Business and Organizational Communication

SESSIONAL ACTIVITY-2
INSTRUCTOR: UROOJ YAHYA
Name: ALI JAN
Roll No: MG-302(Backlog)

1. Revise the following sentences to present the bad news with passive-voice
verbs.
a. We cannot offer free shipping after January 1.
ANS) As per new audit and high expense free shipping cannot be given after
January 1.
b. Our retail stores will no longer be accepting credit cards for purchases under
$5.
ANS) Credit cards will not be accepted in the retail stores for purchases under
$5.00
c. Company policy prevents us from offering health and dental benefits until
Employees have been on the job for 12 months.
ANS) According to the company’s policy health and dental
benefits are offered only after employees have been on the job for 12 months.
d. Your car rental insurance coverage does not cover large SUVs.
ANS) Large SUV’s are not covered by your car rental insurance.
e. We do not examine patients until we have verified their insurance coverage.
ANS) Patients cannot be examined until their insurance coverage is verified.

QUESTION 2
2. Revise the following statements to imply the bad news. If possible, use passive-
voice verbs and subordinate clauses to further de-emphasize the bad news.
a. Unfortunately, we find it impossible to contribute to your excellent and
worthwhile fund-raising campaign this year. At present all the funds of my
organization are needed to lease equipment and office for our new branch in
Hartford. We hope to be able to support this commendable endeavor in the future.
ANS) We would love to contribute towards your campaign this year but we have
some priorities to take care of first. At this point of time we need to lease
equipment and offices for our new branch in Hartford. We hope to be able to
support this commendable endeavor in the future.
b. We cannot ship our fresh fruit baskets. Your order was not accompanied by
payment, so we are not shipping it. We have it ready, though, and will rush it to
its destination as soon as you call us with your credit card number.
ANS) At this point of time we have your shipment ready to be delivered. We just
need to confirm your credit card number as a source of payment so we can send
you your fruit basket right away.
c. Because of the holiday period, all our billboard space was used this month.
Therefore, we are sorry to say that we could not give your charitable group free
display space. However, next month, after the holidays, we hope to display your
message as we promised.
ANS) All our billboard space was used this month due to the holiday season. We
cannot give you your charitable group free display space but next month, we
hope to display your message as we promised.

QUESTION 3
3. Revisee the following sentences to position the bad news in a subordinate
clause. (Hint: Consider beginning the clause with although.) Use passive-voice
verbs for the bad news.
a. We regret that we cannot replace the cabinet hinge you need. The
manufacturer no longer offers it. A new hinge should work for you, and we are
sending it to you.
ANS) As per the policy the cabinet hinge that is needed for replacement is no
longer offered by the manufacturer regretfully, however, a new hinge should
work for you and we are sending it to you.
b. State law does not allow smoking within 5 feet of a state building. But the
college has set aside 16 outdoor smoking areas.
ANS) The College has set aside 16 outdoor smoking areas since state law does not
allow smoking within 5 feet of a state building.
c. We now offer all of our catalog choices at our Web site, which is always
current. Unfortunately, we no longer print or mail a complete catalog.
ANS) Unfortunately, we no longer print a complete catalogue. However, we now
offer all of our catalogue choices at our Web site, which is always current
d. We are sorry to report that we are unable to ship your complete order at this
point in time. However, we are able to send two corner workstations now, and
you should receive them within five days.
ANS) Although we are unable to ship your complete order at
this point in time, we can ship two corner workstations within five days.
e. We appreciate your interest in our organization, but we are unable to extend
an employment offer to you at this time.
ANS)Although an employment offer cannot be extended at this mment, we really
appreciate your interest in our organization.

QUESTION 4
Write an unsolicited job application letter for the post of Manager at Unilever.
Use AIDA approach and follow the full block format of letter writing.

ANS)
XYZ Street
Karachi, Pakistan

January, 1, 2021

Dear Sir,
I with proform regards express my interest in acquiring a position at Unilever Corporation for
the post of manager. I am very familiar with the company’s brilliant reputation for supplying
high quality products and services. I felt immediately compelled to apply. I see this opportunity
within Unilever as an excellent foundation to involve myself in intricacies of such a prestigious
company and develop my understanding of the industry as a whole.
Unilever has become an international giant with more than 400 brands worldwide, it combines
the best of local knowledge and global expertise to offer its clients bespoke solutions no matter
their location. Furthermore, after the company presentation last year I had the opportunity to
learn more about Unilever’s culture, which I believe is really conducive to one’s personal and
professional growth. For an aspiring graduate this supportive culture combined with the career
progression possibilities and agile working environment has set Unilever apart from its
competitors as the place to be.
Throughout my college career I have acquired and fine-tuned valuable skills such as analysing
problems, articulating my opinions and succeeding in an extremely competitive environment.
Academically, I have excelled in all of my subjects: being ranked top 5 per cent of the students
in my year shows that I have stamina and am eager to learn. Furthermore, as a student I have
endeavored to gain as much work experience as possible therefore I fully understand how
important it is to have a great team dynamics in today’s multi-disciplinary business
environment. During my internship with I had the opportunity to hone my analytical and
research skills, make presentations and support senior bankers in their daily work. Moreover,
my last experience in has especially fostered my ability to work in teams under time constraints
and to handle responsibility. Both experiences have been clearly finance oriented and have
solidified my interest in the field. Finally, I want to highlight my strong attention to detail and
my enthusiasm towards anything I am responsible for or involved in.
For all these reasons mentioned above, I consider this post in Unilever to be an ideal beginning
to my professional career. I hope that you will find me well qualified for this position and I
would like to reiterate my strong interest in discussing this opportunity and my qualification
with you further.
Thank you for your time and interest and I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
ALI JAN

QUESTION 5
5. Being the CEO of Unilever, write a letter refusing the job applicant above. Use
Indirect approach and block format of letter writing.

ANS)
Mr. X
ABC Street
Karachi, Pakistan
January, 1, 2021
Dear Mr. X,
The response from applicants to our posted office manager position at Unilever Corporation
was overwhelming with many of the applicants seemingly qualified for the job. Thus, we are
unable to interview all of the applicants who sent in their resumes.
You did not make the cut for those applicants we are inviting in for a job interview. The number
of applications we received makes it impossible for us to speak with everyone.
The purpose of this email is to let you know that you were not selected for an interview. We
also want to extend every hope that your job search will end successfully shortly for you.
You are encouraged by our selection committee to apply again for openings for which you may
qualify in the future. We appreciate that you took the time to apply.
Regards,

ALI JAN
President and Chief Executive Officer
Unilever Corporation

QUESTION 6
6. Write an inter-office memo announcing the release of arrears to your
employees.
ANS)
To: Unilever Staff
From: ALI JAN, Office Manager, Unilever Corporation
Regarding: Announcement for the release of arrears to employees
Date: January, 1, 2021
Dear Staff Members: It is now officially declared that on January 5th 2021, you will receive your
salaries from the finance department.I assure all team members that your payment will be
delivered on time.
As a result of an internal accounting system malfunction, there has been a delay in processing
of employee paychecks for this pay period. Therefore, paychecks didn’t go out on Thursday as
anticipated.  Instead of being issued on Thursday, all paychecks will go out on Tuesday.
Thank you for your patience and understanding, and again, we apologize for this paycheck
delay and for any inconvenience it may cause. We greatly value your hard work and efforts on
behalf of our company.
Please contact us if you have any further questions about this important issue.
Sincerely,
Ali JAN, Office manager, Unilever

QUESTION 7
7. Set agenda for a meeting of organizing Committee on the upcoming Women
Conference at NED University.

NED Women Conference 2021

Meeting committee
Date: July 18, 2011
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 P.M.
Attendees: Dr. SaroshHashmat Lodi,Dr. Masuma Hasan, Prof. Dr. Rabia Hussain, Dr. Raza Ali
Khan, Dr. Noman Ahmed

Meeting Objective:PERCEIVING WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN THE CHANGING GLOBAL

SCENARIO.

Agenda:
1) Welcome and Announcements. (15 minutes)
2) Share drafts of strategy statements. (30 minutes)
3) Discuss and improve drafts. (75 minutes)
a. Does each draft have a clear “issue for implementation”?
b. Does each draft explain its expected impact?
c. What additional information is needed in each draft?
d. Recap of decisions

Agenda item #1 -- Welcome and Announcements

 Introduction by Dr. SaroshHashmat Lodi. All about aim and scope.

 A blog has been created for the conference.
 Feature oral and visual presentations, technical sessions, thematic talks, and panel
discussions.

Action Items
 Everyone should look at the new blog.  That aims to provide a forum for academic discussion
and framing an action plan for such policy initiatives that would help in supporting women who
are making a struggle every day in their personal and professional positions to break down the
barriers and to “create a better world for everyone.”
 The conference will also offer an opportunity for women from Pakistan and around the world to
share stories, life-time experiences, and strategies for future women.

Agenda item #2 -- Share drafts of strategy statements for each

committee.
 The event bring together women and men to understand the e constraints, struggles of
women and the way addressing them will impact communities, society and country.
 The conference also aims to set strategic objectives and actions for gender equality,
health, nutrition, education, rights, economic and political representation and
empowerment and wellbeing of women in the 21st century.
Action Items

 The group will email their ideas, strategies and methods for gender equality and women
empowerment.
 Everyone needs to revise their statements.

Agenda item #3 – Discuss & Improve Drafts

 We will break into three groups (Broadening Education, Leadership, &
Entrepreneurship) to discuss the agenda questions.
 The women leaders, influencers, mentors will share directions for young aspiring
women to create a plan for their development in order to realize their full potential and
in attaining their goals and dreams.

Action Items

 Political right and the possibility to exercise them

 Legal rights of women, both as individuals and as family members
 Access of girls and women to education and training, including vocational training
 Working life

QUESTION 8
8. Write a termination letter to an employee guilty of corruption.
ANS)
Dear Mr. X,
It is my duty to inform you that as of today, June 21, 2013, your employment with Allied
Services is terminated due to your misconduct of company theft. On June 16, 2013, our
surveillance cameras captured you carrying computer equipment from the building. We have
investigated the incident thoroughly and we are convinced that you did not have permission to
remove the equipment nor have you returned it in the week following.
As you know company theft is a serious offense. This offense is covered in detail in our
employee handbook and during new employee orientation. Our investigation has uncovered
the serial numbers of the items you removed. As these items total more than $5,000, we have
reported the incident to the local police department.
We fully expect you to return any company property that is in your possession at the time of
this meeting, including your employee badge, your company issued cell phone, and any
company credit or debit cards. You will be given and list of other company items, compiled by
your manager, that you will need to return within 3 business days. You may leave these items
at the security checkpoint on the first floor the building.
You will be contacted by a member of the HR department to discuss your final paycheck and
any benefit payments you may be due. If you feel we have reached this decision in error you
are welcome to file an appeal.
Sincerely,
ALI JAN
Human Resource Manager
Allied services Inc.

QUESTION 9
9. USING BUFFERS: As a customer service supervisor for a telephone company,
you’re in charge of responding to customers’ requests for refunds. You have
received an email from the customer who has wrongly been charged for a long-
distance call that he never made. Draft a short buffer (two sentences at least),
sympathizing with the customers’ plight but preparing him for the bad news.
ANS)
We thank you for contacting us regarding your recent telephone billing issue with a deep
concern for the inconvenience caused. Our company will always ensure providing the best
service. We will go through the data base to make sure about this long distance call, whether
you made it or not and as per company’s terms and condition refund is always done until we
get confirmation mail about any call you placed so till then your refund may get delayed until
we receive all the details. We are instituting safeguards against this from happening in the
future.I want to sincerely thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. We are always to
improve our customer service, and your feedback is essential to that process .
Thanks.

QUESTION 10
10. Selecting the Approach: Select approach you would use (direct or indirect)
for the following negative messages. Also, draft buffer for the ones with indirect
approach.
I. An e-mail message to your boss informing her that one of your key clients is
taking its business to a different accounting firm.
1. . Direct, it is a business matter and it needs to be communicated clearly and
directly.
II. An e-mail message to a customer informing her that one of the books she
ordered over the Internet is temporarily out of stock.
2. Indirect- inform the customer of the news, and reassure them as soon as it
becomes available it will be shipped.
III. An instant message to a customer explaining that the DVD recorder he
ordered for his new computer is on back order and that, as a consequence, the
shipping of the entire order will be delayed.
3. Direct –This is bad news and you need to state early in your
correspondence plus the medium you are using to communicate with the
customer is used for short to the point communication.
IV. A blog post to all employees notifying them that the company parking lot
will be repaved during the first week of June and that the company will provide
a shuttle service from a remote parking lot during that period.
4. Direct- This message needs to be as clear and direct as possible so there is
no misunderstanding.
V. A letter from a travel agent to a customer stating that the airline will not
refund her money for the flight she missed but that her tickets are valid for one
year.
5. Indirect – A buffer can be used to soften the blow. A letter is perfect to go
into detail the benefit of the company and how they value their customers.
VI. A form letter from a U.S. airline to a customer explaining that the company
cannot extend the expiration date of the customer’s frequent-flyer miles even
though the customer was living overseas for the past three years and unable to
use the miles during that time.
6. Direct – A form letter is not address to an individual but a general letter to
address a common issue. The customer probably already knows that the
airline does not extend expiration dates but was just fishing.
VII. A letter from an insurance company to a policyholder denying a claim for
reimbursement for a special medical procedure that is not covered under the
terms of the customer’s policy.
7. Direct - Since it involves a medical procedure and money because this could
lead to a very serious issue and I would want to get this information to the
customer as clearly as possible.
VIII. A letter from an electronics store stating that the customer will not be
reimbursed for a malfunctioning cell phone still under warranty (the terms of
the warranty do not cover damages to phones that were accidentally dropped
from a moving car)
8. Indirect- This definitely needs a buffer and proper wording to keep a
customer that will not like the answer to their inquiry and could take their
business to competitor.
IX. An announcement to the repairs department listing parts that are on back
order and will be threeweeks late.
9. Direct- This needs to be address immediately so the receiver can make
plans accordingly. It needs the receiver’s immediate.