Business Communication Notes

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1.

Introduction of Business
Communication:
In introduction of business
communication you will get main point
Meaning of communication and business
communication-scope, purposes-
processes-principles-functions-importance
and models of communication etc.

2. Types of communication:
In Types of communication you will get main
point Written-oral-non-verbal-downward-
upward-horizontal-mass communication
etc.

3. Major Media of Written Business
communication:
In Major media of written business
communication you will get main point
letters-memos-reports-style and structure-
advantages and disadvantages of different
media etc.


2. 4. Major Media of Oral Communication:

In Major media of oral communication you
will get main point speech-face to face
conversation-interviews-meetings-
advantages and disadvantages of different
media etc.

5. Non-verbal Communication:
In Non-verbal communication you will get
point symbols-gestures-body language-
visual communication etc.

6. Internal Communication:
In Internal communication you will get point
communication within organization and
small groups-office memos-modern devices
in communication etc.

7. Business Report Writing:
In Business Report writing you will get main
point types of report-characteristics and
importance of different types-purpose of
business report writing-Business report
writing scope-different styles of writing
reports etc.

8. Importance of Secretarial Functions in
Business:

Business secretarial services In Importance
of Secretarial Functions in Business you will
get main point types of secretaries-duties of
a private secretary-company secretary-
legal position, position and qualification-
appointment, removal and function-powers,
duties and liabilities etc.

9. Different Types of Company Meeting:
In Different Types of Company Meeting you
will get main point preparing agenda, notice
of company meeting, minutes of different
meeting-motion, proxy, quorum, resolution
etc.

10. Business letter writing:
In Business letter writing you will get main
point types of letters writing-circular letter-
letter of inquiry-letter of complaints-dunning
letter-letter of adjustment-letter of order etc.

11. Employment Communication:
In Employment communication you will get
main point preparing CV or Personal
Resume, Application letter, Bio-Data of
employment communication etc.
Topics and Lessons for Business
Communication:
1. Lesson 1: Facing Today's
Communication Challenges
2. Lesson 2: Writing for Business
Audiences
3. Lesson 3: Improving Writing Techniques
4. Lesson 4:Revising and Proofreading
Business Messages
5. Lesson 5: E-Mail and Memorandums
6. Lesson 6: Routine Letters and Goodwill
Messages
7. Lesson 7: Persuasive Messages
8. Lesson 8: Negative Messages
9. Lesson 9: Informal Reports
10. Lesson 10: Proposals and Informal
Reports
Objectives for Business Communication:
By the end of this course, students should
be able to:
Understand and demonstrate the use of
basic and advanced proper writing
techniques that today's technology
demands, including anticipating audience
reaction,
Write effective and concise letters and
memos,
Prepare informal and formal reports,
Proofread and edit copies of business
correspondence.
Use career skills that are needed to
succeed, such as using ethical tools,
working collaboratively, observing business
etiquette, and resolving workplace conflicts,
Plan successfully for and participate in
meetings and conduct proper techniques in
telephone usage,
Use e-mail effectively and efficiently,
Develop interpersonal skills that contribute
to effective and satisfying personal, social
and professional relationships, and
Utilize electronic presentation software.



















Another form of written communication is
report. Generally reports are analytical in
nature. It is longer than letters and memos and
contains detailed discussion. Reports are one
kind of managerial instruments which used to
evaluate a situation.

What is Business Report? According to Ricks
and Gow, A report is a written message
presenting information that will help a decision
maker to solve business problems.

The basic purposes of a report are as follows:
1. Monitor and control operation
2. Implement policies
3. Obtained new business
4. Comply with requirements
The basic purposes of a report are as follows:
1. Monitor and control operation
2. Implement policies
3. Obtained new business
4. Comply with requirements
5. Guide decisions
6. Problem solving

Structure of a Report:
Reports may short or long, formal or informal.
Short reports may be prepared in the following
formats:
i. Preprinted form
ii. Letter form
iii. Memo form

But a formal and long report has different
structure. A formal report basically has three
parts:
1. Prefatory parts
2. Text of the report
3. Supplementary parts


1. Prefatory parts:
This is the first part of the report but written
after the text has been completed. It includes----
----
3. Test of the Report:
This is the main part of the report which
explains the subject matter in detail. It
includes-----
4. 3. Supplementary Parts:
The materials related to the report are
presented in this section. It includes-----------

Textbook Outline
PART I: UNDERSTANDING THE FOUNDATIONS
OF BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION
Textbook Outline
PART I: UNDERSTANDING THE FOUNDATIONS
OF BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION Page 2 of 4
Chapter 1 Achieving Success Through Effective
Business Communication
Chapter 2 Communicating in Teams and
Mastering Listening and Nonverbal
Communication Skills
Chapter 3 Communicating Interculturally
PART 2 APPLYING THE THREE-STEP WRITING
PROCESS
Chapter 4 Planning Business Messages
Chapter 5 Writing Business Messages
Chapter 6 Completing Business Messages
PART 3 WRITING LETTERS, MEMOS, E-MAIL,
AND TOHER BRIEF
MESSAGES
Chapter 7 Writing Routine, Good News, and
Goodwill Messages
Chapter 8 Writing Bad-News Messages
Chapter 9 Writing Persuasive Messages
PART 4 FINDING AND COMMUNICATING
INFORMATION
Chapter 10 Finding, Evaluating, and Processing
Information
Chapter 11 Communicating Information
Through Visuals
PART 5 PLANNING, WRITING, AND
COMPLETING REPORTS AND
PROPOSALS
Chapter 12 Planning Business Reports and
Proposals
Chapter 13 Writing Business Reports and
Proposals
Chapter 14 Completing Business Reports and
Proposals
PART 6 DESIGNING AND DELIVERING ORAL
PRESENTATIONS
Chapter 15 Planning, Writing, and Completing
Oral Presentations
Chapter 16 Enhancing Your Oral Presentations
with Electronic Slide Shows and
Overhead Transparencies
PART 7 WRITING EMPLOYMENT MESSAGES
AND INTERVIEWING FOR
JOBS
Chapter 17 Writing Resumes and Application
Messages
Chapter 18 Interviewing for Employment and
Following Up




















International Business Etiquette Tips
To say that today's business environment is
becoming increasingly more global is to state
the obvious. Meetings, phone calls and
conferences are held all over the world and
attendees can come from any point on the
globe. On any given business day you can find
yourself dealing face-to-face, over the phone,
by e-mail and, on rare occasions, by postal
letter with people whose customs and cultures
differ your own. You may never have to leave
home to interact on an international level.
While the old adage "When in Rome, do as the
Romans do" still holds true, business clients
and colleagues who are visiting this country
should be treated with sensitivity and with an
awareness of their unique culture. Not to do
your homework and put your best international
foot forward can cost you relationships and
future business. One small misstep such as
using first names inappropriately, not observing
the rules of timing or sending the wrong color
flower in the welcome bouquet can be costly.
There is no one set of rules that applies to all
international visitors so do the research for
each country that your clients represent. That
may sound like a daunting task, but taken in
small steps, it is manageable and the rewards
are worth the effort. Keeping in mind that there
are as many ways to do business as there are
countries to do business with, here are a few
tips for minding your global P's and Q's.
Building relationships

Few other people are as eager to get down to
business as Americans. So take time to get to
know your international clients and build
rapport before you rush to the bottom line.

Business relationships are built on trust that is
developed over time, especially with people
from Asia and Latin America.

Dressing conservatively

Americans like to dress for fashion and comfort,
but people from other parts of the world are
generally more conservative. Your choice of
business attire is a signal of your respect for the
other person or organization. Leave your
trendy clothes in the closet on the days that you
meet with your foreign guests.

Observe the hierarchy
It is not always a simple matter to know who is
the highest-ranking member when you are
dealing with a group. To avoid embarrassment,
err on the side of age and masculine gender,
only if you are unable to discover the protocol
with research.

If you are interacting with the Japanese, it is
important to understand that they make
decisions by consensus, starting with the
younger members of the group. By contrast,
Latin people have a clear hierarchy that defers
to age.












Understanding the handshake
With a few exceptions, business people around
the world use the handshake for meeting and
greeting. However, the American style
handshake with a firm grip, two quick pumps,
eye contact and a smile is not universal.
Variations in handshakes are based on cultural
differences, not on personality or values. The
Japanese give a light handshake. Germans offer
a firm shake with one pump, and the French grip
is light with a quick pump. Middle Eastern
people will continue shaking your hand
throughout the greeting. Don't be surprised if
you are occasionally met with a kiss, a hug, or a
bow somewhere along the way.

Using titles and correct forms of address
We are very informal in the United States and
are quick to call people by their first name.
Approach first names with caution when dealing
with people from other cultures. Use titles and
last names until you have been invited to use the
person's first name. In some cases, this may
never occur. Use of first names is reserved for
family and close friends in some cultures.
Titles are given more significance around the
world than in the United States and are another
important aspect of addressing business
people. Earned academic degrees are
acknowledged. For example, a German
engineer is addressed as "Herr Ingenieur" and
a professor as "Herr Professor". Listen
carefully when you are introduced to someone
and pay attention to business cards when you
receive them.
Exchanging business cards
The key to giving out business cards in any
culture is to show respect for the other person.
Present your card so that the other person does
not have to turn it over to read your information.
Use both hands to present your card to visitors
from Japan, China, Singapore, or Hong Kong.
When you receive someone else's business
card, always look at it and acknowledge it.
When you put it away, place it carefully in your
card case or with your business documents.
Sticking it haphazardly in your pocket is
demeaning to the giver. In most cases, wait until
you have been introduced to give someone your
card.



Valuing time
Not everyone in the world is as time conscious
as Americans. Don't take it personally if
someone from a more relaxed culture keeps you
waiting or spends more of that commodity than
you normally would in meetings or over meals.
Stick to the rules of punctuality, but be
understanding when your contact from another
country seems unconcerned.

Honoring space issues
Americans have a particular value for their own
physical space and are uncomfortable when
other people get in their realm. If the
international visitor seems to want to be close,
accept it. Backing away can send the wrong
message. So can touching. You shouldn't risk
violating someone else's space by touching
them in any way other than with a handshake.
Whether the world comes to you or you go out to
it, the greatest compliment you can pay your
international clients is to learn about their
country and their customs. Understand
differences in behavior and honor them with
your actions. Don't take offense when visitors
behave according to their norms. People from
other cultures will appreciate your efforts to
accommodate them and you will find yourself
building your international clientele.
--------------
Business Etiquette in International Countries


Globalization has increased the amount of
international business dealing, and with this has
come a greater need for business managers to
understand the etiquette of doing business in
foreign countries. Deals can be lost by people
who are unaware of a foreign associate's
culture, customs or etiquette. Etiquette matters,
because learning the culture and customs of
another country shows respect, which is key to
developing a business relationship.
Correct Behavior
Some behaviors that are normal sometimes in
the United States, such as kissing a female
colleague on the cheek, may be inappropriate
or even illegal or in other cultures. Jeanette S.
Martin and Lillian H. Chaney, in their book
"Global Business Etiquette: A Guide to
International Communication and Customs,"
suggest that it is particularly important to
consider when a behavior that is legal in the
United States, such as gift giving, may be illegal
in another country. Similarly, a behavior that is
illegal in the United States, such as bribery, may
be expected in a foreign country. In this case, it
becomes necessary to find a polite way to avoid
the illegal custom.
Before You Travel
Dana Persia, owner of DP Image Consulting,
suggests in a CNN article that it is important to
prepare before traveling. Research business
etiquette and learn a few phrases in the
language of the country you will visit. This will
help set a tone of cooperation and friendship.
Persia also emphasizes that Americans should
not judge the etiquette of others and or act in a
superior manner. Try to blend in by toning down
any behaviors, such as loud talking, that may
make you stand out from the locals.
Related Reading: Business Etiquette Skills
Greetings
When meeting with people from other cultures,
set a professional tone at the start and make a
good initial impression by using the correct
greeting. Although the handshake has become
a standard greeting, even in countries such as
Japan where it is not the traditional greeting, it
is wise to be prepared for the traditional
greeting. When traveling to Japan, know the
etiquette for bowing. Kimberley Roberts, writing
for the International Business Center, suggests
pausing and taking your cue from the other
person on which style of greeting to use.
Follow Others
When you are unsure what etiquette to use in an
international situation, it is safest to follow the
lead of the person you are meeting with. Watch
your hosts for clues as to proper dining table
etiquette and avoid discussing someone's
personal life unless they bring it up first. Always
keep an open mind; for example, don't refuse to
sample local delicacies.
Corporate Education
Because of the large number of varied customs
around the world, many corporations provide
training to employees who travel abroad on
business, or meet with foreign colleagues in the
United States. In a USA Today article, Houston
businessman Mickey David discusses how his
health care company provides online etiquette
courses for employees who travel abroad.
Large firms may even have a dedicated cultural
trainer to give advice.

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