Business Communication

Chanderprabhu Jain College of Higher Studies & School of Law
Plot No. OCF, Sector A-8, Narela, New Delhi – 110040
(Affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University and Approved by Govt of NCT of Delhi & Bar Council of India)
Paper Name: Business Communication
Paper Code: BBA 110
Class: BBA(G)

UNIT-1

Communication
Two-way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which participants
not only exchange (encode-decode) information, news, ideas and feelings
but also create and share meaning. In general, communication is a means of
connecting people or places. In business, it is a key function of
management--an organization cannot operate without communication
between levels, departments and employees..

Principles of Effective Business Communication
• Language control
•Simplicity
•Clarity
• Planning
• Accuracy
•Attentiveness
• Relevancy
• Brief
• Confidential

Significance of Business Communication
•To have no conflicts
•To achieve goals
•To manage time
•To reduce risks and competition
•To promote positive workplace culture
• To build relations

Elements of Business Communication Process
•Sender
•Encoding
•Message
•Media /Channel
•Receiver
•Decoding
•Feedback

Communication Process

Communication is a 2-way process
• Communication skills involve:
• Listening to others (Receiving)
• Asserting/ Expressing (Sending)
• Barriers to communication can lead to misunderstanding and confusion.
sender
receiver
sender
receiver
values and attitudes
“generation gap”
Cultural differences
language
noise
hearing

Seven C’s For Effective Communication
• Clear.
• Concise.
• Concrete.
• Correct.
• Coherent.
• Complete.
• Courteous.
9
Teamglobal©Kautilya Learning Academy of Professionals

Effective Communication Skills
Effective
Communication skills
Eye contact & visible mouth
Body language
Silence
Checking
for understanding
Smiling face
Summarising
what has been said
Encouragement
to continue
Some questions

Elements to Effective/Active Listening
• Content: Subject being addressed
• Feelings: Emotion displayed when discussing the subject.
• Process: The manner the speaker delivers the subject matter
• Clarification: Questions asked to seek understanding

Active Listening Skills
• Check attitude and atmosphere
• Keep the channel open and avoid short circuits
• Listening requires response from listener
• Keep the door open

UNIT-2

Cross Culture Communication
• Cross-cultural communication is a field of study that looks at how people
from countries with different cultural backgrounds communicate, in similar
and different ways among themselves, and how they endeavour
to communicate across cultures.

Impact of Globalization on Cross Culture Communication
• Globalization, especially the increase of global trade, it is unavoidable
that different cultures will meet, conflict, and blend together. People from
different culture find it is difficult to communicate not only due to
language barriers, but also are affected by culture styles.
• For instance, in individualistic cultures, such as in the United States,
Canada, and Western Europe, an independent figure or self is dominant.
This independent figure is characterized by a sense of self relatively
distinct from others and the environment.
• In interdependent cultures, usually identified as Asian as well as many
Latin American, African, and Southern European cultures, an
interdependent figure of self is dominant.

Impact of Globalization on Cross Culture Communication
• There is a much greater emphasis on the interrelatedness of the individual
to others and the environment; the self is meaningful only (or primarily)
in the context of social relationships, duties, and roles.
• In some degree, the effect brought by cultural difference override the
language gap. This culture style difference contributes to one of the
biggest challenges for cross-culture communication.

Impact of Globalization on Cross Culture Communications
• Effective communication with people of different cultures is especially
challenging. Cultures provide people with ways of thinking—ways of
seeing, hearing, and interpreting the world.
• Thus the same words can mean different things to people from different
cultures, even when they speak the "same" language. When the languages
are different, and translation has to be used to communicate, the potential
for misunderstandings increases.

Etic & Emic Approach To Culture
Etic Approach
The etic approach realizes that members of a culture often are too involved
in what they are doing..... to interpret their cultures impartially. When using
the etic approach, it emphasizes what he or she considers important.

Etic & Emic Approach To Culture
Emic Approach
The emic approach investigates how local people think": How they
perceive and categorize the world, their rules for behavior, what has
meaning for them, and how they imagine and explain things. "The etic
(scientist-oriented) approach shifts the focus from local observations,
categories, explanations, and interpretations to those of the anthropologist.

Technology and Communication
• Information and communication technology (ICT) is another/extensional
term for information technology (IT) which stresses the role of unified
communications and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines
and wireless signals), computers as well as necessary enterprise
software, middleware, storage, and audio-visual systems, which enable
users to access, store, transmit, and manipulate information.

Technology and Communication
• The term ICT is also used to refer to the convergence of audio-visual
and telephone networks with computer networks through a single cabling
or link system. There are large economic incentives (huge cost savings due
to elimination of the telephone network) to merge the telephone network
with the computer network system using a single unified system of cabling,
signal distribution and management.

Legal And Ethical Issues In Communication
• Legal and ethical communication is essential to companies to ensure
truthful, accurate and morally-correct decision making.
• Companies need to give consideration to how they communicate and
remain lawful in their day-to-day business activities.

Legal And Ethical Issues In Communication
Legal communications are concerned with employees having the
understanding to not violate ethics, standards and laws pertaining to
business communications.
The five areas of legal communication that to be concerned are:-
• Disclaimers
• Disclosures
• Marketing Communications
• Reporting
• Internal Communications.

How to overcome Cross Cultural Communication Problems
• By studying other cultures
• Assume differences until similarity is proved
• Take responsibility at your own
• Show respect to other cultures
• Be flexible

• Tolerate the ambiguity (avoid frustration)
• Look beyond the superficial
• Emphasize on common ground
• Be patient and persistent
• Recognize your own cultural biases

• Send clear messages
• Deal with the individual (you are interacting with)
• Learn when to be direct & when to be indirect
• Treat your interpretation as a work in hypothesis (not as result)

Unit-3

Business Letters
• A business letter is usually a letter from one company to another, or
between such organizations and their customers, clients and other external
parties. The overall style of letter depends on the relationship between the
parties concerned.
• Business letters can have many types of contents, for example to request
direct information or action from another party, to order supplies from a
supplier, to point out a mistake by the letter's recipient, to reply directly to a
request, to apologize for a wrong, or to convey goodwill.

Need For Business Letters
• A business letter acts as a representative of the organization.
• It is an inexpensive substitute for a personal visit.
• It seeks to provide information on subjects connected with business.
• A business letter provides valuable evidence for a transaction and thus
serves a legal purpose.

Need For Business Letters
• A business letter becomes a reference material to future transactions
between organizations and individuals.
• A business letter promotes and sustains goodwill.
• A business letter motivates all the people involved in a business to a
higher and better level of performance.
• A business letter enlarges and enhances the business. We can elaborate
each of the functions thus.

Business Letters Layout
• Sender’s Address: Name, designation, name of the company and complete
address.
• Date: Month (spelled out), day (followed by a comma), year.
• Inside Address: The inside address belongs two lines after the date (this is
the same address that appears on the envelope). It includes the recipient’s
name preceded by “Mr.,” “Ms.,” “Dr.,” etc.; the title of office (“President”)
then the full address: street, city, state (official abbreviation only), ZIP code

• Salutation: “Dear” followed by title, last name, colon. Avoid “Gentlemen”
and “Dear Sir”; they’re gender-specific.
• Body of letter: The body of the letter begins two lines below the salutation
and uses short, single-spaced paragraphs. State the purpose for and any
connection with the recipient in the first paragraph. Describe what’s wanted
in the middle of the letter’s body, and request specific action at the end of
the body.
• Close: Insert the close two lines below the last line of the letter. Capitalize
the first word; conclude with a comma.

• Signature: Leave three lines of space after the close for the signature. The
signature should be signed in ink with the signatory’s name typed one line
below and the title typed one line below that.
• Typist’s initials: If the letter is typed by someone other than the writer, then
the typist’s initials should be inserted below the typed name of the
signatory; capitalize the writer’s initials, and use lower case for the typist’s.
• Enclosures: “Enclosures” (or “Encl.”) indicates that additional material
should be included.
• Copies: List other recipients alphabetically (or by rank).

Types Of Business Letters
• Sales Letters.
• Order Letters.
• Complaint Letters.
• Adjustment Letters.
• Inquiry Letters.
• Follow-Up Letters.
• Letters of Recommendation.
• Acknowledgment Letters.

Employment Related Letters
• Application Letters
• Interview Letters
• Offer Letters
• Promotion Letters
• Resignation Letters

Styles Of Business Letters
• Blocked Style
• Modified Style
• Semi-Blocked Style

Unit 4

Barriers To Communication
A communication barrier is anything that prevents you from receiving and
understanding the messages others use to convey their information, ideas
and thoughts. These barriers may be related to the message,
internal barriers related to thoughts and feelings, or external barriers.

Types Of Communication Barriers
• Semantic Barriers
• Organizational Barriers
• Psychological Barriers
• Personal Barriers

News Letter
A newsletter is a printed report containing news (information) of the
activities of a business (legal name; subscription business model) or
an organization (institutions, societies, associations) that is sent
by mail regularly to all its members, customers, employees or
people, who are interested in. Newsletters generally contain one
main topic of interest to its recipients. A newsletter may be
considered grey literature. E-newsletters (Email marketing) are
delivered electronically via e-mail and can be viewed
as spamming if sent unsolicited

Circulars
Circulars are a highly effective way to communicate with employees or
customers. Many companies use circulars to enforce dress codes and
policies or invite employees to meetings or luncheons. Circulars can also be
used as an advertising tool. There are a number of benefits to using
circulars, but a circular must include certain features to be most effective.
Additionally, distribution is important for circulars in business
communication.

Notice
A notice is a written or an oral statement that contains the particulars of
holding a meeting. When a circular is served among the members of the
meeting to attend the meeting, it is called a notice. The notice should be
sent by the proper authority in due time so that the members can attend the
meeting in time.

Office Memorandums
A memo or memorandum is a communication note that records events or
observations on a topic. Memos are typically used within a business
environment as an interoffice tool and can serve many purposes. Today,
emails can be considered a common type of memo. For example, they call
attention to issues that may need to be resolved, they update clients and
other colleagues on the status of active projects, and finally, they give
solutions to colleagues on issues that are related to the project being
worked on. They are good tools to provide a concise method of delivery.
Remember to keep it simple.

Minutes Of Meetings
Minutes, also known as minutes of
meeting (abbreviation MoM), protocols or, informally, notes, are the instant
written record of a meeting or hearing. They typically describe the events
of the meeting and may include a list of attendees, a statement of the issues
considered by the participants, and related responses or decisions for the
issues.

Report Writing
A report is a short, sharp, concise document which is written for a particular
purpose and audience. It generally sets outs and analyses a situation or
problem, often making recommendations for future action. It is a factual
paper, and needs to be clear and well-structured.

Features of a Report
•Statement containing some information.
•Orderly presentation of facts.
•An objective and unbiased presentation of facts.
•Written for a specific audience.
•Contains conclusions drawn by the writer together with the
procedure followed for collection & interpretation of data.

•It often includes recommendations.
•Written for some specific purpose.
•Submitted by a lower authority to a higher authority.
•Serves the following purposes:
a. Presents factual information to management.
b. Contains results of investigation & analysis for future reference.
c. Provides useful information to shareholders, creditors, general
public & other stakeholders.
d. It offers recommendations for future course of action.

Distinction Between Project And Report
Basic of
distinction
Project Report
1. Nature It is not
official communication
It is an official
communication
2. Time
orientation
Concerns the future Concerns the past
3. Investment Involves investment of money May not involve
investment of money

ImBasis of distinction Project Report
4. Sequence It involves a time bound
sequence of activities- a
beginning and an end
May not involve a time
bound sequence of
activities
5. Purpose To complete a major risk To present findings &
recommendations.

Types of Reports: on the basis of communication media
ORAL REPORTS:
•Face- to- face communication of an impression or observation.
•It is comparatively informal & time saving.
•It is simple & easy to present. But receiver has to listen to every
word.
•No record for future reference.
WRITTEN REPORTS:
•Relatively more accurate & precise.
•Tends to be more formal & can be referred to again & again.
•Permanent record & cannot be denied at any time.
•Can change hands without any danger of distortion.

Types of Reports: on the basis of format & procedures
adopted
Informal Reports:
•Usually in the form of person-to-person communication.
•May range from a few lines to several pages of detailed information.
•Often written in the form of a letter or a memorandum
•Prepared according to need & convenience of the org.
•Do not have a uniform structure.
•These are short & use simple style.

adopted
Formal Reports:
•Presented in a prescribed form.
•Prepared in accordance with an established law or procedure & is
submitted to a prescribed authority.
•Eg: report submitted by board of Directors to its shareholders
Main features:
a) Written by an individual or a committee which was assigned a
specific object.
b) Written to assist higher authorities in taking an important
decision.

adopted
c. Contains specific information, findings & recommendations
d. Well planned & properly organized
e. Generally submitted along with a transmittal letter which introduces
the report.
f. Not presented in letter or memo form.

Types Of Formal Reports
Statutory reports Non statutory reports
Reports prepared and Presented
according to the form & procedure laid
down by law
Formal reports which are not required
under any law but which are prepared to
help the management in formulating
policies and in taking important
decisions.
Eg: Reports submitted at the statutory
meeting of Shareholders, Auditor’s
Report
For Eg: Every branch of a company
may be asked to submit a monthly
report on sales.
These are prepared as per the
requirements of the Companies Act
1956

Characteristics Of A Good Report
• Simplicity
• Clarity
• Accuracy
• Precision
• Completeness
• Relevance & reliability
• Distinctive Appearance
• Cross reference
• Objectivity
• Brevity
• Reader Oriented
• Consistency
• Right Form
• Timeliness
• Properly addressed.

•A presentation is a means of communication that can be adapted to various
speaking situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting or
briefing a team.
•A presentation can also be used as a broad term that encompasses other
‘speaking engagements’ such as making a speech at a wedding, or getting a
point across in a video conference.
•To be effective, step-by-step preparation and the method and means of
presenting the information should be carefully considered.
•A presentation requires you to get a message across to the listeners and will
often contain a 'persuasive' element. It may, for example, be a talk about the
positive work of your organisation, what you could offer an employer, or
why you should receive additional funding for a project.
Presentation

Guidelines for Preparing Effective Presentations
WHAT
WHY
WHOWHERE
WHEN

How To Speak
•Speak slowly and clearly.
•Take a breath before you move to next slide.
•Take a deep breath (unobtrusively) before you start.
•Try not to say so, ummm or other time fillers too much.
•We all do it, it takes practice.
•Try standing squarely on both feet and keep hands someone still.

What not to do
•Stand on one leg.
•Hit yourself or a table
•Tab your pen
•Turn your back on the audience
•Wave your hands like your talking Italian
•Put your thumbs in your pockets
•Cross your arms and take a football pose
•Try to smile at the audience if you are not too nervous.

Presentation Tools
• Create your presentation keeping audience first
• Share your presentation for greatest success
• Include Links in the presentation for effective communication
• Engage your audience with an spectacular design
• Create your presentation with multimedia

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