WRITING EFFECTIVE BUSINESS

CORRESPONDENCE
Learning Outcomes
At the of the chapter, the students should be able to:
• Demonstrate how communication works in business and in
organization;
• Compare personal and business letters;
• Evaluate and explain the characteristics and elements of a
business letter;
• Compose basic and optional parts of a business letter;
• Distinguish different types of business letters;
• Distinguish different business letter punctuations and styles;
and
• Analyze and write a memorandum
 Introduction
People are highly engaged in various daily communications through
email, texting, chatting, formal presentation or even face to face
conversation. This phenomenon leads to unending quest on how to
communicate effectively to survive the digital era. No matter how
technological the workplace may become, there will always be the real
power in the written world (Roberts, 1999). Technology has not
eliminated the need for people to write clearly, it merely simplified the
writing process.
 Introduction
If we compare writing with the other macro skills such as listening,
speaking, reading, viewing, writing probably is the most difficult skill
because it covers a great deal of knowledge as well as principles of
organization to produce a good composition (Tangpermpoon, 2008).
Since then, writing business correspondence never goes out of styles
especially in the corporate world. Employers keep on looking for
professionals who can communicate messages well both in written and
oral, inside and outside of an organization.
Communication in Business and
Organization
 Communication in
Business
⮚ Effective communication is the key to success.
⮚ Business depends so much on communication.
⮚ People must communicate to plan products, hire, train, and motivate
workers, coordinate manufacturing and delivery, persuade customers
to buy, and bill them for sale (Locker, 2006).
⮚ Communication can’t be set apart from business for it gives life and
light to any business transactions.
Business communication refers to
how people communicate ,
whereas organizational
communication deals with whom
to communicate
 Communication in
Business

⮚ Communication in business is a two-way process that follows the

common communication process of sending and receiving messages.
⮚ However, business communication differs on the medium for it uses,
paper, pen, typewriter or computer to make the message tangible to
the receiver.
 Communication in
Organization
⮚ Communication in organization is relaying messages or information
between or among people inside and outside an organization.
⮚ There are several written documents needed to run an organization.
⮚ Every single document has one or more of the three basic functions of
organizational writing which is to inform, to promote goodwill, or to
persuade.
 To inform

Basic functions of
communication
To persuade To promote goodwill
 Table 1: Internal Documents Produced in one Organization

Document Description of Document Purpose(s) of Documents

Memo accompanying document, telling Inform: persuade reader to read

Transmittal
why it is being forwarded to the receiver document; build image and goodwill

Report summarizing profitability, Inform; build image and good will (report
productivity, and problems during period. is accurate, complete; writer understands
Monthly or quarterly report Used to plan activity for next month or company)
quarter
Evaluation of an employee’s Inform; persuade employee to improve
performance, with recommended areas of
Performance appraisal improvement or recommendation for
promotion
Congratulations to an employee who have Promote goodwill
won awards, been promoted, or earned
Memo of congratulations community recognition
Table 2: External Documents Produced in one Organization

Document Description of Document Purpose(s) of Documents

Letter giving price for a specific product, Inform; promote goodwill (price
Quotation
fabrication, or service reasonable)

Letter granting or denying customer Inform; promote goodwill

request to be given credit for defective
Claim/adjustment goods

Report to stockholders summarizing Inform; persuade stockholders to retain

financial information for year stock and others to buy; build goodwill
Annual report (company is a good corporate citizen)

Letter to suppliers, customers, or other Promote goodwill

people who have helped individuals or
Thank you letter the company
 TWO BASIC STRUCTURES THAT MAKE UP
THE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS OF AN
ORGANIZATION
1. Formal channel of 2. Informal channel of
communication follows the communication follows an
usual pattern of an unstructured channel of
organizational chart where communication where lines and
the superiors are classified patterns of the organization are
from the subordinates vague. This is sometimes referred
through connecting the lines to as grapevine because it usually
of communication to every relays more information than the
member of the organization formal communication through
rumor-mongering.