Assignment Code: BEGS-186/BAG/2022-2023

Course Code: BEGS-186

Assignment Name: Business Communication

Year: 2022-2023

Verification Status: Verified by Professor

Q1. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it.

In all aspects of life, effective communication is critical to success. Particularly beneficial for those in positions of leadership and management, almost all aspects of work and functionality are affected by communication. Training specialists Brad Humphrey and Jeff Stokes identify communication skills as being amongst the most important skills for modern supervisors. Andrew Posner, a career counsellor, advises that employees looking for career advancement require such “transferable skills” as the ability to “analyze, write, persuade, and manage”.

Effective leaders are able to use a wide variety of media and strategies to communicate. They are not only skilled at using verbal communication skills, but they are also adept at reading nonverbal cues. Great leaders collaborate to foster harmony and amicability at work and help teams achieve organizational objectives, in addition to writing regular and constructive messages, gathering, and conveying information, and making informed decisions for better productivity. Additionally, they collect useful information through informal networks such as the company grapevine; they can communicate effectively and persuasively in core groups and formal presentations; and they write with conviction. Relying on the latest systems and technology to improve their day-to-day operations, modern day managers employ modern collaborative software like Skype and Google docs, Team Viewer to communicate more efficiently in real time with their colleagues all over the world. In today's world, apart from using e-mail as a competent communication tool, Managers are also using social media networks to launch, promote, and collaborate with potential clients and customers. Online collaborative post- It notes are a great way to share ideas within a team.

In contrast to the traditional methods like newsletters, flyers, and brochures, modern day managers are enhancing their professional reach exponentially by writing professional e-mails, relevant WhatsApp messages, effective business blogs, informative podcasts, and so on to connect with a wide variety of stakeholders. However, depending on the purpose and scope of your writing, having your authentic voice and personal style to communicate with different individuals and groups is even more essential. Clear and honest communication can strengthen the relationships at the workplace. Leaders need to keep themselves abreast with latest motivational theories and leadership models to help create a stable system and philosophy for their own business enterprise viable in their indigenous surroundings. It’s imperative on the part of managers to acknowledge the contribution of employees every now and then by generously offering words of appreciation such as “thank you”, “great job”, “commendable effort”, “laudable effort” etc. These kind expressions recognize individual effort, increase loyalty, and inspire people to work even harder. In a survey by Mc Kinsey Quarterly in 2009 it has been stated that praises from immediate superiors can empower and motivate employees.

Delayed feedback, stilted and rude content, delayed action; fewer personal pronouns can mark a manager’s expression discourteous, impolite, and offensive. However, putting a focus on interpersonal relations, conversational tone, immediate feedback, prompt action and usage of more personal pronoun, simpler yet colloquial expressions can bring the manager closer to his subordinates and other members of the organization. “You” is more preferable than “I” or “We” in most instances. Use of more positive words can draw more encouraging response from the listeners.

a) Now answer the following questions:

i) What is the role of great leaders in a company? Discuss. (2 marks)

Ans) In addition to composing regular and constructive messages, acquiring, and transmitting information, and making informed decisions for greater productivity, great leaders collaborate to build harmony and amicability at work and assist teams reach corporate objectives. They also use informal networks to gather relevant information so that they can communicate effectively and eloquently in core groups and formal presentations, and they write with conviction.

ii) What does the writer mean by “----they are also adept at reading nonverbal cues.” (2 marks)

Ans) Giving out the correct nonverbal indications is crucial for business workers. Your message is reinforced when your body language, facial expressions, and voice tone match your spoken words. This helps clients, coworkers, and prospects better understand you.

iii) How do managers communicate with their clients and customers in today’s world? (2 marks)

Ans) Managers are employing social media networks to launch, advertise, and interact with potential clients and customers in today's environment, in addition to using e-mail as a competent communication medium. Collaborative online post-it notes are a terrific way for a team to communicate ideas.

iv) Discuss what managers should not do while communicating and why. (2 marks)

Ans) Managers should avoid delayed feedback, stilted and harsh material, and delayed action, as well as using fewer personal pronouns when communicating, as this can make a manager's expression appear discourteous, disrespectful, and insulting.

v) Give an appropriate title to the passage and give reasons for your choice. (2 marks)

Ans) The title of the passage: ‘Communication is the Key’.

Reason: The paragraph explains how communication is important in everyday life and how it may strengthen business relationships and help a company reach its objectives more effectively. It also improves employee interpersonal relationships, and I believe that communication is crucial.

b) Pick out words from the passage which mean the same as the following: (6 marks)

i) crucial (para 1)

Ans) critical

ii) skilful (para 2)

Ans) competent

iii) pleasant behaviour which brings about good-will (para 2)

Ans) amicability

iv) to a great extent (para 3)

Ans) wide variety

v) local context(para3)

Ans) indigenous

vi) informal (para 4)

Ans) colloquial

c) What have you learnt from the above passage about communication at the workplace? Give your personal views. (4 marks)

Ans) Whatever industry you work in, I believe that being able to communicate effectively with clients, coworkers, and bosses is critical. Good communication strengthens teams, motivates employees to perform at their best, and improves the workplace culture. Also, because communication is a two-way street, we must pay attention to the verbal and nonverbal signs of others as well as our own. We may connect in a more constructive and productive manner by training ourselves how to communicate more effectively, making the workplace a good and thriving environment.

Q2. Write short notes on any two of the following. Give examples: (20 marks)

i) Importance of Small Talk in Business

Ans) Small chat necessitates the development of crucial social skills that are highly valued in the workplace. It aids in the ice-breaking process prior to major business meetings and events. Many people are comfortable discussing business but are unsure how to start a conversation at a business meeting. This is primarily due to a lack of topics to discuss. It could also be due to their lack of confidence in their language. As a result, effective small talk involves both confidence in what to say and confidence in how to say it.

It's a good idea to keep these small chat suggestions in mind: Be aware of the type of person(s) you will encounter. Preparation ahead of time can be incredibly beneficial. If the visitor is from a different region, state, or nation than yours, check-up information about that region, state, or country. This is simple to accomplish over the Internet. Knowing a few words in the visitor's native tongue might be really beneficial. Your visitor will be impressed by your keen interest, and your conversation will become more meaningful as a result.

It's best to avoid discussing personal ideas or contentious issues during your talk. Your religious ideas, moral system, political convictions, affiliations, and connections are all examples of this. Also, do not intrude on the visitor's personal space by inquiring about personal concerns such as if he or she is married, how many children he or she has, what they are doing, her or his salary, age, and so on. Weather, sports, and entertainment are all safe topics.

During your first talk, you might be able to find some areas of mutual interest. Once you've found a topic that both of you enjoy, stick with it! You can accomplish this in a variety of ways, like talking about travel, discussing a similar school or acquaintance, or discussing the distinctions between your culture and the new culture without expressing judgement on which is better. And, above all, be a good listener.

Don't get so caught up in your meeting preparation and ability to convey that you forget to listen. Listening attentively will assist you in comprehending and encouraging individuals speaking to you. You might be scared or uncomfortable in some situations and don't know where to start. Allowing others to express their thoughts will improve the quality of the discussion - and allow you time to come up with a response!

iii) Types of internal communication

Ans) The types of internal communication are:

Top-down or leader-employee internal communication is another term for leadership down. Employees need to hear directly from the people in authority, therefore this downward communication and information flow is critical. Emails, video conferences, and morning motivational meetings can all be used to communicate daily goals, announcements, changes, and shout-outs.

Employee Up: Employee-to-leader information exchange begins at the bottom and works its way up to the company's top executives. This is a way of upward communication that allows employees to communicate information and feedback to higher-level management. One of the most common examples of this sort of employee communication is discussion forums. Surveys and polls can be completed, and ideas for improvement can be made.

Businesses confront a variety of problems that require a crisis management plan. COVID-19 is the most current global catastrophe affecting businesses. Many people discovered they were not as well prepared as they should have been to deal with such a major problem. To prevent this from happening again, a crisis management strategy must be developed and presented before to, during, and after the crisis. Businesses want access to all team members in order to make announcements, review roles and duties, ask and answer questions, and reassure everyone that the organisation is on track for success - or to explain how to reverse course if necessary.

Business communication amongst peers: Employees in a company spend a lot of time together. They must develop positive bonds and relationships. Employee engagement is essential for business success. Even when remote work and technology have transformed corporate communication, coworkers need to share information, communicate messages about work-related concerns, encourage one another, ask questions, and receive prompt answers. This sort of communication necessitates the observance of rules that keep internal communications healthy and positive.

Onboarding: As a firm grows, it will be required to hire additional team members. Onboarding communication tactics are critical for welcoming, training, and motivating new employees. A group onboarding programme that encourages team development might be implemented if a company hires numerous employees. Businesses can use this form of internal communication to put new staff up for success.

Q3a. Complete the following company profile with either the present perfect or past simple tense of the verbs in brackets: (10 marks)

William Colgate………….(found) the Colgate Company in 1806 as a starch, soap, and candle business in New York City. For the first one hundred years, the company………….(do) all its business in the United States. However, in the early 1900s, the company………….(begin) an aggressive expansion programme that ………….((lead) to the establishment of Colgate operations in countries throughout Europe, Latin America, and the Far East. Recently it………….(set up) operations in Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Eastern Europe, and China. Colgate-Palmolive ………….(become) a truly global consumer products company, worth $6.6 billion and selling in more than 160 countries.

Colgate-Palmolive’s five main sectors of business are: Oral Care, Body Care, Household Surface Care, Fabric Care and Pet Nutrition and Health Care. In the area of Oral Care, Colgate-Palmolive is the world leader in toothpaste. Since 1980, the company …………….(increase) its share of this market by more than 12% to over 40% today. Oral care revenues ……………..(grow) significantly in recent years and in 1991, they …………..(exceed) $1.3 billion. As a result of the company’s heavy investment in research and technology, it…………………(develop) many successful toothpaste, rinses, and toothbrushes.

Ans) William Colgate founded the Colgate Company in 1806 as a starch, soap, and candle business in New York City. For the first one hundred years, the company did all its business in the United States. However, in the early 1900s, the company began an aggressive expansion programme that led to the establishment of Colgate operations in countries throughout Europe, Latin America, and the Far East. Recently it has set up operations in Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Eastern Europe, and China. Colgate-Palmolive became a truly global consumer products company, worth $6.6 billion and selling in more than 160 countries.

Colgate-Palmolive’s five main sectors of business are: Oral Care, Body Care, Household Surface Care, Fabric Care and Pet Nutrition and Health Care. In the area of Oral Care, Colgate-Palmolive is the world leader in toothpaste. Since 1980, the company increased its share of this market by more than 12% to over 40% today. Oral care revenues grew significantly in recent years and in 1991, they exceeded $1.3 billion. As a result of the company’s heavy investment in research and technology, it developed many successful toothpaste, rinses, and toothbrushes 

Q3b. Here are the answers to some questions. What are the questions? (5 marks)

i. When ………………………………………….?

I joined the company six years ago.

Ans) When did you join the company?

ii. What ………………………………………….?

I was an office assistant.

Ans) What was your position at the company initially?

iii. Which ………………………………………….?

I worked in After-sales.

Ans) Which department you worked earlier?

iv. How long ………………………………………….?

I worked in that department for 18 months.

Ans) How long you worked in that department?

v. Where………………………………………….?

It was just 6 kms from my home.

Ans) Where was your company located? How far was it from your home?

Q3c Complete these sentences with the correct comparative or superlative form of the adjectives in brackets. (5 marks)

i. IBM is one of the ……………………………..(big) computer companies in America.

Ans) biggest

ii. A notebook computer is ……………………………..(expensive) than a desktop one.

Ans) more expensive

iii. I think a desktop computer is ……………………………..(good) than a Notebook.

Ans) better

iv. In my opinion, telephone is the ……………………………..(important) piece of office equipment.

Ans) most important

v. The ……………………………..(fast) way to contact a client is by phone.

Ans) fastest

Q4. You recently moved to a new city on a job transfer. Write an email to your friend informing him of this move. In your email: (20 marks)

i Describe the new city

ii Explain how life in this city is different compared to the previous city

iii Invite your friend and family to visit you in the new city

iv Say what your new job profile is.

Ans) Dear Anna,

I hope everything is going well for you. I apologise for not getting in touch with you recently; to be honest, I haven't had much time for myself in the previous few weeks.

I'm very thrilled to inform you that I recently relocated to Denver. As you know, I was hoping for a promotion, and our office administration surprised me by promoting me to Senior Manager of their new Denver branch last month. As a result, I had to relocate to Denver, which is a fantastic city to live in in my opinion.

This contemporary metropolis, which is located in the South Platte River Valley, benefits from the openness of the Great Plains to the east and the breathtaking Rocky Mountain views to the west. I've rented a property in the city's northeast section, which is surrounded by beautiful scenery. There are two bedrooms, a guest room, a huge kitchen, and a yard at the house where I live. I've started a few flowering plants and can't wait to show you what I've done.

Please make an appointment to come see me next month. I am confident that we will have a good time together. I'm looking forward to seeing you soon.

Warm wishes,

Emily

Q5. Write a dialogue, in about 20 turns, between two friends discussing what professions they would like to get into in their lives after completing their education. (20 marks)

Ans) Dialogue Writing:

Raman : Hello Riya, how are you ?

Riya : Fine, thank you. And how about you ?

Raman : I’m also fine, Riya. Our examinations are almost here. So we must decide what we will be doing after the education.

Riya : You are quite right. Success in life depends on the right choice of career.

Raman : We must choose our career properly. May I know your choice of career?

Riya : Yes, of course. I have decided to become a doctor. Do you like this profession?

Raman : Yes I do. It is a good profession. Could you tell me why you have chosen this profession?

Riya : I chose this profession because most of our people are deprived of the service of the doctors.

Raman : Yes there are shortage of good doctors in our country. The people who live in the villages cannot consult a good doctor.

Riya : I want to serve the people.

Raman : Are you willing to go to the villagers if necessary?

Riya : Yes, of course. Well, could you tell me about your choice of career?

Raman : Of course. I want to be an agriculture officer.

Riya : Most students like to be doctor, Engineer, or administrator. Why not you?

Raman : Our country is an agricultural country. Our economy depends on agriculture.

Riya : Yes, it is right. Please tell me about your plan.

Raman : First of all I will get myself admitted into an Agricultural University. After completing my education I will join the service of agriculture cadre. I will make research on agriculture. I’ll teach the farmers about the modern method of cultivation.

Riya : I appreciate your plan. It’s a very noble profession.

Raman : Choosing career is not enough. We must work hard to fulfil our dreams.

Riya : Of course. We must do well in the Examination, otherwise we will not be able to become a doctor or an agriculture officer.

Raman : Of course .Thank you Riya. It was really nice speaking to you.

Riya : You’re welcome. Good bye. See you again.

Raman : Bye.