TOPICS COVERED Communication - Introduction Barriers to Communication Effective Listening Principles of effective oral communication Pronunciation and Physical behaviour Interpersonal Communication Group Discussion Interview Business Letter Report writing

1. COMMUNICATION IN
BUSINESS
Topics Covered:
Communication - Introduction
Barriers to Communication
Effective Listening
Principles of effective oral communication
Pronunciation and Physical behaviour
Interpersonal Communication
Group Discussion
Interview
Business Letter
Report writing
Prepared by:
Deep J. Gurung
Asst. Prof
Dept. of Commerce
CHRIST deemed to
be University
Bengaluru
CONTRIBUTORS: Sristhi, Sriyam, Vivek, Natalie, Benson, Karan & Philip

3. WHAT
IS
COMMUNICATION?

4.  Derived from Latin word ‘Communis’
 Meaning of the word ‘Common’

5. DEFINE COMMUNICATION
 Communication is a process of passing information
and understanding from one person to another.
- Keith Davis
 Communication is any behaviour that results in an
exchange of meaning
- The American Management Association

6.  Communication may be broadly defined as the
process of meaningful interaction among human
beings. More specifically, it is the process by which
meanings are perceived and understandings are
reached among human beings.
- D. E.. McFarland
 Communication is the process by which information
is passed between individuals and/or organizations
by means of previously agreed symbols.
- Peter Little

7. COMMUNICATION - MEANING
 Process of exchanging of messages
 Process to convey a thought or feeling to
someone else
 How you say-what you say
 A set of events, stimuli, that person is
exposed to

8. PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION
 Source /Sender: Encoder
 Audience/Receiver: Decoder
 Message/ Content: Encoding-Decoding
 Medium /Channel: Mail, e-mail, telephone, video
call, face to face
 Feedback
 Environment /Context: Time, Distance, Surrounding
 NOISE

10. HOW DO WE
COMMUNICATE?

11. TWO METHODS OF COMMUNICATION
1. VERBAL COMMUNICATION
2. NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

12. VERBAL COMMUNICATION
 7% WORDS
NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION
 38% PARALINGUISTIC
 55% BODY LANGUAGE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LhLj
psstPY

13. TOTAL VERBAL COMMUNICATION
PROCESS
Reading
16%
Writing
9% Speaking
30%
Listening
45%

14. METHODS OF VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Oral
 Face to face conversation
 Telephone conversation
 Presentation
 Public speech
 Interview
 Group Discussion
 Negotiation
 Meeting

15. Written
Letter
Memo
Notice
Circular
Report
Minutes

16. NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Auditory Symbols-Beep, tune, whistle,
bells, buzzers etc.
 CHRONEMICS (Time)
Body Language
 Appearance
 Posture
 Clothing and Accessories
 Facial Expression
 Oculesics
 Gestures
 Haptics
 Kinesics

17. PROXEMICS [EDWARD T. HALL (1966)]

18. Paralanguage
Volume
Speed
Accent
Stress on particular word
Fillers
Silence

19. NON VERBAL (WRITTEN COMMUNICATION)
Color
Pictures
Diagrams, Graphs & Charts
Maps
Signs and Signals
CAPITALS

20. BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
 Official purposes like running a business, managing
an organization, conducting the formal affairs of a
voluntary organization and- so on.
 Business communication is marked by formality as
against personal and social communication.

21. IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

22. TYPES OF COMMUNICATION

23. On the basis of Participation
1. Intrapersonal Communication
2. Interpersonal Communication
3. Group Communication
4. Mass Communication
 Notice Board
 Hoardings and Bill boards
 Newspaper and magazines
 Radio
 Movies
 Television
 Internet

24. TYPES OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
CHANNELS
External Communication
 Outward Communication
 Customers
 Suppliers
 Banks
 Insurance Companies
 Government Agencies
 Mass Media
 Public

25. Internal Communication
Formal
Vertical (Upward & Downward)
Crosswise/Diagonal
Horizontal
 Informal (Grapevine)

26. OBJECTIVES OF DOWNWARD
COMMUNICATION
 Instructions
 Education and Training
 Orders
 Written Orders
 Oral Orders
 General Orders
 Specific Orders
 Mandatory Orders
 Discretionary Orders
 Procedural Orders

27. Motivation
Counselling
Advice
Persuasion
Warning
Appreciation

28. OBJECTIVES OF UPWARD
COMMUNICATION
Request
Application
Appeal
Demand
Representation
Complaints
Suggestion

29. OBJECTIVES OF HORIZONTAL
COMMUNICATION
Exchange of Information
Requests
Discussion
Co-ordination
Conflict Resolution
Problem Solving
Advice
Social and Emotional Support

30. BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

31. BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
 PHYSICAL BARRIERS
 Defects in Medium
 Noise in the environment
 Information Overload
 SEMANTIC or LANGUAGE BARRIERS

32.  SOCIO-PHYCHOLOGICAL BARRIERS
 Self –centered attitudes
 Group Influence
 Self-image
 Selective perception
 Defensiveness
 Status Block
 Resistance to Change
 Closed Mind
 Poor Communication Skills
 Physical Well being

33. ORGANIZATIONAL BARRIERS
CROSS-CULTURAL BARRIERS
 Language
 Values and norms of behavior
 Social Relationships
 Concepts of Time
 Concepts of Space
 Thinking Processes
 Non-verbal Behavior
 Perception

34. OVERCOMING BARRIERS?

35. ETIQUETTES OF COMMUNICATION

36. 1. Greetings
2. Making an Apology
3. Expressing Thanks
4. Appreciation
5. Art of Introduction
6. Shaking Hands
7. Compliments
8. Responding to Compliments
9. Agreeing & Disagreeing
10. Telephone Etiquette

37. ONLINE BUSINESS ETIQUETTES
Avoid personal attacks
Stay focused on the original topic
Don’t present opinions as facts, and
support facts with evidence
Follow basic expectations of spelling,
punctuation, and capitalization
Use virus protection and keep it up to
date

38. Don’t use “Reply All” in email
unless everyone can benefit from
your reply
Respect boundaries of time and
virtual space
Ask if this is a good time for an IM
chat
Avoid multitasking while using IM
and other tools

39. LISTENING

40. MYTHS ABOUT LISTENING
 Myth 1 ‘I do not have to concentrate: listening
comes naturally.’
 Truth Being a good listener requires a conscious
effort. You must keep your mind constantly
engaged and in gear.
 Myth 2 ‘I am a good listener because I always get
the facts and figures straight.’
 Truth You may be a selective listener. You listen to
the facts and figures, but do not hear or
comprehend the rest of the information, such as
questions raised, emotions of the speaker, context,
opinions, and ideas discussed.

41.  Myth 3 ‘You should not interrupt when someone is
speaking.’
 Truth A good listener does not hesitate to interrupt if
the speaker’s information is unclear. You must be
an inquisitive listener to be an effective listener.

42. LISTENING VERSUS HEARING

43. ART OF LISTENING
RECEIVE DECODE REMEMBER EVALUATE RESPOND

44. TYPES OF LISTENING
Appreciative listening
Empathetic listening
Comprehensive listening
Critical listening
Superficial listening
‘You’ viewpoint

45. HEARING VS LISTENING

46.  Hearing is the act
of perceiving sound
and receiving
sound waves or
vibrations through your
ear.
 Hearing is one of the
five senses and it just
happens all the time
 Hearing simply
happens
 Physiological
 Subconscious Level
 Listening is the act
of hearing a sound &
understanding what
you hear.
 Listening Requires
concentration so that
your brain processes
meaning from words
and sentences
 Listening leads to
learning
 Psychological
 Conscious Level

47. PRINCIPLES OF LISTENING
“If we were supposed to talk more than we
listen, we would have two tongues and one
ear.”
–Mark Twain
1. Stop Talking
2. Focus on speaker
3. Put speaker at ease
4. Remove Distractions

48. 5. Empathize
6. Be Patient
7. Listen to the tone
8. Listen for ideas
9. Wait & Watch for Non-verbal
Communication

49. IMPORTANCE OF LISTENING
 Build Relationships
 Foster Learning
 Encourage Respect
 Facilitate conflict resolution
 Promote open-mindedness
 Further progress
 Improve decisions

50. TRAITS OF GOOD LISTENER
Being Non-evaluative
Paraphrasing
Reflecting Implications
Reflecting Hidden Feelings
Inviting Further Contributions
Responding Non-verbally

51. LISTENING
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSohjlYQI2A

52. BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE LISTENING
 Content
 Speaker
 Medium
 Distractions
 Mindset
 Language
 Listening speed: 125-150 wpm vs. 400-500 wpm
 Feedback
 Cultural Barriers

53. FUNNY ENGLISH

54. ‘c’ in ‘car’
‘k’ in ‘kite’
‘cc’ in ‘occasion’
‘ch’ in ‘chemist

55. ‘e’ in ‘mine’
‘t’ in ‘listen’
‘p’ in ‘psychology’
‘h’ in ‘hour’

56. ‘gh’ in ‘enough’
‘x’ in ‘examine’
‘y’ in ‘city’

57. WHAT’S WITH ‘CH’
‘chemistry’
‘machine’
‘attach

58. EFFECTIVE SPEAKING
(HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM
/WATCH?V=I0A61WFAF8A)

59. VOCAL CUES
Quality
Volume
Rate
Pitch
Articulation
Pronunciation
Pauses
Voice Modulation

60. CREDIT:Benson

61. 12 PRINCIPLES OF ORAL
COMMUNICATION
Well planned
Clear pronunciation
Brevity
Precision
Natural voice
Logical sequence

62. Suitable words
Courteous
Attractive presentations
Avoiding emotions
Emphasis
Controlling gesticulations

63. Pronunciation
and Physical
Behaviour
CREDIT: Natalie

64. PRONUNCIATION IN COMMUNICATION
Pronunciation, which refers to the way a
word is spoken and how an individual is
understood by the listener
Pronunciation of a word can differ
depending on local/regional dialects.

65. IMPORTANCE OF PROPER PRONUNCIATION
Good pronunciation can contribute to a good
first impression.
Correct pronunciation is a basis for efficient
communication
Bad pronunciation can result in a failure to
convey the message
Other important things to consider are volume
and pitch of your pronunciation

66. PHYSICAL BEHAVIOUR IN COMMUNICATION
It refers to people's tendency to express
feelings, needs, and thoughts by means of
indirect messages and behavioral impacts.

67. TYPES OF BEHAVIOURAL COMMUNICATION
Aggressive
Assertive
Passive
Passive-Aggressive

68. AGGRESSIVE
Aggression is an unplanned act of anger in
which the aggressor intends to hurt someone
or something.
Aggressive communicators are usually close
minded, are poor listeners, and tend to
monopolize others.
While engaging in this type of communications,
individuals typically feel anger, frustration
and impatience

69. Aggression includes putting others
down, overpowering others, not
showing appreciation, ignoring
others, not considering other's
feelings, intimidating others

70. ASSERTIVE
Ability to appropriately expresses one's own wants and
feelings
Assertive communication is the halfway point between
passive communication and aggressive
communication.
Assertive communication is a direct form of
communication that respects both the
communicator's rights and opinions.

71. Individuals engaging in assertive
communication are open to hearing the
opinions of others and feel comfortable
enough to express their own opinions as
well.

72. PASSIVE
Not expressing one's own thoughts or feelings
and putting their needs last in an attempt to
keep others happy.
Individuals who exhibit a predominately passive
communication style usually have low self-
esteem and may not be able to effectively
recognize their own needs

73. These include avoiding confrontation, difficulty
taking responsibilities, agreeing with
someone else's preferences, sighing a lot and
blaming others.
They typically possess feelings of anxiety,
depression, resentfulness, powerlessness,
and confusion.
They are dependent on others

74. PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE
Incorporates aspects of both passive and
aggressive communication styles.
A passive-aggressive individual exposes their
anger through procrastination, exaggeration,
sarcasm and gossiping.
People who develop this style of communication
usually feel powerless, resentful, or stuck

75. INTER PERSONAL
COMMUNICATION
CREDIT: Sristhi

76. WHAT IS INTERPERSONAL
COMMUNICATION?
• Interpersonal communication is the process of
exchange of information, ideas, feelings and
meaning between two or more people through verbal
and/or non-verbal methods.
• Interpersonal communication is not just about what is
actually said - the language used - but how it is said
and the non-verbal messages sent through tone of
voice, facial expressions, gestures and body
language.

77. ELEMENTS
COMMUNICA
TOR
MESSAG
E
NOISE
FEEDBA
CK
CHANNE
L
CONTE
XT

79. 1. COMMUNICATORS
For any communication to occur there must be at least two
people involved. It is easy to think about communication
involving a sender and a receiver of a message. However,
the problem with this way of seeing a relationship is that it
presents communication as a one-way process where one
person sends the message and the other receives it. While
one person is talking and another is listening, for example.
In fact communications are almost always complex, two-
way processes, with people sending and receiving
messages to and from each other simultaneously. In other
words, communication is an interactive process. While one
person is talking the other is listening - but while listening
they are also sending feedback in the form of smiles, head
nods etc.

80. 2.MESSAGE
Message not only means the speech used or information conveyed,
but also the non-verbal messages exchanged such as facial
expressions, tone of voice, gestures and body language. Non-verbal
behaviour can convey additional information about the spoken
message. In particular, it can reveal more about emotional attitudes
which may underlie the content of speech.

81. 3.NOISE
Noise has a special meaning in communication theory. It refers to
anything that distorts the message, so that what is received is
different from what is intended by the speaker.
Complicated jargon,
Inappropriate body language
Inattention, disinterest
Cultural differences
These are also considered as noise as they hamper the
communication process.

82. 4.FEEDBACK
Feedback consists of messages the receiver returns, which allows
the sender to know how accurately the message has been received,
as well as the receiver's reaction. The receiver may also respond to
the unintentional message as well as the intentional message.

83. 5.CONTEXT
All communication is influenced by the context in which it takes place.
However, apart from looking at the situational context of where the
interaction takes place, for example in a room, office, or perhaps
outdoors, the social context also needs to be considered, for example
the roles, responsibilities and relative status of the participants. The
emotional climate and participants' expectations of the interaction will
also affect the communication.

84. 6.CHANNEL
The channel refers to the physical means by which the message is
transferred from one person to another. In a face-to-face context the
channels which are used are speech and vision, however during a
telephone conversation the channel is limited to speech alone.

85. USES
Give and collect information.
Influence the attitudes and behaviour of others.
Form contacts and maintain relationships.
Make sense of the world and our experiences in it.
Express personal needs and understand the needs of othe
Give and receive emotional support.
Make decisions and solve problems.
Anticipate and predict behaviour.
Regulate power.

86. • Maintain good relationships with others
• Provide leadership and reassurance to those around
you
• Give -- and get -- emotional support and empathy
• Give and receive the information you need for every
task
• Stay grounded and true to your best self
BENEFITS

87. HOW TO HIGHLIGHT
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS WHEN
APPLYING FOR JOBS?
Including interpersonal skills on a resume
Including interpersonal skills on a cover letter
Interpersonal skills in a job interview and on
the job

88. TIPS
Attend workshops or online
classes.
Seek opportunities to build
relationships.
Be thoughtful about ways your
interactions could improve.
Ask trusted friends or
colleagues for constructive
criticism.
Observe other positive
interpersonal interactions.
Seek mentorship.

89. CREDIT:Vivek

90. • a discussion involving a number of people who are
connected by some shared activity, interest, or quality .
• Group means a number of individuals who may or may
not have interacted before. Discussion means
exchanging information on a certain topic attempting to
reach a concrete conclusion.
In the professional sense-
• "Group Discussion", popularly labeled as GD, is a
methodology used by an organization (company,
institute, business school, etc.) to gauge whether the
candidate has certain personality traits.
Meaning and Definition

92. Why is It important?

98. GeneralTips and Strategies

107. The Eye Contact

110. 1.Individual Qualities

112. INTERVIEW –
TYPES AND
TECHNIQUES
CREDIT: Shriyam Agarwal

113. What does
the term
mean ?
 The term interview
is derived from the
French word entre
voir that means to
glimpse or to see
each other.
 By definition it
means meeting for
obtaining
information by
question a person or
persons.

114. Purpose of an Interview
 As an employer
1. Can you do the work? Do you possess the skills and
qualifications as reflected in your experience and education.
2. Will you do the work? They need to know, based upon your
interests and goals at this stage of your career, if you are
motivated.
3. Will you fit in? They want to determine if you are a good fit with
co-workers and if your values are in line with the company’s
culture and mission. All other factors being equal, many hiring
managers base their decisions on likeability and fit.

115. Purpose of an Interview
 As a candidate
1. Describe your skills and abilities to show that you can do the
work.
2. Describe your interests and goals at this stage of your career
to demonstrate that you are motivated and will do the work.
3. Learn as much as possible about the position and employer
to determine if the job and the company’s culture are a good
fit with your skills, values, interests, and goals.

117. Types of Interview
 Telephonic Interview
Often companies request an initial telephone
interview before inviting you in for a face to face
meeting in order to get a better understanding of the
type of candidate you are. The one benefit of this is
that you can have your notes out in front of you. You
should do just as much preparation as you would for
a face to face interview, and remember that your first
impression is vital. Some people are better meeting in
person than on the phone, so make sure that you
speak confidently, with good pace and try to answer
all the questions that are asked.

118. Types of Interview
 Face to face Interview
This can be a meeting between you and one
member of staff or even two members.

119. Types of Interview
 Panel Interview
These interviews involve a number of people
sitting as a panel with one as chairperson. This
type of interview is popular within the public sector.

120. Types of Interview
 Group Interview
Several candidates are present at this type of
interview. You will be asked to interact with each
other by usually a group discussion. You might
even be given a task to do as a team, so make
sure you speak up and give your opinion.

121. Types of Interview
 Sequential Interview
These are several interviews in turn with a different
interviewer each time. Usually, each interviewer
asks questions to test different sets of
competencies. However, if you are asked the same
questions, just make sure you answer each one as
fully as the previous time.

122. Types of Interview
 Competency Interview
These are structured to reflect the competencies
the employer is seeking for the particular job.
These will usually be detailed in the job spec so
make sure you read it through, and have your
answers ready for questions such as “Give me an
example of a time you worked as a team to
achieve a common goal.”

123. Types of Interview
 Formal/Informal Interview
Some interviews may be very formal, others may
be very informal and seem like just a chat about
your interests. However, it is important to
remember that you are still being assessed, and
topics should be friendly and clean!

124. Types of Interview
 Portfolio Based Interview
In the design / digital or communications industry it
is likely that you will be asked to take your portfolio
along or show it online. Make sure all your work is
up to date without too little or too much. Make sure
that your images if in print are big enough for the
interviewer to see properly, and always test your
online portfolio on all Internet browsers before
turning up.

125. Types of Interview
 Exit Interview
Exit interviews are conducted for those employees
who want to leave the organization. The
importance of the exit interview is to discover why
an employee wants to leave his job.

126. Types of Interview
 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.

127. List of Questions you should
always be prepared with.
• Why do you want this job?
• Why are you the best person for the job?
• What relevant experience do you have?
• Why are you interested in working for this
company?
• What can you contribute to this company?
• What do you know about this company?
• What challenges are you looking for in a position?
• Why do you want to work for this company?
• Why should we hire you?
• What are your salary requirements?

128. INTERVIE
W
TECHNIQU
ES AND
TIPS

129. BODY LANGUAGE
DO’S DON’T
Walk In confidently Don’t be overconfident
Deliver a firm handshake Don’t do a too firm or a too
weak handshake
Sit up straight Don’t slouch
Keep an eye contact Don’t stare
Smile Don’t play with your pen or hair
Watch your hands Don’t fidget while at the waiting
area

130. 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 culture to gain
insight into your potential
happiness on the job.

131. 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.

132. 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
handy interview
take-along
checklist.

133. 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.

134. Show
enthusiasm
 A firm
handshake and
plenty of eye
contact
demonstrate
confidence.
Speak distinctly
in a confident
voice, even
though you may
feel shaky.

135. 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.

136. 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.

137. 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.

138. 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.

139. 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.

140. BUSINESS LETTER
AND ITS TYPES
CREDIT: Karan Goyal

141. FORMAT OF A BUSINESS LETTER

142. Date: Use month, day, year format, e.g.,
March 3, 20xx or 3 March 20xx.
Address: The address of the receiver is
mentioned.
Salutation: We must use a colon at the
end of the name, not a comma as in
personal letters.

143.  Introduction: The sender pitches his idea to the
receiver.
 Body : The reason for writing the letter.
 Closing: Stating what the reader needs to do and
what you will do to follow up.
 Signature Block: Sign the letter with blue or black
ink.
 Carbon Copy: Use if you are sending a copy to
additional person(s).

144. POINTS TO REMEMBER WHILE WRITING A
LETTER
 Use a professional tone: The printed business
letter should be friendly but more professional. It
should contain nondiscriminatory language; that
stresses the "you" attitude; and that is written at an
appropriate level of difficulty." That said, we must be
sure to sound like our self – we don't want our letter
to read as if a machine wrote it.
 Write clearly: We should state our point early in
our letter, to avoid any miscommunications, we
should use straightforward, concise language.

145.  Organize the information logically: We
should group related information into separate
paragraphs. In a long, information-packed letter
like organizing information into sections with
subheads.
 Use Color To Emphasize Words In
Text: When highlighting parts of a document we
intend to print then we should use a light color
such as yellow, light green, or light blue.
 Be persuasive: We should establish a positive
relationship with our reader right away. If we
have a connection to the reader – we’ve met
before or have a mutual colleague, for example
– than we should mention it in our introductory
paragraph.

146.  Understand our reader well enough to anticipate how he
or she will react when reading our letter. Address his or
her needs or wishes, or a specific problem, and then
outline the solution. Provide proof in the way of examples
and/or expert opinions to back up the point.
 Conclude our letter with a "call to action." We should
state clearly what our reader needs to do or believe to
achieve the desired solution and then state what we, the
writer, intend to do next to follow up.
 Proofread your letter: All our careful crafting and printing
can't cover up spelling or punctuation errors, which leave
a lasting negative impression.

148. TYPES OF BUSINESS LETTER
 Order Letters
 Order letters are sent by consumers or
businesses to a manufacturer, retailer
or wholesaler to order goods or
services. These letters must contain
specific information such as model
number, name of the product, the
quantity desired and expected price.

149.  Complaint Letters
 Complaint letters are sent by consumers who are not
satisfied with the product / service. The words and tone
we choose to use in a letter complaining to a business
may be the deciding factor on whether your complaint is
satisfied. We should be direct but tactful and always use
a professional tone if we want the company to listen to
us.
 Adjustment Letters
 An adjustment letter is normally sent in response to a
claim or complaint. If the adjustment is in the customer’s
favor, than it should begin the letter with that news. If not,
than we should keep our tone factual and let the
customer know that we understand the complaint.

150.  Inquiry Letters
 Inquiry letters are sent by consumers who wish
to know more about the recipient’s product /
service. When composing this type of letter, we
should keep it clear and succinct and list
exactly what information we need. We must be
sure to include our contact information so that it
is easy for the reader to respond.
 Follow-Up Letters
 Follow-up letters are usually sent after some
type of initial communication like a sales
department thanking its customers for a
purchase or a businessman reviewing the
outcome of a business meeting or a job seeker
inquiring about the status of his application. In

151.  Letters of Recommendation
 Prospective employers often ask job applicants for letters of
recommendation before they hire them. This type of letter is
usually from a previous employer or professor, and it
describes the sender’s relationship with and opinion of the job
seeker.
 Acknowledgment Letters
 Acknowledgment letters act as simple receipts. Businesses
send them to let others know that they have received a prior
communication, but action may or may not have taken place.
 Letters of Resignation
 When an employee plans to leave his job, a letter of
resignation is usually sent to his immediate manager giving
him notice and letting him know when the last day of
employment will be.

152. REPORT WRITING
PHILIP OOMMEN KOSHY

153. TYPES OF REPORTS
 1. Formal or Informal Reports:
 Formal reports are carefully structured; they stress
objectivity and organization, contain much detail,
and are written in a style that tends to eliminate
such elements as personal pronouns. Informal
reports are usually short messages with natural,
casual use of language. The internal memorandum
can generally be described as an informal report.

154.  2. Short or Long Reports:
 This is a confusing classification. A one-page
memorandum is obviously short, and a twenty page
report is clearly long. But where is the dividing line?
Bear in mind that as a report becomes longer (or what
you determine as long), it takes on more characteristics
of formal reports.
 3. Informational or Analytical Reports:
 Informational reports (annual reports, monthly financial
reports, and reports on personnel absenteeism) carry
objective information from one area of an organization to
another. Analytical reports (scientific research, feasibility
reports, and real-estate appraisals) present attempts to
solve problems.

155.  4. Proposal Report:
 The proposal is a variation of problem-solving reports. A
proposal is a document prepared to describe how one
organization can meet the needs of another. Most
governmental agencies advertise their needs by issuing
“requests for proposal” or RFPs. The RFP specifies a need
and potential suppliers prepare proposal reports telling how
they can meet that need.
 5. Vertical or Lateral Reports:
 This classification refers to the direction a report travels.
Reports that more upward or downward the hierarchy are
referred to as vertical reports; such reports contribute to
management control. Lateral reports, on the other hand, assist
in coordination in the organization. A report traveling between
units of the same organization level (production and finance
departments) is lateral.

156.  6. Internal or External Reports:
 Internal reports travel within the organization.
External reports, such as annual reports of
companies, are prepared for distribution outside the
organization.
 7. Periodic Reports:
 Periodic reports are issued on regularly scheduled
dates. They are generally upward directed and
serve management control. Preprinted forms and
computer-generated data contribute to uniformity of
periodic reports.

157.  8. Functional Reports:
 This classification includes accounting reports,
marketing reports, financial reports, and a variety of
other reports that take their designation from the
ultimate use of the report. Almost all reports could be
included in most of these categories. And a single report
could be included in several classifications.
 Although authorities have not agreed on a universal
report classification, these report categories are in
common use and provide a nomenclature for the study
(and use) of reports. Reports are also classified on the
basis of their format. As you read the classification
structure described below, bear in mind that it overlaps
with the classification pattern described above.

158.  i. Preprinted Form:
 Basically for “fill in the blank” reports. Most are
relatively short (five or fewer pages) and deal with
routine information, mainly numerical information.
Use this format when it is requested by the person
authorizing the report.
 ii. Letter:
 Common for reports of five or fewer pages that are
directed to outsiders. These reports include all the
normal parts of a letter, but they may also have
headings, footnotes, tables, and figures. Personal
pronouns are used in this type of report.

159.  iii. Memo:
 Common for short (fewer than ten pages) informal reports
distributed within an organization. The memo format of “Date,”
“To,” “From,” and “Subject” is used. Like longer reports, they
often have internal headings and sometimes have visual aids.
Memos exceeding ten pages are sometimes referred to as
memo reports to distinguish them from shorter ones.
 iv. Manuscript:
 Common for reports that run from a few pages to several
hundred pages and require a formal approach. As their length
increases, reports in manuscript format require more elements
before and after the text of the report. Now that we have
surveyed the different types of reports and become familiar
with the nomenclature, let us move on to the actual process of
writing the report.

160. PROCESS OF REPORT WRITING
 1. Decide the Nature of Report: The nature of report
refers to whether the report is statutory or non-statutory
type. The shape of the report is based on the type of
report.
 2. Decide the Purpose of Report. The purpose of
report can be decided only after knowing the nature and
type of report. The remaining stages of the report are
based on the purpose of the report.
 3. Decide the Contents of the Report: Generally, the
following contents are included in any type of report.
They are Heading, Address, Contents, Terms of
reference, Body of the Report, Recommendations,
References, Appendices and Signature.

161.  4. Title should be given to any report: It is termed as heading. The title
should be short, clear, simple, meaningful and attractive. Besides, the
title itself conveys the purpose and contents of the report. The contents
of the report is given in page wise. It means that content indicates the
page number of each matter or information.
 5. Brief introduction: A brief introduction may be given about the need
for writing a report and the factors responsible to prepare this report. If a
report is prepared to solve a problem, a brief description of problem may
be given within the introduction.
 6. Main body of the report: The full facts of the information is given in
the main body of the report. Moreover, suitable and clear explanation
should be given on the basis of available information. Tables, graphs and
diagrams are used to present the report very effectively. Moreover, the
data have been analyzed in the main body of the report. On the basis of
analysis of data and available information, adequate practical
suggestions are given in order to help the management to take quality
decision.

162.  7. Summary of the Report: Summary and conclusions
of the report are given at the end of the report. It is
customary to maintain the list of references and
bibliography indicating the sources form where the writer
has taken material for writing the report. Appendices
contain diagrams, statistical data, specimen forms and
the like.
 8. End of the Report: If an individual is appointed to
write a report, he/she has to sign at the end of the
report. In other words, if a committee is formed to write a
report, the chairman and all the members of committee
should sign at the end of the report. It is advisable to
mention date on the report.

163.  9. Collection of Data: Data may be divided into two
types. They are primary data and secondary data. The
primary data has been collected by investigations,
observations, interviews or surveys. The secondary data
has been collected from various records of the company.
Sometimes, some books may be used to collect the
secondary data. In certain cases, data have been
collected from outside the company.
 10. Analysis of Data: The collected data has been
classified, tabulated, edited and analyzed. The way of
arranging the data is highly useful for proper analysis of
data. The logical analysis of data gives meaningful
information to the management. The conclusion is also
based on the analysis of data.

164.  11. Format of a Report: The format of a report refers to structure of a
report. It means that arrangement of data and information in a
meaningful way. If report is in a letter form, it has salutation and a
complimentary close. If report is in form of memorandum, salutation and
complimentary close may be dropped.
 12. Writing of First Draft: Report writing is an art. It can be developed
by trial and error method. An individual cannot able to write the report
according to the expectation of others. The expectation can not be
judged accurately. The reason is that needs and reporting style
preference of readers are differing from one individual to another. Hence,
fair report is prepared and circulated among few members.
 13. Report Writing: The first copy of the report is received back from the
readers. The critical views of the readers are taken into consideration for
revising the report. The criticism may be inclusion of irrelevant data and
information and absence of relevant data and information. These things
are properly noted. Then, final report is prepared in a systematic way.

165.  14. Presentation of Report: Report may be hand
written, Xeroxed, typewritten or printed depending
on the number of copies required. Standard norms
are followed in the report preparation. Sufficient
space and margin should be kept on the left hand
side. Reports are written only one side with double
space. Pages, paras and sections are properly
numbered. If report is voluminous, bound form is
used for presenting the report.


166. END OF PART 1