MANCOSA business communication letter example and notes, Exercises of Effective Business Communication

Download MANCOSA business communication letter example and notes and more Exercises Effective Business Communication in PDF only on Docsity! Note to students: Kindy note the KCQs, and longer questions are a form of reference and practice for assignments and exams. The answers are incomplete and is not a memorandum. The questions and answers aim to provide structure on how to answer longer and shorter questions, your own content and examples should be provided. Copying and pasting the answers and examples verbatim from the document constitutes a form of plagiarism. 1. Intercultural communication can be defined as communication between people who differ in terms of race, gender, age, culture, family structure, language or educational background. (5) Intercultural barriers in this scenario could include any four of the following: Language, culture, kinesics, stereotyping, and attitude to time.  A language barrier might exist where the Chinese manager could speak only limited English and would struggle with English. Likewise, the local staff would not understand Chinese.  Cultural differences might include different attitudes to dress codes, greetings, formality, punctuality and work ethics.  Kinesics might cause a barrier since the Chinese manager would have different expectations regarding body language, gestures, etc.  Stereotyping might arise, for example, where the Chinese manager might think that the local people were not time conscious or were lazy or lacking in focus. The local people might think the Chinese manager would be inflexible, work long hours, be lacking in empathy.  Attitude to time barriers might arise where the Chinese manager might arrive at work early, take very limited breaks and work long hours and expect the same from the local people. They, on the other hand, might arrive at work on time or be late for work, adhere to normal rest and meal breaks and leave work according to the set daily working hours. 3.1 Advantages of using email for business communication:  Messages can be transferred quickly and inexpensively  They do not depend on the availability of the receiver  They reduce the amount of paper distributed and filed  Messages can be sent nationally and internationally with ease. 3.2 To: [email protected] 16 October 2012 Order for boxed encyclopaedia set Dear Mr Smith Thank you for your order for a boxed encyclopaedia set for 2012. The publishers have taken a decision to discontinue the printed versions and to sell the electronic version instead. This new format has many advantages for purchasers – it allows for a flexible system of regular updating of information at minimal cost and also enables readers to access the material immediately on their electronic devices. We have pleasure in sending you a price list for the electronic version which has just been published. We feel confident that you will consider placing an order since there are significant cost savings for you and also the benefit of regular updates. Please contact me if you require any further information or if you have any queries. Yours sincerely John Barnes Manager 2. You have recently bought a new motor car called the Adventurer from the Asia Pacific Motor Company. During the first month, you did not have any engine problems with the vehicle but you experienced the following problems: the boot jammed and you could not open it; one of the mirrors fell off when you were driving on the highway; the indicators do not BASED ON UNIT 12 QUESTION 1 (5) What is a Resume? Page 173- Heading 12.4  Your résumé is a structured, written summary of your education, employment background, and job qualifications.  It also serves as a persuasive business message intended to stimulate an employer’s interest in meeting you and learning more about you and intended to get you an interview with prospective employer.  Bear in mind that résumés and CVs are essentially the same.  The term curriculum vitae is used instead of résumé in some professions and more widely, but CVs do tend to be more detailed.  Think of a résumé as the skeleton document, which you can always adapt to suit a specific job application. QUESTION 2 (7) Explain the process of planning your resume including how to choose the best resume approach. Refer to page 173- heading 12.4 Planning and preparing my résumé includes all the similar steps in preparing any other business message:  Analysing my purpose and audience  Gathering pertinent information  Selecting the best medium  Organizing my résumé around my strengths Refer to page 174 heading 12.5 When choosing the best organisational approach you can focus attention on your strongest points in the planning of your résumé by adopting the best organizational approach: 1. Chronological 2. Functional 3. Combination of chronological and functional QUESTION 3 (10) What aspects will you include about yourself when you prepare your own resume? Refer to page 175-page 12.6 Before preparing my résumé I would plan and gather all the information that I might possibly need:  Specific dates, duties, and accomplishments from any previous jobs you have held Started first job- 12/20/2014  Every piece of relevant educational experience (formal degrees, skills certificates, academic awards, or scholarships)  Relevant information about personal endeavour’s (dates of your membership in associations, offices you may have held in a club or professional organization) Member of SACE QUESTION 4 (2) A resume is accompanied by an Application Letter or a Cover Letter. What is the objective of the application letter or cover letter?  Refer to page 188, heading 13.2 Accompanying your résumé with an application letter (also sometimes called a cover letter) lets readers know what you are sending, why you are sending it and how they can benefit from reading it. The purpose of your application letter is to get the reader interested enough to read your résumé, so it is best to learn something about the organization you are applying to and address your letter with the name, title, and department of the person to whom you are writing. QUESTION 5 (6) What should you include in your application letter? • Refer to page 188, heading 13.2 In your application letter you should:  Be as clear as possible about the kind of opportunity you seek  Show that you understand the company and the position  Never volunteer salary information unless an employer asks for it  Keep it short—and keep e-mail cover letters even shorter  Show some personality and even some relevant knowledge about the company  Meticulously check your spelling, mechanics, and grammar Intro to Business Communication Short Essay- Example Welcome students! Let’s make 2023 a productive year and get down to the Business of Communication. Note to students: Kindy note the KCQs, and longer questions are a form of reference and practice for assignments and exams. The answers are incomplete and is not a memorandum. The questions and answers aim to provide structure on how to answer longer and shorter questions, your own content and examples should be provided. Copying and pasting the answers and examples verbatim from the document constitutes a form of plagiarism. Note to students: this document serves as a form of reference and your own research, examples and references should be used. If not, this constitutes a form of plagiarism and you would be penalised for verbatim use.  Remember to read your instructions very carefully and look at the key words as this provides guidance.  I highlight key words as it gives students a sense of direction and is an indicator of focal points in the question.  The mark scheme will give you an indication of how to answer the question. Short Essay: [20 MARKS] 1. When planning a message, you need to firstly analyse the situation by recognising and defining the purpose of the message. To do this, you will also develop the profile of your audience. Explain the steps you will take to develop the profile of the audience. • Refer to unit 2 of the module page 23 • The Introduction will provide you with sense of direction when answering the question. • The heading of 2.3 helps in providing a step by step process of planning your business message As the sender of the message, you are introduced to The Three-Step Writing Process  The level of understanding is also determined by demographic features listed above: age, maturity, race, gender, culture, intelligence levels, academic qualifications, job titles, classes of people etc.………. Example:  If I am delivering a message to senior academic lecturers, I understand that the composition of the audience is made of very qualified well-spoken individuals, so in this situation I can use a higher level of English and strong grammatical rules and more work related jargon because I assume they will understand.  On the other hand if I am delivering a message to high school students not more than 16 years of age, I would use a lower level of English, with simpler grammatical rules and maybe the use of visual aids to help them understand my message. 5. UNDERSTAND AUDIENCE EXPECTATIONS AND PREFERENCES  In this step I need to understand what the audience will expect out of my message or in other words what would they want to hear? Example:  When the minister of finance delivers the budget speech, the audience is the nation and their expectation of the speech is to understand how our tax money is spent by the government, and their preference of how the government is cutting costs and saving money for citizens and investing money back into the country to improve our lives.  Sometimes this becomes difficult when the message is the bearing bad news (dismissal, disciplinary hearing, retrenchments, funeral messages etc.………..  Also think about how the audience prefers the message to be delivered? (Email, text, letter, memo, report, speech, lesson, etc.………..) 6. Forecast probable audience reaction  Here I should plan ahead for possible reactions, reactions could be positive or negative, depending on the message.  The main aim of my message is to inform and persuade the audience to understand the message from my point of view.  This helps the audience provide me with the feedback that I need. Example:  A message delivered on possible retrenchments in a selected department may ignite negative reactions in a department and discourage work in the department, therefore the wording of the message has to be of a sensitive nature.  A message on possible salary increases in a department may increase work performance, however I still must take care in wording of the letter as this could lead to high expectations of employees and the organisation might not meet the salary expectations of employees. How can the company develop honest communication to create the loyalty the company wants from its employees? "Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don't want to'' Richard Brandson As per the above statement, the primary objective is to treat employees with respect. The CEO is vital, If you hire a CEO who genuinely cares about people and wants to bring out the best in them, the company will truly succeed. To ensure honest communication, the organization should maintain open lines of communication and be willing to take positive or negative criticism from employees. Employers who utilize the method encourage employees to be transparent and honest. The challenge will be to keep everyone happy and honest, so how do we accomplish this? We begin at the top of our organization, if the CEO is happy the middle management will be happy if the middle management is happy the lower manage meant will be happy and the chain reaction continues. Employees will be willing to submit feedback if they know that their suggestions/ideas will be praised and taken into consideration and will not be afraid to give input. Their feedback should be actioned by management and used to improve the quality of the offerings. When an employee feels like their opinion is taken into consideration they feel valued, in return the business/company will receive better service from employees which relate to higher customer satisfaction, which will, in turn, create an unbeatable glow you get from employees' feeling appreciated, especially when employees are praised. This results in good profits for the business and the business will stand out from the rest. With this transparent method of communication, employees will be open and honest in their opinions. Encouraging participation in the company's operations creates a strong sense of communal ownership. Offering salary increases or promotions, especially when they have excelled in their performance, is one of the best strategies to promote employee loyalty and motivation. Involve your HR department and line management to assist you to make an informed decision. Employees are more motivated to strive toward a goal knowing that there is more reward than just a simple paycheck, therefore employee perks are just as important as salary. Employees who are underperforming should be given further training to assist them to learn the skills they need to improve their performance, if training does not help, the employee should be assigned to a better-suited function based on their unique abilities. Bibliography Courtland, Bovee, John Thill (2016): Business Communication: Essentials. 7th edition Prepare an internal proposal requesting the management to institute changes to help the employees gain confidence in their company. (25 marks) To: [email protected] From: [email protected] Date: 10-06-2022 Subject: Proposal requesting management to institute changes to help employees gain confidence in the company The problem: Employees have lost confidence in the company  The lack of communication about the company's performance is creating uncertainty and unnecessary anxiety among the employees since they come to work every day not knowing if their jobs are safe.  Communication of the company's progress despite the effects of covid creates the loyalty that our company should be striving for from our employees. Nowadays, job security is crucial for all employees and a consistent communication process is critical to the company. Solution: Weekly or bi-weekly individual sessions & team recorded sessions.  In such times like these, every interaction with your employees and fellow colleagues is a chance to demonstrate what our organization is all about and to be true to our brand and purpose.  This solution will entail as mentioned above weekly or bi-weekly individual sessions and the team recorded sessions whereby the manager and teammates can discuss individual and team strengths and weaknesses. Benefit 1 -Employees will feel more in control and gain confidence. 1. Managing relationships - good relationships will help you get along with others and perform better at work. Always remain polite and professional towards your employees and co-workers. 2. Being aware of employee feelings - Empathy is the ability to understand and relate to the feelings of others. Empathy will assist you in developing strong relationships with others. 3. Collaboration with employees - Cooperation or the ability to work well with others, is an important aspect of interpersonal skills in the workplace. Before beginning a group project, ensure that everyone understands what is expected of them. Ensure that everyone has the opportunity to express their ideas or thoughts. 4. Have a great attitude - A positive attitude will help you deal with the pressures and stress while also allowing you to be more flexible at work. 5. Being respectful - Pay attention to what others are saying and make eye contact to signal you are paying attention. People will appreciate it if you demonstrate respect for others in the workplace. 6. Appropriate contact- The way you treat people at work will influence whether or not they feel at ease in your presence. Stand at a comfortable distance from the person you are conversing with. 7. Active listening -When listening to someone speak, be fully interested in what they are saying, make eye contact, nod, and occasionally ask questions to clarify you are on the same page Business communication letter Example Welcome students! Let’s make 2023 a productive year and get down to the Business of Communication. Note to students: Kindy note the KCQs, and longer questions are a form of reference and practice for assignments and exams. The answers are incomplete and is not a memorandum. The questions and answers aim to provide structure on how to answer longer and shorter questions, your own content and examples should be provided. Copying and pasting the answers and examples verbatim from the document constitutes a form of plagiarism.  Remember to read your instructions very carefully and look at the key words as this provides guidance.  I highlight key words as it gives students a sense of direction and is an indicator of focal points in the question.  The mark scheme will give you an indication of how to answer the question. QUESTION 1 (20) You have recently viewed an advertisement in the Natal Mercury for a vacancy for a Manager at Roman’s Pizzarette. • Write a formal letter of application for the vacancy. • Pay careful attention to the following: • Audience, register, tone and style • Choice of words and language structure • Format Hints: • Plan your letter as you would plan a business message. • Follow the conventional letter format when crafting your letter. • Focus on the use of language, grammar and spelling, as marks will be deducted for incorrect use. • Your letter must contain an introduction, body and conclusion. • The body must provide the objective of your letter. • Write at least 3-4 paragraphs in the body of the letter. • Each new point needs to be elaborated into 1-2 paragraphs. • Present your thoughts in a logical order.  Note to students: Letters are very subjective in the marking process, there is no guarantee of the perfect letter and is very opinionated with content (everyone interprets business letters differently)  E.g. it is not a maths question (2 + 2 = 4) straight to the point where you achieve a 100% for the answer- this is objective.  Business Communication is subjective!  Keep to structure and guidelines. • I hope you identified that this a letter of application • For more detail on the application letter refer to unit 13- page 188 • Unit 13 and Unit 15 - provides a detailed breakdown of structure and layout- be sure to read heading 15.4- (page 226….), there are 10 tips that will break down the structure of elements of the letter. • Now structure your letter and compare it to the headings 15.6.1 and 15.6.2-(pages 230- ,233), these are examples of business constructed letters • Refer to my example below: 19 Protea Road Pretoria West 1234 11 January 2015 (Name) Mr/Mrs/Miss The HR Manager Roman’s Pizzarette 20 Station Road Garsfontein 0042 Dear Mr de Villers Re-Application for the position of Manager I am responding to the advertisement for a manager that appeared in the in the local newspaper, “The Natal Mercury”, the advertisement stated that your company (Roman’s Pizzarette) was looking for a person to work in your restaurant. I would like to apply for this position. I think I have both the knowledge and people skills that are required. I have more than 5 years of experience in managerial roles in the restaurant industry. My professional expertise aligns perfectly with the goals of this position in your already very popular establishment. Our decision was based on nuances and you were an exceptional candidate for the job. The subtle difference noted between you and the chosen candidate was the fact that you are a road marketing representative and we require the expertise of a marketing manager that will be based full time in the office and will control the entry and dispatch of a marketing team and various products that are distributed from the office using logistics. We truly do appreciate your expertise in the marketing industry and interest in our company. We hope you keep us in mind and apply again in the future. We strongly encourage you to do so, because you were really among a top few candidates we had an honour and pleasure to meet. We as a management team were contemplating employing all top performing candidates into positions relevant to their qualifications and work experience, however due to the nature of Covid restrictions and the limited number of employees allowed to work in the office we have to limit employment and increase the tasks and responsibilities of other senior managers. If you have any questions or need any additional information, I would be happy to answer. Please don’t hesitate to contact me by email ([email protected]) or phone (073 245 1235). We thank you for the time, energy and effort you invested in our selection process and we wish you every personal and professional success in your future endeavours. Yours faithfully Sigesh Naidoo(Mr) (HR MANAGER) A business letter can be used as an important form of communication in order to persuade, to express an opinion, to get something done, to provide information, to obtain information or to complain. Using the structure of a standard business letter, write to the General Manager of MANCOSA to inform him about a printing and publishing service that you have setup and indicate how the college might possibly benefit from it. 19 Protea Road Pretoria West 1234 Reference Number: 0000786 11 January 2015 The General Manager Mancosa 20 Samora Macheal Street Durban 4092 Dear Sir/Madam PRINTING AND PUBLISHING SERVICE Introduction The introduction is your first real opportunity to draw in the reader. Attention-grabbing techniques include asking a question, offering a powerful statistic or sharing a brief anecdote. For instance: “Did you know that most of today's businesses could not operate without printing and publishing? While most companies focus on purchasing their own printing or publishing systems, all of their activities are at risk of malfunction, extra costs and un-user friendly machinery. Fortunately, there are many other options in the printing sector. That’s where we come in.” Body Increase the reader’s interest in what you're selling in the body of your persuasive letter. Briefly introduce your business, provide details about your service or product and explain why your offer is a good potential fit for the reader’s needs. Use clear, powerful language that avoids jargon at all costs. As an example: “The Synch Group is dedicated to providing first-rate printing options to companies and residences throughout the Durban area. We specialize in printing and publishing that's tailored to meet your needs. You may choose from a range of options including standard cost effective module guides to quality text books. We are confident that we can meet your unique needs and we've enclosed a coupon for 15% off your initial purchase.” Closing Encourage the reader to take immediate action at the conclusion of your letter. Include information on how you'll make it easy to take next steps. For instance: “The Synch Group also offers free one- on-one consultations. We look forward to discussing specific ways our company can support your business. Please use the enclosed contact information to schedule a session at our service center.” After you sign off, you may add a PS line to repeat your main point or to make a special offer or guarantee. For example: “PS: If you bring this letter to your consultation we will add a 5% discount to your coupon.” Physical signature Yours faithfully S Naidoo (Mr) (Sales Manager) 19 Protea Road Pretoria West 1234 11 January 2020 The HR Manager Apparel Zone 20 Station Road Garsfontein 0042 Dear Sir/ Madam Recommendation letter of David Smith Good day! I am Mr Sigesh Naidoo, the best friend of Mr David Smith from Makro department Stores. David Smith is applying for the position of manager at your department store (Apparel Zone). David and I have been friends since high school. He has been good and reliable especially in times of need. It was by good luck that we also got employed in the same company. We were both working there as a team leader and manager. As a friend he could take up my roles when I was away. I can recommend him to any company since he has been hardworking since I knew him right from high school. He attained good grades and has the best social skills I have ever seen which makes him professional and very efficient as a manager. David has undeniably proven his dedication to his work. He is very organized, goal- oriented, computer literate, flexible, good team leader and reliable. He has excellent communication skills and respects not only his superiors but also subordinates. David has built a great relationship with his peers and usually offers help to them, this is what makes him excellent at dealing with all types of customers. I am so lucky that I have met my best friend. I strongly recommend him and I assure you that Mr David Smith would be an asset for your company. Please don’t hesitate to contact me for further questions. Yours faithfully / Sincerely Sigesh Naidoo (Mr) (Academic Manager) Makro Department Stores