Us engleski jezik iv

FOURTH YEAR
ENGLISH
Fourth Edition
SINGIDUNUM UNIVERSITY
Belgrade, 2009.

FOURTH YEAR ENGLISH
Autor:
Silva Mitrović
Recenzenti:
Prof. dr Dejan Popović
Prof. dr Sima Avramović
Univerzitet Singidunum,
Beograd, Danijelova 32
Prof. dr Milovan Stanišić
Novak Njeguš
Dizajn korica:
Aleksandar Mihajlović
Godina izdanja:
2009.
Tiraž:
250 primeraka
Štampa:
Mladost Grup
Loznica
ISBN 978-86-7912-213-1
Fourth Edition

P R E F A C E
FOURTH YEAR ENGLISH is the fourth book of a four-year course in English
language for the students who are learning English language at the Singidunum Unive-
rsity, Belgrade. The aim in writing this coursebook has been to provide students who
are learning essay writing, summary writing and oral presentation with detailed guida-
nce in language and subject matter, but at the same time to leave them with the oppo-
rtunity for personal expression.
The plentiful exercises will help to consolidate what has been learnt in the
fields of study relating to financial management, insurance and audit. Also, it will
help students to further build and enhance writing and oral skills in their respective
fields of study.
There is ample material intended both to encourage students to read with un-
derstanding and enjoyment, and to inspire them to write with zest and open-mind-
edness. In addition to numerous topics suggested for essay writing and summary
writing, there are various subjects for oral self-expression, i.e., oral presentation.
There is strong emphasis on the disciplines necessary for correct writing, including
comprehension, systematic training in grammar, vocabulary, punctuation, dictionary
usage, delivery issues, etc.
However, the text presupposes that the best students have gone well beyond
the requirements of the pro?ciency examinations in English language and should be
found suitable for doing advanced work in the writing and speaking of English as a
foreign language. Care has been taken to make the coursebook interesting to them as
well. The course has been designed with this possibility in view.
I hope you will enjoy reading and studying this coursebook as much as I did
preparing it for you.
ivortiMavliS ć
8002enuJ
III

C O N T E N T S
Communication Module: Part I
ESSAY WRITING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.3
UNIT 1 Leadership and Trust: Should All Managers Be Leaders? Conversely,
Should All Leaders Be Managers? Is Leadership Always Important?. . . . p.15
Communication Module: Part II
SUMMARY WRITING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.33
UNIT 2 Understanding Communication and Why It Is Important to Managers . . . p.38
Communication Module: Part III
ORAL PRESENTATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.59
UNIT 3 Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Empowerment Skills,
ConÀict Management, and Negotiations Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.66
UNIT 4 Business Ethics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.77
UNIT 5 About the European Union. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.90
UNIT 6 Outlines On the European Union Legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.101
UNIT 7 Services Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.112
UNIT 8 International Marketing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.122
BIBLIOGRAFY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p.137
V

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION –
ESSAY WRITING
I BUILDING UP YOUR SENTENCE
Instructions
1. TYPES. No matter how many ideas it may contain, a sentence must always
express a complete thought. There are three types of sentences: simple, compound,
and complex.
(a) The Simple Sentence expresses one idea only and has one subject and predicate.
E.g. The ¿rm (subject) asked for a loan (predicate).
(b) The Compound Sentence contains more than one idea. In this type of sentence all
the ideas expressed have an equal value.
E.g. The ¿rm asked for a loan and waited for an answer.
(c) The Complex Sentence contains one main idea (called the main clause) and one
or more secondary ideas (called subordinate clauses).
E.g. As soon as the ¿rm asked for a loan (subordinate clause), the bank approved it. (main clause).
2. JOINING SENTENCES. The words which are used to combine sentences are
called “conjunctions”.
3

(a) Compound sentences. The main conjunctions used to form compound sentences
are: and, but, yet, both ... and, either ... or, neither ... nor, not only ... but, etc.
E.g. He learned how to read English. He learned how to write it.
He not only learned how to read English, but also how to write it.
E.g. I bought a new car last year. I am not satis¿ed with it.
I bought a new car last year, but I am not satis¿ed with it.
(b) Complex sentences. Some of the main ways in which different ideas can be joined
to make complex sentences include, inter alia, which, who, whom, whose, etc.
E.g. The girl is our new secretary. You saw her a moment ago.
The girl who you saw a moment ago is our new secretary.
E.g. The man had to pay a ¿ne. His car was parked on the wrong side of the road.
The man whose car was parked on the wrong side of the road had to pay a ¿ne.
3. CONNECTING AND LINKING WORDS. To further build your vocabu-
lary, you should also know the words of time, condition, cause, reason, purpose
and result, concession and contrast, as well as the words of addition and discourse
markers in writing:
• Time:
(a) One thing happening before another: formerly, before, earlier on, previously.
E.g. Before going to work I wrote some letters.
(b) Things happening at the same time: while, as, just as, whenever, at the very time/
moment, during, throughout.
E.g. While I waited I read the newspaper.
E.g. Whenever I watch a sad ¿lm I cry.
E.g. During the war I lived in Belgrade. (it does not specify how long within a period of time)
E.g. Throughout the war food was rationed. (from the beginning to the end of a period of time)
(c) One thing happening after another: after, afterwards, following.
E.g. After I had ¿nished my work I went home.
E.g. Following my visit to Paris, I bought several books about France.
(d) Time when: when, as soon as, once, the moment/the minute
4

E.g. When I’m rich and famous I’ll buy a house.
E.g. As soon as the ¿rm asked for a loan, the bank approved it.
(e) Connecting two periods of events: till then, since then, by the time, meantime.
E.g. Dinner will be ready in an hour. In the meantime, relax and have a drink.
E.g. By the time I retire will have worked here for 26 years.
• Condition:
(a) In addition to if, there are several other words and phrases for expressing condi-
tion: unless, on condition that, in case of, provided that, in the event of.
E.g. You can borrow the money provided that you return it within 30 days.
(b) The –ever suf¿x means ‘it does not matter much ...’. The stress is normally on
ever: however, whoever, whenever, whichever.
E.g. However you do it will cost a lot of money. (no matter how you do it)
E.g. You’ll get to the station, whichever bus you take. (no matter which bus you take)
(c) Some nouns which express condition: condition, prerequisite, requirement.
E.g. Certain conditions must be met before the negotiations can begin.
E.g. A good standard of English is a prerequisite for studying at a British University.
• Cause, reason, purpose and result:
(a) Cause and reason are expressed by: because, since, owing to, due to, arise from,
give rise to.
E.g. Owing to the icy conditions, the two lorries collided.
E.g. The CEO’s statement gave rise to/provoked/generated a lot of criticism.
(b) Reasons for and purposes of doing things: reason for, prompt, with the aim of.
E.g. Her reason for not going with us was that she had no money.
E.g. I wonder what prompted him to send that letter. (reason/cause)
E.g. I’ve invited you here with the aim of exposing the scandal. (purpose)
(c) Results: as a result, as a consequence, consequently, result in, outcome, upshot,
ensue.
E.g. He did not work. As a result/as a consequence/consequently, he failed his exams.
5

E.g. The events had an outcome that no one could have predicted.
E.g. The upshot of all these problems was that we had to star again.
E.g. When the election results were announced, chaos ensued.
• Concession and contrast:
(a) Concession means accepting one part of an idea or fact, but putting another, more
important argument or fact against it: although, nevertheless, accept, acknowl-
edge, admit, concede.
E.g. Although they were poor, they were independent.
E.g. He is a bit stupid. He’s very kind nevertheless.
E.g. I acknowledge/accept that he has worked hard but it’s not enough. (I agree but ... accept)
E.g. I admit I was wrong, but I still think we were right to doubt her. (I admit I’m guilty, but ...)
E.g. I concede that you are right about the goal, but not the method. (You have won this point)
(b) Adverbs and other phrases showing contrast: that’s all well and good, after all,
admittedly.
E.g. That’s all well and good, but how are you going to pay us back?
E.g. You shouldn’t seem so surprised. After all, I warned you.
(c) Collocating phrases for contrast: poles apart, world of difference, yawning gap.
E.g. When it comes to politics, they are poles apart.
E.g. There is a world of difference between being a friend and a lover.
E.g. There is a huge discrepancy between his ideals and his actions.
• Words of addition:
(a) Words for linking sentences/clauses: and, also, too, in addition, furthermore,
what is more, besides.
E.g. For this job you need a degree. In addition you need some experience.
(more formal than and, also/too)
E.g. Video cameras are becoming easier to use. Furthermore/moreover, they’re becoming cheaper.
E.g. It’ll take ages to get there and it’ll cost a fortune. Besides, we’ll have to change trains.
(a more emphatic way of adding information; similar in meaning to anyway))
6

E.g. It’ll take ages to get there and it’ll cost a fortune. Besides, we’ll have to change trains.
(a more emphatic way of adding information; similar in meaning to anyway))
(b) Words at the end of clauses/sentences: and so on, etc., and so on and so forth.
E.g. They sell chairs, tables, beds, and so on/etc. (and so on is more informal than etc.)
E.g. I’ll go to my lawyer, then to the court, then to the bank and so on and so forth.
(c) Words that begin, or come in the middle of, clauses/sentences: furthermore, as
well as, along with, apart from.
E.g. Further to my letter of May 12, I am writing to inform you ... (formal opening of a letter)
E.g. He is on the School Board, as well as being a local councillor.
E.g. Apart from having a salary, he has also a private income.
E.g. My CEO was there, along with a few other people I didn’t know.
• Discourse markers in writing
(a) Certain common words and phrases used to organise formal written texts: ¿rst,
next, ¿nally, turning to, in parenthesis, leaving aside, in summary, in conclusion.
E.g. First/¿rstly/¿rst of all, we must consider ... (secondly and thirdly are also used for lists)
E.g. Turning to the question of foreign policy, ... (changing to a new topic)
E.g. In summary/to sum up, we may state that ... (listing/summing up the main points)
E.g. In conclusion/to conclude, I should like to point out that ... (¿nishing the text)
(b) Markers for explaining, exemplifying, rephrasing, etc.: in other words, that is to
say, for example, for instance, brieÀy, so to speak, as it were.
E.g. BrieÀy, these consist of two main types.
E.g. She is, so to speak/as it were, living in a world of her own.
(c) Signposts around the text, i.e., words and phrases that point the reader to different
parts of a text: the following, the above, below, overleaf, refer to.
E.g. The following points will be covered in this essay ... (used to introduce a list)
E.g. It was stated before/earlier that the history ... (earlier in the text)
E.g. A full list is given overleaf. (turn the page and you will ¿nd the list)
4. SEQUENCE OF TENSES. A sentence can contain a main verb or more
subordinate clauses, i.e., a group of words containing a subject and verb and forming a
7

part of a sentence. It is important for you to learn to know which is the main verb of a
sentence because of the important rule about the sequence of tenses.
E.g. He gave it to me because he trusted me.
The rule about the sequence of tenses applies also to indirect speech when the
introductory verb is in a past tense:
E.g. He said: “I know the bridge is unsafe.” (He said that he knew the bridge was unsafe.)
The rule also applies to clauses with “if”, with its three basic forms:
E.g. (i) If he invites me I shall go.
(ii) If he invited me I would go.
(iii) If he had invited me I would have gone.
5. WORD ORDER. You should keep to the basic pattern: Subject – Verb –
Object - Qualifying Phrase. Though there are certain exceptions, a subject may only be
separated from its verb by an adverb of frequency.
E.g. He found a ring in his garden yesterday.
6. PUNCTUATION. As you already know it is the the practice or system of
using certain conventional marks or characters in writing or printing in order to sepa-
rate elements and make the meaning clear, as in writing a string of nouns or ending a
sentence or separating clauses.
Below are given the most important uses.
Uses Examples
Capital
letter
A
x for the ¿rst letter of a
sentence
Banking is the business of operat-
ing a bank.
x for countries, nation-
alities, languages, reli-
gions, names of people,
places, events, organisa-
tions, trademarks, days,
months, titles
Portugal, Africa, Russian, Moslem
Ann, Peter, Geneva, Belgrade,
The World Trade Fair, Jaguar, the
Internet, Monday, January, Mr./
Mrs./Dr./Professor
x for titles of books, ¿lms The Wealth of Nations, Wuthering
Heights
x for abbreviations HP, OECD, VAT, CEO, HRM
8

Uses Examples
Full stop (UK)
Period (US)
.
x at the end of a sentence He was a successful banker at the
time.
x sometimes after an abbre-
viation
Marton Rd./Mrs. Brown/
Dr. Morton
x as the decimal point in
¿gures and amounts of
money. This is usually
read out as ‘point’.
$5.7 million
x to separate parts of e-mail
and web addresses. This is
read out as ‘dot’.
http://www.cambridge.org
Question
mark
?
x after a direct question Where do you come from?
x to show doubt P. Morton (1853?-1911) was little
known until after his death.
Exclamation
mark
!
x at the end of a sentence
in order to show surprise/
shock, etc.
It is impossible!
Wow! It looks delicious!
x to indicate a loud sound “Bang! Bang! You’re dead!”
said the child, pointing a plastic
gun at me.
Comma
,
x between items in a list Will you buy some bread, butter,
jam and sugar.
x to show a pause in a long
sentence
They didn’t want to start negotia-
tions before the he’d arrived, but
he was an hour late.
x when you want to add ex-
tra information
The manager, who I told you about
before, will be coming.
x before tag questions He does know his job, doesn’t he?
9

Uses Examples
Apostrophe
’
x for missing letters I’ll (I will), it’s (it is), don’t (do not)
x for possessives
Note:
Tom’s bank account
1. words ending in ‘s’ don’t
need another ‘s’ added.
Charles’bank account
2. it’s can only be an abbre-
viation for it is or it has.
There is no apostrophe in
the possessive case.
It’s my turn to do something for you.
The company increased its pro¿ts.
Colon
:
x to introduce a list or a quo-
tation in a sentence
I want you to buy the following:
bread, butter, jam and sugar.
x in the US following the
greeting in a business
letter
Dear Customer:
Dear Mr. Brown:
Semi Colon
;
x to separate two parts of a
sentence
I spoke to the bank manager on
Friday; the bank can’t loan me
money to buy a car.
Hyphen
-
x to join two words together off-budget fruit-tree, pick-me-up
x to show that the word has
been divided and contin-
ues on the next line
No one knows exactly what hap-
pened but several people have
been hurt.
Dash
–
x to separate parts of sen-
tences
The man – the one on your left – is
wearing a pinstripe suit.
x to mean to The London – Paris train leaves
every morning at nine.
10

Uses Examples
Quotation
marks/
UK also
Inverted
Commas
‘ ’
“ ”
x to show that words are
spoken
‘She is revered by stockholders and
reviled by subordinates,’he said.
“I wish to speak to the bank
manager,”she said.
x to show that someone else
originally wrote the words
She had described her boss as ‘a
screaming, combative, ruthless task-
master who always gets her way’.
Note: Single quotation
marks are more usual in
UK English, and double
quotation marks are more
usual in US English.
7. ABBREVIATIONS. An abbreviation is shortened form of a word or phrase
used chieÀy in writing to represent the complete form. Some still clearly show the
alphabetic origin, like FBI from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Such forms are
the principal ingredient of today’s “alphabet soup” of government agencies and tech-
nological innovations.
Some words, which are read as words, are called acronyms and are not written
all in capital letters: laser (Light Ampli¿cation by Stimulated Emission of Radiation),
radar (Radio Detection and Ranging), yuppy (Young Urban Professional), etc.
Within a written text some abbreviations are used as notes to organise the lan-
guage and give extra information to the reader: etc. - and so on [Latin, et cetera]; i.e.
- that is to say [Latin, id est]; e.g. - for example [Latin, exempli gratia]; NB - please
note [Latin, nota bene], etc.
Also, there are clippings, i.e., some words which are normally used in an abbre-
viated form in informal situations: ad/advert (advertisement); exam (examination); rep
(representative); phone (telephone); exec (executive), etc.
Finally, some abbreviations you might see on a letter/fax/envelope: c/o (care of
– the letter goes to); enc. (enclosed – documents enclosed with a letter, e.g. enc. application
form); RSVP (please reply – French: répondez s’il vous plâit), etc.
11

8. USING A DICTIONARY. Everybody knows that the dictionary is for get-
ting quick answers to immediate questions about things like meaning and spelling.
Small bilingual dictionaries often give three or four translations for a word you
look up, without any explanation: e.g. sofa, divan, couch, setee. All the words are pos-
sible. However, some people feel that sofa and couch are a bit ‘lower class’, and that
settee is the so-called ‘re¿ned, middle-class word’. Divan could also be used, but its
normal British English meaning is a kind of bed with a very thick base. It can also, less
commonly, mean a kind of sofa with no back or arms. Or, take the word hairy in the
following examples: The creature had a very hairy face. It was a really hairy journey
on the mountain road. The exam contained some hairy questions.
English vocabulary has a remarkable range, Àexibility and adaptability. Owing
to the periods of contact with foreign languages and its readiness to coin new words
out of old elements, English seems to have far more words than other languages. For
example, alongside kingly (from Anglo-Saxon) we ¿nd royal (from French) and regal
(from Latin). They all refer to that which is closely associated with a king, or is suit-
able for one. What is KINGLY may either belong to a king, or be be¿tting, worthy of,
or like a king: a kingly presence, appearance, graciousness. REGAL is especially ap-
plied to the of¿ce of kingship or the outward manifestations of grandeur and majesty:
regal authority, bearing, splendour, muni¿cence. ROYAL is applied especially to what
pertains to or is associated with the person of a monarch: the royal family, word, robes,
salute; a royal residence.
There are many such sets of words which add greatly to our opportunities to
express subtle shades of meaning at various levels of style. It is not enough to know
the meaning or meanings of a word. You also need to know which words it is usually
connected with, its grammatical characteristics, and whether it is formal, informal or
neutral. In other words, in your writing you should use words that commonly go to-
gether, i.e., collocations:
(a) adjectives + nouns, e.g. cost of living, make a living, kingly presence, common
sense.
(b) verbs + nouns, e.g. to express an opinion, to take sides.
(c) nouns in phrases, e.g. in touch with, a sense of humour.
(d) words + prepositions, e.g. at a loss of the words, thanks to you.
12

II BUILDING UP YOUR PARAGRAPH
Instructions
1. Just as the words that you write are arranged in sentences, so your sentences
should be arranged in paragraphs. Each paragraph represents a stage of the story
you are telling or the description or argument you are writing.
2. Choose a title which interests you if you are not given one.
3. Think carefully about what you are going to say before writing.
4. Always indent the ¿rst sentence of your paragraph.
5. Try to make your story or description interesting from the very ¿rst sentence.
6. The ¿rst sentence should give the reader some idea of what the paragraph is
about. In other words, the ¿rst sentence tells the reader the topic of the paragraph,
and all the other sentences in the paragraph expand that topic.
7. Write short, complete sentences.
8. Keep to the subject.
9. Take great care to connect your sentences so that your work reads smoothly.
Words like however, for, since, although, afterwards, meanwhile, etc., will en-
able you to do this.
10. Save the most interesting part until the end or near the end.
11. Work neatly. Make sure your writing is clear, your spelling and punctuation cor-
rect, and that there are margins to the left and the right of your work.
12. Abbreviations like don’t, haven’t, wouldn’t, etc., are not normally used in written
English. These words must be written in full: do not, have not, would not, etc.
13. Never on any account write your paragraph in your mother tongue and then at-
tempt to translate it into English.
14. Avoid using a dictionary. Never use words that are entirely new to you.
13

III BUILDING UP YOUR ESSAY
Instructions
1. INTEREST Writing an essay is not simply a matter of getting the required
number of words down on paper. You must do all to make you can to make your essays
interesting so that they will hold reader’s attention to the very end. To achieve this it is
not necessary to go to absurd lengths to be original. Once you have found something
de¿nite to say, your essay will be interesting to read.
2. UNITY. Just as it is important to connect your sentences within a paragraph,
you should make sure that your paragraphs lead naturally to each other. Answer the
question closely. Do not repeat yourself. Make sure that every paragraph adds some-
thing new to the essay.
3. BALANCE AND PROPORTION. Keep a sense of proportion. The length
of a paragraph will depend on what one has to say; however do not let yourself be car-
ried away by fascinating but unimportant details. Never attempt to write an essay in a
single paragraph.
4. PERSONAL STATEMENT. Do not address the reader or make comments
on the topic like, “I do not like this subject and do not know how to begin ...” or, “...
and now it is time to ¿nish my essay,” etc.
5. TEST FOR QUALITY. If in your effort to reach the word-limit you ¿nd
yourself counting the number of words you have used every time you add another
sentence to your essay, it is a sure sign that there is something basically wrong with
your treatment of the subject. If you are so bored with your own writing that you have
to keep counting the number of words to ¿nd out if you are nearing the end, it is more
than likely that your reader will be equally bored when he or she has to read what you
have written. If your essay gave you pleasure to read, it is quite probable that it will be
enjoyable to read. This is good – but not always reliable test for quality.
6. RE-READING. It is absolutely necessary to read your work through when
you have ¿nished writing. While doing so, keep a sharp look out for grammatical mis-
takes – especially those connected with word order or the sequence of tenses.
7. TITLES. After you have ¿nished your essay choose a good short title, if
not given. Make sure it has to do with the subject, but it should not give the reader too
much information.
14

UNIT 1 LEADERSHIP AND TRUST: SHOULD ALL
MANAGERS BE LEADERS?
CONVERSELY, SHOULD ALL LEADERS BE
MANAGERS?
IS LEADERSHIP ALWAYS IMPORTANT?
MANAGER AS A GENERALIST
The early model of the manager was the one who had mastered such subjects
as ¿nance, accounting, audit, marketing, production, and so on. Later it was recog-
nized by theoreticians and practicing managers alike that management was a good
deal more than the sum of these specialised functions, and this realisation in turn led
to the conception of the manager as a generalist, who must be able to perform si-
multaneously planning, organizing, leading and control activities if he or she wants
to be successful.
LEADERSHIPAS ONE OF THE FOUR BASIC ACTIVITIES
For our purposes, let us consider leadership as one of the four basic activities
and clarify the distinction between managers and leaders. Although they are frequently
used synonymously, they are not necessarily the same. Managers are appointed. They
have legitimate power that allows them to reward and punish. Their ability to inÀuence
is based on the formal authority inherent in their positions. In contrast, leaders may
either be appointed or emerge from within a group. Leaders can inÀuence others to
perform beyond the actions dictated by formal authority.
MANAGERS vs. LEADERS
Should all managers be leaders? Conversely, should all leaders be managers?
We can state that all managers should ideally be leaders. However, not all leaders nec-
essarily have capabilities in other managerial functions, and thus not all should hold
15

managerial positions. The fact that an individual can inÀuence others does not mean
that he or she can also plan, organise and control. Therefore, by leaders we mean those
who are able to inÀuence others and who possess managerial authority.
TRAIT THEORIES OF LEADERSHIP
Ask the average person on the street what comes to mind when he or she thinks of
leadership. You are likely to get a list of qualities such as intelligence, charisma, deci-
siveness, enthusiasm, strength, bravery, integrity and self-con¿dence. These responses
represent, in essence, trait theories of leadership, i.e., theories that isolate characteris-
tics that differentiate leaders from non-leaders. Six traits on which leaders are seen to
differ from non-leaders include drive, the desire to lead, honesty and integrity, self-
con¿dence, intelligence, and job-relevant knowledge.
LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOURS
Yet traits alone do not suf¿ciently explain leadership. The inability to explain
leadership solely from the traits led researchers to look at the behaviour of specif-
ic leaders. In their studies, the researchers explored three leadership behaviours or
styles: autocratic, democratic and laissez-faire, the last of which can be further clas-
si¿ed in two ways: consultative and participative. A democratic-consultative leader
hears the concerns and issues of employees, but makes the ¿nal decision himself or
herself. A democratic-participative leader often allows employees to have a say in
what is decided.
EMERGING APPROACHES TO LEADERSHIP
However, this review cannot be complete without presenting the two emerging
approaches to the subject: charismatic leadership and visionary leadership. Studies
on key characteristics of charismatic leaders say that they possess self-con¿dence,
vision, ability to articulate the vision, strong convictions about the vision, behaviour
that is out of the ordinary, appearance as a change agent, and environmental sensi-
tivity. On the other hand, visionary leaders exhibit three skills: the ability to explain
(both orally and in writing) the vision to others, in a way that it is clear in terms of
required actions; the ability to express the vision not just verbally but through leader’s
behaviour, and the ability to extend the vision to different leadership contexts, gaining
commitment and understanding of organisational members.
16

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN LEADERSHIP
One must not forget that there are also gender differences in leadership. Are men
better leaders, or does that honour belong to women? Even asking those questions is
certain to evoke emotions on both sides of the debate. The evidence indicates that the
two sexes are more alike than different in the way they lead. Much of this similarity is
based on the fact that leaders, regardless of gender, perform similar activities in inÀu-
encing others. That is their job, and the two sexes do it equally well. However, the most
common difference lies in leadership styles. Women use a more democratic style. They
encourage participation of their followers and are willing to share their positional pow-
er with others. In addition, women tend to inÀuence others best through their charisma,
expertise, contacts, etc. Men, on the other hand, tend to typically use a task centered
leadership style – such as directing activities and relying on their positional power to
control the organisation’s activities. All things considered, when a woman is a leader in
a traditionally male-dominated job (such as that of a police of¿cer), she tends to lead in
a manner that is more task centered.
CONTEMPORARY LEADERSHIP ISSUES
However, as you may have deduced from the foregoing, the concept of leadership
is continually being re¿ned as researchers continue to study leadership in organisa-
tions. Let’s take a look at the three of contemporary leadership issues: team leadership,
national culture and trust.
1. WHAT IS TEAM LEADERSHIP?
TEAM LEADERSHIP is different from the traditional leadership, i.e., the
role performed by ¿rst-line managers or supervisors. J. D. Bryan, a ¿rst-line
manager at the textile plant. One day he was happily overseeing a staff of 15 as-
sembly-line workers. The next day he was informed that the company was mov-
ing to teams and that he was to become a “facilitator”. “I am supposed to teach
the teams everything I know and then let them make their own decisions,” he
said. Confused about his new role, he admitted “there was no clear plan on what
I was supposed to do.”
Many leaders are not equipped to handle the change to teams.As one prominent
consultant noted, “even the most capable managers have trouble making the tran-
sition because everything (command-and-control things) they were encouraged
to do before is no longer appropriate.” The challenge for most managers, then, is
17

to become an effective team leader. And to do that team leaders are liaisons with
external constituencies, troubleshooters, conÀict managers, and coaches.
2. DOES NATIONAL CULTURE AFFECT LEADERSHIP?
NATIONAL CULTURE is an important situational factor determining which
leadership style is most effective. National culture affects leadership style be-
cause leaders cannot choose their styles at will: They are constrained by the cul-
tural conditions that their followers have come to expect. Also, one must not
forget that most leadership theories were developed in the United States, using
U.S. subjects. Therefore, they have an American bias. They emphasize follower
responsibilities rather than rights; assume hedonism rather than commitment to
duty or altruistic motivations, etc.
3. BUILDING TRUST: THE ESSENCE OF LEADERSHIP
TRUST, or lack of trust, is an increasingly important issue in today’s organisa-
tions. Let us further explore this issue of trust by de¿ning what trust is and show
how trust is a vital component of effective leadership.
What is trust?
It is a POSITIVE EXPECTATION that another will not – through words, ac-
tions, or decisions – act opportunistically. Most important, trust implies familiar-
ity and risk. The phrase positive expectation assumes knowledge of and familiar-
ity with the other party. Trust takes time to form. Most of us ¿nd it hard, if not
impossible, to trust someone immediately if we do not know anything about him
or her. At the extreme, in case of total ignorance, we can gamble, but we cannot
trust. But as we get to know someone and the relationship matures, we gain con-
¿dence in our ability to make a positive expectation. The word opportunistically
refers to the inherent risk and vulnerability in any trusting relationship.
Trust involves making oneself vulnerable as when, for example, we disclose in-
timate information or rely on another’s promises. By its very nature, trust provides
the opportunity to be disappointed or to be taken advantage of. But trust is not tak-
ing risk per se; rather it is a willingness to take risk. So when we trust someone, we
expect that they will not take advantage of us. Whence follow the ¿ve dimensions
of trust: integrity, competence, consistency, loyalty and openness.
Why is trust one foundation of leadership?
It appears that trust is a primary attribute of leadership. In fact, if you look
back at our discussion of leadership traits, you will ¿nd that honesty and integrity
18

are among the six traits consistently associated with leadership. When followers
trust a leader, they are willing to be vulnerable to the leader’s actions – con¿dent
that their rights and interests will not be abused.
Now, more than ever, managerial and leadership effectiveness depends on the
ability to gain the trust of followers. However, in times of change and instability,
people turn to personal relationship for guidance, and the quality of these rela-
tionships are largely determined by the level of trust.
What are the three types of trust?
There are three types of trust: deterrence-based trust – referring to the most
fragile relationship, knowledge-based trust – existing when one understands
someone else well enough to be able to accurately predict his or her behaviour,
and identi¿cation-based trust – being the highest level of trust that is achieved
when there is an emotional connection between the parties.
IS LEADERSHIPALWAYS IMPORTANT?
In keeping with the foregoing, we conclude this text by offering this opinion:
The belief that a particular leadership style will always be effective regardless of
the situation may not be true. Leadership may not always be important. Data from
numerous studies demonstrate that, in many situations, any behaviour a leader ex-
hibits is irrelevant.
For instance, characteristics of employees such as experience, training, profes-
sional orientation, or need for independence can neutralise the effect of leadership.
These characteristics can replace the need for a leader’s support. Similarly, jobs that
are unambiguous and routine may place fewer demand on leadership. Finally, such or-
ganisational characteristics as rigid rules and procedures, or cohesive work groups can
act in place of formal leadership.
1. READING FOR COMPREHENSION
Answer the below given questions.
1. De¿ne leader and explain the difference between managers and leaders.
2. Is the possession of six traits on which leaders differ from non-leaders a guaran-
tee of leadership? Discuss this issue.
19

3. Identify the qualities that characterise charismatic leaders.
4. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: “Charismatic leadership
is always appropriate in organisations.” Support your opinion.
4. Describe the skills that visionary leaders exhibit.
5. Explain the four speci¿c roles of effective team leaders.
6. Contrast the three types of trust. Relate them to your experience in personal rela-
tionships.
7. When might leader be irrelevant?
2. MATCHING EXERCISES
(a) Match the six traits on the left-hand side with their explanations on the
right-hand side.
1. Drive (a) Leaders need to be intelligent enough to gather, to synthesise,
and interpret large amounts of information and to be able to
create visions, solve problems, and make correct decisions.
2. Desire to lead (b) Followers look to leaders for an absence of self-doubt.
Leaders, therefore, need to show self-assurance in order to
convince followers of the rightness of goals and decisions.
3. Honesty and integrity (c) Effective leaders have a high degree of knowledge about the
company, industry, and technical matters. In-depth knowledge
allows leaders to make well-informed decisions to understand
the implications of those decisions.
4. Self-con¿dence (d) Leaders have a strong desire to inÀuence and lead others.
They demonstrate the willingness to take responsibility.
5. Intelligence (e) Leaders exhibit a high effort level. They have a relatively
high desire for achievement, they are ambitious, they have a
lot of energy, they are tirelessly persistent in their activities,
and they show initiative.
6. Job-relevant knowledge (f) Leaders build trusting relationships between themselves and
followers, by being truthful or non-deceitful and by showing
high consistency between word and deed.
20

(b) Match the three leadership behaviours or styles on the left-hand side with
their explanations on the right-hand side.
1. Autocratic style (a) A leader who tends to involve employees in decision-making proc-
ess, to encourage participation in deciding work methods and goals.
2. Democratic style (b) A leader generally gives his or her employees complete freedom to
make decisions and complete their work in whatever way they see ¿t.
3. Laissez-faire (c) Aleaderwhotypicallytendstocentraliseauthority,dictateworkmeth-
ods, make unilateral decisions, and limit employee participation.
(c) Match the seven key characteristics of charismatic leaders on the left-hand
side with their explanations on the right-hand side.
1. Self-con¿dence (a) They are able to make realistic assessments of the
environmental constraints and resources needed to
bring about change.
2. Vision (b) Charismatic leaders are perceived as being strongly
committed to and willing to take on high personal
risk, incur high costs, and engage in self-sacri¿ce to
achieve their vision.
3. Ability to articulate the vision (c) They engage in behaviour that is perceived as being
novel, unconventional, and counter to norms. When
successful, these behaviours evoke surprise and ad-
mirations in followers.
4. Strong convictions about the vision (d) Charismatic leaders are perceived as agents of radi-
cal change rather than as caretakers of status quo.
5. Behaviour that is out of the ordinary (e) They are able to clarify and state the vision in terms
that are understandable to others. This articulation
demonstrates an understanding of the followers’
needs and, hence, acts as a motivating force.
6. Appearance as a change agent (f) They have an idealised goal that proposes a future
better than the status quo. The greater the disparity
between this idealised goal and the status quo, the
more likely that followers will attribute extraordi-
nary vision to the leader.
7. Environmental sensitivity (g) Charismatic leaders have complete con¿dence in
their judgement and ability.
21

(d) Match the three skills of visionary leaders on the left-hand side with the
examples, exhibiting their skills respectively on the right-hand side.
1. Ability to explain the vision (a) Herb Kelleher at Southwest Airlines lives and breaths
his commitment to customer service. He is famous
within the company for jumping in, when needed, to
help check in passengers, load baggage, or do anything
else to make the customer’s experience more pleasant.
2. Ability to express the vision (b) The vision has to be as meaningful to people in account-
ing as to those in marketing and to employees in Prague
as well as in Pittsburgh.
3. Ability to extend the vision (c) Former President Reagan – the so-called “great com-
municator” – used his years of acting experience to help
him articulate a simple vision for his presidency: a re-
turn to happier and more prosperous times through less
government, lower taxes, and a strong military.
(e) Match the four speci¿c roles of team leaders on the left-hand side with their
explanations on the right-hand side.
1. Liaison with external (a) The leader helps to process the disagreement that constitu-
encies surface among team members. He has to detect what
the source of conÀict is, as well as to identify persons in-
volved in it and disputable issues. Also, he has to ¿nd out
what resolution options are available and to determine ad-
vantages and disadvantages of each.
2. Trouble shooters (b) The leader clari¿es expectations and roles, teaches, offers
support, cheerlead, and whatever else is necessary to help
team members improve their work performance.
3. ConÀict managers (c) The leader sits in on meetings to assist in resolving problems
that arise for team members. This rarely relates to technical
issues because the team members typically know more about
the tasks than does the team leader.
4. Coaches (d) The leader represents the team to other constituencies, both
external (including upper management and other internal
teams) and internal (customers and suppliers) to the organisa-
tion, secures needed resources, clari¿es others’ expectations
of the team, gathers information from the outside, and shares
this information with the team members.
22

(f) Match the ¿ve dimensions of trust on the left-hand side with their explana-
tions on the right-hand side.
1. Integrity (a) Willingness to share ideas and information freely. Can you rely on the
person to give you the full truth?
2. Competence (b) Willingness to protect and save face for another person.
3. Consistency (c) Technical and interpersonal knowledge and skills Does the person know
what he or she is talking about? You are unlikely to listen to or depend
upon someone whose abilities you do not respect. You need to believe
that a person has the skills and abilities to carry out what he or she says
they will do.
4. Loyalty (d) Reliability, predictability, and good judgement in handing situations.
This dimension is particularly relevant for managers: “Nothing is no-
ticed more quickly than a discrepancy between what executives preach
and what they expect their associates to practice.”
5. Openness (e) Honesty, conscientiousness, and truthfulness. Of all ¿ve dimensions
this one seems to be most crucial.
(g) Match the three types of trust on the left-hand side with their explanations on
the right-hand side.
1. Deterrence-based trust (a) Trust based on the behavioural predictability that
comes from a history of interaction. It exists is you
understand someone well enough to be able to predict
his or her behaviour.
2. Knowledge-based trust (b) Trust based on an emotional connection between the
parties.
3. Identi¿cation-based trust (c) Trust based on fear of reprisal if the trust is violated.
23

3. PREPOSITIONS
Choose the right preposition from the list below to complete the passage In what
way does national culture affect leadership? Some of the prepositions are used
more than twice.
without in from for to about towards of at
It can help explain, for instance, why executives ……… the highly success-
ful Asia Department Store ……… central China blatantly brag ……… practicing
“heartless” management, require new employees to undergo two ……… four weeks
……… military training with units ……… the People’s Liberation Army ………
order to increase their obedience and conduct the store’s in-house sessions ………
a public place ……… which employees can openly suffer embarrassment ………
their mistakes.
Also, consider the following: Korean leaders are expected to be paternalistic
……… their employees. Arab leaders who show kindness or generosity ……… be-
ing asked to do so are seen by other Arabs as weak. Japanese leaders are expected to
be humble and speak infrequently. And Scandinavian and Dutch leaders who single
out individuals ……… public praise are likely to embarrass those individuals rather
than energise them.
4. ARTICLES
Fill in the blank with the appropriate article or leave it blank to indicate that no
article is necessary.
One Manager’s Perspective: Betsy Reifsnider, CEO of Friends and River
Betsy Reifsnider, ……… CEO of Friends and River, ……… conservation group
staffed by both paid professionals and unpaid volunteers. Betsy Reifsnider’s primary
responsibility is setting ……… budget and ensuring it is met as well as working with
24

……… conservation director to develop new programmes. She allows her staff to
……… great deal of autonomy, which she feels contributes to high morale, produc-
tivity and creativity as well as creating ……… team environment of mutual commit-
ment and trust. In her weekly meetings with her more senior managers Betsy discusses
……… budget, personnel and management issues, but she also encourages all staff
members to come to her with any problems. Trust is enforced with ……… con¿den-
tiality in which she holds these conversations. She has ……… simple rule: “I don’t
violate their con¿dences.” Reifsnider also stops at people’s desks during ……… day to
chat with them about their work. Keeping up to date also earns trust of employees who
know from her quiet interest that she shares stakes in their success.
5. TENSES
Fill in the blank spaces in the text with correct verb forms.
Insights into personality: Linda Wachner, CEO of Warnaco
In today’s dynamic organisation, we continue ……………… (HEAR) about
management’s need to be sensitive to others and ……………… (TREAT) employees
with kid gloves, but not all managers ……………… (FOLLOW) this model. One such
manager ……………… (BE) Linda Wachner, CEO of Warnaco and Authentic Fitness,
makers of sports and intimate apparel.
As a diligent student, after she …………………… (GRADUATE) from
High School at 16, she ……………… (GO) on to SUNY Buffalo to study econom-
ics and business administration. She ………………… (WORK) in a variety of in-
dustry apparel jobs before she ………………… (MOVE) to Warnaco, where within
a year, she ……………… (BECOME) the ¿rst woman vice president in the ¿rm’s
100 hundred years history. She …………………… (TAKE OVER) Warnaco in
1986 and within a year she ………………… (BUILD) the apparel maker into $1.4
25

billion behemoth, responsible for …………………… (MANUFACTURE) and
………………… (DISTRIBUTE) more than a third of all the bras sold in the USA.
If you ……………… (ASK) others to describe her, you ……………… (HEAR)
less-than-Àattering descriptions. She …………………… (CHARACTERISE) as
a screaming, combative, ruthless taskmaster who always ……………… (GET) her
way. She ……………… (KNOW) for ………………… (HUMILIATE) employees in
front of their peers. She ……………… (DISMISS) attacks on how she ………………
(TREAT) organisational members by one simple motto: “You can’t run a company with
a ‘bunch of babies.’If you don’t like it, leave. This is not a prison.” Her advice to senior
managers ……………… (BE) simple: Be tough. She ……………… (ADVISE) them
to show employees they ……………… (BE) serious. How? By ……………… (FIRE)
a few employees to set an example.
In spite of that, she …………………… (BE) an ef¿cient manager – one
who only ……………………… (REWARD) work performance. Since she
……………… (BECOME) head of the company, pro¿ts and company stock prices
………………… (SKYROCKET).
How does she see herself? As effective and good, with an excellent record. When
she ………………… (EARN) the title from Fortune magazine as one of the seven
toughest bosses in the United States, she ………………… (MAKE) no apologies.
However, for a woman who ………………… (USE) to wearing trousers
as well as ………………… (MAKE) and ………………… (SELL) them, these
must be hard times. On June 11th Linda Wachner had to watch the company, fa-
mous for making Calvin Klein jeans and Speedo swimwear and lingerie, which she
………………… (RUN) for the past 15 years ¿le for bankruptcy with debts of $3.1 bil-
lion, some 30% more than the value of its assets. In November of that year Linda (FIRE).
She (SUE) Warnaco for $25 million in severance, but (SETTLE) for $452,000.
26

REVIEW AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
The below given Hiroski Okuda’s story will tell you something about lead-
ership. On one hand, it is the leaders in organisations who make things happen.
However, the way they do this may vary widely. After reading through the text try to
answer the below given questions.
1. Prior to becoming chairman, Okuda served as Toyota’s president – the ¿rst non-
family member in over 30 years to head the company. He also sticks out in his
executive circles, because in Japan executives are supposed to be unseen. Okuda
justi¿es his outspoken and aggressive style as necessary to change a company
that has become lethargic and overly bureaucratic.
2. Okuda moved ahead at Toyota by taking jobs that other employees didn’t want.
For example, when the company faced dif¿culties in trying to build a plant in
Taiwan, many at Toyota were convinced that the project should be scrapped.
Okuda thought differently. He did not want to give up. He restarted the project
and led it to success. His drive and ability to overcome obstacles were central to
his rise in the company.
3. When Okuda ascended to the presidency in 1995, Toyota was losing market share
in Japan to both Mitsubishi and Honda. Okuda attributed this problem to several
factors. One of them was that Toyota had been losing touch with customers in
Japan for several years. For example, when engineers redesigned the Corlolla in
1991, they made it too big and too expensive for the Japanese tastes. Then four
years later, they stripped out so many of the costs in the car that Corolla looked
too cheap. Toyota’s burdensome bureaucracy also bothered Okuda. A decision
that took ¿ve minutes to ¿lter through the company at Suzuki Motor Corporation
took three weeks at Toyota.
4. In his ¿rst 18 months on the job, Okuda implemented some drastic changes. In a
country in which lifetime employment is consistent with the culture, he replaced
nearly one third of Toyota’s highest-ranking executives. He revamped Toyota’s
long-standing promotion system based on seniority, adding performance as a fac-
tor. Some outstanding performers were moved up several levels in management
at one time – something unheard of in the history of company.
5. Okuda also worked with vehicle designers to increase the speed at which a ve-
hicle went from concept to market. What once took 27 months was shortened to
27

18. Finally, he is using the visibility of his job to address larger societal issues
facing all Japanese businesses. He recently accused Japan’s Finance Ministry
of trying to destroy the auto industry by driving up the yen. And he has been
an audible voice in the country, condemning the lax lending practices that force
Japanese banks to write off billions of dollars in bad loans and that led, in part, to
the economic crisis in the country.
6. Unfortunately, some of Okuda’s actions may have back¿red. Speculations that he
overstepped his boundary by his “blunt demands” may have offended the found-
ing family – leading to his removal as president of the company in June 1999.
However, his strategic leadership and the good he has done for the company did
not go unnoticed – they helped him ascend to the chairman’s job.
Questions
1. How would you describe Hiroski Okuda’s leadership style? Cite speci¿cs where
appropriate.
2. When a company is in crisis, do you believe that a radical change in leadership is
required to turn the company around? Support your position.
3. Would you describe Okuda’s leadership style to be (a) charismatic, (b) visionary,
and (c) culturally consistent with the practices in Japan? Explain.
Building your writing skills:
Essay Writing
Write an essay of between 250 and 350 words on each of the following subjects.
You should spend about an hour and a quarter on your essay. The best way to divide
your time is as follows: plan: 10-15 minutes; writing: 45-50 minutes; re-reading: 10-15
minutes. Where necessary, give your essay a title.
1. Are all ¿t to be managers? To answer this question, it is necessary to be aware
of some links to practices, such as Emotional intelligence (EI), referring to non-
cognitive skills. It differs from intelligence quotient (IQ) and includes awareness
of one’s own feelings, awareness of one’s own emotions and impulses, the abil-
ity to sense how others feel, and the ability to handle the emotions of others. If
28

future hires have high EI scores, they will be more successful. The next includes
Machiavellianism (Mach), after Niccolo Machiavelli, who gave the two follow-
ing instructions on how to gain and manipulate power: (a) the maintenance of
emotional distances; and (b) ends justify means. Whether high Machs make good
employees or not depends on the kind of job. If their business requires bargaining
skills (labour negotiations), high Machs are productive. Otherwise, it is dif¿cult
to predict their work performance. On the other hand, self-esteem (SE) refers to
an individual’s degree of like or dislike for himself or herself. High SEs believe
that they possess the ability to succeed at work and vice versa. They will take
more risks in job selection. Also, they are more likely to choose unconventional
jobs than are people with low SEs, and are more satis¿ed with their jobs than
low SEs. One should not forget charisma either. Are charm and grace all that
is needed to create followers? Should one be sensitive to other’s feelings and
needs? What about sensitivity to the environment and unconventional behaviour?
What about our country?
2. Differences in international business cultures. Describe in what way national
culture affects leadership, bearing in mind that culture varies from country to
country. It is obviously not enough to categorise Italians as people spending most
of their time in the sun while eating pizza and drinking wine. There is more
to be learned to become a successful manager in a foreign market. Where did
Eurodisney in Paris go wrong? The Disney management de¿nitely ignored many
basic questions before launching this project. One of their mistakes was also re-
lated to a cultural aspect: Did Eurodisney, for example, prohibit drinking alcohol
inside the park? In the ¿rst place, the French visitors were emmbarassed, for
drinking wine to a meal is typically French. Disney has changed the regulation
later on but in the beginning they did not respect or take the foreign culture into
account. What can one do to avoid such mistakes or at least to minimise them?
3. Gender roles. Each culture handles gender roles more or less differently. The
equality in political, private and business issues is dependant on a country’s ju-
risdiction. The ¿rst time in Europe when females got the right to vote was in
the beginning of the 19th century in Finland. Nowadays, the development has
reached nearly equal rights between males and females. In contrast, China’s ¿rst
law protecting women workers dates only from 1988. Western cultures vary just
in small ranges concerning gender roles in business life: for instance, in France
women are equally treated in certain ¿elds of professions like law and ¿nance,
but there are restrictions against women working in industry sectors. In contrast,
29

German men show prejudice against women, which is why they have to achieve
better and higher quali¿cations and work harder to get into leading positions.
What about our country? Is gender a universal issue? Does it affect personal
identity and on power-values which are determined by culture?
4. The role of trust. Given the importance trust plays in the leadership equation,
today’s leaders seek to build trust with their followers. Give your suggestions for
achieving that goal.
5. Power distance. It refers to the extent to which less powerful members of in-
stitutions and organisations within a country expect and accept that power is dis-
tributed unequally. Power distance describes also the extent to which employees
accept that superiors have more power than they have. Furthermore, the opinions
and decisions are right because of the higher position someone has. Are employ-
ees too afraid to express their doubts and disagreements with the autocratic and
paternalistic bosses in countries with high power distance? What about small
countries? Do bosses and subordinates work together and consult each other?
Given the salary range is low between the top and the bottom in companies, do
subordinates expect to be consulted within the decision-making process? Do sub-
ordinates expect to be told what to do from their superiors because they consider
each other as unequal in companies with higher power distance? Are inequalities
normally expected and privileges seen as desirable by superiors in such compa-
nies? What about our country?
6. Succession to the CEO. Imagine you are the new CEO of a multi-billion dollar
corporation. You are succeeding the founder’s son-in-law who held the position
for more than 33 years – growing it to the company that it is today. Your prede-
cessor was dynamic. You are considered mellow. And he is not really leaving,
just going to the position of the Chairman of the Board to “keep an eye” on
things. Describe how you would feel and what you should do.
30

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION -
SUMMARISING
WHAT IS A SUMMARY?
This module assumes that you have learned how to extract the meaning from a
text and that you are ready to go on to the later stages.
De¿nition. A summary or précis is a brief and clear statement in a connected
and readable shape of the substance of a longer passage. It is valuable because it oblig-
es you to read intelligently and then to write simply and economically.
The journalist who is reporting a speech needs to pick out its main points and
omit what was least important in it. Usually the newspaper will only have the space
to print a shortened version of it. The student may need to read a chapter of a text-
book and then make brief notes on what was most important in it. In any examination
you take, the examiners are likely to test your ability to read, to write, and to think,
by asking you to write a summary or précis. The reasons for managers to learn how
to summarise are rather sensible. To express in your own words somebody else’s
ideas, i.e., write the gist of it, even when you do not agree with those ideas, is good
practice both in clear writing and clear thinking. In one way or another you will often
be called upon to give your superior a brief account of the main items in a message
received or a meeting attended, or, if you are an executive, you will have to brief your
subordinates about what the job would entail. It will not always be called a summary
but it will be one all the same.
Brief. In writing a summary a great deal of meaning must be put into as few
words as possible – a very desirable thing in all forms of writing, but necessary in
33

précis. In an examination it is usual to ask for a summary in not more than a limited
number of words. It is necessary to keep within this limit. All words including “a” and
“the” count. If no number is stated, you should aim at a version one-third the length of
the passage for summary.
Clear. It is even more important to be clear than to be brief. The two usually go
together. If they appear to conÀict, it is always better to be clear.
Connected. In any piece of writing, especially if it is an argument, ideas do not
appear separately one at a time. They come in groups and some are more important
than others, but all are linked to the main point of the text. In summarizing, these links
of thought must be preserved, otherwise the result is a succession of apparently uncon-
nected jerky ideas, the meaning of which is not clear.
Readable. A summary is not a kind of telegram and it must be written in normal
English without any omissions of words or incomplete sentences.
Substance. Making a précis is excellent discipline for the mind because one has
to say fairly and exactly what the other man said, whether one agrees or not. It is not as
easy as many people think.
First, one must say no more and no less than is said in the original.
Secondly, one must add nothing of one’s own to the original
Thirdly, it is necessary to keep to the facts in the same proportion as the original,
not altering the general balance. This alteration of balance is a common trick of news-
papers reporting the political speeches. They take a phrase or a sentence out of the rest
of the speech and comment on that, giving it by so doing an importance different from
that intended by the speaker. When this is done deliberately, it is just as dishonest as
stealing, and more dangerous.
This “substance” test is the one your summary will be judged by. Does it say what
the original says, and leave the same impression on the mind of the reader though the
words used are yours? If so, it has done its proper work.
Getting rid of idle words. The ¿rst necessity is to learn to notice and avoid all
forms of wordiness, that is, using more words than are necessary to make the reader
understand exactly what is being said. The two commonest kinds of wordiness are
roundabout expressions and repetition.
1. Roundabout expressions. Perhaps the commonest form of roundabout phrase is
that where a single adjective such as “unpleasant” appears as (“of an unpleasant
character”) a whole phrase that adds nothing to the meaning. For example:
It was an unpleasant experience.
It was an experience of unpleasant character.
34

Both express the same thing, but the former, as it wastes no words, is greatly to
be preferred.
Here are some more examples of phrases that would be better expressed in
single words:
of a disagreeable nature disagreeable
of a silly kind silly
of a delightful description delightful
in a brief manner brieÀy
[The only common exception to this is ‘in a friendly way’. This is often preferred
to ‘friendly’ because that is so dif¿cult to say.]
Other similar expressions to be avoided are:
with regard to in the case of
having regard to the fact that with a view to
in reference to in view of
Here are some examples, all taken from the same government circular that will show
you how easy it is to write wordily and also how wordiness might have been avoided:
Original Summarised
Boys whose way of life is cast town boys
in an urban environment ...
together with the addition of ... also
specialattentionwillbepaidtoactivitieswithaneye special attention will be paid to activities
to the cultivation of the qualities of initiative, etc., ... to cultivate initiative
judged in the light of their results ... judged by their results
In this connection it should be said ... Here it should be said
2. Repetition. People seem sometimes to think that what they say twice is more
impressive than what they say once. A proper attention to the meaning of words
would show such people that repetition makes for weakness not strength. For
example:
Original Text Summarised Text
Forthreeyearstheeconomyisincontinuousgrowth; For three years the economy has been
this state of affairs goes on for the whole of that continuously growing.
time without cease.
Other ways of being brief. So far we have only considered getting rid of useless
words, but, if the passage we want to summarise is well written, there will be no useless
35

words. How then can we shorten it? There are two ways: putting ideas together that are
separate, and generalisation.
1. Putting ideas together. This can be done by subordinating the less to the more
important ideas, reducing sentences to clauses, clauses to phrases, phrases to
words, etc. For example:
Original Text Summarised Text
It was quite dark; for the sun had set an hour An hour after sunset one dark, moonless
before and the moon had not risen yet when the night, the thief crept out of his cottage to
thief carefully opened the door of his cottage go about his business.
and prepared to go about his business.
I am now at liberty to confess that much The critics of my late friend’s books were
which I have heard objected to my late friend’s often right.
writings was well-founded.
Twenty-one words instead of thirty-six, i.e., ten instead of twenty-one and the
meaning so little changed as to be almost the same.
2. Generalisation. The second way of shortening is by generalisation. Instead of
giving all the details given in the original you give only the general impression
made by them. For example:
Particular General
Nothing in the of¿ce was in its place. Books The of¿ce was in complete disorder.
were piled on chairs, on tables, on the Àoor,
everywhere except on the shelves. Some sheets
of old newspaper were blowing about the Àoor.
Cushions were off the chairs, ashtrays off the tables,
and even the carpets were wrinkled and twisted.
This method of shortening has its dangers, because the meaning is changed.
The single word “disorder” has to call up in the reader’s imagination all the details
that the original shows him. It is therefore necessary to use exactly the right word
when making the generalisation, i.e., to ¿nd some general word or phrase to sum up
details or particulars.
Particular General
My mother often sent me to buy Àour, My mother often sent me shopping to the
sugar, coffee and the biscuits at one shop grocer’s and the adjacent greengrocer’s.
and potatoes, carrots, apples and oranges
at another near at hand.
36

Thirteen words instead of twenty-six if you know the exact words for the shops
where groceries and vegetables are bought. The more words you know (e.g. ‘wet’ is
wetter than ‘damp’ but no so wet as ‘soaking’), the easier it will be for you to write a
shortened form by generalisation.
How to set about writing a summary. In a methodical and businesslike way,
i.e., by adhering to the rule of six steps, which reads as follows:
Step 1. Read and UNDERSTAND the passage. Ninety-nine out of every hun-
dred failures to make a good summary are caused by not understanding the text.
As soon as you have grasped the meaning EXPRESS THE WRITER’S MAIN
POINT AS CLEARLY AND BRIEFLY AS YOU CAN, preferably in one sen-
tence. Write this sentence at the top of your summary.
Step 2. Read the passage again to test whether your sentence really expresses the
writer’s main idea, and to note and mark the division into which it falls. Give to
each division its appropriate number of words from the total you are allowed.
Step 3. Take a large, clean sheet of rough paper and set to work on divi-
sion one cutting wordiness and shortening as you go. Do NOT COPY OUT
ANY PHRASES FROM THE ORIGINAL. Go on section by section until
you reach the end.
Step 4. Read your summary, keeping in mind the sentence you made ¿rst and
make sure
(a) that your summary says what the original says;
(b) that it reads like normal English;
(c) that you have kept the connections of thought;
(d) that it is perfectly clear;
(e) that it is not wordy.
Step 5. Count the number of words (excluding, of course, the sentence you have
written at the top). If you have too many, shorten still further. If you have a great
many too few, consider whether you have not left out something of importance.
Step 6. COMPARE YOUR SUMMARY CAREFULLY, DETAIL BY DETAIL
WITH THE ORIGINAL to make sure that nothing important has been left out
and nothing whatever has been added. When you are satis¿ed, write the fair copy,
READ IT OVER, and write the number of words it contains in the end.
37

UNIT 2 UNDERSTANDING COMMUNICATION
AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO
MANAGERS
WHAT IS COMMUNICATION AND HOW DOES THE
COMMUNICATION PROCESS WORK?
Communication is the transference and understanding of meaning. The com-
munication process begins with a communication sender (a source) who has a mes-
sage to convey. The message is converted to symbolic form (encoding) and passed by
way of a channel to the receiver, who decodes the message. To ensure accuracy, the
receiver should provide the sender with feedback as a check on whether understanding
has been achieved.
ARE WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN
VERBAL ONES?
Written communications include memos, letters, e-mail, organisational periodi-
cals, etc., or any other device that transmits written words or symbols. Why would a
sender choose to use written communication? Because they are tangible, veri¿able, and
more permanent than the oral variety. Also, having to put something in writing forces a
person to think more carefully about what he or she wants to convey. Therefore, written
communications are more likely to be well thought out, logical and clear.
Of course, written messages have their drawbacks. Writing may be more pre-
cise, but it also consumes a great deal of time. The other major disadvantage is feed-
back, or rather, lack of it. Oral communications allow the receivers to respond rapidly
to what they think they hear. However, written communications do not have a built-in
feedback mechanism. Sending a memo is no assurance that it will be received; if it is
received, there is no guarantee that the recipient will interpret it as the sender meant.
It is best in such cases merely to ask the receiver to summarise what you have said.
An accurate summary presents feedback evidence that the message has been received
and understood.
38

IS THE GRAPEVINE AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO
COMMUNICATE?
The grapevine is an unofficial channel of communication in an organisation.
It is neither authorised nor supported by the organisation. Rather, information is
spread by word of mouth – and even through electronic means. Ironically, this is
a two-way process - good information passes among us rapidly; bad information,
even faster.
The biggest question raised about grapevines, however, focuses on the ac-
curacy of the rumours. Research on this topic has found somewhat mixed results.
In an organisation characterised by openness, the grapevine may be extremely
accurate. In an authoritative culture, the rumour mill may not be accurate. But
even then, although the information flowing is inaccurate, it still contains some
element of truth. Rumours about major lay offs, plant closings, and the like may
be filled with inaccurate information regarding who will be affected or when it
may occur. Nonetheless, the reports that something is about to happen are prob-
ably on target.
HOW DO NON-VERBAL CUES AFFECT COMMUNICATIONS?
Some of the most meaningful communications are neither spoken nor written.
These are non-verbal communications. A red siren or a red light at an intersection
tells you something without words. A college professor does not need words to know
that students are bored; their eyes get glassy or they begin to read papers during class.
Similarly, when papers start to rustle and notebooks begin to close, the message is
clear: Class time is about over. The size of a person’s of¿ce and desk or the clothes he
or she wears also convey messages to others. However, the best known areas of non-
verbal communication are body language and verbal intonation.
Body language refers to gestures, facial con¿gurations, and other movements of
the body. A snarl, for example, says something different from a smile. Hand motions,
facial expressions, and other gestures can communicate emotions or temperaments
such as aggression, fear, shyness, arrogance, joy and anger.
Verbal intonation refers to the emphasis someone gives to words or phrases. To
illustrate how intonations can change the meaning of a message, consider the student
who asks the professor a question. The professor replies, “What do you mean by that?”
The student’s reaction will vary, depending on the tone of the professor’s response. A
39

soft, smooth tone creates a different meaning from one that is abrasive with a strong
emphasis on the last word. Most of us would view the ¿rst intonation as coming from
someone who sincerely sought clari¿cation, whereas the second suggests that the per-
son is aggressive or defensive.
In other words, every oral communication has a non-verbal message, the im-
pact of which is likely to be the greatest. One researcher found that 55% of an oral
message is derived from facial expression and physical posture, 38% from verbal
intonation, and only 7% from the actual words used. Most of us know that animals
respond to how we say something rather than to what we say. Apparently, people are
not much different.
WHAT BARRIERS EXIST TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
AND HOW CAN MANAGERS OVERCOME COMMUNICATION
BARRIERS?
A number of interpersonal and intrapersonal barriers help to explain why the
message decoded by a receiver is often different than that which the sender intended.
Filtering, selective perception, information overload, emotions, language, and com-
munication apprehension barriers are but some of the more prominent barriers to ef-
fective communication.
Managers can overcome communication barriers by using feedback (ensuring the
fact that the message was received as intended), simplifying language (using language
that is understood by your audience), listening actively (to capture the true meaning of
the message being sent), constraining emotions (not allowing emotions to distort your
ability to properly interpret the message), and watching non-verbal cues (aligning the
non-verbal with the verbal).
GENDER ISSUES IN THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS: DO
MEN AND WOMEN COMMUNICATE DIFFERENTLY?
Research suggests they do. When men talk they emphasize status and inde-
pendence. Women talk to create intimacy and connections. Men frequently com-
plain that that women talk on and on about their problems. Women, however, criti-
cise men for not listening. When a man hears a woman talking about a problem, he
frequently asserts his desire for independence and control by providing solutions.
40

Many women, in contrast, view conversing about a problem as a means of promot-
ing closeness. The woman presents the problem to gain support and connection, not
to gain the man’s advice.
Therefore, both men and women need to acknowledge that there are differences
in communication styles, that one style is not better than the other, and that it takes real
effort to talk with each other successfully.
THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION TO MANAGERS
The importance of effective communication for managers cannot be overempha-
sized for one speci¿c reason: Everything a manager does involves communicating. Not
some things but everything! A manager cannot make a decision without information.
That information has to be communicated. Once a decision is made, communication
must again take place. Otherwise, no one will know that a decision has been made.
The best idea, the most creative suggestion, or the ¿nest plan cannot take form without
communication skills. Managers therefore need effective communication skills. It is
not suggested that good communication skills alone make a successful manager. We
can say, however, that ineffective communication skills can lead to a continuous stream
of problems for the manager.
1. READING FOR COMPREHENSION
Answer the below given questions.
1. De¿ne communication.
2. Describe the communication process.
3. State the grapevine motto.
4. Is the grapevine an effective way to communicate? Why? Explain your position.
5. What are the best known areas of non-verbal communication?
6. Explain body language and verbal intonation as the two best known areas of non-
verbal communication.
7. List techniques for overcoming communication barriers.
8. Do men and women communicate in the same way? Explain.
9. Explain the importance of communication to managers.
41

2. MATCHING EXERCISES
(a) Match the terms referring to the communication process on the left-hand side
with their explanations on the right-hand side.
1. Source (a) A receiver’s translation of a sender’s message.
2. Message (b) The degree to which carrying out the work activities required by a job
results in the individual’s obtaining direct and clear information about the
effectiveness of his or her performance.
3. Encoding (c) The person to whom the message is directed.
4. Channel (d) The conversion of a message into some symbolic form.
5. Receiver (e) A purpose to be conveyed.
6. Decoding (f) The term refers to a communication sender.
7. Feedback (g) The medium by which a message travels.
(b) Match the terms referring to the barriers to effective communication on the
left-hand side with their explanations on the right-hand side.
1. Filtering (a) Undue anxiety when one is required to interact face to face.
2. Selective perception (b) Words have different meanings to different people. Receivers
will use their de¿nitions of words communicated, which may be
different for what the sender intended.
3. Information overload (c) Messages will often be interpreted differently depending on how
happy or sad one is when the message is being communicated.
4. Emotions (d) When the amount of information one has to work with exceeds
one’s processing capacity.
5. Language (e) Receiving communications on the basis of what one selectively
sees and hears depending on his or her needs, motivation, expe-
rience, background, and other personal characteristics.
6. Communication (f) The deliberate manipulation of information to make it
apprehension appear more favourable to the receiver.
42

(c) Match the terms referring to the overcoming barriers to effective communi-
cation on the left-hand side with their explanations on the right-hand side.
1. Use feedback (a) Listen for the full meaning of the message without making
premature judgements or interpretations – or thinking what
you are going to say in response.
2. Simplify language (b) Be aware that your actions speak louder than your words.
Keep the two consistent.
3. Listen actively (c) Recognise when your emotions are running high.
4. Constrain emotions (d) Check the accuracy of what has been communicated – or what
you think you heard.
5. Watch non-verbal cues (e) Use words that the intended audience understands.
(d) Match the parts of the memo (1-6) with the descriptions (a-f).
MEMORANDUM
MŒc→
NŒc→
OŒc→
DATE 9th
June
TO Vincent Mills, Human Resources Manager
FROM Philip Groves, Managing Director
SUBJECT Seminars on Japanese culture and management
Philip
PŒc→
The trip to Japan has been con¿rmed for the 15th
of this month. I’ve decided
to go ahead with the seminars as we discussed.
QŒc→
Could you contact the consultant you mentioned and get back to me about
the following:
- the topics she covers
- short description of each topic
- whether you think we should use her services or look for someone else.
RŒc→
We haven’t much time, so could you do this a.s.a.p. and also check the avail-
ability of the executives who will be involved in this training.
PG
43

(a) The body of the ‘memo’.
(b) A Short heading which tells you what the memo is about.
(c) When the memo is sent.
(d) The conclusion of the memo, which often recommends the course of action.
(e) Name of the person to whom the memo is sent.
(f) A brief introduction to the memo giving the most important information.
3. PREPOSITIONS
Supply the missing prepositions to complete the passage Why must we listen actively?
When someone talks, we hear. But too often we do not listen. Listening is an ac-
tive search ……… meaning, whereas hearing is passive. ……… listening, two people
are thinking – the receiver and the sender.
Many ……… us are poor listeners. Why? Because listening is dif¿cult, and it is
usually more satisfying to be the talker. Listening, in fact, is often more tiring than talk-
ing. It demands intellectual effort. Unlike hearing, active listening demands total con-
centration. The average person speaks ……… a rate ……… about 150 words ………
minute, whereas we have the capacity to hear and process ……… the rate ………
nearly 1,000 words ……… minute. The difference obviously leaves idle time ………
the brain and opportunities ……… the mind to wander.
Active listening is emphasized ……… empathy ……… the sender – that is,
……… placing yourself ……… the sender’s position. Because senders differ ………
attitudes interests, needs, and expectations, empathy makes it easier to understand the
actual content of a message.
44

4. TENSES
Fill in the blank spaces in Some of the more prominent barriers to effective com-
munication with correct verb forms.
Filtering …………… (REFER) to the way that a sender …………………
(MANIPULATE) information so that it ………… (SEE) more favourably by the
receiver. For example, when a manger ………… (TELL) his boss what he …………
(FEEL) that boss …………… (WANT) to hear, he …………… (FILTER) informa-
tion. Does this happen much in the organisation? Sure it …………… (DO), and most
likely it so …………… (HAPPEN) in organisations in which there is emphasis on
status differences and among employees with strong career mobility aspirations. So,
expect …………… (SEE) more ¿ltering taking place in large corporations than in
small business ¿rms.
Individuals cannot assimilate all they …………… (OBSERVE), so they are se-
lective. They …………… (ABSORB) bits and pieces, which are not chosen randomly;
rather they …………… (CHOOSE) depending on the interests, experience, etc. The
receivers in the communication process, therefore, selectively see and hear. Therefore,
selective perception …………… (ALLOW) us to “speed read” others but not without
the risk of …………… (DRAW) an inaccurate picture.
Individuals have a ¿nite capacity for …………… (PROCESS) data. For instance,
research …………… (INDICATE) that most of us have dif¿culty working with more
than about seven pieces of information at one time. When the information ……………
(EXCEED)ourprocessingcapacity,theresultisinformationoverload.What……………
(HAPPEN) when individuals have more information than they can sort out and use?
They …………… (TEND) to select out, ignore, pass over or forget information. In any
case, the result is lost information and less effective communication.
45

When people feel threatened, they tend …………… (REACT) in ways
that …………… (REDUCE) their ability to achieve mutual understanding. In
other words, if emotions …………… (INVOLVE), messages often ……………
(INTERPRET) differently, depending on how happy or sad one is when the mes-
sage is being communicated.
Words …………… (MEAN) different things to people: “The meanings of words
are not in the words; they are in us.” Age, education, and cultural background are three
of the more obvious variables that …………… (INFLUENCE) the language a person
…………… (USE) and the de¿nitions he or she …………… (APPLY) to words. In an
organisation, employees usually …………… (COME) from diverse backgrounds, and
therefore have different patterns of speech. Additionally, the grouping of employees
into departments …………… (CREATE) specialists who develop their own jargon or
technical language.
Another roadblock to effective communication ……… (BE) that some peo-
ple – an estimated 5% to 20% of the population – suffer from ………………
(DEBILITATE) communication apprehension or anxiety. Although lots of people
dread ………… (SPEAK) in front of a group, communication apprehension is a more
serious problem because it …………… (AFFECT) a whole category of communica-
tion techniques. People who suffer from it ………………… (EXPERIENCE) undue
tension and anxiety in oral communication, written communication, or both. As a re-
sult, they may rely on memos or faxes to convey messages when a phone call would
not only be faster but more appropriate.
46

REVIEW AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
PART I
Why the emphasis on non-verbal cues? Well, if actions speak louder than words,
then it is important to watch your actions to make sure that they align with and reinforce
the words that go along with them. Given this fact, the effective communicator watches
his or her non-verbal cues to ensure that they, too, convey, the desired message.
This is why some organisations, such as Doorway Rug Service, Inc., are teaching
many of their employees – especially in marketing and sales – to make decisions on the
basis of non-verbal communication cues.
For Karen Vesper, vice president of Doorway, focusing on non-verbal commu-
nications has become an important part of her interpersonal dealings. After reading
through Karen Vesper Reads the Signals, try to answer the below given questions.
1. Several years ago, Karen became interested in how body movements and man-
nerisms truly reÀect what an individual is saying. Continually reading in this area
of study, Vesper has been able to make decisions about potential employees and
potential customers by “reading” them. For example, Vesper believes that body
language can give a person competitive advantage. It can make the difference
when closing the sale, or in Doorway’s case, ¿ring new employees.
2. During interviews, for example, Vesper pays constant attention to the job can-
didate’s eye movements and mannerisms. Vesper believes that she can correctly
predict if the job candidate will be an aggressive salesperson while simultane-
ously being personable and friendly. How does she do that? By looking at their
eyes and the way that they present themselves.
3. In one case a hiring decision came to two people. Candidate 1 was animated and
made constant eye contact. Candidate 2 never looked Karen in the eye, leaned
back in his chair, and crossed both his legs and arms. Candidate 1 demonstrated
the communication skills that Vesper found aligned with successful performance
in her organisation.
4. Vesper believes that non-verbal communication can play a signi¿cant role in
helping her organisation achieve its annual sales goals. Personally she has found
that it has helped her “qualify” customers. For instance, even though a potential
customer says Yes, crossed arms and legs emphatically state No! Understanding
47

this, Vesper is in a better position to probe further into the possible objections the
customer has. She has found that, in many cases, she is able to steer conversation
in a direction that ultimately leads to successfully closing a sale. And that is a
major competitive advantage.
Questions
1. Describe the communications process that Karen Vesper uses in her dealings with
job candidates and employees.
2. What problems might Karen encounter by her heavy reliance on the non-verbal
communication?
3. What communication guidance would you give to Vesper and individuals like her
who place an inordinately high value on body language?
PART II
Today we rely on a number of sophisticated electronic devices to carry out in-
terpersonal communications. We have closed-circuit television, voice-activated com-
puters, cellular phones, fax machines, pagers and e-mail. For example, e-mail, which
allows us to instantaneously transmit written messages on computers, is one of today’s
most widely used ways for organisational members to communicate. E-mail is fast,
convenient, cheap, and you can send the same message to dozens of people at the same
time. After reading through the text, try to answer the below given questions.
1. E-mail has taken on its own vocabulary and verbal intonation. Acronyms have
found its ways into e-mail to create shortcuts for both the sender and the receiver.
These abbreviations, which consist of the ¿rst letters of each word in a phrase and
are used when writing an e-mail or when discussing a subject in a chat room, are
called netcronyms. Below is given the list of some of them:
48

Netcronym De¿nition Usage Example
• AAMOF As a matter of fact AAMOF, he happens to be the boss too.
• ATM At the moment I’m busy ATM.
• B4*
Before B4 we begin, let’s recap yesterday’s events.
• CU*
See you CU you in class tomorrow.
• DIY Do it yourself I’m not doing your job for you. DIY.
• EOD End of discussion You have no facts. EOD.
• F2F Face to face We met F2F for the ¿rst time in the courtroom.
• GOK God only knows GOK how hard I worked.
• HAND Have a nice day Thank you for your help. HAND.
• IMO In my opinion IMO, you should take a rest.
• LOL Laughing out loud. LOL. That was a great joke.
• MYOB Mind your own business Sop bugging me. MYOB.
• NP No problem It’s NP. I like helping others.
• OMG Oh my God OMG. That was scary.
• PAW Parents are watching Send me the ¿le later. PAW.
• PTMM Please tell me more. PTMM, I’m interested.
• SITD Still in the dark I’m SITD as to what you are talking about.
• THX Thanks THX for the help today.
• WBS Write back soon Please WBS.
• YW You’re welcome YW. Just glad to help.
2. However, one of the problems with communications over the Internet is the lack
of inÀection and body language which, combined with user’s geographic and
cultural diversity, increases the chance that humorous or sarcastic messages will
be misunderstood.
3. Interestingly, emotions can also be displayed in e-mails. It is done by way of
emoticons or smileys, i.e., a series of typed characters that, when turned side-
ways, resemble a face and express an emotion. Some common emoticons that are
often encountered on the Internet include:
49

Symbol Meaning
• :-) or :) I’m smiling at the joke here (smiley)
• :D or :-D I’m overjoyed (a big smile)
• ;-) I’m winking and grinning at the joke here (the winkey)
• :- I’m sad about this
• :-7 I’m speaking with tongue in cheek
• :-O either a yawn of boredom or a mouth open in amazement
• :-* a kiss
• :-&; tongue-tied, used when you ¿nd it dif¿cult to express yourself
• >:-( very angry
• &<:-( a dunce (a stupid person)
• :-p tongue sticking out, used when you want to be rude to someone
• :'-( crying
Questions
1. Is the wave of communication’s future in electronic media?
2. Search on the Internet for common communication shortcuts used by e-mail
users.
3. Identify 15 acronyms and describe what they mean.
4. How should these acronyms be used? Describe any barriers these acronyms
may cause a user.
5. Emoticons have been widely played in popular media, and though they are dis-
dained by many writers, they often serve a useful function in on-line communica-
tions. Do you agree or disagree with this statement. Defend your position.
50

Building your writing skills:
Summary Writing
To test your accuracy and understanding and to enhance your skill in writing
summaries:
1. Read the below given passages and then answer the questions which follow
them to test your accuracy and understanding.
(a)A man who studies a particular subject may learn a lot about that subject. But
a man who wants to be able to judge what is best for his country must study
more than one subject. An expert mathematician will not necessarily be a bet-
ter judge of foreign policy than a man who cultivates the soil.
Does the writer say:
(a) that no one should study just one subject?
(b) that a mathematician is no use at anything else?
(c) that a politician should study more than one subject?
(d) that cultivators are good judges of foreign policy?
(e) that cultivators are bad judges of foreign policy?
(f) that cultivators are better or worse judges of foreign policy than mathematicians?
(g)that cultivators have only studied one subject?
(h)that a man learned in only one subject is not always the best judge of what is good
for his country?
(i) that an expert biologist is not necessarily a better judge of prison reform than a
carpenter?
(j) that a country needs more people who have studied many subjects than experts in
single subjects?
(b) With more irrigation it would be possible to grow more crops; but it is not
certain that markets could be found for the food produced.
Does the writer say:
(a) that irrigation would increase the amount of food which can be produced?
(b) that this would increase the wealth of the country?
51

(c) that more irrigation is possible?
(d) that the only way to get more crops is by irrigation?
(e) that markets could not be found for the food produced?
(f) that markets could be found for the food produced?
(g) that if markets could be found the rest would be easy?
(h) that the country could grow more barley?
(i) that it would be foolish to grow more crops if markets could not be found for them?
2. Read the below sentence and then consider how it can be shortened.
A man who travels to foreign countries will see more than a man who stays at
home, but it does not follow that he will be able to talk in an interesting way about what
he has seen, nor that he will be any wiser than the man who stays at home.
3. Read the below given passage and:
(a) Divide it into six paragraphs;
(b) Summarise each paragraph in one sentence;
(c) Think of a title for the passage.
D. L. Rogers Corp., based in Bedford, Texas, owns and operates 54 fran-
chises of Sonic Corp., a chain of fast-food drive-in restaurants. Jack Hartnett,
Roger’s president prides himself on knowing everything about his employees
– both at work and at home. If they have marital problems or credit-card debt, he
wants to know. And he thinks nothing of using that information if he thinks he
can help. For instance, how many executives you know who counsel employees
on their sex life? When a wife of one of his managers called Hartnett to say her
husband was impotent and did not know what to do, he had an answer. Hartnett
met with the couple in a motel room, where he prodded the fellow to confess to
an affair and beg for forgiveness. Is Hartnett’s style intrusive? Yes. But neither
he nor his employees consider it a problem. “There are no secrets here,” he says.
No subject is too delicate for his ears. And his defence? He is merely doing what
any good friend might do. Also, he believes that the more he knows about his
workers, the more he can help them stay focused at work and happy at home.
Hartnett plays golf with his managers, sends them personally signed birthday
cards, and drops by their homes to take them to dinner. But if you think he is “Mr.
Nice Guy,” think again. He badmouths academic theories that propose that lead-
ers need to persuade workers to buy in to the leader’s vision. Hartnett instructs
52

his employees to “do it the way we tell you to do it.” He is perfectly comfortable
using the authority in his position to make rules and dish out punishments. One
of Hartnett’s basic rules is “I will only tell you something once.” Break one of
his rules twice and he will ¿re you. The managers who work for Hartnett are well
compensated for meeting his demanding requirements. His unit managers and
regional managers earn an average of $65,000 and $150,000, respectively. This
compares with industry averages of $30,000 and $52,000. Moreover, Hartnett’s
managers are eligible for upwards of a 15% bonus programme as well as an op-
portunity to own 25% of the company. Does Hartnett seem inconsistent? Maybe.
He believes in openness, integrity, and honesty, but he expects as much as he
gives. It is not an option. So he is “your best friend,” and, at the same time, he is
rigid and autocratic. He admits to purposely keeping everybody slightly off bal-
ance, “so they will work harder”. Hartnett’s approach to leadership seems to be
effective. Moreover, people seem to like working for him. In an industry known
for high turnover, Hartnett’s managers stay about nine years, compared with an
industry average of less than two.
4. Write summaries of the below given passages.
(a) It begins with a source, i.e., sender, who has a message to convey. The source
initiates a message by encoding a thought, i.e., the conversion of a message
into some symbolic form. Four conditions affect the encoded message: skill,
attitudes, knowledge, and the social-cultural system. One’s total communica-
tive success includes speaking, reading, writing, listening, and reasoning skills.
Attitudes, on the other hand, affect our behaviour. We hold predisposed ideas
on numerous topics, and our communications are affected by these attitudes.
Furthermore, we are restricted in our communicative activity by the extent of
our knowledge of the particular topic. We cannot communicate what we do not
know, and should our knowledge be too extensive, it is possible that our receiver
will not understand our message. And ¿nally, just as attitudes inÀuence our be-
haviour, so does our position in social-cultural system in which we exist.
The message is the actual physical product from the source: when we
speak – the speech is the message; when we write – the writing is the mes-
sage; and when we gesture – the movements of our arms, the expressions on
our face are the message.
The channel is the medium through which the message travels. It is se-
lected by the source, who must determine which channel is formal and which
one is informal. Formal channels traditionally follow the authority network
within the organisation, and other forms of messages, such as personal or so-
cial, follow the informal channels.
53

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