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BBA140- BUSINESS COMMUNICATION SKILLS
U N I V E R S I T Y O F
L U S A K A
P l o t N o . 3 7 5 4 3 , O f f
A l i c k N k h a t a R d , M a s s
M e d i a , P o B o x 2 6 7 1 1 ,
L u s a k a , Z a m b i a
+ 2 6 0 2 1 1
2 3 3 4 0 7 / 2 5 8 4 0 9
+ 2 6 0 2 1 1 2 3 3 4 0 9
1 2 / 1 1 / 2 0 1 3
AUTHOR: Lucy Nyundo Mutambo
MSc, BSc, Professional Diploma
Marketing
REVIEWED: By Prof. J Tembo
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CONTENTS
Course Overview ............................................................................................................................ 3
Course Objective............................................................................................................................ 3
Recommended Reading ................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
UNIT 1: Introduction to Business Communication Skills ................................................... 5
The Importance of Communication ......................................................................................... 5
Types and Forms of Communication ...................................................................................... 1
Emotional Intelligence (EI) ......................................................................................................... 4
The Process of Communication ................................................................................................ 6
Barriers to Effective Communication ..................................................................................... 7
Rules for Good Communication ............................................................................................... 9
UNIT 2: Communication in Academic Settings ....................................................................... 1
Referencing and Plagiarism ....................................................................................................... 1
Basic Principles and Rules of Referencing ............................................................................ 3
Studying and Reading skills ...................................................................................................... 7
Comprehension from the spoken and written word (Note Taking and Making) ....... 8
Essential tools for writing ........................................................................................................... 9
Punctuation Marks ................................................................................................................... 9
Numbering, Bullets and Indentation ................................................................................ 12
Writing Academic work ............................................................................................................. 13
Academic Proposals ................................................................................................................ 14
Academic Research Reports .................................................................................................. 1
Academic Essay ......................................................................................................................... 1
UNIT 3: Communication in Business Settings ........................................................................ 3
Business Letters ........................................................................................................................ 4
Resume and CVs ....................................................................................................................... 0
Application Letters .................................................................................................................... 1
Job Descriptions ........................................................................................................................ 2
Business Reports ...................................................................................................................... 1
Minutes ......................................................................................................................................... 1
Presentations .............................................................................................................................. 1
UNIT 4: Technology and Business Communication .............................................................. 4
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Internet ............................................................................................................................................. 6
Mobile Phones ................................................................................................................................ 6
Computer ......................................................................................................................................... 6
Fax ..................................................................................................................................................... 7
Printer ............................................................................................................................................... 7
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Course Overview
Communications skills are fundamental to any person’s life because
naturally, man is a social being and people spend most of their time
communicating in different forms; oral, non-verbal, written and
interpersonal. Most successful people are those who are good at interacting
with other people in different situations. The ability to skilfully interact with
people is grounded in a person’s unwavering skills in the different forms of
communication. Therefore, it is important for students to appreciate should
and develop good communication skills. This course takes the students
through a step by step process of:
Appreciating the need for communication,
the different forms of communication,
the different contexts in which they will be expected to communicate ,
And draws their attention to the realities of technological advances
which have had both negative and positive impacts on
communication.
Although this course may appear to be bias to Business Students, all
students across different programmes or faculties such as engineering,
political studies, health and law are equally expected to be armed with basic
communication skills to enable them to engage in effective and professional
communication.
“Either write things worth the reading or do things worth the writing”
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
Course Objective
This course aims at equipping students with the basic principles and skills
that are needed for communication in one’s academic, work and business
life (written and verbal). Academically, students are expected to
communicate in an academic manner through assignments (essays or
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reports), tests, oral presentations and examinations. Unfortunately, most
students have poor communication skills. Therefore, this course aims to
help students improve their communication skills which are essential for
success in both academic and business life.
Acknowledgement
This module was prepared using several sources and inspirations including:
1) Adler, R., and Elmhorst, J. (2008) Communicating at Work, McGraw
Inc.
2) Bailey, S. (2006) Academic writing- A handbook for international
students, 2 Ed, Routledge, USA.
3) Deakin University (2012) Communication Skills,
available:http://www.deakin.edu.au/_data/assets/pdf-
file/0014/21326/communication-skills.pdf [accessed 12/06/13]
4) Ivey, A. (2010) Perfect Presentations: How you can Master the Art of
successful Presentations. UK, Andrew and Ventus Publishing
5) McPheat, S. (2012) Effective Communication Skills, UK, Ventus
Publishing
6) McPheat, S.(2012) Emotional Intelligence, UK, Ventus Publishing
7) Nkonde, E., (2008) Business Communication Module, Copperbelt
University, Zambia
8) Olynk, N., and Widmar, D. (2004) Identifying and Addressing
Barberries to Communication, Purdue University, Indiana
9) Robinson, L., Segal, J., and Segal, R. (2013) Improving Communication
Skills in Business Relationships, on-line, available;
http:ww.helpguide.org/mental/effective-communication-skills.htm
[accessed on 05/12/13]
10) University of Limerick (2012) Cite It Right- Guide to Harvard
Referencing Style, 2nd Ed, Glucksman Library, Ireland.
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UNIT 1: Introduction to Business Communication Skills
The Importance of Communication
As the famous saying goes- no man is an island. Every human being longs
to interact or talk to other human beings. Man by nature is said to be a
social being. Naturally, most of an individual’s time is spent on exchanging
messages, sharing ideas and information in different forms (written, oral
and non-verbal). In a business or organisational set up, an environment that
encourages the sharing of ideas, problem solving and sharing of emotions is
essential. All jobs require people to communicate through different channels
and using different mediums such as telephone, emails, faxes, and face to
face. This is because there are many activities and instances in which
communication occurs: when working in teams, conducting meetings,
interviewing, resolving conflicts, persuading others, serving customers and
negotiating. Therefore, communication is inevitable and every person needs
to be equipped for purposes of effective and professional communication.
This is because effective communication allows better understanding of
situations or people which goes a long way in resolving differences or
conflicts and problem solving. Clearly, individuals and organisations engage
in communication for different reasons:
For organisations to share
visions and plans with
employees or stake holders
To Co-ordinate and control
To resolve conflicts
To give feedback
To provide guidance
To give instructions
To influence or persuade
others
To provide leadership
To network
To share ideas
In the academic context, the difference between a student who understands
the materials taught and one who understands and effectively
communicates, is significant. This is probably what distinguishes students’
excellent students from average students. Comprehending materials is one
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thing, communicating this material back is another thing. Students are
expected to make oral presentations, write exams, tests and assignments as
well as engage in research. All these activities demand effective
communication which is the apex of student evaluation or assessment.
Thus, effective communication is important in academic settings.
Similarly, the need for graduates to be equipped with effective written and
oral communication skills cannot be undermined. Ambition, education and
capacity for hard work alone, amount to nothing if an individual cannot
engage in effective communication. The Job Outlook (2005) reported that
employers look out for several skills in potential employees; computer skills,
analytical skills, teamwork skills and interpersonal skills. Always,
communication skills top the list of skills sort after by employers. Indeed
effective communication skills form the thin line between being hired and
being rejected. This is because most successful graduates in terms of career
progression and salary, exhibit interest in talking, working with others and
desire to persuade which form essential elements of good communication
skills. Morden business environments demand that individuals should be
able to:
Communicate effectively with customers.
Present themselves as confident and capable.
Save valuable time and costs by engaging in effective written
communication.
Make effective presentations.
This is because, often it is said that good communication skills are the life
blood of any student who want to excel academically or any graduate who
want to be distinguished in his or her career.
Types and Forms of Communication
Having appreciated the importance of communication in different contexts,
it is imperative to understand the different forms or categories of
communication, in which people engage in. This is because these different
forms of communication demand unique sets of skills or tactics.
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Oral Communication: this involves exchange of messages or
information using spoken words and is commonly referred to as
communication by word of mouth. This occurs in different interaction
set ups such as meetings, talks, discussions, presentations,
interviews, speeches and so on.
Written Communication: this form of communication entails the
creation of a ‘hard copy’ of the message or simply written messages or
words in the form of business letters, reports, research papers,
articles, note taking etc.
Figure 1.1: Types and forms of Communication
Non-Verbal Communication: this is the wordless form of
communication which takes the form of postures, body language
,facial expressions, eye contacts, tension, breathing and tones etc. The
Oral Communication
Interpersonal Communication Written Communication
Non-Verbal Communication
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main distinguishing feature of this form of communication is the use
of body language to convey messages. Cues or signs are the main tools
used in this type of communication and is essentially wordless.
Interpersonal Communication: this is a type of communication that
occurs between individuals, mainly involves a small number of
persons. The messages exchanged are often a mix of feelings and
ideas, a number of sensory channels are involved and feedback is
immediate because the physical distance between the individuals is
often short. This form of communication distinguishes individuals
who are able to understand the emotions that are behind messages or
information being shared or exchanged. As a result participants need
to be Emotionally Intelligent and appreciate the difference in
personalities and characters.
Table 1.1: Tips for the Different forms of Communication
ORAL COMMUNICATION
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
Empathy Mind the type of text Emotional intelligence
Use of visual aids in presentations
Appropriate length of document
Body language
Encourage feedback from audience
Structuring of argument Posture
Mind the tone of the voice
Appropriate level of detail in document
Active listening
Maintain eye contact
Font type and size
Mind the position and body posture
Referencing
know something about your audience
Spacing
Structure of document
Source: Deakin University (2012)
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Individuals should aim to make use of different tips or techniques for
purposes of enhancing the effectiveness of these respective forms of
communication. As shown in the table above.
Emotional Intelligence (EI)
The theory of Emotional Intelligence (EI) was coined in the 1990s by Daniel
Goleman who recognised the impact of emotions in communication and
relationships. Today, this theory or concept has become popular because it
distinguishes individuals who are intellectually intelligent from those who
are both intellectually intelligent and successful in relating with others at
business level and personal level (family and friends). The ability to identify
or perceive ones emotions, regulate them and those of others for purposes of
managing relationships and interacting with others is referred to as
Emotional Intelligence (EI). One of the common barriers to effective
communication- which is often ignored is emotions and lack of appreciation
of people’s different personalities. EI plays an important role in enhancing
effective communication because it draws people’s attention to emotions and
personalities. Often times, people are challenged to prevent their emotions
from interfering with their line of duty, especially if they are expected to
interact with customers, business partners and stakeholders.
Although EI is often associated with Interpersonal Communication, it is an
important ‘ingredient’ in all forms of communication. For instance, negative
emotions can negatively impact on a person’s tone and voice during an oral
presentation or can influence the mood of a meeting. At the same time,
negative emotions can influence the tone that one uses in composing a
business letter or an email. Therefore, emotions and behaviour must be
taken care of in all forms of communication.
EI is also important in distinguishing leaders. Many successful leaders and
managers are Emotionally Intelligent because they are able to read people’s
emotions, moods and their own and regulate them. This is very important
especially in situations of conflict management and negotiation.
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There are four main aspects of EI- self-awareness: self-management, social
awareness and relationship management. These aspects point out to one
thing, the need to identify one’s own emotions and those of others, for
purposes of regulating them so as to manage interaction. These abilities go
hand in hand with Interpersonal Skills such as defence skills, supporting
skills, probing skills, persuasive skills, negotiation skills, conflict and
management skills. What is common in these Interpersonal Skills is the
involvement of emotions. This could probably explain why EI is often
associated with Interpersonal Communication.
Apart from appreciating people’s emotions, it is important to identify and
understand people’s personalities. This will enhance communication
because once you identify and understand an individual’s personality; you
will know how to communicate with them. The following are the different
categories of personalities.
Cantankerous- such people often engage in provocative type of
communication as they hardly mind other people’s opinions or
emotions.
Over Confident- such individuals assume they are Jacks of all trade
and often think they know everything and may easily intimidate or
despise others.
Stingy or Judicious- they often like to keep ideas and information to
themselves and is not willing to engage in information sharing. They
often do not want to interact and are almost anti-social.
Social- often talkative and noisy may cause confusion if not watched
as they do not want to keep quiet and may say a lot of irrelevant
things.
Inept- they have ideas, information and opinions, usually want to
share but are unable to articulate or express themselves.
Logical- usually they are critical, take their time and pick details.
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The Process of Communication
Communication is the sharing or exchange of ideas or information among
two or more people. This is often referred to as a process because it involves
six core elements that interact in a complex manner and is often
unconsciously done. The six elements in the communication process are:
sender, receiver, message, method, aim and situation as shown in figure 1.2
below.
Figure 1.2: The Communication Process
Source: Pittman, A., and Lynn, B., (2011)
The Senders: is the person who comes up with the information that he
wants to share. This person decides who the recipient should be, what
form of communication is appropriate and what medium, designs or
encodes the message. He or she conceptualises the message.
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The Message: this is the essence of any communication; therefore it
has to be palatable to the receiver and should be relevant to the
recipient.
Aim: the sender must appreciate the essence of sending a message for
example to educate, inform, persuade or correct. The aim of the
message helps the sender to design it in the most appropriate way.
Medium or Channel: this refers to the means by which the message
will be delivered or move from the sender to the receiver. This is an
important element because it determines whether or not the message
will be perceived or interpreted correctly. Examples are emails,
phones, fax etc. to a large extent, the medium used in sending a
message says something about the importance or the weight of the
message. Often messages sent by letter are regarded to be more
official and serious than ones over the phone or via text messages.
The Receiver: is responsible for decoding the message and if the
message does not reach the intended recipient, the communication is
rendered ineffective. The way the receiver interprets and perceives the
message is very important and the ideal situation is that he/she
should make the right interpretation.
Timing and Situation: knowing the right time and situation when to
communicate messages influences the extent to which the
communication will be effective. Sending the right message at the
wrong time can result in misinterpretation of the message.
Feedback: this shows whether or not the communication was effective
or indicates whether or not the receiver interpreted the message
correctly.
Barriers to Effective Communication
Conceptualising a message, information or idea for purposes of
communicating is one thing, but getting the right or correct interpretation of
the conceptualised message is another thing. This is because often
messages are misinterpreted or the wrong message gets to be delivered to
the recipient due to different things. This results in communication being
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ineffective. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the common barriers to
effective communication.
Use of jargon- this happens when words or phrases that may not be
understood by an average person are used. For instance, if a doctor
uses technical words or phrases in explaining to a patient, the patient
may not understand what the doctor is trying to say.
Emotional and Psychological barriers- This happens when emotions or
mind sets influence communication. For example, a brilliant student
may be emotionally distressed and psychologically challenged due to
the critical illness of a beloved one, this will make him or her engages
in effective written communication in an exam or test.
Physical and environmental barriers- there are many things in the
environment that may cause communication breakdown for instance,
wall, noise or even weather. Noise can make it difficult to listen during
communication , while hot weather often make people unrest less or
doze which makes it difficult to communicate especially in a
classroom set up.
Religion, Cultural and Taboo- Often times, this results in
communication break down because some ideas and information
shared may be acceptable in one religion or culture but not in
another. For instances, religious messages and understanding is
different among Christians and Muslims.
Language- This is one of the most common causes of communication
breakdown. Messages or information in one language may have
completely different meanings in another and may be offensive. Thus,
extra care must be taken in translating messages from one language
to another. For instance in Bemba the word ‘PESONDE’ means on
ÉARTH’ but a similar Lamba word ‘POSONDE’ means ‘OUTSIDE’.
Gender Differences- this refers to the difference in sex (male and
female). For example, a man may say certain things to fellow men
which may not be perceived offensive but if the same is told to women,
it may be perceived to be offensive.
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Information overload- This is yet another common cause of
communication breakdown. When too much information is
communicated at the same time, there are chances that the recipient
may not understand this information. For example if a boss gives too
many tasks or instructions to his subordinates at one go, there are
high chances that the subordinates will not effectively carry out the
instructions or tasks.
Inadequate Information- this is the opposite side of a coin to
information overload. This occurs when little information is given. For
example, if a person is told to prepare chicken for lunch, but no
specific instructions are given on the method (boiled, grilled or fried),
this information may be considered to be inadequate or general.
Information Distortion- This occurs when the original information or
message is altered along the communication process. This often
happens in oral communication especially one people are asked to
orally pass on the information to different people. For example, the
original message could be “DO NOT BE SELFISH” while the final
message could be “YOU ARE SELFISH”.
Denotations, Connotation and Abbreviations- Denotations refer to when
people mean what they say while Connotations refers to situations in
which people mean different things from what they say. While
Abbreviations are short forms of words or names etc. For example
ASAP (As Soon as Possible), 24/7 (the whole week), kid (a child),
Networking (socialising), Minting Money (High Returns) etc.
Rules for Good Communication
Despite the several barriers to effective communication, people can still
engage in effective communication. There are many tips for good and
effective communication.
Be clear and transparent
Use simple English
Be well prepared
Be generic
Be assertive
Do not assume things
Encourage two way
communication
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Pick a good time to talk
Use good body language
Listen and be attentive
Be consistent, firm and fair
EXERCISE
Mrs Zimba is the Branch Manager for Bank UB in Nakonde. One of the Bank’s
corporate clients is very annoyed because the Bank delayed the wiring of
money to a supplier’s account which has resulted in this corporate client
suffering some business loss. A fax had been sent to instruct the Bank to wire
the money followed by a phone call to confirm receipt of the fax. Unfortunately,
the Bank did not act on this instruction hence the complaint. Mrs Zimba needs
to do some damage control and find out from her subordinates how this
happened. From her enquiries, it turns out that the person who got the fax and
answered the phone did not carry out the instruction because shortly after he
got the instruction, he received an emergency call from his wife and had to
rush to the hospital. In the midst of all this confusion, he forgot to pass on the
instruction to one of his colleagues.
1) Identify and mention the forms of communication that are explicit in the
given scenario.
2) State and explain the cause of the communication breakdown in the
given case.
3) What forms of communication would you recommend for Mrs Zimba to
use when communicating with her: Subordinates, the Client in question
and the member of staff who received this instruction but failed to act on
it? Give examples and justify your recommendations.
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UNIT 2: Communication in Academic Settings
During the entire academic life, all students are expected to engage in
academic communication through exams, tests, assignments, presentations
and dissertation writing, failure to which the award would not be conferred.
Academic communication, be it oral or written is important, because it is
the only way students can be evaluated. Therefore, it is important for all
students to be skilled in academic communication, especially the written
form. Unfortunately, many students engage in academic misconduct due to
plagiarism and poor referencing.
Worldwide, students are expected to respect and acknowledge the work and
ideas of other scholars due to the laws that protect intellectual property.
Thus, skills on how to systematically acknowledge other scholars work are
required in academic writing.
What is plagiarism? This is the act of passing on other people’s
works, ideas or thoughts as if there were your own original works,
ideas or thoughts, without the permission of the actual author. In very
simply terms, this is theft of other people’s intellectual property.
What is Referencing? This is a process or standard way of
acknowledging other people’s theories, ideas, illustrations, diagrams
or works in general. This shows respect and acknowledgement of
other scholar’s work and is a professional way of writing academic
work.
Referencing and Plagiarism
Referencing is important in academic writing because it not only shows
respect for other scholars, but also demonstrates that one has read and
thought about the literature which gives credibility to written work.
Referencing allows the reader to validate and confirm the sources of
information used in a particular piece of work. However, care must be taken
in referencing because there is a thin line between Poor Referencing and
Plagiarism. Poor referencing often occurs when one acknowledges the
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original author but imitates or passes on his or her ideas and works using
the exact words or language of the original author. In order to appreciate the
difference between poor referencing and different cases of plagiarism
consider the original text given below and the different scenarios following
the text.
Original Text: Communicating with Technology
Today, there are several mediums in which to communicate with
your employees. For any set of circumstances it might be
appropriate to talk with an employee face-to-face, over the phone,
via text messaging, or even with an email. It is critical that the
medium in which you communicate with your employees is
considered. For example, the appropriate medium to tell your
employees they need to work Sunday morning might be different
than to reaffirm your thankfulness for their dedication after a
long week of feeding in snow and ice. All of these mediums can
be used; it is managements’ role to determine which medium is
appropriate for the message, the situation, and the receiver.
Source: Olynk, N., and Widmar, D., (2004) Identifying and
Addressing Barriers to Communication””, Purdue University
Case 1: Word-for- word Plagiarism
Today, there are several mediums in which to communicate with your
employees. For any set of circumstances it might be appropriate to talk with
an employee face-to-face, over the phone, via text messaging, or even with
an email. It is critical that the medium in which you communicate with your
employees is considered. For example, the appropriate medium to tell your
employees they need to work Sunday morning might be different than to
reaffirm your thankfulness for their dedication after a long week of feeding
in snow and ice. All of these mediums can be used; it is managements’ role
to determine which medium is appropriate for the message, the situation,
and the receiver.
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Case 2: Paraphrased Plagiarism
Currently, there are many mediums in which to communicate with your
employees. Depending on the situation, it might be appropriate to talk with
an employee face-to-face, over the phone, via text messaging, or even with
an email. Therefore it is critical that the medium in which you communicate
with your employees is considered. For example, the suitable medium to tell
your employees they need to work Sunday morning might be different than
to reaffirm your thankfulness for their dedication after a long week of
feeding in snow and ice. All of these mediums can be used; it is
managements’ responsibility to decide which medium is appropriate for the
message, the situation, and the receiver.
Case 3: Poor Referencing
Currently, there are many mediums in which to communicate with your
employees. Depending on the situation, it might be appropriate to talk with
an employee face-to-face, over the phone, via text messaging, or even with
an email. Therefore it is critical that the medium in which you communicate
with your employees is considered. For example, the suitable medium to tell
your employees they need to work Sunday morning might be different than
to reaffirm your thankfulness for their dedication after a long week of
feeding in snow and ice. All of these mediums can be used; it is
managements’ responsibility to decide which medium is appropriate for the
message, the situation, and the receiver (Olynk and Widmar, 2004).
Case 4: Ideal Referencing
The advent of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has
resulted in the wider availability of mediums of communications. However,
the onus is on the sender of the message to determine the suitable medium
per given situation. For example Olynk and Widnar (2004) suggest that
when you want to request employees to do something, you will use a
different medium from when you want to acknowledge their commitment
and contribution.
Basic Principles and Rules of Referencing
There is a difference between how you acknowledge in the main body and
the reference list. When you acknowledge the author(s) in the main body,
this is referred to as a CITATION. Once you CITE in the main body, a full
REFERENCE is expected at the end of the piece of work i.e. reference.
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For instance in the main body you may cite as follows: Olynk and Widnar
(2004) explain that......or; According to Olynk and Widnar (2004)...or; medium
of communication is dependent on the message, situation and recipient (Olynk
& Widnar, 2004). Once this appears in the main body, then the full reference
of such a citation in the reference list should be: Olynk, N., and Widmar, D.
(2004) Identifying and Addressing Barriers to Communication”, Purdue
University.
Despite the various ways or options that are available for main body citing,
the key elements of citing are the author’s name, year of publication and
where necessary, the page number. Another important rule to remember
about main body citing is the number of authors of a particular piece of
work being referred to. When you have more than two authors, for example
Mweemba, Lubasi and Chongo (2010), the proper way of citing this in the
main body is: Mweemba et al (2010), where “et al” means Mweemba and
others. However, all the names of the authors should be written in the
reference list – Mweemba, K., Lubasi, I., and Chongo, S. (2010) A Report on
cotton growers in Eastern province, 27-2010: Lusaka, Ministry of Agriculture
and Livestock.
Apart from taking note of the number of authors, another important rule of
citing in the main body is where the same author(s) published two pieces of
work in the same year and you happen to be using both works in the same
paper. To differentiate the two pieces of work, one would be given á’ and the
other would be assigned ‘b’. For example, if Musongole published an article
on Consumer Behaviour in 2012 and in the same year wrote a paper on the
importance of Business Communication. You cite these two different papers
in the main body as: Musongole (2012a) and Musongole (2012b) but in the
reference list you give the full details of the respective papers as follows:
First Paper: Musongole, M. (2012a) “Consumer Behaviour in the
Zambian Rural Set Up”, Journal of Zambian Marketing, Vol 1(2), pp
21-23.
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Second Paper: Musongole, M. (2012b) Communication Skills for
Business Students, University of Lusaka Handbook, Lusaka, Zambia.
The way the full reference is written depends on the source of the work and
the referencing style being used. This is because; there are different rules
that guide the referencing of Books, Articles, Websites, Religious Books, and
Magazines.
Although, there are many sources of referencing materials not all sources
are credible and acceptable sources for academic work. Generally, credible
materials are found in course work materials, text books, magazines,
journals, reports, newspapers and certain webpages or sites. Unfortunately,
Wikipedia is not considered a credible source of material for academic work.
Nevertheless, students can use Wikipedia to help them gain a basic
understanding of the topic or subject being addressed, but should not be
used and cited in academic work.
As already mentioned, there are many and different referencing styles
worldwide. However, the most widely used style is the Harvard Referencing
Style. Examples of how to write the full and proper reference of cited
materials from the different sources according to the Harvard System are as
follows:
Course Materials
a) Print Version: Mwangileni, E. N. (2013) ‘Basic Referencing Principles
and Rules’, BBA240: Business Communications Skills and Business
Environment, University of Lusaka, unpublished.
b) Web Version: Mwangileni, E. N. (2013) ‘Week 3: Basic Referencing
Principles and Rules’, BBA240: Business Communications Skills and
Business Environment, [online], available:
http://www.unilus.ac.zm/Leturere/LectuereMaterials.aspx [accessed
01/01/14].
c) Lecture Notes: Sikombe, S. (2012) ‘Impact of ICT on the Research
Process, BSM340: Marketing Research and Information Management,
10 Feb, University of Lusaka, Unpublished.
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Text Books
a) Print Version: Tailoka, F. (1999) Introduction to Business
Mathematics, 2nd Ed, Lusaka: Times Printpack.
b) Web Version: Tailoka, F. (1999) Introduction to Business Mathematics,
Copperbelt University Books [online], available: http://www.cbu-
liabrary/business .com [accessed 12/12/03]
c) Chapter or Contribution: Mwale, E., and Chizinga, M. (2001)
‘Challenges of Research Methods’, in Mutuna, H, Introduction to
Business Research Methods, Lusaka: Times Printpack, pp. 24-28.
Magazines
a) Print Version: Rose, M. (2012) ‘Choosing a Wedding Venue- what to
look out for’, Afro Brides, 8 Jul, 46.
b) Web Version: Rose, M. (2012) ‘Choosing a Wedding Venue- what to
look out for’, Afro Brides, available:
http://www.africanweddingtraditions.com/black-brides.html
[accessed 10/12/12].
Newspaper
a) Print Version: Lungu, A. (2013) ‘Hunger Looms in Sinasongwe’
Zambia Daily Mail, 4th Jun, 5-6.
b) Wed Version: Lungu, A. (2013) ‘Hunger Looms in Sinasongwe’ Zambia
Daily Mail, 4th Jun, available: http://www.zambiadailymail.com
[accessed 10/09/12].
Journal Articles
a) Hardcopy: Chanda, E., Mulenga, C., and Mbewe, D. (2011)
‘Competition among the Mobile Service Network Providers’, Zambia
Competition Commission, Vol 23(1), pp 12-20.
b) Web copy: Chanda, E., Mulenga, C., and Mbewe, D. (2011)
‘Competition among the Mobile Service Network Providers’, Zambia
Competition Commission, Vol23 (1), available: http://www.zcc.org.zm
[accessed 10/12/13].
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Webpage
Zambia National Development Agency (2010) ‘Doing Business in
Zambia’ [online], available:
http://www.znda.ie/docs/Doing_Business_in_Zambia/21.html
[accessed 02/03/11].
Report
Judicial Service Commission (2011) Report on Judicial Complaint
Handling System, 3-2011, Lusaka: Judicial Reform Commission.
The way the full reference is written helps readers to establish the source of
the cited work making it easy to trace work or giving readers an opportunity
to read further on a particular topic. Academically, in terms of evaluation
marks are awarded for proper citation and full referencing because this
shows the credibility of written work. Therefore, all students need to
appreciate the basic principles and rules in referencing.
Lastly, but not the least, an important point to take note of is the difference
between a Reference List and Bibliography. Many students assume that
both words mean or refer to the same thing. Unfortunately, these words do
not mean the same, they communicate different messages.
A reference list shows all the materials used and cited in compiling a piece
of work while a bibliography is a list of all the materials read, cited or not
cited in a piece of work. However, often times, a reference list is preferred
because the assumption is that apart from the cited materials, other
materials were also read. Nevertheless, the same rules apply to how you
write a full reference for both Reference list and Bibliography.
Studying and Reading skills
Academic and professional qualifications are awarded because they are
earned. To earn something calls for hard work, effort and commitment.
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Therefore, students are expected to allocate a reasonable amount of their
time to studying. Although guides and cues may be given on how to study,
the onus is on each and every individual student to first of all understand
and identify how one’s brain works effectively. Some people assimilate and
comprehend things fast while others are slow. In addition, assimilation may
also differ depending on the time of the day. Therefore, individuals need to
identify their assimilation rates and their preferred studying time and
environment. Furthermore, it is imperative for individuals to identify their
strong hold with respect to the nature of courses, which can be either
quantitative or qualitative. This is helpful when it comes to time allocation.
Time allocation or budgeting is an essential element in studying skills.
Studying goes hand in hand with reading. As a student you should develop
good reading techniques. Skimming through written pieces of work is a good
way to identify useful materials that are directly related or most relevant
materials to the topic one is studying. As you skim through take note of
things like the summary and conclusion. When you have identified the most
relevant materials then take time to read through and begin to take notes.
Note taking and making helps to comprehend the written and spoken
communication or material.
Comprehension from the spoken and written word (Note Taking and
Making)
Good academic writing skills are embedded in a person’s ability to
comprehend the spoken and written communication. One should be able to
effectively listen, read, take notes and make notes in order to successfully
write worthwhile academic pieces of work. Academic write ups call for
proper grammar, punctuation and well written introductions and
conclusions, which can be done by ensuring that good notes are taken and
written.
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Giving students notes or copies of power point slides does not
improve their grades...and asking for notes is like asking for a
copy of what has just been said... Weimer, M (2013).
In order to take notes from verbal or spoken communication, one should be
a good listener. Positive attitude and willingness aid one’s ability to listen,
once you are attentive and listening, it becomes easy to take notes that will
make sense and easy to understand later on. Note taking and making helps
students to interact with the material and provides a good starting point for
creating original pieces of work which is essential in academic writing. A
simple structure in which to take notes is identifying the main idea and sub
ideas. Then be able to separate details from key issues. These can be taken
note of by using short sentences, symbols or signs but should avoid over
summarising. From this, then good notes can be made for purposes of
studying and producing good write ups such as essays and reports.
Essential tools for writing
In order to produce a well written and structured piece of work, attention
must be paid to the grammar, punctuation, numbering and indentation.
This makes write ups outstanding. Another important tool in writing is
using connecting or leading words as well as leading sentences that help
written work to have a smooth flow of ideas. Connecting words such as
however, hence, thus, furthermore, in addition and so on are essential in
written work.
Punctuation Marks
Written communication is made clear and more comprehensible by the use
of a set of universally recognised marks and signs that are distinct from
each other to separate words and sentences. These marks and signs are
referred to as punctuation marks whose purpose is to aid the flow of ideas
or information in written communication. Unfortunately, many students use
few punctuation marks in their written work. Collinson et al (2011) laments
that even though it’s possible to write with few punctuation marks, which is
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equivalent to building a house with only a hammer and saw, it can be done
but the work would not be done to the expected standard. Hence, the correct
use of punctuation marks in written communication cannot be undermined.
Table 2.0: Commonly used Punctuation Marks
PUNCTUATION
MARK
WHEN IT IS USED EXAMPLE
Comma ( , ) Used to indicate independent
clauses in a sentence.
The business environment is
composed of different factors
such as economic, political,
legal, technological and
cultural.
Full stop ( . ) Used to indicate the end of a
sentence
The government needs to
establish an association that
will be responsible for
regulating industries that are
not clearly defined.
Exclamation
Mark (!)
Used to indicate shock, surprise,
anger or frustration or warning
Alas! It never came to pass.
Colon (:) Used after a complete statement
in order to introduce one or more
directly related ideas or list of
things. It may also be used to
introduce a quotation or a list of
things
Ensure that you send in your:
application form, certified
transcripts, CV,
recommendation letter and
evidence of medical health
insurance.
Semi Colon (;) This is used to make a pause in
the sentence that is longer than a
comma but shorter than a full
stop or to join related independent
clauses in a compound sentence.
Many are demotivated due to
several factors; remuneration is
one thing, but other terms of
reference also matter.
Question Mark
(?)
To end a sentence that is posing a
question.
What is the government’s
justification for passing that
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statutory instrument?
Apostrophes (‘) plural or belong to
Company’s assets or Peoples’
opinion
Square Brackets
[ ]
To make a quoted text more
understandable or to Change or
make comments
They offer two types of PhD
degrees [the integrated PhD is
for those with little research
experience or training]
Dashes (-) These can be used more like
brackets to show break in
sentence or extra information
To the traditional marketing
mix of price, place, promotion
and product- the service sector
demands additional elements-
people, physical evidence and
process
Quotation
Marks (“)
Direct speech or exact words
“Word-of-Mouth Marketing is an
unpaid form of promotion
whether oral or written, in
which satisfied customers tell
other people how much they
like a business, product,
service or event.”
Brackets ( ) Generally used to write additional
information or to show
supplementary remarks, or
abbreviations or other name
The University of Zambia
(UNZA) is the biggest and
oldest state university in
Zambia.
Ellipsis (...) These are three full stops that
show that some words or
materials have been left out in a
quotation. This is necessary
especially when the quotation is
long and some of the material is
irrelevant.
According to Anderson (2014)
there are many reasons as to
why students should be
profiled…the most common
way of doing this is by using
demographics….helps to
understand them better.
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Hyphen (-) This is different from a dash and
is used to link two or more words
or a phrase
WOMM is the abbreviation
used in marketing for Word-of-
Mouth Marketing
Numbering, Bullets and Indentation
Numbering and indenting in written pieces of work is important and
communicate something. These are also important tools because they help
to structure work and introduce different topics or ideas. Numbering also
shows how ideas are connected to each other and make it easy for the
reader to follow the line of thinking of the writer.
Table 2.1 Numbering Rules
Rule Example
To list things or group
ideas into separate
main heading use: 1,
2, 3….or A, B, C….or
I, II, III
There are many are many models that can be used to
analyses a company.
1. SWOT
This refers to the strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities
and threats that are company is faced with.
2. Stakeholder Analysis
Takes into account individuals, groups and
organizations that are affected and can be affected by
the operations of the company.
3. Potters Five forces Model
Refers to all the competitive forces that a company is
faced with such as threat of new entrants, rivalry
among competitors, threat of a substitute etc.
To show sub headings
that fall under the
main heading, Use:
1.1, 1.2, 1.3
1. Stakeholder Analysis
Takes into account individuals, groups and
organizations that are affected and can be affected by
the operations of the company.
1.1 Community- these have an interest and are often
affected by businesses.
1.2 Competitors- the actions of competitors such as
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product introduction and pricing can affect a
company’s profitability.
1.3 Employees- are very important because the daily
operations of a company are dependent on
employees.
To indicate the
chapter or unit in
which a figure or table
or diagram is located:
Figure, Table or
Diagram 1.1, 1.2,
….2.1, 2.1, 2.3…..
Figure 1.1 Sales over a period of ten years (figure number
1 in unit or chapter one )
Figure 1.2 Sales over a period of ten years (figure number
2 in unit or chapter one )
Figure 1.3 Sales over a period of ten years (figure number
3 in unit or chapter one )
Figure 2.1 Sales over a period of ten years (figure number
1 in unit or chapter two )
Figure 2.2 Sales over a period of ten years (figure number
2 in unit or chapter two )
To list things or
introduce sub-
headings using bullets
The key items to be looked at are;
Cost
Source
Selling price
Margin
Turnover
Writing Academic work
There are several types of academic written works that students are
expected to produce however, the most common types are reports and
essays, articles are normally written by scholars and academic researchers
but are a popular type of academic work.
Essays and Reports are a popular form of assessment in academics
especially in assignment form. This is because they test a student’s ability to
gather complex material, make sense of the gathered or researched material
and communicate to the informed reader in a convincing manner that the
covered material has been understood.
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Academic Proposals
The final stage of most undergraduate degrees involves writing a thesis or
dissertation. In order to do this, students are expected to first of all write
and possibly orally present their research proposal. A research proposal is a
document in which the student (researcher) proposes to answer a research
question which is asked due to an identified problem. A research proposal
clearly states what the problem is and how the research will be conducted in
order to answer the research question. The problem that is identified in the
proposal should be well grounded in academic literature or theory.
Therefore, the starting point of writing a proposal is the selection of a viable
topic which can only be done by first of all reading around the topic of
interest.
A thorough review of literature on the topic of interest helps to shape and
focus ideas in the mind of the student, which is key to finding a good
research topic. This can then be expanded and expressed in a research
proposal. An academic research proposal is grounded in theory or literature,
thus, the proposed topic should identify the key scholars or authors of the
concept or theory that is being proposed in the research topic. For instance
in Economic a famous scholar is Adam Smith, in Marketing - Phillip Kotler
and S. Godin, in Accounts- T. Lucy and Frank Wood, Human Resource
Management -J. Pfeffer and in Management there is Max Weber and
Frederic Herzberg. Reading literature often reveals the gap which creates an
opportunity to craft a good research topic.
In a nutshell, a research proposal communicates what is to be researched
and how it will be researched. The basic principles of research remain the
same for all subject areas, but the nature of the proposed research
determine how the research would be carried out and presented. The
essential elements of a research proposal are:
Proposed Title
Statement of the Problem
Significance of the Study
Objective of the Study
Research Questions
Literature Review
Methodology
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Reference list or Bibliography
There are other elements that may be added to the proposal such as the
assumptions, hypothesis and background. However, this depends on the
nature of the proposed research. A good research proposal forms the first
few chapters of an academic research report. Thus, students are urged to
take time and care in drafting academic research proposals.
Academic Research Reports
Students are expected to engage in academic report writing depending on
what they are pursuing. These may include laboratory reports, industrial
visit reports, work placement reports and research reports. Across all
faculties, students are expected to write an academic research report as the
climax of their study, this is what is referred to as a thesis or dissertation.
Therefore, it is important to understand the basic principles of report
writing, especially that this piece of work is highly structured. A report
unlike an essay has headings and subheadings and is often separated into
sections. Academic reports often comprise the following parts:
Title
Abstract
Introduction or Background
Related work
Methodology
Results
Conclusions or
Recommendations
References
Appendices where applicable
This type of work requires a lot of time and good skills. The starting point is
selecting a good and viable topic. A topic can be identified by reading
different literature on different subjects. Reviewing literature helps to
identify the gaps which often form the significance of the study. Care must
be taken in choosing a topic as there is a difference between an academic
research project and one that aims to solve an existing problem
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(consultancy). Academic research projects stem from a review of literature
and aims to agree or disagree with literature.
Academic Essay
Another form of common written communication in academic set ups is
essay writing. This type of work is common because it assesses students on
knowledge, understanding and critical analysis skills. The purpose of any
given essay question is to demonstrate the knowledge, comprehension and
critical analysis capabilities through a clear and succinct argument. Essays
differ from academic reports in that;
They are often a continuous flow of text with very few headings
Hardly make use of any graphics such as diagrams, tables or
illustrations
And they do not have any recommendations or findings
Generally, a good essay should have: a title, abstract or summary,
introduction, main body and references. The underlying principle in essay
writing is to push an argument based on thorough review of literature on a
given topic, model, principle or theory. As a result essays often persuade
readers and comprise of three main parts (introduction, main body and
conclusion).
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EXERCISE
a) From the given list of references identify the Books and Articles.
b) Spot the Referencing Mistakes and correct them.
1) Health Promotions Unit (2003) ‘Obesity’ [online], available:
http://www.heathpromotions.ie/topics/obesity/ accessed 16 May 2005.
2) Buckroyd, J. (1996) Eating your heart out: understanding and
overcoming eating disorders, 2nd Ed, London: Vermilion.
3) Zulu, M. (1999) The impact of Foreign Franchising on the indigenous
Brands, Zambia Business Journal, Vol2 (5), pp. 45-50.
4) Meru, M., A. (2013) ‘The Zambian Economic Outlook 2015-2020’ [online],
available: http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/zambia accessed 12
December 2013.
5) Kansankha, S. (2013) HRC condemns cruel, inhuman and degrading
treatment and punishment of inmates at Isoka prison, ‘Human Rights
Commission’, available:
http//www.hrc.org.zm/hrc_condems_cruel%2C_human_and_100126.ph
p [accessed 24/12/13].
6) Professor Lungu, J. (2010) ‘Basic Principles of Microeconomics’, Ndola,
Mission Press.
7) Shikaputo, A., M (1999) ‘Cash Management among Zambian SMEs in the
transport and Logistics Industry’, ZICA Quarterly, pp. 11- 19.
8) Professor Tembo, J. (2009) Introduction to Marketing Communication: A
handbook for Zambian Marketers, Ndola: Times Printpack.
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UNIT 3: Communication in Business Settings
According to Kninnick and Parton (2005) research by labour organisations
indicate that interpersonal skills and basic communication skills are two of
the eight essential attributes that are needed by individuals to be successful
at work. This is because people inevitably engage in communication as they
work. Communication in an organisation flows in different directions- down
ward, upward and lateral. For instance, for purposes of controlling and
direction, managers engage in downward communication. To get
information and feedback from their subordinates, communication flows in
the upward direction. For purposes of team work and group coordination,
the flow of communication is said to be lateral. However, these directions or
flows of communication in recent years have evolved due to technological
advances that enable speedier and more efficient ways of communicating as
necessitated by market needs. This has resulted in the emergence of
diagonal communication, which is the flow of communication in all
directions.
Figure 3.1: Flows of Communication
Lateral
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Graduates should expect to engage in professional communication,
especially the written and oral form. Often oral and written communication
in the work place goes hand in hand. For example, the financial manager
will be expected to prepare a monthly report on the financial position of the
organisation. The report would then be orally presented and discussed with
management during the monthly management meeting. This is expected
from the heads of department in any organisation. Therefore, written and
oral communication is inevitable and vital in the work place. The most
common forms of written communication in work place set ups are:
Business Letters, Reports, Minutes, Resumes, CVs, Application Letters, Job
Descriptions and Letter of Offer.
Business Letters
Business Letters play an important role in written business communication
because they still are considered and remain the preferred official way of
communicating important messages. Although emails are the fastest way of
sending written messages, they are not considered to be as official as
printed business letters. A business letter that is well structured, written
and printed on a letterhead carries more authority or weight than an email
with an electronic signature. Therefore, it is important for students to
appreciate, develop and nature excellent business letter writing skills.
Although there are many types of Business Letters and their structures may
differ, all Business letters have similar, key, common features, elements or
attributes. Despite the variance in the content across the typologies of
business letters, the fundamental features or elements remain constant
across languages, cultures and setups. The common features, elements or
parts of any given business letter are:
The Date
The Sender’s Address
The Inside
Address/Recipients Address
Salutation
Subject
Main Body
Closing
Name of Sender
Signature
These elements are expected in any Business Letter be it an application
letter, letter of enquiry , letter of appointment, letter of instruction or letter
of complaint. However, there may be slight variations when it comes to the
style and structure. For example compare the letter in figure 1.0 and the
letter in figure 2.0. They are different to the extent of the structure or format
and content but have the same fundamental elements already listed above.
Figure 3.2: Sample Letter A- Style 1
Plot 3456,
Sheki Sheki Rd,
Lusaka.
26th July 2013
The Relationship Manager
Bank XYZ
Lusaka
Dear Sir,
Ref: Closing of Account No. 2490865
I write to request the Bank to close Account No.2490865 which is held by ABC Construction Ltd. The decision by the company to close the already mentioned account number is due to internal company reasons.
We wish to convey our gratitude and hope to do more business with the Bank as in the near future as the company has built a good relationship with the Bank.
Yours faithfully
C. P. Mulenga
Chief Accountant
ABC Construction Ltd.
Sender’s
Address
Recipient’s
address
Main
Body
Date
Salutation
Heading/ Subject
Complimentary close
Signature and Name
of sender
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Figure 3.3: Sample Letter B- Style 2
Having appreciated the key elements or parts of a Business Letter, it is
imperative to get acquainted with some of the tips or techniques that may be
useful for business letter writing which include:
use of professional tones
clear and precise writing
simple English
proper flow of points
polite but persuasive
language
appealing structure or
format
proof reading
8th November 2013 [Date]
Ministry of Works and Supply,
Po Box 2347,
Lusaka.
Bupe Primary School,
Po Box 1432,
Kitwe.
Dear Mrs Katayi, [Salutation]
Ref: House No. 345 Chamboli Township [Subject or Heading]
We write to offer you House No. 345 located in Chamboli Township
which you applied for on 24.06.2009.The reserve price for the house is
K350.
Find enclosed the terms and conditions for the offer and the forms that
you will need to fill in.
Yours faithfully, [complimentary close]
Mr G Nkatya
Administrator
Sender’s
address
Recipient’s
address
Main
Body
Signature and
Name of sender
Lastly but not the least, attention must be paid to the opening and closing
sentences. Examples of good opening sentences are given below.
Figure 3.4: Examples of opening and closing sentences
Therefore, even though business letters may be designed to address
different issues like notification, resignation, l termination of contract,
apology or complaint, the basic elements remain constant.
Resume and CVs
Resumes and CVs are two important write ups that people are expected to
have as they seek employment. These are documents that are used to
‘advertise’ oneself as a potential employee. Many graduates aspire to get jobs
after they graduate with few aiming to establish their own businesses.
Therefore, it is important to have basic knowledge about resume and CV
writing. Often, people use these two words and documents interchangeably
but they are different. The difference is in the length, content and use but
they are both used for job applications.
EXAMPLES: Opening sentence
With reference to your letter of 8
June, I … .
I am writing to enquire about … .
After having seen your
advertisement in … , I would like … .
After having received your address
from … , I … .
I received your address from … and
would like … .
We/I recently wrote to you about … .
Thank you for your letter of 8 May.
Thank you for your letter regarding
… .
Thank you for your letter/e-mail
about … .
In reply to your letter of 8 May, … .
EXAMPLES: Closing Sentences
If you require any further information,
feel free to contact me.
I look forward to your reply.
I look forward to hearing from you.
I look forward to seeing you.
Please advise as necessary.
We look forward to a successful
working relationship in the future.
Should you need any further
information, please do not hesitate to
contact me.
Once again, I apologise for any
inconvenience.
We hope that we may continue to rely
on your valued custom.
I would appreciate your immediate
attention to this matter
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Resumes are often short one to two pages and give a snap short of ones
skills, experience and education. They are often perceived to be a very short
advert of a person’s employment potential. On the other hand, Curriculum
Vitae often referred to as CV are more detailed. In Europe, Middle East,
Africa and Asia, employers expect applicants to present CVs but in the USA,
applicants are often required to submit Resumes except when they are
applying for academic, education, scientific or research positions or
fellowships and grants. There is no universally accepted structure or writing
style of a Resume or CV. What is seen to be the universal practice is the
content or elements of the Resume or CV. The difference in the writing style
and structure is what differentiates or brands respective people.
Figure 3.5: Differences and Similarities between Resume and CV
Application Letters
Resumes and CVs are often accompanied by a cover letter often referred to
as an application letter. In the same way that general business letters have
the same fundamental elements, but it’s the content, structure and writing
style that vary. Application letters also abide by the same basic principles of
business letters.
Any given application letter must have the applicant’s address, date,
employer’s address, salutation, subjection (position being applied for), main
body or text, closing, name and signature of the applicant.
RESUME
Name and Contact
Information
Education
Work Experience
CURICULUM VITEA
Name and Contact
Information
Education
Work Experience
Credentials
Accomplishments
Ares of interest
Special attributes
Referees
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The most important element of an application letter is the main body or text
which should be craftily designed or written but should not be lengthy. At
the most, the main body should have four paragraphs which should be
succinct and to the point.
Opening Paragraph: briefly state how you learnt about the vacancy or
position or job.
Middle Paragraph: clearly state your background, qualification and
skills (hard skills) that make you suitable for the position, but be
precise and brief.
Third Paragraph: Use your soft skills to quickly and persuasively
advertise yourself or present yourself and the best candidate.
Closing Paragraph: state your availability for the job if necessary and
thank the reader for their time and consideration of your application.
Job Descriptions
Employees need to understand and appreciate the expectations,
responsibilities and requirements of their job or work. This is only made
possible if the employer communicates to them. Often times, the best way to
communicate this is using a written document which states the
responsibilities, duties, skills and knowledge required for the performance of
a particular job. This document or statement or write up is called a Job
Description. The Brown University (2013) and the Economic Times (2013)
explain that a job description aids both the firm and the employee to
appreciate and have a mutual understanding of the responsibilities,
performance evaluation, skills, experience and qualifications required for a
given job. Job descriptions are an essential type of document for Human
Resource Management (HRM) because;
They help to communicate
job expectations
Manage employee
performance
Manage workload
Help in compliance and
control
Harmonise employee and
organisational goals
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Establish training and
development plan and
budget etc.
Any job description despite industry, context, country, culture or language
should have key features or elements, although the structure and style may
be different. The job description should summarise the job or position by
outlining the following;
Job Title
Scope, Duties and
Responsibilities
Qualifications
Experience, Skills and
Competences
Reporting or Channels of
authority
Criteria for Job Performance
or evaluation
Compensation or
remuneration
Working hours
Business Reports
The Oxford English Dictionary (2012) describe a report as a structured
written document or statement with a clear purpose and for a particular
audience; that succinctly analyses and presents information about an
investigation, matter or incident in an easy and professional manner.
Reports are written for different reasons as such there are many types of
reports like; Business report, Executive Report, Technical reports, Research
Reports, feasibility study reports, System Analysis reports, and Client Case
Report and Incident reports.
Reports are important because they present information which is helpful in
decision making and may significantly reduce risk in decision making. Even
though, there are many kinds of reports, all reports should clearly have a
Purpose, Approach and structure because, this type of business writing is
often highly structured. For purposes of industrial set ups, the basic
elements of a report are:
Writer
Audience or Recipient
Executive Summary
Main body (make use of
graphics such as tables,
illustrations and diagrams)
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Finding, Implications,
Conclusions or
Recommendations
Minutes
In any given organisation, meetings are inevitable. The nature and weight or
importance of meetings determines whether or not proceedings of the
meeting are to be recorded. A written record of the proceedings during a
meeting is referred to as minutes. Minutes are an accurate record of
decisions, accomplishments, tasks and agreements arrived upon during a
meeting. They are important because they communicate what happened in a
meeting and act as a reference document for purposes of tracking actions or
items.
Minutes are written in different styles, structures and the format depends
on the organisation. Although the presentation and layout may be different,
the language and grammar in minute writing is expected to be standard and
professional. Generally, minutes should have the following elements:
Title
Time, date and place of
meeting
List of attendees
List of people absent
Agenda (or purpose)
Approval of previous
meetings (where
necessary)
Main Body (Proceedings-
motives, votes, tasks,
steps etc.)
Time, date and place of
next meeting (if
applicable)
Presentations
The ability to deliver a good presentation is yet another important
communication skill that many employers are looking out for in the labour
market. There is a growing need for people to develop their presentation
skills because business settings have evolved. People are increasingly being
challenged to orally explain things with support from written work. Even
academically, students are expected to engage in presentations such as
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defence of their research proposals. Therefore, it is not surprising that
presentation skills are key. For example, a Business Development Manager
may be asked to make a presentation on a proposed Business Plans or
Venture. There is need for individuals to be able to make presentations with
flair, great style and success. However, this is not easy; it takes time and
experience even though there are no hard and fast rules involved.
Presentation skills go hand in hand with PowerPoint skills, a well-designed
PowerPoint document is a great tool in making great presentations.
PowerPoint bring out the key issues in a presentation in written form,
thereby acting as notes for the presenter and can be used to aid visuals in
oral presentations. When preparing PowerPoint, take care not to overload
the slides with chunks of text. Use bullets and avoid explanations –
otherwise then you will be reading and not presenting. The PowerPoint
should simply be used for key issues not details.
Figure 3.6: Samples of PowerPoint Slides
Some guides for coming up with a good presentation apart from the use of
PowerPoint are:
It is important to clearly know the Mission or Purpose or Objective of
the Presentation
The Theme and Title of the Presentation should be clear and simple
Understand and know your audience (Education Level, Religion, Race,
Gender, preferred language etc.).
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The presentation should be well organised and mastered
Introduction of the presentation must be excellent
Rehearsal of presentation should be done
Presenter needs to engage audience through enthusiasm and
knowledge
Question and answer question should be included
EXERCISE
1) Lindiwe is upset that every time she uses her Meridian Bank Debit card
to pay for her purchases, the transaction fails but the money gets
deducted from her account. This has happened to her on four occasions.
She has finally decided to simply close her account at Meridian Bank
because she can’t bear the frustration and embarrassments.
a) Imagine that on the fourth occasion, Lindiwe wrote a letter of
complaint to the Customer Care Manager. Draft a letter to depict
Lindiwe’s situation.
b) Since Lindiwe has decided to close her Zanaco account and has
approached you to help her write a letter to this effect, draft a sample
letter for her.
c) What would be the similarities and differences between the two letters
in ‘a’ and ‘b’ above?
2) Prepare a PowerPoint presentation of 20 slides on a topic of your choice.
The presentation should also have appropriate visual aids.
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EXERCISE
a) ABC Zambia Ltd is the only indigenous local hardware store that has
branches in different towns in Zambia. This firm has now been in
business for 5 years and began its operations with a small work force but
with the boom in the construction industry, this firm has suddenly grown
at an impressive pace. The business pressure has made its owner to
recruit a regional stock manager to oversee stock levels in their Ndola,
Kitwe and Solwezi to avoid shortages and excess stock levels. You have
been contacted to design a job description for this position. Present a
well-designed Job Description for the Position of Regional Stock Manager
for ABC Zambia Ltd.
b) There are two Multinational Companies that have just entered the
Zambian market and are recruiting graduates on a management trainee
programme. One of them is an Asian Company and the other is a
Canadian company. The Asian Company is requesting suitable
applicants to submit their curriculum vitae and the Canadian is asking
for a Resume. Design your CV and Resume to be submitted to these
respective companies.
c) You are the nurse in charge at the Kazimoto Teaching Hospital, ward G-
10. The doctor who was attending to a patient who came in critically ill a
few weeks ago has written a discharge note for this patient as he has
been successfully treated. Thorough examinations were done on the
patient, and certified fit for discharge and instructions for the last dose of
the medicine where given. However, a day before the discharge, the
patient’s condition changed drastically and the investigation reveals that
there was poor handover of instruction among the nurses on duty which
resulted in the wrong drug and dose of medicine to be administered to
the patient. Fortunately, the doctor was able to stabilise the patient and
is out of danger, pending discharge in a few days. You have been tasked
as the sister in charge of the ward to write an incident report to the
doctor.
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UNIT 4: Technology and Business Communication
The process of communication is made up of different components. One of
the components is the method, channel or medium. This refers to the things
that enable the transmission of messages or information from the encoder
(sender) to the decoder (receiver). If a person wants to share information, he
or she will decide how to send that information- face to face, by phone, fax,
email, video conferencing or hard copy letter and so on. These channels or
methods or mediums of communication are often machines and as such are
influenced by developments in technology. Technology presents a lot of
tools and machines that aid communication. These tools and machines
present both advantages and disadvantages for oral and written
communication. Some of the tools and machines that are used in
Communication are shown in Figure 4.0 below.
Figure 4.0: Tools & Machine used in Communication
The type of equipment, tools or machinery used for transmitting messages
and information evolve as technology evolves. The era in which we are living
in is the information revolution phase, which is as a result of the
technological advances in communication and information tools, equipment
or machinery.
WRITTEN
COMMUNICATION
Computers
Word Processors
Printers
Fax Machines
Emails
Intranets
Websites
Instant Messages
Postal mail
ORAL COMMUNICATION
Multimedia
Telephones
Mobile Phones
Radio
TV
Voice Mail
Voice & Video
conferencing
Instant Messages
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A few decades ago, communication was costly and much slower due to the
machinery or tools that were available; today this is a different story. The
advent of new communication tools or equipment has significantly reduced
the cost and speed of communicating. For example, instead of physical mail
and telephone calls, email and instant messaging which are much faster can
be used.
Instead of a hardcopy sales catalogue, firms can make use of e-commerce
websites and produce electronic catalogues which are much cheaper. Apart
from the cost and speed effect, technological advances have made it much
easy to store messages or information. Therefore, a large amount of
information and data (communicated messages) can be easily traced back,
especially where communication is ineffective resulting in miss-
communication.
Contemporary communication technologies present a wide range of
channels of communication such as: audio, video and web conferencing,
intranets, internet, streaming media, mobile communication, multimedia
and blogging. However, high levels of professionalism are expected in
business communication even with the use of these new channels of
communication. The language, tone and style that one uses in these
contemporary channels of communication, often insinuate levels of maturity
and professionalism of the sender.
Advances in technology have changed the face of both written and oral
communication, forcing many organisations to re-organise their
communication processes. Communication technology has significantly
reshaped the power relationships due to the flattening of hierarchy of
communication. The levels of connectivity, authenticity and style of
communication have equally changed. Today, it is easy to send huge
amounts of information instantly, constantly and globally. The
communication process has evolved greatly. Some of the tools and machines
that are used in communication are:
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Internet
This is probably the most popular technological advance that has
drastically changed communication both at individual and company
level, due to its power to virtually reduce distance to zero. This has
made it easy for masses of people to communicate at an extremely fast
pace. The internet has made it possible for mails to be sent
electronically, for adverts to be ‘broadcasted ’electronically through
websites and social networking; and for people in different physical
locations to hold conferences, meetings, workshops or seminars
through video calls.
Mobile Phones
Mobile phone popularly referred to as cell phones is probably the most
significant invention that has been discovered in telecommunications
and has significantly changed communication over the phone. This
has not only increased the speed and efficiency of communication but
has enabled more information to be communicated. Apart from voice,
current mobile phones enable text and visual communication. This
means that unlike before, phones can now be used for written
communication. Moreover, internet and phone technology combined
together has made communication more effective and efficient.
Computer
A computer makes it possible for many other communication tools,
machines and channels to be used. For example, cloud computing,
internet, intranet, emails, video, audio conferencing and so on, are
made possible by the existence of computers. A number of machines
or tools cannot be used without a computer. For instance a printer on
its own is useless. Computers facilitate and act as a platform for many
other tools and machines such as word processing, document
planning, creation of PowerPoints and facilitate the distribution of
documents or messages or information via email, websites, Web 2.0
technology and so on.
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Fax
This is a machine that emails documents (text/graphics) to be sent via
a telephone line and is considered to be a safer way of sending
documents in comparison to emails.
Printer
This is a machine that allows stored written documents in electronic
form- with text and graphics, to be converted to hard copy (paper).
This is important because hard copy documents still remain
important in organisations and often more perceived as more valuable
than soft copies, especially in instances where the documents are
important such as the Banking Industry.
While technology offers vast opportunities for enhancing the flow of
information for organisations among its business partners, consumers,
distributors and employees, it also presents its own challenges. One of the
negative impacts of these technologies is the significant reduction in the
level of standards of written communication which is as a result of
automatic spell checks on computers and smart phones. Another common
negative impact is the levels of security associated with the identity, theft,
authenticity, fraud, viruses and hacking. These are complex issues to deal
with because tracking of communication is difficult due to the magnitude of
openness brought about by most of the technologies in communication.
EXERCISE
ICT directly influences the communication process at both individual and
organisational level. Produce an academic essay of not less than 1500 words
that explores the role of ICT in the communication process of any given
organisation.
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REVISION QUESTIONS- Brain Teasers
1) A mobile phone is a form of communication. A) True B) False
2) Anxiety can be a barrier to effective communication. A) True B) False
3) Interpersonal Communication involves appreciation of emotions and
people’s different personalities. A) True B) False
4) Social networking sites such as Facebook and Tweeter are forms of
written communication. A) True B) False
5) Minutes are a record of what transpired in a given meeting. A) True B)
False
6) A report can be used to communicate findings of an enquiry. A) True B)
False
7) Job Application letters are an example of academic written documents. A)
True B) False.
8) Emails, Intranet and Fax are all channels of communication. A) True B)
False
9) Reduction in costs and increase in speed are adverse impacts of ICT on
Communication. A) True B) False
10) Elements of a Job description include; date, job title, roles, start
and end date, who to report to and qualifications. A) True B)False
11) A bibliography is a list of all read and cited materials in writing a
piece of work. A) True B) False
12) A Resume differs from a CV with respect to the content, length and
purposes. A) True B) False
13) A full list of all cited work in a piece of work is called Reference list.
A) True B) False
14) Listening Skills, Conflict Solving Skills, Negotiation Skills are all
needed in building Emotional Intelligence. A) True B) False
15) Interpersonal Skills take into account emotions, behaviour,
attitude and personalities of people. A) True B) False
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REVISION QUESTIONS- Short word or sentence answers
1) Sate the difference between poor referencing and plagiarism.
2) List any three negative impacts of ICT on Business Communication.
3) What are the fundamental elements of any kind of a business letter?
4) State the three forms of communication.
5) Write any five Interpersonal Skills.
6) What is the difference between a Resume and a CV?
7) List any five barriers to effective communication.
8) State the key elements of the communication process.
9) List the key elements of Minutes.
10) What is the difference between an academic report and essay?
11) Give three reasons for referencing.
12) List any four channels of communication.
13) State any five tools or machinery used in communication.
14) Give five reasons why people communicate.
15) What is the difference between Bibliography and Reference list?
16) List the key parts of Curriculum Vitae.
17) Give four examples of oral communication.
18) List four examples of written communication.
19) Give four aspects of Non-Verbal Communication
20) State four tools or machines used for oral communication.
21) List four tools or machines used for written communication.
22) State the four aspects of Emotional Intelligence.