Self Learning Material Technical Communication - odl.ptu.ac.in

Self Learning Material

Technical Communication(MCA-105)

Course: Master in Computer Applications

Semester-I

Distance Education Programme

I.K. Gujral Punjab Technical University

Jalandhar

SyllabusI.K. Gujral Punjab Technical University

MCA-105 Technical Communication

Unit–1

Basics of Technical Communication- Functions of Communication-Internal & External

Functions, Models-Shannon & Weaver’s model of communication, Flow, Networks and

importance, Barriers to Communication, Essential of effective communication (7 C’s and

other principles), Non-verbal Communication.

Unit–II

Basic Technical Writing: Paragraph writing (descriptive, Imaginative etc.), Precise writing,

reading and comprehension, Letters – Format & various types.

Unit–III

Advanced Technical Writing: Memos, Reports, E-Mails & Net etiquettes, Circulars, Press

Release, Newsletters, Notices. Resume Writing, Technical Proposals, Research Papers,

Dissertation and Thesis, Technical Reports, Instruction Manuals and Technical Descriptions,

Creating Indexes, List of References and Bibliography.

Unit–IV

Verbal Communication- Presentation Techniques, Interviews, Group Discussions,

Extempore, Meetings and Conferences.

Unit–V

Technical Communication- MS-Word, Adobe Frame maker and ROBO Help

Table of Contents

Chapter No. Title Page No.

1 Functions and Types of Communication 2

2 Communication Theories and Non-verbal Communication 20

3 Essentials of Effective Communication (7 C’s and other

principles)

34

4 Barriers to Good Communication 50

5 Paragraph Writing 67

6 Reading and Comprehension 80

7 Précis Writing 92

8 Letter Writing 105

9 Memos, Office Circulars, Notices, Press Release, E-mail andE- mail Etiquette and News Letters

127

10 Resume Writing 145

11 Technical Proposals, Technical Reports, Dissertation andThesis

160

12 Instruction Manuals, Technical Description, CreatingIndices, Preparing list of References and Bibliography

196

13 Presentation Techniques 211

14 Interviews 223

15 Group Discussions 243

16 Managing Meetings, Committees and Conferences 261

Written By:D S Cheema

(Retd Col), Indian Army

Reviewed by:Adarsh Aggarwal

CGC Technical Campus, Mohali

© IK Gujral Punjab Technical University JalandharAll rights reserved with IK Gujral Punjab Technical University Jalandhar

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Unit 1

Lesson 1 Functions and Types of Communication

Lesson 2 Communication Theories and Non-verbalCommunication

Lesson 3 Essentials of Effective Communication(7 C’s and other principles)

Lesson 4 Barriers to Good Communication

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Lesson 1

Functions and Types of Communication

Lesson Structure

1.1 Learning objectives1.2 Introduction1.3 Significant aspects of technical communication1.4 Functions of communication1.5 Types of communication1.6 Summary1.7 Glossary1.8 Answers to check progress/suggested answers1.9 Reference/Bibliography1.10 Suggested reading1.11Terminal and model questions

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1.1 Learning Objectives

Understanding the basics of Technical Communication

Learning about Function and Types of communication

Understanding the importance of flow of information and itsnetworks

1.2 Introduction

Communication is the process of sharing information. It is the transfer of informationand understanding from one person to another person. It is a way of reaching otherswith facts, ideas, thoughts and values. Communication of thoughts, ideas, feelings andemotions is so fundamental that nothing in this world is possible without it. It is sovital that it is said that all problems of the world are either because of lack ofcommunication or because of bad communication. What ever may be the views ofdifferent people on communication, one thing is certain and that is that it is the basicneed of mankind and is the foundation of any civilised society. Can you imagine anyactivity taking place in the world if people did not communicate? All the progressmade by human beings has been made possible because of their ability tocommunicate. It must be very clearly understood that communication is vital in everypart of life, be it private and personal, social, professional and business.

Effective communication skills are on the priority list for most employers today.Management and leadership are all about getting things done and showing the way forinnovative approach to work. Without an ability to effectively communicate, tasks canneither be performed nor the teams can be led. Communication skills have a widerang and each of its units is as important as the other. It is important for you to masteryour communication skills.

Difference between General and Technical communication

General communication is as the name implies ‘general’ in nature. It takes place whentwo friends discuss a hockey match or husband and wife discuss their relationship orwhen one buys grocery or share the idiocrancies of your boss with your colleagues.How ever, technical communication is the transfer of technical or professionalinformation from one individual or group to another. It is the process ofcommunicating a specific message to a specific audience with a specific purpose. It isspecial in nature and has certain special characteristics which differentiate it from thegeneral communication. Some of these are:

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General communication Technical communication

1. General in content Content of technical nature

2. General vocabulary is used Specific vocabulary is used

3. Formal as well as informal in nature Only formal in nature

4. May be objective or subjective Must be objective

5. Is not always structured in a particular order Always organised and structured

6. Can be for any type of audience Has specific target audience

7. May not be factually correct Must be factually correct

1.3 Significant Aspects of Technical Communication

Some important aspects make technical communication effective. These are:

1.3.1 Subject Competence of the Sender

Effectiveness of any technical communication depends on knowledge , skill,experience abilities and maturity etc of the sender of the message. Unless the senderpossesses professional skills and other appropriate competencies , the communicationcannot become useful.

1.3.2 Ability to Present Technical Information

Fluency in the language in which the message has to be presented to others is animportant factor in technical communication. As this type of specialised transfer ofinformation involves collecting, collating and presenting scientific and highlysophisticated technical date and information, the presenter must have appropriatelanguage skills.

1.3.3 Ability to Organise Technical Information in a StructuredManner

It involves the ability to logically and sequentially present the information so thatthose who are not highly skilled can also benefit from it. The sender must be able toassess the level of competence of the reader or listener and structure the thoughts inappropriate way.

1.4 Functions or Objectives of Communication

The purpose, objectives or functions of any communication are:

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1.4.1 Inform and Share

Any data, information or knowledge of any kind to be passed to others, is possibleonly through communication, whether general or technical. It may be verbal or non-verbal, written or through gestures or through body language etc. Teacher cannotteach students , senior business person cannot share the strategies of business, captainof the aircraft cannot receive or provide information to Air Traffic Control(ATC) Job–seekers cannot appear in interviews, salesman cannot sell his products and so on ,without communicating

1.4.2 Promote

If any idea is to be promoted , it has to be shared with others. If any service or goodsare to be advertised or promoted, it can only be done through communication throughprint or electronics media

1.4.3 Educate

Communication is necessary for giving lessons to educate others in any disciplineunder the Sun, whether it is educating a primary school student, an engineering /management/ medicine/IT student or teaching nuclear or space technologies or to givea clear picture of plan of action or selling strategic information. Education can be forthe general public, management or the workers.

1.4.4 Organise

Even if a small birthday party has to be organised, a number of organising activitieshave to be performed. One has to call for cake or drinks, a tent may be required to bepitched, guests have to be invited and so on. Meeting any organising needs is notpossible unless and until verbal or written communication takes place.

1.4.5 Relate

Relationship between different people performing different types of tasks in anyorganisation is possible only through communication. Persons at different levels relateto each other as juniors , colleagues or seniors through some means ofcommunication. In personal relationship, husband and wife or mother and childrenrelate with each other through sharing information, ideas , thoughts , emotions andfeelings

1.4.6 Entertain

Can you imagine how boring the world would be if you could not watch the TV andmovies or other entertainment programs, hear any music or read a magazine?Entertainment industry is totally dependent on communication process. There arepeople who don’t leave home to watch a favourite TV show. They communicate withthe characters of the program through letters , telephone calls. letters etc..

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1.4.7 Motivate

Motivation is the process of making others want to do what you want them to do. It isa very slow, cumbersome and difficult process and needs continuous interaction withpersons who have to be motivated. It may be done verbally by addressing suchpersons or they may be given written material, case studies may be discussed withtheme and so on. Achievement goals are set before the workers and they are givenmonetary and other benefits to achieve them. All this can be done only throughvarious communication methods.

1.4.8 Report

When ever there is a requirement of submitting ideas in a formal manner, a report hasto be prepared. It may be feasibility study report for a project or one page on the spotassessment report, a senior may have demanded.

1.4.9 Analyse

Analysis of any situation or problem requires discussions, views of others and inputsfrom different sources. It is possible only by telling others what to do, write down therequirements, record the views of others, organise brain-storming sessions and so on.All this needs different types of communication.

1.4.10 Orders

Order is a communication which is given by seniors in position of authorityto juniors. Orders are given from top to bottom to do something or not to dosomething. There are different types of orders, specific, general, procedural,operational, mandatory, and discretionary and so on. But all orders can be passedonly though some kind of communication.

1.4.11 Instructions

It is an order which also provides guidance and help to carry out the order. Details ofhow a particular job is to be carried out are also provided and person who issuesinstructions is always there to help the person, who has to carry out the instruction.

1.4.12 Advice

An important purpose of communication is to give and seek advice. Today’s businessworld is very complex and no single person can have all the knowledge, skill andexpertise required. Seniors, experts, consultants, advisors give advice; similarly,junior, middle, supervisory and operational levels have to give advice to promoteunderstanding at the work place.

1.4.13 Counselling

It is an advice by a professional counsellor. Personal problems of the workers havedirect impact on their performance in the work place. Hence, good organisations

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appoint counsellors to handle such problems; they may be psychologists, doctors,social workers etc who are suitable trained in counselling.

1.4.14 Persuasion

Persuasion plays an important role in our personal and professional lives. Humannature acts favourably to a gentle persuasion rather than strict no-nonsense army typeorders. Parents can persuade their children to shun bad habits of smoking, drinkingand indulging in un-protected sex. Similarly, teachers, parents and social workers canpersuade younger generations to develop good habits and value systems.

1.4.15 Suggestions

Getting useful suggestions can be very useful in conducting the affairs of anyorganisation, whether it is government or private entities. In business world it is beingtaken very seriously and suggestions are invited to improve the functioning ofdifferent departments. Suggestion schemes offering rewards and incentives for goodpractical solution to the organisation’s problems are introduced based on thosesuggestions. Good business organisations attend to the complaints of the customersvery seriously and learn from them. It is sais that dissatisfied customers who give thefeed-back are the best friends of any organisation.

1.4.16 Warnings

Workers in any organisation need to be told about their short comings and theconsequences of not improving an undesirable behaviour. There are situations wherethe management of any organisation has to issue warnings to the workers or juniorstaff to act in a desirable manner. Habitual late-coming, absenteeism, insubordination,undesirable conduct at work place etc attract warning from the management. It has tobe kept that warnings are fair and not result of any bias or prejudice. Warning oradmonishing must always be done in private. All warnings should have only onepurpose, the well-being of the organisation.

1.4.17 Morale-boosting

Morale is a state of mind and when one has a high morale, one can do or achieveanything. Similarly, when one has a low morale, nothing is possible. Effectivenessand efficiency are the direct result of high morale of any worker. Communicationplays a very important role in raising the morale of juniors or followers. Leaders invarious organisations adopt different strategies to improve the morale of workers andfollowers.

1.5 Types of Information

Information can be sub-divided in the following two forms:

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1.5.1 Functions of External Information

It has the following elements:

Information related with policies of the governments at the Centre or Statelevel which effect the conduct of business

The type and size of consumers in the area of operation. How the customersand consumers respond to the quality of goods and services and their prices.

Availability of financial support for setting up and running business activities.Policies of the governments at Centre and State level to finance businessactivities through various means like Industrial Financing, loan from thebanks, other financial institutions, Non Banking Financial Companies(NBFC) Policies about Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), current equationbetween Euro, Dollar, Pound, ADR, GDR etc.

Information about supply and demand of various types of raw materialsrequired. The quality, price, transportation facilities like containers, railwagons etc, credit norms in different industries.

Promotion and advertisement and state/efficacy of print and electronic media.

Information related with gender divide standard of education, quality oflabour, standard of living in various parts of the country

Information about the rural population vs city population, availability of linkroutes and other communication channels between cities and rural areas.

Level of basic research and applied research, science and technology levelswhich may be used in business.

1.5.2Functions of Internal Information

It has the following elements:

Information of vision, mission, objectives, strategies and policies of theorganisation

Information about all members of the organisation, their job responsibilities,levels at which they are operating, their strengths and weaknesses, their areasof operation, competencies, experience and potential etc.

Information about rules, regulations and procedures which a company followsfor governance

Information about the hierarchy of the organisation, like Board of Directorsand other decision- makers

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Information about the availability of physical assets like land, storagecapacity, facilities for different level of workers, and existing level of rawmaterials

Information about the status of plant, machinery , equipment , theirmaintenance schedule, literature like technical and operating manuals

Information about the existing availability of financial resources, in cash andbank. cash flows, expansion plans and expected future availability of finances

1.5.3 Sources of Information

Important sources of information are ,Government repositories, libraries etc, whichare the primary sources of information, Internet search engines, Private libraries,historians and authors.

1.5.4 Importance of Flow of Communication and Networks

As far as communication is concerned, it can be in the following forms as shownbelow:

Types of Communication

Type of channel Direction Method

Formal Downward Oral

Informal Upward Written

Horizontal/Lateral Use of body language

1.5.5 Based on channels of communication

Formal Communication

In formal communication who will communicate with whom in an organisation isdetermined by the policy laid down by the management. The policy takes in toaccount the authority, status or position of the persons involved ie the sender and thereceiver. Formal communication, in fact, enforces and establishes a workingrelationship between different members of the organisation.

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Informal Communication or Grapevine

The other information system which is always there in addition to the formal systemdiscussed above is the informal communication. It is there whenever two persons orgroups interact with each other. This also comes in to play when the formal systemdoes not work properly ie there are problems in the formal system and the workers orjuniors cannot express themselves properly.

There are four types of grapevine; they are:

Single stand Here each person communicates with other in order of sequence

Gossip In this type of informal communication one person tells some thingto others

Probability Here one individual communicates with others on randomaccording to law of probability

Cluster One person communicates with others on selective basis ; theperson may interact only with such a person whom he trusts’

Whenever there is some special occasion, informal communication passes freelybetween the people who are present in that place. Also grapevine or informalcommunication becomes very active when there are any activities in the organisationthat generate insecurity amongst members of any organisation. Grapevine has certaincharacteristics, these are:

Grapevine provides feedback to managers which is generally not possible throughformal communication channels.

It travels much faster than the formal communication

Grapevine can penetrate the best of security systems

Grapevine functions as a carrier of rumours

1.5.6 Based on Direction of Communication

Downwards communication

Main purpose of downwards communication is to control all aspects of thefunctioning of any organisation. It is essential for any organisation to shareinformation, give instructions, give proposals and advice etc. Downwardcommunication must take in to account the feelings and aspirations of thesubordinates before the higher management issues any orders, instructions. If ordersare issued unilaterally, they will have no meaning as they may not be obeyed causingmany other disciplinary problems. Getting feedback through different methods,considering them carefully before passing any instructions is in the interest of any

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organisation. A good manger will always like to know how his juniors feel in place ofwork ie the type of work environment, basic facilities like wash rooms, toilets,medical help, canteen etc. Only then it will be possible for him to motivate workers toperform well and increase their productivity through their best efforts. Down wardcommunication is used for the following purposes:

To communicate policies, procedures, practices, rules and regulations

To give specific job instructions

To provide feedback to the employer or the worker

To motivate for improving productivity

To prepare for changes

To discourage rumours and gossip- mongering

Downward communication can be made more effective by the following means:

Plan orders

A superior must always plan his orders which should fit in the overall strategy of theconcerned organisation. Planning involves very clear understanding of the task, theemployee’s ability, availability of resources and the time required to carry out thetask. Un planned orders can harm the interest of all organisations in addition toharming the personal reputation of the person giving such orders.

Must know facts, figures and related information and knowledge

The person who issues orders must himself be very clear what he wants to be done..He must possess sufficient, if not complete knowledge about the job to be done. Heshould be able to answer all queries related with the job which any employee orsubordinate will like to be clarified if he has to perform the task to the entiresatisfaction of his superior. Span of knowledge of the superior has to be more thanthat of the subordinate, though it is possible, he may not possess the skill of that levelbecause he does not himself carry out the task.

What media should be used and how communication is to be passed on to thesubordinate

There will be any number of situations where the order cannot be passed orally andhas to be given in writing. For example, if an enquiry order is to be given to a GeneralManager for bringing out the fact why a particular marketing manger accepted a giftfrom a vendor supplying equipment and spare to the company, against the policy ofthe company, the matter may be so serious breach of company policy that only awritten order will be issued by MD to the GM

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Superior must know the impact of the order on the employees and its farreaching implications.

A thoughtless order of shifting the scooter or car parking of the junior staff, whilesitting in the office and looking at the blueprint of the plan of the factory, is sure to bedisobeyed causing many discipline related problems. They may resent and evenprotest against the order and it may end up in the form of a strike by them. It is a goodidea to take feedback from various sources like informal leaders, union leaders,supervisors and even some workers at random to know what goes on in their minds. Agood manager or leader will never like his orders disobeyed or not followed in letterand spirit.

The order-passing style should be appropriate

Any order which is issued with conviction and given in a manner that the receiverfinds acceptable will be followed by him. The choice of words used, whether verballyor in writing should be such that they are firm yet polite. Certain superiors are in thehabit of being arrogant and authoritative while passing on any instructions. Whengiving orders verbally, one must watch out ht e associated body language, while inwriting the choice of the words used should be such that the recipient does not findthem offending.

Keep empathy at the back of the mind while issuing any orders or instructions

Empathy simply means putting oneself in the shoes of the other person. The persongiving orders must place himself at the receiving end and appreciate how will theorder received by the juniors

Upward communication

It refers to the communication from lower levels to the higher levels. This pattern ofcommunication is, perhaps is the most important aspect of any organisation. It is theflow of information from lower levels ie workers and other subordinate staff to higherlevel ie managerial personnel. This is a method through which any worker can bringto the knowledge of his superiors his problems related with job performance or evenpersonal difficulties due to which he cannot give his best . It is a method of feedbackfor the superiors aboutb the junior;s performance level, work environment, thepolicies and procedures adopted by the organisation and so on. Feed-back in differentareas of functioning can only be receiver from the workers , supervisors and managersthrough a formal hierarchy of flow of information from bottom to upwards. Unlessupward communication methods are mad effective downward communication cannotbecome useful, , is it reasonable and fair under the circumstances. When ever indoubt, one must apply the criteria of reasonability and fairness.

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Upward communication is necessary for:

To create a feeling that juniors are also heard by the superiors in theorganisation

This helps in improved work environment and motivation of the employees whichultimately helps in increase in productivity.

To evaluate the functioning of the communication system

If there are any concessions and award schemes which are announced as companypolicy how many people actually give suggestions will be an indicator of the moraleof the workers. The management may feel the need of modifying the system orincrease the incentives and so on.

To get new ideas

Many a time, the employees working at lower levels , come out with many brilliantideas as they are the ones who actually use plant, machinery equipment and performother tasks at operational level. It is a good idea to get regular feedback from themabout production quality and processes and suggestions for improving the overallsystem.

The organisation may use the following media for upward communication:

Face-to-face

An employee or junior level worker seeks an interview or meets the senior personinformally to share his views, concerns, difficulties and grievances etc. Manycompanies encourage their employees to avail of any opportunity to meet the top bosswhen he goes around the organisation. This healthy exchange of information can giveexcellent real time information to the management which can be used for the benefitof the employees as well as the organisation.

Group meetings

Management can plan to have department-wise meetings in the company. GMs ofAccounts, HRD, Marketing, Production etc may invite all members of theirdepartments, once in a month to know them better, find out any such issues whichmay have the potential to become a major trouble in due course of time, if not handledimmediately. Such meetings would reveal events, places and happenings which aretrouble spots and if not tackled the smoke can become a disastrous fire.

Grievances Handling Procedures

There is a statutory requirement that companies employing large number of workersmust have an appropriate grievance handling method in their organisation. Generally,a committee is formed which is headed by a senior person, usually from HR

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department and representatives from different departments are the members. Thecommittee is

A counsellor is like a trained friend expected to have periodical meetings where allcomplaints and problems are discussed and remedial actions are recommended to thetop management for appropriate action. There may be a separate women cell,depending on the strength of female employees, which can tackle special issues likegender bias or harassment of women at the hands of male employees.

Making counsellors available

A counsellor is the one who understands the work condition, educational, cultural andsocial background of the workers and helps them in tackling their personal andprofessional problems. Labour officers, welfare officers can also be used to thebenefit of the organisation. They can give a very useful feedback about the overallhealth of the organisation. The top management must listen to such feedback withpatience and take suitable remedial measures.

Horizontal/Lateral communication

This type of information flows between the persons at the same level in any hierarchy,whether they are from the same department or from other departments. Withouthorizontal communication, the coordination and cooperation between theStaff working at different levels will not be possible. It helps in promoting groupcoordination. All this leads to better functioning of any organisation.

Basic objectives of the lateral communication are:

Coordination and cooperation amongst peers or persons working at the samelevel in any organisation

There are many persons working at the same hierarchical level, ie there may bemanager grade level persons in HRD department, Accounts, Marketing andProduction. They are all mangers and are treated by the management equal in statusetc. in formal meetings. Some communication which is meant for mangers may beissued only for their consumption ie the company head may decide that all mangersat a particular level would adopt a particular dress code and they may also be asked towear name tags and so on.

Emotional and social support for motivation, loyalty etc.

When a group of people is given different, only for them treatment they identifywith each other emotionally and socially. Such people associate their position andstatus as very special for the organisation,. They get treatment from the managementbased on the same principle, they face similar problems and become socially close toeach other.

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It should be noted that the need of horizontal communication increases asorganisations become more specialised and departments tend to work in water-tightcompartments. Specialised work procedures leaves hardly any time with the peers tointeract with each other unless there is a meeting or conference or there is a trainingsession or a social get-together. It is more of an informal meeting than a formal one. Ifhead of particular department wants particular information relate with the companyaffairs, he may ring up head of another department, who he thinks has thatinformation. Such an exchange at the same level helps in increase in efficiency and isa tool in the overall effectiveness of the organisation. A particular level of person doesnot have the authority and liberty to ring up his colleague and get information unlessit is related directly with the job responsibility he has been assigned or a specific taskhe is performing for the company. But a colleague operating at the same level as his iseasily accessible.

Lateral communication is easier and simpler because hierarchy and authority does notremain an issue.. Most likely, all of them will have some authority for granting leave,release of imprest to persons working directly under them, sanctioning orrecommending loans, or authorising people for duty move etc.

In good organisations these systems are managed so that organisation runs like a welloiled machine

1.5.7 Based on Method of Communication

Method of communication is very important as this is how the message gets deliveredto the recipient. Various methods are discussed below:

Oral Communication Discussed elsewhere in other Lessons

Written Discussed elsewhere in other Lessons

Non-verbal Communication Discussed in Lesson 2 Unit I

1.6 Summary

Communication as a subject has assumed a lot of importance in recent years. Itis often seen that lot of weightage is given to the functional and hard skills butsoft skills get relegated. There were times when soft skills as a whole includingthe communication skills were thought of only as poor cousins of hard orfunctional skills in the supporting role. Every student and professional spentconsiderable time in acquiring the functional skills, but he ignored the soft skills.All type of communication, specifically the technical Communication is of utmostimportance in modern business world.

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Functions and types of communication networks and flow of communicationhave been discussed in details in this lesson. Important role played by downwardand upward communication has been discussed. It has been seen why informalcommunication is equally important for feed back in the interest of anyorganisation

1.7 Glossary

Formal Communication Formal communication, in fact,enforces and establishes a working relationship between different members of theorganisation.

Informal Communication or Grapevine. It is there whenever two persons orgroups interact with each other. This also comes in to play when the formal systemdoes not work properly ie there are problems in the formal system and the workers orjuniors cannot express themselves properly.

Oral Communication It is the non-written or spokencommunication. It may be in the form of any type of speech

Non-verbal Communication This communication takes placewhen not even a word is spoken and is also called the body language

1.8 Answers to check progress/Suggested answers toSAQs

1. What are the significant aspects of technical communication?

Technical communication is different in many ways from the general communication.Various aspects which make it a special communication are discussed below:Subject Competence of the Sender Effectiveness of any technical communicationdepends on knowledge , skill, experience abilities and maturity etc of the sender of themessage. Unless the sender possesses professional skills and other appropriatecompetencies , the communication cannot become useful.

Ability to Present Technical Information Fluency in the language in which themessage has to be presented to others is an important factor in technicalcommunication. As this type of specialised transfer of information involvescollecting, collating and presenting scientific and highly sophisticated technical dateand information, the presenter must have appropriate language skills.

Ability to Organise Technical Information in a Structured Manner It involves theability to logically and sequentially present the information so that those who are nothighly skilled can also benefit from it. The sender must be able to assess the level ofcompetence of the reader or listener and structure the thoughts in appropriate way.

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2. What are the functions of communication? Explain with examples?

Communication is carried out for many different reasons. Some of the broad purposesof communication are given below. Student should develop them with the help ofinformation given in the lesson

Inform and Share with others

Any data, information or knowledge of any kind to be passed to others, is possibleonly through communication, whether general or technical.

Promoting an idea

If any idea is to be promoted , it has to be shared with others.

For purposes of education

Communication is necessary for giving lessons to educate others in any discipline.

Entertain

Can you imagine how boring the world would be if you could not watch the TV andmovies or other entertainment programs, hear any music or read a magazine?Entertainment industry is totally dependent on communication process.

Motivation/Persuationn

Motivation is the process of making others want to do what you want them to do. It isa very slow, cumbersome and difficult process and needs continuous interaction withpersons who have to be motivated.

Report

When ever there is a requirement of submitting ideas in a formal manner, a report hasto be prepared.

Orders /Instructions

Order is a communication which is given by seniors in position of authorityto juniors. Orders are given from top to bottom to do something or not to dosomething. Instruction is an order which also provides guidance and help to carry outthe order. Details of how a particular job is to be carried out are also provided andperson who issues instructions is always there to help the person, who has to carry outthe instruction.

Advice

An important purpose of communication is to give and seek advice.

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Warnings

Workers in any organisation need to be told about their short comings and theconsequences of not improving an undesirable behaviour. There are situations wherethe management of any organisation has to issue warnings to the workers or juniorstaff to act in a desirable manner..

Morale-boosting

Morale is a state of mind and when one has a high morale, one can do or achieveanything. Similarly, when one has a low morale, nothing is possible. Effectivenessand efficiency are the direct result of high morale of any worker

Negotiation

Here two or more parties discuss a problem to find a mutually acceptable solution

3. How can you classify the types of communication? Explain various types ofcommunication.

As far as communication is concerned, it can be classified as shown below:

Types of Communication

Type of channel Direction Method

Formal Downward Oral

Informal Upward Written

Horizontal/Lateral Use of body language

The details can be discussed by the students as given in the text of the lesson.

4. Justify in about 100 words that communication in any organisation is thesharing of thoughts, feelings and emotions

Communication is the process of sharing information. It is the transfer of informationand understanding from one person to another person. It is a way of reaching otherswith facts, ideas, thoughts and values. Communication of thoughts, ideas, feelings andemotions is so fundamental that nothing in this world is possible without it. It is sovital that it is said that all problems of the world are either because of lack ofcommunication or because of bad communication. What ever may be the views ofdifferent people on communication, one thing is certain and that is that it is the basicneed of mankind and is the foundation of any civilised society. Can you imagine anyactivity taking place in the world if people did not communicate? All the progressmade by human beings has been made possible because of their ability to

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communicate. It must be very clearly understood that communication is vital in everypart of life, be it private and personal, social, professional and business.

5. Narrate an example of failure of communication in your institution/place ofwork and the reasons thereof.

Hint: The student should take any live situation from daily life in the institution.He/she will realise that communication fails almost on all situations.

1.9 References/Bibliography

1. Sharma, R C and Mohan, Krishna, Business Correspondence and ReportWriting , Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi , 2002

2. Rizvi , M Ashraf, Effective Technical Communication ,Tata McGraw-HillPublishing Company Ltd, New Delhi,2005

1.10 Suggested Reading

1. Homai Pradhan, Homai, Bhende, B S and Thakur, Vijaya,BusinessCommunication Himalaya Publishing House , Mumbai, 1989

2 Monnippally, Mathukutty M, Business Communication Strategies, TataMcGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi,2002

3. Cheema, Col D S, . Business Communication Skills, Laxmi Publications PvtLtd , Delhi,2009

1.11 Terminal and Model Questions

1. Is there any difference between General and Technical Communication?Why is Technical Communication so important in modern businessworld?

2. How can communication be classified?

3. Do you think Downward Communication is more important than theUpward Communication? Why so?

4. Can Informal Communication become more important in certainsituations? How? Give suitable examples

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Lesson 2

Communication Theories and Non-verbalCommunication

Lesson Structure

2.1 Learning objectives2.2 Introduction2.3 Shannon and Weaver Model of Communication2.4 Non-verbal communication2.5 Benefits of non-verbal communication2.6 Limitations of non-verbal communication2.7 Summary2.8 Glossary2.9 Answers to check progress/suggested answers2.10 Reference/Bibliography2.12 Suggested reading2.12 Terminal and model questions


To understand communication theory of Shannon and WeaverModel of Communication

Learning the importance of Non-verbal form of communication

Understanding the benefits and limitations of non-verbalcommunication

2.2 Introduction

To understanding basic process of communication in the form of Sender, Receiverand the Media is very important How Noise can play havoc with communication mustalso be known to make communication more effective. Normally, oral/verbalcommunication is given a lot of importance and non-verbal communication gets

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neglected. Non-verbal communication plays very important role in professionalcommunication as well as in personal relationships. These are discussed in details inthe lesson.

Most of our communication depends on combination of verbal and non-verbalcommunication ie the symbols. In many cases, these verbal symbols can be totallyeliminated from certain acts of communication without any loss in the reconstructionof intended message provided the content of the non-verbal communication is richenough. The richer the non-verbal component, the less the need of verbal symbols.The weaker the non-verbal component, the greater the need for elaborating the verbalsymbols. Let us take an example. If you want to buy a railway platform ticket, youapproach the counter clerk and push through a five-rupee note through the window.The clerk takes the note and hand over the ticket and any cash to be given back. Herethe whole communication act has taken place without either of the parties exchangingeven a single word. How ever , in this process the desirable aspect of commoncourtesy of ,”A plat form ticket please” is lacking. Though this communication doesnot add any vital information to the act of buying a ticket. All it does is to make thetransaction a little polite. These words won’t be necessary if you were buying theticket from a ticket-vending machine..

The greater the need for elaborating verbal speech, the more abstract , and therefore,the more difficult the process of communication

2.3 Shannon and Weaver Model ofCommunication

Communication literature discusses many theories of communication. Here wediscuss the most basic communication theory of Shannon and Weaver.

In 1948, Shannon an American mathematician and electronic engineer andWeaver a scientist, joined hands to write an article in “Bell System TechnicalJournal” called “A Mathematical Theory of Communication”. The modelsuggested in the paper is called “Shannon-Weaver model of communication”.

This model is specially designed to develop an effective communication betweensender and receiver. Also they found factors which affect the communicationprocess and called it “Noise”. At first the model was developed to improve thetechnical communication. Later it’ was widely applied in the field of all types ofcommunication.

The model deals with various concepts like information source, transmitter,noise, channel, message, receiver, information destination, encode and decode.

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The model deals with various concepts like Information source, transmitter, Noise,

channel, message, receiver, channel, information destination, encode and decoded.

The model deals with various concepts like Information source, transmitter,Noise, channel, message, receiver, channel, information destination, encode anddecode

Information source Transmitter Reception DestinationSender-------------- Encoder-------- Channel----Decoder ----------Receiver-

Noise

-------------------------------- Feedback---------------------------------------------

Shannon-Weaver Model of Communication

Sender : The originator of message or the information source who selects the

desired message to be sent.

Encoder : The transmitter which converts the message into signals.

The sender’s messages are converted into signals like waves or Binary data which iscompactable to transmit the messages through cables or satellites. For example, in

telephone the voice is converted into wave signals and is transmitted through cables.

Decoder : The reception of the signal which converts signals into message. A

reverse process of encoding.The receiver converts those binary data or waves into message which can beinterpreted by the receiver. Otherwise receiver can’t receive the exact message .

Receiver : The destination of the message from sender.

Based on the decoded message the receiver gives the feed back to sender. If themessage is mutilated by noise it will affect the communication flow betweensender and receiver.

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The messages are transferred from encoder to decoder through different types ofchannels. During this process the messages may distracted or affected by physical noiselike horn sounds, thunder and crowd noise or encoded signals may distract thechannel during the transmission process which affect the communication flow orthe receiver.

2.3.1 Practical Example of Shannon-Weaver model ofCommunication :

Thomson made call to his assistant “come here I want to see you”. During hiscall, noise appeared (transmission error) and his assistant received “I want” only.Again Assistant asked Thomson (feedback) “what do you want Thomson”.

Here, different elements of the Model are as follows:

Sender : Thomson

Encoder : Telephone (Thomson)

Channel : Cable

Noise : Distraction in voice

Reception : Telephone (Assistant)

Receiver : Assistant.

Due to transmission error or noise, Assistant is not able to understand Thomson’smessages.

2.3.2 Criticism of Shannon-Weaver model ofcommunication:

One of the simplest models and is generally applied in variouscommunication theories.

The model which attracts both academics of Human communicationand Information theorist to help them in further research incommunication.

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It’s more effective in person-to-person communication than in groupsor in mass audience.

The model is based on “Sender and Receiver”. Here sender plays theprimary role and receiver plays the secondary role

Communication is not a one way process. If it were so, it would loseits strength. For example, an audience or receiver who is listening to aradio, is reading a book or is watching television is a one waycommunication because of the absence of feedback.

Understanding Noise helps to solve various problems in communication.

2.4 Non- verbal Communication

Communication also takes place when not a word is spoken. Communicating withoutwords can sometimes become a very useful and powerful tool. Non-verbal and non-written communication sends very powerful signals, which if interpreted correctly canconvey much more than the words, whether spoken or written. Well-knownmanagement consultant Nancy Austin has this to say about this form ofcommunication, “When people don’t know whether to believe what they are hearingor what they are seeing, they go with the body language- it tells the truth. You canplay fast and loose with words, but it is much more difficult to do with gestures.”Psychologists feel that though human beings speak with their vocal chords, theycommunicate with their face expressions, their tone of voice, and their whole body.

Importance of non-verbal communication cannot be over-emphasised as it hasimmense practical use. It is the communication without the use of written or spokenwords, like body movements, voice patterns and touch etc. It has immense practicalapplication in business world. Consider the statement of psychologist Marilyn Maple,“When you cannot consciously ‘read’ what others are saying unconsciously, you candeal with issues at work and at home-before they become problem” It is well-knownthat most of the non-verbal communication at work place revolves around power.Power is the capacity of a person to influence the actions of others-as perceived byothers. Power gives individual authority and status-consciousness. Those who havepower are seen by others as superior, bigger, larger than life and stronger and thiscreates an aura around them. People behave in respectful and fearful manner in theirpresence; they fold their hands for greetings and touch their feet spontaneously. Inbusiness world, when the boss arrives every one becomes more attentive to work,employees move about an orderly and respectful manner, they get worried andanxious when the boss calls them and so on. On the other hand people who feelpowerless and without any authority or status, their entire lifestyle changes and they

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give entirely different kind of body signals. Professor Albert Mehrabian has illustratedthis point by giving an example of an officer-soldier relationship in army. He says,“Status manifests subtly in a relaxed posture and way of interacting. The classicexample of a soldier standing at attention in the presence of a superior officer. Hisbody is extremely tense and in perfect symmetry-signs of subservience” Similar kindof situation prevails in any organisation when a junior employee is called by a seniorexecutive. Because of their status and role relationship one is in control of situation,gives instructions and other notes them down carefully and respectfully and sets toimplement them without raising an enquiry.

A child is less sensitive to changes in expressions of others or their body languagebecause his interpretation of those signals is not very mature. How ever as humanbeings grow to adulthood and develop the ability to analyse, they become highlysensitive to even very minor changes in gestures, expressions, postures, movement ofothers and relate different meaning to them. Frank Trippeti has this to say, “Homo-sapien as communicator does not seem to have come all that far when grunts andgesticulations were the main way of getting message across. Both individuals andgroups still send vital messages by gestures, by dramatics- by a dizzy diversity ofwhat scholars call non-verbal communication. It is felt that total impact of a messageis about 7 percent verbal, 38 percent vocal and 5 percent non-verbal. Roger E. Axtellhighlights the importance of this type of communication by saying, “As the globalvillage continues to shrink and cultures collide, it is more and more essential for all ofus to become erigarde, figuratively speaking, to the myriad motions, gestures andbody language that surrounds us each day”

2.4.1 Types of Non-verbal Communication

Types of non-verbal communication can be classified in the following manner:

2.4.1.1 Kinetics (Posture and Body Movements)

How we hold our bodies and the ways, in which we move them, different parts of thebody can communicate different things to different people. Body movements, in fact,have a language of their own.

2.4.1.2 Posture

Our shape and postures affect how we behave and show the attitude of a persontowards others. We cannot do much about the shape of our body because a lotdepends on the heredity, but we can, no doubt put our bodies in to effective use. Bothour body shapes and postures affect what we think about ourselves, how we relatewith others and how others relate to us or respond to our actions and emotions. It iscommon knowledge that when we meet friends, relatives, acquaintances, we act in aspontaneous manner, but when we are called by a superior or for an interview orwhile making a presentation, we become self-conscious and try to make the bestimpression on others, this itself may make our posture awkward. Leaning forwardmore than required, trying to sit erect and stretching unnecessarily etc. make animmediate impression on the other person.

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A forward –leaning posture indicates that person is interested in what is happeningand is emotionally involved in it. This posture is also associated with liking someone,when two persons like each other. Psychologists tell us that posture is one of the keyindicators of the type of state one is in. an erect posture indicates a person is confidentof himself, a drooping posture indicates sadness, a rigid or tense posturecommunicates anger or aggressive behaviour. While communicating, if one personleans towards the other and the other person tries to do something (move towards thatperson) it indicates agreeable, ‘wanting to develop a rapport’, attitude of the otherperson.

The following indications of posture can help a person in understanding the otherperson and in communicating better.

Standing erect and straight, sitting upright in a chair.

It is an indicator of self-confidence, enthusiasm.

Forward leaning towards the other person.

It is a sign of involvement, liking affection or intimacy.

Biting nails, looking down or around without facing the other person,

Indicates anxiety, worry, nervousness and inferiority complex.Leaning back in a chair and stretched out open legs.

It is a sign of confident and relaxed person, a “couldn’t careless” attitude.

Making conscious effort to sit straight with head high, feet apart while standing.

It shows the person the person is conscious of the presence of a senior or high statusperson and wants to make a good impression.

Sagging or drooping shoulders or an overall slumped posture.

It is a sure sign of a person who has accepted defeat in life and does not want tochange the situation.

Hands in pocket with legs wide open or hands closed in front.

This means a defensive mood of ‘do whatever you can’ attitude.

Folding two hands together on the groin and slightly lowered head.

Is an indication of subservient attitude or approach.

2.4.1.3 Physical Gestures

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Physical movement of arms, legs, hands, torso and head etc are the gestures whichhave significant effect on the other person Roger Axtell has this to say, “Withoutgestures, our world would be static, colourless. We see gestures daily almostinstinctively from beckoning to the waiter or punctuating a business presentation withvisual signals to airport ground attendants guiding an airline pilot into the jet way orparents using a whole dictionary of gestures to teach {or preach) a child .Thesegestures can be menacing(two drives on a free way) warm (an –open armed welcome) instructive (a policemen giving road directions) or even sensuous (the languidmovements of a Hawaian hula dancer)”

When some one shows ‘two thumbs up’, he is expressing approval

When some one makes ‘V’, with two fingers, he is indicating victory

When someone wants to know how big a fish did you catch, you have to just puttwo apart to show the size

The following physical gestures give a specific meaning to the other person:

A pointed Finger

A person pointing the fingers is indicating, telling, showing, something from aposition of authority

Arms hanging on both sides

Indicate a relaxation on part of the person

Hands on Hips

An aggressive, angry or defensive attitude

Shrugging of Shoulders

It indicates, ‘I don’t care’ approach

Frequent shifting of feet while standing and shifting of body while sitting

It implies anxiety and nervousness

A Firm Handshake

Indicates confidence

A Limp Handshake

Indicates lack of energy and enthusiasm in a person

Clenched Fingers

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Indicate anger and frustration

Classification of human gestures

Human gestures can be divided in to three categories as follows:

2.4.1.4 Instinctive Gestures

Such gestures are the response of the body to a stimuli. Most of the above gesturesfall in this category

2.4.1.5 Coded Gestures

These are the body gestures the meaning of which has already been established oragreed to in an organisation or a group of individuals

2.4.1.6 Acquired Gestures

These are the gestures which people acquire or adopt because of the cultural,economic or social background and hence are different in different cultures as what isunderstood clearly in one culture may not be interpreted in the same manner in adifferent culture. Kissing in public in Western countries is a show of affection, but incertain parts of Doha , India and Pakistan it may be considered obscenity. Japanesebend forward number of times as part of greetings, which hardly makes sense toothers. Extending open arm to others and embracing each other are considered signsof friendship in many countries including India.

2.4.1.7 Appearance

Psychologists tell us that our appearance, the type of clothes we wear, colours wechoose etc. convey a lot about our attitude and personality. It is said that a man isknown by his ‘dress and address’ By ‘address’ one means the way a personcommunicates orally and by ‘dress’ one means the type of clothes, jewellery,cosmetics , hair do a person uses.. Clothing can send different type of messages toothers about their modesty, how liberal or conservative a person is and even theincome of a person Many people believe that ‘clothes make a person’. It is wellknown that our perception of others is definitely influenced by the way people dress.

There are many ways of improving one’s appearance but certain other things likeheight or shape of the nose cannot be changed much. Height is one physicalcharacteristic which influences what is communicated in inter-personal relationship.Skin colour is another body characteristic that communicates non-verbally. Skin colorto racists means a lot.

2.4.1.8 Face and Eye Movement

A popular saying is that ‘Face is the index of mind’ A good or ugly face conveys alot to others. In face-to-face communication, this is perhaps the most important single

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factor. Our facial expressions display our emotions like anger, happiness, jealousy,sadness, love, frustration, shyness, arrogance etc. Also, eye contact its type andduration means a lot. A casual glance, looking at some body for a long period,avoiding eye contact, taking off the eyes from a person quickly leave differentimpressions on others. Smile , frown or laughter , all are expressed through face.

2.4.1.9 Proxemics

It is the ‘personal space language’ in the same way as ‘Kinetics’ is the language of themovements of body parts. The distance between two inter acting persons are called a‘close phase’ or a ‘far phase’ The former moves towards greater closeness and thelater moves towards lesser closeness

Touch communication also plays a very important role. It is known that anew bornbaby may die if she does not physical touch of the mother. Touching, holding andcaressing helps in the growth of young babies. Touch is also important to grown ups.When some one is depressed or aggrieved, he looks for some on whose shoulders hecan cry. A gentle caress on different parts of a woman’s body by a man or vice-a-versa shows sexual interest.

2.4.1.10 Paralanguage

It is the manner in which one says something rather than the word involved in sayingit, it is the ‘how’ of speaker’s voice, tone , pitch, emphasis, volume etc. rather than‘what’ of the spoken word. The speed or rate at which one speaks is also part ofparalanguage.

When we whisper to someone in library to pass on a magazine or a book, it conveys adifferent meaning rather than making the same request loudly. It shows our concernfor others in the library or otherwise.. When we ask some one by shouting at him toshut the door or reduce the volume of TV, we are showing our anger or unhappinessover the open door or loud volume of TV. The speed at which people speak is oftenconsidered important, as those who speak faster are considered intelligent and morecompetent than slow speakers. In fact, there is a relationship between the speed ofthought and speed of speech. If they are not synchronised, one may end up being non-coherent and meaningless.

Articulation ie our pronunciation is also important. Wrong pronunciation createsdoubts and difficulties in understanding. Common example of pronouncing the sameword by English, Americans and Indians are available all over. Accent also createsconfusion and difficulty in understanding. Pitch, the highness or lowness of voice isanother part of the paralanguage. Modulation of pitch along with ate and volumeaccording to the demands of the situation can create the desired impact.

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2.4.2 Roadblocks to non-verbal communication

There are many roadblocks which make our communication slow and ineffective. It isnot easy to remove them and move ahead, because many a times we are not evenaware of their existence. Hence, the first step should be to recognise by our personaland cultural experiences, and our background knowledge.

Perspective on things and people is shaped by our personal and socio-culturalbackground as well as knowledge and skill etc. Foe example, many people fail to seecertain type of information even when it is displayed prominently. People tend to spotwhat they expect because of this phenomenon. Each one of us develops a certainperspective and our actions are guided by that perspective. Our non-verbal symbolsare a result of our perspectives as well. Differences in perspective are probably themost treacherous of all communication roadblocks, because they are most difficult todetect. Every one is convinced of the validity of their own point of view. Thisdifference in perspective can result in loss of symbols, distortion of symbols andcreation of the new symbols; the three causes of miscommunication.

Similarly, difference in knowledge levels will also generate different type of non-verbal signals. One’s knowledge is the one that helps one make sense of the worldaround. It is a continuously growing virtually limitless and amorphous thing. Itshould be remembered that it is not only in scientific and technical fields where thedifferent levels of knowledge can cause communication problems. It can happen inany type and level of organisation or in the family set-up etc. A person of scholarshipmay disregard a low qualification level person by the wave of a hand

Lack of common language between the two persons, may prompt a person to dismissanother person with a different language which he does not understand, only with thewave of a hand. If some one speaks to me in Chinese, I will not be able to understandanything specially if there are no non-verbal communication symbols

Strong emotions play a very important role in use of body language signals. A personwho is annoyed with another may look at that person with a frown on his face or showa clenched fist or other gestures which signify his anger. Similarly a self-centredperson or an introvert may signal the other person by showing two open palms toremain away from him. A lazy person who is just not interested in any thing relatedwith others may show this by turning his face away from others.

2.5 Benefits of Non-Verbal Communication

Body language is the most visible aspect of communication.

It, therefore, helps the receiver of the message in decoding it properly.

It complements verbal communication.

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Especially in face-to-face communication, no message can be completely understoodif it is not accompanied by facial expression and gestures.It adds substantially to the process of communication.

In the absence of any gesture, change of posture, proper eye contact, anycommunication will appear bland and insipid.

Just imagine human beings not using any body language gestures while speaking andyou will understand how bland it will appear.

As people care for body language and try to use it for their advantage, it goes along way to improve the overall atmosphere and appearance of the organisation.

2.6 Limitations of Non-Verbal Communication

Facial expression, gestures and postures cannot be wholly relied upon

Body language may not always be taken serious as compared to the written or spokenwords.

People belonging to different cultural backgrounds send out different bodysignals.

These can, therefore be misunderstood. Hence, one has to be very careful in usingbody language.

Body language is ineffective in a large crowd or when people communicating areat a far off distance.

2.7 Summary

In this lesson, you have learnt about the theories of communication andcommunication networks. The earliest model of communication, Shannon andWeaver model has been discussed in detail. The importance of Sender, Channeland Receiver has been explained.

Importance of non-verbal communication has been highlighted in a section ofthis lesson. A lot is conveyed when not even a word is spoken. Forcommunication to be effective a student or a professional must understand therole of non-verbal communication. The benefits and limitations have also beenexplained

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2.8 Glossary

Shannon and Weaver theory It is the basic theory of communicationand explains the concept using Sender, Receiver, Media and Noise as essential partsof any communication.

Non-verbal Communication It is the communication when no words arespoken. It is also called the body language. Communication through reading andwriting is also non-verbal in nature.

Road blocks to communication Anything that distorts the quality ofcommunication may be called a road block; it may be due to various reasons in thesender, receiver, medium or the situation.


1. Identify the type communication that is taking place in the followingexample:

MD to his P S : Please tell Rajat (VP Marketing) to brief me on the marketingsurvey carried out by him in North East

PS: Sir, he has already left a CD for you and will come to brief you when everyou want.

2. Mr Ajeet Singh, the Office Superintendent, sees the President of thecompany Mr Ved Gupta coming . He folds his hands and says, “Goodmorning sir”. How ever, he gets no response. What kind of communicationhas taken place between them?

Answers

1. This is formal communication between the MD of the Company and his PersonalSecretary

2. The President ignores the greetings of the Superintendent conveying to him that heis too junior a person who does not matter for him.

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1. Sharma, R C and Mohan, Krishna, Business Correspondence and ReportWriting , Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi , 2002


3. Monnippally, Mathukutty M, Business Communication Strategies, TataMcGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi,2002


1. Rizvi , M Ashraf, Effective Technical Communication ,Tata McGraw-HillPublishing Company Ltd, New Delhi

2 Cheema, Col D S, . Business Communication Skills, Laxmi Publications PvtLtd , Delhi


1. What are the important characteristics which a Sender or Receiver mustpossess so that effective communication is possible?

2. What is the importance of Shannon and Weaver model ofcommunication? Explain .What is the major criticism of this model?

3. Is non-verbal communication more important than the verbalcommunication in certain situations? How?

4. Body language compliments the verbal communication. Comment withexamples

5. What are the limitations of non-verbal communication?

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Lesson 3

Essentials of Effective Communication(7 C’s and other principles)

Lesson Structure

3.1 Lesson objectives3.2 Introduction3.3 Levels of communication3.4 Fundamentals and principles of an effectivecommunication3.5 Improving quality of communication3.6 Summary3.7 Glossary3.8 Answers to check progress/suggested answers3.9 Reference/Bibliography3.10 Suggested reading3.11 Terminal and model questions


Understanding the need of clear and concise communicationin professional and personal life

Learning about the importance of media and noise incommunication

Learning how to make communication skills more effective

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3.2 Introduction

I know you heard what I said, but I am not sure you understand what Imeant.---Anonymous

The above quote from an anonymous author highlights the importance of effectivecommunication skills. You may hear what has been spoken but may not actuallyunderstand what the speaker meant .As is known most of the problems of the worldare either because of no communication or bad communication. This is the time forindividuals, groups, organisations and nations to seriously retrospect the route causeof their problems. If communication between these sections of the world-society wereperfect, there would be no wars, no strikes in work organisations, no argumentsleading to divorces, or murders etc. and there would be less policing, lesser number ofcourts and jails and mother earth would become a much better place to live in.Unfortunately, it is not so, because communication, though a routine affair, it ishardly understood fully by those indulging in it, they take it for granted even though itis a very complex phenomenon. Some good organisations make special efforts toensure that communication, whether it is Up ward Communication, DownwardCommunication or Lateral/Horizontal Communication, is as effective as possible.

Communication cannot be taken for granted as only the process of coding anddecoding the message. An illustration will explain this point. Communication may bemisunderstood where we are certain there is no room for misunderstanding. Thisexample has been taken from the Reader’s Digest. An American woman tourist was atthe New York Customs . She was returning from Sri Lanka where she had gone on ashort holiday. She was wearing a kaftan that she had picked up from there. Thecustom officer asked her as to what was her occupation. After a while she said“None”. The custom officer did not believe her and started searching her belongings.The half an hour of search cast her dear as she missed her flight. After the searchnothing objectionable was found out, so the woman asked the officer about hissuspicion and the search. He had mistaken her reply meaning “nothing” as herprofession being that of a nun. This had caused a lot of inconvenience to both theparties. In this case both were American who spoke English language and as suchthere could not have been any linguistic difficulty, yet the problem existed

One has to communicate to meet one’s basic needs because if we cannotcommunicate no one would know what we want, Apart from helping us to meet ourroutine needs and building relationship with others, effective communication gets uswhat we want in our profession. Communication is the key to success at work placeand in personal life.

We need good communication skills to:

Share our thoughts, feelings and ideas and experiences with others

Get things done from others

Know about things of our interest

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Put across to others what we want

Develop satisfying relationship with others

It is not possible to have total perfection in communication as human beings areinvolved and human beings are bound to commit some mistakes. The sender ofinformation and the receiver of communication or message are human beings.Message is framed and sent though a channel or medium by a human being, this isreceived and interpreted by another human being. It may be appreciated that manyuncertain and imponderable factors are involved in any human activity. How ever,every effort must be made to make communication as perfect as possible. T o thatextent, the receiver and the sender should make all out effort to improve the quality ofcommunication.

To be able to master the most important skill in life, you must remember thefollowing details.

3.3 Levels of Communication

Communication takes place at two levels:

Communication we have with our self

Communication we have with others

Communication with our self takes place in the form of

. The Thoughts that we have

The Meaning that we give to our thoughts

What we say to ourselves/ Manner in which we talk to ourselves onregular basis

Communication with others takes place in the form of

The extent to which we Listen to others.

The Meaning that we give to what others say

What we Say to others

The Manner in which we talk to others.

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3.3.1 Result-driven communication framework dependsupon:

Target Who do I want to communicate to?

Motive What do I want to communicate?

Outcome What is the result I want?

Message What is my key message?

Delivery How do I deliver my message?

Timing When do I want to deliver my message?

3.3.2 The basic things to be remembered are:

1. Put across the purpose of communication clearly and at an early stage

2. Learn to empathise with the person you want to communicate with

3. Try to listen and not hear

4. Make the other person comfortable to talk

5. Keep quiet and give other person the opportunity to speak

6. Arguments and criticism lead nowhere

7. Understand people and human nature

8. Read body language

9. Keep the communication as simple as possible.

Remember what Nelson Mandela said, “If you talk to a man in a language that heunderstands, that goes to his head, if you talk to him in his language that goes tohis heart.”

3.4 Fundamentals and Principles of an EffectiveCommunication

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Certain principles, if followed, can help in improving the quality of communication.These principles cover all areas of communication eg message quality, channels ofcommunication and conditions relating to receipt of message etc .An effectivecommunication is very essential

According to Levine and C Rom

“Here are the first steps to successful communication, follow them and you will beon your way:

Make communication a top priority

Be open to other people

Create a receptive environment for communication”

As has been brought out earlier communication is complete only when the receivergets exactly the same message as was intended by the source or sender. To make thecommunication effective, the following fundamental things must be kept in mind:

3.4.1 Is the media used for communication the most appropriate toachieve the objectives of the communication?

If it is plain simple exchange of information, may be a word on telephone is goodenough but if information, knowledge or wisdom is ment to be conveyed to a largegroup of audience seated far away from the source, a different kind of medis shouldbe used to make the communication (and resulting impact on the behaviour of thereceiver) as perfect as possible.

3.4.2 The principle of ‘Need to Know’

This is important in case of organisations etc. where every information cannot bepassed on to every one else and the principle of ‘need to know’ assumes greatimportance. A circular from the head office increasing the fuel allowance of certaincategory of executives need not be communicated to Grade IV employees of theorganisation. Similarly, increase in the EPF rates need not be communicated to thosewhom it is not applicable ie employees with pay lesser than Rs 10000/- How ever,increase in the Diwali bonus, availability of new /two wheeler park, must be made toevery one. This is related with ‘costliness’ of the decision to share information, incase of military secrets, it could result in catastrophic situations.

3.4.3 What is the Knowledge of the receiver, his educational andcultural background, his attitude, special circumstances in which heoperates in personal and professional life etc

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This is of utmost importance. If a person communicates with the other one withoutknowing his level of education, cultural background and attitude a big communicationgap will remain between the two; the sender of the information and the receiver

3.4.4 What is to be achieved by a particular communication? It isvery important, as unless there is a specific aim of the communicationas a purpose of, it is useless and be avoided.

The acronym KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid), tells it all. We should not expect thereceiver of the communication to labour to get the meaning. Many a good content arelost because the author has tried to weave the magic of the words, creating confusionand loosing the essence of simple straight forward communication. Often, a simplesentence of common words can make more sense than long sentences with number ofcommas and semicolons. Clarity of thought is reflected in the clarity of words.Keeping the communication simple, concise, and clear, whether oral or written, iseasier said than done. Some of the authors are more readable than others, when onereads them one feels as if what is being read is actually happening in front of thereader. It should be remembered that ultimately the reason for any communication isto express the ideas, thoughts and feelings and not to impress the receiver with one’sknowledge of words.

3.4.5 7 C’s of Effective Communication

According to Francis J. Bergin, communication should be:

1. Candid

2. Clear

3. Complete

4. Concise

5. Concrete

6. Correct

7. Courteous

Let us discuss them one by one.

Candid

According to Gay Handricks, and Kate Ludeman, “ If you make sure you are tellingthe truth, you , you won’t ever have to worry about people listening to you. Whenpeople do not listen, it is usually because the speaker’s got some thing else ot he orshe is communicating besides the truth.”

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It means that if communication is to be effective the message should be straightforward without hiding any truth.. The message should not be deceptive or untrue innature and what ever is to be conveyed should be done in a frank and honest manner.The communicator of the message should be very clear about the terminal result hewants ie, quality of communication should be so good that the designed message isconveyed faithfully

Clear

Clarity is the most important factor in communication. Clarity not only means clarityof expression but also clarity of thought process, What ever be the form of themessage it should be clear and unambiguous. Clear message can only be created by aclear mind. It is said that everything in the world is created twice; first it is created inthe mind and then the physical expression is given to it. The sender must be very clearabout the message to be conveyed and the level of the receiver, so that when thereceiver decodes the message, there is no doubt or confusion in the mind of thereceiver. For clarity, one should keep the following in mind:

Clarity in expression, whether in spoken or written words can come if one uses themost appropriate word. This warrants good vocabulary. Only precise and concretewords should be used. There is no point in using difficult words when other simplewords conveying the same meaning are available in English language.. For example,it is better to use ‘get’ rather than ‘procure’ etc.

Complete

This is the third C. It is obvious that incomplete message has no meaning. It can onlyresult in ambiguity and any number of inquiries from the receiver; this will result inwastage of time and inconvenience to all concerned. While designing the message, thetransmitter of the message must keep in mind the entire message, its logic andsequence so that the receiver gets exactly what he wants him to get. Time spent inplanning the message is worth the while because the receiver will understand itclearly and suitable action will be taken immediately.

About the completeness of the message, Herta A. Murphy, Herbert W. Hildebrandtand Jane P.Thomas, have this to say:

“Completeness offers numerous benefits. First, complete messages are more likely tobring the desired results without the expense. of additional messages. Second, theycan do a better job of building good will. Message that contains the information thatreceiver needs show concern for others. Third, complete message can help avertcostly law suits that may result if important information is missing. Last,communication that seems inconsequential can be surprisingly important if theinformation they contain is complete and effective.”

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You may keep the following in mind to ensure that message is complete in allrespects:

There are five Ws and one H which if answered, the message will be complete. Theseare; Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. Prepare a check list to be sure thatyou don’t miss out on anything.

Put yourself in the place of the receiver and think what could be asked by him.Include everything that can come up in the mind of the reader.

Don’t try to be precise at the cost of completeness.

Concise

Message should be framed by using the most appropriate words. The message shoulduse as few words as possible. Unnecessary details and beating about the bush is veryannoying for the reader. The receiver is a busy person and has no time to go throughstories which do not contribute to the content of the message. Many people tend togive detailed background or introduction when none is necessary. Concise does notmean that essential details are missed out. To be able to do that the person who draftsthe message must have clarity of the subject and what is expected of the receiver. It ispossible to use simple words instead of long phrases. If some information is alreadyknown to him or you have already forwarded to the receiver, there is no point inrepeating it.

Concrete

This C means that the information should not be vague but specific in nature. Somepeople purposely tend to be vague as they do not have complete information or do notwant to commit a specific thing to the receiver. Rather than saying that there are lakhsof unemployed youth in Punjab, it is better if specific number can be given. Thereceiver of the message will respect your information more as it will be more useful tohim.

When formal business letters, memos and advertisements have to be given the factsmust be sated rather than giving generalised information which is bound to confusethe receiver. A developer saying that his project is few minutes away from airport isincomplete and misleading information and any consumer can take him to the court oflaw. It is better to state that the project is 15 minute by road.

In this regard the views of Herta A. Murphy, Herbert W. Hildebrandt and JaneP.Thomas, are; “……concrete messages are more richly textured than general orvague messages; then they tend to be more vivid, dynamic and interesting”

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Correct

Decisions are taken based on information provided by various sources of information.If the information is incorrect in language, grammar, facts and figures etc. it will leadto wrong decisions and may even be disastrous for the organisation. Imagine whileplacing the order for some spare parts which are to be imported, an extra zero beingadded to the order. Incorrect messages in the form of statement, balance sheets etc cantarnish the image of the organisation which issues them. Correctness of messagewhich is transmitted is, hence, of utmost importance.. The following system may beadopted to make the message correct:

Always cross check facts and figures for correctness and where ever necessary,mention it in figures and words

Ensure that the type of and level of language used is the right one.

Check the sentence formation, grammar, spellings and punctuation etc. for itscorrectness.

Always read and re-read the message after drafting it.

Courteous

This may be last C , but has very powerful impact on communication. Basic courtesyand decency cannot be forgotten even if you do not have the best of business relationsand are fighting a law suit. You write “Dear Sir” even in such cases as per the normsof formal correspondence. The point is that one should try and create a healthy andfriendly environment in business dealings. Adopt the following rules:

Never issue out any communication when you are in foul mood. Relax and thinkpositive before drafting any communication.

Always adopt a polite and respectful language in all types of correspondence, internalas well as external

Let there be generous use of words like “thank you” and “please”

Never try to be sarcastic and admonishing and don’t- undermine the self respect of thereceiver

3.5 Improving the Quality of Communication

The following will help you improve the quality of communication:

3.5.1 Combine written /oral communication with visualdisplay for maximum effect

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Impact of any communication whether written or oral, formal or informal isenhanced when it is supported by LCD projector/visual presenter displays on thescreen. Anything seen is recorded better and retained better by the human brain.All presentations should be made with the help of display as facts and figures,diagrams and sketches, photographs etc. intricate and complex circuits can beunderstood much easily with such aids. Many people often keep a white board andmarkers at hand to explain their point to seniors/colleagues, juniors, clients,vendors, in fact any one who is interested in information or knowledge they have.It is good idea to combine the effect of one’s vocabulary, tone, modulation ofvoice, body language and visual display for successful expression of what onewants to convey.

Writing clearly and concisely

Who are the authors whose books make record sales? Not the ones with the best ofplots and stories but the ones whose writing is concise, clear, simple and readable.Those who write difficult language to prove their literacy excellence may get awardsbut their creations do not get noticed by the common reader. Any ambiguity kills thevery purpose of communication. Writing in a language to express is an art and can bedeveloped with practice. It involves the following:

(a) What is to be expressed?

(b) Who is the receiver of the written communication?

© What kind of language needs to be used?

(d)Any visual support needed?

(e) What else can be done to make the written communication morereadable, better understood and acceptable by the reader?

Repeat to ensure the message is driven home

There would be times when the level of the receiver the message needs to be drilledover and over again to ensure that it is driven home. It will depend upon theimportance and urgency of the situation and the advantage the sender wants to get bybeing absolutely sure that no ambiguity can reduce the impact of the communication,whether oral or written. In written communication, thee same idea is repeated withthe help of different examples, sketches, diagrams, photographs etc. In verbalcommunication, the speaker repeats message by laying extra stress on words andsentences, lowering and raising the voice, asking questions, providing clues, usinghands and gestures etc. Leaders repeat their vision, mission and goal to the masses onevery available opportunity. CEOs and leaders in business organisations put acrossthe core values to their workers and clients again and again. In Armed Forces, it is adrill to repeat the message till it is understood absolutely clearly. A manger tells a

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worker, “Well done and keep it up in future as well” and continues to reinforce themessage again whenever the worker does a good job, to ensure that the positive andgood feeling by the worker motivates him to do still better work. A mother or a coachsupporting good conduct and achievements is able to prompt the child or player tomake more effort. Message may be repeated till one gets the desired result.

Recognise the uniqueness of the individuals for goodcommunication

It is an every day experience that the receiver does not get exactly what the sendertransmits and there are many reasons for this. The sender and receiver are uniqueindividuals with different backgrounds, value system etc. as also they are unique intheir personality types, which is decided by factors like their ‘nature’ and ‘nurture’.Human beings differ in their psychological types, and this has major influence on thecommunication process as encoding, decoding and interpreting the message fordifferent types of personalities is different. Experts tell us 16 possible types based onfour psychological preferences, like Extroverts and Introverts, Sensors and Intuitive,Thinkers and Feelers, Judging and Perceiving types. If such psychological preferencesof sender and receiver are taken in to account, the communication can become moreuseful. Extroverts and Introverts have different communication styles as compared toSensors and Intuitive. For example, introverts tend to remain shy , speak less andrespond less, whereas extroverts talk more, listen less, try to become the centre-stageof all activities, are quick to pass judgements etc. These two types of individuals arebound to behave in entirely different manner while sending, receiving and interpretingthe message. The knowledge of the personality type of the sender and the receiverhelps one in understanding and interpreting the communication in a much bettermanner.

Communication and confidence level

A confident speaker making a presentation to his clients or a politician insisting thevoters to vote for him or a salesman wanting to clinch an important deal is bound tobe a winner .How ever, he must possess the conviction of his ideas, thoughts, andfeelings, sentiments and emotions etc which must be aligned towards the goal hewishes to achieve, get elected, win a contract, get purchase order etc. If one is notconvinced about the quality of one’s product himself, he may try any hard, he cannotsucceed in the absence of his conviction that the product or the service he is selling isthe best

Confidence is also a personality trait and is part of one’s attitude, some people areborn losers and some others are born winners, they get their attitude in the DNA (nodoubt attitude can be modified, though it is very slow, time-consuming andcumbersome process). Some people ooze confidence in the way they walk, talk, shakehands and act on proposals, some others spread the negative aspects of theirpersonality, anyone who comes across them. One must remember that the negativeemotions are infectious and spread mush faster than the positive ones.

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Communication by setting a good example

This best communication is done through ones own action, which other’s can follow.Self example is the best example as preaching anything is much easier than actuallyimplementing it .A corrupt politician cannot solicit support from generally goodvoters, a poor military leader cannot lead troops to victory and a lustreless CEOcannot take his company to new heights.

There is story about Mahatma Gandhi, which illustrates this point very clearly. It issaid that in pre-independence days, people had so much faith in Gandhi that they theirpersonal problems also to Bapu for finding a good solution. One lady whose grown upson was sugar-addict, took him to Mahatma and asked him to do something about it.Bapu asked the woman to come back after two months. When she went back to himafter two months, he just told her son that too much sugar was bad for health and heshould not consume the ‘white poison’. The woman felt very uncomfortable by thissolution and asked Bapu that why could he not this tell this to her son the first timethey had come to him two months back. Mahatma, it is understood told the lady, thatsince he did not preach what he did not practice and he was himself eating too muchsugar two months back, he could not have told her son to take sugar. He had left theconsumption of sugar only after the woman approached him and only then he hadrealized what it felt like leaving or reducing sugar intake.

3.5.2 Effective Listening as a Communication Skill

The Chinese sage who made this statement hundreds of years ago, “Speech isdifficult, silence is impossible” , perhaps realised that people find it very difficult tolisten to others. At the same time, active and empathetic listening is the ultimatecomplement one can pay another person. Few of us do it because it is very, very hard.Listening may be considered as the mother of all speaking. That is why one mustunderstand the anatomy of poor listening and identify the barriers to good listening.

Listening, the process of ‘hearing with a purpose’ is the communication skill whichmost people lack. .Charter (1974) defines listening as ‘intellectual and emotionalprocess that integrates physical, emotional and intellectual inputs in a search meaningand understanding”. Many problems, personal and professional, may getautomatically resolved if one resorts to listening.

In organisations, people at different levels of positions have different types ofresponsibilities and they are so much engrossed in them that they tend to shutthemselves off from the outside world. Routine impose so heavy constraints of timeon most of the executives that they tend to ignore importance of listening andmisunderstand their hearing of the problem as listening.

Some of the factors, which can help in effective listening, are

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One must not get prejudiced about a subject even before it has been discussed orpresented as uninteresting and useless for one’s needs. One should make an effortto find interest in the subject of conversation, discussion etc.

Many a time people are more interested about the way a person is talking, hisgestures and body language rather than focusing on the contents of the subjectmatter. It is more important to concentrate on ‘what’ part rather than the ‘how’, aslong as the message has been received correctly.

There is a tendency on the part of many an audience to show their knowledgeabout the subject being talked and they tend to pre-empt the speaker, interrupt himagain and again with the aim of passing judgement based on their personalopinions. This kills any worth while inputs from the speaker and thecommunication may even breakdown.

Listening is an art and one has to make special effort to listen. It involves hardwork to be able to focus on everything that is being said. In the communicationmodel, noise has been shown to intertere in the process. Distractions like peoplemoving in and out, telephone and cell calls being answered, drinks and eatablesbeing asked for etc. are all noise and hamper communication. Controls of theseare absolutely essential.

Respect the individuality of the individual. Give it to the speaker that he has put ineffort to explain his point of view, putting him down by ignoring his point of viewwithout any reason, can create emotional distrust, which is harmful for effectivelistening.

One’s body language speaks a lot about one’s attitude towards the speaker. Oneshould be careful not display any emotion through the gestures of hands, face etc.In fact, one should intentionally adopt a body language, which the other partyfinds encouraging and motivating to express his point of view.

Never offer any unsolicited advice or solution and if one does offer one, it has tobe in the best interest of the other person who has come to narrate a problem toyou. Paying attention to the problem for which a solution is being asked for fromyou in first place, saves a lot of time and embarrassment to both the sender and thereceiver.

Getting impatient and expecting or even hinting to the speaker to finish can bedisastrous. Let the speaker have his say if you have chosen to listen to him andhave allotted a particular slot of time for that process.

Listener’s role is only confined to concentrating on the issue and interpretingcorrectly what the speaker says, not distracting him. Listeners must not becometalkers.

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3.6 Summary

Effective communication is essential in personal as well as professional life. Thatis why organisations lay a lot of emphasis on quality communication skills oftheir employees.

There are certain fundamental principles which if followed, the communicationcan be very good. 7 Cs of effective communication have been discussed in thelesson. There are a number of problems because of which quality ofcommunication suffers. Methods of improving the quality of communicationhave been discussed at length.

Listening is also communication, but unfortunately this is the least effective.Most of the people only hear but don’t listen. This creates a lot of long termproblems which waste a lot of time, energy and effort of individuals andorganisations. There is a need to train people to listen on the same lines ascompanies train their employees for developing good quality oral and writtencommunication skills.

3.7 Glossary

Principles of communication Certain fundamental rules which iffollowed, good quality communication is possible7Cs of communication Effective communication is possible ifone follows the 7 Cs ie Candid, Clear, Complete, Concise, Concrete, Correct andCourteous

Effective Listening Listening is hearing with a purpose,effective listening is when the listener gets exactly what the speaker wishes to convey,words as well as feelings and emotions.


1. State whether the following statements are true or false. Justify youranswer in at least fifty words each.

(a) Communication basically means “Sharing”

(b) There is hardly any difference in general and technical communication

(c) Communication can be made very impressive if your vocabulary ispowerful

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2. What are the fundamental principles of effective communication and giveexamples of the importance of feedback

3. Why is listening so important? What can be done to improve quality oflistening?

Answers:

1.

(a) True

(b) False

(c) False

2.

Fundamental principles of effective communication are the 7Cs discussed in thelesson. Explain them with examples.

Feedback is of utmost importance in the basic process of communication. Unlessthe sender knows whether the message he wishes to convey to the receiver isbeing received exactly in the same manner as he wanted it, communication willserve no purpose. As is well known communication suffers because of anynumber of reasons in the sender , the receiver and the medium. The sender mustget feedback from the receiver whether the message has been correctly receivedby him or not.

3.

Listening may be considered as the mother of all speaking. That is why one mustunderstand the anatomy of poor listening and identify the barriers to goodlistening.

Listening, the process of ‘hearing with a purpose’ is the communication skillwhich most people lack. .Charter (1974) defines listening as ‘intellectual andemotional process that integrates physical, emotional and intellectual inputs in asearch meaning and understanding”. Many problems, personal and professional,may get automatically resolved if one resorts to listening.

In organisations, people at different levels of positions have different types ofresponsibilities and they are so much engrossed in them that they tend to shutthemselves off from the outside world. Routine impose so heavy constraints oftime on most of the executives that they tend to ignore importance of listeningand misunderstand their hearing of the problem as listening.

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3.9 Reference/Bibliography




1. Sharma, R C and Mohan, Krishna, Business Correspondence and ReportWriting , Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi ,



1. What does one mean by candid communication? Can it not hurt the otherprinciple of being courteous?

1. What is the importance of media in communication? Explain with thehelp of suitable examples.

2. How does effective listening improve the quality of communication? Givesuitable examples.

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Lesson 4

Barriers to Good Communication

Lesson Structure

4.1 Learning objectives4.2 Introduction4.3 Classification of barriers4.4 Another method of categorisation of barriers4.5 Inter-personal barriers4.6 Summary4.7 Glossary4.8 Answers t0 check progress/suggested answers4.9 Reference/Bibliography4.10Suggested reading4.11 Terminal and model questions


Understanding the importance of good communication inmodern business world

Understanding the reasons why communication fails orquality of communication suffers

Learning what can be done to ensure barriers do not affectthe quality of communication?

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4.2 Introduction

Communication is the heart and soul of individuals and organisaions. , how ever thereare a large number of factors which hinder the proper flow of communication anddeliberate has to be made to keep this flow going. One must understand the factorsthat affect communication, so that CEOs, managers and even husbands and wivesknow what to do and what not to do to maintain an effective of flow ofcommunication in all directions in the interest of the organisations and humanrelationships. Peter F. Drucker, one of the greatest Gurus of management, hasobserved, “We have more attempts to communicate today, more attempts to talk toothers, yet communication has proved elusive. The noise level has gone up so fast thatno one can really listen any more to all that babble about communication. But clearly,there is less and less communication. The communication gap within the institutionsand between groups in society has been widening steadily- to the point where itthreatens to become an unbridgeable gulf of total misunderstanding.

4.3 Classification of Barriers

Following are some of the categories of barriers to communication:

4.3.1 Mechanical Barriers

Such barriers are like channel noise, channel breakdown, delay in receiving andsending written communication etc. The control of these barriers is very simple and iswithin the hands of sender and receiver

4.3.2 Status Barriers

These could be between superior and subordinate, between rich and poor, one castand religion and the other. Such barriers are more prominent in poor under- developedand developing counties.

4.3.2 Inter- personal hostility barriers

Such barriers come up when one party does not want the other party to get thesatisfaction of admitting that the other party has a good idea.

4.3.3 Due to complexity and movement of information

Barriers may also due to the type of information and the quality of cannels used.Communication can be diluted, distorted and delayed.

4.3.4 Cultural attitudes

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Like being tough and strict, mild and accommodating, being rational and logical, notgetting emotional in professional matters and so on.

4.4 Another method of categorisation

Another method of categorisation is as follows:

4.4.1 Intrapersonal Barriers

All individuals are created unique. It is so because having two exactly psychologicallysimilar human beings is against the laws of nature. Hence people have differentidiosyncrasies. This difference is caused because of unique personality eachindividual possesses; they are different in their education, economic background,values and beliefs and experiences. Because of this reason, people tend to interpret thesame event or happening in different ways. The causes of intrapersonal barriers are:

Difference in perception

It is discussed elsewhere in detail. How ever, you may recall the story of six blindmen and their description of the elephant. Their description f elephant as a fan, a rope,a wall, a sword, a snake and a tree were all right as that is what they perceived theelephant because of their touch. This is how different individuals perceive reality.

Wrong assumptions

Many a times people assume that the other person understands fully what we aretrying to tell him. This may turn out to be wrong assumption and the communicationgets mutilated. Imagine a doctor telling a poor patient from village background to takethe medicine, “BD” or ”OD” or “SOS”. This will make no sense to him unless thedoctor explains the meaning eg. Once a day, twice a day and as and when required.The sender must understand the background of the receiver of the message and onlythen speak in a particular language, jargon or acronyms etc. A skilled communicatorshould never assume that his audience will understand everything he is going to say.That is why good speakers check up about the level and experience of the audiencebefore they address them. Political leaders are expert in this aspect; they bringthemselves down to the level of their target audience and even dress themselvesaccordingly. Some leaders behave in the manner and style of their audience.

Difference in backgrounds of the sender of the message and thereceiver

Understanding the background of your target audiences is of importance if correctcommunication is to take place. An IT professional understands the language of

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software very well but if he starts using it while addressing a group of civil engineersor doctors, they will miss the communication. Imagine a professor explaining hisexperience of visiting US and narrating the culture, etiquette and manners and thetype of jargon used by the Americans, to seventh class students of a village school. Oran army officer giving details of a battle using the typical army language, the studentswho have no idea of such situations may not understand much and there will be largenumber of gaps in the communication.

Some other common barriers to good communication are discussed here.

144.2 Physical barriers

Since communication is a two way process between the sender and the receiver,sometimes physical distance becomes a barrier. So much so that studies indicate thatif people are more than 10 meters apart, the probability of communicating at leastonce a week is only 8-9 percent vs. 25 percent at 5 meters. In certain companies, theyare getting rid of little four-person round tables and replacing them with army messtables, long rectangular ones, which are likely to be used by strangers and not just byfour people who already know each other.

4.4.3 FilteringIt refers to people at different levels manipulating information to please their seniors,

they distort the information to get a favourable response from the boss. It is wellknown that many juniors want their seniors to see only that which will please them. Insituations facts and reality become casualty. In organisations where the hierarchy islong, this is a pronounced problem.

4.4.4 Organisation structure hierarchy barriers

WC Bennis says “communication gets distorted particularly ass it goes up thehierarchy”. If the number of layers are more, the communication is likely to getdistorted at every level as every as person/level interprets it differently dependingupon their own perceptions, experiences etc. Good and accurate flow ofcommunication is possible if the organisation structure is simple.

4.4.5 Semantic barriers

Semantic is the science of meaning. It is a common experience that one word orsymbol may mean different things of different people. Since the meaning orinterpretation attached to a particular word or symbol may be different by the senderand the receiver, the communication is likely to fail. Words like trunk, boot, toast,drink, can mean different things to different people depending upon their education

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and experiences etc. So, the sender must be careful in choosing the words keeping inmind the background of the receiver.

4.4.6 Difference in perception

There are many factors which contribute to difference in perspective; the social,economic , cultural and educational background in which one has grown up in, one’spersonality, temperament, religion and political views , values and beliefs andpersonal experiences etc. Every one develops a perspective of the world in which helives ie how one looks at the world as a whole Because of the human nature,heredity, grooming and environment etc., individuals tend to interpret same things indifferent manner. What the sender transmits is according to his own understanding,experience and interpretation and what the receiver interprets is based on hisbackground and a large number of personality traits. Perception of the receiver aboutthe sender is also an important factor, if a dishonest politician preaches his voters tobe honest; most of the voters are not likely to take him seriously. Similarly, anincompetent superior or a poor leader of men will not be taken seriously by hisubordinates and men.

Steven Covey , of Seven Habits of Effective People fame, narrates a thought-provoking experience he had on a New York. subway one Sunday. A man and hischildren entered the quiet subway car. The children started running up and down,yelling back and forth, throwing things and grabbing people’s papers. The man satquietly with his eyes closed, oblivious to what was going on . The other passengerswere irritated and angry that the father wasn’t doing any thing to control the unrulykids. So after a while Steven Covey turned to the man and asked him if he couldn’tcontrol his children a bit more. The man readily agreed with Covey but added thatthey had just come from the hospital when his wife-the children’s mother- died anhour before. He didn’t know what to think; the children didn’t know how to handle iteither. The new information, says Covey, brought about paradigm shift in his mind.He started looking differently at the man, the children and their behaviour. Thechildren’s behaviour and the father’s inaction had been inexcusable from Covey’sperspective as a passenger. Now their behaviour made sense to him. But for that pieceof information, which he sought and got, he would have gone away with a verydifferent picture of what had happened there.

When the young children speak of the ‘generation gap’, it is because of the differencein their perspective and that of their parent’s or grand parent’s perspective. Is it notstrange that the parents who have raised the children and have intimately seen themgrowing during all the stage, should be told by the same children that they (Parents)don’t understand them. Parents have also gone through the same stages when theywere as irresponsible as their children are today, but they expect the children tobehave In a more mature manner. The reason is simple; they look at their childrenonly as parents and miss out on the children’s point of view.

4.4.7 Stereotyping

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It refers to the impression about a particular group of people. It is often seen that wetend to categorise people according to some general and popular belief, which are re-enforced by our own experiences of life. A man from a particular class is seen withthe same characteristics, which we associate with that category of people. A personfrom Bengal may be seen as well-read with understanding of art, music and so on.How ever, one from Punjab may be seen as tall, handsome, well-built, fun –loving butnot highly educated and lacking manners and etiquette. Such classification of peoplemakes our assessment biased in relation with gender, caste, community and religion,status etc.

4.4.8 Halo effect

Halo effect is created by one person by the other about him. It basically meansjudging the other because of some personality traits, happening, and events etc.perception. If an executive from military background, who values discipline,punctuality and integrity as the most important traits of the personality of aprofessional, he may rate a subordinate as very good even when he is not competentand effective in his work. Once an individual frames a particular type of impressionabout the other based on a particular personality trait, he will always see the person inthe same light in all situation.

4.4.9 Cultural background

Verbal and non-verbal communication is affected by the cultural differences also.Whereas people from Lucknow use very courteous and polished language, peoplefrom Punjab are highly energetic and warm in their relationship and this is shown intheir interaction with others. Similarly, people from Japan and Russia have specifictype of greetings symbols and behavioural patterns in formal and informal meetings.This can create confusion in the minds of the people who are not aware of suchthings and they may misunderstand many situations. For example, it is commonpractice in Western countries for men and women to kiss each other when they meet,however, this may be considered highly objectionable in our culture.

4.4.10 Barriers due to lack of mutual trust

Lack of mutual trust between the sender and receiver can be the cause of poorcommunication. Free exchange of ideas feelings and thoughts is possible only whentwo parties believe as true what is being communicated between the two. If onesuspects the other to be hiding information in conveying some thing, the other reactsin a similar fashion which may create a credibility gap and the quality ofcommunication suffers.

4.4.11 Psychological barriers

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Individuals suffer in their psychological reactions to a threatening situation becauseof a number of reasons. But it is natural for them to resort to a defensive mechanismor display anxiety- reducing behaviour when they perceive a threat. A junior manageris known for his competence, when produces a substandard piece of work and isconfronted by his superior, may deny that he did it, as it will affect his self image in anegative manner. He may come out with any number of arguments to justify hiposition, ass he cannot let the boss go with the feeling that he could also do a shabbyjob.

4.4.12 Self-fulfilling prophecy

It has been established that behaviour of people is because of their expectations andoutcome from individuals, events etc. It is also called the Pygmallion Effect based onstory of a Greek sculptor who made the statue .of a beautiful woman and fell in lovewith it hoping and expecting that it would one day of life. According to mythology,the statue did come to life after the sculptor waited for a long time. If a father expectshis son to become a doctor, he would start seeing the qualities of a good doctor in himand will promote and defend him to a doctor to all costs. The father’s all verbal andnon –verbal communications will convey to his son of his expectations from him.

4.4.13 Individual factors like emotion and attitude etc.

Personality traits of individuals have impact on the quality of communication. One’sbirth, grooming, the surroundings he has grown up in, in fact, all factors related to‘nature’ and ‘nurture’ effect the way of people communicate. Deeply religious people,sensitive, and emotional people, people with rigid and fixed predispositions aboutvarious things and issues, communicate in different manner. Similarly, introvert andextrovert people communicate in different styles. Emotions like joy, anger, jealousyusually overtake rationality. Inability to find suitable words to express happiness orsadness, not being able to convey what one wants to when he is angry and hurt arewitnessed by us in our daily routine. A psychologically weak person may see a deadbody and may start crying whereas another person may take it very calmly as a realityof life. A confident person shows through his enthusiasm, expressions in words andbody language as being on top of the world, another person may feel threatened underslight pressure of work like meeting deadlines.

4.4.14 Barriers due to casual approach and inadequateattention

All the people do not pay equal attention to all the matters. A hockey player may feelvery happy and may catch the point straightway if examples related with his favouritegame are used by the speaker. A student may not read notice boards of school orcollege because of his casual approach towards studies. A busy man may land up on awrong day or time in a party he has been invited to. If the receiver of the message is

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casual or pays little attention to the message, the communication is bound to bemisunderstood.

4.4.15 Barriers due difference in knowledge levels

About knowledge it is said, “the more you know, the more you realise how little youknow”. There is so much to know that no one can know every thing about every thing.Different people have different type of knowledge. Some one may know a lot aboutspace technology but knows nothing about astrology or literature; similarly anotherperson may be a great writer but does not know much about physics as a subject.When we communicate the level of knowledge of the parties involved plays a vitalrole. A professor of Thermodynamics from MIT should not speak to a tenth classstudent about physics unless he can bring himself down to the level of the student.

Knowledge is not what is learnt in the class room. Most of us actually learn from ourexperiences more than what can be learnt from years of school, college or universityteaching. But there is no doubt is knowledge makes us understand the ways of theworld, what is happening around us. The difference in knowledge of people can createmajor road blocks in communication between them. A short story, by an unknownauthor will help you to understand how difference in levels of knowledge can createmisunderstanding.

“I have learnt some of white man’s magic,” said the African chief on returning to hiscountry after a brief stay in England,”

“What?” asked his brother.

“I know how to make rain. First, you must make a smooth piece ground and get grassto grow on it. Then you carefully tend the grass. After that you place some sticks inthe grass, and get some men to put on all-white clothes. Two of the men have to carrypieces of wood called ‘bats’ and another man has to carry a red ball. After a bit ofrunning about between the sticks by two of the men and some throwing of the redball, it will rain”

Though two persons with knowledge may be speaking about the same thing but theywill stick to their version to be true and the other person’s view as wrong. When yougo to different doctors, an allopath , a homeopath or a ayurved , they may explain thesame symptoms of the same disease in different ways, as one does not understand)ordoes not want to understand) the other person’s view either because of lack ofknowledge or his professional ego. In fields of science and technology, variation inknowledge cause a lot of communication problems.

Every organisation worth its salt has a Vision, Mission, Strategies and Values andBelief statement prepared and displayed prominently. The top management may bevery clear about what such statement mean, but at operational level such things makeno sense. Similarly, the problems at the worker’s level are not understood by the topmanagement in the right perspective. The worker at the operational level may not beable to make his superiors understand the problem because of the difference in theknowledge of the two. In a family of 4-5 members there may be vast difference of

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knowledge. In olden days when the mothers were generally illiterate, it was verydifficult for the children who were educated, to communicate with her.

In A Doctor’s Odyssey, Victor Heiser says that in the 1930’s doctors and healthworkers in the Philippines found it difficult to persuade the Filipinos to boil theirdrinking water. One day took a tour of some houses in a district. In each house heasked if they used boiled water. He was surprised to get an unhesitant ‘Yes’ in eachhouse. When he got the same answer in the fifth house, he decided to delve a bitdeeper. “How do you use the boiled ware?” he asked. “We take tea spoonful threetimes a day,” back came the reply.

4.4.16 Lack of common language

If some one speaks to my illiterate mother in English language, she will be bewilderedand get nothing out of spoken words. Similarly, if you speak to me in Russian, I willhardly be able to make sense of it. In India, languages and their dialects change everyfew hundred km. As a matter of fact, in Punjab alone there are so many dialects that itsometimes becomes difficult to understand the complete sentences without clarifyingcertain words.

Use of slangs and jargon by different people can also create confusion in the minds ofthe people. The words, phrase, shortcuts and electronics and internet jargon used bythe young generation is not understood by their parents and other elderly people. Infact, many young boys and girls fool their parents and grand parents by speaking in aparticular ‘lingo’ in the presence of others. When you tell some one to burn the CD, itis not that you want him to destroy it with fire but to write it on another CD.Similarly, words like “trunk”, “boot” and “dicky” have different meaning for differentpeople. “I will give you a ring the moment I reach home”, is a very commonly usedsentence to convey that telephones call will be made. The word ‘ring’ here is forgiving a phone call and does not have a literal meaning.

4.4.17 Drawing wrong inferences

Some times people tend to draw wrong inference from what they have been told byothers or have seen themselves and use that information to take decisions and for afollow up action. There is a story about the CEO of a company who went abroad tolearn about the concept of MBO (Management By Objectives). He learnt everythingthat was to be learnt and was so impressed with concept that he wanted to apply it tohis own organisation. While in the flight back home, he utilised the time to jot downwhat tasks should be allotted to whom out of his senior executives. The executiveswere shocked when they were allotted the tasks as many a task was not practicallyviable. The CEO had forgotten the basics of MBO, “Participation”, which is the bloodthat flows in the veins of the concept. Drawing such wrong inferences could bedisastrous for the organisation

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4.4.18 Attitude of “I know all”

There are people who think they know everything that are to be known. They live inthe cocoon of self-sufficiency and behave with others as if every one else except themis ignorant. They tend to impose their views on others and don’t understand the pointof view of others. They forget that, “The more you know, the more you realise thathow little you know” While negotiating, it is important that you give the other personto put forward his point of view before you give your point of view. It gives you thebenefit of knowing the other person’s strategy in negotiating and then forming yourown strategy to convince him about your point.

4.5 Interpersonal Barriers

These barriers are because of an individual’s knowledge, skill, competency, attitude,habits, etiquette and manners, type of body language etc.

4.5.1 Ineffective communication skills.

Delivery of the message to the audiences is important. This may happen due to any ofthe following reasons:

4.5.2 Limited vocabulary of the sender

Poor vocabulary is one of the important reasons in not being able to make goodcommunication, whether it is verbal or in writing. The idea is that the sender shouldbe very clear which word would be most suitable and best understood by the receiver.Good vocabulary is one thing; ability to use it is another. Good vocabulary and properformation of sentences which are delivered confidently can leave very goodimpression on others.

Difference in speed of thinking and speed of speech is yet another reason. There arepeople who tend to make non-coherent speech due to lack of coordination betweentheir speed of thought and speed of speech. Overzealousness on the part of thespeaker to speak fast thinking that it will impress others must be curbed.

Inability to analyse and frame the ideas in a logical and sequential manner Somepeople have limited intellect and are not able to comprehend and analyse a situationso that only correct things are spoken or written.

4.5.3 Poor listening skill

Those who want to speak and don’t have the patience to listen, end up as poorcommunicators. Most of us hear; the difference between hearing and listening beingthat listening is hearing with purpose. Unless you are very clear about what othershave to say, you cannot answer the queries appropriately. When you hear, theproblems don’t get solved; they are perhaps put under the carpet for some time. But

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when you listen, the problems get solved for ever. Business executives should begood speakers as they have to interact with large number of people orally, how ever ,they should be better listeners.

4.5.4 Noise in channel

Any interference in the sent message not being received by the receiver in the exactform, is because of many factors; one of them is ‘noise’. Noise here refers tobreakdown in communication or poor communication. Noise may occur due totechnological errors or physical reasons, these can be rectified easily. Physical noiseof machines, human words at high pitch, sound of loud music, workers holding unionmeetings in which tempers run high and so on.

4.5.5 Organisational barriersBarriers are not limited only to individuals and groups of people; organisations alsohave barriers which result in poor communication. Every small or big organisationhas a culture of its own which has been developed over the years. The good practiceswhich many companies use may restrict the functioning of a pro-active executive. Thetype of hierarchy used in the company can also dilute the quality of communication.In certain organisations, a worker at the operational level may have access to the MDin important matters, where as in some others they must follow the upward channel ofcommunication rigidly and any one violating it may be punished.

In big organisations, people may be shifted from one location to other quite often.While the transfer of the person may be in the interest of the company, the aspect ofhuman emotions and inconvenience also must be kept in mind while ordering suchtransfers. In certain organisations, the superiors are not respected but are feared by thejuniors. A junior person may postpone giving information or even hold it backpermanently as he is scared of being admonished or punished. Free flow ofinformation, on the principle of ‘need to know’ is very important. For want of correctand timely feedback, certain opportunities may be missed and the organisation mayloose big profits. Encouraging the juniors to give innovative ideas without any fearcan benefit the organisation hugely.

Some organisations create unhealthy competition because of wrong policies,procedures, rules and regulations, biases and prejudices etc. Introducing incentivesand awards or policies of punishment must be done very carefully. As a goldenprinciple, appreciation must be done in public and criticism must be done in private.

The type of media which is used for internal and external communication in theorganisation also plays an important role in improving the quality of communication.Information processing methods may also cause information over load and result inpoor quality of communication. Organisations must keep in mind type of message,intended audience, time and cost at the back of their mind while choosing the rightmedia. Usually, it is a mix of different type of media which is used.. It may be

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promotional articles in newspapers, advertisement in print and electronic media oremail/SMS messages.

4.5.6 People with personality that has strong emotions

Too much of any emotion can make one blind of the actual reality. It is said that loveis blind, how ever , in practice hatred, jealousy, introvertedness, extrovertedness,anger etc can all make one blind. When one is ceased with rage, no rational decisioncan be taken. We read about the example of road rage, where the commuters shooteach other dead. Similarly father shoots a son or daughter or a son murders hismother, father and brother. When one commits such heinous crimes, he is in the gripof anger and rage does not see any logic or reason. When one is angry, his non-verbalcommunication in the form of body language conveys a lot of negativity. An angryperson loses coherency of speech, his blood pressure goes up , he clinches his fists inthreatening manner and so on. Management of emotions is the key to mangerelationships and hence stress.

It is known that our feelings and emotions are generated by thinking. There are fivemajor recognised feelings of happiness, anger, sorrow, fear and anxiety. Otherfeelings like guilt, jealousy, resentment, self-pity etc. are variations or combinationsof these. We may go through same incident or happening but each one of us will havedifferent feelings associated with that happening. Emotions are essential part of ourlives and are aroused to different levels depending upon many complex factors relatedto our heredity and bringing up. It is common to see people getting in to differentmoods and feelings like, anger, anxiety, love, hate, fear, joy, sadness, happiness andso on. All emotions have impact on our behaviour.

People who display very strong emotions are not able to community accurately as the‘heat of the moment’ does not let them act rationally.

In his book Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman writes an experience of 1963about ‘emotional hijacking’. A man called Richard Robes who was a criminal and hadbeen jailed was granted parole. He had decided to quit the life of crime but he brokein an apartment to get some money for his girl friend and his three years old daughter.Out of the two women who lived in the apartment one was at home when Robescommitted the crime. He tied her up and looted the house. While he was about toleave the other woman also came in. He decided to tie her up as well. One of thewomen told him that she will not get him go free as she remembered her face and shewill surely get him jail. Since Robes wanted to lead a life of peace and did not want togo back jail, he murdered both women in a fit of anger. When he was asked why hecommitted the double murder, he said, “I just went bananas. My head just exploded”.Goleman calls such emotional explosion as neural hijacking

4.5.7 Self-centredness or Obsession with Self

Human nature is being selfish, Every one looks for something for him in everythingthat happens. No one looks at world in an objective manner. Being selfish is not badas unless people are selfish there would be no progress in the world. As long as the

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selfishness and self-centred approach is within the limits , it is not damaging. Thisshould be checked on the test of being reasonable and fair. Self-centred peoplestrongly believe in their own logic and decisions. Such people have very short visionand don’t look beyond their personal interest. They are not concerned with thepoverty and miseries of the people and are happy too spend crores on their personalpleasure even when people are dying around them. They believe in “I, Me andMyself” philosophy and go to any extent to make illegitimate profits at the cost ofothers. In recent times, when Utranchal was struck with disaster, there were manywho were looking for opportunity to make quick money. Some seniors who arebothered only about their own ambitions and promotions, treat their juniors verybadly but bend backwards to meet any demand of their seniors.

4.5.8 Plain Laziness to make effort for good communication

Good communication does not come easy; one has to make special effort to do that.It is difficult to communicate properly because one has to find most appropriate wordto write or speak, one must be careful about how it is spoken or written. Also, thebody language or the non-verbal aspect has to be kept in mind. Even with goodintentions, one may convey something bad or evil if the language and words are notchosen carefully.

Laziness leads to mediocrity; it sacrifices excellence .A casual and lazy approach toanything in life does not help one to move ahead in life. One does not plan anyactivity including the activity of communication. Many people find short-cuts yoanything they do. Rather than doing it himself, an executive may delegate work to ajunior even when it is known that the person does not have the competence to take upthat task. Have you not noticed that while speaking on phone people keep watchingTV or reading a newspaper or a book? When some one wants some information, wemay give it depending on our memory and not make the effort to find the rightinformation.

4.6 Summary

The importance of quality of communication is realised when you see so manyproblems around the world, whether there is a problem between the nations,organisations or individuals. There are so many reasons because of whichcommunication is not perfect. The concept of ‘perfect communication’ is that thereceiver gets exactly what the sender transmits. There could be intrapersonalbarriers, interpersonal barriers and organisational barriers. Individualpersonality plays a very important role in the quality of communication.

Different types of barriers have been discussed in detail in this lesson.

4.7 Glossary

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Intrapersonal Barriers .People with unique personalities tend to interpret thesame event or happening in different ways. Barriers created by uniqueness ofindividual interpretation is called intrapersonal barriers

Interpersonal Barriers These barriers are because of an individual’sknowledge, skill, competency, attitude, habits, etiquette and manners, type of bodylanguage etc.

Physical Barriers These are the barriers because of distance or disturbance in themedia

Stereotyping It refers to the impression about a particular group of people

4.8 Answer to check progress/Suggested answers toSAQs

1. Identify the communication barrier which describes each of the followingissues:

(a) Professor: “Students who have not submitted the Project Reportwithin 30 days as instructed will lose points in the assessment.”

Students: ‘Sir, but you asked to submit the Report within 45days”

(b)“Senior Executive to the Administrative Officer of the company:“Are you giving this horrible room as office where one cannot work peacefully?.I will not use it.”

© Vice-president of the company: “Every time he calls me the bossdoes not listen to my point of view”

2. Explain the following terms :

(a) Organisational barriers

(b) Noise in the channel

(c) Halo Effect

3. Identify the type of communication barrier in the following situation:

“I asked all the middle level managers to meet me in the conference room at 3PM on Tuesday. It is already 4PM and none has turned up , I think I have lostmy authority in the organisation.”

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Answers:

1.

(a) It could be due to difference in perception of the professor. It could also bedue to casual approach or not paying enough attention to the subject.

(b) It is the barrier of obsession with self

©Difference in perception , cultural background or difference in the level ofknowledge/competence

2.

(a) Every small or big organisation has a culture of its own which has been developedover the years. The good practices which many companies use may restrict thefunctioning of a pro-active executive. The type of hierarchy used in the company canalso dilute the quality of communication. In certain organisations, a worker at theoperational level may have access to the MD in important matters, where as in someothers they must follow the upward channel of communication rigidly and any oneviolating it may be punished

(b ) Any interference in the sent message not being received by the receiver in theexact form, is because of many factors; one of them is ‘noise’. Noise here refers tobreakdown in communication or poor communication. Noise may occur due totechnological errors or physical reasons, these can be rectified easily. Physical noiseof machines, human words at high pitch, sound of loud music, workers holding unionmeetings in which tempers run high and so on

© Halo effect is created by one person by the other about him. It basically meansjudging the other because of some personality traits, happening, and events etc.perception. If an executive from military background, who values discipline,punctuality and integrity as the most important traits of the personality of aprofessional, he may rate a subordinate as very good even when he is not competentand effective in his work. Once an individual frames a particular type of impressionabout the other based on a particular personality trait, he will always see the person inthe same light in all situation.

3.

It is a barrier due to a personality with strong emotions.


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3. Kumar Varinder and Raj Bodh, Business Communication, Kalyani Publishers,Jalandhar,





1. What are the types of barriers in communication?

2. Why does communication suffer due to difference in perceptions?. Givesuitable examples.

3. What is the role of Halo effect on the type of communication? How can thisbe rectified?

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Unit 2

Lesson 5 Paragraph Writing

Lesson 6 Reading and Comprehension

Lesson 7 Précis Writing

Lesson 8 Letter Writing

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Lesson 5

Paragraph Writing

5.1 Learning Objectives5.2 Introduction5.3 Types of writing skills5.4 Paragraph writing5.5 Writing effective sentences5.6 Summary5.7 Glossary5.8 Answers to check progress/suggested answers5.9 Reference/Bibliography5.10 Suggested reading5.11 Terminal and model questions

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Learning the art of good writing

Understanding Paragraph writing as the basic writing skill

Understanding characteristics of a good paragraph

5.2 Introduction

The significance of writing skills cannot be overemphasised as it is of vitalimportance to all professionals in all fields of activities. A student needs to learn thewriting skills to be able to appear in examination, prepare project reports, write classnotes so that they become useful to him at a later stage and he may be required towrite summaries, synopsis, précis, abstracts and so on. Similarly, a workingprofessional is required to submit a feasibility report, write notes of a seminar,workshop or a symposium. Professionals are also required to write official and Demi-Official (DO) letters, memos, e-mails, reports , proposals , summaries etc

A paragraph may be defined as a distinct section of a piece of writing. It consists ofseveral related sentences and deals with one central idea. This central idea is calledthe theme of the paragraph. The main function of the paragraph is to develop, support,exemplify or explain the theme. Paragraph writing tests your creative as well ascommunication skills. Creativity can not be taught but one can become at writing bypracticing the craft of writing

5.3 Types of writing Skills

A list of writing activities which one must learn as a student and as a professional tobe able to excel in their respective areas is given below:

5.3.1 General writing skills

Personal requirements of writing letters, sending e-mails ,letters to newspapers,articles for publishing in magazines or newspapers, preparing comments or notes etc.

5.3.2 Academic writing skills

Class notes, lab reports , thesis , dissertations, notes for declamation contests, notesfor making presentations , project reports, examination etc.

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5.3.3 Professional writing skills

Official /DO letters, memos, reports of different types, formal business letters,preparing minutes, notes of conferences and meetings, sending official e-mails,writing resumes and job applications, etc

5.4 Paragraph Writing

A paragraph is a short composition which consists of a number of sentences linkedtogether and all relating to one topic. Writing prose is of utmost importance forcommunicating one’s ideas , feelings, thoughts and emotions. All great authors writetheir entire book on any issues, which may consist of a number of paragraphs.

To write a good paragraph, one must keep the following in mind:

The paragraph should be short although there are no rules about the length of aparagraph

It should deal with one topic or idea. It is a good idea to state the topicsentence or idea in a single simple sentence eg. it is the mad craze for moneythat has made human beings so greedy.

The sentences must be in logical order. The most important ones are the firstand the last. The first sentence is usually the topic sentence. This should beable to rouse the interest of the reader. The last sentences should sum up theidea which was developed.

The sentences that follow the first ones should generally develop the idea insome kind of logical sequence. These sentences form the main body of theparagraph.

There should be a variety in construction of sentences. Avoid unnecessaryreptilian of words and you should ensure that all sentences are of differenttypes and length. It should be clearly understood that a paragraph follows allthe rules of good writing

.

5.4.1 Types of paragraphs

Broadly paragraphs may be classified in the following two ways:

Descriptive Paragraph

In these paragraphs, the writer describes a certain situation or event. For example ifthe writer has visited a hill station in summer, he may explain the details of journey

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and the beautiful scenes of nature which he saw at a particular hill station. It is thedescription of something which has actually happened or about a particular person orevent/situation etc. When a student is asked to write a paragraph on how he spent hissummer vacation, he describes the experiences he has actually gone through. Qualityof a good descriptive paragraph is that the reader actually goes through the experiencewhich the author of the paragraph describes in the paragraph. Autobiographies,biographies and travelogues are examples in which descriptive paragraphs are used.

Imaginative Paragraph

Here the writer of the paragraph imagines a particular scene or situation and writesthat. There is unlimited scope for the writer to imagine anything and put it in suchwords that the reader becomes a part of the story even when he knows that it is purelyfictitious. Here the author of the paragraph takes liberty with thoughts , feelings andemotions of various characters of the situation. To make the text interesting andreadable, the author may imagine certain things which the reader may not identifywith real life but still likes to read. Such writings are the best friends of the reader.Novels are composed of such paragraphs

5.4.2 Techniques for paragraph development

One can develop the central idea of the paragraph through various techniques. But thecommonly used techniques are :

Illustration Providing examples to explain the main idea

Comparison and contrast Bringing out similarities and differences todevelop the idea

Cause and effect Explaining the reasons for the end result

Classification Breaking the main idea in to specificcategories

Problem and solution Discussing the solution to the problems posed

5.4.3 Principles of paragraph writing

. Strive to follow the given hints of writing to excel at it.

Do not start writing at once. Think of the paragraph in totality. Plan aframework you can note down the points you want to give in theparagraph.

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Give a brief introduction of the topic. Otherwise the start will be veryabrupt. Follow it with all the relevant information. Conclude the discussionin the end.

Be precise and direct. Develop your points into thoughts logically. Ensurethat no significant aspect is left out. Collection of unconnected thoughtsonly leads to confusion.

Language is paramount importance in writing an essay. Convey youthoughts through appropriate words and short sentence. Do not use highsounding words just to show off your knowledge.

Be careful about grammatical rules. The paragraph should be punctuatedproperly. Write in standard English Avoid slang.

Do not break the subject matter into smaller paragraphs

The students will be provided basic outline of paragraph. They can develop itthemselves. Few outlines have been provided for practice paragraphs can berelated to-

Scientific issues

Educational social issues

Reflective issues

Economic issues

Political and current issues

Based on idioms

Based on technology.

5.4.4 How to write a Good Paragraph?

The following method may be used to write a good paragraph:

Plan the Paragraph

Write Theme or Main Topic of the paragraph

This is the first thing that has to be decided . If you have been given a topic by someone or you are writing it in the examination , you do not have a choice. But if you

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writing for some other purpose then you must be clear about the topic or subject of theparagraph. Here the following issues are relevant:

Have you been given a specific subject through a prompt. For example, You may begiven “ You are a freelance writer who has the expertise in writing on political issues .You have been approached by a publisher to write on the ‘Chances of Narendra Modiforming the next government in Delhi’, How would you approach the problem. Pleaseforward a paragraph on the approach paper.”

Are you sure what are the main ideas or issues which must be discussed in theparagraph. In the above example , you would like to include Modi’s performance asan administrator and statesman till now.

For whose consumption is the paragraph being written? Whether it is to besubmitted to a political strategy-maker for use by the leaders or it is to be published ina news paper or magazine

.Write down all the information and ideas

This is a very important part of paragraph writing as the quality of paragraph willdepend on the extent and quality of information and ideas which are written in it. Socollect as much information related to the topic from all possible sources within thetime frame available.

Decide how to structure the paragraph

You should have a mental blueprint of how you will go about. Any thing in this worldis created twice; first it is created in the mind, next it is written on paper. So , thinkabout the structure of the paragraph you are going to write.

Write the Paragraph

First write a topic or main theme sentence .After reading the first sentence, the readershould be very clear what he is going to get further.

Fill up the supporting details in the paragraph

Write the concluding sentence. This is as important as the first sentence of theparagraph and should be very carefully drafted.

Know when to move to the next paragraph , if only one paragraph is no to be written.

Review the written paragraph

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After finishing the paragraph, check it for the following:

Spellings and grammar

Coherency and style

Logic and sequence, chronological order

Is the paragraph complete?

5.4.5 Characteristics of a good paragraph

A good paragraph should be written in simple, clear and correct language. A simple ,direct and easy to understand is the best language for writing any prose.

The paragraph must appear to be an organic whole. It should not appear to becollection of different ideas picked up from here sand there and presented in ahaphazard manner

A good paragraph always leaves the stamp of the personality of the author. It shouldbe original and innovative and should contain the writer’s qualities of creativity andwriting ability.

You must avoid any repetition of words and must not go on a tangent while writing it.Do not try to put old ideas and hackneyed expressions in new bottle to impress thereader

Correctness of the language is also very important for a good paragraph.

5.5 Writing effective sentences

For writing a good paragraph, one should be able to write effective sentences. Asentence is group of words which when read should give sensible complete meaning.Therefore , it has to be a group of systematic and meaningful words.

Sentences usually consist of two parts:

Subject : It is the main part of the sentence and introduces the reader to the persondoing action or the doer. For example in the sentence, “ He is a very studiousstudent”, “He” is the subject.

Predicate : It is the remaining part of the sentence . In the above example, “is a verystudious student” is the predicate part of the sentence.

5.5.1 Appropriate Sentence Structure

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The quality of the sentence depends to a large extent on the structure of the sentence.The following guide line can help you in doing so:

Select most appropriate pattern of the sentence

Appropriate pattern is the one which avoids any abstract meaning, has clarity, isconcrete and specific in nature.. Each paragraph should contain only one idea for thepurpose of readership.

Avoiding awkward sentence structure

Some times, the writer tries to include everything in one sentence and end up withan awkward sentence. It happens more often when the subject is complex andscientific or technical information is to be used in the sentence. In such situationwriter gets confused and uses wrong word order, phrases etc.

Avoid fragmentation of sentences

Sentence fragments must b avoided and ideas must be expressed in completesentences. When the sentence is fragmented , it does not convey the meaning and thereader gets confused.

Fused sentences should be avoided

It is the incorrect combination of two sentences. This happens when the writer wantsto include the entire thought in one sentence only, rather than using two independentsentences.

5.5.2 Sentence Coherence

It is obvious that the sentences formed should be coherent so that the reader can easilymake sense of them. For this purpose suitable connectives should be used to connectwords. Connective devices may be over or covert. Overt devices are direct where asthe covert devices are indirect and implied.

5.5.3 Length of sentences

Some sentences may contain 25 words but others may contain only 10 words . Shouldthere be some standard length of the sentence? The answer is no. the length ofv asentence should depend upon the style of the writer as well as the subject matter andthe type of reader .Although there is no hard and fast rule on length of sentence intechnical writing, there is a general understanding that it should b e as short aspossible. Technical writing is not the same as literary writing where the authorexpresses vague ideas out of his imagination. Technical writing consists of facts andfigures and is more objective in nature. You may use the following guidelines:

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Use all types of sentences depending on the need of the content

It is not possible to restrict the writer to stick to certain type and size of sentences.This should depend on what is to be conveyed. If along sentences is complete in allrespects and conveys what is desired to be conveyed , by all means use a longsentence.

Adjust the length of the sentence to suit the readers

The reader of the sentence may be seasoned professional with 25 years of service or astudent of BA. You must ensure that the reader’s requirement is kept in mind.

Sentence length should also be according to the subject matter

Not only the sentence length should suit the readers , it should also be according tothe subject matter. Usually, short sentences may be used in letters and memos, butlong sentences may be used in reports etc.

Sentence length should suit the style of the writer

All writers have their different style of expression. Some use difficult words andmany phrases, idioms etc to convey what they want; others prefer short sentences.Thus , if the style demands presentation of related details, long sentences may beused. How ever , short sentences may be preferred if the style of writing demandsdivision of thoughts.

5.5.4 Outline of Paragraphs

I.T. Revolution in India.

I.T. revolution has shrunk the world to global village. Has brought efficiency in work.

Revolution in the field of telecommunication. Internet and its uses. Right steps by govt. of India needed to make India super power in

IT in a few years.

Impact of Science on Man

Some inventions and discoveries have changed life. Many disease have been prevented and eradicated.

Means of recreation provided by science. Telecommunication benefits. Destructive use of atomic energy.

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Prudent use of Science is advisable.

Drug Addition

Drug abuse as a psychiatric, social and psychological problem.

Peer pressure in students may lead to drug abuse. Harmful effect of drugs in later life. Govt. should make stringent laws.

Parents should make concentrated effort. NGO’s should try to tackle this problem.

Sweet are uses of Adversity

Adversity makes us stronger than before.

We can judge our friends in adversity. It brings out the best creative genius of the people.

It teaches us humanity. Many people have attained greatness through it.

Economic Liberalization in India

It was introduced in 1991.

It aimed at increasing exports. It linked imports with availability of foreign exchange. Opening up of the economy.

Privatization of Public Sector Understanding. It has led to many scams.

Global terrorism

Terrorism has assumed a global from as brought home by September 11attacks.

Impact at Israel-Palestine conflict. Role of America in relation to Afghanistan and Iraq and its implication.

Role of religion in global terrorism.

5.6 Summary

Written communication has certain advantages over other types ofcommunication. Writing is an art and Paragraph writing is of specificimportance in business communication skills as every correspondence is a

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group of paragraphs. In this lesson characteristics of a good paragraphhave been discussed. Also, step by step process of writing a paragraph hasbeen provided. Since a paragraph is the basic unit of writtencommunication , all professionals as well as students must attach a lot ofimportance to be able to write good and effective paragraphs.

5.7 Glossary

Professional writing Official /DO letters, memos, reports of differenttypes, formal business letters, preparing minutes, notes of conferences and meetings,sending official e-mails, writing resumes and job applications, etc are termed asprofessional writing

Imaginative Paragraph Here the writer of the paragraph imagines aparticular scene or situation and writes about that.


1. Prepare an outline for writing a paragraph on the subject, “ Theneed to reform Examination system in India”

2. Prepare an outline for writing a paragraph on the subject, “TheImportance of Discipline”

3. Prepare an outline for writing a paragraph on the subject,“Leisure”

4. Prepare an outline for writing a paragraph on the subject, “Roleof youth in Society”

Answers:1

Examination a means to evaluate the student’s performance. They result in pressure on the student. They fail to assess a child’s facilities. Open book tests to end mugging needed. The yearly exams should give way to periodic tests.

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Practical knowledge should be encouraged.

2.

Discipline is the basis of whole universe. Even nature is governed by discipline. Discipline in educational institution necessary for imparting

education. Importance of discipline in the armed forces. Need for discipline in domestic social and political life. An individual’s success is based on discipline.

3.

Need of leisure in life. Leisure is a means to relieve stress. Its an opportunity to develop new skills. The right use of leisure like social service, hobbies. Sitting idle is a waste of leisure.

4.

A valuable human resource. The youth of India have been disheartened by social ills like

corruption. The youth will have to end social evils. Educated youth can spread literacy. Youth can put to an end practices like dowry. They can bring fresh hope in politics.


1. Sharma, R C and Mohan, Krishna, Business Correspondence and ReportWriting , Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi ,2002

2. Monippally, M. Matthukutty, Business Communication Strategies, TataMcGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi , 2001


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Rizvi , . M Ashraf, Effective Technical Communication ,Tata McGraw-HillPublishing Company Ltd, New Delhi , 2005


1. Describe the characteristics of a paragraph. How does all writtencommunication depend on it?

2. What are the steps in writing a good paragraph?

What are the methods of ensuring unity in the sentences and paragraphs?Explain with suitable exa1. Write a paragraph on “Criminalization ofpolitics is undermining the very fundamentals of democracy in India”,You should first prepare an outline of the paragraph and then write it.

3 .“Global terrorism has changed the way we live”, prepare the outline of thistopic and write the paragraph keeping all characteristics of a good paragraph atthe back of your mind.

4. Write a paragraph on the subject, “ All higher education institutions shouldprepare knowledge repositories for using the contained knowledge in future”

5. Remove the needless repetition in the following paragraph:

Ho boning is an energy-saving system for the meat processing industry.Hot boning has received significant attention in recent years whenincreased pressure for energy conservation has accentuated the need formore efficient method of processing the bovine carcass. Bovine carcasswhen entirely cooled requires a considerable amount of refrigeratedspace, since bone and trimmable fat are cooled along with muscle. It isalso necessary to space the carcass adequately in the refrigerated roomfor better air movement and prevention of microbial contamination, thusadding to the volume requirement for carcass chillers.

.

Lesson 6

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Reading and Comprehension

Lesson Structure

6.1 Learning objectives6.2 Introduction6.3 Reading as a communication process6.4 Vocabulary skills6.5 Comprehension6.6 Summary6.7 Glossary6.8 Answers to check progress/suggested answers6.9 Reference/Bibliography6.10 Suggested reading6.11 Terminal and model questions


Understanding the importance of reading as a communicationprocess

Learning to read with a purpose

Learning reading strategies, knowing the difference betweenefficient and inefficient reading

Understanding comprehension problems and grasping techniquesto improve reading skill

6.2 Introduction

When we talk about comprehension in reading, it means that the reader understandsthe main theme of the subject, supporting details and the author’s style and pattern.The process of communication involves different types of written messages. Havingunderstood the communication process, the reader can appreciate that ensuring the

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receiver gets exactly the same message that is intended, is not simple at all. It involvesvarious factors related with the sender, coding and transmitting channel as well as thedecoder and the receiver of the message.

Reading is often taken for granted. Any one who knows the language claims that hecan read. Reading has to be done with a purpose. Unless the reader gets exactly whatthe reader had meant to convey, reading may be misleading and may not serve anypurpose. Reading involves at least four factors; they are, decoding the message,comprehending what has been written by the author, analysing the message orinterpreting in the manner expected and giving a suitable response. Response is thelast but very important part of the reading process because it shows what has beenreceived by the reader. Unless reading is with a purpose, it is useless. The reader mustunderstand the message clearly for the purpose of reading to be satisfied,

According to the book Business Communications Today, Bovee Courtland observesthat professionals spend their time on different communication activities as follows:

Speaking 30 percent

Writing 9 percent

Listening 45 percent

Reading 16 percent

From the above, it is clear that professionals spend more time on receivinginformation ie on listening and reading than on sending information ie on speakingand writing

6.3 Reading as a Communication Process

As has been mentioned in the introduction, reading is an important process ofcommunication. Reading skills are perhaps the most important skills required by anyone, may it be a student or an academic, a professional or a casual reader who wants abook as a friend when he is alone. Many people find magazines and books as theirfriends who don’t let them lonely .This communication process is shown in Figurebelow:

6.3.1Reading Different Kinds of Texts

As determining the overall purpose of reading is very important, the reader shouldanalyse the kind of text that he/she has to read. This will help him/her identifyappropriate reading strategies. He/she may have to read different kinds of texts with

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different purpose and varying levels of reading comprehension. The text or the writtenmessage that he/she reads may vary from a light entertaining short story to a seriousdiscussion about the latest developments in nuclear physics. Some of the aspectsrelated to different reading activities are discussed below.

6.3.2 Reading Entertaining Messages/Texts

We may read entertaining messages or texts for relaxation. This is the most commonform of reading and it is casual as we are normally not serious about what we arereading. For example, when we read a short story or a gossip about a film actress, thepurpose is not to receive serious information but to be entertained. Similarly, we mayread a novel, an entertaining write-up, or a joke for pleasure and enjoyment. Althoughthe output in this type of reading may be some entertaining information, the readerneed not concentrate on the theme, main points, and supporting details of themessage.

6.3.3 Reading General Messages/Texts

We may read general messages or texts, such as newspapers, magazines articles,encyclopaedias, and so on, to improve our general awareness or knowledge aboutvarious areas of general interest. The main purpose of such reading is to broaden ouroutlook and widen our intellectual understanding and appreciation of things aroundus. Although this kind of reading is generally broad and extensive, the reader has toconcentrate on the theme, main points, and supporting details of the text or message

.6.3.4 Reading Reference Materials

The main purpose of reading or scanning reference materials is to obtain specificinformation that might be used in various academic and professional activities. Itinvolves focused reading to quickly identify a specific listing, an entry, or any otherrelevant piece of information. This kind of reading requires effective scanning skills.

6.3.5 Reading Business Document

Reading different kinds of business documents such as business and project reports,letters, memos, email messages, and so forth, requires our complete attention. Thereader must pay attention. The reader must pay attention to all parts of the document.As this kind of reading is interactive and productive, facilitating proper interactiveand more effective reader-writer relationships, it requires conscious efforts on the partof the reader and demands concentration, involvement, and responsibility. Some otherexamples of this kind of reading include reading administration instruction, businessproposals, company profiles, and so on.

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6.3.6 Reading Speed

Reading speed of different people is different because of many reasons. But if readingefficiency has to be improved reading speed must be increased. It is measured inwords per minute (wpm). For example:

Very fast > 400 wpm

Fast 300-400 wpm

Average 200-30 0wpm

Slow < 200 wpm

6.3 Reading Skills

Understanding what one has read is not easy but it is taken for granted by most of thepeople. Depending on the purpose of reading, a reader has to develop reading skills tobe able to understand what exactly has been conveyed in the written message. Hereare some of the reading skills:

6.4 Vocabulary Skills

A good vocabulary is essential for effective reading. One must learn and practicesuch vocabulary skills. These are:

6.4.1 Word meaning recognition

The reader should be able to recognise a word immediately on seeing it. As a matterof fact, one should be able to recognise a word or a phrase in a split second and recallits meaning. But if he is not able to recall the meaning immediately, he should notstop reading; he should continue reading a reasonable portion of the message. Manypeople have the tendency to look up the word in the dictionary straightway. Don’t dothat. As you keep reading, you will get the meaning of the word from contextualclues.

6.4.2 Recognising the meaning of the word from wordstructure and context

Many reports, records, legal documents cannot be read without difficulty and poorcomprehension is the result.. You can understand the meaning of the word from theword structure.. There are words which have prefixes or suffixes which disclose themeaning of the word. For example, in ‘heterogeneous’ if you know the meaning of‘hetero’ as different, then the word is understood. Similarly, in the word ‘waitress’. If

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you know that ‘ess’ is used for a female then you know that author is talking of afemale waiter

6.4.3 Analysis of the contextual clues can reveal the meaningof the word

For example in the sentence ‘ although she is very loquacious she remains silent inher father’s presence ’ the reader can easily guess that ‘loquacious’ means some onewho talks a lot and does not remain silent.

6.4.4 Eye reading and visual perception

Effective eye reading requires accurate visual perception of words and phrases, fastereye fixation and complete elimination of vocalisation.. In fact, efficient readinginvolves reading with fast eye movements.

6.4.5 Faster eye fixation can be developed

This is done by:

Don’t read word by word instead read in word groups, thoughts and in units

Improve accurate visual perception of words and phrases

Avoid vocalisation and sub-vocalisation. This is the habit of speaking the readword loudly or slowly. Both make the speed of reading slow.

Recognising the word meaning rapidly This requires good vocabulary

6.4.6 Prediction techniques

This technique helps a person to guess the information that the text contains. Itinvolves glancing rapidly through the text before reading and guessing theinformation it contains.

6.4.7 Scanning skills

This refers to the ability to locate specific information or facts as quickly as possible.It is possible to do so if you know what exactly you want to find.

6.4.8 Skimming skills

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The ability to identify a central theme or the main idea quickly without reading theentire text

6.4.9 Intensive reading skills

Here the reader is reading for the details. In cases where the reader is reading todifferentiate facts from opinion or is trying to identify the writer’s attitude towards aparticular subject or issue or for understanding the author’s intentions, he is indulgingin intensive reading. This is, obviously time-consuming.

6.5 Comprehension

The word ‘comprehend’ means to understand. The exercise in comprehension aims atjudging the student’s power of understanding. Questions are set on a given passage.In attempting to solve the comprehension passage a student should read the passagethoroughly twice. After that the questions should be studied and the relevant portionof the passage which answers that question should be read again. The answer shouldbe written in student’s own words. Do not answer in monosyllables. Use completesentences. Follow the rules of grammar while answering questions.

6.5.1 What is reading comprehension?

Reading comprehension means ability to understand information provided in writtenform, Reading comprehension skills effect one’s interpretation of directions such as“what to do?” and “ When to do?” This ability also helps you in improving skill in allareas of communication.

6.5.2 Reasons for poor comprehension

The main reasons for poor comprehension are:

Inability to understand a word

An unfamiliar word results in poor comprehension. Our brain stores the words ,sentences and their meaning in it and can recall whenever there is a need. How ever,some thing which one has never read , heard or talked about is not available in therepository of the brain and hence cannot be recalled. If you don’t understand the wordin a text , you cannot comprehend the exact meaning.

Inability to understand a sentence

Any written message is conveyed with the help of words, sentences andparagraphs. If the words and sentences are not understood in meaning the entire

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text can make no sense to the reader. For proper comprehension, it is importantthat meaning of the sentences and the words in those sentences are understoodproperly by the reader.

Inability to understand how sentences relate to each other

Depending on the style of the writer, the written message may not be coherent due toany number of reasons with the writer. The sentences have to be connected with eachother as required by the theme or the thought process/idea. If two sentences are notrelated properly, it will result in poor comprehension

Inability to understand how the information fits together in ameaningful way

Lack of interest or concentration

It is obvious that unless you pay attention or concentrate on reading, you cannotcomprehend the complete message.

6.5.3 Improving comprehension skills

Some of the techniques for improving comprehension skills are:

Read a variety of material. Do not limit yourself to text books or a particulartype of literature

Read a fairly large portion of the material. It would be difficult to assessreading comprehension based on one or two paragraphs. Try to read entiresection of the chapter.

Circle unknown words or sentences as you read

After reading, recall as much of the information as possible. You may think ofjotting down some important points. Then check the accuracy andcomprehension of what you have read. If the main ideas are presented in aparticular order, check if you can recall the structure.

Consider how interesting the subject matter is and how much you alreadyknow about the subject.

Answer questions about the material after reading it.

6.5.4 Techniques for good comprehension

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You should develop the following techniques to hone your reading andcomprehension skills:

Skimming and scanning

Before starting to read a text in detail you should take some time to read quicklywithout pausing study the details

Non-verbal signals

It should be understood that all texts have non-verbal signs in addition to thewords. These include the style, font size, print, underlining, italics. The meaningof these style features can be different in different texts.

Structure of the text

Most texts start with a title and sometimes a sub-title.. After that comes theintroduction and the body, followed by conclusion or summary.

Structure of paragraphs

In many texts reader may good impression after reading only the first sentence,which contains the theme of the paragraph. The other parts of the paragraphshould also be understood properly

Punctuation

Punctuation marks help the reader to understand how the author wants the reader tointerpret the written text. So, be very careful in reading the text with the punctuation

6.6 Summary

Reading is one of the most important tasks faced by students and professionalalike. If you are not a good reader, you are likely to lack behind in fairing inexaminations as also in participating in discussions as an executive. Your altitudein any organisation depends upon your ability to read (reports, briefs, legal andfinancial documents etc.), analyse what you have read, make presentations andtake decisions.

Your ability to connect the ideas you have read on the page to what you alreadyknow. Reading must be done with a purpose. Purpose less reading has nomeaning. It may be to get happiness or to help oneself in self-management afterreading some self-help book. Reading business documents and other technicalreports is different from reading a novel or a fiction book.

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Comprehending what you read is the most important aspect of reading. Youneed to develop ability to understand information which you read.

6.7 Glossary

Intensive reading skills In cases where the reader is reading to differentiatefacts from opinion or is trying to identify the writer’s attitude towards a particularsubject or issue or for understanding the author’s intentions, he is indulging inintensive reading.

Reading comprehension It means ability to understandinformation provided in written form, Reading comprehension skills effect one’sinterpretation of directions such as “what to do?” and “ When to do?”


1. Study the following statements about the process of reading and mark Trueor False against each of them:

(a) Reading is a simple communication process of receiving and interpretinganything written.

(b) Reader need not worry about comprehending while reading a paragraph.

© Decoding the written message refers to process of understanding andinterpreting the read message

(d) Efficient reading needs background information to understand a text.

(e) The basic purpose of reading is to extract information from varioussources.

2.

Read the following passage and write the essential theme or main idea of theparagraphNational Dairy development has done something astounding with a mereinvestment of Rs. 100 crores; it has managed to obtain a return of RS, 50,000crores. This is no ordinary feat. Infact the World Bank mentioned it in itsjournal. V. Kureen, the man behind the programme ‘Operation flood’ feels thatthis programme was instrumental in increasing the country’s milk yield morethan three fold. Another important benefit of this programme has been the self-employment of rural women which has resulted in their economic betterment

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and improvement in standard of living. The govt. has tried to involve the NDDBin diversifying its activities to other co-operative sectors like oilseeds, fruits andvegetables. Many other south Asia countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan want toreplicate NDDB programe so that they can achieve self sufficiency in milk andmilk products. 3. Read the passage and answer the questions given below:

3.

The term ‘function of management’ refers to the activities or elements whichevery manager has to perform. Broadly the functions of management can beclassified under two categories operative and managerial. The operativefunctions consists of production, marketing finance, personnel, materials andoffice etc. The Managerial function can be classified as main functions andsubsidiary functions which include planning, organizing, staffing, directing, co-ordinating and controlling. Activities like innovation, decision making,representation, reporting, budgeting and forecasting come under it. The variousfunctions of management are inter related and inseparable. They flow into eachother and affect their performance Management functions are performed at alllevels of management- top, middle and lower. The only difference is of mix.Planning is a process which involves thinking before doing- Organising is toarrange, guide, co-ordinate, direct and control the activities of other factors ofproduction. Staffing is concerned with human resources of organization.Directing is about carrying out the desired plans. Coordination is with essentialto channelize the activities of various individuals. Controlling involvesestablishing of standards of performance, measuring the findings, comparing theactual with the standards, finding variances and taking corrective action for thefuture.

Q.1.What are the basic functions of management?

Q.2. If planning is the beginning of management process which is the final?

Q.3. What are the subsidiary functions of management?

Q.4. Who performs management functions?

Q.5. Give the meaning of: (a) Variance (b) Channelize.

Answers:

(a) False

(b) False

© True

(d) True

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(e) False

2.

The main theme is, ‘Operation Flood’ programme was instrumental in increasing thecountry’s milk yield more than three fold.

3.

A.1. Basic functions of management are operative and managerial.

A.2. If we consider the planning the beginning of management process,controlling is the final.

A.3. Subsidiary functions of management are activities like innovation, decision-making, representation, reporting, budgeting and forecasting.

A.4. Management functions are performed at all levels of management- top,middle and lower.

A.5(a) State of being different.

(b) To direct.


1. Jaidka , Kuldip, English and Communication Skills, AbhishekPublications, Chandigarh. 2007


3. Monippally, M. Matthukutty, Business Communication Strategies, TataMcGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi , 2001


Rizvi , . M Ashraf, Effective Technical Communication ,Tata McGraw-HillPublishing Company Ltd, New Delhi , 2005


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1 .Why is reading important for students as well as professionals?

2. What must be kept in mind while reading a paragraph? Explain withexamples.

3. What is the meaning of reading with purpose? Give suitable examples.

4. What are the various strategies for reading and comprehending?

4. Comprehension Exercise

Read the following paragraph and answer the questions given at the end:

A balanced diet is the one which contains fats, carbohydrates, proteins andvitamins in the right proportion required for the maintenance of health. Nosingle article of food gives all of those. We have to mix certain articles inour diet in the right proportion to get a balanced diet. Vitamins are found infruits, vegetables, cereals, fish, milk and milk products. The absence of anyone type of vitamin leads to a deficiency disease which may even be fatal.Fats and carbohydrates are found in oil, butter, sugar and starch. Proteinsand vitamins are body builders while fats and carbohydrates are energyproducers.

(a) What is a balanced diet?(b) What causes deficiency disease?(c) Which foods are energy producers?(d) What are the sources of vitamins?

Note: In attempting to solve the comprehension passage a student shouldread the passage thoroughly twice. After that the questions should be studiedand the relevant portion of the passage which answers that question should beread again. The answer should be written in student’s own words. Do not answerin monosyllables. Use complete sentences. Follow the rules of grammar whileanswering questions.

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Lesson 7

Précis Writing

Lesson Structure

7.1 Learning objectives7.2 Introduction7.3 What is a précis?7.4 Essentials of a good précis7.5 Steps to précis writing7.6 Summary7.7 Glossary7.8 Answers to check progress/suggested answers7.9 Reference/Bibliography7.10 Suggested reading7.11 Terminal and model questions


Understanding the importance of a précis in businessenvironment

Learning the essentials of a good précis

Practicing to learn writing a précis of selected topics

7.2 Introduction

In the present fast moving world, every one is bombarded with large amount of junkinformation. The art of separating non-essential from the necessary is becoming moreand more important in our daily lives. Business life is no exception. Every one is shortof time and wants to get exact meaning of large written material in a couple ofparagraphs. The skill of précis writing is an important part of good, clear and accurate

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communication where large amount of data and information can be sifted andorganised in to a short piece.

Précis writing should also follow the basic ABC rule. Good written communicationresults when you say exactly what you want to say using an appropriate tone.

Your message must meet the following essential specifications:

Accurate

Check facts carefully, include all relative details, proof read thoroughly

BriefKeep sentences short, use simple expressions, where ever possible use non-technicallanguage

Clear

Use plain, simple language, write in an easy, natural style, avoid formality andfamiliarity

7.3 What is a Précis?

The word ‘Précis’ comes from French language but has a Latin origin, ‘praecism’which means ‘to cut short’. Therefore précis is a shortened version of original writingand contains all essential ideas, feelings and thoughts .It carefully removes the non-essential or superfluous details which may have been added by the author only tomake the writing more readable. In English language there are other words whichhave similar meaning such as precise , exact, distinct, definite etc We use ‘Precis’ as anoun and conveys what the reader is reading is only an abbreviated or summarystatement and not the original text Sometimes Précis is also called abstract orsummary.

Précis writing is a skill which demands comprehension of the entire text throughclarity of mind and ability to distinguish non-essential from essential, good commandover vocabulary. A good précis does not lose sequence and coherence of thoughts ofthe author and it still makes complete reading. The idea is that it should be clearlyintelligible to a person who has not read the original.

In business world there is an explosion of knowledge. Though this information can beused and converted in to useful knowledge, no one has time to interpret all theinformation and data that is available in its original form. Some one in theorganisation has to go through the detailed information and convert it into a summarywhich is coherent and has not lost the spirit of the original to be put up to the busyexecutive to make rational decision. The more the information from different sources,the better the result.

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Hence, it is essential that every one goes through the training of précis writing. Thiswill help a person in his clarity of thought; exercise his analytical ability to quicklygrasp the relevant and important points in any discussion or argument.

7.4 Essentials of a Good Précis

For good précis writing but certain qualities of a good précis are given below:

Direct form of speech or first person is not used.

Précis is always written in third person.

As far as possible , a clear title should be given to the précis

It should be complete in the sense that no essential data orinformation is left out.

That is where the ability of a person comes in; he should not omit any importantidea or fact.

The précis must be clear and unambiguous in its meaning.

Any body who has not read the original should be able to get the exact meaningof the original

The précis should be a coherent piece of reading material.

The sequence of events and ideas in the original must not besacrificed

The précis writer should always keep in mind that a good piece of writing does notlose the purpose of the author, which was to communicate a particular idea, feelings,emotions etc.

7.5 Steps to Précis Writing

As explained earlier, first step towards précis writing is the comprehension of thematerial of which a summary or brief is to be made. A few guidelines for writing agood précis are provided here.

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7.5.1 Read the passage slowly and carefully trying to understandwhat is important in what is being read.

After you have read the entire passage you would have some idea what the author’smain emphasis is on. This is the theme around which all other facts, figures andarguments are built by the author.

7.5.2 Read the passage once again and this time put down thw themeand other essentials on a piece of paper in logical, sequential andchronological order.

You may underline or highlight the essentials ie key persons, figures, phrases, wordsetc.

7.5.3 Pick up and select what your judgement says are the mostimportant issues, ideas, facts out of what you have written down.

You will realise that there are certain things which may not be included in the précis.Reject these.

7.5.4 Now prepare the first draft of précis by

Using your own language

Not reproducing the words of the author

Avoiding any repetition

Ensuring that there is coherence in what you have written

7.5.5 Compare this first draft with the original piece and see if youhave included all the relevant details.

7.5.6 Now check the length of the précis.

Normally, in examinations, the examiner asks students to reduce the original to itsone-third size. Do not count words to make it exactly one-third. Cut down certainsentences; use more appropriate expressions etc to reduce the size, if you feel it ismore than required.

7.5.7 Read the passage you have prepared once again, keeping inmind the correct formation of sentences and grammar.

Like writing anything else, précis writing also has to be grammatically correct withall the punctuations etc.

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7.5.8 Prepare the final draft

This is the right time to prepare the final draft

7.5.9 Ten Steps to Précis Writing

Step 1

To understand what the passage is about, read it carefully. Put down the main themein a sentence or phrase. Also, think of suitable title for it. This exercise will help youin choosing what is important and omitting what is unimportant in the passage.

Step 2

Read through the passage again, and make sure that no hint or or suggestion escapesyou. This time underline the key words, phrases, clauses and sentences.

Step 3

Select the essential points, jot them down, and reject the rest.

Step 4

Prepare your first draft on the basis of underlined key words, phrases etc. and theessential points you have jotted down.

Step 5

Compare your draft with the original to check for any omissions and irrelevancies

Step 6

Check the length of the précis If it is more than the required limit, go through the draftagain and delete any unnecessary words or phrases or rewrite some sentences to cut itdown to the suitable length

Step 7

Read the revised draft once more, this time paying particular attention to punctuation,spelling, and grammar. Remember, it is just as important to write well in a précis asin any other composition.

Step 8

Prepare the final draft neatly.

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Step 9

Write in brackets at the bottom of your précis in the right hnd corner the number ofwords used by you.

Step 10

Write ‘Rough’ on the top of your first draft and the list of points you have made andcross them out.

7.5.10 Rules which Govern the Writing of a Précis

Précis should always be written as continuous passage in which the sequenceof ideas in the passage must be carefully maintained

Précis must be written in third person. Even if the original passage is in thefirst person, précis must be in the third person. The first person pronouns mustnot be used in the précis. How ever,’ we’ being a common gender may be usedif necessary.

The précis should be brief and concise but the brevity and conciseness shouldnot be obtained at the cost of clarity.

The précis should have coherent and logical unity which means that thesequence of ideas in the original must be adhered to.

Whether asked or not the précis must have a clear and expressive title..

7.5.11 How to abridge sentences?

When you check the length of the précis and find it more than what is desirable, youwill need to abridge many sentences and make it shorter. You must learn to re-express ideas concisely through the steps suggested here.

Substituting a single word for a phrase or a clause.

A few examples are

Change Do not put off till tomorrow what you can do today

To Do not postpone things.

Change I watched them while they were talkingTo I watched them talking

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Change He is performing duties of the secretary of theManagement Association

To He is the honorary secretary of ManagementAssociation

Change Our country has launched a campaign to reduce thenumber of those who can neither read nor write

To Our country has launched a campaign against illiteracy

Substituting a phrase for a sentence or a clause

Change When the officer had enquired in to the matter hefound that the worker was innocent

To The enquiry officer found the worker innocent

Change When they had finished their work, they left

To Having finished their work, they left

Change So that he keeps fit, he walks to his office everyday

To To keep fit , he walks to the office everyday

By removing superfluous and ornamental words

Change When I first began to write report it occurred to methat one method by which I could make it more effective would be to include a seriesof diagrams.

To When I began to write my report I realised that Icould make it more effective by including diagrams

Change The rain continued without intermission throughout the night and did not cease for a moment until after the day had dawned.

To The rain continued till dawn

By substitution and generalisation

Change It does not often occur to the parties in thedispute to find out whether the facts are correct or nor.

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To The disputants seldom think of verifying thefacts

Change He behaved in such an odd manner that we regreatly alarmed and wondered whether he had taken leave of his senses.

To His odd behaviour alarmed us and wewondered whether he had lost his senses.

7.5.12 Précis of Commercial Matter

The rules for writing précis for commercial matters are slightly different, as the typeof material which is to be shortened and need for the précis of the matter, aredifferent.

In normal précis writing, no quotations of the original writing are given. How ever , incommercial matters, which include financial and legal details, it becomes necessary toquote exact numbers , figures, rules, laws etc. Hence, important matters from theoriginal passage may be quoted in the précis. Any matter which is in the form ofseveral hundred pages accounts, money matters, complicated legal details likejudgements etc, the essence of matter in précis is possible only in certain excerptsfrom the original matter are included in précis. It may be appreciated in such matters,dates , accounts of relationships have to be maintained very accurately. It is difficulttask to prepare précis of commercial matters, as the matter is to be reduced whileretaining all essential aspects. Also, summary or précis may not be one-third of theoriginal matter. When there is a need to prepare the summary of the whole file, précismay be in form of giving dates and subject of the various matters contained in the fileand just a brief note of each subject. All examples or illustrations in the originalmatter will have to be excluded.

7.5.13 Abridging Sentences

Here, some of the ways of abridging sentences are given. This will help the reader inprécis writing.

By using single word for phrase or clause

Change “I went to Shimla to explain to him my point of view” to “ I explained mypoint of view to him at Shimla”

Change “ Health department of Government of India has launched a program so thatpolio is totally removed from the country” to “ Health department of Government ofIndia has launched a polio eradication program”

Change “You have done very well and you should continue” to “Well done and keepit up “

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Change , “I watched the children while they were playing cricket” to “ I watched thechildren playing cricket”

By using a phrase for a sentence or clause

Change “After finishing the job, all the workers left together” to “All the workersleft, having finished their job.”

Change “He does not use lift but walks up to his office so that he can keep fit” to “ Heavoids use of lift to keep fit”

Change, “ I could not have been selected if he had not come forward to help me.” To“I could not have been selected without his help”

By removing unnecessary words that do not contribute to the meaning of the matter

Change “I have always thought it is very important to help others so that they help mein time of need” to “I have always thought help begets help”

Change “ It started raining at night and it continued throughout the night without abreak, stopping only after the sun rose” to “ It continued raining throughout the night”

Change “ May I have the privilege mentioning that I had interacted with you whenyou were a Director with Government of Punjab” to” I had interacted with you whenyou were Director with Government of Punjab”

Change “All the parties involved sat down to find ways and means of revolving theirdifferences” to “ All the parties got together for resolving their conflicts”

7.5.14 Some Do’s and Don’ts for Précis Writing

Some do’s and don’ts are provided here.

Do’s

Always use indirect speech ie third person

Read the matter twice, first time slowly and deliberate to comprehend theideas.

Do retain the sequence of ideas, events etc as is in the matter given to you.

Use your own words and sentences and not those of the author

Try to substitute long sentences and phrases etc with most appropriate words

Drop drawings , illustrations etc. to reduce the size of précis

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Don’ts

Do not alter the sequence of events etc. in précis

Do not add any thing from your idea. You have to stick to the matter given toyou.

Do not give a title if you are not asked to

Do not divide précis in to paragraphs, unless the original text is very long

Do not give any comments

7.6 Summary

Précis writing involves making the passage concise (usually one third of the totallength) but clear and concise in its meaning. Because of mounting pressure ofwork of many activities a business person has to handle and due to knowledgeexplosion which makes a lot more information available for making rationaldecision, he cannot find enough time to go through every information he wouldlike to. Precis writing helps him to get the entire information in brief which hecan go through without missing out on any essentials.

Although there can be no hard and fast rules for clear understanding of the maincontents of a passage and to the separation of essentials from non-essential, yetthere are certain rules which govern the writing a précis.

7.7 Glossary

Précis The word is derived from a Latin word ‘praecism’ whichmeans to ‘cut short’


1. Write a précis of about one third in size of the following paragraph:All of us are convinced that organisation succeed or fail depending on how well theyare difficult. We know it only too well that a visionary leader who can lead byinspiration and not compliance is a unique asset to any organisation. Good leaders are

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synonymous with success, the success of their organisation as well as their personalsuccess. Since leaders are indispensible for success, companies invest a lot, time andmoney to find and develop leaders. We find a lot of success literature explaining thedetails of qualities needed in leaders to succeed. Success stories of leaders, theirautobiographies and biographies, make very inspiring and interesting reading. Everyone looks up to his own brand of leader as his hero and tries to emulate his deeds inhis personal life. No one talks of the failure, knowing fully well that success isproduct of failure and that no one succeeds without failing. So also the fact thatbehind every successful person there are thousands who fail. Failing is bad,succeeding is good and it is a good leader who makes all the difference betweenfailure and success. How ever, the enthusiasm with leader appears to be at the cost offollowers. Can one think of Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Winston Churchill,Gandhi or Nehru without their followers” May be , all those great men of historywould have remained just ambitious good men with great ideas and good qualities butfor the commitment and action of their followers. In fact, followership dominates thelife of a common man more than anything else. We find followers all around us,leaders are rare commodity, out of the reach of the common man. It is, perhapsequally important for organisations to train, develop and cultivate good followers, asit is to ‘find’. Let us understand what distinguishes a useful and effective followerfrom an ineffective one.

Most of us play the role of leaders as bosses as well as that of followers assubordinates in different situations and at different times. How ever, one cannotignore the fact that all the bosses are not good leaders and all subordinates are notgood followers. Effective followers should have a number of qualities, they should becommitted to the organisation and to a purpose, principle or person, they should worktowards building their professional competence, they should be courageous, honestand credible and they should be able to manage themselves.

Answer:

Précis

Followers are as important as the Leaders

Good leaders play very important role in their organisations. They convert ordinaryorganisations in to successful organisations. Companies make special efforts todevelop such leaders. While leaders are important, the followers who actually makethings happen are equally important. Generally this fact is not realised and leaders aregiven importance at the cost of followers. We all play the roles of leaders orfollowers in our organisation but all top men are not good leaders and all subordinatesare not good followers. As all leaders must have certain qualities to make them goodleaders, so also, the followers should have unique qualities to make them goodfollowers. Leaders are there, because there are followers. Hence, it is important foecompanies to develop good followers like they make effort to develop good leaders.


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2 Cheema, Col D S, Business Communication Skills, Laxmi Publishing, Delhi2009


Rizvi , . M Ashraf, Effective Technical Communication ,Tata McGraw-HillPublishing Company Ltd, New Delhi


1. Why is there a need to learn the art of précis writing? Explain with examples.

2. How can one develop the art of writing good précis? Explain the technique.

3. What is that you must not do if you want to write a good précis?

4. Read the following paragraph and list the key words, clauses and sentences.Also underline the sentences which express the theme of the paragraph:

Speech is a great blessing, but it can also be a great curse, for while it helps us tomake our intentions and desires known to our fellows, it can also, if we use itcarelessly, make our attitude completely misunderstood. A slip of the tongue, theuse of an unusual word, orv of an ambiguous word, and so on, may create anenemy where we hoped to win a friend. Again, different classes of people usedifferent vocabularies, and the ordinary speech of an educated man may striketo an uneducated listener as showing pride, unwillingly we may use a word,which bears a different meaning to our listener from what it does men of ourown class. Thus speech is not a gift to use lightly without, but one which demandscareful handling, only a fool will express himself alike to all kinds and conditions

5. Read the following paragraph carefully:

The liberty of individual is no gift of civilisaion. It was unlimited before therewas any civilisation, though then, it is true, it had for the most part no value,since the individual was scarcely in a position to defend it. The development ofcivilisation imposes restrictions on it, and justice demands that no one shallescape those restrictions. What makes itself felt in a human community as adesire for freedom may be their revolt against some existing injustice, and somay prove favourable to a further development of civilisation; it may remain

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compatible with civilisation. But it may also spring from the remains of theiroriginal personality, which is still untamed by civilisation. The urge for freedom,there fore, is directed against particular forms and demands of civilisation oragainst civilisation altogether. It does not seem as though ay influence couldinduce a man to change his nature in to a termite’s. No doubt he will alwaysdefend his claim individual liberty against the will of the group. A good part ofthe struggles of the mankind centres around the single task of finding anexpedient accommodation- one tha is, that will bring happiness- between thisclaim of the individual and the cultural claims of the group; and one of theproblems that touches the fate of humanity whether such an accommodation canbe reached by means of some particular form of civilisation or whether theconflict is irreconcilable.

(a) Write the Key words, Phrases, Clauses and Sentences

(b) Write the Main Points

© Write the précis using information in a and b

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Lesson 8

Letter Writing

Lesson Structure

8.1 Learning objectives8.2 Introduction8.3 Difference between business and personal letters8.4 Functions of business letters8.5 Formats and layout of business letters8.6 Summary8.7 Glossary8.8 Answers to check progress/suggested answers8.9 Reference/Bibliography8.10 Suggested reading8.11Terminal and model questions

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Understanding the need of letters in personal and professional life

Understanding the types of letters and their formats

Learning how to write effective letters

8.2 Introduction

No business transaction can take place without successful correspondence at somepoint. Enquiries must be answered, quotations given, orders placed, complaints dealtwith, transport and insurance arranged and accounts settled. Letters must be written tocustomers, salesmen, agents, suppliers, bankers, and many others, they cover everyconceivable part of business activity. Business letters are a company’s silentsalesmen, and often enough, represent only contact with the outside world. .Hence,there is a need to learn how to write various types of letters. .

Commercial writing is a skill and like other skills it must be learnt. People need to betrained so that business communication is effective. Business letters are an importantpart of business communication in every organisation whether big or small.

In modern organisations, a number of means of communication are adopted forcorrespondence within the organisation and with outside agencies. In bigorganisations, there are a number of hierarchical steps and maintaining a good level ofcommunication with all its employees is a big challenge. Business organisations haveto remain in constant touch with outside agencies like suppliers of materials,customers, government agencies etc. Manufacturing companies get their rawmaterials of components and sub assemblies from a number of vendors: domestic aswell as foreign. Correspondence has to be made with them about the requirements interms of numbers required specifications of quality standard, date and time deadlinesto be met etc. Similarly, the company’s customers must be informed of the time theirrequirements have been despatched, the details of means of transportation of thegoods being sent and the terms and conditions of payments to be made

For requesting quotations/soliciting inquiries, forwarding ofcatalogue.

Placing orders.

Correspondence regarding delay, wrong dispatch,equipment/machine not in order.

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Payments schedules, payment delays, seeking special concessions,discounts etc.

Appointing sales and service personal, Annual MaintenanceContracts (AMC)

Purchase of raw materials, components, subassemblies/assembliesfrom different vendors

. Keeping the customers and potential clients in picture about the new

products.

Maintaining good public relations, extending greetings, etcessentially remaining in touch with people who can be helpful inbusiness activities of the company.

Remain in contact with government agencies in context of manystationary requirements, like PF, ESI etc.

8.3 Difference between Business and Personal Letters

It is important that one makes a distinction between business letters and personalletters. The following are the basic differences:

Personal letters are written to our acquaintances or with whom either we havehad relationship or we wish to maintain some relationship. The objective ofbusiness letters is purely business activity. They are written for a definiteobjective like selling or purchasing, seeking information about products,goods and services etc

. Personal letters because of their very purpose are informal in nature. The

salutation may be for a relation or a friend and may start with “My dear”,“My very dear” and end up with “your only one”, “for you alone” etc.However, the business letters are formal in nature and follow a laid downprocedure as also certain rules.

Personal letters can be as intimate as one can be and are written using thedictates of heart. Generally, no specific purpose is achieved, except renewingor reinforcing love and affection. Business letters have to be accurate to thepoint and are written in cool and calculated manner with a specific purpose ormotive.

8.4 Functions of Business Letters

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As discussed earlier, business letters perform an important function in businessactivities. They are an accurate and an inexpensive way of communicating withvendors, customers, employees of the company, shareholders, government agenciesand so on. Some of the useful purposes the business letters perform are:

For keeping records and maintaining references.

Business dealings are not possible without records and references of interactionwith outside agencies. A letter is a record of what was committed to a supplier orcustomer or what information was sent to a government department speciallywhen an organisation is large and correspondence with outside agencies is oflarge volume, it is humanly impossible to depend upon memory. If there is a needto check back what the other agency had agreed to do, it is available on recordand reference can be made to that particular letter or correspondence. Maintainingdata in computer memory is a good idea, however, certain type of information,especially sensitive and confidential data where access has to be restricted may beretained in files.

Record of contracts with different agencies.

Any communication, a telephone or fax may not be good enough evidence toprove a point when there is a difference of opinion or dispute in any businessmatter. Any document, signed on the letter head of a company by any functionarylike Managing Director or his authorised signatory is an authentic proof of thecommitment, terms and conditions etc. of the business activity. Such documentsare recognised by courts of law also.

Maintain contacts where physical contact is not possible

Many a times the location where business correspondence is to be carried out,are such that it is very difficult to reach it physically, either it being a remote andhilly terrain or the distances making it uneconomical to physically visit it. Letterscan reach every possible location, thanks to our postal departments. To remain intouch with locations where means of transport and communication have not yetdeveloped, business letters are the best mode.

Maintaining good public relations.

The companies often want to stay in touch with organisations and people even ifthey do not have direct business dealings with them. This is to generateawareness and good will for their products and services. Heads of theorganisations communicate with such people and with eminent people andrespected organisations through formal and demi-official letters

8.4.1 Principles of Business Letter Writing

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For writing effective business letters, one should follow certain principles. Some ofthem are discussed here.

Courteous and Considerate

All business letters must be courteous and considerate in their language and style.Though business letters are dictated by the head not by the heart; they arecalculated in every respect, yet there is need to be considerate and courteous, sothat it creates a favourable impact on the person who receives the letter. Therewould be many unpleasant and difficult exchanges through letters because of thebusiness interaction, but that does not mean that either of the parties should forgetthe basic courtesy which should be extended to each other. It is important for allorganisations which wish to thrive in business that goodwill amongst those withwhom they have business relationship, is one of the most important elements ofgrowth. This gets translated to good business at one point of time or either.Courteous and considerate communications with all concerned can help buildgood will for the company. Some common courtesies which may be exchangedare:

(i) Thank you very much for your letter, dated 10 March, 07.

(ii) We are pleased to receive your enquiry.

(iii)We regret we have not received your letter under reference, can you bekind enough to forward it again.

(iv)We are sorry to learn that you did not receive the machine on time forthe inauguration. We assure you that this will not happen in our futuredealings.

(v) I am very pleased to receive D O letter, dated 15 April, 06 from yourhonourable Managing Director.

(vi)We are pleased to receive the payment so promptly and thank you for thesame.

It is advisable to avoid the use of following expressionsin all business communications:

(i) It is surprising that you have not received our letter dated 10 January, 07.

(ii) We do not expect you to ………..

(iii) I must very clearly mention that ……

(iv) You can do what you please, however……

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(v) It is difficult to believe that----------

(vi)We are not bound to do what you want us to do

(vii) We are unable to meet your unreasonable demand.(viii) You can go ahead with whatever actions you wish to take.

(ix)We refute your claim as ……………..

All business correspondence should be made keeping in mind what the reader willthink of the individual signing the letter or the organisation he represents. Courtesycost, nothing but creates a very good impression on the recipients of thecommunication. Correspondence shows the attitude of the person initiating it. Theperson who drafts or signs the letter from a position of authority in his organisation,often forgets the impact it is going to have it on the person dating it.

Good organisations are always careful in drafting, typing and following the principlesof good communication. The company cannot afford to forget business interest, whichis very important for it in any case, but not being curt and rude and not forgettingdecency and courtesy of civilised behaviour is also important. It is always helpful tobe human in personal as well as business correspondence.

Please find below a good example of a courteous letter.

Dear Mr. Kakkar,

We gratefully acknowledge the receipt of your letterregarding your grievances.

I, on behalf of Punjab Medical Council, assure you that a detailedinvestigation will be carried out on the basis of information provided in yourcomplaint and if we find that the said doctor was involved in misconduct, suitableaction will be taken against him.

We appreciate your concern about the behaviour of doctors withpublic and once again reiterate our commitment to take appropriate action.

Kindly make it convenient to present yourself for helping in theinvestigation, as and when we request you to.

Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated.Yours SincerelyDr. H.S. SandhuFor Punjab Medical Council

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Here is another example of a courteous letter.

Dear Mr. Menon,

Your order for our X-Ray machine is most welcome. We aredelighted that your hospital recognises the merits of our product. You may be restassured that your decision will go a long way in improving the quality of health carein your esteemed hospital. Please find enclosed the detailed price list of our productswhich are the pride of many government and private hospitals in India and abroad.Having gone through your specific needs, we recommend model X-2 B.

While making payment, please be sure that you return the invoicewhich is needed to credit the payment to your hospital’s account.

Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated.

Yours SincerelyR. K. Narang,Chief Sales Manager,For All Well Medical Systems Ltd.

Direct Approach and Conciseness.

Many forge the basic aim of the letter and try to make use of beautiful butinappropriate words and sentences. They keep beating about the bush and do notconvey the message directly. This must be avoided. You must remember that therecipient of the letter is a busy person and would like to know the message of theletter straightway. Avoid unnecessary details and come to the point directly.While courtesy must not be forgotten, the writer of business letter should focus onthe message.

Avoid Verbosity

Most of the business correspondence has unnecessary phrases and words whichbecome an irritant to the reader. It must be remembered that the best communicationis the simple, straightforward communication, using minimum words. Some phrasesand clauses which have direct and concise word or words are shown below:

(i) As desired by your esteemed organisation As desired(ii) As advised in our earlier communication with your

esteemed organisationAs stated in our earlierletter

(iii) We beg to submit It is submitted(iv) Beg to knowledge Acknowledge(v) Please find enclosed herewith Enclosed(vi) In compliance with your earlier request As requested(vii) In the event of our machine being found defective If our machine is defective(viii) Please make necessary adjustments at your end Please adjust

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(ix) In most of the cases Usually(x) In view of the fact that you have approached us As you have requested(xi) Should it interest you If you are interested(xii) It has been our experience in the past It is our experience

Participial Ending

Certain sentences at the end of the letter do not convey anything essential, theyjust add to the length of the letter. As far as possible, that should be avoided.

Hoping you will continue to show your interest in our products in future aswell.

We trust that the information provided will meet your requirement;otherwise you are welcome to revert back to us.

It goes without saying that we shall be delighted to get a communicationfrom you in this regard.

Positive and Direct Statements.

In any correspondence, negative expressions create avoidable confusion. It is bestto make a positive and direct statement. Some examples are given below:

Please let us know instead of you have failed to inform us

We will be happy to help you if … instead of We are not in a positionto help you unless……..

We will appreciate to hear from you instead of We have not heard fromyou for the past six months

Brevity and Clarity

Through brevity is very important but it must not be at the cost of clarity. A clear,simple and straight-forward style of writing always achieves more than ambiguous,beating about the bush style. Clarity is in the attitude of a person who is sure of whathe wants the communication. As started earlier, good and effective businesscommunication is a skill which needs to be acquired through training.

8.4.2 Some Do’s and Dont’s in Business Letter writing

By now, you would have realized that commercial or business correspondence is askill which can be acquired by training and constant practice. Here are someimportant Do’s and Don’ts in business correspondence.

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Do’s

Ensure that the paper used for correspondence is of good quality.

The letter head, must contain logo, full and complete address, telephone,fax, e-mail, website details.

Companies may have many addresses, like registered office, head office,works, godowns, dealers etc. You must make it very clear to the recipientof your correspondence, where should they reply to you. This may be doneby printing in bold letters on the letter head, “ Please reply at Head office”etc.

Every correspondence should be neatly typed and should look beautifuland pleasing to the eyes of the reader. Any corrections, cuttings, inter-polations , un even spacing etc irritates the reader and leaves a poorimpression of the organisation. It is the responsibility of the person signingthe letter to ensure such mistakes are avoided

Be courteous , what ever may be the provocation from the other party.

Check the letter before signing. Ensure that all the facts and figures likenumbers, quantities , dates , values of money etc quoted in the letter arecorrect.

Many a times, enclosures are mentioned at the end of the letter. Seephysically that all the enclosures are attached.

Date in letter is often forgotten,. It is put either by the typist or space is leftblank where the person signing the letter puts the date in his own hand. Alldealing with commercial correspondence must be if it is not focussed andclear in its approach.trained to develop an eye for details like figures anddates. A letter received without date is most annoying and creates a verypoor impression of the person signing the letter and the organisation herepresents.

Correspondence must stick to fundamental rules of accuracy, brevity andclarity. Only those who have clarity of mind and clear thinking can draftand write clearly. The very purpose of the letter may be defeated

Long sentences , jargon and slangs must be avoided Every one does notunderstand the jargon, whether it is management related or it is technicalin nature. When ever technical terms are used, it is a good idea to explainthem.

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Paragraphing is important where ever there is a break in thought process.Too long sentences and long paragraphs make it difficult for the reader tocomprehend the matter easily

The envelop of the letter must be typed clearly with complete address or itmay neatly written in legible hand writing.

When ever window envelops are used, the address should be clearlyvisible other wise the letter will either get delayed or will reach the wrongdestination.

Be very clear or sure about the mode of dispatch of the letter. Clearinstructions must be given whether the letter is to be dispatched byordinary or speed post, registered post , courier, through certificate ofposting, by hand delivery or by a special messenger etc.

All correspondence should be replied promptly.

Dont’s

Do not delay the reply to the correspondence un –necessarily. If you clearabout the facts and all information required to reply the letter is available,promptly give the reply. It is not to suggest that the correspondence should bemade in haste.

Do not be rude in your language and attitude Be firm but at the same time polite.

Do not be unfair as a principle. Tendency to arm-twist the other party orexploit the situation can bounce back on you tomorrow.

Do not make a personal attack on any individual or criticise him incorrespondence what ever may be the level of that individual in theorganisation.

Do not write to wrong authority or wrong person, because the very aim andpurpose of the correspondence will get defeated,

Do not use , slang , jargon , long sentences and paragraphs to show how wellyou know the language,

Do not violate any of the Do’s mentioned above.

8.4.3 Structure and Layout of a business letter

Over a period of time business letter have evolved a definite pattern as far as structureand pattern is concerned.. Following a logical and commonly used pattern, following

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the Do’s and Don’t’s discussed earlier, give the letter a neat , clean and readable look.Good companies are very careful while sending letters to the outside agencies as theycare for their reputation and good will.

Essential parts of a letter are:

Heading or the head address

The date

Reference number

The inside address

Attention line

Salutation

Subject

The body of the letter

The complementary close

The signatures

The identification marks

The enclosures

Each of the above parts is discussed here.

Heading or the head address

The name and address of the company is placed in the centre or to the right of thesheet. This contains the complete address along with telephone number, e-mail, fax ,website etc. below the name of the company. Since companies write large number oletters, letter heads are printed. Good companies get the design of their companyname and logo etc designed from good artists. This may consume about one-fifth ofthe total page. An example of the letter head is shown below:

Goodhealth Medical Systems Ltd

Manufacturers of X-ray and C-arm machinesRegistered Office 999, Sector 32 A , Chandigarh

Works Plot No. Industrial Area Phase II, Chandigarh

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Telephone 0172 -2666677 Works 0172-2666678E-mail good [email protected] Chandigarh 160009

The Date Date is generally written 2-5 spaces below thehead address on the right hand corner of the sheet. It should not be written in numbersas 12.3.2014 but as follows:

12 March 2014 or March 12, 2014-03-31

Reference No. It is written on the left side of the paper in the same line as date.Some letters may have two references including the other party’s also. In that case , itis written as ‘your reference’ and ‘our reference’ . It may also be written in the bodyof the leatter as , “Thank you for your letter No. dated “ How everthe method of writing on to should be preferred..

The inside address Complete address of the person or company to whichthe letter has to go must be written carefully containing all the details so that letterreaches the right destination. It may take the following forms:

Generally when writing to a company for the first time, an individual of the companyis not addressed.

Messers or M/s should be written only if the name of the company contains a person’sname

Messers or M/s R C Paul and sons

1234, Okhla, New Delhi Pin code

‘M/s All Engineers Company is incorrect”

If the letter is written to an officer by name , the following should be observed:

Mr or Sri or Sri before the name. In case of unmarried women “Kumari or Kum” orMiss is written, In case of married women, “Shrimati or Smt or Mrs” is written

If a person holds a special title , the title is written before his/her name as follow:

Dr. S P Singh, Dr.( Mrs )Ramandeep Cheema Badwal, Prof. A K Handa, Col (Mrs)G K Randhawa, Prof (Smt) Neena Singh, Maj P C Sethi

Only suitable observations well recognised and accepted should be used, like ‘Prof’for Professor, and ‘Col’ for Colonel

Some times , the degrees and department to which one belongs is also written. Here isan example.

Prof K N Pathak Ph. D, D. Litt, Vice-Chansellor

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Col D S Cheema , M. Tech, (EME)

Attention Line

Some times a business letter is marked for the attention of a particular functionary ofthe organisation as follows:

Attention: Mr K N Reddy, MD

Salutation Below the attention line if it is there or below theinside address , the complimentary greetings which is called ‘,Salutation’is written . Common forms of salutations are as follows:

In formal business letters, use only “Sir: or “Madam”

If the letter is written to any officer the salutation will be, “Dear Mr. Vipin Bassi”

The salutation is less formal if the writer knows the addressee personally, then thesalutation will be, “My dear Mr. Sandhu”

I f the person to whom the letter is going is a close friend, the salutation may be, “Mydear Ramesh”

The caption line or subject The idea of writing the subject line isto let the recipient know about the subject matter at the out set; it saves time. Here isan example.

All Well Medical Corporation

12753 Darya Ganj

Delhi -110002

Attention: The Regional Sales Manager

Subject: Receipt of poor quality raw material

The body of a letter

The body of the letter should be broken in to three parts as follows:

The opening or the introductory part which attracts the attention of the reader and isonly a few lines or a small paragraph.

The main communication which may take the form of many paragraphs

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The closing part of the body which is again in the form of a paragraph and refers tothe action the writer expects the receiver to take.

The complementary close

It is in the form of saying good bye or a courteous way of seeking leave of thereceiver of the letter It will take the following form:

Salutation Line Complementary closing line

Sir Yours faithfully Dear Sir/Dear Madam Yours faithfully or Yours truly Dear Mr Bhatia Yours sincerely My dear Harsh Yours sincerely or yours ever Dear Member/Dear Customer/ Dear Reader Yours sincerely

When you write to a teacher or Principal, “Yours respectfully” is used but never inbusiness letters.

When you write to a high official, this close may be used:

His Excellency, Lt Gen (Retd) A K Mohan Yours respectfully

Governor of -----------

While writing the complementary close, ‘y’ has to be capital and no apostrophy in theword ‘yours’ before ‘s’

SignaturesIt is the signed name of the writer of the letter and is placed 2-3 spaces below the

complementary closure. Some examples are given below:

Yours faithfully,(R D Singh)Regional Manager

Yours faithfully,( M K Nagra)Managing Director

Identification marks reference initials

These are used for the identification of the person who has typed the letter. It maytake the form as below:

TRC/LP, ifb the letter has been dictated by Mr T R Chadha and Leela Pillai has typedit.

Enclosures

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Enclosure is the material that has been enclosed with the letter and is written on theleft side below the signature line. See the example below:

Encls:1. MOA1 dated 17 Dec 20062. Cheque No. 02346 dared 10 Oct , 2014 of SBI, Chandigarh

8.5 Formats or Layout of a Business Letter

The arrangement of the above different parts of the letter is known as layout orformat. Following formats are used in business letters.:

Full or complete block layout

In this format all parts of the letter begin from the left margin. An example of theformat is : India Forge Limited

256 Ashiana Road , Mangolepuri

New Delhi-110037

Your Reference : PS/34/14 31 March, 2014-

Our Reference:IFL/218/14

The Mnaging Director

Amartext Garment store

1012, Industrial Area

Chandigarh-160089

Dear Sir,

We are pleased to inform you

Yours faithfully,

(P N Mohindra)

General Manager

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Block Style Format

In this type of format, the date line, complementary signatures, name of the writer, hisdesignation etc. ie everything is aligned with the right margin. An example is givenbelow:

Consumer Rights Association

2123 Ludhiana Road

Morinda -200756

Batra Nursing Home

125, Sector 123

Panchkula-132489 (Haryana)

Dear Sir,

It is to inform you that-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We request you---------------------------------------------------------------

Yours sincerely,

(S S Guru)President

Indented Form of Layout

This is one of the oldest and traditional forms of business letters. The address line andbody of the letter are indented two or four spaces from the previous lines. The addresslines have a comma at the end of each line and a full stop at the end of the lastline.This form is generally used when the letter is written in hand. Here is an example.

Tushar Trading Enterprise,

213, Jhandewala ,

New Delhi

Manager

Union Bank of India,

121

Sardar Patel Road,

New Delhi-110058

Dear Sir,

Please refer to your letter-----------------------------------------------------------We are very happy---------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yours faithfully,(A P Tushar)For Tushar Trading Enterprise

Simplified Format

Like full block format, all lines are flushed with the left margin but salutation andcomplementary close are done away with.An example is given below:

Girdhari Lal and Sons

111, Netaji Subhash Chander Road

Jhansi---200856(UP)

The Bankers A ssociation,

8 Hazrat Ganj,

Lucknow- (UP)

We regret to inform you----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Roshan Lal)For Girdhari Lal and Sons

8.6 Summary

After having gone through the above text , the reader must have understood theimportance of writing letters in personal and professional life.

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Though, telephone, e-mails and fax play an important role in businesscommunication, none can replace the business letters because of the details andaccuracy and accuracy such letters can provide. Letters remain as importanttoday, as they were earlier and will continue to retain their special place inbusiness correspondence in future a well. The purpose of business letters can bemany depending upon the type of organisation and their use.

8.7 Glossary

Business letters The objective of business letters is to achieve adefinite business purpose

Salutation It is the complementary greeting which writtenbelow the inside address

Full block format of letter writing In this type of letter writing all linesexcept date and complementary close are flush from the left margin


1. Write a letter to a news paper for publishing your article, “Poor state ofeducation in India”.

2. Place an order of supplying spare parts of a generator your company is using.

3. Write a letter to a company which has asked your company to supply goods oncredit.

Answers:

1.

Sender’s name and address

Tele No DateAddress

ToThe EditorHindustan TimesIndustrial Area, Mohali (Chandigarh)

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Dear Sir /Madam,

Please find enclosed an article, “Poor state of education inIndia” for favour of publishing in your esteemed newspaper.

Thanking you.

Yours faithfully,Signatures

2.India Forge Limited


New Delhi-110037

Our Reference : PS/34/14 31 March,2014-

The Managing Director

Kirlosker Generators Limited

1012, Industrial Area

Pune

Dear Sir,

We are pleased to place an order of spare parts , the details of which areprovided below:

Your reputation of quality and excellent after sales service has been the mainconsideration for placing the present order. We hope you will do everything toretain our faith in your esteemed organisation.

The spare parts along with the bills must reach us by 20 April, 2014. Paymentwill be made through RTGS for which you are requested to provide us the bankdetails.

We hope that the assignment will be delivered well in time.

Yours faithfully,

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(P N Mohindra)

GeneralManager

3.

India Metal Products Manufactures Limited


New Delhi-110037

Tel. No 31 March, 2014

The Managing DirectorMetals and Metals Company12345 LalbagMumbai-400 012

Dear Sir,Regarding your request for credit

Thank you for your order for miscellaneous items as per the list enclosed withthe order.We are pleased to know that you are interested in business dealings with ourcompany. You are welcome and we shall be very happy to have a long termrelationship.You will appreciate that before we enter in to a relationship of providing creditto your company, certain documentation has to be completed. Kindly provide usthe details of your bankers and at least two trade references.On completion of theses documents, we shall be happy to execute your orderimmediatelyLooking forward to an early response from you.

Thanking you.

Yours faithfully,Rattan SinghManaging Partner


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1. Taylor, Shirley, Model Business Letters, Pearson Education Inc. , Delhi,1998

2. Monippally, M. Matthukutty, Business Communication Strategies, TataMcGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi ,2002


Sharma, R C and Mohan, Krishna, Business Correspondence and ReportWriting , Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi ,


1. What are the types of letter formats? Give one example of each

2. What are different parts of a letter? Explain with examples.

(a) Give as many examples of “salutation” and “complementary close”as you can

(b) What is the difference between business and personal letters? Givea format of the personal letter.

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Unit 3

Advanced Technical Writing

Lesson 9 Memos, Office Circulars, Notices,Press Release, E-mail and E-mailEtiquette and News Letters

Lesson 10 Resume Writing

Lesson 11 Technical Proposals, TechnicalReports, Dissertations and Thesis

Lesson 12 Instruction Manuals, TechnicalDescriptions, Creating Indices,Preparing list of References andBibliography

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Lesson 9

Memos, Office Circulars, Notices, Press Release,E-mail and E-mail Etiquette and News Letters

Lesson Structure

9.1 Learning objectives9.2 Introduction9.3 Memos, Office Circulars, Notice9.4 Press release and newsletters9.5 E-mails9.6 Summary9.7 Glossary9.8 Answers to check progress/suggested answers9.9 Reference/Bibliography9.10 Suggested reading9.11Terminal and model questions

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Learning the importance of internal communication inbusiness life

Understanding the different types of internalcommunications commonly used in business offices

Learning how to write effective internal communicationmemos

9.2 IntroductionThere are two types of communications which are relevant to any business activity;the external communication and the internal communication, and both have their ownimportance. Internal communication is important for keeping every one in theorganisation connected with each other. In any case, nothing can happen if there is nointernal communication in the organisation; managers must know the objectives.Strategies and action plan of achieving them, workers have to be told about the targetsby the supervisors, every employee must be motivated to perform his best anddiscipline and order must be maintained for good functioning

Typical internal communication includes the use of business memos, OfficeCirculars, Notices, Press Release, E-mail and E-mail Etiquette and News Letters

9.3 Memos, Office Circulars and Notices

A memo is a formal written message written in a conventional form for others to meetspecific needs of the organisation. It is a dialogue where the initiator of the messageconveys something and expects the receivers to take actions as required. Hence ,memo is an important part of internal communication and every individual must knowthe basics of writing a good memo.

9.3.1 Purpose of business memos

The purpose of any communication within the business entity to solve variousproblems and business memos play the following role:

To describe and explain the problem Ask for more information Ask for additional resources Share proposals or ask for proposals

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Explain various policies and any changes made in the policies Explain working procedures and methods Requesting the receiver to take action as asked for Ask the reader to attend a meeting or conference or be present at a particular

place Ask for feedback, suggestions, comments, recommendations etc. Provide feedback and suggestions ,advice etc. Seek views explanation for not doing some thing or not achieving a target Issuing polite reminders

Memos like other communication may be downward, upward or horizontal in naturedepending upon the need to communicate.

9.3.2 Downward memos.

They are used for the purpose of:

Convey to the juniors routine information about the company Share matters relating to personnel, promotions, transfers, incentives,

punishments etc Give instructions for performing specific tasks Seek explanations or clarifications Give feedback about their performance and other related matters

9.3.3 Upward memos

As the name conveys this is the communication from junior levels to the higherlevels, The are generally in the following form:

Grievances, complaint Feedback regarding implementation of a policy or procedure Giving suggestions and new ideas to the seniors Informing the seniors about problems like shortage of manpower, non-

availability of power etc

9.3.4 Horizontal memos.

These memos are sent to people who are at the same level in the organisation. Thebasic purpose served by these memos is :

Coordinate issues with others Seek cooperation from peers Persuade colleagues’ to support a particular project or be present a t the

presentation etc.

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9.3.5 Difference between letters and memos

The broad differences are:

Letters are used for external communication but the memos are for internalcommunication

The format used by the two is different

Letters are more formal than the memos

Memos are not as well structured as the letters

Memos because of their very use need not go into the background or provideany introduction

9.3.6 How to write effective memos?

Memos are an important part of internal communication. They should generallyfollow the rules of good writing . Specifically, they should:

Clarity

Any vague memo may confuse the reader , so , clarity is of utmostimportance.

Conciseness The message while being shared internally should be asconcise as possible

Unity of theme What good is any information which is not coherent?The memo must be coherent without sacrificing the basic theme.

Informal tone Although a memo is a formal document , yet it isless formal tan other forms of communication. Since it is an internalcommunication, the writer and the receiver are likely to know each other. In such environment , an informal tone of the message will be muchbetter. Very formal tone may appear to be intimidating in nature.

9.3.7 Form and Structure of a memo

Like any other communication , writing a memo demands special effort and shouldnot be taken casually. As far sa possible a standard format should be used.There are four segments of a memo as shown below:

Heading

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It includes the date , the recipient’s name and designation, the sender’s name anddesignation and the subject. Here is an example:

15 March ,2014-04-04To : Mr. Rs Bhatti, Additional Director

From: D S Sandhu, General Manager (HR)

Subject : Promotion, Mr g. Swaminathan as DGM (Marketing)

May I request you to forward suitable recommendation report in respect of Mr.G.Swaminathan, as it is required to be put up to the CEO before 18 March .

Please treat it as urgent.

Opening

Most memos include a short purpose of writing the memo. The opening sentencesinclude the central theme of the memo. The opening must answer the following:

(a) What is the problem?

(b) What led to the need of this memo?

(c) What is the purpose of the memo?

An example of an opening for a memo is as follows:

We are conducting a special training program for Grade 3 officers of the company on20 April, 2014

Our latest product “Wonder Smile” which was launched in Jan 2013, has surpassed allrecords of sales. I am enclosing the sales report of the product till 31 March, 2014.

Body

It contains the message of the memo. It includes all thev details that support thecentral idea of the memo. It may contain some recommendations etc.

Closing

Like all other forms of written communication, memo should also be closed in acourteous manner. While stating what action is required to be taken by the receiver ofthe memo, do not forget the decency and courtesy. Here are a few examples of a good‘closing’:

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(a) Would you be kind enough to discuss the matter with other senior membersof your staff and send me your views by 10 May , 2014 positively?

(b) I feel that you would appreciate the new policy which is employee-freidly andwill motivate them to perform still better. Kindly forward your comments by10 April, 2014-04-04

Optional Elements

There may be the need to attach some documents like references to other memos,circulars , reports etc.

9.3.8 Writing strategies for a good memo

The following steps can help in organising a memo in a systematic manner:

Analyse the problem and purpose of writing the memo

Determine the needs of the reader

Determine the scope of the message

Organise the message

Write the first draft of the message

Revise , review and edit the message

Prepare the final draft

9.3.9 A model memo

Please study the following model memo to be ale to write effective memos:

Steadfast Consultants Pvt LtdSCO 6789, First Floor, Sector 234, Chandigarh- 100166

Interoffice Memorandum

Date: 04 April, 2014

To : Miss Ishy Yadav, Sr Training Manger

From : R C Bhargava, Managing Director

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Subject: Training in self-management for senior managers of Punjab National Bank

Please refer to the proposal dated 20 Feb , 2014. I am happy that you are organisingthe program in the premises of PNB.

I feel you should include one session on, “Self-management and its contribution toorganisational effectiveness”

R C Bhargava

9.3.10 Office Circulars

When the same information has to be conveyed to a large number of people in anyorganisation , office circulars are used. The subject of the circular is alwaysmentioned at the top. Circulars, as the name suggests, are circulated among the staffeither through a messenger or through other means like e-mail and FAX etc. In certainorganisations , the system is that all the recipients sign as having received the circularon the page being circulated. But some times, they can be put on the notice board.Generally, important circulars may be circulated through a messenger.

Usually, circulars are about general matters, The be about office conduct, change intimings, rules , regulations and procedures that are applicable to the employees,welfare schemes, grievances handling procedures etc

Example I Circular to prepare for Technical Inspection

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Pollution Control Consultants

1234, Industrial Area, Panchkula

Date 10 April, 2014-04-03

Subject Technical Inspection by MD Pollution Control Board , Haryana

A Technical Inspection Team of Pollution Control Board , Haryana, will visit ourpremises on 25 April, 2014, for assessing our capability to inspect certain industrialunits on their behalf.

All departments are required to keep their records updated. They will ensure that theplant and equipment under their charge is fully functional.

GM (Technical) will carry out a review of all the departments on 20 April and submita report to the MD.

D S PathaniaGM(Technical)

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Example 2

Circular for Change in Office Timing

Date: 01 Jun, 2014-04-03Subject: Change in Office Timing

In view of the new guidelines issued by Punjab government vide their notificationNo. dated , it has been decided that the working hours ofour organisation will be from 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM with 30 minutes tea/coffee breakfrom 10:30 to11AM.

All are expected to strictly adhere to the laid down timing.

S S SandhuGM(Administration)

9.3.11 Notices

A notice in a business communication is defined as a means of passing oninformation within an organisation. It is drafted as a summed up document or issummarised so that the reader spends very little time to read it. It may be sent to aspecific group of people or all the persons in the organisation

9.4 Press Release and Newsletters

Business organisations communicate with the general public through the PressReleases from time to time. A press release should not be confused with the PressReport. When an organisation sends Matter for publication on its own accord, usuallyprepared by its own staff, it is a Press Release. How ever, when a newspapercorrespondent covers an event of the organisation and writes an article or report on hisown, it is a Press Report. All newspapers have a section in their newspapers to printPress Releases. Often, the correspondents use the Press Releases to prepare the PressReport.

Big business organisations have a Public Relations Department, which handles thework of releasing Press Releases. The Public Relations Department works to create agood image of their organisation. Some times, organisations embark on social welfare

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projects like medical camps or sponsor sports events or cultural programmes. Forexample, Olympics 2004, our wrestling team was sponsored by Gujrat’s AmbujaCement. Similarly, Tatas, Reliance and Birla groups have set up many sociallyrelevant projects. Every organisation wants to project itself as the one which valuesCSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)

Apart from the image-enhancing exercise, Press Release are also issued for ;

Managerial level appointments Visit of important dignitaries like Ministers, Ambassadors, and Governors

etc. Conferences, Workshops, Seminars etc. Release of quarterly figures of profit Signing of important contracts Entry in to capital market Expansion of the company Mergers and takeovers Policy changes Diversifications

Press Releases have no tangible financial function. News papers are not paid topublish them, neither are they duty bound to publish these. News papers have the rightto edit them. How ever, if rightly used, they can help in enhancing the image of thecompany.

9.4.1 Essentials of a Good Press Release

Newsworthy

A Press Release should be newsworthy. It has to interest the reader and be importantenough for the newspaper to publish i.

Factual Truthfulness

A Press Release should be factually true. An organisation should have the integrity towin the good will of the public. False information or misrepresentation of the facts, iffound out can damage the reputation of the company irrevocably.

Brevity and Preciseness

A Press Release should be as brief and to the point as possible. People do not haveeither the time or the inclination to read long winding passages. More over, there islimit of space in the newspapers especially in the reputed national dailies.

Written in the proper and befitting form

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The style of writing a Press Release should be lucid and interesting. Appropriatewords should be used. The grammatical rules have to be adhered to. Care should betaken to maintain a serious tone.

Published in the suitable forms

A Press Release should be given to such newspapers only that have a businesssection. It would be futile to publish a Press Release of a business house in a sportsmagazine, the readers of which have no interest in your Press Release.

Covering Letter

A Press Release should always be accompanied with a covering letter to the editor.

Comprehensive

A Press Release should give proper information and be self-explanatory. All possiblequeries of the reader must be taken care of.

9.4.2 Structure of a good Press Release

Give a catchy heading to attract the reader

Gove a befitting photograph , if possible, as visual media attracts more thanthe written words.

Give a gist of thee message in the opening paragraph because majority of thereaders do not read beyond this point.

A Specimen Press Release

Covering Letter

M/s Rala Ram and Sons

22222 Grain market, Sector 26

Chandigarh- 1090234

Date : 14 March, 2014-04-03

The Editor Hindustan Times,

Chandigarh

Sir,

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I am enclosing a Press Release about our firm being appointed the sole wholesaledistributors of MDH spices for the region of Punjab, Himachal and Haryana .

You are requested to provide a suitable space in your esteemed newspaper.

Thanking you,

Yours truly,

(Shanta Kumar)Public Relations Officer

Enclosure: Press Release (Two pages)

9.4.3 News Letters

News letters are printed or e-mailed publications which are circulated to subscribers atregular intervals. Every organisation wants to remain in touch with their externalstake holders as well as their employees and other potential clients. The ultimate ideais to generate more profits by involving maximum people.

The focus of a news letter is always on what a reader should know about you. Itshould provide information to the target audience about your existing products, anyimprovements and revision of prices etc, additional benefits which whole- salers andretailers are likely to get and so on. As compared to other very expensiveadvertisements, it scores as it is less expensive and can have reach to the specifictarget of people. It is perhaps the best thing next to word-of –mouth advertisement. Itdevelops the required bond with external stake –holders and develops a rapport withown employees. It can do wonders to the reputation of the company if planned andexecuted properly. It can help in e-marketing by helping customers use web-basedshopping portals.

9.5 E-Mails

Last decade has seen very rapid growth in the use of internet by Indian companies. E-mail use has become so wide spread that it has changed the way the companiescommunicate today. There are good chances that the reader of this lesson would havehis personal e-mail ID and perhaps one for the position in which he works for in theorganisation. Most of the companies and other organisations encourage us of e-mailsas a means of communication. All internal communication within the company whichmay have many branches spread in India and abroad, is though e-mails only. E-mailsoffer many advantages over other means of communication.

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E-mail has its own language and acronyms, vocabulary etc. And with the help of thislanguage and vocabulary, you can do so many things instantaneously. While e-mail isone of the best ways of communication, it also has its limitations. Though moderntechnology offers many ways of maintaining the confidentiality of the message beingsent, yet all such methods can be corrupted by a determined trouble-maker and certainother means may be more suitable

9.5.1 Advantages of E-mails

One can communicate instantaneously with any one across the globe. Itreaches the recipient in a matter of seconds and minutes

The message can be sent simultaneously to as many people as you want; youhave to know only the e-mail addresses of the concerned parties. A mailinglist may be maintained in the computer which allows fast distribution ofmessage to all.

One can use e-mail to access large amount of data available with any oneanywhere

One can easily save thousands of e-mail messages in small space and searchthem electronically as and when one wants

E-mails messages can be picked up from any where and pasted anywhereelse.

One can use the ‘reply’ button to include part or all of the original message inthe reply message. Reply to some one’s e-mail can be sent immediatelywithout the need of composing the address and the subject

All types of files, pictures, sketches, drawings, sound and video clips can beattached with e-mail

You don’t have to disturb the person you want to communicate with. He canopen his mailbox at his convenience and take suitable action.

When you get the e-mail message, you don’t have to worry about beingdisturbed or interrupted if you are already sending or receiving anothermessage. The message will be received in your mailbox and you can see atyour convenience.

It is the most cost-effective method. In fact, it is so inexpensive that it can beused by any one. The cost does not depend on the distance between the senderand the receiver or the size of the message.

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9.5.2 Limitations

E-mails received by any one can be edited by any of the recipients.When you receive the message, you are not sure whether it is theoriginal message or some one has intentionally or inadvertently edited it.

It cannot be retracted or called back. Once the ‘send’ button is pressed, itis gone.

It is very difficult to track e-mails

It is possible to forge e-mails

You are subjected to junk mails from all over. If your e-mail ID isknown any one can send you any message whether you like it or not

It can become a habit which can become a disease People start spendingtoo much of time in collating the e-mails and do not invest time withtheir colleagues, and others.

Human touch, empathy and emotions get relegated and mechanicalinteraction takes over.

9.5.3 Basic E-mail jargon

Spam

Unsolicited mail sent to many people simultaneously

Bounce

A message that gets returned either because of the wrong address or becauseof some problem at the receiver end

9.5.4 E-mail etiquette

Many organisations have devised their own e-mail guidelines or rules. Someof the generally accepted e-mail etiquette are as follows:

Answer promptly. The very purpose of this type of communicationwill be lost if you don’t respond quickly.

Do not always as a matter of practice ‘Reply to all’

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Use proper structure and layout. It is more difficult to read themessage on screen as compared to reading it on a peace of paper.Hence, use simple language in small sentences and small paragraph,leave enough space between two paragraphs and number thedifferent points you wish to make.

It is a good idea to identify yourself . Rather than just giving your e-mail in ‘From’ write your name as well

Try and address all possible queries in your reply. If you don’t do it ,the other party will keep raising more and more queries wastingyour time.

Your e-mail should be as concise as possible. It being difficult toread on screen, a long e-mail would not be welcome.

Use of correct grammar, spellings and punctuation. These areimportant for any written communication but are more so for e-mails. Use the spell-check option often.

Do not use capital letters. It looks as if you are shouting. This canbe highly annoying and an irritated reader may send you a mailwhich you may not like,

As far as possible, use active voice rather than passive voice.Saying, “We welcome your enquiry” sounds much better than,“Your enquiry is welcomed by our organisation”

Language should be gender-neutral. Don’t use ‘he’ or ‘she’. It isgood to use ‘the sender’ or ‘the user’

Maintain coherence

Attach only limited files/data

Always read the e-mail before you press the ‘send’ button

Do not use abbreviations and acronyms which are not in commonuse and the receiver of the mail may not be conversant with them.

Avoid using ‘high priority’ option as much as you can . Only reallyimportant messages should be marked such.

Do not reply to ‘spam’ as it is not meant for you.

Use it carefully and appropriately as it is not private. Workingpeople should be very careful in using e-mail, if usedinappropriately they can even be fire

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.

9.5.5 E-mail format

Although, the system provides us a ready made format, there is a need to use certainconventions and use the format effectively. It includes the following:

Heading It includes the following:

Date Sat, 05 March, 2014 12:42:10 From [email protected] To ramesh. [email protected] Subject Book Review for publishing CC Cc:[email protected] BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) Bcc: rahul.tanwar2hindustantimes.com

Salutation

Rules of salutation are the same as in any written communication. Examples are asfollows:

Dear Dr SP Singh,Dear Mr S K Vashisht.Dear Yojana

Body

It mentions, describes and explains the central idea of the purpose of writing the mail.

9.6 Summary

Since documents like memos , circulars, notices, press release, e-mail etc. are animportant part of internal communication, it is imperative that professionalsunderstand the formats of such means of communication and know how to writethem effectively.

The lesson has brought out the importance of writing all types of written internalmeans of communication. Types of formats used and methods of writingdifferent types have been discussed.

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9.7 Glossary

Memo A memo is a formal written message written in aconventional form for others to meet specific needs of the organisation

Circular Circulars are used when the same information has tobe conveyed to a large number of people in any organisation

Newsletter News letters are printed or e-mailed publicationswhich are circulated to subscribers at regular intervals

Press Release The purpose of a press release is to inform thepublic through media. Press releases publicize the organisation and create a positiveimpression in the minds of the readers


1. Prepare a specimen notice for the Annual General Meeting of any company

Answer: A specimen of a Notice is shown below:

ABC Management Consultants Limited

Registered Office 12345, MG Road

Hyderabad-500029

04 April 2014Notice

Notice is hereby given that fifteenth Annual General Meeting of the members ofABC Management Consultants Limited will be held on 17 April 2014 at 10:30 AM atthe registered office of the company.

The Agenda is as follows:

Ordinary Business

(i)(ii)(iii)

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Special Business

To consider and if thought fit to pass without modification the following resolution asan ordinary resolution:

(i) “Resolved that

(ii) Resolved that

Self –assessment exercises

1. You are GM (Marketing) with a FMCG company Write a memo to yourcolleague, GM(Production) for organising an awareness campaign foryour latest product, “Beautiful Smile”, in a small town.

2. You organisation has been selected for a prestigious national award inquality. This award is to be presented to the MD of your company on 15April, 2014 by His Excellency , the Governor of Punjab. Prepare asuitable Press Release to be sent to all important news papers of theregion for covering the event.

9.9 Reference, Bibliography


2. Monippally, M. Matthukutty, Business Communication Strategies, TataMcGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi ,2002


Cheema, Col D S , Communication skills for professionals Laxmi PublicationsPvt Ltd , Delhi


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2 Rizvi , M.Ashraf , Effective technical Communication , Tata McGraw- HillPublishing Company Ltd, New Delhi


1. Read the following statements about the business memos and write True orFalse against each statement:

(a) The purpose of a memo is to tell others what you want from them(b) To determine the scope of a memo, one should select what should be

included out a vast range of information(c) One need not conduct a brain-storming session before writing any memo(d) The most important aspect of a memo is the format it follows(e) Reviewing after drafting the memo is the process of finding out whether

the memo will achieve its purpose

2. Write a model memo about anything or matter which you can use as atraining aid for the junior staff of your company

3. What are the limitations of e-mails? Suggest methods to overcome the.

3. What must be kept in mind while sending a Press Release to an importantnational daily?

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Lesson 10

Resume Writing

Lesson Structure

10.1 Learning objectives10.2 Introduction10.3 Resume design and parts of resume Circulars10.4 Tips for writing good resume10.5 Styles of writing resumes10.6 Summary10.7 Glossary10.8 Answers to check progress/suggested answers10.9 Reference/Bibliography10.10 Suggested reading10.11Terminal and model questions

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Learning why Resume writing has assumed such animportance

Understanding about the essential ingredients of a resume

Learning how to right a good resume and get what you want

10.2 Introduction

Resume or the personal data sheet as many call it is an inventory of the applicant’spersonal details, educational qualifications,, specialised training, experience,references, and any other relevant information. According to Mary Ellen Guffey, “Aresume packages your assets into a convincing advertisement that sells you for aspecific job”.

A resume is a selective record of an individual’s background. It is basically aprofessional employment-seeking document that presents a summary of anindividual’s education, professional training, experience, skills, abilities,achievements, and references. It introduces the individual to a potential employer. Aresume is sent to prospective employers when an applicant is seeking job interviews.So, the main objective of a resume is winning a job interview by highlighting theapplicant’s fitness for a particular position.

Writing an effective resume that represents one’s current skills, abilities, andbackground is a challenge faced by all candidates. As a well-written persuasiveresume tailored to a specific job position immediately grabs the attention of anemployer, it should therefore, be made as persuasive as possible. The followingsection represents techniques and suggestions for creating persuasive resumes.

10.3 Resume Design and Parts of a Resume

There is no one right design for a resume. The design of a resume largely depends ona person’s background, employment needs, career goals, and professional conventionsin the area of specialization. For best results, a resume must be designed to reflect thecandidate’s personality, employment goals, and his/ her career aspirations. A resumeshould be original. Although resume-writing software may be used to design a resumeor it may be written by a professional resume writer/resume-writing service, it shouldbe designed according to individual needs.

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Resumes may have to be written for every new job application because every job hasits own requirements. Keeping a resume job-specific gives it the required focus andmakes it more effective. The contents of the different resumes prepared by a candidatemight be roughly the same, but the organization, format, structure, and emphasescould be quite different.

10.3.1 Any resume must answer the following questions:

How can the employer contact the candidate?

What are his/her career objectives?

Which institution has been attended?

What courses (academic or professional) has been completed?

What is his/her work experience?

What are his/her career achievements?

What are his/her special skills or capabilities?

What are the/her awards or honors that he/she has received?

What are his/her activities/special interest/hobbies?

Who are his/her references?

Answers to these questions will provide the employer with all the relevantinformation needed to assess an applicant’s suitability for a particular position. Theseanswers may be integrated to these questions into different parts of as resume.

Parts of Resume

The standard parts of a resume include the heading; position sought, career objective,education, work experience, specific skills, achievements, activities, interests, andreferences.

10.3.2 Heading

The heading of a resume includes contact information, which contains theapplicant’s name, full postal address with pin code, telephone number with areacode, fax number, and e-mail address.

10.3.3 Position sought

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If applying for a solicited job position, the position sought should be mentionedso that the employer is able to distinguish the application from those who mighthave applied for other positions available in the company/organization. However,it is not necessary to include this part in the resume if the application is for anunsolicited job position.

10.3.4 Career objectives

Career objective is a special part in a resume. It occurs just above the main experienceand education parts. If responding to an advertised job position, the resume shouldinclude the applicant’s career objective, which should be tailored to the positionhe/she is seeking. Thus, it should be a specific one-sentence focused statementexpressing his career goals in relation to the targeted position. It should conveyhis/her motivation and interest in the job he/she is seeking. The following are someexamples:

To work as a system manger in a leading IT company where I will haveopportunities to use my experience with VB, ASP, NET, XML, and SQL Server.

To obtain a challenging position in a large software consulting organizationproviding business consulting, application development, and product engineeringservices, where understanding and experience of business process modeling andorganizational change management to suit customer needs can be used to achieveset targets.

To contribute to the growth of a high technology engineering enterprise byworking in a position where I will have opportunities to utilize my exposure andexperience in modeling and designing steel structures, and my hands-onexperience in using FEM/FEA software.

To work as a product architect in an innovative software company where I willbe able to use my experience in the areas of product and system architecture withexpertise in enterprise applications.

If you are just exploring a job position by sending an all-purpose resume, you may usea general statement as your career objective. It would just express your general careergoals and tell the potential employer the sort of work you are hoping to do. Study thefollowing examples:

Seeking a suitable position in design/project management.

Challenging position in maintenance of computer printers andperipherals.

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Position in academic administration.

Faculty position in Computer Aided Design.

Sales position in electrical products.

10.3.5 Professional summary

Some resumes may include a professional summary in place of career objective. It isa one-sentence statement listing the applicant’s most important qualifications, his/heressential skills, and his/her key work experience. This part should be included in theresume if the applicant wishes to highlight the relevance of his/her qualifications,special skills, and key work experience to the position he/she is applying for. Thefollowing are some examples:

Six years experience in providing customer support to users of the industry’sleading network routing, switching, security, and VOIP technology as aCCNA professional at CONVERGYS.

Four years of experience as production engineer with thoroughunderstanding of weld technology and design and sound knowledge abouttrouble-shooting, fool proofing of processes, cost saving through processimprovement, and low cost automation.

Over eight years of training and experience in testing, commissioning andintegrating of the GSM & CMDA nodes like IN, GPRS, EDGE, MMS withexpertise in IP products and networking.

Five years of experience in sales of spare parts for central air conditioningequipment with extensive knowledge of spare parts of Carrier for BahwanEngineering Group, Muscat.

10.3.6 Education

In this part of resume, specific details regarding the applicant’s education andprofessional training must be included. The name and location of theschool/college/university/institute attended, dates of attendance, major areas of study,degrees/certificates received should be mentioned. The applicant’s grade pointaverage/class/division if it is on the higher side may also be mentioned. Relevanttraining programmes, special courses, seminars and workshops that the applicantmight have completed, attended, or conducted should also be included. Reversechronological order is used to list educational information, that is, starting from themost recent educational information.

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10.3.7 Work experience

This part of the resume should provide a brief and specific overview of the applicant’swork and professional experience. As prior work experience is a vital part of anyhiring decision, the applicant must draft this part of the resume very carefully. Ifhe/she has impressive work experience relevant to the position he/she is seeking, itmakes more sense to mention it before providing the educational information.

Work experience should be given in reverse chronological order, by listing the mostrecent employment first. Title of the position, employer’s name or name of theorganization/company, location of work (town, state), dates of employment, andimportant Job responsibilities, activities, and accomplishments should be included.Emphasis should be placed on those aspects of the applicant’s experience andemployment achievements that illustrate his/her capabilities and positive personalitytraits such as motivation, willingness to learn, positive attitude, confidence, ability toget along with others, and communication and interpersonal skills.

10.3.8 Special Skills, abilities, and aptitudes

In this part of the resume, the applicant’s special skills abilities and aptitudes that areof significance and of direct relevance to the job applied for are listed. Examples oflearned skills include computer programming, computer processing, data processing,foreign languages, machinery operating, consulting, drafting, technical writing, and soon. It is necessary to be selective and specific, highlighting only those skills andtalents that are relevant to the targeted job

10.3.9Activities and interests

Extra-curricular, co-curricular, professional activities, and hobbies and interests mustbe mentioned. These activities must show that the applicant is a dynamic andenergetic person who can accept challenges. Companies prefer such people.

10.3.10 Achievements/Accomplishments/Honors

The applicant’s achievements, accomplishments, and awards distinguish him from therest. They convince employer that he/she is an achiever and therefore worth hiring.This part should include scholarships, fellowships, awards, distinctions,commendations, certificates, or anything that shows achievement or recognition.

10.3.11 References

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Some employers need references from persons who know the applicant’s work orprofessional competence through formal and professional interaction with him/her.When applying for a solicited position where the employer wants references, thenames of three persons who can give letters of recommendations or references shouldbe mentioned. These persons may include the applicant’s previous employer, teacher,immediate supervisor, research guide, colleague, subordinate, and so on. The name ofthe reference must be mentioned, his or her designation, and full contact address wittelephone number, fax number, and e-mail address should be given.

10.4 Tips for Writing Good Resumes

A good resume is a treat to look at and joy to read. It is an important document whichcan , if properly presented help the job-seeker a lot.

Keep the following in mind, if you want to write a good resume:

10.4.1 Be factual, correct and complete

Many a times, a candidate in his anxiety to impress the interviewer write certainthings which are not factually correct. This the worst thing a candidate can do.Remember, it is a record which has been authenticated by you and any wrongstatement will amount to cheating and fraud. Qualifications and experience etc.should be verified for accuracy Also, be very particular to check the facts and figureslike dates, postal or e-mail addresses, addressees and contact Nos. of the referencestelephone, mobile and FAX numbers etc. A careless or casual attitude can cost youvery dear.

10.4.2 Always write specific details

Some persons have the tendency to beat about the bush and write generally to increasethe length of their resume. This is a bad habit and you must shun it. Be very specificin what ever you say. Use appropriate key words to emphasise your skill set orpositive personality traits like belief in ethics and value system etc. While mentioningthe education and experience, be certain to write as per the certificates you possess.

10.4.3 Use a simple , lucid and readable writing style

Basic principles of business writing are applicable to resume writing as well. Onewants to include maximum possible information in the resume but at the same time itcannot be very long. As a compromise, many tend to use a curt style which isirritating for the reader. Using “Responsible for marketing operations in J and K” isok in place of, “I was responsible for operations in the entire state of J and K”. Butmore precise and curt language may lose the readability of the resume which is very

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important. The best test is to put yourself in the place of the reader and judge theimpact.

10.4.4 Resume must have professional look

A suitable resume style should be chosen depending upon what aspects you want tohighlight, what are the employers looking for, the reputation of the organisation forwritten standards and their professional approach etc.It should be structured asheadings , sub-headings etc. leaving enough space to differentiate the various parts. Itshould be neatly typed on good quality of paper without any decorative borders. Thereader should like to read the entire document in one go.

10.4.5 Be particular about the grammar, vocabulary,punctuations etc.

Simple sentences which use day-to-day vocabulary and are grammatically correctleave much better impression than long sentences using high-fi words and phrasesbut lacking punctuation.

10.5 Styles of Writing Resumes

Many styles of writing the resume are used. It depends upon the personal choice ofthe person as also on his/her qualifications, experience and career goals. Here aresome styles for you to consider.

10.5.1 Chronological resume

It is the most common style. In this style the writer focuses on education andexperience. Educational qualifications and work experience is provided in the reversechronological order ie. Beginning with the latest and ending with the most recent. Anexample of such a resume is given below.

Alok Saxena

O-234/1, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi=135673

E-mail: [email protected], Mobile No. 09878021341

Position sought General Manger – Project

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Career Objectives To contribute extensively to the organisation usingmy qualifications, experience and maturity. To accept challenges and prove mymettle in handling them in the best interest of the company I serve

Experience Project ManagerWorked with distinction with M/s All Well Developers

and Engineers, a reputed construction company of Noida from 2009 till present

Assistant Project ManagerAssisted the Project Manager in the well known construction company, ABC

Promoters of Gurgaon from 2003 to 2009

Qualifications M.Tech (Civil) from Punjab Technical University in2012

B. Tech(Civil) from BITS , Pilani in 2003

Special skills Computer savvyExcellent people skillsVery good communication skills in English and

HindiUndergoing course in French

Memberships and other activities Member Institution of EngineersMember Lucknow Management

Association

Interests and hobbies Writing for professional journalsPlaying hockey and badminton

10.5.2 Functional resume

In this type of resume, the resume writer lays emphasis on skills andaccomplishments. Here the writer wants to demonstrate his/her skills in handling thetype of challenge in the job. Some employer are more interested in the problemsolving ability of the candidate rather than the qualifications etc,. Here is an exampleof such a resume.

Alok Saxena



Position sought General Manger – Project

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Career Objectives To contribute extensively to the organisation usingmy qualifications, experience and maturity. To accept challenges and prove mymettle in handling them in the best interest of the company I serve

Project Management

Supported the Project Manager in project planning activities

Coordinated with architects and structure engineers

Helped complete the project before the dead line set by the management

Customer Relations

Was assigned the task of customer relation in the absence of the professional.My outstanding contribution was recognised by the management

Special Skills

Excellent problem solving skills

Excellent people skills

Experience Project ManagerWorked with distinction with M/s All Well Developers

and Engineers, a reputed construction company of Noida from 2009 till present

Assistant Project ManagerAssisted the Project Manager in the well known construction company, ABC

Promoters of Gurgaon from 2003 to 2009

Qualifications M.Tech (Civil) from Punjab Technical University in2012

B. Tech(Civil) from BITS , Pilani in 2003

Special skills Computer savvyExcellent people skillsVery good communication skills in English and

HindiUndergoing course in French

Memberships and other activities Member Institution of EngineersMember Lucknow Management

Association


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10.5.3 Combination resume

As the name suggests, it is a combination of the Chronological Resume and theFunctional Resume

10.6 Summary

Resume writing has acquired a lot of importance because Indian companies arebecoming more and more professional in their approach towards hiring. Theyhave realised that they have to be very careful in selecting an employee as a lot oftime, money and effort may be wasted if an unsuitable person gets entry in theirorganisation.

For writing a good resume, the applicant must keep many aspects in mind. Thelesson brings out the method of preparing a good resume. A few sample resumeshave also been provided for the reader to learn from them.

10.7 Glossary

Resume It is the personal data sheet as many call it is an inventory ofthe applicant’s personal details, educational qualifications,, specialised training,experience, references, and any other relevant information.

Functional Resume In this type of resume, the resume writer lays emphasis onskills and accomplishments

Career objectives It is a specific one-sentence focused statement expressing hiscareer goals in relation to the targeted position. It should convey his/her motivationand interest in the job he/she is seeking


1. You have just passed your MBA(Marketing) from PTU and are looking for asuitable opening. Prepare a resume highlighting your strengths.

2. You have seen an advertisement in a national daily for a System Analyst for areputed company based at Gurgaon. Prepare your resume to meet the specificneeds of this job.

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3. Read carefully the resume given below and identify what type is it:

Alok Verma

1234 Sector 88, Noida-201 301E-mail :[email protected]

Skills Expertise in structural designing of high –rise buildings

Have worked as Project Management Consultant

Good problem solving ability


Good written and oral communication skills

Experience Project Manager of --------------------- for 5 years

PMC for 2 years

Supervised mechanical and civil works for 2 years

Assistant Project Manager

-----------------------------------

---------------------------------------

Education I I T Roorkee, B.Tech in civil engineering ,year-------

Symbisis, Pune, Master in Business Administration, year-

Activities Member Institution of Engineers, Chandigarh

Member, Chandigarh Management Association

Hobbies and interests Play regularly at Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Academy,Member Golf Club, Chandigarh

Answers

1.

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Alok Saxena



Position sought General Manger – Marketing

Career Objectives To contribute extensively to the organisationusing my qualifications, experience and maturity. To accept challenges andprove my mettle in handling them in the best interest of the company I serve

Work Experience

Was awarded the best marketing executive in the first year of joining thecompany in 2002

Launched a new product , ‘You Win’ in Andhra Pradesh in 2005, whichis now a household name in South

Presented a Paper, ‘ Rural Marketing-The New Horizons’ in aninternational seminar conducted by CII at Chandigarh in 2013

I have led a team of marketing and sales professional and increased themarket share of a product by 2.2 percent

Customer Relations

Was assigned the task of customer relation in the absence of theprofessional. My outstanding contribution was recognised by themanagement

Special Skills

Excellent problemsolving skills


Qualifications M.B A ( Marketing) from Punjab TechnicalUniversity in 2001

Special skills Computer savvyExcellent people skillsVery good communication skills in English andHindi

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Memberships and other activities Member Chandigarh Association


2.

Alok Saxena



Position sought System Analyst

Career Objectives To contribute extensively to the organisationusing my qualifications, experience and maturity. To accept challenges andprove my mettle in handling them in the best interest of the company I serve

Experience Team Member in the System Analysis departmentof M/s ABC Software Pvt Ltd , Bangalore from 2004 t0 2007

System Analyst with Genpack Softwares Ltd,GurgaonSince 2007

Qualifications MCA from Punjab Technical University in 2004

Special skills Excellent people skillsVery good communication skills in English and

Hindi. Undergoing a course in French

Memberships and other activities Member Institution ofElectronicsEngineers(I)

Member Gurgaon ManagementAssociation

Interests and hobbies Writing for professional technicaljournals

Playing hockey and badminton

3.

It is a functional resume

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10.9 Reference/ Bibliography

1. Raman Meenakshi and Sharma, Sangeeta, Technical Communication ,OxfordUniversity Press , New York1



1. Kumar, Varinder and Raj Bodh, Business Communication , KalyaniPublishers, Jalandhar

2. Cheema, Col D S , Communication skills for professionals Laxmi PublicationsPvt Ltd , Delhi


1. What are the types of resumes and what is the basic difference betweenthem?

2. How do you balance your qualifications and the experience in a goodresume?

3. You have acquired special skill of writing for magazines and newspaperson technical matters. You also have the aptitude for picking up variouslanguages. How will you use these to your advantage while preparing theresume?

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Lesson 11

Technical Proposals, Technical Reports,Dissertation and Thesis

Lesson Structure

11.1 Learning objectives11.2 Introduction11.3 Proposals and reports11.4 Technical reports11.5 Research paper, Dissertation and thesis11.6 Summary11.7 Glossary11.8 Answers to check progress/suggested answers11.9 Reference/Bibliography11.10 Suggested reading11.11Terminal and model questions

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Learning the importance of Technical proposal/Reports,Technical Reports, Research Paper Dissertation andThesis

Understanding the characterises of the above types ofdocuments

Learning to write good documents listed above

11.2 IntroductionAny business organisation is a dynamic entity. It is said that change only ispermanent. Changes in situation like marketing strategy, customer needs, pricingdecisions, technological advances, social and economic changes in society,globalisation etc. have impact on any business organisation ; direct or indirect.Carrying out an adult and analysis of present situation and recommending changes tosuit sent the special needs of any business unit is a necessity no one can ignore.Proposals are prepared to recommend such changes. Any idea, service, plan, projectimprovement etc. prepared for implementation is called a proposal. It could besuggesting a change in an existing process, adding a new assembly or manufacturingline, using new technology or material, carrying out R and D, providing a service orfacility, opening a new office, joint venture, tie up. Hence, a proposal may be definedas: A written document to undertake a new project for R and D, changing, by adding, removing,modifying, any existing system or process, method or structure or creating something new as anidea or innovation.

A report is different from a proposal. A report is generally submitted for action aftersome study has been carried out. However, a proposal aims at projecting a point ofview, getting approval for the same and then implementing it.

11.3 Proposals and Reports

Different types of proposals are named because of the objective or content of theproposals. Some of these are:

Business proposals

When the proposal deals with any aspect of business, industry, commerce etc.

Research Proposals

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When a proposal is connected with scientific research, analysis or enquiry, it iscalled a research proposal.

Technical Proposals

When use of technical know how, skill and experience related with any field isnecessary in a proposal, it is called a technical proposal

Solicited/unsolicited Proposals

Many a time, an organisation may specifically invite proposals of different typesfor carrying out any improvements. Some companies which may not be doingwell, may invite proposals from experts, consultants etc. for reducing losses,making profits etc. Government departments, pubic and private undertaking etc.have prepared formats for proposals, which include all the details they need.

These forms are just filled up and handed over to the person invited for preparingproposal. Such proposals are called solicited proposals. When proposal is prepared byan individual, group or organisation without being invited to do so, it is calledunsolicited proposal.

11.3.1 Characteristics of a proposal

A proposal is what one wishes to sell as an idea to the other party. In India ideaselling is yet not very popular. However, certain people may have the theoretical oracademic ideas but do not have the where withal to implement it. For example, theymay know that the idea is workable but they do not possess the funds, infrastructure,attitude etc. to put into practical shape.‘Selling’ a proposal essentially involves the AIDA plan which is used in a goodadvertisement. Readers of the proposal must get attracted to the idea ie, his ‘attention;must be drawn, by the proposal, then ‘interest’ in the proposal must be created byexplaining how one wishes the idea will be converted in to practice, next step wouldbe the person’s desire to accept the proposal because of many benefits that wouldaccrue and finally to put the proposal int ;action’ by using his resources. Makingothers accept an idea is a difficult thing. Winning the acceptance of others, eitherconverting a sales deal in to a morally bound commitment or requesting the thesuperior to allot funds for taking up a project or asking any authority to give decisionsas recommended in your report, needs special skills. Some factors that may help are:

Specify the scope of the report or proposal in an unambiguous manner.

Explain your qualifications, experience and other skills which make you anideal person to undertake a task and complete it in an acceptable qualitystandard and in a given timeframe.

What benefits would accrue to the person whom the proposal is being putup.?

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Your estimates of funds, material, manpower and the time should be asrealistic as possible.

Proposal should be short but in a language that is understood by the personfor whom it is meant.

Presentation of the proposal should be neat and attractive divided in differentparts with clear decisions to be made.

11.3.2 Layout structure

Normally solicited proposals do not follow a straight or rigid layout, solicitedproposals follow a layout plan given by the agency inviting the proposal. What layoutshould be followed mainly depends on the practice followed in the organisationwhose member is submitting the proposal as well as practice in vogue in theoraganisation to which the proposal is being submitted. How ever , following is thesuggested layout of a proposal:

Title Page

It is the cover page of the proposal land must contain the following:

Title of the proposal

Name and designation of the person submitting the proposal Name of the organisation the proposer represents

Date, month and year of the submitted proposal

The above should be bold and suitable separated fro each other. Since it is the firstdocument which is going to be read it should invite interest of the reader.

Table of Contents

When the proposal is long, say more than 20 pages only then a content table isrequired. It should be prepared the way any contents are prepared for a book.

Executive Summary

It is the gist of the entire proposal. Many senior and busy people would like yo gothrough a page of summary to understand whether the proposal meets theirrequirement and should go through the entire details. Many a times a summary may

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be sent earlier or circulated to the people who have to evaluate the proposal. It is thecondensed form of the entire proposal.

Statement of the Problem

This is the most crucial part of the proposal as the reader will get an idea of what isthe background, what is the problem and how you propose to address the problem.The proposer may have to give what work has already been done, how it meets thepresent needs partially or does not meet at all and why a fresh look at problemsolving is required. One may need to conduct a survey to sate the problem clearly.

Objectives

These are the short/long term goals of solving the problem with the help of theproposal submitted.

Technical Plan

The problem has already been stated earlier. Technical plan would give the details ofsolving the problem. Methodology used in solving the problem ie use of theoreticalprinciples, carrying out analysis of data, experiments to be carried out and otherinformation and knowledge available elsewhere to be hired or permission taken touse it. Etc would be included in the technical plan.. What equipment, material,laboratories, skilled manpower etc .will be used and for how long to execute theproposal. If the proposal is to change a component or part of the machine, modify orintroduce new process, the advantages that will accrue must be mentioned clearly.

Plan of Action

The entire task of completing the proposal would need a detailed plan of actionDividing or breaking down all that is involved in the project in smaller parts, allottingspecific responsibilities to suitable individuals is necessary, if the project has to becompleted in a desired time frame. If the proposal is being implemented in aparticular organisation, the proposal must clearly state the type of organised supportrequested, whether it is a routine thing like entry pass or permission to use library,tool store or the seminar hall. Who would be required with what qualifications,experience and other background, to support the project, what would be the terms andconditions for hiring their services etc.

Financial Implications

This is an area which will have major consequences and is the most vital part of anyproposal Cost estimates of the proposal should easily flow from the objectives,technical plan and plan of action. All estimates should be realistic and supported withsome logic. The following expenditure must be included:

Equipment, purchase or hiring time cost

Materials

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Use of library, laboratories , computer systems

Include a list of the infrastructure, faculty, study material etc which may bepurchased

Travel

Payment to be made to the personnel engaged

Use of infrastructure like offices, guest houses, land , building , water andelectricity charges.

Office contingencies like stationery

Conclusion

This may or may not form apart of the proposal, depending on your need to reinforcecertain important aspects. If you wish to once again make it clear what benefits theorganisation will accrue if the project is implemented and any other implications.

11.3.3 Reports

A “Report” which literally means a description or account of an opinion, situation orhappening, is necessary in any business activity fo various reasons. The word ‘report’owes its origin to the Latin word “reportare” which means to ‘to carry back’, ‘re’means ‘back’ and ‘portare’ means ‘to carry’ . Hence, report is an account, descriptionor statement of anything or about anything which is ;carried back’ to some one whowas not present on the scene of the event or happening.

In business the reports are required for various reasons. In broad sense of the word ,the news items, memoranda etc are all reports. Reports are required at different levelsof Management which help in designing a suitable Management Information System(MIS). The top level management needs certain reports like decrease or increase inlevels of production, whether sales targets are being met or not, feasibility ofexpansion of business in other unrepresented areas etc. Middle level and operationallevel mangers and supervisors need more detailed reports for planning and executingroutine production activities.

Companies need to prepare annual reports to appraise their share-holders of the statusof the health of the company. Companies also are required to submit various reportsto government agencies; these may include the compliance of various statutoryrequirements. TDS , Service Tax,, Pf , bonus , minimum wages etc. In ultimateanalysis all the reports help the management to take rational decisions which have farreaching implications for any organisation.

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11.3.4 Types of reports

Though it is difficult to list all types of reports used in business, some categories ofreports are provided here.

Oral or written reports

Oral reports are the face-to – face communication from the person who has someinformation which has to be given to others who have to use it for business purpose.Oral reporting is resorted to when there is an emergency or the need to takeimmediate action to correct the situation. The receiver of the information has to verycarefully listen and understand what is being said. If the report is not accurate it willleave the ambiguity because of the poor communication skills of the personpresenting the oral report. No record can be held unless it is taped. To that extent , itis mere an informal report. Against this, a written report has a lot of advantages as arecord can be maintained and such reports also give the finding and recommendationsto help the decision maker. The reader of the report may read what he thinks isessential and may leave out the non-essential. It is a forma document which can beused for legal purpose or can be handed over to some one.

Formal Reports

Formal reports are written communication which is presented in a structured manneraccording to certain established rules. Formal reports differ according to the specificrequirement of purpose or content, like technical feasibility report, pollution clearancereport land use report and so on. A written report can be sometimes informal and maynot follow a structured format. An authority from HQ visiting various branches maygive the written report the MD in the form of points along with his comments.

Statutory or non-statutory reports

Statutory reports are the ones which fulfil a legal requirement. .Foe example Section165 of the Companies Act, a company must hold a meeting within six months of itsincorporation of the company and must submit it to the Registrar of Companies(ROC). Similarly annual reports and reports like deduction of PF and on payment ofminimum wages or the reports by government appointed inspectors are the statutoryreports. Non-statutory are the reports which the company is not legally bound tosubmit to any authority but reports can also be categorised on the frequency ofpreparing the report. Such reports are prepared them from time to time to help them ineffective functioning.

11.3.5 Reporting frequency

Certain reports may be needed on daily basis , for example , the MD of the companywould like to know the payments received against sales Similarly , some reports may

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be on the weekly or monthly basis as the need be. A monthly sales report and theAnnual General Meeting (AGM) are the other examples. There may also be specialreports which are not as per any fixed frequency. Such reports are prepared on asrequired basis and not on regular basis. The Board Of Directors (BOD) may ask GM(Administration) to submit a report on the causes of the strike due to which thecompany lost crores of rupees. BOD may also ask the MD to recommend actionagainst a senior employee of the company who has brought disrepute to the companybecause of his conduct.

11.3.6 Functional needs reports

Reports can also be classified based on the purpose a report is required to serve. Somesuch reports are:

Informational Report

Such reports just present the factual information without analysis, findings andrecommendations etc. Monthly sales reports, spares availability in the store and stocktaking report fall in this category.

Analytical Reports

These reports not only collect data but also analyse it, draw inferences and giverecommendations. Examples are, “Recommendation Report”, “Initial FeasibilityReport’, “Technical Viability Report” and so on.

Program ReportsThese reports, as the name suggests are prepared to report progress of variousactivities like production, sales, payments received, new employees joined in thecompany etc. These are generally prepared by the juniors for the information of theirseniors. Such reports may be a regular feature and a set frequency, say, monthly ormay be prepared on special occasion. For example, progress of the new project maybe prepared by a junior manger to brief another manger visiting from outside who hasjoined the company recently.

11.4Technical Reports

There are certain key features which every technical report must have. These are:

Designed for quick and easy communication of information

There are many ways of communicating information, but when it comes to technicalor scientific communication written reports are the best methods. Here, the reader canquickly glance through the contents, decide what to read and what to omit and

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depending upon his background knowledge and experience can get the desiredinformation.

Designed for selective reading

Technical reports are not meant for every one. These are of no use to the level ofpeople who cannot understand them as they may contain a lot of technical andscientific information using terms which are not understood by every one. They arewritten for a target reader who can use them for planning activities of the organisationor taking decisions.

Have sections and sub-sections with numbered headings and sub-headings

Clarity of what is being presented in the report is of utmost importance. A jumbled upreport with no headings and sub-headings will make no sense and confuse the reader.The content is very important but the way it is presented is of equal importance.

Use figures/diagrams/illustrations and tables etc to convey data andinformation.

The very nature of a technical report demands a lot of data and informationregarding a specific subject. For ease of comprehension by the reader, there may bethe need of using, sketches, diagrams, illustrations, photographs, even videos andtables

11.4.1 Steps involved in writing a technical report

Following steps are involved:

Create an outline, complete with headings. An outline blueprint will give youthe overall picture of what all is to be included and serve as a check list also.

Write your introduction. You should let your readers know right away what toexpect from the report. Highlight the research methods and resources usedand state your findings. Describe the report’s organisation so the reader canskip straight to a specific section, if needed.

Develop your evidence. Body of your report will give the reader all theinformation he needs to decide, evaluate or assess a business problem

Use the conclusions to remind you readers what the problem was and howyour evidence addresses it. Your report may identify a solution or a problemor propose a next step.

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Present your evidence. Use first hand information wherever possible. If youare evaluating two products, use information from the manufacturersthemselves or reviews from user within your organisation.

Use charts and visuals when possible and appropriate

Use appendices for related information

Edit out extraneous text

11.4.2 Style of writing a technical report

We generally associate style with human beings when we say, “He is a very stylishman” But in fact writing also has its own style. You may have heard people saying,“His style of writing is highly readable” All writers have their own style of writing,you may call it good, bad, poor personal or impersonal. Style in writing is like thecharacter of men or like the grain in the wood, it decides the quality of writing.

Scientific Attitude

Since a technical report is required to present the facts, it should be able to commandthe attention of the reader and clearly convey the message to him. For writing atechnical report the writer has to develop a scientific attitude. You need different kindof approach for technical writing from the one used for literary writing. The languageused in such reports have to be tense, direct, informative in nature. The reader of thereport is interested in knowing what you have to say; he is not interested in you.Hence, you as a report writer must approach the subject with the attitude of a scientist;you should be detached, do not bring in your personal view point and be totallytruthful. .In general, direct statements in active voice make the reading vigorous andlively

Readability

Readability of any writing is in true sense the most important quality of writing,because if the writing is not readable, it will not attract the reader and what ever be theother qualities, the reader will not read it. Since a report is always written for aspecific readership, the author must keep in mind how the reader will feel when hereads the document. Many formulae have been developed to check the readability ofany type of writing.

Improving the style of writing

Many things add to the style of writing. Some of these are discussed here:

Choice of words and phrases

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It is difficult to choose the most appropriate word in a particular context, because inEnglish language the same word may have a different meaning in another context.

Precision

Precision comes when you have an excellent vocabulary and use a word which takesthe place of many words and at the same time conveys the exact meaning.

Conciseness

Using too many words for a thought, idea, feeling or emotion may damage the exactmeaning of that thought. Hence, you must save your writing from “wordiness”

Plainness

Plain words are usually short and easily understood. Some people have the tendencyto use difficult words which makes the reading cumbersome. One can catch theattention of the reader more easily by using such words. Remember, the reader is notinterested in knowing how good your vocabulary is.

Use of clichés

Indiscriminate use of clichés will make the reading difficult to understand but whereever it fits in naturally, there is no harm in using one.

Jargon

Every profession, engineering, medicine or management, has its own jargon. If jargonis used in the strict sense of being a technical or special word and it conveys themeaning better, do use it. But don’t use the jargon to impress others, it will becounter-productive.

Construction and length of sentences

Long sentences make it difficult for the reader to read a document. Sentence havingmore than 20 words are generally considered difficult reading

Construction and length of paragraphs

A paragraph is a group of sentences related to one core idea arranged in a particularmanner. Paragraphs should not be unnecessarily long.

11.4.3 Layout structure

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Normally solicited proposals do not follow a straight or rigid layout; solicitedproposals follow a layout plan given by the agency inviting the proposal. What layoutshould be followed mainly depends on the practice followed in the organisationwhose member is submitting the proposal as well as practice in vogue in theoraganisation to which the proposal is being submitted. How ever, following is thesuggested layout of a proposal:

Title Page

It is the cover page of the proposal land must contain the following:

Title of the proposal

Name and designation of the person submitting the proposal

Nam of the organisation the proposer represents

Date, month and year of the submitted proposal

The above should be bold and suitable separated fro each other. Since it is the firstdocument which is going to be read it should invite interest of the reader.

Table of Contents

When the proposal is long, say more than 20 pages only then a content table isrequired. It should be prepared the way any contents are prepared for a book. Thetable should clearly identify different kinds of information by using roman numerals,italics, and capital letters and so on.

Executive Summary/Abstract

It is the gist of the entire proposal. Many senior and busy people would like yo gothrough a page of summary to understand whether the proposal meets theirrequirement and should go through the entire details. Many a times a summary maybe sent earlier or circulated to the people who have to evaluate the proposal. It is thecondensed form of the entire proposal.

Introduction

This is an important part of the report as the reader will get an idea of what is thebackground, what is the problem and how have you addressed it. The writer of thereport may have to give what work has already been done, how it meets the presentneeds partially or does not meet at all and why a fresh look at problem solving wasrequired.

Main body of the report

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As the name suggests, complete details of the report in form of different chaptershaving headings and sub-headings are given in the main body of the report

Conclusion

This may or may not form apart of the report depending on your need to reinforcecertain important aspects. If you wish to once again make it clear what benefits theorganisation will accrue if the project is implemented and any other implications.

Appendices

When there is some information which lends support to the argument but if writtenalong with main text can hamper the flow of the report, some information is put in theappendices. Appendices must be suitably marked as “A”, “B” etc and page numbered.

Bibliography/Information sources

This information is very useful for the reader of the report. It also brings transparencyin the report. The reader can refer to any quoted material for further use. Differentmethods of referencing are used depending on the type of document. But one thing iscertain that what ever the type of referencing used, the writer must provide thecomplete source of information used by him. Bibliography is used generally forreference to the published books used. It has to include the name of the author, thetitle of the book and the publisher details. The following example illustrates the bookreference method:

Rizvi, Ashraf M. EffectiveTechnical Communication Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited, NewDelhi,2005

It may be noticed in the above example that the name of the author begins with thelast name, the name of the book has been given in italics, followed by the completename of the publisher and the place of publishing, last is the year of publishing Incase of multiple authors, names of both the authors are written in the same manner,with the main author’s name written first.

Reference for journals

This includes the name of the author, name of the article/paper, name of the journal,volume number and issue number, page number and date of issue. An example is

Col D S Cheema, “Knowledge as an intellectual Asset”, The Competition Master 3(June 2009) 83 , 01 June , 2009

Reference for magazines and newspapers

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It includes the name of the author, name of the article, name of the newspaper anddate of publication. Here is an example;

D S Cheema, “Building good character”, The Tribune, 08 Nov, 2011

11.4.4 Sample Technical Report

A sample technical report is shown here for the student’s benefit.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Report

On

The Effects of Increased Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

Submitted to

Depart of Pollution Control

Government of Punjab

Patiala

Submitted by

M/s Pariyavaran Pvt Ltd

Plot No. 123, Industrial Area, Mohali

The report examines the effects of increased CO2 concentration in the earth surface------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Table of Contents

List of illustrations iii

Abstract iv

1. Introduction 1

2. Natural Weather Patterns 3

3. Mechanism of Greenhouse Effect 11

Natural Greenhouse Effects 11

Radiation Absorption by CO2 and Water Vapours 19

Positive Feedback Mechanism 32

4. Carbon Cycle 42

CO2 from Fossil Fuels 42

CO2 Produced by Different Types of Fuels 59

Future Levels of CO2 78

5. Climatic Effects of Increased CO2 Concentrations 82

Changes in Local Weather Patterns 82

1930 as Climate Analog 103

Drought 123

Increased Tropical Storm Activity 127

Sea Level Increases 132

6. Ways to Reduce Greenhouse Effects 133

Conventional Methods 133

Latest Developments 142

7. Appendices 159

8. Bibliography/Information Sources 160

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List of Figures and Tables

Figures

1. Combined Effects of the 180-year cycle 4and increased CO2 Concentration

2. Growth Rate of Fuel Use 78

3.

4.

Tables

1. Estimated CO2 added to the Atmosphere 73by burning of Fuels

2. Atmospheric CO2 by Region 74

3.

4.

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11.5 Research Paper, Dissertation and Thesis

Any systematic investigation in to any field of study to increase the availableknowledge may be termed as research. Mankind’s growth and advances in technologyare directly related to the research work carried out by great inventors and scientists.Research is also carried out by students at level of higher education. You may carryout a research to verify the conclusions already drawn and accepted but newknowledge throws more and different light on the same subject. A research may cometo some inferences in a particular social and cultural environment but the same maynot hold good in another operating environment. Research is generally carried out bygoing through already available study material like national and internationaljournals, knowledge repositories of knowledge in different fields maintained bygovernment agencies , research libraries etc and experiments carried out by theresearch team. Often the research is carried out in a laboratory at a small level and

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then it is extended to larger areas. Research may be Basic Research or the AppliedResearch, the main purpose of any research is to find solutions to the problems ofmankind

It is a document which contains information regarding the research carried out. It maybe in the form of a formal report which is submitted for a superior to assess andrecommend actions or it may be used for patenting a particular method or process forfinding some solutions to a problem. Research paper can be written in any field orarea, since it is basically an enquiry and analysis which results in drawing someinferences.. Research paper can help peers to

Assess observations

To repeat experiments

To evaluate intellectual processes

11.5.1 Characteristics of a Research Paper

It is like a formal report in its style, structure and approach and as such most of itscharacteristics are the same as that of a formal report. How ever , a report is basicallyprepared for the purpose of making rational decisions and the research paper is fordissemination of specialised knowledge. Given below are the major characteristics ofa research paper

A research paper is a scholarly document of knowledge based on analysis ofpreviously available knowledge, observations and experiments. It may bewritten on social, technical, cultural, agricultural aspects, science andtechnology etc.

It has a specific style and contains definitions, classifications, interpretationsetc related with the area of research.

It is factual and objective in nature and the presentation of information isaccurate , to the point and specific, precise , direct and unambiguous.

It has all the characteristics of a technical report

The research paper contains technical and scientific data presented with thehelp of aids like Gantt charts, pie charts, figures, sketches and uses specialisevocabulary

It is a composite one –peace document which contains information related toa particular area in which a study has been done after observations andexperimentation.

11.5.2 Components of a Research Paper

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It is a highly structured document and has the following components:

Title The name which is given and describes the contents in theminimum possible words

Names and addresses of the authors It gives the identity of the authorsand the addresses for further use

Abstract This is to identify the basic purpose of research.Many national and international journals want that before the detailed paper issubmitted for publication. Characteristics of a good abstract are:

(a) It should be as concise as possible and should not exceed 3% of the totallength of the paper

(b) It must be self-contained(c) It does not contain any bibliography, figures, illustrations or references(d) It is written after the paper has been prepared

The steps involved in preparing the text are:

(a) Read the introductory paragraph of the paper to identify the objective(b) Scan the summary and conclusions at the end for noting the main findings

of the study or paper(c) Read through the text for information on methodology adopted, new data

and any other information(d) Prepare a draft arranging the various items in the correct order: objective,

new methodology or equipment employed. Data of fundamental value andmajor inferences or correlations drawn

Introduction It gives the background for undertaking the researchwork and helps the reader in understanding the entire report.

Materials and Methods It provides the details of experimental techniquesused and the methodology used so that if some one wants to verify or repeatthe research, it should be possible.

Results This is the core of the paper as it represents the data indifferent forms, it may be tabular form. In text form or in an illustrative form

Discussion Here the data is interpreted and highlights the significantfeatures of the data and possible causes of these features

Conclusion All the significant findings are once again written . Noadditional data is introduced at this stage.

Acknowledgements

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Here the author (s) thank any person or organisation from whom they have receivedany significant help. It is a simple courtesy shown to those who have helped you. Theauthors would definitely like to acknowledge any previous research material used bythem or data taken from any government or private source etc. It has no financialimplications, but the authors must thank any grants received contract or fellowshipgiven and so on.

Symbols and abbreviations used

All reports use many symbols , acronyms and abbreviations in the interest ofconciseness of the report. Only standard and commonly used/understood should beused. Where ever there is likely hood of any ambiguity or confusion, it must beclarified.

References and Bibliography

The authors use books, journals, published articles in newspapers, websites, paperspresented in seminars etc for writing their research papers. The purpose of providingthe references and bibliography is to help the reader in looking up the original textwhich the authors have quoted. Since any research paper is not copied from anywhere, all the information used to support the research paper must be very clearlyacknowledged and reference provided.

11.5.3 Dissertation

It is the presentation of a candidates research work in a proper format. It shouldinclude the following:

Context of any candidate’s intellectual or other work and any developmentrelated with that work

The dissertation should include the critical appreciation of the research workand not only the description of what has been done

It should also include the references of the work ie background about the needof the paper, how it was undertaken and what are the recommendations etc

11.5.4 Essential features of dissertation

Any dissertation is worth presenting and reading only if it is an original work andshows the intellect and scholarship of the author. It should have the followingessential features:

It must be an original work done by the author or authors

It must show the following;

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(a) Extensive relevant research work in a useful subject or issue of importantnature

(b) The ability of the author to collect, collate data in a logical manner

(c) Analysis of the above data in a logical manner to draw suitableconclusions

(d) The ability of the author to present the data and knowledge contained in itin a suitable manner

(e) The ability to report effectively

Follow the norms and conventions of research

11.5.5 Action Plan for writing the Dissertation

You must prepare an action plan before you set out on writing the dissertation. Followthe steps given below:

Decide the title /name of the dissertation and discuss it with your guide orsupervisor

Finalise the research methodology

Draw up a schedule which you can conveniently follow

Finalise what equipment , material or access to resources is to be sought

Set up the project and start collecting data

Collate and sort out the data so that it becomes information which can be analysed

Carry out analysis of the data to interpret the inferences

Set up an outline for writing the dissertation

Prepare first draft

Discuss with guide /supervisor and others who can provide genuine criticism forimprovement

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Prepare the final draft after including inputs received from others

Submit it with the guide or the relevant authority

11.5.6 Selection of the subject for study

The idea is to find a solution to a problem, so look for a subject which has not beenattempted. Of course, it must interest you. Consider the possibility of attempting thesubject based on the following:

Access to websites

Availability of the guide/supervisors

Other support like literature and library etc. available

Equipment required

Costs involved

Usefulness of the topic

Any ethical or moral consideration involved

Time –frame in which it can be handled

Problems you anticipate in doing this project

The guide /supervisor can help you in selecting the suitable title of the subject you areinterested in.

11.5.7 Process of narrowing down and selection of the topicof dissertation

Select a broad area of your interest

Out of the above broad areas pick up one which is of your interest

Identify the ‘Purpose’ of the study

Ask yourself the five basic questions (who, what , where, why and how of thestudy) to be able to narrow down to specific area of study

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Repeat the above to refine the specific area

Finalise the title using positive terms like Evaluate, Examine, Measure etc.

11.5.8 Structure of dissertation

It is like a formal report and includes the following:

Title Page

Acknowledgements

Contents pages which include the Chapters, Appendices, tables , figuresetc.

Abstract

Summary

Outline of main findings

Recommendations

11.5.9 Thesis

It is a long research report and is written in the same manner as we write a researchreport. It answers three questions:

What are the problem(s) in your area of research?

What is already known about it ?

What has been your contribution in solving the problem(s)?

What is the interpretation of results achieved?

Thesis should not be understood as an answer to an assigned question. The Personwho sets the problem for a student or some other person to find a solution not alreadyknown is the one who reads what is presented as a thesis to him. When a universityprofessor sets up a topic of thesis, he expects an original contribution to humanknowledge; the research must discover something new.

11.5.10 What should be the structure of a Thesis?

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A thesis should have a structure as follows:

An outline

It is in the form that you know how many Chapters will be there, what Heading andSub-headings in each chapter and what would be the length of each chapter. Youshould also make separate notes and comments to include what you want in eachchapter.

Organisation

You are advised to open a word processor file system for each Chapter and one for‘Reference’. Keep putting the text in each chapter and if there is a need to back to theprevious chapter it can be easily done. You must always keep a back up of the file.

Timetable

Your thesis has to be a time-bound document. After consulting your guide /supervisor, decide the dates on which the First Draft , Second Draft and Final Draft has to besubmitted to him. Keep a cushion of a few days for each draft as there will be manyloose ends to be tied up at the end of each draft.

Make it a point to write something on each sitting

Most people find it difficult to get started. We find it easy to improve somethingalready existing rather than writing some thing new. Prepare your draft of what youare going to present , refine it and show it to the guide /supervisor. Word processorsare great help; you can start from any where, leave empty space etc and come back toAdd up additional information. Always take the help of spell check

Style

Normally, the thesis is written in a passive voice. It should follow all the rules of agood formal writing ie, the rules of grammar, punctuation. Never try to use any slangswhich are used in some informal writing. Use short, simple words and sentences.Number the points where ever you wish to highlight some issue.

Presentation

Many students and others preparing the thesis try to make it as a masterpiece of desktop printing and put in a lot of time to make it extremely good. Though there is nodoubt that your thesis must appear neat in its presentation, you must pay moreattention to the content. Don’t try to increase the length of your thesis by leaving biggaps. There is no direct relationship between the length and that of quality of content

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Structure

It should have the following structure:

Title Page

This may be in the form “Title, Name of the Author, and A thesis submitted for theaward of Degree of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts by Delhi University”

Certificate or Declaration

Many institutions have a standard format for this purpose. It may be like this, “This isto certify that the thesis on the topic ----------------------------------------------------------------------- , submitted by ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------is an original work supervised by me (Signatures, name , degrees etc.)

Acknowledgements

Here the author of thesis thanks the people who have provided him help ; it may be inthe form of intellectual inputs or by providing boarding and lodging, grant etc.. Ifsome chapters have been authored by a specific person, has name must be included.

Table of contents

Normally, the pages before the introduction are marked in roman numerals

Abstract

This is the most widely circulated document out of your thesis. So, a concisedescription of what is contained in the thesis should be prepare.

Introduction

What is the topic of research and why is it important, is brought out clearly in theintroduction

Conclusion

It briefly brings out what has been achieved

Suggestions for further work

Any scientific research raises new issues which are beyond the scope of presentstudy. Such area should be brought out by the author,

References

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For any work of research, you would have referred to a large amount of literature.Mention that in the manner it should be done.

Appendices

Appendices are such material which is part of the thesis , but if include along with thetext in the thesis, it will break the flow. These are separately presented in a differentvolume.

11.6 Summary

Reports are an essential part of any business activity. Technical reports areimportant for the management to take major decisions. A good technical reportgives finding after detailed analysis and can become the basis of managementdecisions.

Report is different from a proposal since report is prepared on the basis ofpresent scenario, keeping in mind the future; whereas the proposal givesrecommendations for doing some thing in future. Proposal also can become thebasis of decision-making

Dissertation and Thesis are important documents used in the intellectual world.Unless the knowledge is recorded and presented in a structured manner , it willlose etc relevance. Hence, a lot of stress is laid on how to organise, structure andpresent research in any areas of human activity. The basic purpose of all thesescientific analysis is to find solution to a problem.

In the above text, you have read about the importance of the three types ofresearch work. Also, this lesson brings out in detail how to write a good researchstudy

11.7 Glossary

Research Paper It is a document which contains information regardingthe research carried out. It may be in the form of a formal report which is submittedfor a superior to assess and recommend actions or it may be used for patenting aparticular method or process for finding some solutions to a problem.

Dissertation It is the presentation of a candidates research work in aproper format

Thesis It is a long research report and is written in the samemanner as we write a research report. It answers three questions:

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11.8 Answers to check progress /Suggested answers toSAQs

1. Keeping in mind the characteristics of a good research paper, write a paperon, “Sustainable Development for Freedom from Poverty”

2. You are pursuing your Ph D in Management . Your guide/supervisor hasadvised you to take the topic, “Benefits of Management Education for the ruralpoor”, Describe the structure you will use for writing a thesis on the subject.

Answers

1.

Sustainable Development for Freedom from Poverty

Introduction

Massive poverty and obscene inequality are such terrible scourges of our times-times in which the world boasts breathtaking advances in science, technology,

industry, and wealth accumulation- that they have to rank alongside slavery andapartheid as social evils.

Nelson Mandela

All thinkers since ages have agreed that ending inequality’s ‘lottery by birth’ isperhaps the greatest global challenge of their times. In 1790, MaryWollstonecraft and Thomas Paine while arguing against the inequality amongstthe human beings, wrote ‘It is justice, not charity, that is wanting in the world.’Again more than 200 years ago, noted English man of letters, Samuel Johnsonsaid, ‘ Poverty is a great enemy of human happiness, it certainly destroys libertyand it makes some virtues impracticable and others extremely difficult.’ Povertywas there in the past and is among us at present. It is also clear that humancreation with most inhuman and ugly consequences. Amartya Sen rightly notesthat, ‘Like ours, the world of 1790s was characterised by enormous inequalitiesof contemporary living conditions and real threats to the prospects of human lifein future” Again, George Bernard Shaw wrote in the preface to his 1907 playMajor Barbara, more than 100 years ago that, “The greatest of evils and theworst of crimes is poverty”. These great thinkers may have chosen very strongwords to describe the ill effects of poverty, but underlying such a choice of wordsmust be their concern for the poor and a wake-up message to those who governnations. The poor have been marginalised and disempowered since ages, thericher classes rob them first of their identity and then of their resources. Poverty

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is being fought by different countries by empowerment of the people throughmany unique methods; and the helpless deprived people keep hoping for somemiracle to happen. Yet the problem is as old as the mountains and different waysand means of removing deprivation has still left millions of poor peoples in abadly organised world. Poverty is still a global phenomenon; there are more than1.5 billion people living on less than US dollar 1 per day. Tribal people are theworst effected, globalisation is continuing to do what colonisation had earlierdone for decades, divesting them of their right to natural resources and makingthem poorer. Unfortunately, most of the corrective actions taken by thegovernments for poverty removal are in terms of economic growth only when acollaborative social action is needed. What needs to be done is to enhance thepower of the people, especially of the afflicted people, to make sure that thefacilities are expanded and the deficiencies removed. The common view thatpoverty is just a shortage of income is so well established in our minds that werefuse to understand that poverty ultimately should be seen as lack of freedom;freedom from lack of minimal living conditions. Amartya Sen in his book,Development as Freedom , argues that sustainable development should not seepoverty in an economic context alone but also as ‘capability deprivation’

India is a very big and complex country with a great and enviable history. It hasbeen written off many times and yet it is challenging the great economic powersof the world. V S Naipaul called it a wounded civilisatrion . The unique thingabout India is that in twenty first century, the same old eternal India seems tojust go on. Foreigners look at the myth of India as a mystical poverty –strickenland and yet view its progress with popping eyes as skyscrapers exist along withthe chawls and jhuggi-jhoprie where life is at the lowest levels of humanexistence. Great management guru Peter F. Drucker felt that even a modest sixpercent sustainable growth could soon make India the third biggest economicpower after America and China. There is something which makes India goingdespite a very poor record of governance

According to Amartya Sen., we are only technically free and not truly free. Inhis well acclaimed book, ‘Development as Freedom’, he quotes the eighteenthcentury poet William Cowper on freedom, “Freedom has a thousand charms toshow, that slaves, however contended never know”. Although the poverty ratiohas declined since the onset of economic reforms, the number of people below thepoverty line still remains high. For sustainable economic development, thequality and quantity of human capital must be taken in to account by the centraland state governments.

India must target the eight Millennium Development Goals set by 2000 UNSummit. The first goal is the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger. The keytarget in this goal was to halve the proportion of the people who suffer fromhunger by 2015. It is unfortunate to note that India is yet no where near thetarget.

The Science and Art of Governing 125 crore People

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India is also a land of contradictions; we worship goddesses but every minute awoman is raped somewhere across the country, we are very good in hard orfunctional skills but are very poor in soft skills, we add billionaires faster to ourcount than any other country in the world but more than 80 percent populationdoes not get clean drinking water, there are many islands of excellence amongstthe vast herds of mediocre. To every similarity, there is a unique difference.

No doubt, there is a new India rising up the horizon of the world and it has thepotential to change the world. In today’s India, activities in the manufacturingsector, in infrastructure, in engineering, medicine and IT, start-ups aremushrooming in the remotest of areas and innovation is becoming a way of lifefor many business entities. Those who are witnesses to the recent extraordinaryand unexpected recent history of the country have no doubt that the sleepingelephant is emerging as a tiger which is on a fast track from a third worldcountry to a world leader. If any one is interested in understanding the greatenigma that is India will be able to view it only with an open mind. Manyreports on BRICs ( Brazil, Russia, India and China), estimate that Indianeconomy will surpass that of US by 2050. This will be possible with India havingthe largest population of young people. By 2020 half of the under twenty-fivepopulation will live in India. The new India, where one –sixth of the worldpopulation is dreaming to shape its destiny, is a vibrant, fast-moving, dynamicand innovative country.

Having seen the brighter side of India story, one cannot ignore the magnitude ofproblems it faces. Certainly, the potential and promise of India appears to beunlimited , yet along with it comes the gigantic task of moving one –thirdpopulation, a whooping 40 crore from the below poverty line to a hunger-freelife and give them the right to live a life of dignity and self-respect. To be able todo that India’s politicians, bureaucrats and other policy-makers mustunderstand how to make use of India’s strengths, which is its people; diverse,open , practical, innovative and service-oriented. They must relaise that anaverage Indian’s creative energy which was lying trapped under slavery andforeign rule, is ready to be tapped for the good of the common man. Paradoxes ofthe personality of an Indian need to be examined and used for his benefit.Indians are multidimensional, multi-tasking, multi-processing and highlyinnovative entrepreneurial minds. The challenge is for the India-mangers to cashon it and put India in forefront of nations of the world.

In an economy characterised by higher values of the aggregate elasticity ofsubstitution, a higher level of development with more entrepreneurs and smallerfirms may be expected. In recent years , economists have come to recognise theinput-completing and gap filling capacities of entrepreneurial activity ininnovation and the significant contribution of innovation and growth toprosperity and economic welfare, In India there is a dearth of quality personneland demand for higher level of entrepreneurship generates new scopes forgrowth. Results of the 66th round of National Sample Survey Organisation(NSSO) show that unemployment figures in 2009-10 were as high as 8.9 million,one million more Indians joining the ranks of the unemployed between 2007 and2010. The rate of employment generation has declined from 2.7 to 0.8 percent

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during the period. This slowdown in employment generation is evident acrossboth rural and urban areas, though it was specially marked in rural areas. Thisdismal situation needs special focus by the government.

India has the potential to become home to 30 of Fortune 100 companies, theworld’s largest pool of technically trained manpower and Nobel Prize winners inarts, science and literature. All this is possible with good governance.Unfortunately, this is no priority for governments at Centre as well as in theStates. For any development, a nation needs to adopt the well known principle ofcommon thought which must get converted in to a national philosophy ofdevelopment with a vision, mission, purpose, values and goals which aresupported by suitable implementation strategies. Mandela explained the essenceof democracy while delivering the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation lecture in 1995,“Jawaharlal Nehru taught us that the right to a roof over one’s head andaffordable services, a job and reasonable income, education and health facilitiesis more than just a bonus to democracy. It is the essence of democracy itself”

Meeting the Basic Needs like Water and Sanitation

Access to clean drinking water and sanitation is the basic right, which a largenumber of our countrymen are denied and because of this single reason theycannot live a life of self-respect and dignity. Nearly 4000 children die across theglobe due to dirty water they drink. This has made preventable diarrhoea thebiggest killer of children in Africa. Some figures related with clean drinkingwater and sanitation are shocking to read; 890 million people still haveinadequate access to drinking water and three billion lack basic sanitation,across the globe.

In such a scenario as described above the women and children of the poor haveto bear the maximum brunt. They have to resort to back-breaking toil for hoursto fetch water for the household needs. In equality in access to water andsanitation is extreme. Most of the poor are affected by these. The case forurgently doing something about such a pathetic situation is undeniable.

Democracy and Development

Any democracy involves competing ideologies and interests, conflicts,competition and fierce power struggle. Reforms in such a scenario are a toughand complex issue. Reform is a continuing process and there can never be a stagewhere the objectives of development have been fully achieved. Democracy mustensure that a nation is built in such a way that it becomes effective andaccountable to their citizens. Reforms should seek human development, qualityof life, and a life of dignity for every citizen. The United Nations DevelopmentProgramme (UNDP) in its report on Human Development, 1991, underscores theimportance of human development in the growth process, as it is the end andeconomic growth is the means. So, the purpose of growth should be to enrichpeople’s lives. For sustainable economic development, the quality and quantity of

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human capital matters far more than those of physical capital. To achieve thosegoals, we have yet to come out with right policy priorities. In ultimate analysis,improving governance is the only key to any reform.

Education for Sustainable Development

It was Indira Gandhi who said, “Education is a liberating force, and in our age itis also a democratising force, cutting across the barriers of cast and class,smoothing out inequalities imposed by birth and other circumstances” It isindeed an indispensable means to provide all human beings in the world acapacity to own their own lives, to exercise personal choices throughout lifewithout geographical, political, cultural, religious, linguistic or gender frontiers.It is unfortunate that since WWII, sustainable development has been identifiedwith economic progress only, economists and thinkers talk of economicadvancement but are silent on equal distribution of economic resources. In 2005,the United Nations declared the beginning of the Decade of Education forSustainable Development (DESD 2005-14). The website of UNESCO emphasises,“The overall goal of the DESD is to integrate the principles, values, and practicesof sustainable development in to all aspects of education and learning. Thiseducational effort will encourage changes in behaviour that will create a moresustainable future in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability, and ajust society for present and future generations.” Education and sustainabledevelopment are not merely concepts but are intervening tools as well. Sen showsthe role of education in alleviating poverty and in sustainable development byforegrounding cast, class, region, gender, and other markers that act as ‘glassceiling’ in the development of the marginalised. Of course, education should havea higher common goal to nurture the common bonds of all human beings to theplanet earth.

Rights for Poverty Alleviation

The feeling of having the right is much more important and powerful thansimply needing or wanting it. Rights are guarantees which poor and themarginalised get from those who are in power. It means the people in powerhave to respond to the demands of the poor. Those in power have theresponsibility to respect, protect and do everything in their authority to fulfilthose demands .

How ever, it must be understood that rights alone are not enough. According toAmartya Sen, individuals need capabilities ie the rights and the ability toexercise them. This ability is undermined when a person is poor, uneducated,sick, cannot get required information or is in fear of violence. It is the capabilitywhich determines what a person can do and who that person can be. We alreadyhave some very important rights like RTI, RTE, Food Security, Right to Serviceand so on given to the ordinary citizen. But these are not good enough unless theperson is empowered to be able to use them. Hence such rights and many othershave little meaning when one in seven people in the world, about 900 million

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people, experience discrimination on the basis of ethnic, linguistic, or religiousidentities alone. In India this number will be much higher.

Property Rights and Development

A major problem the poor face is not having secure rights to their houses andland, something which is taken for granted by the rich. Property rights are notincluded in human rights treaties, but the right is acknowledged in Article 17 ofthe Universal Declaration of Human Rights; ‘Every one has the right to ownproperty alone as well as in association with others. No one shall be arbitrarilydeprived of his property’

It should be understood that while talking of property rights for all, the mostimportant aspect is women’s property rights. Property rights have been seen as ameans to an end- a way to reduce the vulnerability of the poor as rich have othermeans to defend their property. As discussed elsewhere, having a right and notbeing able to exercise due to many other reasons does not serve the purpose atall. The impact of denial of property rights affects every woman.

Access to Information and Knowledge

Francis Bacon said, ‘Knowledge is power’. Today every one understands thatknowledge is indeed power. Unless a person has access to information andknowledge, he/she can never be empowered. This is related with makingmaximum number literate by having good primary and secondary schools.Though the private sector can play a very important role in educating the poor,basic responsibility should be fulfilled by having quality government run schools.Knowledge alone can expand horizons and enable people to make informedrational choices. It prepares the poor to demand their rights and fight for them ifthey are denied. It enables them to raise their voice against injustice andinequality. Though rising literacy levels and TV, mobile telephony etc haveimproved the situation, a lot more needs to be done.

Access to Justice

It is easy to understand that a strong relationship exists between developmentand institutions like law enforcing agencies and the judicial system. The poorsuffer the most at the hands of the police and the courts. A gulf exists betweenlaws and practice since poor people face difficulties in getting the judicial systemto take up their cause. Nevertheless, access to justice, in the shape of law andcourts can be a vital tool for empowering the poor people.

Corruption and Poverty

It is well known that India ranks very high on the Corruption Perception Index,according to Transparency International. Corruption is an anti-poor and anti-development phenomenon, which can only be tackled by better governance.Apart from the moral and ethical dimension, corruption is the major cause ofpoor becoming poorer and the rich getting converted in to super rich or filthy

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rich. In a democratic set-up and in a plural society like ours, every one isguaranteed the right to grow to one’s potential and create wealth by legitimatemeans. How ever, corruption of any kind deprives the common man andspecifically the poor from climbing the next ladder and they continue either inthe same state or slide further down to a more pathetic condition. Any thin thatis anti-poor and hence anti-social must be on top of the government’s agenda torectify the situation but in a country where populism takes priority over goodgovernance.

Risks and Vulnerability of the Poor and Social Protection

There are multiple risks in the lives of poor men and women. They face risks ondaily basis and also suffer shocks from disasters like draughts and suddencatastrophes such as earthquakes and even wars. Helping the poor to mitigatesuch risks is a major challenge for any government. The poor are vulnerable toall such risks as compared to those who have money and can handle suchsituations much better. Here vulnerability refers to reduced ability of people andhouseholds to cope with events and stress to which they are exposed. Such stresscan be ‘everyday disaster’ like sickness, death in the family, loss of a job,robbery, loss of a crop, or death in the family. These events can tip poor familiesover the edge in to a downward spiral of increasing vulnerability and poverty.

Crimes against Women

It is the poor women who are the targets of various types of crimes againstwomen more than the upper strata women as they are helpless when theyapproach the law and order agencies and do not have the will to go through thenotorious judicial system .Domestic violence at the hands of their husbands andother male members, rapes and throwing of acids etc are the common problemsa poor woman faces almost every day. Such crimes and the threat of violenceagainst women constraints the hopes and choices of such women. Crimes andviolence against children is even more widely accepted in poor families. Thenotion that children are individuals with rights, as enshrined in international lawsince 1989 under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, has still topermeate to the poor people, leaving the children as the most powerless. Deadlyviolent crime is closely associated with poverty and inequality.

Attitudes and Beliefs

Development is closely associated with the attitudes and beliefs of the people whogovern and the view and values that underpin those who are governed.Unawareness and insensitivity to issues by those in power is a major reason whythey don’t do anything to help the poor get out of their misery. One must besensitive to the problems of poverty, illiteracy, terrorism, and environment andso on. Insensitivity leads one to be casual, careless or indifferent. Selfishness isthe other reason. Human beings, by nature are selfish, but being selfish at thecost of others is the worst thing that can happen to them. All the commonresources of nature and wealth generated out of them must be shared, in all

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fairness. Faulty reasoning is yet another reason why the rich and powerfuldo nothing for the less privileged. Reasoning and logic should be used to supporta fair and reasonable argument. How ever, most people tend to use theiranalytical ability to support what they think is right and not what is actuallyright.

Role of Active Citizens

Though justice claims to be rule-based and blind, in practice activism is oftenessential to force the law enforcing agencies and judicial system to respond.Information required in the courts is difficult to get, the police is generallyhostile or indifferent and judges are more likely to help the rich and powerful.This problem is more acute in the case of women and ethnic minorities.

Active citizens use the rights given to the people to improve the quality of life ofthe; ‘have-nots’ through collective action. Rights and obligations link anyindividual to its state; active citizens become crusaders to get these rights tothose who are denied such rights.

Conclusion

It is unfortunate that poverty and hunger exists in a world of plenty whenworldwide improvements in crop yields have run ahead of population growth. Itsimply means that there is enough food for every human being. Yet the hungerand poverty are stark realities. All human beings dream of living in a utopianworld; the Ram Rajya, where every one is equipped with education, enjoyinggood health, with rights, dignity and a voice to be able to change their destiny.Only effective and accountable governments can ensure a fair distribution ofwealth and hence alleviate poverty. It is the responsibility of the government toreduce the ever-deepening gulf between ‘haves’ of wealth, land, water,technology etc and ‘have-nots’ the poor and the destitute. In the effort to endgross inequality and thus poverty, the most important role can be played byeffective states and active citizenship. For this purpose, the governments mustexplore new approaches and analytical tools.

References and Bibliography

1. Development as Freedom, by Amartya Sen2. From Poverty to Power by Duncan Green, published by AcademicFoundation, New Delhi3. Education for Sustainable Development, Edited by Anastasia Nikolopoulou,Taisha Abraham, Farid Mirbagheri. Published by Sage Publications India PvtLtd, New Delhi4. Think India by Vinay Rai and William L. Simon, published byPenguin Group,New York for Rai Foundation

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5. Corruption in India by Bibek Debroy and Laveesh Bhandari, published byKonark Publishing Pvt Ltd, New Delhi.6. Entrepreneurship Development in India by Noboru Tabe and Somu Giriappa,published by Kalpaz Publications, Delhi

2.

A formal document like a thesis should have a proper structure. Suggestedstructure for a thesis is as follows:

An outline should be developed first and foremost It is in the form thatyou know how many Chapters will be there, what Heading and Sub-headings in each chapter and what would be the length of each chapter

. For proper Organisation of the entire thesis ,you should open a word

processor file system for each Chapter and one for ‘Reference’. You mustalways keep a back up of the file.

Chalk out a proper Timetable to meet the deadline Your thesis has to be atime-bound document. After consulting your guide /supervisor , decidethe dates on which the First Draft , Second Draft and Final Draft has tobe submitted to him. Keep a cushion of a few days.

Make it a point to write something on each sitting Since it is easier to improvesomething already existing rather than writing some thing new, you shouldprepare your draft of what you are going to present , refine it and show it to theguide /supervisor

Style Write the thesis is in a passive voice. It should follow all the rules of a goodformal writing ie, the rules of grammar, punctuation.

Presentation Though there is no doubt that your thesis must appear neat in itspresentation, you must pay more attention to the content. There is no directrelationship between the length and that of quality of content

Structure Any thesis should have the following structure:

Title Page

This may be in the form “Title, Name of the Author, and A thesis submitted forthe award of Degree of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts by Delhi University”

Certificate or Declaration

Many institutions have a standard format for this purpose. It may be like this,“This is to certify that the thesis on the topic ----------------------------------------------------------------------- , submitted by -----------------------------------------------------------

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-------------------------is an original work supervised by me (Signatures, name ,degrees etc.)

Acknowledgements

Here the author of thesis thanks the people who have provided him help ; it maybe in the form of intellectual inputs or by providing boarding and lodging, grantetc.. If some chapters have been authored by a specific person, has name must beincluded.

Table of contents

Normally, the pages before the introduction are marked in roman numerals

Abstract

This is the most widely circulated document out of your thesis. So, a concisedescription of what is contained in the thesis should be prepare.

Introduction

What is the topic of research and why is it important, is brought out clearly inthe introduction

Conclusion

It briefly brings out what has been achieved

Suggestions for further work

Any scientific research raises new issues which are beyond the scope of presentstudy. Such area should be brought out by the author,

References

For any work of research, you would have referred to a large amount ofliterature. Mention that in the manner it should be done.

Appendices

Appendices are such material which is part of the thesis , but if include alongwith the text in the thesis, it will break the flow. These are separately presentedin a different volume.

11.9 Reference/ Bibliography

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1. Sharma, RC and Mohan , Krishna, Business Correspondence andReport Writing, Tata McGraw- Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi,2002

2. Raman Meenakshi and Sharma, Sangeeta, Technical Communication ,OxfordUniversity Press , New York


1. Rizvi , M.Ashraf , Effective technical Communication , Tata McGraw- HillPublishing Company Ltd, New Delhi

2. Kumar, Varinder and Raj Bodh, Business Communication , KalyaniPublishers, Jalandhar


1. What is the difference between Technical Proposal and Technical Report?

2. What are the essentials for writing a good dissertation?

3. How will you prepare your thesis for M Tech in computer science?Explain the procedure.

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Lesson 12

Instruction Manuals, Technical Description,Creating Indices, Preparing list of Referencesand Bibliography

Lesson Structure

12.1 Learning objectives12.2 Introduction12.3 Instruction Manual12.4 Technical Description12.5 Creating Indices, Preparing list of References andBibliography12.6 Summary12.7 Glossary12.8 Answers to check progress/suggested answers12.9 Reference/Bibliography12.10 Suggested reading12.11Terminal and model questions

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Learning about writing of Instruction Manuals

Understanding different forms of technical descriptionsand preparing such descriptions

Learning how to create indexes and list of references andbibliography how to write these

12.2 Introduction

Sharing of technical communication is one of the most important aspects of modernbusiness life. Unfortunately, it is also the most neglected one.

All manufacturing facilities have plant and machinery as an essential aspect of theirfunctioning. The present business is essentially technology driven. Innovation isessential for any such enterprise to survive and thrive in such a highly competitiveand fast changing business world fast .

Instruction manuals and technical description assumes importance because the plant,machinery and equipment is highly sophisticated and requires trained manpower tohandle it

12.3 Instruction Manual

One of the most important technical writings is instruction manual. Instructions arestep-by-step explanations of how to do something: how to build, operate, repair, ormaintain things. Any product sold in the market is accompanied with an instructionbooklet, which is usually short, or with a manual, which is descriptive and is quitelong. You could receive brief instructions for operating your SBI account, makingvanilla ice cream, assimilating children’s toys, changing your car tyre, oiling yoursewing machine, etc., while longer manuals help you to install your washing machine,set up your television set, maintain computers, and operate jet fighters.

In the workplace you may be asked to develop a process, or set of instructions, toimprove productivity or to explain a process to the new employees. Instructions aregiven to sub-ordinates to follow certain procedures. These instructions can be writtenor oral. When the procedure is done by a number of people or has to be done

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repeatedly, written instructions are more effective as they leave no room for doubt. Ifthere is any confusion, they can be referred to at any time.

Most of the time you will be writing process description, which will relate to

Trouble-shooting an issue.\ Constructing or creating a piece of product or machinery.

Performing a crucial function.

Conceptualizing or representing how to improve productivity with organizationstructure.

The instructions may vary according to the type of assignment and the audience. Therefore,you should be flexible enough to modify your instructions according to the audience in a shortamount of time.

The nature of instruction varies- it can be extremely simple or exceedingly complex. It can betechnical or business oriented. A technical instruction manual, for instance, could deal withthe operation of a lathe machine, or programming computers. A business-oriented instructionmanual could describe how to complete a proforma or how to write business letters. Whateverbe the purpose, the task of writing instructions cannot be underestimated.

One soon learns that the most seemingly simple statement can bear two meanings and thatwhen instructions are misunderstood the fault usually lies with the original order. However,the content, organization, and format suggestions discussed in the chapter will give you agood foundation to write effective instruction manuals.

12.3.1Type of instructions

Instructions can be broadly divided into two types: Oral and Written. In an organization, youwill wither be giving instructions or following them. f your responsibility is to instruct agroup of people or individual, the aim in either case will be to elucidate the process, policy, oreven philosophy behind the procedure.

Oral Instructions

These instructions are more used in face-to-face situations. When conveying instructionsorally, you must express yourself in the clearest possible way. The following guidelines willhelp you to achieve clarity

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Keep your audience in mind-their background, knowledge, psychological makeup, and capacity to grasp your instructions.

Restrict your instruction to one task at a time or else you will confuse thelistener.

Separate each instruction with a pause so that more clarity is achieved.

Use plain, simple, and direct language.

Use short and crisp sentences.

Follow up if your instructions have been received in the same sense as they weredelivered by observing the reaction of the listener.

Let us assume, for example, that you have bought 100 IBM computers for your institute. Youas the Chief of Information Processing Unit have to give instructions to your subordinate toinstall them. If you are following the above guidelines, the set of instructions which you givemay look like this:

Check the numbers of computers and the accessories.

Transport them to the new lab with AC facility

Install them in two rows.

Check the connection of each.

Confirm the electricity connection with the generator

Assure that the room is properly lit.

In case of any problem contact me immediately.

Written Instructions

The other type of instruction is written instruction. The goal of these instructions is tocompletely simplify a procedure with no room for doubt in the mind of the reader.Written instructions vary in length depending upon the complexity of the procedure.

12.3.2 How to write Instructions?

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One of the most common and most important uses of technical writing isinstructions—step-by-step explanations of how to do things: assemble something,operate something, repair something, or do routine maintenance on something. But forsomething seemingly so easy and intuitive, instructions are some of the worst writtendocuments you can find. You have probably had many infuriating experiences withbadly written instructions. What follows in this chapter may not be a foolproof, guideto writing instructions, but it will show you what professionals consider the besttechnical writing.

12.3.3 Qualities in good instruction writing

Clear, simple writing which is for a layman to understand

A clear and detailed understanding of the product and its technicalspecifications etc.

Your empathy {ability to put yourself in other’s shoes) with the reader or theperson who is going to follow the instructions

Your ability to visualise the process or procedure in great detail and put thaton a peace of paper in a readable style

Your professional approach of going an extra mile to test the instructions onthe type of people who are going to use them

By now, you would have probably studied headings, lists, and special notices writinga set of instructions with these tools probably seems obvious. Just break thediscussion into numbered vertical lists and throw in some special notices at theobvious points and you are done! Well, not quite, but that is a great start. This chapterexplores some of the features of instructions that can make them more complex. Youcan in turn use this information to plan your own instructions.

Preliminary Steps

At the beginning of a project to write instructions, it is important to determine thestructure or characteristics of the particular procedure you are going to write about.

Audience and Situation

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Early in the process, define the audience and situation of your instructions. Rememberthat defining an audience means defining its level of familiarity with the topic as wellas other such details.

Most importantly, you will need to describe your audience on a separate sheet ofpaper and hand that in with your instructions. This will enable your instructor toassess your instructions in terms of their rightness for the intended audience. And alsoremember that in this technical-writing course it is preferable to write for nonspecialist audience—this is much more of a challenge to you as a writer.

Number of Tasks

An important consideration is how many tasks there are in the procedure you arewriting instructions for. Let us use the term procedure to refer to the whole set ofactivities your instructions are intended to discuss. A task is a semi-independent groupof actions within the procedure: for example, setting the clock on a microwave oven isone task in the big overall procedure of operating a microwave oven.

A simple procedure like changing the oil in a car contains only one task; there are nosemi-independent groupings of activities. A more complex procedure like using amicrowave oven contains plenty of such semi-independent tasks: setting the clock,setting the power level, using the timer, cleaning and maintaining the microwave,among others. For example the instructions on using a camera are organized by tasks.

Some instructions have only a single task, but have many steps within that single task.For example, imagine a set of instructions for assembling a kids’ swing set—it mayhave more than 130 steps. That can be a bit daunting. A good approach is to groupsimilar and related steps into phases, and start renumbering the steps at each newphase. A phase then is a group of similar steps within a single-task procedure. In theswing-set example, setting up the frame would be a phase; anchoring the thing in theground would be another; assembling the box swing would be still another

.The Step-by-step Discussion

Another consideration, which maybe you cannot determine early on, is how to focusyour instructions. For most instructions, you can focus on tasks, or you can focus ontools.

In a task approach on using a phone-answering machine, you would have sections onrecording your greeting, playing back your messages, saving your messages,forwarding your messages, deleting your messages. These are tasks—the typicalthings we would want to do with the machine.

On the other hand, in a tools approach to instructions on using a photocopier, therewould be sections on the copy button,

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12.4 Technical Description

It is an essential part of any technical report as it lays down the objective andprocesses adopted in the report. Basically, a technical description breaks down thewhole in to various parts; it may be an object or a process or a concept. The whole hasmany elements and to study all the elements together is difficult but if they aredivided in to those elements, it becomes much easier to study them. For example ,human body is an extremely complex system, studying the whole body is verydifficult , but if we divide and classify it in to different parts like the neuro systemcomprising of brain and spinal chord, the digestive system , skin, bone and so on , it iseasier to understand each system separately. Since the knowledge and information foreach element of the body in our above example is so huge, it is convenient to studyeach independently.

The classification should be such that similar items on the basis of function , locationor type of materials used etc. General guideline for writing technical descriptionfollows the cycle of:

Naming

Defining

Describing

Illustrating

When the last part of the cycle ie illustration is completed, the entire description hasbeen given.

Naming

Naming something is perhaps the most basic thing because of which we understandthe meaning of the world around us. Imagine how difficult it will be to refer to anything, human beings, machines, processes; methods etc. if did not give any name tothem. We name only such items or concepts or processes which are in the domain ofour knowledge and exist. How does it matter if you don’t name anything that does notexist?

Defining

Technical description after naming begins with giving it a proper definition and thenbreaking it down in to various components. This provides the reader with advanceinformation about what he will find in the detailed description.. A definition locatesan object, sub- system, concept or process within some system of knowing themDefinition appears in one of the following three forms:

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Formal It is a term or a category to which the term belongs and a setof words which separates it from the other elements

Informal This may be given in brackets to help clarify the concept,process or object

Extended This is the technical description and may be in manywords, sentences

Description

It is to define or describe something to others who do not know about it. It is like youdescribing an aeroplane to a tribe who has never seen it. This you will do with thehelp of explaining the shape and size, its function (it flies in sky) and other details thatmake sense to some one who has not seen a plane.. The purpose of any description isto make the unknown familiar to some one who is not familiar with it. Division andclassification is the process of breaking down a complex system in to moremanageable components and then grouping them together on the basis of somepredetermined factors.

Illustration

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. How ever, in technical description,the illustration or picture does not replace the words but it supplements the words sothat an item, concept, process can be understood by any person who does not knowabout it already or can better appreciate than his previous understanding. A goodtechnical writer uses illustrations and graphics to his advantage to explain an overallview of the object and then uses such graphics to illustrate each of the sub-components or parts in which the original object, process or concept is divided.

12.4.1 Process Description

After the object, process has been named, defined and illustrated, one more aspect , ifadded will complete the visualisation of the original object , or process. If it can beshown working or actually functioning, the object, process or concept will becomeabundantly clear. For example, in our above example of explaining an aeroplane to atribal, if you can show the aeroplane actually flying, the person will be absolutelyclear what you are talking about.

12.4.2 Writing good Technical Descriptions?

Give brief overview

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This will show the shape, overall framework and arrangement as also its purposeor function

Divide in to parts

Enough details should be given so that one can draw it and use it . It shouldgive the relationship of all parts with each other

Put the part description in some order

The idea is that the reader should find it easy to understand. Hence, the parts maybe written in order of priority of functioning, or say from top to bottom or inchronological order.

Specific feature

The content part should be such that specific features like size, shape, volume,weight , colour , material used and their technical names are include.

Make a comparison with known things

If the writer gives the comparison with something that the reader is already familiarwith, the reader will understand it much easier.

Contrast properties with other known things

If you compare and contrast properties with known things, the reader will understandthe significance of the item you are explaining

Provide a clear structure

Any thing written in a structured format makes better sense. So, while writing, giveheadings, listing features and integrating figures and text with labels and references

12.5 Creating Indexes , List of References andBibliography

In technical writing, it is essential that the writings are suitably documented andreferences provided. Referencing basically is a systematic method of documenting orciting sources used in a text. Referencing is used for the following purpose:

Keep a record of sources used

Help the reader to locate the original source of information

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Avoid being guilty of copying others work

12.5.1 Methods of Referencing

Different methods of referencing are used depending on the type of document. Butone thing is certain that what ever the type of referencing used, the writer mustprovide the complete source of information used by him.

,

Bibliography

It is used generally for reference to the published books used. It has to include thename of the author, the title of the book and the publisher details. The followingexample illustrates the book reference method:

Rizvi, Ashraf M. Effective Technical Communication Tata McGraw-Hill PublishingCompany Limited, New Delhi,2005

It may be noticed in the above example that the name of the author begins with thelast name, the name of the book has been given in italics, followed by the completename of the publisher and the place of publishing, last is the year of publishing Incase of multiple authors, names of both the authors are written in the same manner,with the main author’s name written first.

Reference for journals

This includes the name of the author, name of the article/paper, name of the journal,volume number and issue number, page number and date of issue. An example is

Col D S Cheema, “Knowledge as an intellectual Asset”, The Competition Master 3(June 2009) 83 , 01 June , 2009

Reference for magazines and newspapers

It includes the name of the author, name of the article, name of the newspaper anddate of publication. Here is an example;

Col D S Cheema, “A caged parrot husband”, Hindustan Times, 04 April , 2014

12.6 Summary

Technical documents like Instruction Manual and Technical Description are ofspecial significance in the business world. In today’s technology driven businesssuch reports assume added significance. The importance of writing suchdocuments has been dealt with in detail, How to write good Instruction Manualand Technical Description have also been explained.

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Referencing and documenting of important technical material is anotherimportant aspect discussed in the lesson.

12.7 Glossary

Oral Instructions These instructions are more used in face-to-face situations

Written Instructions Instructions given in writing to avaoid any ambiguity

Referencing Referencing basically is a systematicmethod of documenting or citing sources used in a text

Technical Description It is an essential part of anytechnical report as it lays down the objective and processes adopted in the report

12.8 Answers to check progress/ Suggested answers toSAQs

1. How will you write Operating Instructions keeping in mind the qualities of agood technical instruction?

2. What are the qualities of a good Technical Description ? Explain salientfeatures of a good Description with examples.

3. Suppose you have to refer to the book, ‘Making Globalisation Work’ byJoseph E. Stiglitz , published by Penguin Books in 2006. How will you give thereference of this book?

Answers

1.

Technical instructions are a step-by-step explanations of how to do things:assemble something, operate something, repair something, or maintain someequipment , plant or gadget. It is seen that equipment manufacturers producethe best quality equipment but do not pay any attention to writing qualityinstructions in the interest of the user. No guidelines can be provide to producefool-proof instruction but the following qualities can help one to show you whatprofessionals consider the best technical writing.

Salient features of good instructions

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(a) Clear, simple writing which is easy for a layman to understand the operationor maintenance system without any ambiguity

(b) When a user reads the instructions, he should get a clear and detailedunderstanding of the product and its technical specifications etc.

© Instruction writer’s empathy {ability to put yourself in other’s shoes) with thereader or the person who is going to follow the instructions should be apparentin the instructions

(d)The writer of the instructions should possess the ability to visualise theprocess or procedure in great detail and put that on a peace of paper in areadable style

(€) The writer should have a professional approach of going an extra mile to testthe instructions on the type of people who are going to use them

(f) An ideal instruction writer is the one who knows the functioning ofthe equipment, gadget, tool for which instructions are being written

2.

Basically, a technical description breaks down the whole in to various parts; itmay be an object or a process or a concept. The whole has many elements and tostudy all the elements together is difficult but if they are divided in to thoseelements, it becomes much easier to study them. For example , human body is anextremely complex system, studying the whole body is very difficult , but if wedivide and classify it in to different parts like the neuro system comprising ofbrain and spinal chord, the digestive system , skin, bone and so on , it is easier tounderstand each system separately

The following are the salient features of a good technical description:

(a) A brief overview of the equipment should be given in the beginning

It will show the shape, overall framework and arrangement as also itspurpose or function

(b) Divide the entire system in to parts

Enough details should be given so that one can draw it and use it . It shouldgive the relationship of all parts with each other

© Part description should be in order for reader to connect to each part clealy

The idea is that the reader should find it easy to understand. Hence, the partsmay be written in order of priority of functioning, or say from top to bottom orin chronological order.

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(d) Specific feature in the content

The content part should be such that specific features like size, shape, volume,weight , colour , material used and their technical names are included.

(€ ) Make a comparison with known things for ease of understanding by thereader

If the writer gives the comparison with something that the reader is alreadyfamiliar with, the reader will understand it much easier.

(f) Where ever possible a contrast of properties with other known things shouldbe made

If you compare and contrast properties with known things, the reader willunderstand the significance of the item you are explaining

(g) Provide a clear structure of headings , sub-headings and paragraphs

Any thing written in a structured format makes better sense. So, while writing,give headings, listing features and integrating figures and text with labels andreferences

3.

Joseph E. Stiglitz, , Making Globalisation Work, Allen Lane an imprint ofPenguin Books, USA, 2006

12.9 References /Bibliography

1. Rizvi, Ashraf M, Effective Technical Communication Tata McGraw-HillPublishing Company Limited, New Delhi,2005

2. Sharma RC, and Mohan , Krishna, Business Correspondence and ReportWriting, Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited, New Delhi,2002


Raman ,Meenakshi and Sharma , Sangeeta , Technical Communication OxfordUniversity Press

12.11Terminal and Model Questions

1. What is the purpose and use of Technical Instructions? Give suitableexamples.

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2. Technical Descriptions writing is a specialised writing. How does it differ fromnormal writing?

3. Why documentation of technical material is of such importance?

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Unit 4

Verbal Communication

Lesson 13 Presentation Techniques

Lesson 14 Interviews

Lesson 15 Group Discussions

Lesson 16 Meetings and Conferences

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Lesson 13

Presentation Techniques

Lesson Structure

13.1 Learning objectives13.2 Introduction13.3 Presentation13.4 Presentation Plan13.5 Extempore Speeches13.6 Summary13.7 Glossary13.8 Answers to check progress/suggested answers13.9 Reference/Bibliography13.10 Suggested reading13.11Terminal and model questions


Learning the importance of oral communication

Understanding oral presentations, their structure and role of bodylanguage while making presentations

Learning how to make an effective oral presentation

13.2 Introduction

Ability to express one verbally is a very important skill. Today, we are living in theera of ‘survival of the fittest’ and everyone is forced to live by ‘selling’ something. Inpersonal life, one has to put one’s best foot forward to create the right impression on

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others. In business world the ability of a person to express one’s ideas, feelings andemotions verbally and presents them in a proper fashion, plays a very important role.This ability plays a more vital in getting and retaining a job than the ‘hard skills’ orfunctional skills. For overall growth of any individual, his professional or domainknowledge must be suitably complemented and supplemented by oral presentationskills.

People in business organisations are often asked to present their reports, explain theirviews, conduct training, participate in meetings and discussions, organise andparticipate in seminars, sales meets etc. It is a well recognised fact that an effectivespeaker with command over the language which he uses, can influence decision-making in any organisation, he is sought after men, looked up to by everyone and getspromoted in spite of certain weaknesses in functional ability.

13.3 Presentations

There are many occasions for presentations in industry and commerce. Some of theseare :

Launching a new product/service

Presentation of business plans

Marketing or sales proposals

Training and development sessions

Participation in seminars/conferences

Specific instructions from superiors for presenting any business relatedactivity

While negotiating for selling/ buying products, equipment, machines etc

13.3.1 Strategy of presentation

It involves the following:

Clarity about general and specific purpose of presentation. The specificpurpose of any presentation must be given due importance duringpresentation. If a marketing person is making a presentation about hiscompany profile, his specific purpose is to influence the buyers aboutcompany so that his products or services or sold better. The general purposemay be information to many who may be sitting in the presentation.

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What is expected from the audience at the end of the presentation? Do youexpect the information booklets of your product or service to be sold? Or doyou expect the enquiries would be generated about the price of the product orservice.

Sometimes, presentation may be made just to access the types of potentialcustomers, their buying preferences, gender, age, social and financialbackground etc.

Deciding the location i.e., venue, time, and the type of presentation which canbest influence the audience.

13.3.2 Role of body language in presentation

It is a well recognised fact that in face-to-face communication is not only thewords and sentences which are exchanged; the process involves the totalpersonality of individuals. Physical disposition i.e., neat dress sense, posture,general bearing, facial expression, gestures are all important in expression offeeling, ideas, thoughts etc. A person who is well dressed and has a pleasantmannerism is always able to impress in the initial stages of meeting. He is able todevelop an instant rapport with others, which is very helpful in presentation.

Posture

When you are asked/invited to walk up to the podium and make a presentation, donot get tense because of anxiety to impress the audience. It is natural to feel littlenervous and excited but no one will know this state of your mind unless you letthem know through an awkward walk. Get up from your seat naturally and walkconfidently to the podium. Remember, all this is being keenly watched by heaudience. Stand erect with your hands on side and if you have notes, these shouldbe kept on the podium where these can be easily seen and read. Start with wishingthe audience, depending upon the time of the day. Do use your hands to make apoint but necessary and too much movement of hands distracts the attention. Keepyourself at appropriate distance from the microphone or hold it at a reasonabledistance from the face, if a cordless microphone is being used. Only the first fewminutes are the most important, after which you will settle down and develop arapport with the audience and then the going will be much easier than youimagined.

Eye Contact

The purpose of any communication is to get the exact message across to thelisteners. Eye contact is the most effective means of doing so. It is the eye contactthrough which you develop the right rapport with them. While presenting yourpoint of view, look into the pair of eyes of each individual in a planned mannerand do not ignore any person. Looking left, right or up or down, creates very poor

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impression on the audience and the communication will not be effective. Whilespeaking, giving small pauses at appropriate time is very important; it helps you tocollect your thought process and helps the audience in assimilation and absorptionof what has been said. Of course, unnecessary long intervals will cut off from youraudience which will defeat the very purpose of presentation. Eye contact helpsyou to get a feedback from the audience, if they look into your eyes and if theirexpression and movements are such that you are reassured that what you aresaying is being understood, you have made a good presentation.

Voice Modulation

You may have noticed that effective speakers always modulated their voice tocreate a special impact on the audience. Good voice is, of course, a God’s gift butany voice can be trained to create more impact. Only one has to make a specialeffort. The pitch and modulation combined can create the desired impact. Oneraises and lowers the voice to suit the kind of emphasis that has to be laid; suitablepauses and the body language combined create a very desirable effect on theaudience.

To make a presentation more effective, one must record one’s speech and listen toit carefully and modify wherever possible necessary. Voice modulations, pitch,body language, go with the kind of language, its pronunciation and vocabulary.Whenever in doubt, one must consult a dictionary for a meaning as well as forproper of any oral presentation.

A monotonous and dull delivery without modulation and high and low of voicehave no impact in the audience and they will not be interested in what you areconveying. This defeats the very purpose of any oral presentation.

Some people think that if they speak fast, they impress the audience. Far fromtruth. There has to be coherence between thought and speech. Speed of thought ismuch more than the speed of speech and one may become a victim of convertingthe thought quickly into speech. One should not speak faster than 130-150 wordsper minute for the speech to be understood by the audience

One must be clearly heard by all present in the place where presentation is beingmade. Before you start, check up with the farthest person whether he or she is ableto hear your loud and clear voice.

Pronounce every word properly with suitable emphasis. Wrong pronunciation willmake you a butt of jokes with the audience

Avoid using unnecessary words which some are in the habit of substituting aspauses, like ‘Fact of the matter is’, ‘I mean’, ‘Do you get what I mean?’, ‘Ok’,‘Alright’, ‘Now’, ‘Do you understand?’, should I repeat?” etc. These are jarringnotes in any presentation and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

Know Your Audience

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In business presentations, one would generally know who are going to be the audienceand how long is the presentation. So, one keeps in mind their background, gender,seniority, status, position, knowledge etc. However, many a times, this may not beknown. In such situations, one should use one’s commonsense and presence of mindto size up the audience quickly. It is easy to spot friendly or hostile audience as alsotheir expectations, their eagerness and anxiety to get involved with the presentation.The speaker must understand that everyone is important, how-ever, if there is a pointwhich is specifically applicable to a particular person or position mention may bemade of the. Each listener should get the feeling the speaker is directly addressinghim. Some speakers unnecessarily dramatise the situation to highlight the point.Though for inviting attention a special story or a joke or a couplet or a quotation maybe used but the focus must remain on the basic purpose of the presentation. Thesubject matter of the presentation cannot always be interesting for every one tobecome keen listener; it is up to the speaker to make it interesting enough for theaudience.

A joke is often a good way of developing a rapport with the audience. But the jokemust be selected carefully and narrated in such a manner that it becomes helpful inconveying the main purpose of the presentation. Cheap or vulgar jokes, not relatedwith the subject or issue will make audience to think poor of you and lose respect foryou and perhaps ant interest in what you are going to say after cracking the joke.

A good speaker does not unnecessarily get disturbed or upset by the audienceAssuming that two persons talking while you are speaking must be criticising you,may only be fig of your imagination. Rather than asking them to stop talking and payattention, look in to their eyes to create a better impact and rapport. But ultimateimpact of the presentation depends on the ideas presented and the manner in whichthey are presented.

13.3.3 Structure of presentation

No cut and dry formulae or magic tips can be given to become an effective speaker.Good speakers make persistent effort to make their presentation as effective aspossible. A complete plan of action should be prepared under the following heads

What has to be conveyed?

How is it going to be conveyed?

A summary of what has been conveyed

A speech or presentation should never be read from the text as by doing so one loosesthe contact with the audience and that is the worst thing that can happen to a speaker.Short notes of points to be made can be written on 3” x5” on white thick cards whichcan be kept in pocket and moved to hand as and when required. All relevant pointsshould be noted in the order in which they are going to be presented. The points may

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be written in telegraphic language, acronyms or assembly of letters and words whichyou can easily decipher when required. Some speakers make the mistake of readingfrom the material that is displayed on the screen. Remember what has been displayedis for the audience to comprehend clearly along with what is being spoken and it isnot for you to read; you should have your own notes for this purpose.

13.3.4 Use of visual aids and other supportingmaterial/equipment

To make the presentation effective, one must use various types of visual aids andother supporting material and equipment which is available. It has been establishedthat we learn:

Sight 83%

Hearing 11%

Smell 3.5%

Touch 1.5 %

Taste 1 %

Also we retain information as:

10 % of what we read

20 % of what we hear

30 % of what we see

50 % of what we see and hear

70 % of what we see, hear as we talk

90 % of what see as we do a thing

Another surprising fact is as follows:

Method Recall three hours later Recall three days later(percentage) (percentage)

Telling when used alone 70 10

Shoeing when used alone 72 20

When a blend of telling and 85 65

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showing is used

It is obvious that while making a presentation if one uses audio-visual aids and showswhat is being said the retention of the audience will be much better It is easier for alistener to get involved in understanding a fact or figures, if it is shown on the screenor board when the speaker is talking about the same. No hard and fast rule of for useof visual or other aids can be laid down, as it will depend on the type of presentation.

13.4 Presentation Plan

Like any other planning before execution, the advantages of planning for presentationare plenty. Presentation will be as good as its planned presentation. A rough plan forany presentation may be as follows:

Introduction or beginning.

It should include:

Introductory remarks including any attention-gaining statement, quotation , couplet ,remarks etc,

Main theme

Statement of objectives, giving reasons for making the presentation, outline ofpresentation

Middle or body should include:

It should be divided in short and clear sections

Every point must be illustrated with suitable examples

Allot time for each section and point; otherwise the presentation will becomeunbalanced. An important point may not be allowed enough time as trivia has beenundue long time. Time limit should be prioritised

Conclusion

It should include:

Summary of what has been said earlier

Emphasise certain points

Final marks

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Closing statement

13.4.1 A presentation must never be read

Many people have the habit of reading the entire presentation which they havewritten down. Major advantage of this kind of presentation is that facts can bestated with authority and accuracy. Many greats use this method. For example,Winston Churchill was reputed to have used the written script. But such masterorators keep eye contact with the audience and do not lose rapport with thelisteners. Reading aloud clearly also needs practice and is by word, it does notappear fresh and original to the audience. This method definitely has moredisadvantages than advantages and should be avoided.

13.4.2 A presentation must never be memorised

Many speakers are known to write down and memorise the entire speech orpresentation. Again, it is only some greats gifted with powerful memory who canremember everything, including the emphasis and pauses and can create apositive effect. It is not advisable to memorise the entire speech. Face-to-facecommunication is most effective when the speaker uses notes or has mugged uponly the important points but presents them in a thinking-and-speaking mode.Nothing that has been learnt by rote can be convincingly effective. One is likelyforget if one depends entirely on memorised sentences and most importantaspects may be left uncovered.

13.4.3 How to select a visual aid?

A speaker needs different types of visual aids to make his presentation effective.Prepare a table to list the medium, advantages and disadvantages and theapplications of widely used visual aids and select one out of them dependingupon your requirement.

13.4.4 Checklists for Oral Presentation

It is always a good idea to prepare a checklist of points that should be kept inmind while making an oral presentation. If presentation is to be effective, oneshould plan to include all these.

Organisation of Matter

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This is of utmost importance. All said and done, how material is collected, siftedand organised for presentation has the ultimate impact.

Delivery

What ever the material being presented, suitable delivery alone leaves theaudience with conviction.

Pronunciation

Bad or wrong pronunciation puts off the audience badly. Presenter should checkwith colleagues or the dictionary so that wrong pronunciation of the words doesnot make the otherwise good presentation a but of jokes.

Body language

Present a pleasing personality overall. Be properly dressed. The gesture should beappropriate and related to what is being spoken. The speaker should also movefrom place A to B. The eye contact must be made with the audience.

Audience awareness

Knowing your audience is very important. Try and judge the knowledge andattention being paid by the listeners. It is easy if you maintain an eye contact.

13.5 Extempore Speeches

Extempore speech means a stage performance without any type of preparation.You may be called upon, all of a sudden to speak about some topic and you haveno time to prepare or organize your thoughts. Extempore is also related withpoetry discussions by generally it is understood in relation with speaking only.

Those of us who have had the opportunity and experience of public speaking,understand that it give creeps to any one. When you are required to walk up to thestage and the hall is full of people, your confidence is likely to shake. Here arefew tips to be an effective extempore speaker:

Have confidence within

The key to public speaking is the confidence. Confidence is more within than outside. You must walk to the podium demonstrating confidence in the way youwalk, and then on reaching the stage, the way you look at the audienceconfidently, hold the mike, keep your head slightly high and wish the audienceaccording to the time of the day.

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Opening and closing statements are very important

You must remember that the first half a minute is the most important. Whilestarting the speech, it is a good idea to make a famous statement or mention anappropriate quotation to draw the attention of the audience. Similarly, when youare winding up the speech, you should make some comment /statement/quotewhich once again draws the attention of every one present and also demonstratesyour confidence in your self.

Ensure use of appropriate body language

When you use hand gestures while speaking and emphasizing a point you aremaking , it makes positive impact on the listeners. Your body language should bethat you are not shaky.

Do not try to memorize anything

Speak from your knowledge and experience; do not try to memorise anything. Ifyou forget what you have mugged up, it makes a very poor impression on theaudience. Limit your speech to your knowledge.

Practice is the key to get rid of the fear of extempore speech

It is rightly said that practice makes a man perfect. You should practice speakingon different subjects of your interest.

13.6 Summary

It is well known that persons less qualified and with lower level of competence,do far better than certain others who possess excellent verbal communicationskills. The importance of verbal communication cannot be overemphasized.

You may know lesser details of a particular subject or issue but if you are ableto deliver them in a lucid manner, the audience is likely to be more impressedthan a far better content which is not delivered properly. That is why it is ofutmost importance that all professional s learn the art of oral communication.

13.7 Glossary

Extempore speech It means speaking on any issue withoutany type of preparation

Main theme Statement of objectives, giving reasons formaking the presentation, outline of presentation

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Posture How you stand and conduct yourself whilemaking a presentation

Voice modulation Giving pauses and raising or loweringof the pitch of speech to make oral presentation more effective

Visual aids All such aids which help in displaying andexplaining the salient features of an oral presentation


1. Give an assessment of audio-visual aids you can use for making presentationsmore effective.

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2. You have just joined a company which is involved and training anddevelopment activities for the corporate sector. Your boss asks you to put up alist of literature and training aids required. How will you do that? Discuss theapproach in detail.

Answer:

1. Many types of aids are available to support any presentation. How ever, youhave to select the one which suits your needs the best. Here are some of them:

LCD Projectors It is a compact visual presenter which has many advancedfeatures It has wide applications as it can display information through your laptop or computer. The zoom facility makes it convenient to highlight a particularpoint. Any type of CD or pen drive can be used. Any video film can be playedwhich can be shown to the audience.

35 mm slides Portable slides can be used to display any pictures or writteninformation. Slides add professionalism to a presentation. It is an idealequipment for formal training

Special visual presenters These are used for training purpose. Here, anycomplicated wiring or drawings can be displayed in different colours straightfrom a book /magazine manual. Zoom facility makes it very useful forunderstating a sophisticated circuit etc

White board Different coloured markers can be used to explain a particularpoint. It is easy to use and is economical

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13.9 References / Bibliography

1. Monippally, Matthukutty, Business Communicayion Starategies, Tata Mc-Graw Hill Publishing Company Limited, 2002

2. Sharma RC, and Mohan , Krishna, Business Correspondence and ReportWriting, Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited, New Delhi,2002


1 Raman ,Meenakshi and Sharma , Sangeeta , Technical CommunicationOxford University Press

2. Kumar , Varinder and Raj Bodh , Business Communication, KalyaniPublishers, Jalandhar


1. What is the difference between an oral presentation and a speech?

2. How can you make presentation more effective? Give examples.

3. What can you do when asked to make an extempore speech? Explain.

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Lesson 14

Interviews

14.1 Learning objectives14.2 Introduction14.3 Special advantages of face-to –face interview14.4 Sample interviews14.5 Summary14.6 Glossary14.7 Answers to check progress/suggested answers14.8 Reference/Bibliography14.9 Suggested reading14.10Terminal and model questions

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Learning about the main purpose of conducting interviews

Understanding the basic process of interviews

Knowing what the interviewing board looks for in acandidate

Understanding how to prepare for interviews

14.2 Introduction

An interview is a process followed after the recruitment process has been completed.The basic purpose of any interview is to get information from the applicant andprovide her the information in a face- to- face physical interaction to assess theinterviewee’s suitability and potential for a specific purpose. The idea is theinterviewee should fit in the vacancy available in the organization. It is formallyarranged and planned conversation in which the interviewer evaluates the suitabilityor otherwise of the candidate for a particular position. According to Pauline V.Young, “An interview may be regarded as a systematic method by which a personenters more or less imaginatively in to the inner life of a comparative stranger” Infact, interview should be seen as an unrehearsed face to face communication betweentwo or more individuals where both the parties can get immediate feedback and havethe opportunity to change or modify the question asked or response give. Accordingto Dale Yoder, author of one of the earliest books on personnel management,Personnel Management and Industrial Relations, Prentice Hall 1942, in interviews“attention is usually directed to the background and education of the applicant, hiswork history his interests and avocations, his family and friends, his personal habitsand his views and attitudes” The basic idea is to have face-to-face free-flow ofinformation which can help the candidate to know the organization better and theinterviewer is able to assess many personality traits which can help the organization.Though interview may be conducted only by one person, but in the interest ofobjectivity, more than one person who are experts in their relevant fields are involved.The organizations and the interviewers always try their best to make the interviews asobjective as possible, how ever, the interview remains distrusted as a reliable andvalid means of selection, due to many reasons. Obviously, for good selection, theinformation about the applicant should be both valid and reliable. There are manymethods of ensuring as much objectivity in the process as is possible and these will bediscussed in later chapters. However, expecting any interview to be fool-proof is afallacy.

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Essential system and method of interview may remain the same but there will bevariations depending upon the level or specific position for which a person is beinginterviewed. For example interview for a supervisor’s job will be relatively simpler ascompared to that of a top level position. How ever, every employee hired or promotedby any company must go through some type of interview process by one or morepeople.

14.3 Special advantages of Face –to –face interview

The organization gets the opportunity to clarify /check certain information inperson which may not be clear from the application form

Applicant gets an opportunity to put across certain points which could nothave been included because of the design of the application format or thecandidate did not want to include them

Certain type of information can be best obtained only in personal meetings.Enthusiasm, zeal, motivation, commitment, pro-active approach and hopes andaspirations of the candidate can be best judged in face-to-face meeting.

14.3.1 Issues difficult to justify

No doubt, interview is the most used method of selection because of manyadvantages; yet interview throws up some issues which are difficult to justify. Theseare:

Any interview is highly susceptible to, subjectivity, distortion and bias. Sinceinterviews are conducted by human beings, it is impossible to make anyinterview bias –free. Companies do make effort to train the interviewers invarious techniques and expect them to be totally objective, but it is easiersaid then done.

It can never be an exact job-fit ie in spite of all the efforts made to put theright man at the right place, inaccuracies, are bound to creep in the system.

All selections are subject to legal attacks and challenges by those who don’tmake it. To avoid such situations, companies prepare very elaborate HRDpolicies. How ever, no policy can ever be fool-proof.

Personal interviews always tend to infringe on the privacy of an individual.As the companies don’t hire only the brain and hands of the employees, theyget them as complete packages; employee’s own and her relatives’ physicaland emotional problems also come with her.

Many people feel that there is too much of dependence shown by theemployers on the results of the interview. A candidate can hide herweaknesses and put her best foot forward during the duration of the

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interview and as such her true worth may not be known. That is where theexperience, maturity and knowledge and skill of the interviewer come in toplay.

14.3.2 Steps to be followed in any interview

Introduction or initiation of the interview

Getting to know from the candidate some pre –determined information that isrequired as per the job responsibility

Assessing the candidates knowledge and hard skills

Assessing the candidate’s soft skills knowledge

Assessing the candidates certain personality traits; the most important being herpsychological behaviour.

Winding up the interview

Making up the mind about candidate’s suitability or otherwise for the position

Let us discuss these with the help of suitable examples.

14.3.3 Introduction or initiation of the interview based onthe information of the candidate available with the interviewboard

Before the candidates comes for the interview she has already responded to either therecruitment process followed by the company or forwarded the Resume, CV or Bio-data based on some other information about the requirement of the organization. Thecandidate hands over the bio-data to the company either personally or forwards itthrough post, e-mail etc. In any case, the bio-data should have a covering letter. Manya times the candidates approach the organization and fill up a standard applicationform available with the company, in anticipation. The interview board, whethercomprising of one person or a number of persons, goes through the bio-data of thecandidate before she is called in the interview room. If there are more than oneinterviewer in the board, the senior most person is nominated as the President orChairman of the board. It is normal practice that the senior most person calls thecandidate by any of the following ways:

“Please come in, Miss Shalini”

“Welcome, Miss Pooja Agnihotry”

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“Miss Shaloo, please come in”

The idea is to put the candidate at ease and develop a rapport with her. It is essential;otherwise, the board cannot get the best out of the candidate. Members of the boardadopt all kinds of methods to put the candidate at ease. They must not forget theanxiety and worry of the candidate who is going to see their faces for the first time ina strange environment. In any case, the candidate knows that the board membersknow a lot more than her and holds them in high esteem. And then, of course there isthis important factor of how desperately the person needs the job, which makes thecandidate nervous. In order to make the candidate comfortable, board membersgenerally call her by her first name and engage her in conversation such as knowingthe meaning of the name. Since many of names in our culture are related withhistorical and mythological persons, every candidate must be clear about the history,background and meaning of her name. If asked to give out the name, it should be donewith confidence and in loud enough a voice for every member to hear it clearly.Candidate must love her name and take pride in being addressed as such. Please gothrough the following example to understand fine points about how the interview isinitiated.

Example

President/Chairman: Welcome, Miss Ramandeep . It is a very nice name

Candidate: Thank you sir/madam

One of the members: Will you be comfortable if we call you only as Raman?

Candidate: You are welcome sir/ madam. You may call me Raman.

Another member: Please tell us Raman, what is the meaning of your name?

Candidate: Sir/ madam, as you know Raman stands for Sun, the source of tremendousenergy. So, I suppose my parents expected me to turn out to be a brilliant person.

President/Chairman: Thank you Raman. I think yours is a wonderful name and youwill definitely come up to the expectations of your parents.

Developing rapport by asking questions related with candidate’sinterests and hobbies

Candidates find the part of writing their interests and hobbies as most confusing tocompose. As mentioned earlier, the effort of the interviewing board is to make thecandidate as comfortable as possible so that they are able to find the most suitableperson for the job. So, the interviewers will not purposely try to trick and trap you in a

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difficult situation unless you have hidden some vital information or told a lie atcertain places. Be sure with their experience, they will definitely be able to seethrough in such a case. So, the best policy is to write the facts without anymanipulation.

Questions related with hobbies

Gone are the days when the employer was happy with the ‘hard skills’ or professionaldomain alone of the perspective employee. These days there is much broaderapproach to the whole concept of hiring candidates and the employer also looks at the‘soft skills’ of the candidate in addition to the qualifications, skills and experience ofthe candidate. So, it has become important that the candidate mentions her hobbiesand interests in the application form. Many employers specially look at this part of theresume to understand what kind of interests a candidate has before calling her for theinterview. Hence, suitable hobbies and interests as mentioned in the bio-data may aswell become the first step towards selection of the candidate. Application formsalways have a space where the candidate is expected to write her areas of interest andhobbies. There can be no person who does not pursue something apart from doingsomething for making a living. Many candidates commit the mistake of writingsomething to impress the interviewer, even when they are not actually good at it.Candidates try and find some connection of what they mention as their hobby with thejob they are looking for, in the hope that it will increase their chances of gettingselected. The best thing is to be frank and honest about what ever you love to do.Your favourite hobby need not be highly intellectual in nature or directly useful toyour job or the society. The point to be understood is that you will be asked questionsrelated with those hobbies and you cannot pull fast one on the board. For all youknow, one of the members himself may be pursuing the hobby you have mentionedand may know much more about it than you know.

Here are some of the hobbies which candidates generally mention in their bio-data:

Reading. Reading is a good hobby and a large number of candidates mentionit in their bio-data. It is further amplified by the applicants mentioning‘reading newspapers’, ‘reading novels’ ‘reading biographies of great men’,‘reading poetry’ etc. Reading is a good hobby but it depends upon what youread and how it contributes to overall personality. Reading good literature canadd to your knowledge which can stand you in good stead sometime. Butreading detective novels can hardly contribute to your potential as a usefulemployee in any field of activity. If you have mentioned reading newspapersas your hobby, you should know everything about that particular newspaperlike, where is it published, when was it established, who owns it, who is theeditor and in how many languages it is published in. In this case, an obviousquestion is why you prefer a particular newspaper over the other. If yourhobby is to read the biographies of great men, you will be asked the latestbook you are reading and which famous personality would you like to emulateand why.

Listening to music. It is good hobby and listening to good music can help aperson to unwind and de-stress herself. Related question are, which type of

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music, which is your favourite instrumentalist or singer. This is a verycommon hobby with most of the people and it highly likely that some memberof the interviewing board is himself/herself knows a lot about the music. Don’tget in to a trap by saying some thing which is not truer.

Gardening. This again is a useful hobby and caring for plants can help onedistress oneself as well as help environment. No one will expect you to knowas mush about gardening as a maali or a horticulturist, but you should knowsimple things like preparation of soil, the season for sowing seeds/bulbs,watering and manure needs of various types of plants and so on. It is possibleonly if you really are actually interested in gardening.

Cooking. This is one hobby about which most of the people, males as well asfemales know something. Also. Chances are that the members of the boardalso know only that much about cooking as you happen to know. No oneexpects you to be master chef; to that extent, it is a safe hobby to be mentionedin the bio-data.

Watching TV. This cannot be considered a hobby which can contribute muchto your personality as an individual. If you are watching History or Discoverychannels, perhaps it can be of some use. It is best to avoid mentioning this ,how ever , if you must then remember the names of the programms, their maincharacters etc

Surfing Net. The idea is what you are surfing the internet for. Today, internetis a great source of information and knowledge. If it serves the purpose ofgiving you the latest news, discoveries and other current events, may be it is agood hobby and can help you.

In addition to above few, there can be numerous interests and hobbies differentindividuals may have. Photography, fishing, writing books, playing golf , chess ,cards, travelling to explore new paces, social service etc. can be your hobbies. Thereis only one cardinal rule and that is never try to fool the board and be frank and honestin your assertions.

Please follow the tips below to include your hobbies and interest in the resume:

If you have no hobby (which is highly unlikely) then do develop one. Ahobby is an activity which you would love to do without expecting anymonetary benefits out of it. It is human nature to get involved with some thingmore than what one does for making a living. But if you actually do not haveany particular interest, it is a good idea to be honest and say so. How ever, thiscan lead to the interviewer asking you further question about how you spendyour spare time. Be prepared to answer such questions.

Write the interests and hobbies which you actually have. Don’t gettempted by writing some thing just to impress the interviewer. You should

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have no doubt that some member of the board will definitely ask you pointingquestions related with the hobby you have mentioned. For example, if youhave written ‘reading’ as your hobby, you will definitely be asked what youare reading currently. It is quite likely that one of the members has also readthe book you mention that you are reading. He may further prod you on abouta particular character in the book and so on. So, by telling a lie, you have tiedyourself in knots you cannot get out of. This is the sure way of getting rejectedeven without reaching the stage of being asked questions related with yourfunctional skills.

Keep this section as simple and short as possible Candidates have atendency to brag about things which are only remotely connected with the typeof job they have applied for. For example, if you have applied for the job of ajunior manger, writing about a prize you may have won in ‘cooking’competition may not help you at all. ‘Cooking’ can well be a hobby and youmay mention it by all means but elaborate only when asked about it.

Mention only such actual hobbies and interests which can become anasset to your bio-data. For example, if you have applied for the job of a salesmanger, it is definitely relevant to mention about your communication skillsand achievements, if any, in that field. This compliments your skill set in apositive manner and is likely to get you additional benefits.

Be fully prepared to answer questions related with your interests andhobbies. As mentioned earlier, faking and writing something untrue can besuicidal. For example, if you have mentioned that ‘playing hockey’ is yourfavourite sport, be sure that you will be asked questions related with hockeyand if you are not aware of the fact who Dhyan Chand is, the board willoutright reject you as being dishonest and lacking integrity.

14.3.4 General personality traits assessed by the interviewersduring the interview

The following factors may generally be attributed to Nature or heredity:

Values, integrity, honesty, ethics and beliefs Motivation and passion Self-esteem Commitment Willingness to learn Empathy Self-confidence Responsibility Attitude Perseverance

There are certain factors which are learnt; these generally include:

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Communication skills Discipline Punctuality Flexibility Capacity Skills Ability and knowledge Etiquette and mannerism

14.3.5 Important traits that define you

Since any interview is conducted in only in a limited time-frame, the interviewerslook for only a few of the most important traits that define how the candidate willperform and fit in their organization. Some of the important ones are:

System of Greetings to be adopted If you are not confident of how to wish

according to the time of the day, follow the rules given here:

Early Morning to 12.00 noon: Good morning and while leaving good day

After 12.00 noon till 5.00 in the evening: Good afternoon and while leaving good

day.

After 5.00 in the evening till late night: Good evening and while leaving good

night

General appearance.

Remember, you are going for a formal engagement, it is imperative that you lookyour best. A pleasing personality helps one to get the job. So, shave properly,comb the hair suitably or tie the turban so that it looks neat and clean. Never overdo things.

Dress etiquette for the interview

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You are not going to a fashion show, hence dress for the occasion. A full-sleevedlight coloured shirt and a tie with a dark trouser may be good enough, theseshould be clean and ironed.

Correct method of entering the interview room/hall

Normally the companies depute a person who shows you the way to the place ofinterview. It may be junior HR executive or even a peon. Who so ever takes you tothe place of interview; don’t forget to thank him/her. If some one opens the door foryou, you may enter but if you are required to open the door do knock at the doorbefore entering. And if the door does not close automatically ie it is not fitted with adoor-closer; close the door behind you without showing your back to the members.Walk confidently looking straight towards the table and wish according to the time ofthe day. You must notice if there is lady also in the board and wish accordingly,“Good morning ladies and gentlemen”. If the President/Chairman or other membersof the Board offer to shake hand, do it firmly with confidence. A lady’s hand shouldnot be held too strongly. Remember you cannot offer your hand to shake with themembers, it is entirely their discretion. The moment you come close to the chairearmarked for you to sit, President/ Chairman will ask you to sit down. But don’t siton your own, wait for some one to ask you to sit down. And after you sit down, dothank every one.

A lot can be read by the interview board from the way you walk after you enter theroom till you reach the table of the board. Don’t forget every one is closely watching,this should not make you nervous rather more confident. Take short smart step withchest up in the manner a soldier walks. You are not doing ‘left-right’ here but yourposture and bearing should be pleasing to the eye. The way you walk can give plentyof information about your personality. A casual slouch walk will seal your fate thereand then.

Example

A candidate dressed smartly for the occasion is shown the door of the interview hallby the peon. He knocks the door, opens it, puts forward his right foot ad asks politely,“May I come in please?”

President/ chairman: Yes, please come in Mr Chaudhary.(After he gets the permission to get in, the candidate walks smartly and confidentlytowards the board members)

Candidate: Good morning (greeting according to the time of the day) sirs (or ladiesand gentlemen) with a pleasant smile on his face.

President/Chairman: Good morning (or greetings according to the time of the daaay)Mr. Chaudhary, please have your seat.

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Candidate: Thank you sir/madam (The candidate should pull the chair confidentlyand sit down while smiling. Any delay in sitting down or awkward way of holding thechair will be noticed by the members)

As has been seen above, if a candidate walks in with grace and dignity, walks briskly,holds his head high, smiles and looks in to the eyes of the members of the board, he islikely to develop an immediate rapport. He will be perceived as a confident youngperson who is ambitious and wants o get through the interview. You must rehearsethis in your own time.

Right method of sitting in the interview

The posture of a person, the way she stands, walks or sits reveal lot about thepersonality of a person. Hence, it is very important for you to be careful the way youstand or sit before entering the interview hall, the way you walk in when asked tocome in or the way you sit down in front of the board that is going to interview you.

Here are a few tips about the correct method of sitting in the interview board:

When you enter the hall, a chair would have been placed in front of theinterviewers for you to sit. But do not sit till you are asked to sit.

Pull the chair softly towards you, about a meter, without making a noise. Onemeter is a distance from where every one can hear you loudly and clearly.

If you are carrying a file or some other documents, keep them softly on thetable directly in front.

After sitting down, don’t forget to thank the board. Sit straight and erect without leaning forward or backwards Do sit smartly in an alert manner and don’t slouch or slump in the chair Occupy the entire chair; do not sit in a corner in awkward manner. Many

candidates think they are being respectful to the board , if they sit in the frontportion of the chair and lean a little forward. This leaves an impression ofinferiority complex and lack of self-confidence.

The best way to let the board know that you are at ease and are confident ofself is to look straight in the eyes of the members smilingly. Look at all themembers and not only President/ Chairman. They are all equally important foryou. Do not stair in the eyes of any particular person.

The chair may or may not have the arms. If the arms are available put yourelbows. If the chair is without the arms, put your hands on sides of the thighsin a natural manner, without appearing stiff and holding fast to the thighs forsupport.

Never put your hand or elbows on the table. Do not cross your feet either from left to right or from right to left. Keep both

the feet firmly on ground with a gap of approximately 10-12 inches. It willgive you the much required confidence.

Do not fiddle with your pen, shirt-sleeves, hair, nose or turban etc. This is signof being shy and insecure. You should sit still without making unnecessary

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movements which will give the impression to others that you are notcomfortable.

If there is glass of water kept for you, don’ use it Face the questions being asked without being apologetic about any of your

replies. You must stick to your conviction and not change your stance at theslightest hint from any member of the Board.

Never forget the purpose of your sitting in the chair. You have come to getselected and you must do your utmost to achieve that goal.

When you leave the interview room/hall

Interview is not over till you have left the hall and closed the door behind you.Some candidates have the tendency to become casual and indifferent the momentthey are asked to leave. Keep the following points in your mind while leaving:

When asked to leave, get up smartly without losing the enthusiasm withwhich you had entered the hall. Thank all the members with a polite smilebefore you turn around.

Don’t forget that you are being watched when you are leaving. So, walkback smartly and confidently, without bmaking any gesture with yourhands.

If members wish to shake hands with you before you leave shaker fullhand firmly, but don’ keep shaking it.

After you get up from the chair, put the chair back in the original positionvery carefully.

Now turn around and walk back confidently with a soldier’s bearing. Never look back to gauge the impression of the interviewers.

If the door does not close automatically, close it softly without making asound.

14.3.6 Handling Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Question 1: Please tell us something about yourself?/ Could you tell us a little aboutyourself?

Question 2. Can you tell us something about any significant achievement in your lifetill now?

Question 3. What do you think is your greatest strength and why?

Question 4. What is the weakness which you think may hold you back?

Question 5. Do you have any idol in journey of your life? Who is he or she and why?

Question 6. Do you have a Plan ‘B’, if you don’t make in this interview?

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.Question 7. Please give us one good reason why should you be selected for thisappointment./ Please tell us why should you not be rejected for this position./ Whatsets you apart from other candidates?

Question 8. Why do you want to work for our organization/company?

Question 9. What are your career plans?/ Where do you see yourself 5/10 years fromnow?

Question 10. Why do you want to leave your present job?(in case you are alreadyemployed)

14.4 Sample Interview

President/Chairman: Mr. Roy, I have seen that you have mentioned sports as yourhobby.

Candidate: Yes Sir/Madam. I am a sportsman.

Member: Could you tell us what sport are you interested in?

Candidate: Sir/Madam, I run 100 and 200 meters and I have represented PunjabUniversity in these two categories.

Member: Please tell us about the fastest man on earth.

Candidate: Sir/Madam, Usain Bolt is the fastest man on earth . He finished 100 metersin the fastest ever time of 9.63 seconds

President/Chairman: How do you rate Milkha Singh as compared to the worldstandards?

Candidate: Sir/ Madam, Milkha Singh was unlucky to have missed a medal inOlympics, even though he broke the world record. There is no doubt we as a nationhave failed to produce world class athletes because of number of reasons.

Member: Do you see any hope that we will be able to do better in 2016 Olympics?

Candidate: Sir/Madam, I am a perpetually positive person and now that wrestling isback, I do hope that India will do much better than what we achieved last time

(It should be noticed that the candidates has highlighted his strength by mentioningthat he represented Punjab University. He has also made good impression on theboard by telling them that he has a positive outlook towards life)

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Questions based on General Awareness of the candidate

This type of initiation by the board members is very broad in nature and may includealmost any topic/subject. The interviewers are interested in knowing your interest inthe world around you. Many people who are very good in their domain n skills arevery ignorant about the world they live in. That is why to assess the over allawareness of the candidate, the member may ask any question. Of course, the level ofthe job a candidate has applied for is always kept in mind. This needs regular updateof national/international events. This can best be done by:

You must subscribe to a good national daily. There is a difference in reading anewspaper in library and reading your own. When you spend money, it ishuman tendency to get the best out of the newspaper. Besides, you canunderline, mark or even take out important cuttings for record. It is a goodhabit to spent half-an –hour to 45 minutes in reading your favouritenewspaper. The editorial every day deals with important issues; do not skip it.

Become member of a nearby library. Read a few good magazines devoted tocurrent affairs; some of these are Outlook, India Today and The Week

Discuss the issues concerning India and the world with like-minded persons ofyour calibre. Discussions bring out many issues in much lesser time than youspend in detailed reading. But watch out, authenticate what others say.

Year Books published by different publishing houses are other sources ofconsolidated information at one place. Any good year book can become anexcellent reference material

Initiation of the interview through qualifications and academicrecord of the candidate

You are expected to be updated with the basic knowledge of your discipline. Themost important thing here would be to know your concepts, even if the intricatedetails are not known. Some one who cannot explain the basic concept of her hard orfunctional skills leaves a very poor impression on the interviewers. The idea here is toknow something about the basics of the discipline or domain knowledge a candidatehas mentioned in the resume. For example, if the candidate has passed her MBA,“Could you explain the meaning of management in your own simple words?” Astudent of economics looking for a job in the bank, may be asked<” Could you pleasetell us the difference between Plan and Non-plan expenditure of Union Government?”

Initiation of the interview through asking odd or confusing questions

By this the candidate by no means should conclude that the interviewer is trying totrick or trap the candidate. The board wants to assess the overall personality whichincludes a candidate’s reaction to certain unpredictable and uncertain situations.Remember, the interviewer is only trying to find out how you will react ia particular

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situation. The board expects fast response to such questions. Some of such odd orconfusing questions could be:

Who was the first person you met when you entered this office? What ishis/her position in this organization?

What is the fair paid for your travel from your location to this office? What make of lift is it in which traveled to the 5th floor? Can you tell us about a very important landmark around this complex? Who else has come with you for this interview and where have you left that

person?

Assessing the candidate’s attitude and psychological make-up

Besides the qualification and skills, this is the most important attribute oa candidate’spersonality and plays most important role in performing the job assigned to her. Thatis why companies put a lot of emphasis on the psychological behaviour of thepotential employee. This can be done by the board members by asking questions suchas :

What according to you is the most important in any organization?(Organisation is the most important entity as it is supreme and above theBoard Of Directors (BOD). In many companies specially the family businesscompanies , the owners have the misconception that they are above thecompany)

As management trainee with whom will you have your loyalty, your Head ofDepartment or the CMD? ( Every employee’s loyalty must only be to theorganization which is supreme and not to the individuals , how so everimportant that individual may be)

What do you think is the basic reason of conflict between the employer andemployee? (Reason of conflict arises when there is disparity in the goals of theorganization and that of the individual. Management must make every effort tofill the gap between the their goals and those of the employees)

What motivates an employee the most? Is it the monetary incentives? ( Anyworker is motivated by the work environment and opportunity for growth.Money plays an important role in every one’s life but it is the of work oneperforms and the operating environment, which are more important)

There will be situations when there will be conflict between your personalrequirements and requirements of the job. How will you handle suchsituations? ( If in the judgment of the management the work is such where mycontribution will play a vital role, I will definitely give higher priority to myorganizational commitments)

In order to assess your mental toughness, consistency and behaviour related withcourtesy, etiquette and manners etc, the board members may purposely try to firemany questions . That is where you have to keep your balance and not to lose yoursense of judgment and analytical ability by getting agitated.

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An example of such barrage of questions is given below.

Example

President/ Chairman: What do you think is Balance of Payment deficit between Indiaand China?

(Before you can answer the question, one of the members interrupts)

Member: What is the biggest challenge India is facing today?

(Before the candidate can answer the question another member puts anotherquestion)

Member: What does BRIC stand for?

In such a situation you must keep your cool and submit to the President/ Chairmanvery politely, “Sir/madam, I will come to the other questions later on. May I haveyour permission to answer the first question related with Balance of Payment deficitbetween India and China?” This will demonstrate your calmness and confidence tohandle difficult situations.

Assessing a candidate’s hard or functional knowledge and skills related with it.

There is no doubt that the organizations exist for meeting certain objectives and goals.And for that purpose they need capable and efficient workers at different levels. Thepurpose of spending so much of time, effort and money in the selection process is thatround peg fits in the round hole. You have been invited for the interview because youpossess certain qualifications and experience. These are your hard/functional /domainskills, those supporting these to get the best out of you are the soft skills. Yourpositive e attitude towards your employment will be helpful to the organization onlywhen you have the basic knowledge and skill required to perform the job allotted toyou. So, it is important that you know the job for which you expect to be hired. Thequestions will be related with your qualification and experience in the job.

Example

Winding up of the interview process

This is the last phase of the face –to-face interview as far as the candidate isconcerned. Here a question may be asked just to check- back what ever you havealready stated. So, it is very important that you stay consistent with your view orstatements already made. Many an interviewers ask the already asked question bywording in a different manner. Don’t get in to the trap. If you have the slightest doubtabout the question being asked, request the person very politely to repeat the question.Even a slight change in your stand knowingly or unknowingly can cost you dear. The

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President or Chairman of the board will generally ask other members of the board ifthey want to know anything more from the candidate. If no body has any additionalquestions, then wait for the permission to leave. Don’t get up on your own and startgoing out assuming that since there are no more questions, you have the liberty toleave. When permission is granted, get up smartly, thank every on e in the board andwalk out with confidence and grace. You should understand that the members arelooking at your back when you are leaving. So, don’t slouch out of the room in acasual manner.

Example

President/Chairman of the board: Is there any thing else any one of you likes to knowmore from Miss Shruti?

Member (on behalf of all the members): No , we think there is nothing more toask.(During this period, the candidate must not show any eagerness or hurry to get upand leave. Even making a gesture will be noticed)

President/Chairman: Ok, Miss Shruti, I think that is all. You may leave.

Candidates; Thank you sir/ madam (Picks up the files or papers in a neat mannerwithout appearing clumsy and leaves the room confide

14.5 Summary

The importance of interviews , whether it is a student seeking admission in agood management institute or a senior manager in corporate world appearingfor interview for the higher promotion, cannot be overemphasized. Hence, theneed of learning the process of interviews and preparing to come out with flyingcolors has assumed significance in recent years. It is more so because of thehighly complex jobs which need talent of hard skills as well as good quality ofsoft skills.

The lesson above prepares you to appear in any interview with confidence.

14.6 Glossary

Soft Skills These are the skills which define your personality andhow you conduct yourself

Mock interview A simulated interview technique used for the candidatesto understand the process of actual interview

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Exit interview An interview conducted by a senior HR manager to getfeedback for improvement from an employee who is leaving the organisation

Appraisal interview It is conducted by the officer/manager to whom theemployee reports to inform him of his short-comings and how to improve them.


1. How can the hard or functional knowledge of a candidate can be assessed?Give example of such an interview.

2. How will you handle one of the most frequently asked questions, “Please tell ussomething about yourself.”?

3. You are appearing for the interview of GM (Project) of a well known realestate company. The company is known for laying specific emphasis on softskills. How will you prepare yourself for the interview?

Answers:

1.

An example of an interview where the board tries to assess the functional skillsof a candidate is given below:

President/Chairman: I see you did M.Com and the cleared your MBA Entranceexamination. Why did you not appear in the MBA entrance examination after B.Com?

Candidate: Sir/ Madam, I felt my M.com knowledge will stand me in good steadwhen I undergo MBA. And it did help me. As you may see, I have topped theuniversity in MBA.

Member: Tell me, Mr Gupta why did you go for MBA?

Candidate: Sir/madam, India is on the verge of finding its rightful place in theworld as a future super power. I felt this field will open up a lot of opportunitiesin the corporate sector.

Member: What was your favourite subject in MBA and why?

Candidate: Sir/madam, I have always been interested in marketing as a subject.There is so much happening globally that I took up the subject to innovatesomething in this field in Indian conditions

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President/Chairman: But I see you have scored more marks in OperationsResearch (OR) than in Marketing. How is that if your favourite subject isMarketing?

Candidate: You are right; sir/ madam, as you know OR has many mathematicalsolutions which helped me score better. But in Marketing I have scored 86percent marks.

President/Chairman: A lot of people confuse between marketing and sales. Whataccording to you is the basic difference?

Candidate: Sir/ madam, Marketing is a very vast subject and includes research,consumer behaviour etc. Sales which is getting the money for the sold item isessentially a part of marketing as a subject.

President/ Chairman: Thank you Mr Gupta, you may leave.

Candidate: Thank you sir/ madam

2. This is one question which every candidate must be able to handle confidentlyand smartly. Since it is known that this question will most likely be asked thecandidate should prepare well for it.

You should be able to briefly inform the board of your qualifications, experience,strengths and any special achievements you have to your credit. Bring out thepositive aspects of your student days, like if you had taken up NCC or achieveddistinction in studies or sports. Similarly, do mention if you have earned anyrecommendation for the good work with some other organisation.

Remember, the time is at premium here, so you should come out with everythingpositive in not more than a minute or so, without exaggerating any of theachievements.

4. Knowing that the company lays a lot of emphasis on soft skills, I will payspecial attention to the following:

(a) The way I greet every one in the waiting area and subsequently in theinterview room

(b) I will be very particular about the dress code expected in a formalinterview

© I will use my good communication skills to my advantage

(c) I will be extra cautious about the body language

(d) I will pay special attention to project a pleasing and perpetually positivepersonality

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(e) I will walk in smartly while going in and walk out of the interview hallsmartly

14.8 References and Bibliography

1.Raman ,Meenakshi and Sharma , Sangeeta , Technical Communication,Oxford University Press

2. Sharma, RC and Mohan , Krishna, Business Correspondence and ReportWriting , Tata Mc-Graw Hill, Publishing Company Limited, 2002

3. Cheema, Col D S, How to win at interviews and group discussions , AbhishekPublications, Chandigarh, 2014


Kumar, Varinder and Raj Bodh, Business Communication , Kalyani Publishers,Jalandhar,


1 .What does the interviewing board want to understand from a potentialemployee?

2. What personality traits are most important for working in corporate sector?

3. What kind of preparation needs to be made a day before the interview andon the day of the interview?

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Lesson 15

Group Discussions

Lesson Structure

15.1 Learning objectives15.2 Introduction15.3 Meetings15.4 Committees15.5 Conferences15.6 Summary15.7 Glossary15.8 Answers to check progress/suggested answers15.9 Reference/Bibliography15.10 Suggested reading15.11Terminal and model questions

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Learning the role of GD in supporting interviews

Learning how to participate in GDs

Understanding that GD can demonstrate a number ofpersonality traits of a candidate

15.2 Introduction

Group Discussion (GD) is a part of the recruitment and selection process of anyorganization. Candidates, who qualify different type of written examinations, arerequired to clear Personal Interview (PI) and GD before they are finally selected. GDis the last step before selection and is often referred to as ‘dog eat dog round’. Manycandidates feel happy and get relaxed once they clear the written entrance test. Youshould not forget that getting through PI and GD is much tougher than getting throughthe written tests. Though GD is not a must for every type of selection process, stillreputed organizations and institutions use it to make selection as objective as possible.Like many other tools and techniques, GD has also been borrowed by ServiceSelection Board (SSB) of the Armed Forces, Central /State services anduniversities/institutions from the British Armed Forces.

15.3 Importance of GDs and the Process of GD

As has been discussed earlier in the Interview section, PI has large number oflimitations. GD is generally used to know the total personality characteristics of agroup of candidates simultaneously. Certain qualities like leadership, cooperation andco-ordination etc of an individual can be judged only in a group. How ever, even theprocess of GD also provides only a limited time for observation and can thus besubjective or misleading. The candidates come prepared to demonstrate certainpositive traits of their personality and some of them may be able to hide theirshortcomings by an outwardly manipulated conduct for a short duration of time. Thepenal conducting the GD can at best gets some idea of the overall personality of anindividual and unless it is evaluated very carefully, they can go wrong in the selectionof the candidate. A well planned and suitably organized GD needs very detailedpreparation, conduct and administration. In spite of these limitations, it is still used asa popular tool for selection of candidates

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Let us understand how a typical GD is conducted. Generally there are 5-10 candidateswho are invited to discuss a particular issue. This number will, of course depend uponthe number of candidates but also on the fact that it is not possible to objectivelyassess the discussions if the number is more.. The time duration is approximatelybetween 15-30 minutes. Normally no formal instructions are issued about how the GDwill be conducted and it is left to the candidates to articulate the discussion. Themembers of the penal keep observing all the candidates and make their notesaccording to the parameters they have set for the selection. Each organization definesits skills or other parameters which suits them. GD for selection of a prestigiousManagement School will be different from the one conducted for selecting a juniormanger in a marketing company.

The topics given for discussion are general in nature and do not need any specifictechnical knowledge. The candidates should note that he/she will get one or maximumtwo chances to speak and the total time of say not more than 2-3 minutes and that toonot at a stretch. It is in this small period of time that the candidate must leave a lastinggood impression good enough to get selected. The real challenge in GD is to enter into the discussion, find time to speak, know when to speak and then how to presentyour point of view in a short span of time. The candidate who speaks for themaximum time may not get selected but some one, who speaks only for a few secondsonly once, may.

15.3.1 What attributes does the selection penal lookfor in a candidate during GD?

For a candidate to prepare for GD, he/she must know what is expected out of him/her.

All organizations definitely look for the following attributes in the candidates:

Good general knowledge and high level of awarenessAs mentioned earlier, in GD, the topics given for discussion are of general natureand do not require specialized technical knowledge. How ever, what ever youstate must be based on some logic and if possible it should be supported with factsand figures. Since there are no limits, any subject may be given for discussion,how ever, the likelihood of current issues being thrown is definitely more.

While preparing for general knowledge and awareness aspects, keep the following inmind:

There are always two sides of the coin.

Some one will speak for the notion and there will be some others who will opposeit. There is nothing right or wrong about the issues; there are only different pointsof view. Some one who can present his/her point of view with logic and some howsupport it, will be the winner. This requires large reservoir of knowledge whichcan be built over a period of time. Just mugging a few facts and figures cannot

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help you. So, be a consistent reader, record the argument and prepare point ofview to the extent of your conviction. Remember, unless you have the convictionabout an issue your superficial support will be seen through by the members of thepenal, and you will leave a poor impression.

You must support your argument with suitable examples

Suppose the GD topic is “Is freedom a roadblock for development?”, you canquote excellent examples of certain developing nations whose development hassuffered precisely because the freedom. India is such an example. In developingeconomies discipline plays a vital role. Democracies and freedom of anythingwithout responsibility becomes counter-productive. Amratya Sen’s book by thesame name is a source of many good examples across the globe.

State facts and figures to support your views.

It is a fact that any one who supports his/her argument with statistics is listened tovery carefully. Such a person is held in high esteem as the facts cannot be deniedby any one. If the GD topic is, “Why is India’s governance so poor in spite of ithaving one of the best governabilty?” The person who quotes figures like thepercentage of people who don’t get clean drinking water or percentage of thedestitute or number of unemployed youth State wise , you are not likely to bechallenged by others

Analytical Skills

If you want to make a good impression on the penal, you must have a good abilityto analyse the topic of GD and interpret in the correct manner. It is likely that thatsome part of the topic has been purposely left vague and ambiguous, to assesswhether the candidates get the ambiguity clarified or not.

Some of the commonly used evaluation parameters for GD and their weightages aregiven in Appendix

15.3.2 Questions the candidates have in their mindabout GD

Most of the candidates have certain doubts in their minds as far as the actual conductof GD is concerned. Some of the question the candidates have in their mind andsuitable suggestions are given here:

Should I be the first speaker?

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Many candidates have the tendency to speak first fearing that they may not get theright opportunity to impress the penal later on. No doubt, being the first speaker hascertain advantages, but you should be the first speaker only if you have some originalidea about the topic of GD. Otherwise, it is a good idea to let some one else speakfirst. Speaking later does not have any disadvantage as long as you speak sense.Please remember that speaking first or speaking number of times during thediscussion will not give you any benefit if you are not able to say something sensibleand substantial. In fact, if you let some one speak first and you are third or fourthspeaker, you can get ideas which can be related with the knowledge which you haveand make a very original point. Speaking first or later will also depend upon:

Level of difficulty of the GD topic. Whether you should be the first to speak ornot will also depend on the topic. If the issue is an easy one and you areconfident of handling it well, don’t miss the opportunity to speak first. So youshould speak later if the subject is tough and you don’t know much about it.

Behaviour of different candidates in the group. Some times, no one speaks upafter the GD topic has been thrown open. In such a situation, if you can takean initiative and control the discussion by being the first to speak, it will betaken as a leadership quality and appreciated. You can give direction to theway topic is discussed by introducing the topic as you have understood it. Theother speakers after you are likely to toe the line of your thought process,giving you a clear advantage over others. If you cease the initiative byintroducing the subject with the help of an appropriate quote/ shloka etc, youwill make a great impact. How ever, don’t forget there will be many otherswho also may be adopting the same strategy.

How should I conduct myself in the GD?

Some candidates tend to become aggressive and offensive while giving theirviews. They give the impression that they cannot tolerate the views which don’tmatch their own. While being assertive when you have the conviction, beingaggressive will go against you. Be yourself and don’t try to impress others byspeaking loudly, making unnecessary gestures with your hands, thumping thetable etc. You should appreciate that others may have as much or more knowledgethan you; you should be good listener and what ever point you make should carryenough weightage. You should not interrupt some when he/she is speaking, butnote the point where you differ. Don’t speak at any cost just because you have theidea and it must be spoken. At the same time you cannot remain a mute spectator,you must enter the discussion at suitable time. Sometimes the group runs out ofideas and no body has anything to say; that is the time for you to approach thetopic from an angle which has been missed till then.

How should I conduct myself when the discussion becomesvery noisy and directionless where no one listens to no one?

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Such a situation can be converted to your advantage, if you can play the role of aleader and mediator. Try to bring in some order and discipline by suggesting that thecandidates may speak in rotation, or any one wanting to speak raise his/ her finger andthe other persons respect that. You can even get up and request the person who iscreating maximum commotion by saying, “Excuse me, can you please give a chanceto others also to speak?” But while controlling the situation, you should never becomeaggressive yourself. It is likely that the aggressive one’s soon run out of ideas andgive you chance to have your say. If your efforts don’t get any result, the best courseopen to you is to have patience and don’t be a part of the commotion yourself

How do I react if some one purposely contradicts my pointof view and even makes personal attacks?

It does happen that some candidates sensing that some one is taking a lead by makinggood points, start purposely contradicting your point of view and may even passremarks like, “What do you know about it, you thing to do in such a situation is tokeep your cool and carry on with the point you are convinced about. If you ignore theperson and his/her comments, the person is likely to stop behaving in a nasty manner.

Should I take notes of what is being said by differentcandidates during GD?

It is a good idea to carry a small note-pad with you and make notes of key points intelegraphic language. You should not try to note down everything, otherwise you willmiss important discussion points. Of course, it would be ideal if you can make mentalnotes rather than resorting to noting down. The notes can help you in developingcounter-argument or bringing in a new point of view. Making notes also leaves a goodimpression of your active involvement in the discussion.

What can I do when the discussion becomes stagnant andevery one is stating similar things in different manner?

This is a situation where you can prove your original thinking or creativity. Theremay be a lull in the discussion and people have nothing new to add. You may like tosummarize the discussion and ask others to think about the practical utility of therecommendations being made. You can lay emphasis on the fact that any proposal isuseful only if it is doable. For example if the GD topic is, “Should the politiciansretire at the age of 65?”. You may come out with a new angle that let maximum of 10percent politicians retire at 75, if their performance and contribution, as evaluated bythe Speaker of Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha and the Speakers of the State legislature isconsidered outstanding.

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How should I go about in GD if I have very little idea aboutthe topic of discussion?

In this kind of situation the best thing is to wait and listen to the discussion verykeenly before speaking. Plan to restructure the discussion in an intelligent manner andput across your point in a logical order, even though you have no original point tomake. Every issue can be looked from different angles, depending upon yourqualifications and experience in a particular field. If you are from the Political Sciencestream, you can always reshape the discussion from your angle. Also, take notes sothat the penal can see your interest in the discussion.

In GD, what is given more weightage, the content or thepresentation?

Both are important; if your content is of poor quality any amount of stylishpresentation will not make any impact and on the other hand if you have brilliant ideabut you can’t put it across in a suitable manner, the result will be disastrous.

Should I change my stance during GD or stick to my point ofview even though I know I am wrong?

It is alright to change your stance if you are convinced that your initial argument waswrong. You can always say, “When we started the discussion I was of this view, however during discussion certain new facts have come to light and I would like to gowith them”

15.4 Some of the commonly used evaluation

parameters for GD and their weightages

Some parameters and their weightages are given below:

Parameter/Factor Weightage (100)

1. Logic and strength of argument 40 Point not put forward by others 10 Developing an already discussed point 5

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Repeating the existing point by rephrasing it 5 Explaining the rationale of putting across a point 5 Providing suitable examples to support the point 5 Initiative by the candidate 5 Team work 5

2. Body Language 20 The way the candidate sits 5 Eye contact when answering questions 5 Listening approach 5 Movement of hands and other parts of body 5

3. Assertiveness 20

4. Communication Skills 20

Fluency and command over language 10 Clarity, loudness and modulation of voice 10

15.5 GD Topics for practice

Some GD topics have been provided here along with ‘For’ and ‘Against’ arguments.

Some more topics have been given for practice by the student/candidate to preparehis own ‘For’ and ‘Against’ arguments and develop the argument in the GD

1. Fixed tenure for bureaucratsFor: For the sake of continuity in development and other works Political bosses cannot play around with bureaucrats at their whims and

fancies

Against: Can make them complacent May breed inefficiency May undermine political authority

2. Soft skills training for policeFor:

Police is conceived as anti-people lacking empathy People educated , have their own aspirations Police must develop people-skills

Against: Number of police personnel per thousand is far less

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They are under paid Not motivated due to the type of jobs they are required to do Interference/patronage from politicians responsible for lack of

empathy

3.Education can get rid of mediocrityFor:

We are in knowledge era and India has to find its rightful place inthe world

In twenty first century, the illiterates are not those who cannot readand write but the ones who cannot learn, unlearn and re-learn

Mediocrity is a way of life “A man must be what a man can be”

Against: It is an attitude in a particular operating environment System of education itself produces mediocre

4. For good governance , corruption must be eradicatedFor: Corruption is in the bone-marrow of an average Indian Fundamentals of good governance assume that laid down rules,

regulations and procedures are made applicable to all equally Politician, bureaucrat and business man are mainly responsible for

corruptionAgainst: Good governance depends on the integrity of individual Professionals should be honest All must perform their responsibilities to the best of their ability

5 .One can get anything done with a pleasing personality

For: The word ‘Personality’ must be understood correctly Good looks and a pleasing disposition has major impact on others

Against:

Professional skills cannot be replaced with good looks and expansiveclothes

For sustainable achievements overall pleasing personality must besupported with knowledge, skills and wisdom

The candidates are advised to write For and Against arguments as given above so thatthey can develop them in actual Group Discussion

The need to bring about changes in RTI Act

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Poor governance in spite of one of the best ‘governability’ systems inIndia

Feudal system of addressing the High Court and Supreme Court judges as“Lordship” or “Sir” should change

Strategies of battle can be applied to business as well

India’s industrial growth is on the right course

India’s manufacturing sector is facing its darkest hour

New Land acquisition Law will promote growth

Should foreign universities be permitted to set up their campuses in India?

India – a difficult country to do business with

Are India’s skill development initiatives on the right track?

Rating by rating agencies like S and P is not helpful in any way

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSME) can play a pivotal role inIndia’s growth story

Green buildings are the best opportunity for energy efficiency

India’s Food Security Bill may encourage mediocrity

Bigger vs smaller states

China’s transition from the world’s cheap factory to one of the biggestconsumer bases has many lessons for the global economy

India has become the ‘rape nation’ of the world

India has poor quality of human resources

CBI is a “Caged parrot” at present

CAG has been overstepping its limits

Autonomy to J&K is not desirable

Funding of political parties needs to be regulated

Corruption is due to nexus between politician, bureaucrat andbusinessman

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Need of Fast Courts for trial of influential persons

Degeneration in the Armed Forces

Malala, inspiration for women across the globe

Corruption in media is inevitable

Poor governance results in scams in government

A corrupt country cannot be a rich country

Professional honesty is a major problem in India

Reservations in Private Sector

Cricket fever has damaged the growth of other sports

Politics is responsible for decline of hockey in India

Dialogue is a must between India and China

India can learn more from China than from West

India is only technically free; to become truly free it must become adeveloped nation

Nuclear plants for power, a good idea

Alienation of North East is of our own making

The problem of drug smuggling can only be tackled by breaking thepolitician- police-criminal nexus

Stronger law for protection of whistle-blowers

Naxal movement: the existing measures are not good enough

Checking the menace of child abuse is not only the responsibility of thegovernment

Present generation lacks reading habits, education system is not doingenough

Should India continue its contribution to UN Forces?

Government’s decision-making paralysis: a wrong decision is better thanno decision

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Faulty education system has widened gap between education andemployment

India needs mentors for schools

Basic purpose of education is man-making

Entrepreneurship is the acid test of any person

Present Prevention of Corruption Act needs more teeth

Law must treat bribe-giver as guilty as bribe-taker

Senior citizens can play a vital role in nation-building

Society has more responsibility towards its senior citizens than thegovernment

Government must maintain a balance between Public Sector and PrivateSector as both are essential

Complete eradication of corruption is a theoretical concept

Fashion and life-style management are the next big businesses in Indiawhich will change the ways of doing business

Developing nations need Corporate Social Responsibility more than thedeveloped nations

Increase in India’s billionaires indicates the widening gap between therich and the poor

Elite Engineering and Management institutions cannot provide solution toIndia’s problems

Malnutrition in children is not a problem of poverty but of badgovernance

Do we deserve the kind of parliamentary democracy we have?

Countries with dictatorship have less corruption

Advertising must be regulated as it makes you buy what you don’t need

Badly designed courses in professional institutions lead to frustration andsuicide

With the present education system, our children are getting burnt-out

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Economic liberation of 1991 has not given us the desirable results

Character-building and personality development should be taught to allstudents at every level

Privatization of Air India is a good idea

Cricket as the national obsession is harming other sports

Undue emphasis on women empowerment is a dangerous trend

Open-book examinations can overcome malpractices in examinationsystem

Men don’t like to work under women bosses

Money is the only religion for most of the Indians

We are one of the most insensitive societies in the world

Average Indian does not understand the concept of spirituality

Youth in India are fed-up with poor governance at State and Centre levels;next general elections will throw up a government of the young

Organisational excellence is more important than individual excellence

Every one must define one’s own success and work to achieve it

Betting should be legalized

Education makes one a better entrepreneur

There are no ethics in politics

Should Indian Railways be privatized?

Management education is more important than science and technologyeducation

Women are better mangers than men

HRD techniques are most suitable for improving productivity

Basic research is more important than applied research

Re-employment of IAS officers is a bad idea

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Contractual teachers should get the same pay as regular teachers duringthe term of their employment

Dhyan Chand, the hockey wizard, deserved Bharat Ratna before SachinTendulkar

Aam Admi Party (AAP) is only a ripple in the sea of Indian politics

India must take revenge of LoC murders

States should not have authority to oppose CBI probe

It is too much to expect the taxpayer to foot the bill for diplomats toengage domestic help

Divisive politics is the bane of India

AAP’s decision to annul FDI in retail in Delhi without consultingstakeholders, sets an unhealthy precedent

Collection of funds by political parties must be made transparent

Being Chief Minister and Chief Protester is not a tenable proposition inany democracy

RBI’s proposal to link monetary policy to retail inflation may bepremature

Power trade between Pakistan and India will help energy-starved Pakistanalone

Does AAP really provide a workable alternative?

Need to corporatize Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB)

Women’s safety requires undoing of patriarchal myths

Life imprisonment vs capital punishment

15.6 Summary

Group discussions are used to support the Personal Interviews and areconsidered very important aid in understanding certain important traits of thepersonality of a candidate.

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Participation in GD requires certain special preparations; the most importantbeing the knowledge of the topic and the verbal communication skills.

In the lesson above, it has been brought out how to become an effectiveparticipant in G Ds. Weightages for various traits have been provided as anappendix. Many topics for practice have also been provided. In some topics theargument For and Against has been given to help the reader.

15.7 Glossary

Group Discussion It is a systematic and purposeful interactiveoral process to determine the suitability of a person for performing a particular task

Non-verbal clues Non-verbal clues like eye contact, bodymovements, facial expressions gestures can speak much more than what is said byspeaking

Articulation Articulation and quality of voice play veryimportant role in oral communication


Prepare the argument For and Against for the following topics:

1 .Can Information and Communication Technology (ICT) replace class rooms?

2. Do we need the kind of judicial activism the judiciary is now pursuing?

3. India should stop all communication with Pakistan

4. China poses bigger danger than Pakistan

5 .Right to Education (RTE) Act has failed

Answers:

1.

Can Information and Communication Technology (ICT) replace class rooms?For:

We have moved far ahead of the chalk and talk system of teaching of yesteryears

Technology has made learning simple for “any one any where”

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Class rooms in colleges and universities may become a thing of the past inanother 10 years in developed countries. India cannot remain untouched bysuch developments across the globe.

Against: Learners are not machines without emotions Personal contact lets the teacher and taught share their views, thoughts

and ideas in the best possible manner. As long as people continue learning, class rooms can never be replaced

2.

Do we need the kind of judicial activism the judiciary is now pursuing?

For: In our type of democracy, the Legislature, the Executive and the

Judiciary are not permitted to perform their well-defined roles. When the society gets degenerated to a level that democratic

systems can no longer correct the wrong, judiciary must step in tosave a nation.

To day , common man has hope only from judiciary which isperceived by him as non-corrupt

Against: Activism to the extent of overzealousness can undermine

the role of the Executive People may lose faith in democracy

3.

India should stop all communication with Pakistan

For:

Pakistan has been trying since its inception to bleed Indiathough state sponsored terrorism

Pakistan is a failed garrison state All leaders of Pakistan spread venom and hatred against

India in the name of Jihad

Against: All problems of the world arise from no communication

or bad communication No problem can ever be solved without dialogue as

understanding each other point of view is acontinuous process

In the interest of lasting peace between the twoneighbours, communication must go on.

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4.

China poses bigger danger than Pakistan

For:

China’s aspirations as a world power pushes it to becomeAsia’s biggest power

China’s history

Against:

Pakistan’s very existence depends upon hating India Pakistan wants to take revenge of Bangladesh Pakistan is certain that it will be supported by all Muslim

countries in case of any conflict with India India’s proximity with Afghanistan does not suit Pakistan

5.Right to Education (RTE) Act has failed

For:

The Act has failed to ensure free and compulsoryeducation for all children between the age of 6 and14

The provision of the Act are ambitious, how ever ,the implementation strategies lack political will

Against:

The Act is a good step forward Every new idea takes time to give the

desired results There is a need to co-ordinate the activities

between the Centre and the States


1. Raman, Meenakshi and Sharma Sangeeta , Technical Communic ation ,Oxford University Press

2. Cheema, Col D S, How to win at interviews and group discussions, AbhishekPublications, Chandigarh, 2014

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Kumar, Varinder and Raj Bodh, Business Communication , Kalyani Publishers,Jalandhar


1. What is the importance of GD in Personal Interview?Explain with examples.

2. What personality trait can be demonstrated through GD?

3. What should you keep in mind while appearing for GD?

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Lesson 16

Managing Meetings, Committees andConferences

Lesson Structure

16.1 Learning objectives16.2 Introduction16.3 Meetings16.4 Committees16.5 Conferences16.6 Summary16.7 Glossary16.8 Answers to check progress/suggested answers16.9 Reference/Bibliography16.10 Suggested reading16.11Terminal and model questions

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Learning the importance of Meetings, Committees and Conferences in a businesssetting

Knowing the essential features of good meetings, committees and conferences

Learning to organize business meetings

Learning to organize committees

Learning to organize conferences

16.2 Introduction

On e of the important aspect of functioning of any business organisation is decision-making. Modern business units like to collect as much of information as possiblebefore they make a rational decision. For this purpose meetings, conferences andcommittees are organised. Where as committees are constituted of experts fromdifferent fields to give their views , in meetings and conferences their views arediscussed with people who have to implement the decision. A collective decision isalways better than the decision of one or two individuals. It is said that two heads arebetter than one.

It is not proper to draw rigid lines and define these three inputs in to decision-making. One thing that is most important is that in all the three, there is face-- to facecommunication.- short term and long term, need to get more inputs and if in-houseexpertise is not available, hiring of services from outside. The range of issues could beas diverse as setting up new plant or closing an existing facility, importing machinery,expanding sales and service network or sacking an important employee, appointmentof new directors, increase in salary and incentives, decision to explore foreign marketsor even working out the details of celebrating founder’s day. All persons involved insuch meetings, conferences and meetings sit together to discuss the issues, their prosand cons, implications.

All meetings, committees and conferences, whether structured and formal or informalhave face-to-face communication as the most important aspect. Good quality ofcommunication, level of interaction, rapport between different individuals involvedwill to a large extent, decide the quality of decisions arrived at. That is why goodcompanies take these opportunities very seriously, they prepare and circulate agenda,record discussions and decisions arrived at. Such collective decisions especially inimportant policy matters decide the course of growth of a company.

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16.3 Meetings

Meetings are organised to discuss any particular issue or subject with a specificpurpose and have become an important part of the corporate world. When there is aneed to carry out a specific task , a number of people from different departments orsome experts who are specifically invited for the purpose must sit together . Today’sorganizations have become technology intensive in their desire to outperform theirrivals. The corporate world has cut-throat competition and they must always remainahead of their competitors to survive and thrive. Also, the king of knowledgeavailable is such that you need to remain abreast with the latest. More and moreconsultants and experts are needed to day to perform any task. In such a scenario,meeting acquire a lot of significance.

For want of proper sharing of knowledge and skill at different levels, inability toconduct the meetings in a manner that the issues are discussed threadbare beforetaking decisions, productivity of any organization can suffer heavily. In face-to-facecommunication, one can interpret the views of different parties on the subject inmuch better fashion as the body language and the emotions of the concerned can alsobe deciphered.

16.3.1 Purpose of calling a meeting

Meetings may be organised for one of the following reasons:

Sharing information among different departments, sections etc. Knowledgesharing becomes a very vital issue in highly sophisticated technology-drivenorganisations.

Sorting out inter and intra departmental issues. An issue may concern manydepartments, unless each one of them is involved, good decisions are notpossible. For example, the sales head may like to promote an outstandingemployee with just a few years of service, but HR department puts across thepoint that other departments have senior persons working at the same level.This kind of situation may be understood in the right perspective only in ameeting of all concerned departments.

Participative management where all concerned are involved, ensures smoothand easy implementation

Any responsibility , social gathering etc may need the involvement ofmaximum number of members

Meeting the statutory requirements under the Companies Act

(a) Annual General Meeting (AGM) to present accounts, declare dividend,appoint directors etc

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.(b) Quarterly meetings of the Board to discuss various Company matters.

Every meeting has to have a proper number of members whose names are shown inthe agenda, called quorum for transaction of business. An agenda of meeting must beprepared listing the items to be discussed in the meetings. The notice of the meetingshould be given well in time for every one to be prepared and present himself/herselfat the venue and time of meeting. Minutes of the meeting ie details of record ofdiscussions etc. in the meeting must be prepared in a chronological order for referenceand use at later stage.

16.3.2 Planning the Meeting

The key to successful conduct of any event is planning, meeting is no exception. Firststep in planning is developing a suitable agenda ie. Be clear about what is to bediscussed in the meeting ie a list of topics to be covered. Every meeting must havegoal, whether it is to finalise the launch of a product, fix the price of a particularproduct or even to arrive at a decision to stop production of a product Unless one isvery clear about the outcome desired, no agenda can be prepared.. The items have tobe arranged in the most logical order or in any order desired by the superiorpresenting officer, chairman etc. Obviously, the items which explain or lead to otheritems of agenda, should come before these items If the meeting is formal, then theagenda must go to the person who have to contribute something as participants well intime for them to prepare the point or issue concerning them or make arrangements totravel and be at the appointed time and place to attend the meeting. The followingcheck list will help you to plan a meeting:

Decision regarding when to hold meeting The time of holding the meetingwill depend upon:

The need to share routine information from time to time

To meet the legal/statutory requirement

The need to develop rapport between different individuals and departments

Major decisions to be taken where there are chances of differences coming upupsetting the smooth functioning of the organization

Special project or task to be undertaken for which involvement of number ofexperts is required

Any great news, winning of an award, sad news, condolences.

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All meetings consume a lot of valuable time of the functionaries and must be plannedif they are absolutely necessary. A meeting should be avoided if:

The superior feels that the matter can be sorted out on telephone, e-mail, faxand by audio or video conference if the facilities exist

Key employees who play major role in implementing the project or some onewho is an expert in the area to be discussed, is not available

The member or expert asks for more time as they are not fully prepared andno useful purpose would be served by holding the meeting

16.3.3 Issuing the notice with agenda

A meeting is useful only if sufficient time has been given to concerned parties toprepare the topics that are going to be discussed. For this , a suitable notice mustbe issued well in time. It should contain the name of the person who is going tobe in chair ie preside the meeting. In formal meetings the name of the secretarywho is going to conduct the meeting, names of participants, list of topics to bediscussed in a logical order, day , date , time and venue are clearly spelled out.. Ifpossible the time a meeting is likely to take should also be mentioned so that theparticipants can plan their other work/meetings etc

A specimen of Notice and Agenda for the meetings has been shown in Lesson 1,under Notices

16.4 Committees

A committee is two or more persons who are selected for appointment or electedto an appointment for a particular task or matter. Due to its many advantages,committees are frequently used in business, education and governmentdepartments. The main purpose of any committee is to carry out detailedinvestigation or take decision. Committees may take the form of boards,commissions or special task forces. A good example of a committee is theconstitution of a Board of Directors, which is a statutory requirement and is set upaccording to the provisions of law.

16.4.1 Advantages of committees

Committees have the following advantages:

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Group deliberations and judgment

Committees are appointed to integrate the group effort. When there is a special andcomplex problem which needs the inputs from many experts from differentdepartments / fields, they may be brought together in the form of a committee. Acommittee has a pool of resources at their disposal and hence can consider differentdimensions of a problem to arrive at a rational decision. The have the potential tosynergise the effort of different individuals and can make 2+2=5 possible.

Committees prevent concentration of authority and powerin individuals

Often committees are appointed for fear of authority and power being concentrated inone person. The concept of plural executive is born out of this fear. A cabinet ofministers headed by a chief minister or Prime Minister is essentially a plural executiveor committee. . Even when there is a system of Board of Directors, which is acommittee, the office of the Managing Director is evolved with a lot of authority TheM D is expected to function under the overall guidance and supervision of the Board.The committees make decisions in a more democratic manner and the authority getsdecentralized and delegated. This prevents misuse and abuse of authority and powerby individuals.

Committees generate ideas for growth

Committees can come out with innovative ideas in any field of activity, such aslaunching a new product, increasing the plant capacity utilization, entering newmarketing areas , dropping a product, improving processes, increasing efficiency,managing talent etc. Only problem arises when the committees don’t meet in ahealthy and congenial atmosphere of goodwill and don’t share knowledge andexperience for the benefit of the oraganisation.

Better coordination and cooperation improvingproductivity

Generally , the departments heads and specialists are involved in their departmentalissues and are not much concerned with the other department problems andorganizational matters. Committees bring them together and they can betterunderstand inter-departmental issues and appreciate the overall objectives of thecompany much better. This can help in better coordination and cooperation withoverall benefits to the organization.

Committees appointed to consolidate authority

Some times committees are appointed to consolidate authority over the organization.Modern plats and factories function where delegating and decentralization ofauthority is an essential requirement. How ever, some people want to keep the

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authority with themselves, which is the misuse of authority. The chairman of thecommittee can consolidate the authority over all the plants and branches etc

Committees provide representation to the interestedgroups

Or society is divide in many colours and casts. Some times the committees areorganized to give suitable representation to parts of society or groups which feel theyhave been neglected and want to become a part of the decision-making.

Committees make wider participation possible

Participative management can become an important tool for motivation of theworkers. When people are associated with decision-making through the committees,they get involved, they are motivated and they perform enthusiastically. As the feelthey have made the decision.

Committees act as training ground for young andinexperienced executives

When experts who are experienced and mature discuss various organizational issues,the juniors who are relatively in experienced get an opportunity to understand theprocess of decision –making. They are able to appreciate the problems in totality.

16.4.2 Disadvantages of committees

Committees use effort, time and money

With all the advantages of using committees for good decision making, the obviousdisadvantage is that they consume time and effort of many executives who leave theirbasic tasks to participate in committees. Unnecessary discussions can waste a lot oftime of all present, unless, of course, the chairman of the committee or the person inthe chair is able to regulate the proceedings properly. Not only the time and effort isspent, financial resources are also used.

Results of committees are a compromiseSince the committees work in a group the result of their deliberations are always acompromise. The compromise is always at the lowest common denominator andhence the decisions are often weak .This can be overcome by giving authority to thechairmen to come to a decision after deliberations have concluded. How ever, this canlead to an authoritarian one –view decision.

Committees have a self-destructive tendency

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Committee is essentially a group activity but when a group within the group opposesanother sub-group, the basic character of the committee is lost. When the chairman orsome other person is given the authority to take a decision, the committee loses itsgroup character.

Responsibility gets split and the task may not be properlydone

Because of the character of a committee, it being a group the authority is dividedamongst its members. No one feels responsible for the decisions.

Minorities in the committee are able to highjack thedecision in their favour

Committees seek consensus or unanimity in their decisions. In their anxiety to arriveat a unanimous decision, a committee may at times bend to the wishes of a minorityand we often see that the committee work suffers from minority tyranny.

Committees result in delays

It is said, “A committee is made up of the unfit selected by the unwilling to do theunnecessary”. Or “a committee is a place where the loneliness of thought is replacedby the togetherness of nothingness’. It is a common practice to appoint a committeewhen it is desired to delay the decision for some reason or the other A decision whichis obviously rational and can be taken by a manger quickly may be delayed for daysand months if the matter is referred to the committee. It is often the practice ingovernment and Public Sector organisations.

16.4.3 Making committees more effective

It must be appreciated that committees are useful in spite of certain drawbacksModern business management techniques demand participative decision-making andcommittees will always remain useful. Here are a few tips to make committees useful:

The authority and scope of the committee should be clearlydefined

A committee which is too broad or vague serves no purpose. When acommittee is constituted, its terms of reference and subject must be madevery clear.

Size of the committee should be such that it is neither toobig nor too small

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Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Big committees have the advantage ofgetting the expert opinion of large number of people, how ever larger the number,more difficult to come to a unanimous decision. In order to keep committees small, itshould be kept in mind that all the areas and different interests are suitablyrepresented. But at the same time committees should not become unwieldy.

The work of the committee should be periodically reviewed

It must be reviewed at suitable intervals to ensure that it is proceeding as per laiddown scope and agenda.

The members of the committee should be carefully selected

It should be based on a well formulated strategy, acceptability of the members byothers in addition to the requisite qualifications, experience and maturity.

A suitable chairman or head of the committee

A lot of responsibility rests with the person who heads the committee. He should bewho is senior enough to have an overview of all sections or areas of activity. Heshould also be astute negotiator and an able administrator. A good chairman canalways overcome all the disadvantages of the committees. He must:

(a) Establish the sequence of elements to be discussed(b) Make suitable assignments to committee members(c) Coordinate and integrate the sub-committees or members working

independently(d) Resolve conflicts and opposing views because of his own experience(e) Sense most reasonable, rational and acceptable approach(f) Stimulate thought and generate discussion when no one volunteers(g) Use his ability to cajole, appreciate , reprimand or admonish for qualities of

alertness, aggressiveness, calmness, objectivity , knack of handling availableknowledge, innovation etc.

Therefore, the chairman or President of the committee must be chosen very carefully.He is, to a large extent, responsible for the effectiveness of the committee. It goeswithout saying that the chairman alone is not enough to achieve the objectives of thecommittee.

The minutes of the committee meetings must be carefullywritten and circulated

Before the minutes go to the chairman , these should be carefully drafted andcirculated. The recommendations should be followed up and the members must beinformed of the action being taken. If the recommendation of the committee are notaccepted or followed, even then the members must be kept informed.

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Committee must be worth the cost incurred on it

We have already seen that the committees are expensive in terms of time and money.Hence, the result of the deliberations must be circulated along with the expenditureincurred. A committee must produce some tangible or non-tangible short term or longterm gains. In most of the cases it is very difficult to assess the real worth of theCommittee.

16.5 Conferences

A conference is basically a business meeting. The purpose of a conference is to conferwith people having similar interests and to pool their resources of opinions andexperiences. The number of participants in a conference is much larger than that inmeetings.

Conferences can play a significant role in developing a questioning attitude ofparticipants. Imagine if Newton had not asked that stupid question and tried to findanswer to that. There would have been no Laws of Gravity. An analytical approach toany problem is of utmost importance in all walks of life, more so in academic world.The participants in a conference define a problem and then go the depth of all thedimensions to find the most suitable solution.

Conferences have very high value in training and development in business, educationand other areas very collective thinking, analytical approach and rigour ofprofessional work is involved. Such conferences can help a lot in developing the“what, why, how, who and when” attitude of workers in any organization.Unfortunately, business entities or educational institutions look for immediate resultsout of these conferences. One must realize that changing the perception and attitude ofpeople is a major issue which is cumbersome, time-consuming and needs a lot ofpatience.

16.5.1 Organising a conference

Organising a conference is indeed a very challenging task as it requires very detailedplanning and meticulous implementation. A few guidelines are provided here:

Identifying the broad area of the conference

Take the help of colleagues, seniors and decide the exact area in whichyou want to hold the conference

Decide the main theme and sub-themes

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Decide the date and day , timing etc of the conference

Prepare a list of the perspective participants

Approach the Chief Guest to take his/her consent

Work out the topics for different sessions, identify their chairpersons andlead speakers for each

Finalise the list of invitees

Estimate the budget for the conference without missing out any details

Design the registration format and decide the registration fee

Prepare the brochure and the hand outs etc, to be issued

Get the folders in which all documents are to be kept

Prepare a covering letter for forwarding the details of the conference

Form at least two committees’ an organizing committee in which the taskforce to help you is included and an Advisory Committee

Allot work to different members of the task force

The planning of a good conference needs at least three months

16.5.2 Methodology of conducting a conference

It may appear to be a simple exercise but involves a great deal of details. After the listof participants from outstation and local has been decide , take care of the following:

Reception , a registration desk with all the details Transport Accommodation for outstation participants Timing and duration of each session If two sessions are simultaneously being conducted, suitable arrangement for

the same Projection arrangements An IT person to help any problems Generator, in case electricity fails Reapportioning Seating arrangement for important invitees and the participants Venue Lunch and tea breaks arrangements

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Any mementoes and souvenirs Invitation for inauguration and valedictory functions

16.6 Summary

All the three type of communications have their own importance in thebusiness world. Whereas the meetings have the basic purpose of sharinginformation about issues, carry out deliberations, committees are made up ofselected/elected people for the purpose of taking the best possible decisions.Conference is a type of meeting having larger number of participants.

The above three types of communications have been discussed in details. Allthese can be made highly useful if proper planning is carried out. The idea isto make the best use of these tools in the interest of organization. One calalways find demerits in any system or tool, how ever, one’s ability lies inmaking the best use in spite of those disadvantages . An effort has been madeto explain how successful, meetings, committees and conferences can beorganized.

16.7 Glossary

Executive committees Generally elected members empowered to takedecisions in routine matters according to the laid down organisational objectives

Informal committees These committees have no formal authority but arecreated for brain –storming a problem to find solutions and for group decision

Narrative minutes Such minutes are prepared to capture the entirediscussion in a summary form

Decision minutes They do not record who said what but record thedecisions taken, the names of the people responsible for implementing them and deadline by which they should take action.


1. You have recently joined a manufacturing company as Manager Production.Your supervisor calls you and explains how the quality of output is deterioratingbecause of a number of problems. When you report the matter to the GM , heasks you to organize a meeting of all the supervisors in his office the next day.How will you go about organizing the meeting?

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2. You are GM (Quality) of an automobile manufacturing company. Of late,there have been complaints of some marketing executives of the company givingunfair and unreasonable deal to the customers. MD has appointed you the headof a committee to give recommendation for improving the situation. How wouldyou go about organizing the committee and who will you have as the members?

Answers:

1.

Organising a meeting is a serious task and I will do all that is necessary to makethe meeting a great success. I will go about it in the following manner:

Step 1Prepare an agenda for the meeting. It will contain the following information:

The names of all the supervisors who are expected to attend themeeting

The exact place , date and time. This will be finalised afterconsulting the GM

Allot approximate total time for the meeting, in this case ,it shouldbe at least one hour

The objective of the meeting will be clearly spelt out. In this casethe objective will be, ‘ To identify the reasons of decline inproduction and remedial actions which should be taken to increasethe productivity’

I will indicate to all the supervisors to come prepared to discuss theissues involved in the meeting

Step 2My preparation for the meeting. I must prepare for all the information the

GM may ask for, ie the production figures for the past 12 months, problemsof material , plant and machinery, problems related with human resources ifany, problems of availability of power if any. This information will be put upto the GM a day before the meeting is scheduled. One copy will be kept byme.

Step 3I will ensure that the venue finalised by the GM is prepared, in terms ofenough seating capacity, LCD projector, white board and markers, facilityof a mike if the number of people is more than 30.

Step 4Detail a suitable person for taking down the minutes

Step 5I will hold a meeting of all the supervisors to understand their points of viewand difficulties they face , so that I am ready with an appropriate answerand supplement the points of the supervisors if required to do so.

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2.

Step 1

I will organise a committee of the following members;

3. Head of the marketing department4. Head of the sales department5. Senior most Customer care executive6. A suitable person from my department who will provide all the

information, work as secretary and record the minutes

Step 2

Prepare the agenda for a meeting of the committee members suiting every one’sconvenience as far as possible

Step 3

Call for Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) , and Marketing Policy as alsothe Sales Policy which have been approved by MD. I shall go through them ingreat details.

Step 4

Conduct the meeting and take the views of all concerned about the deviationsmade by different executives, discretion used against the laid down policies andso on.

Step 5

Prepare the recommendations and submit them to MD

Recommendations:

1. HR policy for recruitment and selection process must ensure that marketingand sales executives are appointed only after reference check.2. Clear policy statements about use of discretion and authority for deviationsby different marketing and sales executives at different levels.3. Quality department must remain in constat touch with the customer relationsteam.4. Device an appropriate system for attending to every complaint by thecustomers. A toll-free number may be printed on various documents used by thesales and marketing departments.5 .A random check on the system of attending to the complaints at the level ofMD


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1. Raman, Meenakshi and Sharma Sangeeta , Technical Communic ation ,Oxford University Press

2. Rizvi, M Ashraf, Rizvi , Effective Technical Communication, Tata Mc GrawHill Publishing Company, 2005

3. Monippally, M, Matthukutty, Business Communication Strategies, Tata McGraw Hill Publishing Company, 2002


1 Kumar, Varinder and Raj Bodh, Business Communication , KalyaniPublishers, Jalandhar

2. Cheema, Col D S, How to win at interviews and group discussions, AbhishekPublications, Chandigarh, 2014


1. How can one make the meetings more useful? Give your suggestions withexamples.

2. Most of the people consider committees as a delaying tactics used by themanagement. Please comment on the statement.

3. Conferences are useful only if all the parties are like minded ad havesomething to contribute in terms of intellectual and physical resources. Explainthis statement.

Self Learning Material Technical Communication - odl.ptu.ac.in

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