Bcs 055 solved 2014-15

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Course Code : BCS-055
Course Title : Business Communication
Assignment Number : BCA(V)-055/Assign/14-15
Q.1: Write short notes on the following:
i) The role of small talk in business
ii) Difference between phone and walk-in-interview
Solution:-
i) Role of Small talk in Business
Knowing the art of small talk is an essential part of interpersonal communications
protocol.
The dictionary defines small talk as light conversation about common, everyday things or
chit chat.
In business, small talk is social talking on a business level. Small talk is unimportant,
important conversation. It is used at cocktail parties, meals, networking events, as pre-
meeting activities, etc. It can be used in any situation where you are trying to begin or
improve personal relationships.
People who realize and master the art of small talk understand that an opportunity to
speak is not always an opportune time to talk business. It can however, be a valuable
opportunity to enhance relationships and build rapport.
Small talk can be for only a few minutes or indefinitely, depending on the situation. The
amount of small talk is actually determined by the host. It is proper etiquette for the host
to begin the business part of the meeting. For example: At a lunch meeting, as the host,
you may begin small talk as you sit down. After the meal order is placed, the host may
begin business as he or she sees fit.
Difference between Phone and Walk in Interview
Phone Interviews: Walk in Interview

Some employers use phone calls to pre-
screen candidates before offering in-
person interviews.
Some employers conduct interviews by
telephone — they usually tell you this
and formally schedule the telephone
interview in advance, but some may
informally do this without warning.
A phone interview can be a screening
step before an in-person interview. Keep
in mind that different employers have
different methods of screening
candidates, so you should be prepared
for all possibilities.
Sometimes companies have many of the
same type of position to fill at once, and
don’t go through a full formal hiring
process. They may advertise a ‘walk in
interview’ to attract more applicants.
In walk in interview you don’t have to
arrange an appointment for an interview,
just knock at the door and be
interviewed then and there.
Having an interview without a prior
appointment.
Don’t expect TA & DA for walk in job
interviews!. If you think that you fit in
the job requirements attend it with your
CV on time.
Q.2: As part of the recruitment process you have to participate in a Group Discussion.
Prepare the proceedings of the GD which includes all the aspects of the discussion from the
introduction to the conclusion. You may choose any one of the following topics.
i) Business enterprises (MNCs) venturing into education.
ii) FDI in Retail
iii) Social Media Censorship
vi) Young people must do voluntary work before entering the job market.
Solution:-
Social Media Censorship: Good or Bad?
Censorship is a global phenomenon. Time and again, there have emerged news of
something getting banned somewhere in the world for reasons that seem unreasonable

to many while a necessity to the rest. In India, specially, censorship exists in mass
abundance. Remember the case when Penguin India, on Feb 12, withdrew copies of
Ideologist Wendy Doniger’s book The Hindus: An Alternative History, after an out-of-
court settlement was reached between it and plaintiffs Shiksha Bachao Andolan which
objected to sections of Doniger’s book.
I can give you examples from all over the world. During the 1950s, Elvis Presley
appeared in one of the famous TV programs only to be shot by the camera till his torso,
as his world-famous pelvic movements were deemed vulgar. Again during the 1950s,
the Scientific American magazine published an article on thermonuclear fusion which
was censored by the United States Atomic Energy Commission. The printed copies of
the magazine were found and burnt as it contained classified information. During both
World War I and World War II strict military censorship was laid on the freedom of press.
A similar kind of censorship was also laid in India during the State of Emergency period
in the late 70s. With the introduction of television and Internet, many important
developments have taken place in the field of censorship around the world. A number of
countries like Syria, Australia, Cuba, UAE, Yemen, Pakistan and Burma have censored
the Internet. China has imposed stringent censorship regulations. A military censor was
also laid on the freedom of press and Internet in Egypt lately. WikiLeaks, the sensational
international whistle blowing website was closed down several times under the pretext of
censorship. Satellite phones, Internet and freedom of press were also censored in Libya
during Gaddafi’s rule.
POINTS IN FAVOUR:
Media Censorship: Good or Bad_2Media influence on society: As a community, we are
heavily influenced by the media and other sources of information. However, we tend to
overlook the fact that there are not only much bias but also skewed perceptions of
events and reports in the news today. The media does a poor job portraying things as
they really are in order to follow a sort of convention and to keep their show on air or
their papers in stores. As a result, most of the time we are being fed information that
may not be entirely true and sometimes entirely baseless. The media has the ability to
manipulate its viewers in ways that are often unseen. That being said, it is difficult to give
full trust to any news or report on an event, let alone base beliefs off of something that
was skewed so much that it became a whole different story or subject in itself. Driven by
money, greed and popularity, most media outlets are fighting to report what they believe
we want to hear, not what we really should hear-the TRUTH.
Media to be censored for children: The impressionable young minds can’t differentiate
between real and make believe. The amount of violence shown affects the perception of

young children. Emphasis needs to be made on the fact that killing people is illegal and
immoral. We don’t want our children thinking that it is cool to be all heartless and go on
picking off people on the street. The vivid portrayal of violence as a means of justice
gives them a false sense of right and wrong. Hence the amount of violence the media
broadcasts ought to be censored at least for the kids. Also the casual approach towards
the topics of sex and pornography is giving very wrong ideas to the young minds. Since
the Indian Education system does not have a strong approach toward sex education, the
open platform of media has become their information ground. Open advertisement of
smoking and alcohol also needs to be curbed. What they see, they learn .There needs to
be an age restriction strictly employed and the open media grounds like the news
channels and newspapers must restrict their portrayal of such topics keeping in mind the
age of the general audience.
Political agendas: Though it is true that media is responsible for spreading information
about current events all around the world, the need of the hour is balance of information
given. Certain times violent speeches and derogatory comments given by people
towards a particular race and religion. While the act in itself can be condemned, there is
no need of repeated air-time given to the incident. This can only incite the masses
against the said person or the organization he/she is associated with. Such media tactics
are often used by political parties for selfish means while ignoring the greater good of the
society. This can only bring unrest among the masses and disrupt the peace in the
society. Some people may try to spread nonsensical propaganda through unsuspecting
media. Censorship will prevent the public display of disrespect to any particular
individual or community and promote political correctness.
Security of secrets: Ignorance is bliss, they say and it is in the best interest of a country
and its people that the plans of our armies are kept under wraps. Sometimes we need to
blindly trust them. The detailed discussion and scrutiny of every minute detail by the
media can sometimes prove dangerous as the information relayed to the general public
can be as easily gathered by the wrong group of people. During an emergency like a
terrorist attack, it helps in controlling panic and rumors throughout the nation. This was
observed in 2008 when terrorists attacked The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai.
Mandating censorship on defense related and sensitive subjects is necessary.
Curbing the spread of wrong information: Everybody has an opinion and wants to be
heard. Whether it is a hard fact or just their mere belief is a secondary matter. Thanks to
the media, you now know where and when and with whom a celebrity vacations,
whether or not you want to know that. In the effort of claiming their right to freedom of
speech, media has crossed all boundaries of right to privacy of people. The truth of the
matter takes a back seat and even false information spreads like wildfire. Right from
matters of national importance to a celebrity’s divorce settlements, all details are publicly

judged upon and sides taken. It has reached an extent where you cannot truly know if
something that you read in a newspaper or hear on a news channel is in fact true. Media
is not an impartial spectator anymore, rather it has become a weapon, the more powerful
can use to its advantage. It has reached a juncture where we need to verify that what is
printed and circulated is a) actually newsworthy, b) as accurate as possible at the time
and c) not malicious.
POINTS AGAINST:
Propagating Ignorance: Media is a major source of information. Everything that we know
about anything in the world today is all thanks to news channels, newspapers, internet
and other forms of media. In a country like ours, political parties will first suppress rightful
information in the name of censorship.
Let’s say that a foreign news channel is running an unbiased documentary on the
leadership of our country, the governing bodies of our country cannot do much about
what that person or channel is saying, except stop the people of our country from tuning
into such shows. Hence here, censorship is used to keep the ignorant, ignorant. So who
gets to be the judge of what is appropriate on a social level and what is not? Is it a
handful of people sitting in a room and declaring what is and what isn’t right according to
their ideologies? In the name of moral values, must we keep the society from
progressing by claiming certain ideas to be against our “culture”. Must we cling to age
old norms in the name of culture and censor what doesn’t please Indian values? How
can a society and a country progress on an international level if we don’t inculcate newer
trends and censor everything that doesn’t agree with “Indian culture”.
Shaping the young minds: Times are changing. The newer generation is information
hungry. A blanket ban on topics like sex in the media will only generate their curiosity
about it. And censorship of media will only mean that they look into the absolutely wrong
places for information. Rather these topics should be discussed in a healthy manner so
that the taboo tag is lifted off them. Instead of being completely censored, Sex education
and awareness of STD s can be dealt with maturity .If sex-related topics are completely
censored it becomes difficult to teach children and teenagers about the dangers of STD
s. There are rating systems and parental advisory stickers made to prevent negative
influence. Why censor something, when classification serves the purpose really well.
Freedom of speech: What’s the point of your right to speak if there is no one to listen to
what you are speaking? Doesn’t the very concept of censorship clash with the idea of
democracy? If we are going to cover the ears of our listeners, then what is the difference
between democracy and dictatorship? If the content in the media is manipulated by
some people with vested interests, then the whole point of democracy and freedom of

thought goes out of the window anyway. And, how difficult do you think it is to get an
uncensored version of anything these days? By censoring it, you are promoting it even
more.
Modified Truth: Censoring of information may lead to a wrong image perceived by the
public. It gives rise to and hides abuse of human rights. If the news coming from a war
zone does not show the true nature of the damage inflicted, how can a person be aware
of the real situation of the war? If to say that the real death toll and associated imagery
should be censored, it will be equivalent to denying even the presence of war. Death is
real and people affected in a war zone pay for it with their lives and we owe it to them to
know their real stories. Don’t censor the media; rather tackle the issues leading to a
situation that might need to be censored. Hiding the complete picture doesn’t erase its
presence, merely gives a false perception. The recent ban on social media by the Assad
regime in Syria makes a very apt example of the same.
Hinders Creativity: There can be different standards of morals among different societies
quite different from the ones imposed by the censorship. Put in simple words, censorship
hinders creativity. Censorship in books plays and movies may compromise their
entertainment value. It’s as if to say that you can’t voice your thoughts freely in any
medium .It may be used to block legitimate criticism. It’s limiting artists from truly
expressing themselves. Isn’t that what ART is all about?
CONCLUSION:
This is not a black and white topic. Every argument given for the implementation of a
strict media censorship can as easily be used in a point against it. You can probably see
that this debate is largely a matter of degree. The questions that the censor boards need
to ask themselves are what is the rationale behind the censorship? And are we
censoring the media as per that rationale? Is the media being allowed to display what it
ought to display? Are they showing things that people want to or need to know about?
Censorship is just like a double-edged sword. An absence of censorship might not be a
perfect notion, as it can cause chaos. But it also doesn’t mean that the government uses
it for its own personal gain by suppressing dissent. Ours is a democratic nation, yet has
more censorship than most nations. That’s the irony.
Q.3: You visit a mobile store since you want to purchase a new smart phone. Write out the
dialogue that you have with the sales person at the store.
Solution:-
Sales Person: Welcome to XYZ mobile store sir, how can I help u?
Customer: I want to purchase a new smart phone.
Sales Person: Well sir, we have lot of smart phone sir which type of smart phone you
want.
Customer: I want a phone having features like new Android OS, large screen, good

sound quality, both front and back camera with best quality, lightweight,and easy to use
and most important in the range of Rs. 15000/-.
Sales Person: Ok sir, I suggest you to take this phone of ABC company very new and good
phone launched two day ago, and this phone have every features like u said and other phone
which having cost very high but this phone is very affordable only Rs. 13500/- with 2 years
warranty.
Customer:Yes its look good and very easy to use and not so heavy too, ok I will take this phone,
please pack this phone.
Sale person: Congratulation Sir! Here is your new phone.
Customer:Thank you!!!
Sales Person: Thank you for coming to our shop, you have a blessed day.
Q.4: You have been asked to write a presentation on what improvements can be made to
increase productivity at your work place. Consider the development and use of people,
materials, energy and machines.
Solution:-
Points that increase Productivity at Work
In Today’s world coping with Job pressure is really tough. Anyone who’s held down a
full-time job knows that an average work day is not always long enough to get everything
you need to do done. However, your productivity can be greatly improved by adopting
habits designed to make you work more efficiently. An efficient worker uses the most of
each minute of the day, giving his or her fullest attention to the most important tasks first.
Being efficient at work won’t just improve your productivity and win you points with your
boss – it’ll also make you feel accomplished, satisfied that you’ve had a full and
productive work day.
Part 1 of 3: Creating Focus
A) Keep a clean, orderly work space
-> If you work in an office, arrange your office space and desk so that you can
quickly and easily find whatever you need to work. If you don’t work in an office, the
same principles still apply. For instance, if you work in a bike repair shop, keep your
tools clean and organized so that you’ll be able to find them instantly when you need
them. Almost every work area benefits from being kept clean.
B) Keep your workplace well-stocked
-> Make sure that you have the supplies and tools needed to do your job. In an
office, this means you should have things such as hole-punches, staple removers,
calculators, etc. at the ready. Outside of an office setting, the tools are different, but the
fundamental principles are the same – have the things you need to work effectively
before you have to start working. Scientists working with complex graphing applications

and mechanics working with socket wrenches will both benefit from having their tools
prepped and ready beforehand.
C) Eliminate your personal distractions
-> Different work places have different distractions – some jobs may come with a
particularly talkative coworker who just won’t leave you alone. Others might be
oppressively silent, causing you to get distracted by even the quietest noises. Do what
you must to make sure you can stay focused on your work. If your job allows you to
safely listen to music, take an MP3 player to work with you. You might even consider
posting notes at your work station notifying coworkers not to distract you. It might seem
rude, but it’s not – it’s a reasonable and effective method to get people to leave you
alone while you’re working. Remember, you can socialize to your heart’s content during
breaks and meals.
Part 2 of 3: Enacting Effective Work Strategies
A) Break your responsibilities into manageable pieces
-> Big projects can be intimidating – if they’re big enough, it’s easy to put them
off, wasting time on less-important work until you’re forced to tackle the entire project
right up against the deadline. As an efficient worker, you should do important work first,
even when that means doing a small part of a large task. It doesn’t feel as rewarding to
do a small part of a big task as it does to complete an entire small task, but it’s a smart
use of your time. In the long run, you’ll finish your most important tasks faster if you work
on them a little bit every day.
B) Keep meetings lean.
-> Establish an agenda before every meeting so that the time set aside is used to
its full potential. Include time frames in which certain topics of discussion should be
addressed. Stick to your agenda as much as you can – if other topics arise, recommend
they be discussed later via a one-on-one office discussion.
Invite the smallest number of people as possible. Keeping your meetings to the bare
minimum in terms of attendees reduces the chance that the conversation will veer off-
topic. It also keeps everyone who doesn’t need to be there at their desks, working.
C) Nip office drama in the bud
-> Workplaces can, unfortunately, be terribly stressful places. If tempers flare,
address any ill will immediately and directly. This may mean you, the person you’re
fighting with, or both of you need to make sincere apologies. Do this sooner rather than
later. If you let a few fights fester into a grudge, your efficiency will suffer in the long run
as you waste time working around this person and avoiding him/her in the workplace.

More importantly, you’ll be miserable – don’t let workplace drama ruin your
efficiency and your mood!
Part 3 of 3: Making Lifestyle Changes
A) Be well rested
-> Being tired has never improved the quality of anyone’s work. Tiredness can
slow your output, dull your performance, and, if you’re prone to sleeping spells, seriously
embarrass you in important meetings. On top of this, severely insufficient sleep has
been correlated with a variety of health problems. Don’t fall asleep at your desk or miss
work because you’ve gotten sick – get 7-8 hours of sleep a night to be at your best.
B) Get exercise
-> Science has shown that a good exercise regimen improves your workplace
mood and productivity. This is especially true for sedentary office jobs. If you spend most
of your time at work sitting in front of a computer, make special effort to spend a little
time every day exercising – not only will it make it easier to sit still at work, but it will
make you feel happier, sharper, and more motivated.
C) Give yourself motivations
-> If you enjoy your job, try thinking about how your work makes you feel – do
you feel fulfilled and accomplished after you’ve done it? Think about the good things
your work allows you to have. Perhaps you owe your house or your car to the money
you’ve earned through your job, or maybe your job allows you to send your children to
school. Also think of your job’s “benefits” – medical and/or dental insurance for your
family, for instance.
Q.5: Here are the answers to some questions. What are the questions? (5)
i) When ………………………………………….?
I joined the company six years ago.
ii) What ………………………………………….?
I was an office assistant.
iii) Which ………………………………………….?
I worked in After-sales.
iv) How long ………………………………………….?
I worked in that department for 18 months.
v) Where………………………………………….?
It was just 6 kms. From my home.
Solution:-
i) When did you join the company?

ii) What was your position?
iii) Which department do you work in?
iv) How long you have been working there?
v) Where is your office located?
Q.6: Complete these sentences with the correct comparative or superlative form of the
adjectives in (brackets)
i) IBM is one of the …………………………….. (big) computer companies in America.
ii) A notebook computer is …………………………….. (expensive) than a desktop one.
iii) I think a desktop computer is …………………………….. (good) than a Notebook.
iv) In my opinion, telephone is the …………………………….. (important) piece of office
equipment.
v) The …………………………….. (fast) way to contact a client is by phone.
Solution:-
i) biggest
ii) more expensive
iii) better
iv) most important
v) fastest
Q.7: Fill in the blanks with a/an, the. Leave the blanks unfilled if no article is necessary.
Like doting parents, ………….. robot researchers worry about …………..inner lives of
their machines and how best to guide them through sticky social situations. Bullying by
children has already been …………..problem. Researchers at …………..University of
California, San Diego were horrified when toddlers learning vocabulary at the university’s
early Childhood Education Centre took only minutes to bash apart …………..robotic arm
assembled over more than six months.
Solution:-
Like doting parents …… robot researchers worry about …an…. inner lives of their machines
and how best to guide them through sticky social situations. Bullying by children has already
been ……a……..problem. Researchers at ……an……..University of California, San Diego
were horrified when toddlers learning vocabulary at the university’s early Childhood
Education Centre took only minutes to bash apart ……robotic arm assembled over more than
six months.

Q.8: Read this telephone conversation and then complete with suitable words.
Assistant: Sales department. Good morning.
You: ………………………………………………………..
Assistant: Certainly. What exactly would like to know about our filing cabinets?
You: ………………………………………………………..
Assistant: They cost Rs. 9,000 each.
You: ………………………………………………………..
Assistant: I am sorry, but they’re not available in black.
You: ………………………………………………………..
Assistant: We can deliver by the end of the week.
You: ………………………………………………………..
Assistant: You’re welcome. Thank you for calling.
Solution:-
Assistant: Sales department. Good morning.
You: Good morning, I would like to know about filing cabinets.
Assistant: Certainly. What exactly would like to know about our filing cabinets?
You: how much they cost?
Assistant: They cost Rs. 9,000 each.
You: I want to purchase one in black.
Assistant: I am sorry, but they’re not available in black.
You: its ok but how much time you guys take to deliver it?
Assistant: We can deliver by the end of the week.
You: ok I will order one, thank you for your time.
Assistant: You’re welcome. Thank you for calling.
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Bcs 055 solved 2014-15

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Bcs 055 solved 2014-15