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HERS7004 Business Communication L T P C

Version 1.0 3 0 0 3
Pre-requisites/Exposure Basic knowledge of English
Co-requisites
Students should have studies basics of management

Course Objectives
1. To enable students to understand the basic principle of communication including
the flow of communication, verbal as well as non- verbal in context of the
organization.
2. To enable describe the various ways of employment communication as well as
develop the understanding and skill of presentation
3. To provide to the students the basic understanding of the verbal and non - verbal
communication so that they understand the different aspects of spoken and written
business communication.
4. To understand and apply basic principles of critical thinking, problem solving,
and technical proficiency in the development of exposition and argument

Course Outcomes

On completion of this course, the students will be able to

CO1: Demonstrate the applicability of the concept of business communication in the

organization.
CO2: Demonstrate the applicability of analyzing the complexities associated with
organizational communication written as well as verbal.
CO3: Demonstrate the use of basic and advanced proper writing techniques that today's
technology demands, including anticipating audience reaction.
Write effective and concise letters and memos.
CO4: Demonstrate skills to solve work place conflict and analyze different situations for use
of most appropriate conflict management technique.

Catalog Description

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 DOCUMENT CREATION DATE 14-12-2017 – Business Communication – Version 1.0
Communication skill in a manager is one of the important skills, which a manager must
possess to perform his/her role(s) effectively in an organization. Since he/she deals with
employees, and with customers outside the organization, it is important that in an
organization he should be well equipped in terms of different aspects of business
communication. The course therefore covers all constituents, which will make a manager’s
job easy to handle.

Classroom activities involving lectures, discussions and case studies analysis (topped up with
role-play) will be designed to encourage students to actually get involved, absorb and
assimilate inputs. These activities will also be supplemented by group discussions, group
presentations, cooperative group solving problems, analysis of video cases and debates.

Class participation is a fundamental aspect of this course. Students will be encouraged to

actively take part in all group activities and to give an oral group presentation. Students will
be expected to interact with media resources, such as, web sites, videos, DVDs, and
newspapers etc.

Course Content

Unit I: 6 lecture hours

Communication Basics: Communication Process Models, seven Cs of effective

communication, Barriers to communication, Adoption and selection of words.

Organizational Communication: Skills of effective organizational communication,

Understanding organizational communication- flow, channels, pattern of communication,
interoffice communication, Agenda, Minutes

Unit II: 6 lecture hours

Essential Characteristics of Presentation, Preparing a presentation, identifying the purpose.

Guidelines for effective presentation. Group Discussion: GD Types and Dos and don’ts.
Types of interviews. CV/Resume/Bio-data. Conduct of interview. Practice, Group GD for
Problem solving – Simulation exercise, Analysis of GD by faculty, Mock Interview

Unit III:
6 lecture hours
Verbal Communication:, Importance of verbalization, Empathy in communication,
Guidelines for speaking skills, Communication through electronic media. Non Verbal
Communication: Non- verbal communication, Meta communication, Guidelines for
developing positive non- verbal communication

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Unit IV:

6 lecture hours
Effective writing. Appearance and design of a business message. Writing good news and
routine letters, Writing negative/ bad news letters, writing persuasive letters.

Unit V:
6 lecture hours

What is report, The purpose ( identifying business Problem), Anatomy of Report.

Contents, Structure, Tables, appendices an annexures
.

Unit VI:
6 lecture hours

Conflict management: Types of conflict, Ways of managing conflict, Definition and

differences between argument, discussion and negotiation. Types of negotiation. Developing-
Best Alternative to a Negotiated Argument

Text Books

Text Books
1. Book on Business Communication By Lesikar, Flatley, & Rentz (11th, Eleventh
Edition)
2. Business Communication: Concepts, Cases And Applications Mukesh Chaturvedi
Pearson Education India, 2004

Reference Books
1. Book on Essentials of Business Communication Publisher: by Mary Ellen Guffey,
South-Western Educational.

Modes of Evaluation: Quiz/Assignment/ presentation/ extempore/ Written Examination

Examination Scheme:

Components Presentation/Assignment etc. ESE

Weightage (%) 50 50

ASSESSMENT TOOLS:
CO 1 CO2 CO3 CO4
Discussions Discussions Case study Analysis Case study Analysis

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 CO4
CO3
CO2
CO1
Code
Course
Assignments

Title
Course
Case let Analysis

Business
Communication
Students will be able to develop and evaluate alternate
managerial choices and identify optimal solutions

3
2
1
3
PO1
Assignments
Case Analysis

Students will demonstrate effective application capabilities of

3
2
2
3
their conceptual understanding to infrastructure planning,

PO2
development and management

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1
1
1
1
Students will be able to exhibit effective decision-making skills,

PO3
employing analytical and critical thinking ability for planning,

3
Students will demonstrate effective oral and written
Presentations

3
3
3
Video Analysis

PO4
communication skills in the professional context.
Students will be able to work effectively in teams and

3
3
3
1
PO5
demonstrate team-working capabilities.
Students will exhibit leadership and networking skills.

2
2
1
3
PO6
Students will demonstrate sensitivity towards ethical and

2
3
3
1

Relationship between the Course Outcomes (COs) and Program Outcomes (POs)
moral issues and have ability to address them in the context of
Presentations
Video Analysis

urban planning, development and management including cost

Students will demonstrate employability traits in line with the

3
2
3
1
PO7 PO8
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needs of changing hard and soft urban infrastructure sector.

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1. .

2. .

Model Question Paper

Name:
Enrolment No:

Course: HERS 7004 – Business Communication

Programme: MBA-- Power, Urban Infrastructure
Semester: EVEN 2017-18
Time: 03 hrs. Max. Marks:100

Instructions:
Attempt all questions from from Section A (each question marks is marked against it); any four
Questions from Section B (each carrying 5 marks). All questions from Section C is Compulsory
(each carrying 15 marks). All questions in Section D is compulsory and marks are mentioned
against each question.
Section A ( attempt any two)
1. Which of the following is NOT an external business written communication? (1
mark)
a) Complaint letter
b) Curriculum Vitae 1 CO1
c) Memo
d) Enquiries letter

2. An informal communication network or grapevine tends to be most active

when employees believe the formal communication network is not
providing the information they need (1 mark)
1 CO1
a) True
b) False

3. E-mail, intranets, newsletters, announcements, meetings, reports,

suggestion systems and telephone messages are all examples of ________
communication channels. (1 mark)
a) Upward
1 CO3
b) Formal
c) Informal
d) Diagonal

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4. When developing application letters: (1 mark)

a). You can reuse one standard letter for different employers without
spending effort customizing it for each position.
b). Use active voice and action verbs.
1 CO3
c). Avoid flattery.
d). A and B.
e). B and C.

5 The memorandum begins directly – with the objective. The necessary

information follows: (1 mark)
a) True
1 CO2
b). False

6. An effective close for a speech contains (1 mark)

a) a restatement of the subject

b) a Summary of key points 1 CO2
c) a conclusion
d) all of the above

7. The direct style of writing bad news is when you write the ___________ first
followed by ________.(1 mark) 1 CO3

8. A manager wants greater acceptance of managerial decisions made, what

communication network you would recommend her: Give reason for your
answer. (1 mark)
a) Downward
b) Upwards
1 CO1
c) Horizontal
d) None

9. Which style of conflict management should you use (1 mark)

 when the issue is much more important to the other person
than to yourself
1 CO4
 as a goodwill gesture to help maintain a cooperative
relationship.

10. Which of the following information should be included in minutes? (1 mark)

(1) Date and venue of the meeting

(2) Decisions made at the meeting
(3) Comments from the members
(4) Action to be taken by the members 1 CO2

A All of the above

B All, except (2)
C All, except (3)

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D All, except (4)

11. When is direct order appropriate in inquiries? When would you use indirect
order? (2 marks) 2 CO3

12. What is Conflict? Name the different ways of handling the conflict? (2 marks)
2 CO4
13. What are the elements of planning a presentation? ( 2 marks)
2 CO2
14. Use gender neutral expression- ( 2 marks)
a) Best man for the job
b) House wife
c) Executives and their wives 2 CO1
d) Manmade

15. What is communication network? How is grapevine affect

communication ( 2 marks) 2 CO1

SECTION B
1. Analyze the following information on the parameters of 7 c’s of communication 5 CO1

Hi Rekha:

I want to discuss with you a very exciting project in data Analytics for
our client. Lets meet sometime. Let me know the review of your new
software.

Best,

Teena
2. Identify the type, direction of communication and channels used 5 CO1
Aircraft manufacturer McDonald Douglas has started a new
dissemination program where staff writes as per the instruction of the
president of the company prepare daily monthly and quarterly newsletter.
These include a wide range of operating topics like cost, scrap numbers,
project reports, stock prices and the problem encountered in the current
project. This is then disseminated to everyone associated with the
program like employees suppliers and middle level managers so that
everybody is kept informed promptly

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3 Identify one common barrier from each of the following three barrier 5 CO1
zones.
Also give an example and provide the solution for each of the common
barriers.
 Barriers by surrounding environment
 Barriers between people

4 Write a letter of thanks to thank your summer inter mentor for guiding 5
you during your summer intern project execution. Assume the additional CO3
information ( name of the mentor, company, project title and dates)

The director of Department of Group Marketing and Communication are 5 CO2

responsible to develop an annual promotional pack on mobile app. In
order to proceed, the Director must get an approval from the Regional
Office Board to secure their permission on the respective area considering
the matters of promotion and legal procedures. Since the hierarchical
procedural may take times and the time frames provided for the
promotional launching are coming soon, the directors personally contact
each Support Directors and conducting a consecutive number of informal
meeting to discuss the matter.
a. What is the flow of communication from Director to support director?
b. What are the benefits and issues of this kind of communication?

SECTION C

Write a routine request (an inquiry) for the following situation. CO3 15
Q1.( This question has choice)
A) Land’s End, Inc. sells casual clothing by mail. You want to be on their
mailing list so that you receive all their catalogues.

OR
B) You always wanted to do summer internship with XYZ (best company in
your Domain
). Write the cover letter for the summer internship.

Q2. How can Johari window help her improve the communication? Rita CO1 15
is a manager, she shows following style of communication

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 Little feedback
 No communication to subordinate or superior
 Withdraws from decision making
 Not willing to take risks by making decisions
 concerned with self protection than function effectively

According to Johari window what advise will you give her to improve the
communication
Section – D (30 marks )
Leigh Randell is a supervisor of in-flight services at the Atlanta base of
Omega Airlines, a successful regional air carrier with routes throughout
the South and Southwest. In addition to Atlanta, it has bases in six major
cities.

Randell’s job involves supervision of all in-flight services and personnel

at the Atlanta base. She has been with the airline for seven years and in
her present job for two years. While preferring flying to a permanent
ground position, she decided to try the management position. In her job,
she reports directly to Kent Davis, vice president of in-flight services.

During the past year, Randell has observed what she believes is a great
deal of duplication of effort between flight attendants and passenger
service personnel in the terminal with respect to paperwork procedures
for boarding passengers. This, she believes, has resulted in unnecessary
delays in departures of many flights-especially through flights (those
that don’t originate or terminate in Atlanta). Since most Omega through
flights stop in Atlanta, Randell believes that such delayed departures are
probably not a major problem at Omega’s other bases or at smaller
airports. Thus, she has decided to try to coordinate the efforts of flight
attendances and passenger service personnel with a simpler, more
efficient boarding procedure, thereby reducing ground time and
increasing passenger satisfaction through closer adherence to departure
times.

In this respect, she has, on three occasions during the past two months,
written memo to Tom Ballard, Omega’s passenger services representative
at the Atlanta base. Each time, Randell has requested information

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regarding specific procedures, time, and costs for boarding passengers on

through flights. She has received no reply from Tom Ballard. His job
involves supervision of all passenger service personnel. He has been with
Omega for five years, having joined its management training program
immediately after graduating from college. He reports directly to Alan
Brock, vice president of passenger services at the Atlanta base. Exhibit 1
presents the organization structure for the Atlanta base.

Exhibit 1. Omega, Atlanta: Organization Chart

Last week, Leigh wrote a memo to Kent Davis:

For several months, I have been trying to develop a new method for
facilitating the boarding of passengers on through flights by more closely
coordinating efforts of In-Flight Services and Passenger Services. The
results would be a reduction in clerical work, cost and ground time and
closer adherence to departure times for through flights: “Unfortunately, I
have received no cooperation at all in my efforts from the passenger
service representative. I have made three written requests for
information, each of which has been ignored. Needless to say, this has
been frustrating to me. While I realize that my beliefs may not always be
correct, in this instance I am only trying to initiate something that will be

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beneficial for everyone involved: Passenger Services, In-Flight Services,

and, most important, Omega Airlines. I would like to meet with you to
discuss this matter and the possibility of my transferring back to flight
duty.
Kent Davis summoned Alan Brock and Tom Ballard to a hastily called
conference. Tom Ballard was mildly asked why he had not furnished the
information that Randell has requested.

“Too busy”, he said. “Her questions were out of sight. There was no time
for me to answer this sort of request. I’ve got a job to do. Besides, I don’t
report to her”.

“But Tom, you don’t understand,” Kent Davis said. “All Leigh Randell is
trying to do is improve the president system of boarding passengers on
through flights. she has taken the initiatives to work on something that
might benefit everyone”.

Tom Ballard thought for a moment. “No, ” he replied, “it didn’t look like
that to me. You know I’ve also had ideas on how to improve the system
for quite sometime. Anyway, she’s going about it all wrong.”

1. What barriers to effective communication do you detect in this case? CO1 5

( 5 marks)

C02 5
2. Is anyone “wrong” in this situation? By what other means could
Randell have requested the information from Tom Ballard? What do
you think of Tom Ballard’s reaction? Why?
( 5marks)

3. While communicating information vertically up or down the CO3 5

organization does not present a major problem, why is horizontal and
diagonal communication are more difficult to attain?
( 5 marks)

4. What would you recommend that the management of Omega Airlines CO4 5
do to remedy this situation?
(5 marks)

5. How would your recommendation improve communication in the CO2 10

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organization?
(10 marks)

*****

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