Learner Name 

 SAMIRA NDOGMO

Learner Registration No.      

Study Centre Name  C3S BUSINESS SCHOOL
Qualification Title  LEVEL 4  

Unit Reference No.   H/616/2720 

Unit Title  Introduction to Business communication 

Word Count   3082

Submission Date  February

Declaration of authenticity :
1. I declare that the attached submission is my own original work. No significant part of it has
been submitted for any other assignment and I have acknowledged in my notes and
bibliography all written and electronic sources used.
2. I acknowledge that my assignment will be subject to electronic scrutiny for academic
honesty.
3. I understand that failure to meet these guidelines may instigate the centre’s malpractice
procedures and risk failure of the unit and / or qualification.

    Samira        
_________________ _________________
Learner signature Tutor signature
Date :  08/02/2021      Date :       

ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET V3.0 | JULY 2019

Task 1:
Any organization whatsoever has an ongoing need to communicate to keep it
running. The communication objectives of organizations depend on the broad
general directions taken by the organization in the economic, social, commercial
and financial fields. Communication is therefore an essential element for the
success of the organization. The quest for efficiency is an ongoing requirement.
It is a question of ensuring the coherence of all the speeches and of seeking the
synergy of all the communication actions.

Corporate communication objectives:

Publicize: the goal is to publicize the company (corporate communication), its

products and services (the offer). Examples: -When Expresso runs an
advertising campaign for the launch of its mobile services. The company
communicates about its offer. -When Suneor campaigns to convince the public
that it is a modern and dynamic company. It’s corporate advertising.

Make people love: communication aims to make people love the company and
its products and give them a good image. Example: When Maggi sponsors a
cooking show, its goal is to make its products loved by its target audience.

Make act: communication aims to make buy. Example: When Tigo

communicates about a promotion of its refills, it aims first to increase its sales
during the promotional period.

The communication process:

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There is always a possibility of misunderstanding the feelings of the sender of
the message or of getting a wrong meaning. The words, signs and numbers used
in the communication are explained by the recipient in the light of his
experience which creates questionable situations. This happens because the
information is not sent in plain language.

OVERCOMING BARRIERS OF COMMUNICATION BY THE SENDER:

In order to remove hindrances in the way of communication the following steps

are worth consideration:

(1) Clarify Ideas before Communication:

The person sending the communication should be very clear in his mind about
what he wants to say. He should know the objective of his message and,
therefore, he should arrange his thoughts in a proper order.

(2) Be Aware of Language, Tone and Content of Message:

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The sender should take care of the fact that the message should be framed in
clear and beautiful language. The tone of the message should not injure the
feelings of the receiver. As far as possible the contents of the message should be
brief and excessive use of technical words should be avoided.

(3) Follow up Communication:

In order to make communication effective the management should regularly try

to know the weaknesses of the communication system. In this context effort can
be made to know whether to lay more stress upon the formal or the informal
communication would be appropriate.

Similarly, suggestions can be invited in respect of the medium of

communication (oral, written and gestural) to know as to which medium would
be more effective and appropriate.

OVERCOMING BARRIERS OF COMMUNICATION BY THE

RECEIVER:

1. Effective listening: - Active listening in one way to overcome barriers. It

needs hard work and effort to increase concentration on what the sender is
communicating.

2. Avoid judgment: - The receiver should not make any judgment about the
sender. The judgment distorts the communication.

3. Providing feedbacks: - The receiver should provide a true feedback about

what he feels.

4. Written communication: - This is in the form of memos, circular, notes,

manuals, handbooks, letters, reports, etc.

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A diagram showing two simple communication models within an
organisation.

How this affects the relationship between the managers and staff
communication:

Managers play a key role in establishing clear lines of communication within the
organization. Management functions include planning, organization, staffing,
leading and overseeing functions inside and outside the company, such as
networking. All of these functions require communication or work will not get
done. By going further to communicate more effectively with employees, you
can achieve a more efficient, productive and satisfying work environment.

It is important for every employee in an organization to have effective

communication skills. This is especially so for managers as they have to deal
with additional responsibilities or duties in improving employee productivity,
teamwork, morale, and performance. If an aspiring or experienced manager
wants to remain on the top of his/her game, then it is important to master written
communication, verbal, and nonverbal skills.

Remember, any interaction a manager has with an employee can be considered

as an opportunity to create a positive impact on both professional and personal
fronts.

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Task 2

In communication and marketing, communication media play a key role.

Structures are able to help you design new communication media for all your
events. Many companies are still reluctant to produce modern advertising media
because they have not yet realized their usefulness. Here are some advantages of
communication media for businesses.

Face to face communication

Face to face remains the preferred communication channel if the clarity of the
message is a primary factor. In-person communication allows you to interact
with the listener in a back-and-forth discussion. It also allows you to use
nonverbal gestures, facial expressions and personal charisma to enhance the
message. One drawback is the possibility that a conflict may become warmer or
more emotional in a face-to-face channel. Tension or stress is also more likely if
you have a personal conflict with the other person.

Telephone communication

Land or mobile phones have taken over communication in companies where

distance and movement prevent face-to-face conversations. The telephone
always allows immediate interaction between two parties in the communication.
Mobile phones also increase your ability to communicate with workers or
remote offices. The lack of non-verbal or facial expressions removes these
elements from the message. This can hinder the ability to interpret the context or
emotion of a message sender. The telephone is also less personal than a face-to-
face meeting.

Communication by e-mail

E-mail is an essential communication channel in companies that are

geographically dispersed or in which employees travel. Email allows more

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flexible response times. You can send a message one day and receive a response
within a few hours or the next day. It allows a conversation without time
constraint, but can be used for quick turnaround times. It also allows you to
include files, such as documents or images. E-mail is less personal than face-to-
face or telephone calls. The missing context of the message can lead to
misunderstandings or misinterpreted messages.

Discussion forums

Many companies maintain internal discussion forums via intranet websites.

These are sites with files and other resources available only to employees
through personal connections. Internal discussion forums allow employees and
managers to initiate company-wide or small group discussions on suggestions,
problems and solutions on a wide range of topics. Forums offer employees a
way to put pressure on their ideas and comments. They allow the company to
obtain information in a non-confrontational way. The lack of personal
connectivity and the potential for anonymous publications are disadvantages.
Likewise, delays may occur between comments and responses.

Social media

Businesses have taken advantage of social media to promote their products and
services through targeted advertising, interactive games, and video content that
may be of interest to the public and direct them to company websites. The
immediacy of social media also provides businesses with valuable feedback on
new products and services. Interaction with social media can, however, be
impersonal and the risk of miscommunication is much higher and can affect a
company's reputation. If a business fails to monitor its social media channel and
does not respond to negative comments, it can create a tidal wave of bad
publicity that can take weeks or months to correct.

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That’s why when something is important, nothing compares to face-to-face
communication. When a leader needs to inspire people—or move them to action
—the best way to do it is to look people in the eye and tell them exactly what
they need to know.

Communicating face-to-face sends a message before you say a word. People

will not only hear what you are saying, they will perceive the greater meaning of
your tone, voice inflection, emotion and body language. Taking the time to meet
and chat with employees is an important way to emphasis key messages as well
as reiterate and expand upon ideas expressed in other channels.

Here are three good reasons for leaders to make the time to communicate face to
face:

1. Demonstrate importance

Being there in person tells your audience they are important to you and the issue
you are discussing is worth your time and theirs. Your focus will get people’s
attention and increase the potential for your message to be heard. While clearly a
positive aspect of face-to face communication, this is also one of the reasons
strategic focus should be placed on which topics to include on the agenda.

2. Interpret thoughts and feelings

When you are face to face, you can see and respond to people’s reactions – like
facial expressions and body language – as well as their tone of voice. Leaders
have the chance to show they care by asking probing questions and actively
listening to understand the audience’s perspective. This is especially critical
when you need employees to adopt new behaviors to advance your goals, such
as in times of change.

3. Build relationships

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Interacting directly with other leaders, managers and employees expands your
network and establishes shared experience that can enhance future
communication. The activities needed to build agendas and presentations build
greater comfort with messaging; generally, if you need to share information with
someone else, you need to understand it yourself first. It also helps create
camaraderie that is the basis of cooperation and success across the organization.

Communication could be verbal – spoken or written, or non-verbal i.e.

using sign language, body movements, facial expressions, gestures, eye contact
or even with the tone of voice.

In an organization, there are two channels of communication – formal

communication and informal communication. People often confuse between
these two channels, so here we have presented an article which explains the
difference between formal and informal communication network.

Formal Communication: The communication in which the flow of information

is already defined is termed as Formal Communication. The communication
follows a hierarchical chain of command which is established by the
organization itself. In general, this type of communication is used exclusively in
the workplace, and the employees are bound to follow it while performing their
duties.

Example: Requests, commands, orders, reports etc.

The formal communication is of four types:
 Upward or Bottom-up: The communication in which the flow of
information goes from subordinate to superior authority.
 Downward or Top-down: The communication in which the flow of
information goes from superior to subordinate.
 Horizontal or Lateral: The communication between two employees of
different departments working at the same level.
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  Crosswise or Diagonal: The communication between the employees of
two different departments working at different levels.

Informal Communication: The communication which does not follow any pre-
defined channel for the transmission of information is known as informal
communication. This type of communication moves freely in all directions, and
thus, it is very quick and rapid. In any organization, this type of communication
is very natural as people interact with each other about their professional life,
personal life, and other matter.

Example: Sharing of feelings, casual discussion, gossips, etc.

The informal communication is of four types:
 Single Strand Chain: The communication in which one person tell
something to another, who again says something to some other person and
the process goes on.
 Cluster Chain: The communication in which one person tells something to
some of its most trusted people, and then they tell them to their
trustworthy friends and the communication continues.
 Probability Chain: The communication happens when a person randomly
chooses some persons to pass on the information which is of little interest
but not important.
 Gossip Chain: The communication starts when a person tells something to
a group of people, and then they pass on the information to some more
people and in this way the information is passed on to everyone.
Key Differences Between Formal and Informal Communication
The following points are substantial, so far as the difference between
formal and informal communication is concerned.

ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET V3.0 | JULY 2019

  Formal communication is also known by the name of official
communication. Informal Communication is also known by the
name of grapevine.
 In formal communication, the information must follow a chain of
command. Conversely, the informal communication can move
freely in any direction.
 In formal communication, full secrecy is maintained, but in the case
of informal communication maintenance of secrecy is a very tough
task.
 Formal communication is written, whereas Informal
communication is oral.

Task 3

In previous years, you learned that digital or electronic communication refers to

any data, information, words or photos that are sent electronically in order to
communicate with one or more people. This includes calls, messages, group
chats, emails, social networks and websites. These methods of electronic
communication have made our lives much easier and enabled us to
communicate with people around the world. However, they do have some flaws
and risks that you need to be aware of.

With the advances in computer technology and the internet, there are many new
and exciting ways to communicate; from sending instant messages on social
network sites, to email. In this section, we will discuss the most popular types of
digital communications, their advantages, as well as their disadvantages.

EMAIL

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Email is one of the first and most popular forms of electronic communication. It
allows the user to send and receive files and messages over the internet, and can
be used on a wide variety of devices.

VOIP

VoIP is a type of digital communication that allows the user to speak with one
or more users over the internet. This type of communication is very similar to a
phone call, with the exception being that it uses your internet connection and,
therefore, uses data. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of
VoIP.

INSTANT MESSAGING

Instant messaging refers to short messages that are sent in real time over the
internet. The messages can include multimedia items, such as pictures, videos
and voice recordings.

VIDEO CONFERENCING

 Everyone can see you, all the time. This is not an audio conference, just
because you are not speaking does not mean others in the conference can’t
still see you.
 Be punctual and courteous. Introduce yourself and take note of other
attendees’ names so you can address them by name. Turn off ringers for
your other phones. Treat this just like you would an on-site meeting.
 No multi-tasking, we can see you. Look at your screen, pay attention to
others and when speaking make sure to look at your camera.
 If it is improper for a face-to-face meeting, then it doesn’t work for video
either. Don’t click your pen, tap on your desk or anything else annoying
or distracting. Avoid yawning, gum chewing, etc.

Data protection and confidentiality:

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Most community service organisations will have in place policies and
procedures that govern and regulate privacy and confidentiality of client
information. This concept not only applies to what you can disclose about your
clients or your organisations outside of work, but also what can be shared in
network meetings. What information can be shared with other organisations,
who shares it and how this information is given out should be clearly defined in
any effective, professional service. It is often incorporated into a worker’s duty
statement or job description.

All organisations should have written policy and procedures, and staff training
in the following areas:

 a confidentiality policy
 a clearly defined process for identifying and regularly updating a
Community Resource Index so that all workers are aware of what other
services are available to refer to (the index contains basis contact details
and information about what each service provides)
 processes for networking with other agencies, including attending relevant
interjacencies (meetings of local service providers)
 guidelines for case conferencing (this will be discussed in more detail a
bit later)
 referral protocols, including how referrals should be made, the kind of
information that can be shared with other services and any ongoing roles
and responsibilities of each service with regard to the client
 a policy for how long client information is kept after clients are no longer
involved with the service. For example, different government departments
produce documents that outline legal requirements for their staff in
relation to storing and maintaining information.

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Cyber-attacks come in many shapes and sizes, but the vast majority are very
basic in nature, carried out by relatively unskilled individuals.

With all businesses now having business-critical information and data stored
electronically, maintaining data security is critical. The increasing use of web-
based services, such as the cloud, brings additional issues of digital protection.

Poor cyber security can leave systems and services at risk, cause harm and
distress to individuals and in extreme cases, put lives at risk.

While a business cannot guarantee 100% security over its digital assets, this
topic advises on how to assess threats to systems and develop a security regime
that ensures that sensitive digital assets are protected at all times.

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs

from digital attacks.

These cyber-attacks are usually aimed at accessing, changing, or destroying

sensitive information; extorting money from users; or interrupting normal
business processes.

CONCLUSION

Communication is very important in every place of business. Communication is

exchanging information among individuals working in any organization.
Communication is the process of passing information and understanding from
one person to another. At every place of business and firm where is large
production and various departments, communication is of very much help in
getting maximum production, increasing business and building good
relationship between all in the company. Thus, communication plays vital role
in all areas of management and business.

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