INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY

CENTRE FOR DISTANCE LEARNING

GHAZIABAD

Subject Code : IMT-10

Subject Title : Business Communication

Time allowed : 180 minutes

Maximum : 50 marks

Instructions: (a) Answer any four questions choosing from Section-A and each question carries 9 marks.
(b)

Section-B (Case Study) is compulsory and case study carries 14 marks.

No doubts/clarifications shall be entertained. In case of doubts/clarifications make reasonable assumptions and
proceed.

SECTION-A (Answer any four questions from this section)

Q.1

Give an example explain in about 50 to 70 words -- each of barriers to verbal communication and
discuss whether and how they can be overcome.

Q.2

Give three examples of listening problems. Explain the nature of problem and discuss whether and how
those problems could have been avoided and how they could be solved.

Q.3

Explain business meeting. How do you conduct business meetings effectively?

Q.4

Identify some dos and donts in presentation. Explain how the donts can be avoided.

Q.5

Explain what is negotiation. Discuss how negotiations skills can be sharpened.

Q.6

Write a letter informing an applicant that he was not selected for the post such that the recipient of the
letter feels happy even on getting the bad news.

Q.7

Write a letter to a customer that the product defects she has noticed/experiencing are due to non
observance of certain conditions concerning the usage of the product. Do it in such a way that the
customer feels happy even if her problem remains unsolved to her original expectations.

SECTION-B (Case Study is compulsory)

MANAGING DIVERSITY IN A SMALL COMPANY
Much of the focus on cultural diversity in the workplace has resulted from government initiatives such as the
Equal Employment Opportunity Act and affirmative action policies. In contrast, Herb Prokscha, owner of La
Romagnola, a $5 million (annual sales) pasta maker located in Winter Park, Florida, has targeted international
refugees, particularly those from Vietnam, Puerto Rico, Romania, and Bulgaria, as prospective employees. Twothirds of his 30 production workers are refugees that he hired through Catholic Refugee Service in Orlando.
Prokscha faces numerous challenges as he attempts to integrate these culturally diverse workers into the
mainstream work culture of American business. Prokscha notes that language barriers are a primary concern,
but there are other challenges as well. Besides developing an awareness of American cultural norms,
employees must become sensitive to the backgrounds of their multicultural co-workers. One of the challenges
facing foreign workers is to adjust to intercultural communication differences. First of all, these workers face an
American culture that is very low-context in its communication practices. Many of the workers Prokscha employs
are used to a high-context culture. Some of these workers come from cultures that emphasize masculinity over
femininity, whereas the American culture has placed great emphasis on gender equality. These foreign-born
workers will also face a work culture that places less emphasis and prestige on older workers. While many of
these workers will seek out enclaves or subcultures of people that come from a similar cultural background, they
are still faced with the fact that they will have to work with people of very different cultural backgrounds.
Questions
1. What would you identify as unique problems facing an organization, such as La Romagnola, that
employs workers whose cultural background is different from the U.S. culture?
2. What potential obstacles face employers who hire workers with a wide range of cultural experiences?

ETEDecember 2007

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IMT-10