COMMUNICATION SKILLS EXERCISE

In each of the following, read items A, B and C, then mark the one that best describes your communication style.            

1	A	When conversing with others I usually do most of the talking.
	B	When conversing with others I usually let the other person do most of the talking.
	C	When conversing with other I try to equalize my participation in the conversation
2	A	When I first meet someone, I wait for the other person to make the introduction first.
	B	When I first meet someone, I introduce myself with a smile and offer a handshake.
	C	When I first meet someone, I hug the person.
3	A	I usually ‘warm up’ new conversations with small talk.
	B	I usually avoid small talk and jump into more important matters.
	C	I usually avoid starting conversations.
4	A	I make an effort to remember and use peoples names.
	B	I don't pay attention to names as I tend to forget them.
	C	I only learn the names of important people.
5	A	I frequently use courtesy words and phrases 'please' 'thank you' 'you're welcome' 'I'm sorry'
	B	I occassionally use these courtesy words and phrases.
	C	I never use these courtesy words and phrases.
6	A	I tend to be serious and don’t smile often while conversing.
	B	I smile all the time while conversing.
	C	I smile at appropriate times while conversing.
7	A	I make eye contact while conversing.
	B	I sometimes make eye contact while conversing.
	C	I never make eye contact while conversing.
8	A	While conversing, I hold my head still at all times.
	B	While conversing, I nod my head at appropriate times.
	C	While conversing, I nod my head constantly.
9	A	While conversing, I stand one foot away from the person.
	B	While conversing, I stand two to three feet away from the person.
	C	While conversing, I stand five to six feet away from the person.
10	A	I often stand while talking to a person who is sitting.
	B	I often sit while talking to a preson who is sitting.
	C	I often lean down while talking to a person who is sitting.
11	A	To end a conversation, I often just leave.
	B	To end a conversation, I begin to look impatient hoping the person will get the hint.
	C	To end a conversation, I wrap up with a closing statement.
12	A	If a co-worker has put on weight, I say nothing about it.
	B	If a co-worker has put on weight, I tell the person that he or she has changed in appearance.
	C	If a co-worker has put on weight, I honestly tell the person that he or she looks fat.
13	A	When I'm listening to the speaker, I often cross my arms over my chest.
	B	When I'm listening to the speaker, I often lean back and turn my body away from the speaker.
	C	When I'm listening to the speaker, I often lean slightly forward and face my body towards the  speaker.
14	A	When I cross my leg, I cross my leg facing the speaker.
	B	When i cross my leg, I cross my leg away from the speaker.
	C	When I cross my leg, I bob my foot.
15	A	While listening, I tend to be distracted by things going on around me.
	B	While listening, I listen for meaning and ask questions.
	C	While listening, I watch the person speak, but I don’t 'hear' a word.
16	A	When someone talks about an unfortunate or sad experience, I don’t comment about it
	B	When someone talks about an unfortunate or sad experience, I try to change the subject.
	C	When someone talks about an unfortunate or sad experience, I try to relate to the person's feelings and show sensitivity to his or her misfortune.
17	A	When I discuss a topic I tend to talk about and focus on positive (good) aspects.
	B	When I discuss a topic I tend to talk about and focus on negative (bad) aspects.
	C	When I discuss a topic I tend complain.
18	A	When I have a negative opinion or comment, I just say it.
	B	When I have a negative opinion or comment, I lead in with a positive comment first.
	C	When I have a negative opinion or comment, I make it a point to stress on the negatve issue.
19	A	When I receive unfavorable feedback, I note where I need to improve.
	B	When I receive unfavorable feedback, I get angry and defensive.
	C	When I receive unfavorable feedback, I deny the problem, make excuses or plead ignorance.
20	A	When I give a person negative feedback I focus on the persons observable work or behavior and offer suggestions.
	B	When I give a person negative feedback I focus on what I don't like about the person.
	C	When I give a person negative feedback I simply tell the person what to do right.
21	A	When I give a person negative feedback I do it around others so everyone can hear.
	B	When I give a person negative feedback I do it in front of the supervisor.
	C	When I give a person negative feedback I talk with the person alone.
22	A	When I disagree with a person, I listen first ask questions for clarification, then disagree non-judgmentally.
	B	When I disagree with a person, I quickly point out the person is wrong and why.
	C	When I disagree with a person, I say little or nothing.
23	A	When I'm in a group, I tend to frown a lot.
	B	When I'm in a group, I tend to smile and use humor at appropriate times.
	C	When I'm in a group, I tend to be serious.

 

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION I SYLLABUS

 

Business Communication - I

FYBAF/BMS/BBI/BFM

Semester I

Unit 1 : Theory of Communication
1. Concept of Communication :
Meaning, Definition, Process, Need, Feedback
Emergence of Communication as a key concept in the Corporate and Global World
Impact of technological advancements on Communication
2. Channels and Objectives of Communication :
Channels :
Formal and Informal - Vertical, Horizontal, Diagonal, Grapevine
Objectives of Communication :
Information, Advice, Order and Instruction, Persuasion, Motivation, Education, Warning, and Boosting the Moral of Employees
(A brief introduction to these objectives to be given)
3. Methods and Modes of Communication :
Methods :
Verbal and Nonverbal
Characteristics of Verbal Communication
Characteristics of Non-verbal Communication
Business Etiquette
Modes :
Telephone and SMS Communication
(General Introduction to Telegram to be given)
Facsimile Communication [Fax]
Computers and E-communication
Video and Satellite Conferencing

Unit 2 : Obstacles to Communication in Business World
1. Problems in Communication/Barriers to Communication :
Physical / Semantic or Language / Socio-Cultural / Psychological Barriers,
Ways to Overcome these Barriers
2. Listening :
Importance of Listening Skills
Cultivating Good Listening Skills
3. Introduction to Business Ethics
Concept and Interpretation
Importance of Business Ethics
Personal Integrity at the workplace
Business Ethics and Media
Computer Ethics
Corporate Social Responsibility
Teachers can adopt a case study approach and address issues such as the following so as to orient and sensitize the student community to actual business practices:
- Surrogate Advertising
- Patents and Intellectual Property Rights
- Dumping of Medical/E-waste
- Human Rights Violations and Discrimination on the basis of gender, race, caste, religion, appearance and sexual orientation at the workplace
- Piracy
- Insurance
- Child Labour

Unit 3 : Business Correspondence
1. Theory of Business Letter Writing :
Parts, Structure, Layouts - Full Block, Modified Block, Semi-Block, Principles of Effective Letter Writing
Principles of Effective E-mail Writing
2. Personnel Correspondence :
Statement of Purpose
Job Application Letter and Resume
Letter of Acceptance of Job Offer, Letter of Resignation
[Letter of Appointment, Promotion and Termination, Letter of Recommendation (to be taught but not to be tested in the examination)]

Unit 4 : Language and Writing Skills
1. Commercial Terms used in Business Communication
2. Paragraph Writing :
Developing an idea, using appropriate linking devices, etc.
Cohesion and Coherence, self-editing, etc.
[Interpretation of technical data, Composition on a given situation, a short informal report, etc.]

Activities :
1. Listening Comprehension
2. Remedial Teaching
3. Speaking Skills: Presenting a News Item, Dialogue and Speeches
4. Paragraph Writing: Preparation of the first draft, Revision and Self – Editing, Rules of spelling.
5. Reading Comprehension: Analysis of texts from the fields of Commerce and Management

LITERATURE REVIEW

A literature review is a text of a scholarly paper, which includes the current knowledge including substantive findings, as well as theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular topic. 

Literature reviews are secondary sources, and do not report new or original experimental work.

A literature review can be a precursor in the introduction of a research paper, or it can be an entire paper in itself, often the first stage of large research projects, allowing the supervisor to ascertain that the student is on the correct path. 

A literature review is a critical and in-depth evaluation of previous research. It is a summary and synopsis of a particular area of research, allowing anybody reading the paper to establish why you are pursuing this particular research program.

A good literature review expands upon the reasons behind selecting a particular research question.

A literature review goes beyond the search for information and includes the identification and articulation of relationships between the literature and your field of research.

While the form of the literature review may vary with different types of studies, the basic purposes remain constant:

- Provide a context for the research

- Justify the research

- Ensure the research hasn't been done before (or that it is not just a "replication study")

- Show where the research fits into the existing body of knowledge

- Enable the researcher to learn from previous theory on the subject

- Illustrate how the subject has been studied previously

- Highlight flaws in previous research

- Outline gaps in previous research

- Show that the work is adding to the understanding and knowledge of the field

- Help refine, refocus or even change the topic

A literature review has four main objectives:

- It surveys the literature in your chosen area of study

- It synthesises the information in that literature into a summary

- It critically analyses the information gathered by identifying gaps in current knowledge; by showing limitations of theories and points of view; and by formulating areas for further research and reviewing areas of

Controversy.

- It presents the literature in an organized way

 

A literature review shows your readers that you have an in-depth grasp of your subject; and that you understand where your own research fits into and adds to an existing body of agreed knowledge.

 

Here’s another way of describing those four main tasks. A literature review:

- demonstrates a familiarity with a body of knowledge and establishes the credibility of your work.

- summarizes prior research and says how your project is linked to it.

- integrates and summarizes what is known about a subject.

- demonstrates that you have learnt from others and that your research is a starting point for new ideas.

 

Steps for Conducting a Lit Review 

1. Choose a topic. Define your research question: Your literature review should be guided by a central research question. Remember, it is not a collection of loosely related studies in a field but instead represents background and research developments related to a specific research question, interpreted and analyzed by you in a synthesized way.

- Make sure your research question is not too broad or too narrow.

- Is it manageable? Begin writing down terms that are related to your question.

- These will be useful for searches later.

- If you have the opportunity, discuss your topic with your professor.

2. Decide on the scope of your review: How many studies do you need to look at? How comprehensive should it be? How many years should it cover?

- This may depend on your assignment.

- How many sources does the assignment require?

3. Select the databases you will use to conduct your searches: Make a list of the databases you will search.

Remember to include comprehensive databases such as WorldCat and Dissertations & Theses if you need to.

Tips: Look at the Library's research guides in your discipline to select discipline-specific databases. Don't forget to look at books! Make an appointment with or contact your subject librarian to make sure you aren't missing major databases.

4. Conduct your searches and find the literature: Keep track of your searches:

- Review the abstracts of research studies carefully. This will save you time.

- Write down the searches you conduct in each database so that you may duplicate them if you need to later (or avoid dead-end searches that you'd forgotten you'd already tried).

- Use the bibliographies and references of research studies you find to locate others.

- Ask your professor or a scholar in the field if you are missing any key works in the field.

- Use RefWorks to keep track of your research citations.

5. Review the literature: Some questions to help you analyze the research: What was the research question of the study you are reviewing? What were the authors trying to discover? Was the research funded by a source that could influence the findings? What were the research methodologies? Analyze its literature review, the samples and variables used, the results, and the conclusions. Does the research seem to be complete? Could it have been conducted more soundly? What further questions does it raise? If there are conflicting studies, why do you think that is? How are the authors viewed in the field? Has this study been cited? if so, how has it been analyzed?

- Again, review the abstracts carefully.

- Keep careful notes so that you may track your thought processes during the research process.