.
2. Effectiveness: With the help of variations in the Presentation and speech, the speaker can
convey shades of meaning. This factor also contributes to the effectiveness of oral communication.

3. Immediate feedback: The speaker can get immediate feedback on whether it is creating a
favorable impression on the receiver or not.

4. Easy explanation: Everyone can explain the meaning of it very easily. Easy explanation has
made the visual techniques more popular.

5. Simple presentation: Complex information, data and figures and audio can be easily presented
very simply on graphs, pictures and diagrams.

6. Prevents wastage of time: Visual techniques help to prevent the wastage of time. Written and
oral communication takes much time to exchange information. But number of receivers can be
communicated at a time through audio visual methods.

7. Helps in quick decision: Audio Visual communication helps to take quick decision. So
management prefers visual techniques to communicate with others.

8. Popular: Audio-visual communication is very much popular because people do not like much
speech and long explanation rather than a chart of a diagram and also it contains audio.

9. Others: Artful presentation, Ads impact to the information, quicker understanding.

Disadvantages of Audio Visual Communications: There are some limitations of Audio visual
communication as follows

1. Costly: The visual methods of communication are more costly than those of other methods. To
draw maps, charts, diagram is costly and creating videos applying audios also difficult. That is why
only large company or organization can use this technique.
2. Complex presentation: Sometimes visual presentation of information becomes complex. The
receivers cannot understand the meaning of the presentation.

3. Incomplete method: This technique is considered as an incomplete method. Visual presentation

is not sufficient to communicate effectively and clearly but also it can be successfully used with oral
communication.

4. Wastage of time: Sometimes visual techniques take much time to communicate. Whereas oral
communication takes no time to exchange information.

5. Difficult to prepare it: The Audio Visual Communication is not sufficient manner to present in
case the speaker doesn't know how to use the technology of the Presentations
6. Difficult to understand: Difficult to understand and requires a lot of repetitions in Audio visual
communication. Since it uses gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, touch etc. for
communicating with others which may not be understandable for the simple and foolish people.

7. Problem for general readers: General people are not prefers to communicate through Audio
visual communication with others. Sometimes it cannot create an impression upon people or
listeners. It is less influential and cannot be used everywhere.

Q8 : What is the important of Silence in communication?

Introduction: Silence is an important communication tool. Ironically, people consider silence as the
absence of communication. Actually, silence can be used as an effective communication tool.

According to one study: “Only 7% of the total communication is non-verbal. Rest is all
communicated through other means. Silence is one of them”

In communication, silence helps in the following manner:

1. To encourage the other person to speak- Inevitably so, communication is a

bilateral/multilateral process. If you do not decide to go silent for some time, the other person does
not get opportunity to speak. For effective bilateral communication, silence is therefore, a
prerequisite.

2. To allow the processing of thoughts: People normally, become silent when they are thinking
deep. Hence, moments of silence allow you to better retrieval of information stored in the mind and
you understand the idea better

3. To facilitate listening: Whether it is to others or to yourself, you can listen only if you go silent.
The inner self also becomes active during silence only.

Silence Theory for Communication: There is theory for communication which is stated as follows

Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann; Creator of Silence theory in communication

Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann, the German political scientist contributes the famous model called
“Spiral of Silence”. Here, Adolf Hitler dominated the whole society and the minority Jews became
silent due to the fear of separation.

Theory: The people fear of separation or isolation those around them, they tend to keep their
attitudes to themselves when they think they are in the minority. This process is called “Spiral of
Silence”.
Example: In a company, the managing director decides to increase their working hour from 8 to 10
and send e-mail to all employees. Majority of them accept this time changes and few employees are
not satisfied with his decision. But they cannot or ready to express their thought publicly. Because

1. They may feel unsupported by the other employees.

2. “Fear of isolation” likes transfer

3. “Fear of Rejection” By rejecting their personal opinion from the public will help to avoid fight.

4. They may try to save their job by suppressing or avoid personal statement in public.

They frame work based on few assumptions:

1. Spiral of silence theory describe as a dynamic process, the predication about public opinion in
mass media which gives more coverage for the majorities in the society and gives very less coverage
for minorities.

2. In this social environment, People have fear of rejection to express their opinion or views and they
known well what behaviors will make a better likelihood. It’s called “fear of Isolation”.

3. Being the part of Minority. People loss their confidence and silent or mute to express their views
because of the fear of isolation or they feel alone or unsupported.

4. Sometimes the minorities withdraw their expressed opinion from public debates to secure
themselves from the majority.

5. Maximum numbers get more vocal space in the society and lesser number become less vocal
space or become silent.

Position of theory: There are some advantages and disadvantages of this theory they are

1. Spiral of Silence theory has both micro level and macro level explanatory process.

2. It works well during the public campaign, Senate and Parliament.

3. Spiral of silence theory which helps to raise question about considering the role and
responsibility of media in the society.

4. The theory which is not considering the other explanation of silencing. In some cases the person
may feel the majority’s ideas or opinion is much better than his own view.

5. It portrait overly negative view of media influence the average people.

Q9 : What is the role of Communication in Business ?

Role of Communication in Business: Business communication occurs between two or more

parties to exchange business related information. The success of a business depends on the efficacy
of business communication. For this, communication is regarded as the lifeblood of business. The
role or importance of business communication is discussed below

1. Exchanging information: Communication is mainly the exchange of information between two or

more parties. Through communication, organizations exchange information with internal and
external parties. Communication also brings dynamism in organizational activities and helps in
attaining goals.

2. Preparing plans and policies: Communication helps in preparing organizational plans and
policies. Realistic plans and policies require adequate and relevant information. The managers
collect required information from reliable sources through communication.

3. Execution of plans and plaices: For timely implementation of plans and policies, managers
must disseminate those in the whole organization. In order to disseminate the plans and policies to
the internal and external parties, managers rely on communication.

4. Increasing employee’s efficiency: Communication also helps in increasing the efficiency of

employees. With the help of communication, organizational objectives, plans, policies, rules,
directives and other complex matters explain to the employees that broaden their knowledge and
thus help them to be efficient.

5. Achieving goals: Effective communication helps the employees at all levels to be conscious and
attentive. It ensures timely accomplishment of jobs and easy achievement of goals.

6. Solving problems: Through various communication channels, the managers can be informed of
various routine and non-time problems of the organization and accordingly they take the necessary
actions of steps to solve the problems.

7. Making decisions: Making timely decisions requires updated information. Through effective
communication, managers can collect information from different corners and can make the right
decisions.

8. Improving industrial relation: Industrial relation is the relation between workers and
management in the workplace. Good industrial relation is always desired for business success.
Communication plays a vital role in creating and maintaining good industrial relation.
9. Publicity of goods and services: In the modern age, business is becoming highly competitive.
Almost very competing manufacturer produces products of common consumption. However, all of
them cannot sell equally well. The organization that can communicate better, can also sell better.

10. Removing controversies: Effective communication allows smooth flow of information among
various parties involved in the negotiation or transaction. As a result, conflicts, controversies and
disagreements can be resolved easily.

11. Enhancing employee satisfaction: If there is free and fair flow of information in the
organization, it will certainly bring mutual understanding between management and workers. Such
understanding enhances the satisfaction of employees.

12. Enhancing loyalty: Effective communication helps the managers to be aware of the
performance of their subordinates. In such a situation, the subordinates try to show their good
performance. Later on, if management praises their performance, it will enhance employees’ loyalty.

******

Note I: The media of communication is nothing but Oral Communication, Written Communication
and Audio Visual Communication.

Note II: For the understanding purpose “THE ROLE OF THE COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS”
Question is examined at the end of the Unit I
 UNIT II : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Q1 : What is Listening and Explain briefly about the Dynamic Listening Skills?

Introduction: Listening is the ability to accurately receive and interpret messages in the
communication process. Listening is key to all effective communication. Without the ability to listen
effectively, messages are easily misunderstood. As a result, communication breaks down and the
sender of the message can easily become frustrated or irritated. If there is one communication skill
you should aim to listen it.

Listening is just not the same as hearing. Hearing simply refers to the sounds that we usually hear
while when it is about listening, it requires more than just hearing. It requires us to focus, paying
attention not only to the story but how the story has been told, language usage and voice, and also
that how the other person makes use of his or her body.

Definition : The Listening is defined as follows

Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen : "The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to
listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention"

Mark Twain very well said: “If we were supposed to talk more than we listen, we would have two
tongues and one ear.”

Listening amount in Communication: The importance of Listening in Communication is higher

than any kind of aspects they are as shown in the below figure

Listening Plays Vital Role in Communication

9%

45% 16%
%

30%

Approaches to Listening: Listening can be classified from a mere show-off to the wholehearted act

1. Pretending to listen: In such listening the listener faces the speaker, across the table or on the
phone line, as long as he speaks and then switches off without registering the message.
2. Selective listening: This is the case when one edits the message as takable and not takable. In
the case of an important message, selective listening leads to partial fulfillment of the instructions.

3. Superficial listening: This is the case when the listener takes in only the words but not the
spirit of the message. (Some writers classify this as attentive listening but this is an ironical term.
In the normal sense attentive listening is good, while in this technical sense, “attentive listening”
means a mere show off of listening.

4. Emphatic listening: This term conveys full emphasis on the act of listening and taking in the
entire message in word and spirit. The listener takes in the tone, the pauses, and the body language
related to the words. The listener‟s openness makes him ready to be influenced.

5. Dynamic (mutually creative) listening: Here, listening is a creative process in which the
listener contributes to the meaning that is being conveyed. He adds his energy to that of the
speaker to generate “synergy.” Collective acts are achieved through dynamic listening. It helps to
bring out the best in the speaker.

6. Intuitive listening: Intuition, hunch or sixth sense is the power that is above reason. It leads to
a direct insight into the truth. Intuition is nurtured when one listens to high quality music or finds
natural or meditative solitude. A good mother knows a child‟s mood by intuitive listening.

Dynamic Listening Skills: The skills which are to be required in the Listening are called as
Listening Skills, If you want become an effective listener then you must be aware about the
following Listening Skills the effective Listening Skills are also known as Dynamic Listening Skills

1. Allow the speaker to speak without interruptions: Mark Twain very well said, “If we were
supposed to talk more than we listen, we would have two tongues and one ear.” You should not talk
but listen when someone else is talking. Just do not interrupt, finish their sentences or talk over
them.

2. Be Concentrate: All your focus should be on your speaker. You must put all the other things
out of your mind so that your mind is not distracted.

3. Encourage the speaker’s speech: Make use of the gestures to encourage the speaker to
continue talking. It is suggested to maintain the eye contact but not to stare at all. Just show that
you are listening and understanding what is being said.

4. Try to avoid unnecessary things: You should not doodle, shuffle the papers, and look out of the
window or anything similar. Try to avoid unnecessary interruptions. This kind of behavior disrupts
the process of listening.
5. Patience: Have patience and let the speaker complete what he wants to communicate. It is
because at times it takes time to formulate what is to say and how to say. Don‟t interpret or finish a
sentence for anyone.

6. Grasp the intention of speaker: A good speaker is the one that makes use of both the tone and
the volume to take their advantage and this is what keeps the audience attentive and alive. Almost
everybody makes use of the tone, pitch and volume in certain situations. Let all this facilitate you in
order to understand what is being emphasized.

7. Receive the new ideas: One of the most difficult parts of listening is the capability to link up the
information pieces in order to reveal the ideas of other people. It can be done easily by paying
proper concentration, and letting go off the distractions.

8. Non-Verbal Communication: We do not listen with ears only but we also pay attention to the
non-verbal communication as well. You should wait and try to make sense out of what is not said.

Q2: What is the Process of Listening and explain it briefly

There are Six Stages in the Listening Process They are hearing, attending, understanding,
remembering, evaluating, and responding. These stages occur in sequence, but they generally
performed with little awareness an often rapid succession. The stages of the of the Listening Process
is as shown in the below figure

Hearing Attention Understand Remember Evaluating

Process of Listening Responding

Stage 1 : Hearing: It refers to the response caused by sound waves stimulating the sensory
receptors of the ear; it is physical response; hearing is perception of sound waves; you must hear to
listen, but you need not listen to hear (perception necessary for listening depends on attention

Stage 2 : Attention: Brain screens stimuli and permits only a select few to come into focus- these
selective perception is known as attention, an important requirement for effective listening; strong
stimuli like bright lights, sudden noise…are attention getters; attention to more commonplace or
less striking stimuli requires special effort; postural adjustments are aided by physical changes in
sensory receptor organs; receptor adjustments might include tensing of the ear´s tympanic muscle
for better response to weak sounds

Stage 3 : Understanding: To understand symbols we have seen and heard, we must analyze the
meaning of the stimuli we have perceived; symbolic stimuli are not only words but also sounds like
applause… and sights like blue uniform…that have symbolic meanings as well; the meanings
attached to these symbols are a function of our past associations and of the context in which the
symbols occur; for successful interpersonal communication, the listener must understand the
intended meaning and the context assumed by the sender.

Stage 4 : Remembering: It is important listening process because it means that an individual has
not only received and interpreted a message but has also added it to the mind‟s storage bank; but
just as our attention is selective, so too is our memory- what is remembered may be quite different
from what was originally seen or heard.

Stage 5 : Evaluating: It is a stage in which active listeners participate; it is at these point that the
active listener weighs evidence, sorts fact from opinion, and determines the presence or absence of
bias or prejudice in a message; the effective listener makes sure that he or she doesn‟t begin this
activity too soon ; beginning this stage of the process before a message is completed requires that
we no longer hear and attend to the incoming message-as a result, the listening process ceases

Stage 6 : Responding: This stage requires that the receiver complete the process through verbal
and/or nonverbal feedback; because the speaker has no other way to determine if a message has
been received, this stage becomes the only overt means by which the sender may determine the
degree of success in transmitting the message.

Q6 : What are the different types of the Listening ?

Here are several types of listening, starting with basic discrimination of sounds and ending in deep
communication.

1. Discriminative listening: Discriminative listening is the most basic type of listening, whereby
the difference between difference sounds is identified. If you cannot hear differences, then you
cannot make sense of the meaning that is expressed by such differences.

2. Comprehension listening: The next step beyond discriminating between different sound and
sights is to make sense of them. The same is true, of course, for the visual components of
communication, and an understanding of body language helps us understand what the other
person is really meaning. Comprehension listening is also known as content listening, informative
listening and full listening.
3. Critical listening: Critical listening is listening in order to evaluate and judge, forming opinion
about what is being said. Judgment includes assessing strengths and weaknesses, agreement and
approval.

4. Biased listening: Biased listening happens when the person hears only what they want to hear,
typically misinterpreting what the other person says based on the stereotypes and other biases that
they have. Such biased listening is often very evaluative in nature.

5. Evaluative listening: In evaluative listening, or critical listening, we make judgments about

what the other person is saying. We seek to assess the truth of what is being said. We also judge
what they say against our values, assessing them as good or bad, worthy or unworthy. Evaluative
listening is also called critical, judgmental or interpretive listening.

6. Appreciative listening: In appreciative listening, we seek certain information which will

appreciate, for example that which helps meet our needs and goals. We use appreciative listening
when we are listening to good music, poetry or maybe even the stirring words of a great leader.

7. Sympathetic listening: In sympathetic listening we care about the other person and show this
concern in the way we pay close attention and express our sorrow for their ills and happiness at
their joys.

8. Empathetic listening: When we listen empathetically, we go beyond sympathy to seek a truer

understand how others are feeling. This requires excellent discrimination and close attention to the
nuances of emotional signals.

9. Therapeutic listening: In therapeutic listening, the listener has a purpose of not only
empathizing with the speaker but also to use this deep connection in order to help the speaker
understand, change or develop in some way.

10. Dialogic listening: The word dialogue stems from the Greek words 'dia', meaning “through”
and “logos” meaning “words”. Thus dialogic listening mean learning through conversation and an
engaged interchange of ideas and information in which we actively seek to learn more about the
person and how they think. Dialogic listening is sometimes known as Relational listening

11. Relationship listening: Sometimes the most important factor in listening is in order to develop
or sustain a relationship. This is why lovers talk for hours and attend closely to what each other
has to say when the same words from someone else would seem to be rather boring.

Q4 : What are the different traits of a good listener Or What are Listening Skills Traits ?
Steps to Become a Good Listener: Some people are very good at speaking, telling their stories and
being able to inspire others. But being a good listener is often more important than speaking. It
gives a deeper level of understanding about someone‟s situation, and helps to know what words are
best to use and what words should be avoided.

Here are 11 steps to improve your listening skills.

Step 1: A good listener is attentive. They make good eye contact, don‟t interrupt what the other
person is saying and show an interest in what is being communicated. There‟s always something
incredible you can hear in anyone‟s story.

Step 2: A good listener does not look over the shoulder of the person that‟s speaking, waiting for
someone more interesting to come along.

Step 3: A good listener does not check their phone or tablet in the middle of a conversation, when
someone is sharing with them.

Step 4: A good listener is not waiting for their chance to get a word in, treating the „period of
listening‟ as a pause in their “monologue”. Being so focused on trying to get ones view over is
insensitive and misses the real value in the conversation.

Step 5: A good listener uses positive body language; leaning forward and showing an enthusiastic,
relaxed nature. They don‟t fidget, cross arms, look elsewhere or express inappropriate shock or
disbelief at what‟s shared.

Step 6: A good listener does not hurry somebody, but asks good questions to guide the sharing.
They guide and help shape what‟s being shared, but if the other person feels cut off or squashed
they‟ve failed.

Step 7: A good listener does not approach a conversation with prejudice, expecting to know what‟s
going to come out of the speaker‟s lips. They don‟t listen with a pre-formed opinion but attempt to
have an open mind to what‟s being communicated. It‟s amazing how much time is wasted with the
belief that people understand what someone means without taking the effort and time to listen.

Step 8: A good listener cares. They show empathy for what the other person has to say. It‟s
genuine, authentic and comes from a place of truthful concern.

Step 9: A good listener remembers. They remember and follow up conversations wherever possible.
They treat what is shared with respect and where appropriate ongoing interaction.
Good speakers don‟t always make the best listeners. But a speaker, who knows how to be a good
listener, has a profound impact on someone who simply likes the sound of their own voice. Good
listeners earn the right to speak, because they are sharing more than their own experiences.

Q5 : What are the various types of the Communication ?

There are Two Types of the Communication, they are as shown in the below figure

Types of the Communication

Verbal Communication Non-Verbal Communication

Interpersonal Intrapersonal Small Group Public

Communication Communication Communication Communication

Body Language Proxemics Paralanguage Visual Communication

Gestures Postures Touch Eye Contact Facial Expression

I. Verbal Communication: When messages or information is exchanged or communicated through

words is called verbal communication. Verbal communication may be two types: written and oral
communication. Verbal communication takes place through face-to-face conversations, group
discussions, counseling, interview, radio, television, calls, memos, letters, reports, notes, email, etc.

Definition: The definition of verbal communication is as follows

According to Bovee and others: “Verbal communication is the expression of information through
language which is composed of words and grammar”

Types of Verbal Communication: Verbal communication includes sounds, words, language, and
speech. Speaking is an effective way of communicating and helps in expressing our emotions in
words. This form of communication is further classified into four types, which are

1. Intrapersonal Communication: This form of communication is extremely private and restricted

to ourselves. It includes the silent conversations we have with ourselves, wherein we juggle roles
between the sender and receiver who are processing our thoughts and actions. This process of
communication when analyzed can either be conveyed verbally to someone or stay confined as
thoughts.

2. Interpersonal Communication: This form of communication takes place between two

individuals and is thus a one-on-one conversation. Here, the two individuals involved will swap
their roles of sender and receiver in order to communicate in a clearer manner.

3. Small Group Communication: This type of communication can take place only when there are
more than two people involved. Here the number of people will be small enough to allow each
participant to interact and converse with the rest. Press conferences, board meetings, and team
meetings are examples of group communication. Unless a specific issue is being discussed, small
group discussions can become chaotic and difficult to interpret by everybody. This lag in
understanding information completely can result in miscommunication.

4. Public Communication: This type of communication takes place when one individual addresses
a large gathering of people. Election campaigns and public speeches are example of this type of
communication. In such cases, there is usually a single sender of information and several receivers
who are being addressed.

Examples for Verbal Communication: There are some examples of situations in which people
communicate verbally

1. Two people smile at each other at a party. They want to get to know each other so they start
chatting. This is an example of informal verbal communication, though no doubt both people will
try to be polite to each other.

2. Someone is going to be late for work, so they phone their boss to let them know. Here, verbal
communication is likely to be relatively formal and polite – and it may well be apologetic as well.

3. A lecturer in a lecture hall explains a topic to their students using just the power of their voice.
Here, verbal communication is being used in order to share information.
4. A teacher interacts with children in their class, explaining topics in various different ways until
everyone understands. This is another example in which verbal communication has a key goal
educating people.

5. Someone purchases a new product and does not know how to use it, so they call the customer
support line for some verbal advice. Information is being asked for and given in this scenario
hopefully at least

The Elements of Verbal Communication Skills: The Elements of the Verbal Communication
Skills are as follows

1. Voice Tone: Voice tone is so basic that it can come into play even when you‟re not uttering
words, per se. Even when you simply make a sigh or laugh, your voice tone modifies how it is likely
to be interpreted. When you do use words, the tone in which you say them can make all the
difference.

2. Voice Speed: Speaking fast can convey an excited or agitated feel. Speaking slower can convey a
steady, reliable feel. Speaking very slow can let someone know that you‟re either bored or tired. If
you‟ve ever experienced someone speaking at a speed that is incongruent with the content of what
they‟re saying, you know how this can stand out.

3. Voice Volume: Volume can range from a whisper to a scream and everything in between. A very
quiet voice can represent that you are sharing something you don‟t want overheard, that you are
being mischievous or that you are depressed. A very loud voice can express great joy or terror.

4. Language: According to Wikipedia‟s page on Language, there are estimated 6000-7000

languages spoken in the world. How many of these do you know fluently or at least in part? The
more languages in which you have some level of competency, the more ways you can phrase things
and the more diverse the audience to which you can connect. Depending on your position in the
world and what you use communication for, you might want to put in the effort to learn a new
language or two. But it can also be helpful just to know some of the key phrases in some of the
most commonly spoken languages around the world.

5. Vocabulary: Notice that it is only after focusing on some of the modifying verbal communication
skills and contexts that we even arrive at a discussion of the actual words themselves. But make no
mistake. The particular words you use do matter a great deal. As a verbal communicator, your
words are your toolbox, your palette, your set of ingredients. The more broad and diverse your
vocabulary, the more effective you can be in expressing yourself to others.
6. Grammar: Grammar is the set of rules for how words connect into phrases and phrases into
sentences and so on. You could employ the most impressive vocabulary on earth, but if you put the
words into an order incompatible with the rules of grammar, you will not sound very credible or
convincing. And grammar varies from one language to another.

II. Non-Verbal Communication: Non-verbal communication is the expression or exchange of

information or messages through without using any spoken or written word. Several symbols can
be used in non-verbal communication. We will discuss here only the following types of
communication that occur without words.

A. Body language: Some parts of our body can express many indications without any sound.
Message can be transmitted with the help of our body movements which is called body language.
Body language is a form of non-verbal communication, which consists of posture, gestures, facial
expressions, eye movements etc.

Facial expression: A facial expression is one or more motions or positions of the muscles in the
skin of face. These movements convey the emotional state of the individual to observers. Facial
expressions for happiness, sadness, anger and fear are similar throughout the world. A proverb
says, “Face is the index of mind”

Example: By waving our hands we express „good-bye‟; by shaking our head from side to side we
express “we do not know”.

Gestures: Gestures refers to visible bodily actions communicate particular messages which include
movement of the hands, face, eyes, head or other parts of the body. Common gestures include
waving, pointing, and using fingers to indicate numeric amounts. Culture-specific gestures that can
be used as replacement for words, such as the hand wave used in western cultures for “hello” and
“goodbye”.

Posture: Posture indicates the position in which we hold the body when standing or sitting. It can
help to communicate non-verbally. Consider the following actions and note cultural differences:

Bowing not done criticized or affected in US; shows rank in Japan.

Slouching rude in most Northern European areas.

Hands in pocket-disrespectful in Turkey.

Sitting with legs crossed-offensive in Ghana, Turkey.

Showing soles of feet-offensive in Thailand, Saudi Arabia.

Eye Gaze or Eye contact: Eye contact indicates looking, staring and blinking etc. which is
important in nonverbal behaviors. Looking at another person can indicate a range of emotions,
including hostility, attention, interest, and attraction, defines power and status and has a central
role in managing impressions of others.

Appearance and dress: External appearances also play a vital role to communicate others. Our
clothes dress provides a good visual signal to our interest, age, personality, taste, and sex. Our
choice of color, clothing, hairstyles and other factors affecting appearance are also considered a
means of nonverbal can evoke different moods. Consider differing cultural standards on what is
attractive in dress and on what constitutes modesty. For example, seeing the dress of army officers,
we can easily determine the job status.

Touch: Touch is culturally determined. But each culture has a clear concept of what parts of the
body one may not touch. Basic message of touch is to affect or control-protect, support and
disapprove (i.e. hug, kiss, hit, kick)

USA-Handshake is common (even for strangers), hugs and kisses for those of opposite gender or of
family (usually) on an increasingly more intimate basis.

Islamic and Hindu- Typically don‟t touch with the left hand. Left hand is for toilet functions.

Silence: Silence is another form of non-verbal communication which expresses the positive or
negative meanings of particular messages. In a classroom, silence indicates that students are
listening carefully and attentively.

B. Space or proximity: People often refer to their need for “personal space”, which are also
important types of non-verbal communication. The physical distance between you and others
signals your level of intimacy and comfort.

C. Time: Another type of non-verbal communication involves time. Thant is how we give meaning to
time communicates to other. For example, begin late in work everybody a worker can be considered
as a man of carelessness but if a manager does it; we say it is a symbol of power.

D. Paralinguistic (Tone and volume of voice): Paralinguistic refers to vocal communication that is
separate from actual language. Paralanguage also includes such vocal characteristics as rate (speed
of speaking), pitch (highness or lowness of tone), inflection, volume (loudness) and quality (pleasing
or unpleasant sound).
Vocal characterizers: (laugh, cry, yell, moan, whine, belch and yawn). These send different
message in different cultures (Japan- giggling indicates embarrassment; India- belch indicates
satisfaction)

Vocal qualifiers: (volume, pitch, rhythm, tempo, and tone). Loudness indicates strength in Arabic
cultures and softness indicates weakness; indicates confidence and authority to the Germans;
indicates impoliteness to the Thai; indicates loss of control to the Japanese.

Vocal segregates: (UN-huh, shh, uh, ooh, mmmh, hummm, eh mah, lah). Segregates indicate
formality, acceptance, assent, uncertainty.

E. Visual communication: When communication takes place by means of any visual aid, it is
known as visual communication. Such as facial expression, gesture, eye contact, signals, map,
chart, poster, slide, sign etc. for example, to indicate „danger‟, we use red sign, to indicate „no
smoking‟, we use an image showing a lighted cigarette with across mark on it etc.

Q6 : What is Cross-Cultural Communication ? Explain the Problems and Challenges of it

Cross Cultural Communication: Cross cultural communication thus refers to the communication
between people who have differences in any one of the following: styles of working, age, nationality,
ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. Cross cultural communication can also refer to the
attempts that are made to exchange, negotiate and mediate cultural differences by means of
language, gestures and body language. It is how people belonging to different cultures communicate
with each other.

When two people of different cultures encounter each other, they not only have different cultural
backgrounds but their systems of turn – talking are also different. Cross cultural communication
will be more effective and easier if both the speakers have knowledge of the turn taking system
being used in the conversation (For example: One person should not monopolize the conversation or
only one person should talk at a time).

The necessity of Successful Cross-Cultural Communication: Communication is the lifeblood of

an organization. The success of an organization depends on its successful internal and external
communication. As an organization becomes larger and geographically dispersed, it increasingly
faces the problem of cross-cultural communication. Such organizations require effective cross-
cultural communication for the followings reasons.

1. Understanding the needs of global customers: This is the age of globalization. In order to serve
the global customers, a business must understand customers‟ needs. For this purpose, managers
must have knowledge of cultural differences in terms of national heredity, buying habit, religious
beliefs, values etc. Understanding these aspects of cultures will help a business to better serve its
global customers.

2. Avoiding misunderstanding: Wrong interpretation of verbal words and nonverbal cues is very
common when people from different cultural backgrounds communicate. Such a wrong
interpretation creates misunderstanding within and outside the organization. Therefore, people
need to be familiar with the cultures of the people with whom they communicate.

3. Creating a harmonious environment: Harmonious working environment is a prerequisite for

organizational success. When a business hires multicultural people, harmony in the workplace
depends on understanding the cultural differences of the employees. If the employees and
management can harmoniously communicate with each other, a comfortable and productive work
can be created.

4. Enriching the business: A business must enrich itself to face global competition. Enriching the
business requires successful cross-cultural communication. Successful communication with cross-
cultural people enrich a business in a variety of ways such as the business can hire people from
different cultures, can maintain harmony in the workplace, can identify customer needs and can
enter into new markets.

Problems in Cross-Cultural Communication: There are some problems in the cross cultural
communication

1. Language: When people do business, they need to be speaking the same language. Even if two
persons are not naturals of a certain language, there must exist certain constancy in the verbiage in
order to avoid some potentially very bad conditions.

2. Workplace: More and more managers are seeing problems within their own workplace because of
a lack of understanding of other cultures. It simply involves two people of a different ethnic
background who do not understand the other culture well enough to effectively communicate with
each other.

3. Lack of communication: This most often occurs when managers and upper level management
do not feel the need to communicate with their workers because they do not know how.

4. Use of jargons: Workers do not mean to injury anyone when they choose hurtful words, but the
damage can often times be irreparable. In this case, it is always better to be safe than to be sorry.

Barriers of Cross Cultural Communication: A number of communication barriers exist when we

are interacting with people from different cultures. These are
1. Discrimination & nuisance: Discrimination is showing favoritism toward or prejudicial rejection
of people because of differences. Business communication between the genders calls for a clear
understanding of remarks and actions that could be construed as sexual nuisance. A victim of
continued offensive behavior should report the harassment to the proper person in the organization.

2. Lack of knowledge & understanding of cultures: An understanding of cultures means being

aware that individuals within each culture have similarity and differences. It means responding to
people as individuals while recognizing that cultural backgrounds and experiences influence
behavior and communication.

3. Cultural Relativism & Ethnocentrisms: Cultural relativism compares the values and behavior
of different cultures and usually means judging them against standards of right and wrong. This
approach to other cultures becomes a barrier when you assume that cultural beliefs, values and
behaviors are wrong if they differ from those of your culture.

Challenges of Cross-Cultural Communication: LarayBarna‟s Sources of Miscommunication in

Cross Cultural Communication is discussed as follows

1. Assumption of similarities: This refers to our tendency to think how we behave and act is the
universally accepted rule of behavior. When someone differs, we have a negative view of them

2. Language Differences: Problems occur when there is an inability to understand what the other
is saying because different languages are being spoken. Talking the same language itself can
sometimes lead to discrepancies as some words have different meanings in various contexts,
countries or cultures

3. Nonverbal Misinterpretation: The way we dress, the way we express ourselves through our
body language, eye contact and gestures also communicates something. A simple gesture like
nodding the head is considered to be YES in certain cultures and NO in others

4. Preconceptions and Stereotypes: Stereotypes involves putting people into pre-defined slots
based on our image of how we think they are or should be. It may consist of a set of characteristics
that we assume that all members of a group share. This may be true or may be false. But
stereotypes may lead to wrongful expectations and notions.

5. Tendency to evaluate: Humans tend to make sense of the behavior and communication of
others by analyzing them from one‟s own cultural point of view without taking into consideration
why the other person is behaving or communicating a certain way

6. High anxiety: Sometimes being confronted with a different cultural perspective will create an
anxious state in an individual who does not know how to act or behave and what is considered to
be appropriate (For example: A Japanese man and an American having a business meeting where
both are unsure of the other‟s cultural norms)

Q7 : What are the barriers to effective communication ?

The process of communication has multiple barriers. The Barriers to effective communication could
be of many types like linguistic, psychological, emotional, physical, and cultural etc. We will see all
of these types in detail below.

1. Linguistic Barriers: The language barrier is one of the main barriers that limit effective
communication. Language is the most commonly employed tool of communication. The fact that
each major region has its own language is one of the Barriers to effective communication.

As per some estimates, the dialects of every two regions changes within a few kilometers. Even in
the same workplace, different employees will have different linguistic skills. As a result, the
communication channels that span across the organization would be affected by this.

Thus keeping this barrier in mind, different considerations have to be made for different employees.
Some of them are very proficient in a certain language and others will be ok with these languages.

2. Psychological Barriers: There are various mental and psychological issues that may be barriers
to effective communication. Some people have stage fear, speech disorders, phobia, depression etc.
All of these conditions are very difficult to manage sometimes and will most certainly limit the ease
of communication.

3. Emotional Barriers: The emotional IQ of a person determines the ease and comfort with which
they can communicate. A person who is emotionally mature will be able to communicate effectively.
On the other hand, people who let their emotions take over will face certain difficulties.

A perfect mixture of emotions and facts is necessary for effective communication. Emotions like
anger, frustration, humour, can blur the decision-making capacities of a person and thus limit the
effectiveness of their communication.

4. Physical Barriers to Communication: They are the most obvious barriers to effective
communication. These barriers are mostly easily removable in principle at least. They include
barriers like noise, closed doors, faulty equipment used for communication, closed cabins, etc.
Sometimes, in a large office, the physical separation between various employees combined with
faulty equipment may result in severe barriers to effective communication.

5. Cultural Barriers of Communication: As the world is getting more and more globalized, any
large office may have people from several parts of the world. Different cultures have a different
meaning for several basic values of society. Dressing, Religions or lack of them, food, drinks, pets,
and the general behavior will change drastically from one culture to another.

Hence it is a must that we must take these different cultures into account while communication.
This is what we call being culturally appropriate. In many multinational companies, special courses
are offered at the orientation stages that let people know about other cultures and how to be
courteous and tolerant of others.

6. Organizational Structure Barriers: As we saw there are many methods of communication at an

organizational level. Each of these methods has its own problems and constraints that may become
barriers to effective communication. Most of these barriers arise because of misinformation or lack
of appropriate transparency available to the employees.

7. Attitude Barriers: Certain people like to be left alone. They are the introverts or just people who
are not very social. Others like to be social or sometimes extra clingy!

These employees can cause severe strains in the communication channels that they are present in.
Certain personality traits like shyness, anger, social anxiety may be removable through courses and
proper training. However, problems like egocentric behaviour and selfishness may not be
correctable.

8. Perception Barriers: Different people perceive the same things differently. This is a fact which
we must consider during the communication process. Knowledge of the perception levels of the
audience is crucial to effective communication.

9. Physiological Barriers: Certain disorders or diseases or other limitations could also prevent
effective communication between the various channels of an organization. The shrillness of voice,
dyslexia, etc are some examples of physiological barriers to effective communication. However, these
are not crucial because they can easily be compensated and removed.

10. Technological Barriers & Socio-religious Barriers: Other barriers include the technological
barriers. The technology is developing fast and as a result, it becomes difficult to keep up with the
newest developments. Hence sometimes the technological advance may become a barrier. In
addition to this, the cost of technology is sometimes very high.

*****
 UNIT III : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Q1 : Compare & Contrast, Interpersonal Communication and Intra Personal Communication

I. Inter-Personal Communication: Exchanging or Sharing the information, ideas, feelings, ideas

and etc. through the both verbal and non-verbal communication methods between the two parties
is known as Interpersonal Communication.

Interpersonal communication is a soft skill that encompasses how well an individual communicates
with others. This skill set, also referred to as “people skills” or “social skills,” is one of the most
important for success in the workplace.

Mode of Interpersonal Communication: Communication can take place both verbally and
nonverbally, either in person or through digital means such as email or instant messaging. In
communication theory, there are six key components of interpersonal communication:

1. The communicators: This refers to both the sender of the communication and the receiver.
There are at least two communicators involved in all interpersonal communication.

2. The message: One of the most important parts of interpersonal communication is the message.
It can be conveyed in many ways: speech, body language, tone of voice, gestures and other
indicators. Non-verbal messages provide additional information that may not be readily apparent
through words.

3. Noise: This refers to any distortion that causes differences between what is received and what it
sent, according to resource website CommunicationTheory.org. Examples of noise include jargon,
language barriers, inattention and more.

4. Feedback: Feedback is the response of the receiver. In other words, it‟s the message sent back to
the sender. This allows the sender to know whether the message has been received and interpreted
correctly.

5. Context: Whether a message is received and interpreted correctly depends largely on context.
“The emotional climate and expectations of the people, the place of occurrence, and social, political,
cultural and environmental conditions comprise context,” CommunicationTheory.org says.

6. Channel: Finally, this component refers to how the communication occurs. A message is sent
and received through a specific channel, or medium.

Elements of Interpersonal Communication: Interpersonal communication can also be divided

into sub skills. Effective communication in the workplace relies on each of the following elements:
(i) Problem solving and decision making: One of the best ways to maintain professional
relationships is through effective problem solving and decision making. Both of these skills align
team members toward a common goal. If leaders are unable to take the steps necessary to solve
problems and make the right decision for the team, a business can‟t function successfully.

(ii) Listening: Strong listening skills are invaluable for business professionals. They help
individuals understand sent messages and act accordingly. If a manager provides instructions but
team members are unable to listen and synthesize the information, roadblocks will arise that can
derail projects and cause negative consequences.

(iii) Assertiveness: A common element of interpersonal communication is assertiveness. The ability

to influence others helps leaders drive the team toward a common goal. Being willing to take charge
and effect change is one of the hallmarks of a business leader.

(iv) Negotiation: This skill is a key element in conflict resolution. Finding common ground and
identifying shared goals can help business professionals work effectively with others.

II. Intra-Personal Communication: Intrapersonal communication is defined as communication

process within an individual. It is the foundation for all communication. Everyone should have the
intrapersonal communication at all times. It begins with language and thought itself, but includes
our perception of what language and thought are. Every individual may see something and assume
a particular attitude toward the subject; however one can be certain that each assumption made is
distinctly different.

Mode of Intra Personal Communication: Intrapersonal communication is a challenge because

one has so many variations that arise from our perceptions at particular moments. This type of
communication can encompass

1. Sense Making: Sense making means the interpreting of the persons maps, texts, signs, symbols
etc. all the above sense making things are play an important role in intra personal communication.
These are primary things while communicating within ourselves

2. Non-Verbal Communication: The Intra personal Communication will go in ourselves so there is

no need to talk with anyone. We can communicate with ourselves. Basically in the Intra-Personal
communication we use the Non-Verbal techniques like Gestures, postures and etc.

3. Talk to Yourself: Speaking aloud (talking to oneself), reading aloud, repeating what one hears;
the additional activities of speaking and hearing what one thinks, reads or hears ,may increase
concentration and retention;
4. Written Methods: Writing, one‟s thoughts or observations; the additional activities, on top of
thinking, of writing and reading back may again increase self-understanding and concentration. It
aids to ordering the one‟s thoughts, in addition it produces a record that can be used later against.

5. Making gestures: Sometimes we make the gestures while thinking something. The additional
activity, on top of thinking, of body motions, may again increase concentration, assist in problem
solving and assist memory;

Elements of the Intrapersonal Communication: There are some elements in the intrapersonal
communication. Generally these kinds of elements will be appeared when we feel the high work
pressure and some other typical situations. The elements of the Intrapersonal communication are
discussed as follows

(i) Problem solving and decision making: One of the best ways to maintain professional
relationships is through effective problem solving and decision making. Both of these skills align
team members toward a common goal. If leaders are unable to take the steps necessary to solve
problems and make the right decision for the team, a business can‟t function successfully.

(ii) Motivation to ourselves: With the help of the Intrapersonal communication everybody can
motivate himself or herself later they will come to know that the hard situations and face them with
the positive and logical attitude.

Contrast between Interpersonal communication & Intrapersonal Communication: There are

some differences between the interpersonal and intrapersonal communication. They are discussed
as follows.

Base for Inter-Personal Communication Intra-Personal Communication

Comparison

Meaning The communication between the two The communication within our self
parties is known as interpersonal is known as the Intrapersonal
communication communication

Mode Use both the verbal and non-verbal In majority situations it uses the
communication tools nonverbal communication tools

Purpose The Interpersonal communication is The intrapersonal communication

used to build the relationship among is used to control ourselves and
the people realize the situations
 Feedback Here the feedback will be given by Here the feedback will be given by
the another party our self only

Leads to Positive Relationships Positive Thinking

Q2 : How motivation is managing people with the help of the Interpersonal Communication ?

No individual can work alone. Human beings, unlike machines, cannot work without occasionally
needing someone with whom to share their thoughts and feelings. We are social creatures by
nature, and so we are prone to be more anxious and stressed in an isolated environment. The
Interpersonal communication is used to motivate the employees and as well as it leads to the
following advantages

1. Allowing People to Discuss Problems: A person working in isolation is incapable of solving all
of the different types of problems they will encounter in the course of their work. Interpersonal
relationships are necessary because they allow people to discuss problems and weigh the pros and
cons of various alternative solutions before arriving at the optimal one.

2. A Culture of Positivity and Synergy: Interpersonal relationships, especially when executed

well, are important for an organizational culture to thrive. This ultimately ruins the work
environment, reduces the productivity of the staff members, and adversely affects the bottom line of
the company.

3. Recognizing good work: Interpersonal relationships are also important for coaching. When
employees have good interpersonal relationships with each other and with the manager, they are
likely to recognize good work in each other and congratulate each other for it as well as help correct
each other‟s mistakes.

Effects of Interpersonal Communication on Business: Whether it is carried out correctly or not,

interpersonal communication has a direct and indirect impact on many areas of business. Here
are some of the effects of interpersonal communication in business:

1. The Effect on Management: When a manager has poor interpersonal communication skills,
they can expect to irritate and confuse both the employees and clients of the business. In fact, there
is a greater need for a manager to work on his or her interpersonal skills than there is for the
average

2. The Effect on Sales: Sales are all about communication. The ability to sell is contingent upon
the ability to influence others and that all ultimately boils down to the ability to communicate.
There are lots of roles that sales personnel and business leaders as a whole play that are intensive
In the sales aspect. These include communicating with the clients, the employees, and even each
other. When the organization is trying to get outside investment or trying to build its brand with
customers, it is selling itself to the outside world.

3. The Role of Communications in Sales: Ultimately, sales cannot occur without communication,
and there is a maxim to be respected in this respect: if communication can fail, then sales can fail..

When the communication skills in an organization are poor starting from the top all the way to the
bottom, then the impact on the bottom can be very large.

4. The Effect on Training: While employees coming into the organization are expected to have a
certain minimum level of training as evidenced by their academic qualifications, they will still have
to undergo significant training. That communication will happen in a variety of formal and informal
ways and will be done by the management, supervisors, and various skilled and experienced
employees.

5. Good interpersonal communication skills: These instructors need to have good interpersonal
communication skills .They need to be able to pass on the right skills to the employees that will
enable them to perform the technical tasks they need to perform to achieve business goals as well
as gain the soft skills necessary for them to productively do their work at the organization.

6. The Effect on Conflict Resolution: Conflict management cannot happen without effective
interpersonal communication. In fact, all conflict management strategies that use communication to
diffuse the situations in stressful moment aren‟t possible without interpersonal communications.

Q3 : What is the role of emotion in Interpersonal Communication ?

It is impossible to imagine life without emotion. We treasure our feelings the joy at a ball game, the
pleasure of the touch of a loved one, or the fun with friends on a night out. Even negative emotions
are important, such as the sadness when a loved one dies, the anger when. In fact, emotions play
many important roles in people‟s lives and have been the topic of scientific inquiry we can divide the
emotions into three sections.

First Concern: The first concerns the intrapersonal functions of emotion, which refer to the role
that emotions play within each of us individually.

Second Concern: The second concerns the interpersonal functions of emotion, which refer to the
role emotions play between individuals within a group.

Third Concern: The third concerns the social and cultural functions of emotion, which refer to the
role that emotions play in the maintenance of social order within a society.
Emotions give meaning to events; without emotions, those events would be mere facts. Emotions
help coordinate interpersonal relationships. And emotions play an important role in the cultural
functioning of keeping human societies together

Interpersonal Functions of Emotion: Emotions are expressed both verbally through words and
nonverbally through facial expressions, voices, gestures, body postures, and movements. We are
constantly expressing emotions when interacting with others. The role of emotions in interpersonal
communication is discussed as follows

1. Facilitates Specific Behaviors in Perceivers: Because facial expressions of emotion are

universal social signals, they contain meaning not only about the expresser‟s psychological state
but also about that person‟s intent and subsequent behavior. This information affects what the
perceiver is likely to do. People observing fearful faces, for instance, are more likely to produce
approach-related behaviors, whereas people who observe angry faces are more likely to produce
avoidance-related.

2. Signal the Nature of Interpersonal Relationships: Emotional expressions provide information

about the nature of the relationships among interactants.

3. Provide Reasons for Desired Social Behavior: Facial expressions of emotion are important
regulators of social interaction. In the developmental literature, this concept has been investigated
under the concept of social referencing.

4. Social and Cultural Functions of Emotion: Although there are cultural differences in the
display of emotion. Thus, human social life is complex. Individuals are members of multiple groups,
with multiple social roles, norms, and expectations, and people move rapidly in and out of the
multiple groups of which they are members.

Q4 : What is Empathy ? Discuss the skills to understand the others perception in detail.

Empathy is, at its simplest, awareness of the feelings and emotions of other people. It is the key
element of Emotional Intelligence, the link between self and others. Because it is how individuals
understand what others are experiencing as if we were feeling it ourselves.

Chambers English Dictionary, 1989 edition: “The power of entering into another‟s personality
and imaginatively experiencing his experiences.”

Daniel Goleman: "Empathy is awareness of other‟s feelings, needs and concerns."

Elements of Empathy: Daniel Goleman identified five key elements of empathy.

1. Understanding Others: In Goleman‟s words, “sensing others‟ feelings and perspectives, and
taking an active interest in their concerns”.

For example, there have been a number of scandals in the National Health Service in the UK where
nurses and doctors have been accused of not caring about patients. It may be that they were so
over-exposed to patients‟ needs, without suitable support, that they shut themselves off, for fear of
being unable to cop

2. Developing Others: Developing others means acting on their needs and concerns, and helping
them to develop to their full potential. People with skills in this area usually. Reward and praise
people for their strengths and accomplishments, and provide constructive feedback designed to
focus on how to improve.

3. Having a Service Orientation: Primarily aimed at work situations, having a service orientation
means putting the needs of customers first and looking for ways to improve their satisfaction and
loyalty. People who have this approach will „go the extra mile‟ for customers. They will genuinely
understand customers‟ needs, and go out of their way to help meet them

4. Leveraging Diversity: Leveraging diversity means being able to create and develop
opportunities through different kinds of people. Leveraging diversity does not mean that you treat
everyone in exactly the same way, but that you tailor the way you interact with others to fit with
their needs and feelings.

5. Political Awareness: Many people view „political‟ skills as manipulative, but in its best sense,
“political” means sensing and responding to a group‟s emotional undercurrents and power
relationships.

Political awareness can help individuals to navigate organizational relationships effectively, allowing
them to achieve where others may previously have failed.

Empathy, Sympathy and Compassion: There is a distinction between empathy, sympathy and
compassion.

Both compassion and sympathy are about feeling for someone: seeing their distress and realizing
that they are suffering. Compassion has taken on an element of action that is lacking in sympathy,
but the root of the words is the same.

Empathy, by contrast, is about experiencing those feelings for yourself, as if you were that person,
through the power of imagination.

Three Types of Empathy: Psychologists have identified three types of empathy they are cognitive
empathy, emotional empathy and compassionate empathy.
Cognitive empathy: It understands someone‟s thoughts and emotions, in a very rational, rather
than emotional sense.

Emotional empathy: It is also known as emotional contagion, and is „catching‟ someone else‟s
feelings, so that you literally feel them too.

Compassionate empathy: It is understanding someone‟s feelings, and taking appropriate action to

help.

Q5 : What is Conflict Resolution ?

Conflict, arguments, and change are natural parts of our lives, as well as the lives of every agency,
organization, and nation. Conflict resolution is a way for two or more parties to find a peaceful
solution to a disagreement among them. The disagreement may be personal, financial, political, or
emotional. When a dispute arises, often the best course of action is negotiation to resolve the
disagreement.

Conflict resolution through negotiation can be good for all parties involved. Often, each side will get
more by participating in negotiations than they would by walking away, and it can be a way for your
group to get resources that might otherwise be out of reach.

Importance of Conflict Resolution: The main goal of negotiation with your opposition is to come
to an agreement that benefits all parties.

(i) To understand more about those whose ideas, beliefs, and backgrounds may be different from
your own.

(ii) To ensure that your relationships with opponents continue and grow. If you make peace with
your opponents, you increase your own allies in the community.

(iii) To find peaceful solutions to difficult situations.

Steps in Conflict Resolution: There are six steps to successfully negotiating the resolution of a
conflict:

1. Understand the Conflict: Conflicts arise for a variety of different reasons. It is important for
you to define clearly your own position and interests in the conflict, and to understand those of
your opponent. Interests play an important role in better understanding conflict. Often, groups
waste time "bargaining over positions." Instead of explaining what the interests of their position are,
they argue about their "bottom line."
2. Communicate with the position: Now that you have thought through your own interests and
those of the other party, you can begin to communicate directly with your opposition. Here are some
tips for productive talks:

Listen: Their opinions are important to you, because their opinions are the source of your conflict.
If something is important to them, you need to recognize this. Recognizing does not mean agreeing,
of course!

Let everyone participates: People who participate will have a stake in a resolution. They will want
to find a good compromise.

Be an active listener: Rephrase what you're hearing as a question: "Let me see if I'm following
you. You're saying that... Have I got that right?" You can still be firm when you're listening.

Be concrete but flexible: Speak about your interests, not about your position.

Avoid early judgments: Keep asking questions and gathering information.

3. Brainstorming: Now that you know what the interests of both parties are, and how to better
communicate with the opposition, you can start thinking about solutions. Look at all of the
interests you have listed, for you and for your opponents, and look for common interests. Often
both parties share many interests.

Before you hold a brainstorming meeting, think carefully about how you'll set up the meeting. Write
a clear purpose statement for the meeting. Try to choose a small group of 5-8 people total. Hold the
meeting in a different environment from your usual setting. Make sure the setting is an informal
one where people feel comfortable and safe. Find an unbiased facilitator, someone who can
structure the meeting without sharing his or her own feelings about the conflict.

4. Choose the best resolution: After the meeting, you will need to decide which resolution is best.
Review your brainstorm ideas. Set a time to discuss them and determine which idea is the best. The
goal here is to use both groups' skills and resources to get the best result for everyone. Which
resolution gives both groups the most? That resolution is probably the best one.

5. Use a third party mediator: As you are brainstorming and choosing a good resolution, you may
want to use a third party mediator. This is a person who is not from your group or your opponent's
group, but whom you both trust to be fair. Your mediator can help both sides agree upon a
standard by which you'll judge your resolution.

6. Explore alternatives: It is important that you brainstorm your alternatives to resolution early
on in the negotiation process, and that you always have your best alternative somewhere in the
back of your mind. As you consider possible agreements with your opponent, compare them to this
"best" alternative.

Q6 : What is Team Work ? Write the Skills, advantages and disadvantages to the Team Work

A team is a group of people who work together toward a common goal. Teamwork involves a set of
tasks and activities performed by individuals who collaborate with each other to achieve a common
objective. That objective can be creating a product, delivering a service, writing a report, or making
a decision. Teamwork differs from individual work in that it involves shared responsibility for a final
outcome.

Teamwork Processes: While the substance of the tasks involved in teamwork may vary from team
to team, there are three processes that are common to how teamwork gets done: the transition
process, action processes, and interpersonal processes. During each of these processes, specific
sets of activities occur.

1. The transition process: It is the phase during which a team is formed. Activities include:

Mission analysis: Establishing an understanding of the overall objective

Goal specification: Identifying and prioritizing the tasks and activities needed to achieve the
mission

Strategy formulation: Developing a course of action to reach the goals and achieve the
mission

2. Action processes: It comprises the phase during which a team performs its work. Activities
include:

Monitoring milestones and goals: Tracking progress toward completion of tasks and
activities

Monitoring systems: Tracking the use of resources such as people, technology, and
information

Coordination: Organizing and managing the flow of team activities and tasks

Team monitoring and support: Assisting individuals with their tasks by, for example,
providing feedback and coaching

3. Interpersonal processes: It includes activities that occur during both the transition and action
processes. These include:
 Conflict management: Establishing conditions to avoid disagreement and resolving conflict
when it occurs

Motivation and confidence building: Generating the willingness and ability of individuals to
work together to achieve the mission

Affect management: Helping team members to regulate their emotions as they work together

Characteristics of Effective Teamwork: An effective team accomplishes its goals in a way that
meets the standards set by those who evaluate its performance. For instance, a team may have a
goal of delivering a new product within six months on a budget of $100,000. Even if the team
finishes the project on time, it can be considered effective only if it stayed within its expected
budget. Effective teams share five characteristics:

1. Shared values: A common set of beliefs and principles about how and why the team members
will work together

2. Mutual trust: Confidence between team members that each puts the best interest of the team
ahead of individual priorities

3. Inspiring vision: A clear direction that motivates commitment to a collective effort

4. Skill/talent: The combined abilities and expertise to accomplish the required tasks and work
productively with others

5. Rewards: Recognition of achievement toward objectives and reinforcement of behavior that

supports the team‟s work

Types of Teams: Depending on its needs and goals, a company can use a project team, a virtual
team, or a cross-functional team. Common types of teams found in organizations include project
teams, virtual teams, and cross-functional teams.

1. Project teams: These are created for a defined period of time to achieve a specific goal. Members
of a project team often belong to different functional groups and are chosen to participate in the
team based on specific skills they can contribute to the project. Software development is most
commonly done by project teams.

2. Virtual teams: These have members located in different places, often geographically dispersed,
who come together to achieve a specific purpose. Academic researchers often work on virtual teams
with colleagues at other institutions.
3. Cross-functional teams: These combine people from different areas, such as marketing and
engineering, to solve a problem or achieve a goal. Healthcare services are frequently delivered by
interdisciplinary teams of nurses, doctors, and other medical specialists.

Advantages of Teamwork: The benefits of teamwork include increased efficiency, the ability to
focus different minds on the same problem, and mutual support.

The primary benefit of teamwork is that it allows an organization to achieve something that an
individual working alone cannot. This advantage arises from several factors, each of which accounts
for a different aspect of the overall benefit of teams.

Higher Quality Outcomes: Teamwork creates outcomes that make better use of resources and
produce richer ideas.

Higher efficiency: Since teams combine the efforts of individuals, they can accomplish more
than an individual working alone.

Faster speed: Because teams draw on the efforts of many contributors, they can often
complete tasks and activities in less time.

More thoughtful ideas: Each person who works on a problem or set of tasks may bring
different information and knowledge to bear, which can result in solutions and approaches an
individual would not have identified.

Greater effectiveness: When people coordinate their efforts, they can divide up roles and
tasks to more thoroughly address an issue. For example, in hospital settings teamwork has
been found to increase patient safety more than when only individual efforts are made to avoid
mishaps.

Better Context for Individuals: The social aspect of teamwork provides a superior work
experience for team members, which can motivate higher performance.

Mutual support: Because team members can rely on other people with shared goals, they can
receive assistance and encouragement as they work on tasks. Such support can encourage
people to achieve goals they may not have had the confidence to have reached on their own.

Greater sense of accomplishment: When members of a team collaborate and take collective
responsibility for outcomes, they can feel a greater sense of accomplishment when they
achieve a goal they could not have achieved if they had worked by themselves.
The total value created by teamwork depends on the overall effectiveness of the team effort. While
we might consider simply achieving a goal a benefit of teamwork, by taking advantage of what
teamwork has to offer, an organization can gain a broader set of benefits.

Disadvantages of Teamwork: Teams face challenges to effective collaboration and achieving their
goals. The following pitfalls can lead to team failure to achieve important organizational objectives.

1. Individuals Shirking Their Duties: Since team members share responsibility for outcomes,
some individuals may need to do additional work to make up for those not contributing their share
of effort. One cause of this is the failure of the team to establish clear norms of accountability for
individual contributions to the group effort.

2. Lack of Trust: Effective collaboration requires team members to have confidence that everyone
shares a set of goals. When that belief is missing, some individuals may not feel comfortable sharing
their ideas with the group. Lack of trust can lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings,
which can undermine the group‟s efforts.

3. Lack of Teaming Skills: When team members do not have the collaboration skills needed to
work well with others, the overall ability of the team to function can be limited. As a result, conflicts
may be more likely to arise and more difficult to resolve.

4. Missing Task Skills: A team that does not have the expertise and knowledge needed to complete
all its tasks and activities will have trouble achieving its goals. Poor team composition can lead to
delays, higher costs, and increased risk.

5. Too Many Members: The size of the team can sometimes affect its ability to function effectively.
Coordination and communication are more complex in a larger team than in a smaller one. This
complexity can mean that decisions must take into account greater amounts of information,
meetings are more challenging to schedule, and tasks can take longer to complete.

Differences between Groups and Teams: All teams are groups of individuals, but not all groups
are teams. Groups differ from teams in several ways:

1. Task orientation: Teams require coordination of tasks and activities to achieve a shared aim.
Groups do not need to focus on specific outcomes or a common purpose.

2. Degree of interdependence: Team members are interdependent since they bring to bear a set of
resources to produce a common outcome. Individuals in a group can be entirely disconnected from
one another and not rely on fellow members at all.
3. Purpose: Teams are formed for a particular reason and can be short- or long-lived. Groups can
exist as a matter of fact; for example, a group can be comprised of people of the same race or ethnic
background.

4. Degree of formal structure: Team members‟ individual roles and duties are specified and their
ways of working together are defined. Groups are generally much more informal; roles do not need
to be assigned and norms of behavior do not need to develop.

5. Familiarity among members: Team members are aware of the set of people they collaborate
with, since they interact to complete tasks and activities. Members of a group may have personal
relationships or they may have little knowledge of each other and no interactions whatsoever.

Q7 : What are Networking Skills ?

Most of us recognize that networking is beneficial to our careers. Yet, even though we primarily rely
on it when looking for a job, connecting with other professionals can help with every aspect of your
career development. The Networking skills are used in the following situations

1. It Allows You to Help Others: One of the most important benefits of networking that people
tend to overlook is that it allows you to help other people. Granted, our motives in the professional
world are rarely altruistic, but helping someone else with their career goals can be truly rewarding.

2. Exchange Fresh Ideas: Most of us try to stay up to date with changes in our fields either
through continuing our education or via reading up on industry news, but there‟s a wealth of
knowledge out there which you can gain access to by simply talking to other professionals in your
industry.

3. Makes You More Visible: One of the advantages of networking is that it helps you become more
visible to the right people. Through your contacts, you can gradually become that one person that
"knows everyone", and is asked to make introductions or provide insight on clients, associates and
even competitors.

4. Opens Doors to New Opportunities: Precisely because networking makes you more visible, it
also opens new doors. From getting approached by recruiters about job opportunities, to getting
noticed by people who would like to work with you on a freelance basis, you never know when an
opportunity that can advance your career will present itself.

5. Allows You to Express Opinions: You can discuss industry-related matters that you have been
thinking about, as well as ask for advice whenever you reach an impasse.

Having this kind of support system is one of the many advantages of networking and it‟s why people
are encouraged to take an active role in building their network.
6. Expands Your Support Network: Another benefit of networking is that it helps you build a
support network that is designed to assist you at every stage of your career

7. Gets You Promoted: According to many studies, having an open network is a predictor of
success, increasing the likelihood of promotions. Connect with other professionals gives you insight
and makes you more effective, after all, which are attributes that any boss values and looks to
reward.

Importance of Networking: An overwhelming majority of successful people, when asked, say they
owe their success to their networking skills. Following are some of the benefits that may help
illustrate why networking is important:

1. It makes you prominent: Networking helps you form personal relationships due to which you
are able to rise above all that noise and make yourself or your organization stand out.

2. Addition to your knowledge: Your networking abilities provide you with a great opportunity to
share ideas and information. It is possible for you to meet and learn from the experience of people
who have been in life where you currently are.

How to improve networking skills: Knowing that networking is the fuel that accelerates success,
you can improve your networking skills in the following way:

1. Interact face-to-face: With the increasing use of internet and social media, many deem it
appropriate to use these as a good way to keep in touch.

2. Keep in mind your destination: You must set goals that are directly related to your networking
efforts.

3. Work on your mindset: Forget the purpose of developing the relationships while you‟re
networking.

Q8 : What are various kinds of Communication Styles ?

There are four types of communication styles used for both written and verbal communication.
While they are all constantly being used, the assertive style is seen as the most effective because it
is a combination of all the positive aspects of the other styles. They are discussed as follows

1. Passive communication: The passive communication style is often used by those who want to
come off as indifferent about the topic at hand. They either keep their opinions to themselves or try
to make it seem as if they support every piece of input in the discussion.

When speaking, passive communicators will display insecure nonverbal communication cues by not
making eye contact, slouching their shoulders, or shrugging when people ask them for some input.
Why might someone use a passive communication style: A big motivation for using passive
communication is to keep the peace, especially when dealing with conflict. While that is a nice
sentiment, it can lead to some problems, usually negatively affecting the passive communicator
themselves.

Why is this communication style ineffective: Passive communication is ineffective because

although words may be spoken, the actual thoughts and ideas of the communicator are not
expressed, limiting the information shared between the people involved.

2. Aggressive communication: Aggressive communication is on the completely opposite end of the

spectrum. Aggressive communicators openly express their opinions without hesitation, often in a
loud and controlling voice. When speaking aggressively, people may make intense eye contact, point
fingers, and stand their ground.

This particular style includes expressing viewpoints and opinions in an abusive way that violates
the rights of others.

Why might someone use an aggressive communication style: People often use the aggressive
communication style when they want to be in charge. Instead of listening to others, they give
commands and demand that others comply with what they are saying. And even if they do, the
aggressive communicator might still make them feel inferior or unimportant.

Why this communication style is ineffective: Using an aggressive style of communication is not a
good way to converse with someone. The goal of being aggressive is to intimidate, which defeats the
purpose

3. Passive-aggressive communication: The passive-aggressive communication style brings both of

those styles together for another form of ineffective communication. This style is used when people
speak as if they don‟t care about something (passive), but in a way that is indirectly angry
(aggressive).

Why might someone use a passive-aggressive communication style: People usually passive-
aggressively because although they have formed an opinion on the topic being discussed, they are
worried about what others might think of it. They don‟t want to openly disagree with someone, so
they do it discretely instead.

Why this communication style is ineffective: Passive-aggressive communication is ineffective

because it beats around the bush. A key value when communicating is clarity and it wastes
everybody‟s time when people don‟t openly express their ideas.
4. Assertive Communication: Of all the communication styles, the assertive version is thought to
be the most effective. Assertive communicators express their thoughts in a polite manner that is
considerate of other people‟s opinions. They respect all values, thoughts, and ideas, and speak in a
calm voice while making non-threatening eye contact.

Why should you use an assertive communication style: Assertive communication should be
used because it values honesty and understanding. Assertive communicators own up to their ideas
and listen to those of others as well.

Why this communication style is the most effective: Assertive communication relies on two-
way conversations. This is what makes assertive communication the most effective. Not only
does it include politely expressing opinions, but it also consists of asking for feedback and listening
to other people‟s differing ideas, strengthening the conversation and information flow.

Tips for being assertive: Being an assertive communicator means you clearly express your
thoughts without sacrificing politeness. Here are some tips for becoming a more assertive
communicator:

1. Focus on honesty: It can be easy to beat around the bush when you don‟t agree with someone,
but it is best to resort to being kind while disagreeing as opposed to agreeing with something you
don‟t believe to be true.

2. Be a good listener: A big part of being assertive is doing your best to be empathetic and
understand the other person‟s point of view. The only way to do this is to listen. Keep those ears
open and mouth closed when someone is speaking to you.

3. Agree to disagree: If you have done everything you can to fully understand someone else‟s
opinion but you still can‟t side with their thoughts, it is perfectly okay to agree to disagree. As long
as you do it respectfully.

4. Be assertive: The different communication styles are always in use. Sometimes people feel shy,
afraid, or both, causing them to ineffectively communicate their feelings. When it comes down to
communicating, do your best to be assertive. It will send the right message about who you are.
 UNIT IV : BUISNESS COMMUNICATION

Q1: What are Business Writing Skills? Discuss them in detail.

1. Defining Your Purpose: You should state that what is the purpose for composing the document?
By defining your purpose, you will have a better understanding of what to write and how to write it.

2. Clear and Concise Language: One of the biggest differences between business writing and other
types of writing is that it needs to be concise.

3. Writing for Your Audience: Keep your reader in mind while you are writing the business
correspondence. Think about what they know already, especially as you determine the terminology
to use. If you‟re writing to a specific person or group of people, look for ways to personalize the
document by considering their interests.

4. Conversational Tone: When writing for business, people choose a more professional tone. Using
a conversational tone helps your readers engage with what they‟re reading and connect with you.

5. Word Choice: It‟s easy to throw in jargon and buzzwords without even thinking about it. Before
you do this, think about your audience. What words will your audience know? Try to use simple
words that everyone reading your work will understand.

6. Active Voice: Using active voice strengthens your credibility and adds power to your ideas. The
opposite of active voice is passive voice.

Passive voice: The report will be reviewed by the manager for errors and steps will be taken to
correct any issues right away.

Active voice: The manager will review the report for errors and take the steps to correct any issues
right away.

Focus on using active voice to improve your business writing skills.

7. Adapting for Different Platforms: There are many different platforms for your business
writing, including web articles, blog posts, social media posts, and video scripts. If you are planning
on writing for these different platforms, you need to learn the techniques and tricks needed for each
one.

8. Grammar and Punctuation: Make sure that your writing is error-free before it gets in the hands
of your customers, clients, investors, and others. Bad grammar and punctuation errors will make a
bad impression and reduce your credibility.
Q2 : What are Business Correspondences ? Explain the significance and features of them.

Any communication in the form of the letter is correspondence. Any person related to a business
expresses oneself though business correspondence. One can also ask any doubt or uncertainty
through business correspondence.

A businessman writes and receives letters in his day to day life. A correspondence between two
organizations or within an organization comes under this category. A letter to a supplier, complaint
letters, letter of inquiry, job application letters are some of its examples.

Importance of Business Correspondence: A business correspondence has number of importance.

Its most important feature is the ease of reaching and communicating with different parties. It is
not always possible to meet persons face to face.

1. Maintaining a Proper Relationship: It is not always possible for any business or organization
to reach to any person in particular. This will cost any business. Here, the business correspondence
will be a rescue for any business.

It helps in maintaining the proper relationships between the parties. Business correspondence
strengthens the business. It also helps in the internal communication. It makes communication
within the organization more clear and precise.

2. Serves as Evidence: Any written form of communication serves as evidence. A business

correspondence helps the person in a business to keep a record of all the facts. These written
records will serve as evidence.

3. Create and Maintain Goodwill: It helps in creating & maintaining goodwill between a business
and a customer. Any letter to enquire, complaint, suggestion or feedbacks helps a company to grow
and maintain goodwill.

4. Formal Communication: A business communication serves as a formal communication between

two persons. It may be a seller and a buyer. It can be between an employee and the employer. The
language used is formal and logical.

It helps in removing the ambiguity and the doubts of the person involved in the business. The
formal communication in business is followed and acceptable.

5. Helps in the Expansion of Business: A business correspondence helps a business to achieve

the set goal. It also ensures the expansion of a business. With no waste of time & proper utilization
of manpower and resources, a business can expand.
Types of Business Correspondence: A correspondence is of many types. They are as follows

1. Internal Correspondence: It refers to the correspondence between the individuals, departments,

or branches of the same organization.

2. External Correspondence: It refers to the correspondence between two individuals. These are
not of the same organization. Any correspondence outside organization is external correspondence.
Customer and suppliers, banks, educational institutions, government departments come under this
category.

3. Routine Correspondence: It refers to the correspondence on routine manners. A

correspondence made for inquiries, orders, replies, acknowledgments, invitation, and appointment
letters are routine correspondence.

4. Sales Correspondence: It refers to the correspondence related to the sale. Sales letters, sales
reports, invoice, and confirmation of orders are sale correspondence. Delivery letters, statement of
accounts etc. are also some of its examples.

5. Personalized Correspondence: It refers to the correspondence based on emotional factors.

Letters of the request, recommendation, and congratulations are personalized correspondence.
Letter of introduction, granting and the refusal of terms are some of its examples.

6. Circulars: It refers to the communication of common matter to a large number of persons or

firms. Circulars, notices of tenders, change of address, an opening of the new branch come under
this category. An introduction of new products is also its example.

Features of an effective Business Correspondence: The Business Correspondence features are

1. Clarity: Clear thinking and simple expression are the two important virtues of effective writing. A
good letter should show its idea directly and clearly. Each sentence should be as simple as possible.
The reader should have no difficulty in understanding what the writer means to say.

2. Conciseness: Transmission of maximum information by using minimum words should be the

aim of letter-writing. Unnecessary details and roundabout expressions should be avoided. People
are busy and they receive a number of letters daily.

3. Completeness: The letter should contain all the essential points a reader is expected to know.
For example, a sales letter should include the description of the goods, price, quality, how and
where to buy, the date of delivery, discounts etc. If it gives only partial information, it is not a
complete letter.
4. Correctness: The correctness demands no error at all in grammar and punctuation. Besides,
the information given in the letter must be accurate; otherwise it will shake the confidence of the
reader. The message should not be transmitted unless the sender is sure of its correctness.

5. Courtesy: Courtesy means politeness. It always pays to be courteous in business. It softens the
sting of an unpleasant piece of information, creates goodwill and produces a favorable response.
Goodwill is a great asset for an organization and courtesy in correspondence is one of the most
natural and economical means of building it.

6. Cheerfulness: There should be no negative approach in a letter. It must begin with a positive
and optimistic note. The approach should be friendly and convincing.

7. Promptness: Promptness in replying a letter is absolutely necessary. The general practice is to

reply a letter the same day it is received. When it is known that a reply to a letter requires time it is
necessary to acknowledge the letter received and intimate the probable time required sending full
reply.

8. Appropriateness: Appropriateness refers to writing or replying letters keeping in mind relation

and psychology of the reader as well as the need of the occasion. The tone, style and language
should be changed according to the occasion.

9. Integral: The purpose of business communication is to create understanding, bring about

cooperation and initiate constructive action. Therefore, all communication should be in conformity
with the general objectives of the organization.

Q3 : What are the essentials for the Business Correspondence ? and state the contents of it.

A person should always maintain the quality of the business letter. The qualities of a business letter
make it presentable. It becomes easy for a person or an organization to imprint an impression onto
the others. The qualities of a business letter can be classified as

I. Inner Quality: It refers to the quality of language used and the presentation of a business letter.
They are

1. Clear: The language used in the business letter must be clear. It helps receiver to understand
the message immediately, easily, and clearly. Any ambiguity will lead to the misinterpretation of the
message stated.

2. Simple: The language used in the business letter must be simple and easy. One must not write a
business letter in difficult and fancy words.

3. Concise: The message written in the letter must be concise and to the point.
4. Concrete: The message is written must be concrete and specific. By using concrete language, a
reader will have a clear picture of the message.

5. Accuracy: One must always check for the accuracy of the business letter. Accuracy generally
means no error in grammar, spelling, punctuations etc. Correct personnel should be targeted for
communication.

6. Coherent: The language used in the business letter must be coherent. The message must be in a
logical way for the clear understanding of the message. The flow of the message must be consistent.

7. Complete: One must write a complete message. It helps the reader to know about the issue and
the solution to be taken. It should provide all the necessary information. One must also keep in
mind that the message should be concise and short along with the complete details.

8. Relevance: The letter should only contain important information. Irrelevant information should
not be included and avoided in any business communication.

9. Courteous: The language used in the business letter must be courteous. A writer must always
use open, friendly, and honest wording in his letter. It does not mean that one must use slang and
abusive words. One must always add the words like please, thank you etc.

10. Neatness: A business letter must be neatly typed or handwritten. Proper spacing, indention,
and use of paragraph should be used.

II. Outer Quality: The outer quality of a business letter means the quality of its outer appearance.
The outer look of the letter must be catchy and impressive. Some of the outer qualities are

1. Size of the Paper: The standard size of paper should be used. An A4 paper is most used paper
for writing a business letter.

2. Quality of the Paper: The quality of the paper used must be good. It is not always possible for a
firm to use the costly paper. One must use good quality paper for original copy and ordinary copy
for the duplicate copy.

3. The Color of the Paper: Sometimes it is very useful to use the different color of paper for
different types of letter. The receiver can clearly understand the intention and the purpose of the
letter by its color.

4. Folding of Letter: One must fold the letter properly and uniformly. The folding must be done to
fit the letter in the envelope. It is noticeable that one must not over fold the letter. It will have a bad
impression on the reader‟s mind.
5. Envelope: The envelope used must be of good quality. Special attention must be given to the size
of the envelope for fitting the letter.

Parts of a Business Letter: The following parts usually constitute structure of a business letter:

1. Heading: Many business organizations use printed letter head for business correspondence. The
letterhead contains the name, the address, the line of business, telegraphic address, telephone
numbers, telex numbers, e-mail address etc.

2. Date: The date should be indicated in the upper right hand corner of the letter sheet. It is
generally written two or three spaces below the last line of the letterhead.

3. Inside Address: The inside address consists of the names and address of the person or firm to
whom the letter is written. It is generally written two spaces above the attention line and two spaces
below the level of date. If there is no attention line it is given above the salutation in the left margin.
The full address, i.e., the name of the person, firm, street, road etc. should be written as indicated
in the source you got the address from. The details should not be abbreviated.

4. Attention Line: When a letter is addressed to a company so that it should reach a particular
office by name or a particular department, then attention line is typed below the inside address.
This line is generally underlined.

5. Salutation: Salutation means greetings. It shows the respect or affection or politeness which you
introduce in a letter. The choice of salutation depends upon the personal relationship between the
writer and the reader. It is placed two spaces below attention line or two spaces below the inside
address. While addressing a firm, company or a club, etc. use „Dear Sirs‟.

6. Subject: The purpose of subject line is to let the reader know immediately what the message is
about. By seeing this the reader can understand at a glance what the letter is about. The usual
practice is to type this line in a double space between the salutation and the first line of the body..

7. Reference: In a reply to an earlier letter reference numbers, date etc. may be mentioned below
the subject. Subject and reference must be separate and must stand out clearly to get the attention
of the reader.

8. Body of the letter: The body is the most important part of a letter. The purpose of this part is to
convey the message and to produce a suitable response in the reader. It is, therefore, important to
organize and arrange the material very carefully.

9. Complimentary close: The complimentary close is a polite way of ending a letter. It is typed two
spaces below the last line of the body of the letter.
10. Signature: Signature is the assent of the writer to the subject-matter of the letter. It is placed
below the complementary close.

11. Enclosure: Sometimes, papers such as price list, catalog and draft may be attached to the
letter. This is indicated after the signature and at the left hand margin. Generally, the abbreviated
form “End.” is typed against which the number of enclosures is indicated.

Q4 : Types of letters (Or) Formal and Informal Letters (Or) Pleasant and Unpleasant Letters

I. Formal Letters: A formal letter is one written in a formal and ceremonious language and follows
a certain stipulated format. Such letters are written for official purposes to authorities, dignitaries,
colleagues, seniors, etc. and not to personal contacts, friends or family. A number of conventions
must be adhered to while drafting formal letters.

Format of a Formal Letter: It must be remembered that there are various such formats for formal
letters that people follow. The one explained here is the one most commonly used for formal
communication these days.

1. Sender’s Address: The sender‟s address is usually put on the top right-hand corner of the page.
The address should be complete and accurate in case the recipient of the letter wishes to get in
touch with the sender for further communication.

2. Date: The sender‟s address is followed by the date just below it, i.e. on the right side of the page.
This is the date on which the letter is being written. It is important in formal letters as they are
often kept on record.

3. Receiver’s Address: After leaving some space we print the receiver‟s address on the left side of
the page. Whether to write “To” above the address depends on the writer‟s preference. Make sure
you write the official title/name/position etc. of the receiver, as the first line of the address.

4. Greeting: This is where you greet the person you are addressing the letter to. Bear in mind that
it is a formal letter, so the greeting must be respectful and not too personal. The general greetings
used in formal letters are “Sir” or “Madam”. If you know the name of the person the salutation may
also be “Mr. XYZ” or “Ms. ABC”. But remember you cannot address them only by their first name. It
must be the full name or only their last name.

5. Subject: After the salutation/greeting comes the subject of the letter. In the center of the line
write „Subject” followed by a colon. Then we sum up the purpose of writing the letter in one line.
This helps the receiver focus on the subject of the letter in one glance.

6. Body of the Letter: This is the main content of the letter. It is either divided into three paras or
two paras if the letter is briefer. The purpose of the letter should be made clear in the first
paragraph itself. The tone of the content should be formal. Do not use any flowery language.
Another point to keep in mind is that the letter should be concise and to the point. And always be
respectful and considerate in your language, no matter the subject of your letter.

7. Closing the Letter: At the end of your letter, we write a complimentary losing. The words “Yours
Faithfully” or “Yours Sincerely” are printed on the right side of the paper. Generally, we use the
later if the writer knows the name of the person.

8. Signature: Here finally you sign your name. And then write your name in block letters beneath
the signature. This is how the recipient will know who is sending the letter.

II. Informal Letters: Informal letters are written to close acquaintances of the writer, their friends,
family, relatives, etc. Since they are written to close relations the letters have an informal and
personal tone. Casual language is used while writing informal letters. And sometimes the letters
may even have an emotional undertone.

Informal letters are mainly used for personal communication. So they do not have to follow any
specific pattern, format or conventions. They can be written as per the writer‟s wishes and the
requirement of the situation. So the letter is written in a personal fashion in casual unassuming
language.

Format of Informal Letter: The features of the Informal letters are as follows

1. Address: The first thing to write is your address, i.e. the address of the writer. We usually write
the address on the left-hand side of the page at the very top. The address should be accurate and
complete. Even when writing to close friends or relatives the address must be written, so they can
reply back to the letter with ease. If the recipient of the letter is in another country, do not forget to
write your country as well in the address.

2. Date: Next just below the address we write the date. This allows the reader to have a reference as
to when the address was written. He can then relate better to the contents of the letter.

3. Greeting: Now since you know the person you are writing to, the greeting can be informal as
well. If it is a friend or someone close to your age you can greet them by their first name, like “Dear
Alex”. If you are writing to your relative like your mother/father/aunt/uncle etc, you may greet
them as such, for example, “Dear Mom”. And if you are writing to an elder person, someone you
respect greatly you can address them as Mr or Mrs. Like say for example you were writing a
congratulatory letter to your teacher, it can be addressed as “Dear Mrs. Alex”.

4. Introduction Paragraph: The introductory paragraph sets the tone for the whole letter. You
might begin by asking the recipient about their wellbeing. Or you may say that you hope the letter
finds them in good health and great spirits. The opening of informal letters should be casual and
comforting. It must not be formal and direct as in business letters.

5. Body of the Letter: The letter overall should maintain a friendly tone. But you have to adjust
the language and the wordings according to who you are writing to. But if you are writing to an
elder relative, you must be extremely respectful and considerate.

6. Conclusion: In the conclusive paragraph sum up the reason for writing the letter, i.e. summarize
the letter. Say a meaningful and affectionate goodbye to the reader. And do not forget to invite the
reader to write back or reply to your letter. It shows an intention to keep the conversation going.

7. Signature: There is no one way to sign off informal letters. Since they do not follow a strict
format, you may sign off as you please. Some commonly used phrases are Lots of Love and Best
wishes etc.

Q4 : What are Telephone Communication Skills ?

The techniques or skills of the telephone communication are as discussed below.

1. Answering a Business Call: A three-part greeting will get your calls started smoothly. The three
parts are: buffer words, the company or department name and your name.

The caller assumes that you are going to help them when you answer the phone, so they will tell
you how you can help without your asking. It‟s unnecessary to use the phrase “How may I help
you?” and anything you say after your name, erases your name.

Skill Example: (You) “Good morning. Acme Dynamite. This is Andre.”

2. Putting a Caller on Hold: Be sure to let the caller know why you need to put them on hold, ask
if they are able to hold and then wait for a response.

Callers hate being ordered to hold with no control over the situation. If the caller is not able to hold,
handle their needs by offering options, such as a call back.

Skill Example:

(You) “I‟ll need to pull up that information from the database. It might take me a few minutes. Are
you able to hold?”

(Caller’s Response) “Yes, thanks!”

3. Thanking the Caller for Holding: When a caller has to be put on hold, or gets dumped
immediately into a hold queue when they call, it‟s very frustrating.
Skill Example: (You) “Thank you for holding. Rubio Insurance, this is Marco.”

4. Monogramming the Call: People enjoy hearing their name, so using it helps set a positive tone
for the call.

Skill Example A:

(Caller’s Request) “Hi. My name is Chris Dixon, and I need to change an order I placed yesterday.”

(Your Response) “Sure, Chris, I‟ll be happy to help. My name is Karen. What do you need
changed?”

Skill Example B:

(Caller’s Request) “Yes, would you please tell him that Bob Rebzinski called?”

(Your Response) “I‟m sure a lot of people misspell your last name, and I don‟t want to be one of
them. That‟s spelled how, sir?”

5. Giving Spoken Feedback Signals: Use a combination of different words and short phrases to
acknowledge that you heard and understand what the caller has said. Be sure to mirror back some
of what the caller has said.

Skill Example:

(Caller’s Request) “I‟d like to have my things packed up by your movers on the 23rd in the
morning.

(Your Response) “Good. I‟m jotting this down. All right. Got it. Pack on the 23rd in the morning.”
(Caller Continues) “Right. We‟ll need the packers to come in first and pack my dishes. So they need
to be very careful when they pack my dishes.”

(Your Response) “Sure. I understand. I‟ll mark that on the order: „Be very careful when we pack the
dishes‟.”

(Caller’s Reply) “Good. Thanks for being so thorough. I appreciate it.”

6. Being Prepared: Keep paper and a pen or pencil next to your phone at all times. Writing a
message word-for-word is the best way to make sure you don‟t mangle it.

Skill Tip: Being prepared: The reality is that not everyone likes to leave a message on voice mail.
Always be ready to take a message or information from a customer.
7. Avoiding Mouth Noises: Mouth noises annoy and alienate the other person. The mouthpiece of
a telephone is a microphone that amplifies sounds on the receiving end. While on a call, don‟t eat,
drink, hum or chew gum.

Skill Tip: Work to avoid annoying mouth noises.

8. Leaving a Positive Last Impression: A positive last impression counts as much as a good first
impression. End your conversation on a positive note. Let callers know you are glad they called and
that you look forward to hearing from them again. This last impression is often the way they
remember the entire call.

Skill Tip:

(You) “I‟ll let our crew member know, and he‟ll take care of it for you. He‟s very good. We appreciate
your business, Ms Clinton. Thanks for calling.”

(Caller’s Response) “Thank you!”

(Your Reply) “You‟re welcome”

Q5 : Explain about the concept of effective use of technology in the Business Communication

Here are eight technologies used in the business communication

1. Mobile Optimization: The first thing you should be looking at when it comes to communication
with your business is your use of mobile technology. Mobile phones are everywhere in society now,
and smart entrepreneurs are targeting them. Building functional mobile apps for your business can
be a great way to reach more customers or achieve more results.

2. Chat Features: Internet chat has come a long way since the early days of instant messaging
online. Instead of simply being a time waster, internet chatting is now a useful tool for many
businesses. Companies that have the traditional call center for customer service issues can achieve
even more by incorporating an online chat tool within their website.

3. Video Calling: Sometimes making a phone call to an important client or team member isn‟t
going to cut it if you‟re trying to close on a big deal. In the past, companies may have gone on
expensive business trips to schedule in-person meetings for this type of situation.

4. Wearable Devices: Communication and technology have merged once again with development of
wearable devices. While most people connect these devices to health companies, expect to see more
industries joining in on the wearable device trend. In the future, more businesses are expected to
get data through proprietary wearable devices.
This way, communication becomes nearly constant between companies and their customers.

5. Hosted Services: The internet has also revolutionized the traditional phone calling center for
businesses. In the past, having a large call center meant companies needed to find space to house
all of the communication components and hardware to run their phone system. Companies get
much more functionality from their calling center system without investing as much money.

6. Home and Business Automation: Automation is another key idea that shows much promise in
the world of communication technology for businesses. Home automation technology has been
around for several years and looks to be expanding. This can help improve the way consumers get
products and elevate their experience with any business.

7. Cloud Technology: The cloud is another big part of any business‟ future communications plan.
The need for data storage space continues to be a driving force for many companies.Companies that
utilize call centers can also migrate to cloud call center solutions for more affordability and features.

8. Complete Integration: Lastly, complete technology integration is something that should expand
in the near future. Today, more people than ever operate multiple devices, such as smartphones,
desktop computers, tablets, and laptops. Integrating all of the functionalities of these devices is
ideal for a better customer experience and more effective employees.

Q6 : What are the Objectives and Significance of the Reports ?

A report contains various data which is made by analyzing the various things. The data in report is
in the form of the analytical.

Importance and Objectives of report: Report plays an important role for decision-making in
organization. And such importance of report can be understood through the following discussions:

1. Decision Making Tool: Today‟s complex business organizations require thousands of

information. A Reports provide the required information a large number of important decisions in
business or any other area are taken on the basis of information presented in the reports. This is
one of the great importance of report.

2. Investigation: Whenever there is any problem, a committee or commission or study group

investigates the problem to find out the reason behind the problem and present the findings with or
without the recommendation in the form of a report. It is another importance of report.

3. Evaluation: Large scale organizations are engaged in multidimensional activities. It is not

possible for a single top executive to keep personal watch on what others are doing. So, the
executive depends on reports to evaluate the performance of various departments or units.
4. Quick Location: There is no denying the fact that business executives need information for
quick decision-making. As top executives are found to be busy for various purposes), they need vital
sources of information. Such sources can be business reports.

5. Development of skill: Report writing skill develops the power of designing, organization
coordination, judgment and communication.

6. Neutral presentation of facts: Facts are required to be presented in a neutral way; such
presentation is ensured through a report as it investigates, explains and evaluates any fact
independently.

7. Professional Advancement: Report also plays a major role in professional achievement. For
promotion to the rank and file position, satisfactory job performance is enough to help a person.
But for promotion to high level position, intellectual ability is highly required. Such ability can be
expressed through the report submitted to higher authority.

8. Proper Control: Whether activities are happening according to plan or not is expressed through
a report. So, controlling activities are implemented based on the information of a report.

9. A managerial Tool: Various reports make activities easy for the managers. For planning,
organizing, coordinating, motivating and controlling, manager needs help from a report which acts
as a source of information.

10. Encountering Advance and Complex Situation: In a large business organization, there is
always some sort of labor problems which may bring complex situations. To tackle that situation,
managers take the help of a report.

Q7 : What are the different kinds of Reports ?

The business reports are classified on many bases. Such types of business reports are briefly
explained.

I. Reports on the basis of Importance or Frequency: The reports are classified into two types.
They are ordinary or routine reports and special reports.

1. Ordinary or Routine Report: Ordinary reports are prepared and presented before the managing
director at specific intervals or to the next authorized person in the business routine. The reports
shall be submitted daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly, bi-annually or annually. This type
of report contains mere statement of facts in detail without any opinion or recommendation of the
reporter.
Examples for routine reports are Report of Directors to the Annual General Meeting, Auditor‟s
Report to the Annual General Meeting, Sales Report, Production Report and the like.

2. Special Report: This type of report is prepared and presented before the top management on
specific request. It usually contains the opinions or recommendations of the reporter with the help
of facts and arguments. Examples for special report are opening of branch, introducing a new
product, Improving the quality or changing the shape or size of the product and the like.

II. Reports on the Basis of Legal Formalities: The reports are classified into two types. They are
formal report and informal report.

1. Formal Report: Formal report is prepared in a prescribed format and presented before the
competent authority in an established procedure. Reports submitted by officials or committees of
constituted bodies (example: Companies, Cooperative Societies, Local Bodies etc.) are usually formal
report.

2. Informal Report: Informal report is prepared in a format of the convenience of the reporter and
presented directly before the required person as and when demanded. An informal report is
presented as in the form of letter or memorandum. Generally, it takes the form of a person to
person communication.

The formal reports are classified into two types. They are statutory report and non-statutory report.

III. Reports on the basis of Function: The reports are classified on the basis of function into two
types. They are informative and interpretative.

1. Informative Report: An informative report is prepared and presented with the help of available
information at the maximum with regard to an issue or situation.

2. Interpretative Report: An interpretative report is not only contains the facts, views and
opinions of reporters and others but also includes the causes for an issue or an event and required
remedial action with recommendations.

IV. Reports on the basis of meetings: Whenever a meeting is organized in any business
organization, a report is prepared by the secretary or any other individual about the proceedings of
the meeting. Such reports are classified into two types. They are Verbation Report and Summarized
Report.

1. Verbation Reports: A verbation report is a complete word by word record of all discussions
made at a meeting. For example, Appointment of an Auditor. A resolution is passed in the meeting.
Likewise, Directors are appointed and the remuneration and perquisites of key personnel are fixed
by passing a resolution. In this case, a report is prepared by including the verbation record of the
resolutions passed with the names of the proposers and seconders, manner of voting and results.

2. Summarised Report: A summarized report is prepared with the help of the essential details
discussed in the meeting. This type of report is prepared for sending to the press or to shareholders
of the company or members of the institution.

V. Reports on the basis of Nature of the Subject dealt with: The following reports are included in
the report which are classified on the basis of the nature of the subject dealt with.

1. Problem Solving Report: A problem may arise in any one of the department or in the whole
organization. Hence, the top management may seek a report for solving the problem. When, the
reporter collects various information to find the causes for such problem. Moreover, the report is
concluded with the ways of solving the problem. Such type of report is called Problem Solving
Report.

2. Fact Finding Report: A machine may be breakdown in the factory premises. Sometimes, there
may be a rivalry between the two group of workers. Now, the management wants to know the real
reason for machine break down and group clash between the workers. In this case, the reporter
analyze the incident through detailed investigation and find the truth.

3. Performance Report: The business organization wants to know the performance of each
department periodically or performance of a branch or performance of newly appointed employee or
performance of existing employees for promotion, transfer and the like. The management is not in a
position to take a decision without knowing the performance. Hence, a reporter is asked to prepare
the performance report for anyone of the reasons mentioned above.

4. Technical Report: There is a lot of changes made in the technology. Whenever a company is
going to introduce mechanical process instead of manual process, the level of technology required
assessed. Sometimes a design may be changed in the existing product, if so, latest technology
should be adopted. In this case, a detailed report is essential to top management for taking a
decision. Such type of report is called Technical Report.

VI. Reports of Committees or Subcommittees: Committees or Subcommittees are formed by the

top management to prepare the report on any one of the issue. The followings are included in the
reports of committee or subcommittee.

1. Standing Committee Report: Standing Committees are permanent in nature and are entrusted
to deal with some continuing aspects of the business organization.
For example: Finance, Performance of Employees and Performance of Departments etc. These
matters are continuously watched by the standing committee and submit the report at frequent
intervals.

2. Special or adhoc Committee Report: Special or adhoc Committees are appointed to deal with
special investigation and are dissolved as soon as the presentation of report. Hence, the life of
special committee is temporary.

For example: Fire occurrence or Accident incurred within the factory premises. The causes for fire
or accident are find out by forming special committee.

3. Minority Report: Committees or subcommittees are appointed to submit the report based on the
investigation of special subject. Generally, three members are selected to form a committee or
subcommittee. One member being the chairman of such committee or subcommittee.

If the members have different opinion or views over the subject matter dealt with, the dissentient
member may append the notes of dissent or may submit a report separately. Such report is termed
as Minority Report. Even though, the dissent members must sign in the majority report with dissent
note.

4. Majority Report: Generally, all the members of the committee or subcommittee including
chairman have unanimous opinion among them. If so, only one report is prepared and presented
before the responsible body. If not so, majority members of the committee or subcommittee have
different opinion than minority members. In this case, majority members are going to submit a
report before the responsible body. Such report is termed as majority report.

Q8 : What are formal and informal reports ?

Formal and informal reports are the two most common types of business reports. When a report is
highly structured and is relatively long in size, it is called a formal report. On the other hand, when
a report is less structured and is short in size, it is called an informal report. These two types of
reports differ in many ways. Major distinctions between them are as follows:

Formal Report: The reports that are prepared in prescribed forms, according to some established
procedures to proper authorities are called formal reports.

1. Form of the report: Formal report is highly structured and is prepared in a prescribed format.
Most Formal report is always written in a manuscript (narrative style) format.

2. Purpose: Formal report is written to help management in making long term and strategic
decisions.
3. Objective: Objective of the formal report is to assist decision making by providing an effective
recommendation.

4. Length: It is long in size. Size of a formal report is large. It generally includes some particular
pages (e.g. prefatory page) that do not appear in short reports.

5. Distribution: In most cases, formal reports are circulated to top-level executives and outside
parties.

6. Nature of problem: Formal report deals with complex & non-recurring problems. It is analytical
and systematic in nature. It deals with key complex problems.

7. Frequency of writing: Formal report is written very infrequently.

8. Writing responsibility: This type of report is usually written by internal or external experts.

9. Use of visual aids: This type of report makes of visual aids to present facts & findings.

10. Writing Style: This report follows inductive (indirect) and impersonal writing style. A formal
report on the other hand, after analyzing and interpreting the conclusion of the draw and makes
recommendations.

11. Recommendation: Recommendation is an essential part of a formal report.

Formal Report Informal Report

10 to 100 Pages 1 to 10 pages

Follow the standard formats Never use such kind of formats

Used for specific research Use it for sometimes

It is official It is unofficial

Use them frequently Use them regularly

Informal Report: An informal report is one that is prepared not by following any prescribed rule or
formality.

1. Form of the report: Informal report is less structured and it is less important to follow the
prescribed format. Most Informal reports are written in memorandum and letter formats.

2. Purpose: The main purpose of an informal report is to present the facts that help managers in
making thy-to-thy business decisions.
3. Objective: Conveying routine messages and to help routine functions are the basic objectives of
the informal report.

4. Length: It is short in size. An informal report is short in size. This report writing is generally
complete in a page or two.

5. Distribution: Short report is usually circulated within the organization.

6. Nature of problem: Informal report deals with less complex and recurring problems. It is not
methodical in nature. This report deals with the schedule matters.

7. Frequency of writing: It is written very frequently even daily a weekly.

8. Writing responsibility: These reports are usually written by a subordinate.

9. Use of visual aids: This type of report seldom uses visual aids.

10. Writing Style: This report follows deductive (direct) and personal writing style. Informal reports
follow deductive writing styles. A short report highlights facts and specific recommendations. It
avoids analysis and inclusion of supporting information.

11. Recommendations: Recommendations are not required in an informal report.

Q9 : Show the structure of the report

The main features of a report are described below to provide a general guide. These should be used
in conjunction with the instructions or guidelines provided by your department.

1. Title Page: This should briefly but explicitly describe the purpose of the report (if this is not
obvious from the title of the work). Other details you may include could be your name, the date and
for whom the report is written.

Geology of the country around Beacon Hill, Leicestershire

Angus Taylor
2 November 2004

Example of a title page

2. Terms of Reference: Under this heading you could include a brief explanation of who will read
the report (audience) why it was written (purpose) and how it was written (methods). It may be in
the form of a subtitle or a single paragraph.
A report submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for Course GL456, Department of Geology,
Univeristy of Leicester.

Example of terms of reference

3. Summary (Abstract): The summary should briefly describe the content of the report. It should
cover the aims of the report, what was found and what, if any, action is called for. Aim for about
1/2 a page in length and avoid detail or discussion; just outline the main points. Remember that
the summary is the first thing that is read. It should provide the reader with a clear, helpful
overview of the content of the report.

Exposure of rocks belonging to the Charnian Supergroup (late Precambrian) were examined in the
area around Beacon Hill, north Leicestershire. This report aims to provide details of the stratigraphy
at three sites - Copt Oak, Mount St. Bernard Abbey and Oaks in Charnwood. It was observed that
at each of these sites, the Charnian Supergroup consists mainly of volcaniclastic sediments (air-fall
and ash-flow tuffs) interbedded with mudstones and siltstones. These rocks show features that are
characteristic of deposition in shallow water on the flanks of a volcano (e.g. welding and alteration
of ignimbrites). Further studies are required to understand depositional mechanisms and to
evaluate the present-day thickness of individual rock units.

Example of a summary (abstract)

4. Contents (Table of Contents): The contents page should list the different chapters and/or
headings together with the page numbers. Your contents page should be presented in such a way
that the reader can quickly scan the list of headings and locate a particular part of the report.

5. Introduction: The introduction sets the scene for the main body of the report. The aims and
objectives of the report should be explained in detail. Any problems or limitations in the scope of the
report should be identified, and a description of research methods, the parameters of the research
and any necessary background history should be included.

In some reports, particularly in science subjects, separate headings for Methods and Results are
used prior to the main body (Discussion) of the report as described below.

6. Methods: Information under this heading may include: a list of equipment used; explanations of
procedures followed; relevant information on materials used, including sources of materials and
details of any necessary preparation; reference to any problems encountered and subsequent
changes in procedure.
7. Results: This section should include a summary of the results of the investigation or experiment
together with any necessary diagrams, graphs or tables of gathered data that support your results.
Present your results in a logical order without comment. Discussion of your results should take
place in the main body (Discussion) of the report.

8. Discussion: The main body of the report is where you discuss your material. The facts and
evidence you have gathered should be analysed and discussed with specific reference to the
problem or issue. If your discussion section is lengthy you might divide it into section headings.
Your points should be grouped and arranged in an order that is logical and easy to follow.

9. Conclusion: In the conclusion you should show the overall significance of what has been
covered. You may want to remind the reader of the most important points that have been made in
the report or highlight what you consider to be the most central issues or findings. However, no new
material should be introduced in the conclusion.

10. Appendices: Under this heading you should include all the supporting information you have
used that is not published. This might include tables, graphs, questionnaires, surveys or
transcripts. Refer to the appendices in the body of your report.

In order to assess the popularity of this change, a questionnaire (Appendix 2) was distributed to 60
employees. The results (Appendix 3) suggest the change is well received by the majority of
employees.

Example of use of appendices

11. Bibliography: Your bibliography should list, in alphabetical order by author, all published
sources referred to in your report. There are different styles of using references and bibliographies.
Refer to the study guide Referencing and Bibliographies and check your departmental handbook for
guidelines. Texts which you consulted but did not refer to directly could be grouped under a
separate heading such as 'Background Reading' and listed in alphabetical order using the same
format as in your bibliography.

12. Acknowledgements: Where appropriate you may wish to acknowledge the assistance of
particular organisations or individuals who provided information, advice or help.

13. Glossary of Technical Terms: It is useful to provide an alphabetical list of technical terms with
a brief, clear description of each term. You can also include in this section explanations of the
acronyms, abbreviations or standard units used in your report.
 UNIT V : BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

Q1 : What are Presentation Skills ? Write strategies and techniques involved in Presentation

An effective presentation makes the best use of relationship between the presenter & the audience.
It takes full consideration of the audience’s needs in order to capture their interest, develop their
understanding, inspire their confidence and achieve the presenter’s objectives. Careful planning is
essential.

Stages in presentation: The stages of strategies and techniques for presentation are discussed as
follows.

Choose Supporting
Preparation
Main Points Information

Linking Devoleping Developing a

Statements an Opening Conclusion

1. Preparation: Many factors affect the design of your presentation. A powerful presenter will
acknowledge and address each of the following:

(i) Objectives: Why you are making your presentation? Bear in mind what you want to achieve and
what you want your audience to take away with them. Once you have decided upon your objectives,
you are in a much better position to make strategic decisions about the design and tone of your
presentation. For example, a presentation to a seminar group might require a balanced

(ii) Audience: Your audience will have a variety of different experiences, interests and levels of
knowledge. A powerful presenter will need to acknowledge these and prepare for and respond to
them accordingly. Ask yourself:

You may not be able to answer these questions for each member of your audience but you should
have enough information to ensure that you have targeted your material at the right level for their
needs. This might involve avoiding technical jargon or explaining abstract concepts with clear
practical examples. If you fail to consider your audience’s needs, you will fail to appeal to their
interest and imagination.

(iii) Venue: Where will you be making your presentation? What will the room be like? What
atmosphere will the physical conditions create? A large lecture theatre might create a formal
atmosphere. Similarly, a seminar room might create a less formal tone. Ask yourself:
(iv) Remit: You may well have been given a remit for your presentation; you will need to stick to
this. For example, you may have been asked to present a paper at a conference in a certain style or
meet certain assessment criteria on your course.

2. Choosing your main points: Once you have thought about the design of your presentation, you
can define your main points. Try presenting no more than three main points in a ten minute
presentation. Always allow time for an adequate introduction and conclusion. It is difficult for an
audience to follow a more complex argument without significant help from the presenter. A powerful
presentation delivers information in a logical, structured manner, building on the previous point
and avoiding large jumps in sequence.

3. Choosing your supporting information: The supporting information helps your audience
understand, believe in and agree with your main points. This evidence might take the form of
factual data, points of detail or an explanation of process. It might be presented in imaginative ways
using diagrams, pictures or video segments.

4. Establishing linking statements: The next stage is to develop the linear flow of your
presentation. This can be achieved by using linking statements to show clearly how your main
points fit together. Common linking statements include:

―The next stage in our project was to …‖

―Another important issue of consideration was …‖

―By following this argument we can now see that …‖

Linking statements send signals to your audience, highlighting the next point in your argument,
linking to earlier ideas or clarifying the stage you have reached in your argument overall. This may
be of particular importance in a lengthy presentation where even the most effective presenter has to
work hard to keep an audience involved.

5. Developing an opening: The introduction to your presentation is crucial. It is your first point of
contact with your audience; you can either capture or lose your audience’s interest in a matter of
seconds. Use your introduction to lay a clear foundation for the presentation to follow. Try using the
following structure:

Introduce yourself
State what you will be talking about (A title or subject area);
State how you will be talking about it (By comparing test results or reviewing the supporting
literature);
 State what you intend to be the outcome of your presentation (An informed group, a lively
discussion);
State what you expect your audience to do (Listen, take notes, read a handout, ask questions
before/during/after).

Always give your audience a moment to absorb this information before moving into your first main
point.

6. Developing a conclusion: Your conclusion is another important stage in your presentation. You
can use it to remind your audience of your main points, draw these points to a stimulating
conclusion and leave your audience with a lasting impression of the quality of your presentation.
The following structure provides a powerful conclusion:

A summary of your main points: ―We have discussed the following points…‖
A summary of the process you have been through: ―By looking X we have found that Y …‖
A parting statement to your audience’s (This might be a Question or a bold comment).

7. Reviewing your presentation: Once you have written your presentation make sure that you
review its content. Ask yourself: Does presentation meet your objectives? Is it logically structured?
Have you targeted the material at the right level for your audience? and Is the presentation too long
or too short?

Q2 : What are the Various Kinds of Presentations ?

The first step in preparing a presentation is to define purpose of your presentation. The following is
an overview of several common types of presentations and their purpose. Each presentation type
requires a specific organization technique to assure they are understood and remembered by the
audience. The suggested organizational structure is also provided.

1. Informative: Keep an informative presentation brief and to the point. Stick to the facts and avoid
complicated information. Choose one of the following organizational structures for an informative
presentation:

1) Time:

 Explains when things should happen

 Works best with visual people or people who can see the overall organization or
sequence of events

 Use words like "first," "second," "third," to list order

 2) Place:

 Explains where things should happen

 Works best with people who understand the group or area you are talking about

 Use words like "Region 1, 2, 3, or 4" to explain order

3) Cause and Effect:

 Explains how things should happen

 Works best with people who understand the relationship between events

 Use phrases like "Because of _____, we now have to ______"

2. Instructional: Your purpose in an instructional presentation is to give specific directions or

orders. Your presentation will probably be a bit longer, because it has to cover your topic
thoroughly. In an instructional presentation, your listeners should come away with new knowledge
or anew skill.

1) Explain why the information or skill is valuable to the audience

2) Explain the learning objectives of the instructional program
3) Provide participants the opportunity to ask questions, give, and receive feedback from you
and their peers
4) Connect the learning to actual use
5) Have participants verbally state how they will use it

3. Arousing: Your purpose in an arousing presentation is to make people think about a certain
problem or situation. You want to arouse the audience's emotions and intellect so that they will be
receptive to your point of view. Use vivid language in an arousing presentation -- project sincerity
and enthusiasm.

1) Gain attention with a story that illustrates (and sometimes exaggerates) the problem
2) Describe your solution for a satisfactory resolution to the problem
3) Compare/contrast the two worlds with the problem solved and unsolved
4) Call the audience to action to help solve the problem
5) Give the audience a directive that is clear, easy, and immediate

4. Persuasive: Your purpose in a persuasive presentation is to convince your listeners to accept

your proposal. A convincing, persuasive presentation offers a solution to a controversy, dispute, or
problem. To succeed with a persuasive presentation, you must present sufficient logic, evidence,
and emotion to sway the audience to your viewpoint.

1) Create a great introduction because a persuasive presentation introduction must accomplish

2) Tantalize the audience by describing the advantages of solving the problem or need
3) Close your persuasive presentation with a call to action
4) Ask for the order
5) Ask for the decision that you want to be made
6) Ask for the course of action that you want to be followed

5. Decision-making: Your purpose in a decision-making presentation is to move your audience to

take your suggested action. A decision-making presentation presents ideas, suggestions, and
arguments strongly enough to persuade an audience to carry out your requests. In a decision-
making presentation, you must tell the audience what to do and how to do it. You should also let
them know what will happen if they don't do what you ask.

1) Gain attention with a story that illustrates the problem

2) Describe your solution to bring a satisfactory resolution to the problem
3) Compare/contrast the two worlds with the problem solved and unsolved
4) Call the audience to action to help solve problem and give them a way to be part of solution

Q3 : What is Video Conferencing ? State advantages and disadvantages of Video Conference

Video conferencing is the technology by which a conference is conducted with people at multiple
locations where they can see and hear each other by video and audio transmissions. It is a live
conference where communication is possible in real time.

It involves the exchange of video, audio and even text and images if required. It differs from
videophone calls in that it can have multiple participants rather than two individuals.

Advantages of Video Conferencing: The advantages of the Video Conferencing are discussed as
follows

1. Lesser travels: Video conferencing has made it easier for people who had to travel frequently for
conferences. As this technology gives facility to conduct conference at the comfort of your home or
office, a large number of business trips have been cut short.

2. Anytime conference: There is no time constraint to conduct a video conference. It can be

conducted whenever there is a requirement. Even if the members are at different parts of the world,
all they have to do is login from their machines.
3. Better communication: It is possible to communicate through images, texts, audio and video in
video conferencing. This gives an added advantage of better clarity of the idea being conveyed.
Screen sharing is also possible in case further explanation is necessary.

4. Time and money saver: As discussed above, video conferencing has reduced the need for
business trips. Previously a lot of money was spent on the travel, food and accommodation.
Traveling long distances just for a meeting would also mean a lot of time waste.

5. Increases productivity: Fast and better communication contributes to better productivity. It

creates a favorable working environment where people can conduct a conference whenever
necessary. So there is no confusion about ideas since everybody can login from wherever they are
and be updated.

6. Increased return: Lesser travels and time saving would result in quick and increased return for
the company. This ensures a better growth rate too.

Disadvantages of Video Conferencing: The disadvantages of the Video Conferencing are discussed
as follows

1. No personal interaction: Nothing would replace a personal interaction like a handshake. In

business dealings it is important to win trust and respect of the other party. A video conference may
prove insufficient to achieve this. It is better to meet personally in such cases.

2. Technical problems: Working with laptops is always associated with technical problems like
hardware failure, network connection issues, software issues etc. Environmental changes also affect
the connectivity. It will be a loss if some problem arises at the crucial moment.

3. Costly set up: It can be costly for small companies to set up video conference in the office. There
are many simple and advanced features that come with video conferencing. While the simple ones
are less expensive, the advanced ones cost a little too much.

4. More working hours: Even though it is easy to conduct the conference at any time, it is
practically difficult for people working in different time zones. After working the whole day in office
there may be important updates to be given to the team members working in the next shift at a
different location

5. Delay in response: Even though participants of the conference can be from across the globe,
there are some difficulties faced due to this long distance. A slight delay between responses that
come from one side to the other side of the world is a common thing.
6. Coverage of the camera: The entire room may not be visible to people sitting at other locations
due to the lesser coverage of the camera. This becomes a problem if there are a large number of
people at one location.

Q4 : What do you meant by Seminar ? Show the skills of Seminar Presentation

Seminar is a one types of presentation, here you need to talk about the given topic for some time.
You are allowed to present it with the help of PPT or any other electronic devices

1. Pick a good topic: Selecting a topic that will make a good story is a big first step toward making
your seminar a good one. Your seminar can either be based on a library topic, which should include
the information on the history, current status and of research or policy in a particular area or on a
particular subject, or on your own research project.

Irrespective of the specific topic, seminars which tell a good story and have a clear take-home
message are the memorable ones (memorable for the right reasons).

2. Know your audience: It is important to understand how much your audience is likely to know
in advance about your seminar topic. This will determine the amount of time you need to spend on
the various portions of your talk.

Familiarize yourself in advance with the room where you will give your talk and with any equipment
that you plan to use. Not only should this make you more comfortable, but it may also help you
avoid unexpected technological problems.

3. Show a brief outline or list of topics to be covered: Fist off all you need to show the topics
whatever you want to cover in this seminar and give briefing about the topics.

4. Introduce your topic well: Your introduction will vary in length and detail, depending on the
length of your talk, your topic, and the level of sophistication of your audience. Give the necessary
information but be careful not to include large amounts of extraneous material.

5. Methodology: If you are talking about your own research, you need to present your experimental
design and/or methods. Try to make this section short, concise, clear and logical. You can use an
outline format or even a flow chart of the experiments and techniques you used. If you are giving a
review talk, then simply summarize briefly the methods used.

6. Always give a synthesis or conclusion: Display a brief summary of your conclusions on a slide
while you discuss the significance of the material you have presented. You may want to add a slide
after your conclusions with future questions that should be addressed. This demonstrates some
critical thinking on your part and shows that you have a feel for the big picture of which your topic
is a part.

Do:

1. Practice

2. Look professional

3. Preview your slides

4. Clearly state your objectives and goals

5. Speak clearly and at a good pace. Rule of thumb: About 1 slide per minute

6. Always identify your axes, define all technical terms and spend time on your data

7. Quote appropriate references and distinguish your work from literature sources

8. Make a lot of eye contact with your audience

9. Conclude your talk with statements that address your objectives and finish your story

Don’ts:

1. Wait until the last minute to prepare

2. Make slides that are impossible to read or understand, e.g. complicated figures, large tables,

3. Know your material well without reading.

4. Make distracting gestures when you talk

5. Speak too rapidly, too slowly, too quietly or too loudly.

6. Talk to one person or the screen.

7. Try to be too funny. Humor has its place in your seminar, but uses it judiciously.

Q5 : Discuss about the concept of Technical Paper Presentation with an suitable example

The technical paper presentation is one type of presentation. Here you need to give the paper
presentation of the given topic. The rules and regulation regarding to the presentation will be given
by the judges. You need to follow the instructions very carefully. The following instructions are
example for the one technical paper presentation.
 Technical Paper Presentation held in the LBRCE in the LAKSYA 2K19 Programme

1. Maximum number of participants in a Team is 2.

2. The topics that the papers need to be based on are suggestive. It is advisable that presentation
focuses on one particular topic.

The participants who are desirous of choosing a different theme than those mentioned above are
welcome, provided, it falls under the ambit of the domain.

Report should be well comprehended, albeit advanced which could appeal to an undergraduate.
Kindly contact the coordinator for clarifications.

3. Abstract should not exceed 1 page and Paper should not exceed 15 pages.

4. The subject of the mail with the attached abstract and later, the final paper should be the
domain and sub-category under which the paper is categorized.

5. Bring your college I-Card & receipt on event day.

6. Please bring your PowerPoint presentation on a CD and on a pen-drive.

7. Soft-copies of the submitted paper and PowerPoint presentations must be in the .docx format.

8. Please Mail your abstract, paper and ppt to tpp.onyx2012@gmail.com . Difficulties will be
addressed through the same email-id.

9. Please bring 2 hardcopies of the submitted paper on the day of the event.

10. The teams will get 10 minutes for presentation followed by question and answer session.

11. Persons from different institutions can be a part of the same team. However, one person may
not be a part of multiple teams for the same event.

12. The mail with submissions should contain: Title- theme of the paper, Name of both authors,
Phone no of both the authors and E- mail ID .

13. Paper should be in a one column format & should not exceed 15 pages.

14. Paper should be in Times New Roman font of size 12.

15. For headings use bold and a font of size 16.

16. Paper must contain index, list of figures, list of tables, abstract, introduction, point wise
description of subject and conclusion and references.
17. Paper must be preceded by a cover page specifying the title of the paper, names of authors and
their college names as also their contact numbers and email ids.

18. Last day to submit soft copy of your report (via e-mail) will be two days prior to the day of
presentation.

19. After you have submitted the soft copy, a panel of judges will go through your material and if
you are shortlisted to give the presentation, you will be notified.

20. The abstract mail should contain abstract, references, your e-mail id and mobile number.

21. The decision of judges will be final and no arguments or appeal will be entertained.

Topics:

A. What are the current financial conditions of the banks in India?

B. Comment on the statement "India is Developing country"

Q6 : What is Group Discussion ? Write the skills required to participate in Group Discussion

The Group Discussion is one type of techniques now a days being used by the companies to recruite
the employees, sometimes the group discussion is used to find out the knowledge persons in the
particular group. The group discussion has some strategies and techniques they are as follows

Rule 1: Prepare: Work begins long before you sit for the group discussion. Your performance is as
good as your preparation. Half the preparation is about knowledge. If you think you can wing it with
aggression, you are mistaken. Find out kind of topics that are given at the institution or company
you are applying for.

Passive reading is where you read merely to understand the subject. Active reading is where you not
only understand the subject, but also begin to raise questions and voice your opinion – positive,
negative or neutral about the subject. This is critical in the group discussion to counter or support
others’ points of view.

Rule 2: Know the Participants: Carry a notepad and pen to note down your discussion points as
soon as the topic is given. Most people who attend GDs are as focused on their performance as you
tend to be. Take a deep breath and when the team introduces itself, note down the participants’
names.

In the heat of the discussion, calling out the person’s name is a good way to get his attention. All of
us respond instinctively when our name is called out, so use this technique. Not only does it get you
their attention, it also shows your people skills and presence of mind.
Rule 3: Take Care of your Posture: Your body posture reveals your state of mind. At the same
time, it conditions you to a particular way of thinking. Lean back and relax and you will be relaxing
the intensity you need in a GD. Lean forward aggressively and there will be a lot of aggression in
your tone and posture, causing others to mirror your image and make things more difficult than
they can be. Find the balance.

Rule 4: Take Charge: Take charge of the discussion right at the beginning. It shows your
leadership capability. Introduce the topic by setting the framework for the ensuing discussion and
state your opening point before leaving it to the group.

Rule 5: Retain Your Balance: During the discussion itself, give your logical counterpoint without
aggression when there is a disagreement. You are not there to prove that your stand is right, but to
show your maturity and logical thinking. When the discussion drags over a point, it is time for you
to interject and turn the discussion in a new direction, either with a related point or with an
opposite view.

Rule 6: Follow the Company Culture: Companies have a culture of their own. Some are highly
aggressive, others less so. This factor reflects in their objectives for the candidates they recruit.
Aggressive companies would expect you to stand for yourself in an aggressive environment.
Companies with a more empathetic culture would look askance at it. Know the company culture
beforehand.

Rule 7: Follow your Domain: Each department within the company is likely to have a culture of its
own. Human Resources is one of the most approachable ones by the very nature of its domain;
sales is likely to be aggressive; marketing, a combination of the creative and the operational while
being people-oriented since it has to bring sales and finance functions over the same platform and
so on. Keep the domain in mind while projecting your image.

Q7 : What is Brain Storming ? Explain the strategies to conduct the Brain Storming

Brain Storming is the strategy to gather the information from the experts to take the decisions and
implement the new methodology in the organization. The brain Storming is being conducted by
using the different kinds for techniques they are discussed as follows

1. Brain writing: When brain writing, each group member is told to anonymously write down
several ideas on post-it notes or index cards. Keeping ideas anonymous serves two important
purposes: First, it prevents idea anchoring and any personality bias that may arise. Second, it
provides a way for more introverted teammates to still contribute to ideation.

The result is a broader range of ideas that may not have surfaced if teammates were to brainstorm
collectively. Ideas are then shared at random with the rest of the group, who offer feedback and
critique each idea. As an alternative, ideas can also be collected and sorted by a team leader or
management team. The overlying goal of brain writing is to separate idea generation from
discussion.

2. Six Thinking Hats: The Six Thinking Hats technique relies on our cognitive ability to consider
alternative perspectives. It begins with six different hats of varying colors with corresponding
purposes or perspectives:

• White Hat: The neutral White Hat considers objective facts and figures and is used at the
meeting’s commencement to secure everyone’s understanding of all relevant information about the
problem or issue at hand.

• Red Hat: The passionate Red Hat is used to check the group’s gut reaction to an idea or to
encourage the team to express emotions freely.

• Black Hat: This critical and skeptical hat reveal the cautionary aspects of an idea or solution.
Think of it as the ―devil’s advocate,‖ whose role is to expose and mitigate risk.

• Yellow Hat: This warm and positive hat focuses on the value of ideas. It acts as a counterbalance
to the skeptical thinking of the Black Hat.

• Green Hat: This hat is all about creativity and generating new ideas.

• Blue Hat: The pragmatic Blue Hat sets agendas and maps out the situation at the beginning of the
meeting. It also returns at meeting’s end to summarize and formulate conclusions and insights.

Each teammate takes turns wearing different hats and contributes input from each perspective. For
example, a team leader may say ―All right, team, let’s put on our Green Hats. Janice, what do you
think?‖ The Six Thinking Hats technique can also combine with other techniques listed here,
including Round Robin and Rapid Ideation.

3. 5 Whys analysis: If you’ve ever been interrogated by a toddler, you know what the 5 Whys might
sound like. You give an answer to a question, only for it to be followed by an increasingly urgent
series of ―Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?‖

Truth be told, that toddler is onto something. Created by Taiichi Ohno, the 5 Whys analysis was
made popular at Toyota as a standard process for root cause analysis—getting to the heart of a
problem.

4. Star bursting: Like a reporter trying to discover the pivotal information to a story, the star
bursting method of brainstorming requires you to think about the who, what, where, when, why,
and how for any new idea.
Place your main idea at the center of a star diagram, labeling each point of the star with those 5WH
questions.

Next, develop a series of questions about your idea for each point. Star bursting is popular among
brainstorming methods because of its exploratory nature: One question triggers another question,
and before you know it, you have the beginnings of a solid strategy within the answers to those
questions.

5. Round robin brainstorming: To engage in this brainstorming technique, begin with having
everyone sit in a circle. A team leader or facilitator will then pose a question or offer a request for
ideas and have everyone in the circle contribute one by one.

6. Rapid ideation: Operating within a time limitation can often produce higher quality work.
Indeed, Parkinson’s Law teaches us that ―work expands so as to fill the time available for its
completion.‖ Rapid ideation uses this phenomenon to its advantage: By setting a time limit on team
members to contribute as many ideas or solutions as possible, team managers can maximize
productivity and results.

Rapid ideation works well for a few different types of workers—for teams who dislike meetings, or
who tend to get sidetracked, rapid ideation is a great way to approach the brainstorming stage of
project execution.

A helpful tip to remember: Get silly! Research shows that teams who share funny or embarrassing
stories about themselves reported 26% more ideas shared across 15% more categories over teams
who kept meetings more formal. Having the space to let down certain social barriers reduces
overthinking and produces a greater flow of ideas.

7. Reverse brainstorming: Most brainstorming techniques ask participants to solve a problem.

Reverse brainstorming has participants cause a problem. Rather than forming solutions to a
problem, reverse brainstorming has a facilitator ask a question like ―How can we cause this
problem?‖ Responses are then recorded and used as springboards to ideate a solution by working
through the responses backwards.

Reverse brainstorming is a powerful way to open up new solutions to recurring problems: By

challenging participants to work backwards, certain insights that may have been hard to imagine
normally become crystal clear from a new perspective.

8. Stepladder brainstorming: This interesting style of brainstorming was developed in 1992 and
involves teammates sharing their ideas individually before being influenced by the group.
The process starts with a facilitator posing a question or problem to the entire group and then
having almost every group member exit the room, leaving two members present. These remaining
two members share their ideas together while the rest of the team waits outside, until the facilitator
directs an outside teammate to join the two inside.

The third and new teammate then shares their idea first, followed by the other two teammates. A
fourth group member then enters the room and shares his or her idea first, followed by the other
teammates present. The process continues this way until all group members have joined the room
and shared their ideas.

Stepladder brainstorming is noted for solving the problem of groupthink by having participants
share ideas individually and without influence from the group. It also allows the more shy group
members to contribute without being intimidated by a room full of people.

9. SWOT analysis: SWOT analysis isn't exclusively a brainstorming technique: It's a strategic
planning exercise that you can use to evaluate a product, project, person, or business. However, it
may be valuable to focus your brainstorm with this mindset. SWOT stands for:

Strengths: How does the product, project, or business dominate and stand out from its
competitors?

Weaknesses: What are the flaws that can hurt or put the product, project, or business in jeopardy?

Opportunities: What opportunities could the business capitalize on?

Threats: What are the possible downfalls lurking for the product, project, or business?

Q8 : What is Interview ? Explain Process and Types of Interview (Formal and Informal also)

An interview is a purposeful exchange of ideas, the answering of questions and communication

between two or more persons. Generally, an interview is a process of private meeting conversation
between people, where questions are asked and answered, for obtaining information about qualities,
attitudes, prospectus etc.

An interview refers to a conversation with one or more persons acting as the role of an interviewer
who ask questions and the person who answers the questions acts as the role of an interviewee.

There are different meanings of the word ―interview‖, as different scholars defined the term
differently. However, interviews have some basic objectives, which are as follows

• Through interviews, recruiters can verify the information obtained through application forms and
tests.
• Recruiters can obtain additional information about the candidates which are not mentioned in the
application forms or resumes.

• Interviews provide an applicant the information and the necessary facts about the job and the
organization.

• Interviews establish a mutual understanding between the applicant and the organization.

How to Interview: Various researches have proved that organizations that spend more time on
recruitment have benefitted greatly in long term. An important thing to do, when you are planning
for an interview is to think, whom you are interviewing and what kind of information you want from
that person. Hence, you should prepare a list of questions, which you want to ask, prior to
conducting an interview.

Interviewing is both an art and a science. Hence, how to interview is a technique that every HR
professional should learn and try to implement.

5P’s of Interview techniques: The following five P’s should be taken into consideration in order to
ensure effective selection and interviewing

1. Prepare: Preparation is the first step of conducting an interview. Prior to interview, the
interviewer should make sure that he/she understands the key elements of the job. And the
interviewer should go through the resume of the candidate for understanding his/her qualities and
efficiencies

2. Purpose: The interviewer should have knowledge about the purpose of the interview, why he/she
is conducting it. The interviewer should project the organization as the best place to work to the
interviewee, which helps in selecting the right candidate.

3. Performance: An interviewer must identify the attitude, attributes, knowledge and skills of the
applicants, who are needed for the success of the organization. If the requirement is about special
education and technical skills, then hiring high-performing applicants plays an important role.

4. People Skills: The applicant, who comes for an interview, will not be completely transparent.
Hence, it is the job of an interviewer to un-mask the applicant and discover the inner qualities and
skills during the interview. This good practice of hiring will help in selecting the right candidate for
the organization.

5. Process: Every interviewer should follow a structured interview process to get better results. A
structured process of interview avoids bias and gives equal and fair chance to all the applicants.
The best way for accomplishing this process is by using the behavioral based questions and
situational questions.
Importance of Interview: An interview provides an organization the scope to learn more about the
applicants, who come for an interview, while the applicants get an opportunity to become more
familiar with the demands of a given position. Interviews enable both the parties to exchange
information, ask questions and also help in evaluating the potential for establishing a professional
working relationship with the organization.

The following points explain the importance of conducting interviews

Interviews help in selecting the right candidate from a group of applicants, who applied for a

job.

Interviews are a medium to help collect useful information about potential candidates.

Information given in the application form or resume is very less. Recruiters can ask the

candidates to provide an elaborate explanation during the interview.

A good interviewer gives good impression about the organization, which in turn increases the

goodwill of the organization.

Interviews also help in promotions and transfers of the candidates, as per the requirements

of the organization.

Types of the Interview: The ten different types of interviews are as follows:

1. Structured Interview: In this type, the interview is designed and detailed in advance. A
structured interview is pre-planned, accurate, and consistent in hiring the candidates.

2. Unstructured Interview: This type of interview is an unplanned one, where the interview
questionnaire is not prepared. Here, the effectiveness of the interview is very less and there is a
tremendous waste of time and effort of both the interviewer and the interviewee.

3. Group Interview: In this type of interview, all the candidates or a group of candidates are
interviewed together. Group interviews are conducted to save time when there is a large number of
applications for a few job vacancies. A topic will be given to discuss among the candidates and the
interviewer judges the innovativeness and behavior of each candidate in the group.

4. Depth Interview: Depth interview is a semi-structured interview, where the candidates have to
give detailed information about their education background, work experience, special interests, etc.
And the interviewer takes a depth interview and tries in finding the expertise of the candidate.

5. Stress Interview: Stress interviews are conducted to discover how a candidate behaves in
stressful conditions. In this type of interview, the interviewer will come to know whether the
candidate can handle the demands of a complex job. The candidate who maintains his composure
during a stress interview is normally the right person to handle a stressful job.

6. Individual Interview: In an individual interview, the interview takes place one-on-one i.e., there
will be a verbal and a visual interaction between two people, an interviewer and a candidate. This is
a two-way communication interview, which helps in finding the right candidate for a vacant job
position.

7. Informal Interview: Such interviews are conducted in an informal way, i.e. the interview will be
fixed without any written communication and can be arranged at any place. There is no procedure
of asking questions in this type of interview, hence it will be a friendly kind of interview.

8. Formal Interview: A formal interview held in a formal way, i.e. the candidate will be intimated
about the interview well in advance and the interviewer plans and prepares questions for the
interview. This is also called as planned interview.

9. Panel Interview: Panel interview, as the name indicates, is being conducted by a group of people.
In this type of interview, three to five members of the selection committee will be asking questions to
the candidates on different aspects. The final decision will be taken by all the members of the panel
collectively.

Example: Suppose there is a software company Global Systems, which has executive requirement
for the position CEO. This kind of position cannot be fulfilled in a short span. This requirements
needs a keen observation and a lot of planning. There are no of interviews, which are explained in
the above list. The best type of interview suitable for hiring a CEO would be a ―Structured
Interview‖.

Hiring a CEO for an organization is a big task and it can only be fulfilled with lots of planning.
Hence the interview process needs to be well structured and it has to be executed in a perfect way.
An interview is a purposeful exchange of ideas, the answering of questions and communication
between two or more persons. Generally, an interview is a process of private meeting conversation
between people, where questions are asked and answered, for obtaining information about qualities,
attitudes, prospectus etc.

Q9 : What is the Interview Etiquette ?

Be prepared to the best of your ability. There is no way to predict what an interview holds, but by
following these important rules you will feel less anxious and will be ready to positively present
yourself. The etiquette of the interview is discussed as follows
1. Do your research: Researching the company before the interview and learning as much as
possible about its services, products, customers and competition will give you an edge in
understanding and addressing the company's needs. The more you know about the company and
what it stands for, the better chance you have of selling yourself in the interview. You also should
find out about the company’s to gain insight into your potential happiness on the job.

2. Look sharp: Select what to wear to the interview. Depending on the industry and position, get
out your best interview clothes and check them over for spots and wrinkles. Even if the company
has a casual environment, you don't want to look like you slept in your outfit. Above all, dress for
confidence. If you feel good, others will respond to you accordingly.

3. Be prepared: Bring along a folder containing extra copies of your resume, a copy of your
references and paper to take notes. You should also have questions prepared to ask at the end of
the interview. For extra assurance, print a copy of Monster's handy interview take-along checklist.

4. Be on time: Never arrive late to an interview. Allow extra time to arrive early in the vicinity,
allowing for factors like getting lost. Enter the building 10 to 15 minutes before the interview.

5. Show enthusiasm: A firm handshake and plenty of eye contact demonstrate confidence. Speak
distinctly in a confident voice, even though you may feel shaky.

6. Listen: One of the most neglected interview skills is listening. Make sure you are not only
listening, but also reading between the lines. Sometimes what is not said is just as important as
what is said.

7. Answer the question asked: Candidates often don't think about whether they are actually
answering the questions their interviewers ask. Make sure you understand what is being asked,
and get further clarification if you are unsure.

8. Give specific examples: One specific example of your background is worth 50 vague stories.
Prepare your stories before the interview. Give examples that highlight your successes and
uniqueness. Your past behavior can indicate your future performance.

9. Ask questions: Many interviewees don't ask questions and miss the opportunity to find out
valuable information. The questions you ask indicate your interest in the company or job.

10. Follow up: Whether it's through email or regular mail, the interview follow-up is one more
chance to remind the interviewer of all the valuable traits you bring to the job and company. Don't
miss this last chance to market yourself.