Administrative and Business Communication

Administrative and Business Communication (MGMT 212)

UNIT THREE
COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES
The increasing specialization and the expansion and complexity of today’s businesses have brought
about a revolution in the systems of communication.
The businessman who wants to survive in the competition has to develop his communicating skills.
He must know how to communicate with the help of new and speedy technical devices of
communication.
The management executives spend most of their time in direct or indirect form of communication.
The efficiency of a manager depends on his skills and effectiveness of communicating with others.
He has to communicate with other traders and dealers for purchase and sale.
He has to communicate with his superiors in order to decide the objectives and directives.
He has to communicate with his subordinates in order to get their cooperation and improve the
productivity.
He has to deal with banks, transport agencies, government officials, legal advisors, insurance
companies, experts, customers, etc.
An effective communication is the key of sure success in the modem world’ of commerce.
Objectives
After completing this unit, you will be able to:
 Explain the meanings of principles of communication in general
 Understand the different principles of communication
? Dear learner can you state the major principles of communication?
(You can use the space left below to write your response)

To compose effective messages you need to apply certain specific communication principles. The
basic business communication principles known as seven C’s of business communication provide
guidelines for choosing content and style of presentation.

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3.1. The Seven Cs Principles of Communication:

1. Completeness
 Communication is effective or complete when it contains all the necessary information the
audience or receiver needs for the result you desire.
 You should take into consideration the receiver’s mind set and convey the message
accordingly.
What makes complete a message? When it contains relevant information. A message contains
relevant information when:
 It answers all questions
 It has something extra
 It incorporate details and answers the 5W`s (Why, When, Where, What and Who)
When the communication is complete: -
 It avoids additional messages.
 It helps you to build good will.
 It could help you to avert costly lawsuit.
2. Conciseness
 Being concise means communicating what you want to convey in the least possible amount
of words without forgoing the other Cs of communication.
 Generally, people receive a lot of information every day; don’t add to the clutter! Say or
write as little as you need to get your point across and your message will be more appealing
and much easier to comprehend.
 Remember, a concise message is both cost-saving and time-saving and it highlights the main
message by keeping the information presented relevant and necessary.
Generally, conciseness refers to brevity/ shortness. Use a few words as possible. Conciseness can be
achieved by eliminating unnecessary word or explanation, including only relevant statements and
avoiding unnecessary repetition.
3. Consideration
 Consideration implies “stepping into the shoes of others”.

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 Consideration simply means you show empathy in your communication style. Taking what is
called the “you” approach, you should always craft your message with the receiver in mind.
Understanding your audience and communicating empathy is a big step towards getting your
desired result.
 Consider the audience’s viewpoints, background, and mind-set and education level. Make an
attempt to envisage your audience/receiver, their requirements, emotions and problems.
 Keep the message positive and show optimism.
To sum it up, consideration shows how the receivers see the message, that means place yourself in
the receiver place.
The sender will show consideration by:
 Trying to focus on “you” attitude, unless focusing on a “you” attitude tend to be
insulting, sarcastic, tactless and accusative.
 Showing the reader or receiver benefit and at the time show interest in the receiver.
 Emphasizing on positive aspect. It implies you have to avoid being fault finder.
4. Clarity
 Communicating with clarity means getting the message through to your audience plainly so
they won't misinterpret what you are trying to say. Be sure to use the right language level for
your audience, whether communicating verbally or through the written word.
 It is important to establish a definite purpose to the communication. Use words that are
appropriate and attention grabbing so that the receiver knows that your message is relevant to
them.
 Be sure to emphasize a specific message at one time, rather than trying to achieve too much
at once. This makes understanding of the message easier and clear thoughts and ideas
enhance the meaning of the message. In short clarity refers to choosing short, familiar and
conversational words.
In order for your communication to have clarity: -
 Construct effective sentences and paragraphs.
 Achieve appropriate readability and listenability and
 Use illustration, pictures and figures when appropriate

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5. Concreteness
 Establish the facts and background of your message. Using facts and figures as well as action
words supports your message.
 Provide the receiver with the necessary information needed to make an educated decision.
 Communication should be specific and clear, not vague or general.
 Concrete communication not only strengthens your audience’s confidence in you but is also
unlikely to be misinterpreted.
Concreteness implies being specific and exact to the point. One could use concrete communication
by using facts and figures, putting action in your words and choosing vivid image building words.
6. Courtesy (Politeness)
 You should show your expression, but also show respect for the receiver. In your
communication you should be sincere, polite, judicious, thoughtful and enthusiastic. Both
viewpoints and feelings should be taken into consideration.
 Just like consideration, it's important to understand your audience and their emotions as you
craft your message. A courteous message is positive and focused towards the audience. It is
not biased and shows respect for your audience/receiver.
Generally, it helps to enhance relation through sincere interaction. One should develop courtesy in
communication by considering the following factors:
 Diplomatic, thoughtful and appreciative.
 Omit expressions that irritate, hurt or be little people.
7. Correctness
 Make sure your message is correct, and double check that you are using the proper grammar,
spelling and punctuation when writing a communication. Likewise, it's equally important to
use accuracy in pronunciation when delivering your message verbally.
 Ensure your message is exact and well timed. Particularly with written communication you
want your reader to understand and recall your message.
 Correct communication boosts the receiver’s confidence level and has greater impact.

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In short correctness can be achieved through
 Using the right formal/ informal standards.
 Checking the accuracy of figures, facts and words.
 Maintaining acceptable writing mechanisms, and
 Using non- discriminatory expressions.
In addition to the Seven Cs, two other important points are worth mentioning. These are:
Credibility
 Present your message from a position of reliability and authority. Reinforce your message
and be consistent.
 Clever repetition of your message enables your receiver/ audience/reader to understand new
concepts and ideas, learn a new behavior, and mentally rehearse how to react to the content
within your message.
Call to action
 If you want your receiver or audience to act, a clear call to action is what will encourage,
inspire and motivate them to attempt a new behavior and persuade them to make a decision
they may not have made without your communication.
 Communicate clearly what you would like your receiver or audience to do (or not do).
 This ensures they understand exactly what action they should take.

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Summary
 Communication is directly influenced by the ability to articulate issues concisely and convey
to receivers in words and phrases they are familiar with so as to persuade them to the
intended course of action.
 It is, therefore, a powerful skill to cultivate.
 The 7 Cs and 2 other Cs should serve as good guideline for budding managers and leaders.
 In order to ensure that people should listen to what we say; they should understand it, believe
in it, appreciate it, and finally, get activated by it.
 The response of the other party depends upon how our personality is judged by them.
 It is the judgement of our manners, outward appearance, dress neatness and it is also the
judgement of our style, tone, clarity, completeness, correctness, conciseness, objectivity,
integrity, attractiveness, purpose and of many other essentialities of effective oral and written
expressions.

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 Administrative and Business Communication

UNIT FOUR
TYPES OF COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATION
In earlier lesson you have studied about the meaning, features and significance of communication in
business management.
Now you will be curious to know different types of communications.
At what situation, which type of communication is required?
What is the difference between verbal and non- verbal communication?
How do you differentiate written and verbal communication?
What may be advantages and limitations of verbal, non-verbal and signal communication?
These simple questions are answered in the present lesson.
In an organization there exists a number of possibilities of relationships among different
components.
Organizations are made of human beings who are social in nature.
Hence, based on the needs and purposes, there are interactions among various elements of the
organizations.
The interaction is possible only through proper and smooth communication among these segments to
achieve organizational goals.
Verbal communication is possible through formal or informal interaction which is oral in nature.
On the other hand, written communication is done in black and white.
There are some other types of communication which neither require oral wordings nor written
details.
These are different body language, where different parts of body and its movements play significant
role in exchange of information and ideas.
Each type of communication has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Objectives
 The different types of formal and informal communications
 Explain the meaning and concept of nonverbal communication
 Differentiate vertical, horizontal and diagonal communications
The business communication settings includes the sending and receiving of messages in an
organization- between two people, or among a small group of people, or in a one-to-many setting,
with the intent of influencing organizational behavior.
The results of communication efforts thus may be intentional (one person deliberately attempts to
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 Administrative and Business Communication
influence another) or unintentional (one person’s actions are perceived and interpreted by another).
All business communication is ultimately persuasive in nature and represents an attempt to influence
behavior in organizations.

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 Some impressions are intentional- under the control of communicator.
 Skilled business communication considers the importance of first impressions as they plan
for a presentation.
 They carefully the way confident people walk into a room; they consider appropriate dress
(colors, textures, style, etc.); they note how when handshake techniques affect the
impression.
 Additionally, skillful presenters manage the amenities of small talk and factors such as
seating arrangements in an effort to make a favorable first impression.
 Indeed, a “sharp image” may be planned and cultivated well in advance.
 One must “sell oneself” before offering an idea or a plan of action; this should motivate the
communicator to consider communication variables that affect the success of the appeal.
 Other impressions are unintentional.
 While recognizing that such impressions are unavoidable, effective communicators will try to
be as sensitive to unintended cues as possible in order to minimize potential distractions from
an intended message.
 A good business communicator tries to minimize misunderstandings.
 Even the most sensitive persuader will have to recognize that much unconscious
communication (communication below the threshold of awareness) and/or unintentional
communication will occur during a given interaction.
 Only a careful audit of the feedback behaviors of the audience members will give the
business communicator clues as to the presence of such unintentional stimuli.
 Awareness is the beginning of stimulus management.
Types of communication in organization
 Communication can be classified based on a number of dimensions such as direction of flow,
media of transmission, and channel used.
 Communication among the members of an organization is essential for effective functioning,
so each organization approaches internal communication differently, depending on its
particular requirements that can be up, down and across the organization.

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 Here it means the communication or exchange of information within the industry, between
the managers and the employees.
 External communication carries it in and out of the organization.
 Companies constantly exchange messages with customers, vendors, distributors, competitors,
investors, journalist and government and community representatives.
 Whether by phone, fax, videotape, or letter, much of this communication is carefully
orchestrated and some occurs informally.
Based on the direction of flow in the organization hierarchy communication can be classified
into:
a. Downward communication
b. Upward communication
c. Horizontal communication
Directions of Communication
The structure of an organization should provide for communication in three distinct directions:
downward, upward, and horizontal (Lunenburg & Ornstein, 2008).
These three directions establish the framework within which communication in an organization takes
place.
These communication flows are depicted in Figure 1.
Examining each one briefly will enable us to better appreciate the barriers to effective organizational
communication and the means to overcome them.

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Downward communication:-
Here, messages flow from people at higher levels in the organizational hierarchy down to the
subordinates.
It has as an objective of giving directions, orders, instructions, education and training, on-the-job
training, motivation, raising morale, counselling, advice, warning, appreciation, disseminating
policies, procedures, appraise of performance, or giving other information.
It can be oral instructions, speeches, meetings, telephone, etc. written memorandum, letters,
handbooks, pamphlets, policy statements, etc.
Traditional views of the communication process in school organizations have been dominated by
downward communication flows.
Such flows transmit information from higher to lower levels of the school organization.
School leaders, from central office administrators to building-level administrators, communicate
downward to group members through speeches, messages in school bulletins, school board policy
manuals, and school procedure handbooks.
Canary (2011) has identified five general purposes of downward communication:
1. Implementation of goals, strategies, and objectives.
Communicating new strategies and goals provides information about specific targets and expected
behaviors.
It gives direction for lower levels of the school/school district, community college, or university.
For example: "The new reform mandate is for real.
We must improve the quality of student learning if we are to succeed."
Job instructions and rationale. These are directives on how to do a specific task and how

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the wide goals.
We often fail to provide enough of this kind of information, leaving it to the individual staff
member to get the big picture.
2. Procedures and practices. These are messages defining the school organization's policies,
rules, regulations, benefits, and structural arrangements in order to get some degree of
uniformity in organization practices. In school organizations, this information is transmitted
to staff members through board and organization-wide policy manuals, handbooks, and the
day-to-day operation of the school organization.
Job relates to other activities of the school organization.
Schools, community colleges, or universities need to coordinate individual and departmental
objectives with organization-

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3. Performance feedback. Departmental progress reports, individual performance appraisals,
and other means are used to tell departments or individuals how well they are doing with
respect to performance standards and goals. For example: "Mary, your work on the computer
terminal has greatly improved the efficiency of our department."
4. Socialization. Every school organization tries to motivate staff members to adopt the
institution's mission and cultural values and to participate in special ceremonies, such as
picnics and United Way campaigns. It is an attempt to get a commitment, a sense of
belonging, and a unity of direction among staff members (Lunenburg & Ornstein, 2008). For
example: "The school thinks of its employees as family and would like to invite everyone to
attend the annual picnic and fair on May 30."
The downward flow of communication provides a channel for directives, instructions, and
information to organizational members. However, much information gets lost as it is passed from
one person to another. Moreover, the message can be distorted if it travels a great distance from its
sender to the ultimate receiver down through the formal school organization hierarchy (Tourish,
2010).
Upward communication. Here, messages travel from subordinates to superiors and continue up the
organizational hierarchy. The objectives of upward communication includes request, application,
appeal, demand, representation, complaints, reports, suggestions, and grievances.
The behaviorists have emphasized the establishment of upward communication flows. In a school
organization, this refers to communication that travel from staff member to leader. This is necessary
not only to determine if staff members have understood information sent downward but also to meet
the ego needs of staff. Five types of information communicated upward in a school organization are
as follows (Canary, 2011).

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1. Problems and exceptions. These messages describe serious problems and exceptions to routine
performance in order to make the leader aware of difficulties.
2. Suggestions for improvement. These messages are ideas for improving task-related procedures to
increase the quality or efficiency of organization members.
3. Performance reports. These messages include periodic reports that inform the leader how
individual organization members and departments are performing.
4. Grievances and disputes. These messages are employee complaints and conflicts that travel up
the school organization hierarchy for a hearing and possible resolution. If the grievance procedure is
backed up by the presence of a collective bargaining agreement, organization members are even
more encouraged to express true feelings.
5. Financial and accounting information. These messages pertain to costs, accounts receivable,
interest on investments, tax levies, and other matters of interest to the board, central administration,
and building-level administrators.
Horizontal or crosswise communication. It includes the horizontal flow of information with people
on the same or similar organizational levels, and diagonal flow, with persons at different levels who
have no direct reporting relations. It is used to speed information flow, to improve understanding and
to coordinate efforts. It has as an objective of exchanging of information, requests, discussion,
coordination, conflict resolution, problem solving, advice and social and emotional support.
Upward and downward communication flows generally follow the formal hierarchy within the
school organization. However, greater size and complexity of organizations increase the need for
communication laterally or diagonally across the lines of the formal chain of command. This is
referred to as horizontal communication. These communications are informational too, but in a
different way than downward and upward communication. Here information is basically for
coordination to tie together activities within or across departments on a single school campus or
within divisions in a school-wide organizational system.
Horizontal communication falls into one of three categories (Canary, 2011)
1. Intradepartmental problem solving. These messages take place between members of the same
department in a school or division in a school-wide organizational system and concern task
accomplishment.
2. Interdepartmental coordination. Interdepartmental messages facilitate the accomplishment of
joint projects or tasks in a school or divisions in a school-wide organizational system.

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3. Staff advice to line departments. These messages often go from specialists in academic areas,
finance, or computer service to campus-level administrators seeking help in these areas.
In brief, horizontal communication flows exist to enhance coordination. This horizontal channel
permits a lateral or diagonal flow of messages, enabling units to work with other units without
having to follow rigidly up and down channels. Many school organizations build in horizontal
communications in the form of task forces, committees, liaison personnel, or matrix structures to
facilitate coordination.
Based on how they are transmitted or the media used, communication can be classified as
a. Written communication
b. Oral communication and
c. Non-verbal communication
Written communication. Reports, instructions, memoranda, and printed material of any sort. It
makes possible to get precisely the same information to many individuals and provides reference for
further times. To be effective it should be clear, concise, complete, and correct.
Oral communication. Speech has long been a tool that managers have found essential in carrying
out their work.
It can be a face-to-face meeting of people, speech, interviews, conferences, seminars, and
communication over telephone, on the radio, etc.
Characteristics of oral and written communication

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The difference in the characteristics of oral and written communication must be taken into account in
choosing which one to use in particular situation. Some of the significant attributes are discussed
below.
1) Speed: written communication is slower in preparation, in conveyance and in reception; it
takes more time to draft, type, dispatch, and to receive and read a letter than it takes to speak,
and to hear, listen to, and understand an oral message. Feedback is also slower in written
communication.
2) Record: written communication serves as a record and can be used for future reference. It is
a documentary proof, and can be used as legal evidence. Oral communication may be taped
for later reference, but the authenticity of the voice can be questioned; moreover, tapes can
be edited and the message distorted. Written records and documents are more reliable and
acceptable.
3) Precision and accuracy: written communication is more precise and accurate than oral.
Choice of precise words is possible in written communication because the writer has the time
to look for suitable words and phrases, and to revise the draft, if necessary. Accuracy is
necessary in written communication because the receiver is not present to ask for
clarification. In oral communication, it is not always possible to be so precise in the choice of
words. There is also no time seek and consider words while speaking; however, the receiver
can seek clarification on the spot. Besides, oral communication has the support of vocal tone
and gestures and expressions which enrich the meaning of the words.
4) Length: a written message is usually shorter than an oral communication. The situation of
oral communication requires some preliminary and closing remarks, while for written
messages there are standard formats for opening and closing which can keep the message
short.
5) Expense: written communication requires stationery, preparation, and transmission, all of
which cost money. Oral communication can also cost a great deal since it requires
simultaneous presence and attention of the two parties, and getting together costs money.
Costs will depend on the availability of the required person/s at the particular place. Each
type requires different channels for transmission. Availability and cost of each of the
channels is a factor to be considered. Modern technology like teleconferencing, and
videoconferencing has made it possible to use oral communication even when the two parties

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are separated by a great distance. The cost is high but certainly less than travelling when
there is a need for interviewing or personal discussions.
6) Body language: oral communication is supported by the speaker’s body language and
paralanguage. The speaker can control the style of delivery, giving meaning to words and
sentences by voice inflexion and facial expressions and gestures. Written communication is
separated from the writer’s bodily presence and is more in control of the reader. The reader
can give to the words the sound, inflexion and stress as he chooses; and this may be affected
by the reader’s mood and state of mind at the time of reading.
7) Feedback: oral communication allows immediate feedback; the listener’s face gives some
feedback and the speaker can modify the message on the spot. Clarifications can be sought
and given at once. A conversion can be bought to a satisfactory conclusion by continuous
exchange of ideas and views. In written communication the feedback is delayed; the reader’s
facial expressions cannot be seen by the writer; the reader’s response is known to the writer
only when the reader replies. The reader may give a cautious and guarded reply without
letting the other see the really felt reaction.
The advantages of oral communication
1. It provides immediate feedback and clarification.
2. It is possible to elaborate and to get feedback soon.
3. It builds up healthy climate in the organization by bringing the superior and the subordinate
together.
4. Oral communication is a time-saving device and speedy.
5. It is the most effective tool of persuasion as it lends a personal touch to the whole business.
6. Oral communication is very effective in interacting with groups. The speaker can
immediately understand the group’s reaction and arrive at a satisfactory conclusion by
putting his views across and exchanging points.
7. Oral communication is also very economical, both in terms of money and time. It saves the
money spent on stationery in organizations in which the managers insist on every instruction,
every message in writing.
8. Oral communication provides ample scope to the sender of the message to make himself
clear by suitably changing his words, voice, tone, pitch, etc.

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The problems in oral communication include
1. Oral communication does not always save time and money. Quite often meetings go on
without any results or agreements achieved. Such meetings can be very tiring and wasteful.
2. Oral messages cannot be retained for a long time. It means that they must be acted upon
immediately. They cannot be found in record books and we cannot refer back to them. This is
a serious limitation of oral communication.
3. In the absence of a taped or written record, oral messages do not have any legal validity.
4. Oral communication can lead to misunderstanding if the speaker has not carefully organized
his thought or the listener misses the message on account of his inattentiveness.
5. It is difficult to assign responsibility for anything going a miss or any mistake by omission or
commission in oral communication.
Nonverbal communication. The process of communicating without words. Such as facial
expression and body gestures. Its main purpose may be to support the verbal one. Rolling, shrinking,
winking, twinkling of the eyes, frowning, twisting the lips, wobbling the head, are examples of body
language. Depending on the situation we have to make a more or less conscious effort in the
use/choice of words. The non-verbal part of communication, on the other hand, is less deliberate and
conscious. But, compared to verbal communication, it is more subtle and instructive. It also forms
the larger part of the overall communication activity.
Nonverbal communication has few rules and often occurs unconsciously and is also more reliable
and more efficient than verbal communication. It can be efficient from both the sender’s and the
receiver’s standpoint.
Based on the channels used for communication, the communication can be classified as:
a. Formal communication and

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b. Informal communication
Formal communication. Flows along official channels and uses official formats. Formal channels
are the communication chains and networks that determine the direction and flow of official
messages among the members of the organization. Policies, procedures, rules, reports, are
communicated formally and using official channels.
The purposes of formal communication are to command, to instruct, and to finalize matters through
the application of regulations. Formal communication is needed in organizations.
 It is official, it is binding and more likely to be obeyed. It establishes responsibility of the
sender and receiver.
 It is written, it is more precise and less likely to be misunderstood. It can be preserved and
traced at any time. Copies can be made for distribution.
 It saves time and effort that would be spent in informal talks and discussions.
 It avoids the embarrassment of face-to-face contact when the subject of communication is
sensitive or painful.
There are also disadvantages in formal communication.
 It is too rigid; it limits information within the department to what is sanctioned by the head.
 If it is worded in bureaucratic jargon, with excessively cautious phraseology, it obscures the
meaning.
 It often doesn’t give reasons for the message; this can be very frustrating to the recipient.
 It takes time, effort and money to produce.
 It tends to be authoritarian since orders and instructions comedown more often than reports
and feedback group and since social matters are seldom mentioned.
 It is impersonal and final and fails to motivate employees.
Informal communication. Not officially recognized by management, mostly between informal
group members. Informal communication grows out of the social interactions among people who
work together. The informal communication channel consisting of the informal communication

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chains and networks with in the work environment is known as grapevine. It carries information that
is not or cannot be transmitted by formal means. The purposes of informal communication are to
reduce through participation and friendship. It maintains enthusiasm, loyalty, and commitment by
involving employees in organizational matters.
Informal communication has many advantages:
 It is less official and less intimidating. It encourages the flow of new ideas.
 It is personal, and carries the enthusiasm of the participants rather than dry, bureaucratic
logic.
 Since it is usually oral, it allows two-way communication and both parties can discuss and
explore organizational matters.
 It promotes a more open climate and reduces rumors that sprout in a formal environment
filled with unanswered questions.
 It can foster harmonious relationships and cooperation based on shared concerns and
interests.
On the other hand, informal communication has disadvantages also.
 It is too flexible and difficult to apply systematically.
 Can lead to spreading of inaccurate information and also to indiscriminate disclosure of
confidential information.
 Is often colored by emotion and can distort the meaning and
 Is difficult to trace when an inquiry has to be made.

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Figure 2: Informal communication

The informal organization differs in a number of different ways from the formal organization.
Formal and information organizations are compared in Table 4.1.
The major part of the informal organization is the informal communication system, sometimes called
the grapevine or ‘the rum our mill’. It’s interesting to look at the derivation of some of the words
that describe informal communication channels.

Table 4.1 Informal and formal communication compared

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Informal communication (grapevine)
Informal Communication Network – Another name for informal networks is the “grapevine”. In
this type of network, information does not flow in a particular direction, as we have seen with formal
networks.
The information is also not passed on through official channels such as memos, notices or
bulletin boards.
The information need not be circulated within the organization, but could be passed on outside the
work environment, wherever co-workers or colleagues meet socially. Thus, informal networks are
based more on friendship, shared personal or career interests.
Example – Co-workers may meet outside the work environment at a company picnic, party or a car
pool and discuss areas of common interest that may or may not be work related. Information may
then be passed on to each other about happenings in the company, such as layoffs, the company’s
plans for acquisitions and so on.
This type of informal network is not just for idle rumors and may be useful in many ways. First of
all, it sometimes fills in the “transparency gaps” left by formal networks. Such gaps usually occur
during times of crisis such as strikes or layoffs. The strikes and layoffs may not be officially
announced. Secondly, it may help to confirm important information, such as the fact that the
company is going in for a major acquisition. Thirdly, the grapevine can be used for a constructive
purpose by the organization.
Example – The government could get the press to publish news in the local paper that there is going
to be a petrol price hike soon, just to test the reactions of the general public. If the reaction is
negative, then the news may be withdrawn on the basis that it is just a rumor. Similarly,
organizations could deliberately plant proposals in the minds of their employees, just to test their
reactions.
Given that informal communication networks have their advantages, they should not be suppressed
as rumors. On the contrary, competent managers should accept the informal network. At the same

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time, they should make efforts to counter false rumors and to ensure transparency through the formal
network. This means making all types of information – both positive and negative, available to
everyone in the organization through official channels.
To conclude, it should be remembered that both formal and informal networks should be cultivated
and allowed to co-exist, so that information of all types flows freely to all levels in the organization.

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 Summary
In any organization, as in everyday life, both formally and informally, we communicate more
orally than in writing. Without oral communication any organization will become just
lifeless. In a business organization there are ample opportunities for both formal and informal
oral communication. But, in fact, a lot more time is spent in informal oral communication.

The simple reason is that all communication is essentially conversational in nature and has a:
social purpose. In addition to, the informal oral communication, various kinds of formal oral
communication take place in an organization.

Oral communication provide immediate feedback and clarification. People listening to the
speaker can ask questions, makes comments, add to the information provided and so on. It
builds up healthy climate in the organization by bringing the superior and the subordinate
together. Oral communication is a time-saving device. It is the most effective tool of
persuasion as it lends a personal touch to the whole business. Oral communication provides
ample scope to the sender of the message to make himself clear by suitably changing his
words, voice, tone, pitch, etc.

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 Self-check Exercise 4

1. “In reality there is no such things as perfect communication”. Discuss.

2. Explain the difference between formal and informal communication.

3. Explain the difference between:

a. Verbal and non-verbal communication

b. Oral and written communication

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UNIT FIVE
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Public relations involve the cultivation of favorable relations for organizations and products with its
key publics through the use of a variety of communications channels and tools. Traditionally, this
meant public relations professionals would work with members of the news media to build a
favorable image by publicizing the organization or product through stories in print and broadcast
media. But today the role of public relations is much broader and includes: Building awareness and a
favorable image for a company or client within stories and articles found in relevant media outlets,
Closely monitoring numerous media channels for public comment about a company and its products,
Managing crises that threaten company or product image and Building goodwill among an
organization’s target market through community, philanthropic and special programs and events.
Objectives

 Understand the meaning, the need for, objectives, and its components and tools of
public relationship.
 Understand the essence of media relations.
? Dear learner can you define the word public relations in your own words?
(You can use the space left below to write your response)

Definitions of public relations

PR is the part of a marketing and communications strategy that crafts an organization’s message(s)
to its diverse publics including customers, prospects, investors, employees, suppliers, distributors,
media/journalists, social media networks, the government and the public. The following are some of
the definitions of public relations;

“Public Relations is the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual
understanding between an organization and its publics.” (Institute of Public Relations, USA)
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“Public relations is the attempt by information persuasion and adjustment to engineer public
support for an activity, cause, movement or institution.” (Edward L. Bernays)

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“Public Relations is a combination of philosophy, sociology, economics, language, psychology,

journalism, communication and other knowledge’s into a system of human understanding."
(Herbert M. Baus)

“The Management function which gives the same organized and careful attention to the asset of
goodwill as
is given to any other major asset of business.” (John W. Hill)

"Public Relations is distinctive management function which helps establish and maintain mutual
lines of communication, understanding, acceptance and cooperation between an organization and
its publics; involves the management of problems or issues; helps management to keep informed on
and responsive to public opinion; defines and emphasizes the responsibility of management to serve
the public interest; helps management keep abreast of and effectively utilize change, serving as an
early warning system to help anticipate trends; and uses research and sound and ethical
communication as its principal tools." (Rex F. Harlow)

Need for public relations

? Dear learner can you state the need for public relations?
(You can use the space left below to write your response)

Investing on public relations will help the organization to achieve its objectives effectively and
smoothly. Public relations is not creating good image for a bad team. Since false image cannot be
sustained for a long time. Though, the organization product or services are good, it need an effective
public relations campaign for attracting, motivating the public to the product or service or towards
the purpose of the program. It is not only encouraging the involvement from the public but also
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resulting in better image.

Effective public relations can create and build up the image of an individual or an organization or a
nation. At the time of adverse publicity or when the organization is under crisis an effective public
relations can remove the "misunderstanding" and can create mutual understanding between the
organization and the public.

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Objectives of public relations
? Dear learner can you state the objectives of public relations?
(You can use the space left below to write your response)

Like other aspects of marketing promotion, public relations is used to address several broad
objectives including:
 Building Product Awareness – When introducing a new product or launching an existing
product, marketers can use a PR element that generates consumer attention and awareness
through media placements and special events.
 Creating Interest – Whether a PR placement is a short product article or is included with
other products in “round up” article, stories in the media can help entice a targeted audience to
try the product. For example, around the holiday season, a special holiday food may be
promoted with PR through promotional releases sent to the food media or through special
events that sample the product.
 Providing Information – PR can be used to provide customers with more in depth
information about products and services. Through articles, collateral materials, newsletters and
websites, PR delivers information to customers that can help them gain understanding of the
product.
 Stimulating Demand – A positive article in a newspaper, on a TV news show or mentioned
on the Internet, often results in a discernable increase in product sales.
 Reinforcing the Brand – In many companies the public relations function is also involved
with brand reinforcement by maintaining positive relationships with key audiences, and
thereby aiding in building a strong image. Today it is ever more important for companies and
brands to build a good image. A strong image helps the company build its business and it can
help the company in times of crises as well.

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Elements of public relations
? Dear learner can you state the elements of public relations?
(You can use the space left below to write your response)

 A planned effort or management function.

 The relationship between an organization and its publics.
 Evaluation of public attitudes and opinions.
 An organization’s policies, procedures and actions as they relate to said organization’s
publics.
 Steps taken to ensure that said policies, procedures and actions are in the public interest and
socially responsible.
 Execution of an action and or communication program.
 Development of rapport, goodwill, understanding and acceptance as the chief end result
sought by public relations activities.

The components and tools of public relations

? Dear learner can you state and define public relations in your own words?
(You can use the space left below to write your response)

"Public"
A group of similar individuals; an assortment of persons having the same interests, problems,
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circumstances, goals; it is from such persons that opinion emanates. Public is a varied creature; it
comes in many forms and sizes. Public has a multitude of wants and desires; it has its likes and
dislikes, sometimes, strong likes and strong dislikes. Employers make for a public and employees
another public; the government is a public and citizens constitute another public, and so on, each of
these groups is a public of the sort, tries to attract a different audience with its own tools and
techniques.

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"Relations"
Human wants to create the need to establish relations with one another. The representative wants of
the individuals will profoundly affect their relationship. To understand any relationship, therefore,
one must understand the wants of those involved. Relationships are of all possible types. We have
relationship that ran from superior to inferior, inferior to superior, and equal to equal. We have
relationship by sentiment-benevolent, Friendly, suspicious, jealous, hostile. A relationship may be
active, or it may be passive, it may be good or it may be bad, or it may be neutral. At any rate, the
relationship is there to be accepted, ignored or altered, as desired.

Propaganda: is the manipulation of symbols to transmit accepted attitudes and skills. It describes
political application of publicity and advertising, also on a large scale, to the end of selling an idea
cause or candidate or all three.

Campaigns: These consist of concerted, single-purpose publicity program, usually on a more or less
elaborate scale, employing coordinated publicity through a variety of media, aimed, at a number of
targets, but focused on specific objectives. A campaign objective may be the election of a candidate,
the promotion of political cause or issue, the reaching of a sales goal, or the raising of a quota of
funds.

Lobbying.
It entails the exertion of influence, smooth and measured pressure on other, exercise of persuasion
and pressure. In essence, it means a group putting its points of view forward in an attempt to win the
other groups support.

Advantages of Public Relations

Public relations offers several advantages not found with other promotional options. First, PR is
often considered a highly credible form of promotion. One of PR’s key points of power rests with
helping to establish credibility for a product, company or person (e.g., CEO) in the minds of targeted
customer groups by capitalizing on the influence of a third-party - the media. Audiences view many
media outlets as independent-party sources that are unbiased in their coverage, meaning that the
decision to include the name of the company and the views expressed about the company is not
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based on payment (i.e., advertisement) but on the media outlet’s judgment of what is important. For
example, a positive story about a new product in the business section of a local newspaper may have

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greater impact on readers than a full-page advertisement for the product since readers perceive the
news media as presenting an impartial perspective of the product.
Second, a well-structured PR campaign can result in the target market being exposed to more
detailed information than they receive with other forms of promotion. That is, media sources often
provide more space and time for explanation of a product.
Third, depending on the media outlet, a story mentioning a company may be picked up by a large
number of additional media, thus, spreading a single story to many locations.
Finally, in many cases public relations objectives can be achieved at very low cost when compared
to other promotional efforts. This is not to suggest public relations is not costly, it may be, especially
when a marketer hires PR professionals to handle the work. But when compared to the direct cost of
other promotions, in particular advertising, the return on promotional expense can be quite high.
Disadvantages of Public Relations

While public relations hold many advantages for marketers, there are also concerns when using this
promotional technique. First, while public relations uses many of the same channels as advertising,
such as newspapers, magazines, radio, TV and Internet, it differs significantly from advertising in
that marketers do not have direct control over whether a message is delivered and where it is placed
for delivery. For instance, a marketer may spend many hours talking with a magazine writer, who is
preparing an industry story, only to find that their company is never mentioned in the article.
Second, while other promotional messages are carefully crafted and distributed as written through a
pre-determined placement in a media vehicle, public relations generally conveys information to a
member of the news media (e.g., reporter) who then redrafts the information as part of a news story
or feature. Thus, the final message may not be precisely what the marketer planned.
Third, while a PR campaign has the potential to yield a high return on promotional expense, it also
has the potential to produce the opposite if the news media feels there is little value in running a
story pitched (i.e., suggested via communication with the news outlet) by the marketer.
Fourth, with PR there is always a chance that a well devised news event or release will get
“bumped” from planned media coverage because of a more critical breaking news story, such as
wars, severe weather or serious crime.

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Finally, in some areas of the world the impact of traditional news outlets is fading forcing public
relations professionals to scramble to find new ways to reach their target markets.

Media relations
? Dear learner how do you express the word media relations in your own words?
(You can use the space left below to write your response)

Using the media to communicate with the public is often part of the communications strategy. Even
organizations that do not have a formal communications plan can benefit from building a
relationship with the media and from understanding the ways in which the media can help them meet
their communications goals.

5.6.1 Types of Media

? Dear learner can you state the different types of media?
(You can use the space left below to write your response)

“Media” is a generic term that includes print media (newspapers and magazines) and electronic
media (TV, radio, and the Internet).

A. Print Media
Print media is an ideal for comprehensive, thought provoking information and useful for conveying
long-lasting information (i.e. things that will still be true in a week or two). Print media is most
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interested in research results, figures, statistics, explanations through interviews, testimonials, etc.

Newspapers
Newspapers can be daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc. They can come in standard or tabloid
size and reach a significant percentage of the reading public. Because of the broad demographic
reach of most newspapers, it is difficult to target a specific audience. However, newspapers are

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effective in increasing awareness of the organization and its activities within a specific geographical
area.

Magazines
Magazines are usually focused on a more specific target audience but they have a much longer lead
time (many days and even weeks between the writing and the publication of a story) so it is
important to take into account the sort of news you are going to spread. Magazines are better suited
for more in-depth coverage than newspapers.

Others
Other types of print media like flyers or brochures can either inform or educate a targeted group of
people.

B. Electronic Media
Electronic media is immediate so timing is critical and deadlines are even tighter. This type of media
favors brief and specific stories and is ideal for transmitting impact information: overall data,
specific figures, and brief testimonials.

Television
Television stations may be interested in stories that have a strong visual element, such as an event
involving a local dignitary or the opening of a new treatment center with high-tech equipment, etc.
Television is one of the most popular and appealing media for these types of stories, but it can be
expensive. Television commercials are costly to produce and air-time, even for a 15-second spot, is
very expensive.
There are other options to consider, though, including:

 Public service announcements (PSAs): In some countries, many television stations (both
national networks and community stations) broadcast PSAs, but their requirements vary
dramatically. Phone each station and ask about the formats and deadlines for PSAs. The PSA
producer or public relations person will be able to help you. When writing a PSA, brevity is the
goal. Stick to the facts and make sure you include the name and address of the organization as
well as the person in charge of handling media relations.

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 News coverage: Television news coverage can be difficult to obtain. Program directors, like
editors, receive a huge number of news releases and requests for coverage, but a well-written
press release will sometimes get their interest.
 Local programs/interview shows: These, rather than newscasts may be the best option for
hemophilia organizations. Talk shows and newsmagazine shows cover a wide range of human
interest stories. They use in-studio interviews as well as on-location shoots.
 Community television programming: Although the community television audience is smaller
than that of a larger network, community TV is the best bet for in-depth television exposure.

Radio
Radio offers the public a fast, effortless way of getting information. It is a popular medium and one
to take advantage of. Local stations are often looking for local news. Radio provides numerous
publicity opportunities: PSAs, newscasts, current affairs programs, interview programs, and open-
line shows where listeners can call in and share information and opinions.

Internet
In today’s electronic age, the internet where it is available is an increasingly important way to
communicate with the public. It is often the first place people will look when searching for
information about an issue or organization. Therefore, it is very important that hemophilia and other
inherited bleeding disorders organizations maintain easy-to-navigate and updated websites about
their organizations and work. In addition, the internet offers a variety of other tools that reach a
broad and international audience, which should not be overlooked. These include online journals,
publications, news-alerts, on-line press release services, blogs, and social media websites (such as
Face book or My Space), amongst others.

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Checklist

Dear learner! You are the winner. This is the end of Unit five. You are expected to complete the unit
within the predetermined time and meet the stated objective. This part will help you in evaluating
yourself through acknowledging that you have understood the point listed below. Put a tick () mark
against the point that you have achieved well. However, if there are points that you have
misunderstood, please do not hesitate to go back and refer the points discussed in the unit. Therefore,
you can:
Yes No
1. Undertand the meaning of public relationship
2. State the essence of media relations

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 Summary
 Investing on Public relations will help the organization to achieve its objective effectively and
smoothly. Public Relations is not creating good image for a bad team. Since false image
cannot be sustained for a long time. Though the organization product or services are good it
need an effective Public Relations campaign for attracting, motivating the public to the
product or service or towards the purpose of the program. It is not only encouraging the
involvement from the public but also resulting in better image.

 Effective Public Relations can create and build up the image of an individual or an
organization or a nation. At the time of adverse publicity or when the organization is under
crisis an effective Public Relations can remove the "misunderstanding" and can create mutual
understanding between the organization and the public.

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Self-check Exercise 5

1. Define what public relations is?

2. Discuss the need for the requirements of public relationship

3. Explain the components and tools of public relations

4. Elucidate the merits and demerits of public relations

5. Discuss the different types of media

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UNIT SIX
MEDIA OF COMMUNICATION

This unit will introduce you to the concept of medium of communication. The unit will focus on
how to improve your written communication in general and will also provide some introductory
guidelines for effective business writing. Errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation and typing can be
harmful, since they can lead to misunderstanding of a message and make the receiver lose
confidence in the sender.

On the other hand; the unit will give understanding on oral communication specifically, listing,
reading and speaking as one part of methods of communication. Therefore it is important to strive
for perfection in writing, in order to ensure that your message is received accurately. At the same
time, you must remember that general writing is very different from business writing in terms of
tone, language and degree of formality of the communication. Some of the do’s and don’ts of
business writing will be highlighted, which will lay the foundation for more detailed units on writing
business letters and reports, later in this book.

Objectives

After completing this unit, you will be able to:

 Identify the different types of written communication

 Describe the different types of oral communication with their areas of application

Written Communication
? Dear learner can you state the different types of written communication?
(You can use the space left below to write your response)

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Written communication occurs through a variety of means such as business letters, reports memos,
instructions, rules and regulations, policy manuals, information bulletins, etc. In many cases
considerable time and effort are expended in preparing written communication. Written

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communication ensures that everyone concerned has the same information and it provides a
permanent record for future reference.
Advantages of written communication

 It serves as a permanent record for future reference

 It reduces the possibility of misunderstanding and misinterpretation
 It is the easy method of providing detailed information
 It is reliable for transmitting lengthy statistical data
 It informs formal authoritative action
 It can be evaluated and checked for accuracy

Disadvantages of written communication

 It may be more time consuming for lengthy reports
 It is the part of red tape’s and bureaucratic system of control
 There is no guarantee that it will be received and read by the person concerned. It may be lost
in transit or may reach in the hands of irrelevant person concerned
 It does not provide opportunity for immediate response
 It fails to convey personal feelings and hence does not create cooperative spirit
 It leads to excessive formality in personal relations

Business Letter

? Dear learner how do you define business letter in your own words?
(You can use the space left below to write your response)

Business letters are purposeful internal or external communications designed to communicate

business messages or information between the letter producer and the reader or the supplier and the
potential customer.
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Requirements of a good business letter

A good business letter should meet the following requirements:

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 A business letter should be communicative, that is to say the message or information the

letter is to carry should be readily understandable by the reader and

 A business letter has standard and supplemental parts that should be appropriately used.

Parts of business letters

1. Return address: - identifies the name of the business establishment together with the postal,
telephone, fax, and etc. addresses of the sender.
2. Reference line and date: - is a letter part that indicates the date, the month and the year in
which the letter is written.
3. Inside address: - this part carries the postal, telephone, fax, etc. addresses of the receiver of a
business letter and is printed close to the left hand margin immediately following the date
line in all business letter styles.
4. Attention line: - the purpose of this letter part is to enable an executive to re-address the
letter to the concerned authority in the same organization.
5. Salutation Body: - this part of a business letter is a simple expression of greeting and
appears beneath the inside address.
6. Subject: - is meant to convey the reader the central idea or the theme of the letter in a few
logically arranged communicative words.
7. Body: - the body of business letters should necessarily be divided into paragraphs taking the
issues to be discussed into consideration. It should be brief and communicative.
8. Complementary closures: - also known as subscription, are simple expressions of
complements positioned immediately following the concluding paragraph of a business
letter. Some of the widely used complementary closures are “yours faithfully"," yours truly”,
“sincerely yours” etc.
9. Signatures identification: - This part of a business letter carries the signers signature
followed by his/her job title in succession.
10. Enclosure: - these are standard notations, which refer to important materials that need to be
attached with the original letter.
 Encl: single page /material/ to be enclosed.
 Encls: more than one pages /materials/ that deserves to be enclosed.

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11. Copy notations: - are standard abbreviations which refer to copies of letters that need to be
sent to heads of offices or individuals concerned to make them become aware of the issues
that the letters communicate.
 These notations which are applied worldwide are:-
 CC: - Carbon copy
 PC: - Photographic copy
 Bcc: - Blind carbon copy

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Sample letter Full Block Letter Format, Mixed Punctuation

XYZ Computers Manufacturing Company

P.O. Box LA14YZ
London
England.

1st September 1996

Gasrem communication skills Training centres

P.O. Box 2961
Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia.

Attention:

Gentlemen:

Subject: - ORDER NO. BLP.C.125

We are writing to inform you that your instructions filed under the above order number have
been carried out. The personal computers were dispatched by air from Leeds freight home paid.
We hope that the computers will reach you in good order before the 20th of August 1995.
Hoping that the ordered items are to your satisfaction, we remain.
Yours faithfully,
Katy Morgan.
Sales Manager.

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Encls

CC: Administrative and finance manager

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Sample Modified Block letter Format, Blocked Paragraphs

XYZ Computers Manufacturing Company

P.O. Box LA14YZ
London
England.
1st September 1996
Gasrem communication skills Training centres
P.O. Box 2961
Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia.

Attention:

Gentlemen:

Subject: - ORDER NO. BLP.C.125

We are writing to inform you that your instructions filed under the above order number have
been carried out. The personal computers were dispatched by air from Leeds freight home paid.
We hope that the computers will reach you in good order before the 20th of August 1995.
Hoping that the ordered items are to your satisfaction, we remain.

Yours faithfully,

Katy Morgan.
Sales Manager.

Encls
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CC: Administrative and finance manager

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Sample Modified Block letter Format, Indented Paragraphs

XYZ Computers Manufacturing Company

P.O. Box LA14YZ
London
England.
1st September 1996
Gasrem communication skills Training centres
P.O. Box 2961
Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia.

Attention:

Gentlemen:

Subject: - ORDER NO. BLP.C.125

We are writing to inform you that your instructions filed under the above order number
have been carried out. The personal computers were dispatched by air from Leeds freight home
paid. We hope that the computers will reach you in good order before the 20th of August 1995.

Hoping that the ordered items are to your satisfaction, we remain.

Yours faithfully,

Katy Morgan.
Sales Manager.

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Encls

CC: Administrative and finance manager

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Sample Simplified Block Format

XYZ Computers Manufacturing Company

P.O. Box LA14YZ
London
England.

1st September 1996

Gasrem communication skills Training centres

P.O. Box 2961
Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia.

Subject: - ORDER NO. BLP.C.125

We are writing to inform you that your instructions filed under the above order number have
been carried out. The personal computers were dispatched by air from Leeds freight home paid.
We hope that the computers will reach you in good order before the 20th of August 1995.

Hoping that the ordered items are to your satisfaction, we remain.

Yours faithfully,
Katy Morgan.
Sales Manager.

Encls

CC: Administrative and finance manager

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Business Report writing

? Dear learner can you state the classifications of business reports?

(You can use the space left below to write your response)

Business reports are highly specialized means of communication which are of critical importance in
presenting factual information to the reader, on the other hand, identifying a problem, investigating it
and providing solutions and recommendations to top level management in business organizations in
order to facilitate problem solving and decision making process, on the other.

Classification of Reports

Based on Content:

 Informational Reports: carry objective information from one area of business to another.
Omit comments or recommendations, e.g. annual reports, periodic reports …
 Analytical Reports: attempts to solve problems by way of identifying problems gathering and
analyzing facts and providing recommendations, e.g. market surveys, research reports…

Based on interval of transmission:

 Periodic report: are issued regularly i.e. monthly, quarterly, semi-annually and annually.
 Progressive report: are issued occasionally between the start and finish of a certain project or
an operation. E.g. project reports
 Special reports: are issued regularly in response to non-request and emergency tasks and
special occasions.
Based on the directions of report travel:
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 Internal reports: move vertically up-ward or down-ward within an organization.

 External reports: move out of the bounds of a certain organization for general public
consumption.

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Component of a formal Business report

A formal report always conveys the impression that the subject is important. The longer the report
and the information in it, the greater the number of components it usually contains and complex
information is easier to digest when presented in smaller places. The three basic divisions of a
formal report are:
(1) Preliminaries

 Title page: it may contain the following information: sub title, name of the author, and name
of the authority for whom the report written, contract, project or job number and etc…
 Letter of Authorization: if you have received a letter authorizing you to conduct a study, then
this letter becomes part of the final report.
 Letter of transmittal: introduces the report (not the subject matter of the report) and offers it
to the reader.
 Acknowledgement: giving thanking to peoples who have contribution or participation on the
project.
 Table of contents: present the major divisions of the report and indicates their respective
pages. There are two ways for dividing of outline for contents: numerical letter combination
and decimal system style.
 Table of illustration: a separate list of illustrations is given immediately after the table of
contents if there are a large number of table and figures. If the number of illustrations is very
large, divide it into two parts, namely, list of tables and list of figures.
 Synopsis or summary: presents the report in a nutshell without any illustrations and
explanations.
(2) The Body

 Introduction: it includes statement of the problem, purpose of the report, definition of terms,
research procedure, the scope and limitation of the report.
 Discussion: it includes review of the related literature and finding and analysis.
 Conclusion and recommendations: summarizing the major findings of the report and make
solutions to problems identified.

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(3) Supplemental parts

 Appendix: contains materials which is needed to support the main body of the report but too
detailed/voluminous to be included in the text such items as tables, pictures, maps etc.
 Bibliography: is a list of sources used when preparing the report or paper.

Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV) writing

? Dear learner do you know how to write a resume of curriculum vitae (CV)?
(You can use the space left below to write your response)

A resume is a structured, written summary of a person’s education, employment, background and

job qualifications. It is a document containing supportive information and is enclosed to the
application letter. It includes: personal data (name, age, sex, nationality, date of birth, personal
address), educational background (name of elementary school, high school, college/university),
special training (if any), work experience, hobbies and references.
The resume is the basic tool of job hunting. Your resume is one of the most important documents
you will ever create. No resume generally means not getting an interview; No interview generally
means No job. The ability to communicate in written form is essential to job-hunting. The resume,
along with a cover letter and thank you letter, are tools that you must construct. Without these tools
your chances of finding a job after graduation are not promising. Your resume is your professional
advertisement about yourself. It spells out what you have done and displays your qualifications to
new employers. You can think of your resume as a way to sell yourself to future employers.

The resume is a simple, well-organized profile of your qualifications. Its purpose is to organize
relevant facts about you in a written presentation. It should sell the employer the idea of giving you
an interview. Interviews get jobs; resumes get interviews. Everything in your resume should
provide employers with reasons to want to interview you. Thus, the resume should contain brief but
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sufficient information to tell a prospective employer:
What you can do
What you have done

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What you know
Who you are
What kind of job you would like

Contents of a Resume
1. Personal Information: Name, Campus/Permanent Address, Telephone Numbers, and an E-mail
address.
2. Employment Goals: (This is normally called the “Career Objective” or simply “Objective”).
Describe the type of work you desire. The objective should reflect your short-range plans. For
those with little or no full-time work experience, the development of a concisely described job
objective may be the most difficult task in compiling a resume.
If you find that a specific career objective is too confining, or doesn’t meet your needs, there are
options available:
a) You may decide to write your objectives in functional terms that describe the type of work
activities you prefer instead of a description or title.
b.) Eliminate the employment goal section on your resume and incorporate your objective in
your cover letter.
c.) Have several resumes with different objectives that you would send to appropriate employers.
3. Education: Name of College(s), Location, Dates, Degree(s), Major(s), CGPA, Honors, and
perhaps courses of particular value if they are related to employment for which you are applying.
Whereas college graduates typically do not include high school background, undergraduates
frequently find it advantageous to do so.
1. Skills: You may decide to include a section that lists your computer skills, foreign languages,
licenses and other skills.
2. Experience: Part-time employment, summer employment, applicable college projects,
internships, volunteer work. (This section can sometimes be divided into three areas: career-
related experience, part-time experience, and summer experience). For undergraduates with little
or no full-time professional level work experience, it is very important to include part-time and
summer jobs - even if the type of work has no bearing on academic or career plans. Remember
that career related experience is most valuable, but a proven track record of other successful
experience also makes you a more attractive candidate. NOTE: It is much more important to
emphasize what your experiences were (description, explanation) rather than where and when
(dates, places).
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3. Activities and/or Interests: These include extra-curricular college and/or community
experiences, and any leadership positions. A brief listing of hobbies or avocations is acceptable.
Teacher education candidates should include all experiences working with children and
adolescents. Candidates for teaching positions might choose to include their own high school
activities.
7. References: List 3 or 4 persons. Give name, professional title, business address, and business
phone. These are normally listed on a separate sheet of paper, not attached to your resume. You
might include a statement such as, “References: Available upon request.” Do not use personal
friends and relatives as references. Teachers, faculty, and former supervisors make the best
references.

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Memorandums (memo) writing

? Dear learner how do you express memorandums in your own words?

(You can use the space left below to write your response)

The memorandum is a kind of short/informal report, and is a means of communication widely

applied by management for internal communication purpose. A memorandum is purposely designed
either to communicate policies to low level authorities or rank, on the other hand, and the present
factual information to top management or to assist in decision making or problem solving, on the
other. As internal means of communication, memorandum can be thus move:

Downward from top management to low level officials in an organization carrying policy
guidelines and procedural statements.
Upward from low level officials to top management to assist in problem solving and
decision making process.

Oral communication
? Dear learner how do you define oral communication in your own words?
(You can use the space left below to write your response)

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Oral communication is the face-to-face communication between individuals. It may be in the form of
direct talks and conversation or the public address. It also includes telephone calls or talking on the
intercom system. It is the most effective when settling a dispute among employees.

Advantages of oral communication

It is direct, simple and time saving device of communication

It is least expensive form of communication
It conveys personal relationship, friendliness and develops a feeling of belongingness
It removes if there is any misunderstanding between persons
It lays mutual understanding and confidence
It allows both parties to participate in a situation where motivation is important

Disadvantages of oral communication

There is formal record of the communication held

There is a possibility of distortions of message especially if the oral message has to pass
through a long chain of command
Lengthy and distant communications cannot be much effective
It may carry less weight being informal
The formal authority cannot be transmitted effectively in oral transactions
It can be misunderstood and more or less different meanings might be conveyed by a manner
of speaking
It can be misunderstood and more or less different meanings might be conveyed by a manner of
speaking.

Interviews

? Dear learner do you know how to conduct an interview?

(You can use the space left below to write your response)

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The word ‘interview’ is derived from the word ‘intrigue’ meaning right between. Interview means
any planned oral conversation with a specific purpose involving two or more people. It is a planned
conversation with predetermined purpose that involves the asking and answering of question.
Types of Interview

The various types of interviews call for different communication skills

 Job interviews: the job candidate wants to learn about the position and the organization the
employer wants to learn about the applicant’s abilities and experience both hope to make a good
impression and to establish rapport.
 Information interviews: the interviewer seeks facts that bear on a decision or contribute to basic
understanding. Information flows mainly in one direction. One person asks a list of questions that
must be covered and listens to the answers supplied by the other person.
 Pervasive interviews: one person tells another about a new idea, product, or service and explains
why the other should act on the recommendations pervasive interviews are often associated with,
but are certainly not limited to selling.
 Exit interviews: the interviewer tries to understand why the interviewee is leaving the
organization or transferring to another department or division.
 Evaluation interviews: a supervisor periodically gives an employee feedback on his or her
performance. The supervisor and the employee discuss progress toward predetermined standards
or goals and evaluate areas that require improvement.
 Counseling interviews: a supervisor talks with an employee about personal problems that are
interfering with work performance. The interviewee is concerned with the welfare of both the
employee and the organization.
 Conflict-resolution interviews: two competing people or groups of people explore their problems
and attitudes. The goal is to bring the two parties closer together, case adjustments in perceptions
and attitudes, and create a more productive climate.
 Disciplinary Interviews: a supervisor tries to correct the behavior of an employee who has
ignored the organization’s rules and regulations. The interviewer tries to get the employee to see
the reason for the rules and to agree to comply.
 Termination interviews: a supervisor informs an employee of the reasons for the termination.
The interviewer tries to avoid involving the company in legal action and tries to maintain as
positive a relationship as possible with the interviewee.
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General guidelines to be followed in all types of interviews

Most interviews consist of the following 3 things. These are

Planning the interview

As an interviewer you are in charge of setting the goals and establishing question before the
interview begins

Determine goals for the interview: make sure that why the interview is taking place (determine
the primary and secondary goals).
Consider the approach or strategy that will be best to achieve your goals: the considerations
involve interview’s needs, goals and interests as well as your own.
Choose appropriate questions: Before the interview, review and write down key questions and
content areas that you want to cover. The types of questions that can be used are:
 Open ended questions: Invite the interviewee to offer an opinion, not just a yes no, or
one-word answer. “What do you think your company wants most from its suppliers?”
 Direct open ended questions: You have somewhat more control over the interview, but
you still give the other person some freedom in framing a response. This form is good to
use when you want to get a specific conclusion or recommendation from someone, for
example, “What would you do to improve customer satisfaction in the southern region?”
 Closed-ended questions require yes or no answers or call for short response. “What is
your CGPA?”
 Restatement questions: questions that mirror a respondent’s previous answer. They invite
the respondent to expand on an answer “You said that you dislike eating “Injera. Is that
correct?”
Establish an atmosphere in keeping with your goals: decide on that the last suitable and
effective of your goals.
Choose the most appropriate seating arrangement: the place chosen for interview must be
appropriately quiet comfortable and free of distracting and interruptions.

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Conducting the interview

Establish a pleasant atmosphere begin with sincere. Begin with sincere, pleasant comments that
establish harming and good will.
Review that agenda: state that purpose of the interview.
Listen attentively. Active listening is essential.
Present the questions in language that follows the seven C’s principles.
Clarify actions to be taken after the interview: let interviewee know what will happen next.
Work to achieve agreement on action to be taken what, when, why, where, by whom and how.
End the interview sincerely.

Evaluating the interview (follow-up after the interview)

Telephone vs. Face-to-face communication

? Dear learner how do you express the significance of telephone vs face-to-face communication?
(You can use the space left below to write your response)

_ Telephoning: is one of the most frequently performed activities in offices, and is, in fact, one of
the fastest means of communication in a business environment. When we communicate with people
by means of office telephone, we represent the business organization we are working for, however
insignificant our position may be. Thus, when we use the telephone either as a caller or a receiver for
business purposes, our sincerity and helpfulness are very much required. On the other hand, any
reflection of insincerity, discourtesy or artificiality is likely to bring about negative reaction not only
against us as telephone users but also against the organizations we are working for.
Suggestions for effective telephoning (one-to-one communication)
Preplanning by a caller:
Know the specific purpose of your call
Know the name and occupation (if pertinent) of the person you are calling
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Consider the best time to phone, from the standpoint of that person and of your company
Plan your opening statement
Jot down the questions you want to ask. Try to limit your call to one main point
Have paper and pen handy for note-taking also place near the phone any information for
reference during the conversation
Behavior during the telephone conversation
 When you are the caller:
Introduce yourself
If the person you are calling is not in, ask the best time to reach that person or you can
leave a message
 When you answer a phone call:
With a clear pleasant voice answer promptly, usually with your name and department. On receiving
incoming calls, we should always be ready to answer the phone call as promptly as possible with a
friendly and warm tone. Under no circumstances should we make callers on the hold for more than a
few seconds.
Face-to-face Communication is simply interaction that occurs in the presence of two or more
people. Face-to-face oral communication mostly occur in the form of one-to-one or one-to-many
business conversational situations.
Apparently, business etiquette requires that certain formalities should be consistently observed when
people are involved in the process of inter-personal communication that is in face-to-face
conversation. This category of oral communication may take the form of introductions, greetings,
invitation, requests for information, offering to help, making apologies, etc…
A successful group conducted by mail or by phone would be much less likely because of the lack of
instant feedback and the absence of nonverbal cues to meaning. But the above reasons put face-to-
face communication the most advantageous.
In opening face-to-face conversation the following communication structures could be used by
individuals: “Good morning” or “Good afternoon” or “How do you do?”

To make polite communication responses, we can use the following structure “Good morning, may I
help you?” or “Good morning, what can I do for you?”

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Speech

? Dear learner how do you define the word speech in your own words?
(You can use the space left below to write your response)

Making a speech is an essential tool that promotes organizational/or institutional images as well as
individual prestige. Speech is often made in business or social situations with a view to informing,
advertising, persuading or entertaining a limited audience.
To make a speech more effective, it should be organized in essential parts, i.e. introduction, body
and conclusion to appeal to the interests of the listeners.
A speech may be:

Narrative Speech: it is concerned with time and action. More specifically narrative speech is a form
of disclosure which recounts a series of related events in such a way as to develop a central meaning.
Examples fables and parables.
Explanatory Speech: this type of speech explains about something by giving important and relevant
reasons that really explains it.
Descriptive Speech: this type of speech is based on describing, expressing and persuading idea,
opinion about something.
Persuasive Speech: this type of speech specifically focuses on convincing someone through the
force of reason and appeal to prejudice, deep seated convictions, hopes and fear seat. It is able to
make some body do or believe something.
Business speech can also fall into several categories depending up on the presentation techniques
used to address to a limited audience. It is thus, important that practicing speakers have awareness
about the following business speech types:
Impromptu Business Speech: this type of speech is delivered to a limited audience without any
preparation of the speaker.

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Extemporaneous Business Speech: this is a well prepared, rehearsed and outlined speech. In
delivering such a type of business speech, the speaker can refer to important ideas, fact and figures
printed on pieces of paper or cards.
Memorized Business Speech: the speaker requires a lot of time for preparation and rehearsal prior
to presentation. A speaker is likely to forget what he/she wants to say due to stage fright.
Textual Business Speech: is a well prepared/researched business speech presented by reading from
printed pages. This type of business speech is used when the issue to be presented is complex in
content.

Guidelines for Effective Speech

Determine the purpose of speech: the purpose of speech may be either to inform (aims
at increasing the audience’s awareness and understanding of a subject) or persuade
(aims to get the audience to adapt the speaker’s point of view on an issue.) your
audience.
Know your audience: the speaker have to have awareness about his audience’s age,
size, group, knowledge and also religion and ethics.
Be well organized: the speaker should know all the procedures regarding to his speech
and should know carefully how audience understand the message.
Research your topic (by using published and unpublished source): primary sources-
observation and consulting, and secondary sources- reports and published research.
Anticipate and prepare for questions from audience.
Practice critically
Minimize nervousness
Establish eye contact with your audience
Be honest in what you say

Characteristics of Good Speaker

Look at your audience

Vary your volume and speed
Speak clearly
Use appropriate gesture
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Check your postures
Watch and listen for feedback

Meeting

? Dear learner do you know how to prepare a meeting?

(You can use the space left below to write your response)

A business meeting is a gathering where purposive discourse occurs among three or more people
who exchange information on a common topic or problem, for better understanding or for solving a
problem.
Types of meeting

Information exchange meetings

There may be a meeting where department managers present their progressive reports including their
problems and challenges. (Bilateral communication)

Information giving meetings

The top management may prepare a meeting in order to communicate some new amendments and
policies to officials of the organization. (Unidirectional communication)

Fact finding and problem solving meetings

First a problem is perceived in an organization, and there may be meeting arrangement to identify
the source (cause) of the problem and to solve the problem.
Preparation of meeting
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Planning steps before the meeting

Determine the purpose

Decide who should participate

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Arrange for meeting date, time and place
Announce agenda: Agenda means a list of things to be done at meeting
Take care of physical arrangements
The Role of Chair person

Before the meeting

 Plan the meeting agenda

 Preparing the location: decide where you will hold the meeting and reserve the location
During the meeting

 Be on time and started the meeting

 Play a facilitating role
After the meeting

 The chairperson has to evaluate the meeting. The final common negotiation decision must
conclude
Minutes

Consists of written book or sheet, are record of the proceedings and resolutions passed at a meeting.
It contains the date, place, members, present proposals and decisions taken by way of resolution.

Active listening

? Dear learner can you state active listening helps business enterprises?
(You can use the space left below to write your response)

Listening is a combination of what you hear, what you understand, and what you remember. It
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includes hearing or receiving oral stimuli from the environment, connecting or processing the stimuli
into meaningful message, and storing message from immediate or delayed retrieval.
Listening involves five related activities, which most often occur in sequence:

 Sensing: is physically hearing the message and taking note of it.

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 Interpreting: is deciding, and absorbing what you sensed. As you listen, you assign meaning
to the words according to your own value, beliefs, ideas, expectations, roles, needs, and
personal history.
 Evaluating: is forming an opinion about a message.
 Remembering: is storing a message for future reference. As you listen, retain what you hear
by taking notes or by making a mental outline of the speaker’s key points.
 Responding: is acknowledging the message by reacting to the speaker in same fashion.

Types of Listening

Content listening: it enables us to understand and retain the message. The goal of content listening
is to understand and retain information imported by a speaker.
Critical Listening: is an even more active process. Not only does it involve listening for
information it involves analyzing and evaluating information. Listening critically means listening
with the intent of evaluating or judging what you hear. It requires a high level of involvement and
concentration.
Active or Emphatic Listening: is the highest level of listening. It requires concentration, retention,
and judgment. More importantly, it requires empathy (the ability to put yourself in someone else’s
place and understand his or her feelings). The goal is to understand the speaker’s feelings, needs and
wants so that you can appreciate his or her point of view regardless of whether you share that
perspective.

Guidelines for Effective Listening

Listening is a process that can be improved if the receiver takes an active role. The following
guidelines can help you to improve your listening skills:
Concentrate on the message: people normally speak at 100 to 200 words a minute. Listeners,
however, are capable of hearing up to 500 words a minute. This mismatch between speaking and
listening speeds makes it necessary for people to concentrate diligently in order to listen effectively.
Determine the purpose of the message: oral message have purposes, as do written message. As a
listener, you need to determine the purpose of the oral message so that you can decide on the mode
that you will use when listening to message are being cautious, skimming, and scanning listening.

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Keep an open mind: the speaker presents which the message from his/her view point respect this
viewpoint by not achieving your own biases to block what is being said.
Use feedback: is important. The speaker may volunteer where information he or she receives
positive feedback.
Minimize note taking: you will not be able to concentrate on listening if you attempt to record
everything that is said, instead record key words and ideas in outline.
Analyze the total message: watch the speaker’s action and facial expressions; listen to his or her tone
of voice.

Don’t talk or interrupt: an individual cannot talk and listen effectively at the same time.

Cause for Poor Listening

Biasedness against the speaker (internal distraction): because of the difference in
background, culture, behavior, etc.
External distractions: environmental disturbances like: highly decorated conference rooms,
distracting perfume, sitting arrangement (closer to each other) and etc.
Thinking speed: if the receiver has potential to listen more than the words per minute the
speaker is speaking, this will create some gap and can divert the attention of the listener.
Premature evaluation: if the receiver is in a position to conclude the speaker’s message after
getting a hint (little part), his listening focus will decline and become poor.
Semantic problems: if the speaker uses jargon (technical) words, the receivers cannot listen
actively.
Delivery style: the volume variation, facial expression… can influence the listener.

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Checklist

Dear learner! You are the winner. This is the end of Unit six. You are expected to complete the unit
within the predetermined time and meet the stated objective. This part will help you in evaluating
yourself through acknowledging that you have understood the point listed below. Put a tick () mark
against the point that you have achieved well. However, if there are points that you have
misunderstood, please do not hesitate to go back and refer the points discussed in the unit. Therefore,
you can:
Yes No

1. Identify the types of written communication

2. State the types of oral communication

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 Summary
 In any organization, as in everyday life, both formally and informally, we communicate more
orally than in writing. Without oral communication any organization will become just
lifeless. In a business Organization there are ample opportunities for both formal and
informal oral communication. But, in fact, a lot more time is spent in informal oral
communication.

 The simple reason is that all communication is essentially conversational in nature and has a:
social purpose. In addition to, the informal oral communication, various kinds of formal oral
communication take place in an organization. Oral communication provide immediate
feedback and clarification. People listening to the speaker can ask questions, makes
comments, add to the information provided and so on. It builds up healthy climate in the
organization by bringing the superior and the subordinate together. Oral communication is a
time-saving device. It is the most effective tool of persuasion as it lends a personal touch to
the whole business.

 Oral communication provides ample scope to the sender of the message to make himself
clear by suitably changing his words, voice, tone, pitch, etc. However, oral communication
does not always save time and money. Quite often meetings go on without any results or
agreements achieved. Such meetings can be very tiring and wasteful. Oral messages cannot
be retained for a long time. In the absence of a taped or written record, oral messages do not
have any legal validity.

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 Self-check Exercise 6

1. What is a ‘report’? What are the essential elements of a business report?

2. What is significance of ‘report writing’ in business communication?

3. How do you write curriculum vitae for applying to a new vacant post?

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Answers to self-check Exercises

Self-check Exercise 1
1. Refer to section 1.1
2. Refer to section 1.2
3. Refer to section 1.3

Self-check Exercise 2
1. Refer to section 2.1 3. Refer to section 2.2
2. Refer to section 2.2 4. Refer to section 2.3
5. Refer to section 2.3
Self-check Exercise 3
1. Refer to section 3.1
2. Refer to section 3.1
3. Refer to section 3.1

Self-check Exercise 4
1. Refer to section 4.1
2. Refer to section 4.2
3. Refer to section 4.2

Self-check Exercise 5
1. Refer to section 5.1
2. Refer to section 5.2
3. Refer to section 5.3

4. Refer to section 5.3

5. Refer to section 5.4

Self-check Exercise 6
1. Refer to section 6.1
2. Refer to section 6.2
3. Refer to section 6.2
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References

Soreson, R and Others; Busienesss and management communication, communication,

prentice hall, new jersiy 3rd ed 1997
Krizan, Merrier, And Jones. Business Communication, 5th. Edition. Cincinnati: South-
Western Publishing Company. 2002.
Murphy H.A Hilderbrandt, HW. Effective Business Communication, Mc Graw Hill
Publishing co, New yorks, 5th ed. 1991.
Hamilton & Parker: Communication for results, second edition. 1987
Sigband and Bateman: Communicating in Business, 1981.
Marry Cullina: Business communication, principle and process 2nd edition
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