I.

SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS

UNIT I - - Verbal and non- verbal communication in

business
- Communication technology nowadays

Communication: A) verbal
B) non-verbal
Verbal communication: A) Oral
B) Written → Business correspondence

Non verbal communication:

A. For oral messages

- Personal appearance : a) clothing
b) jewellery
c) hairstyles
d) cosmetics
e) fingernail
f) neatness
g) stature
Aspects of surroundings a) room size
b) location
c) furnishing
d) machines
e) architecture
f) wall decorations
g) floor
h) lighting

- The body language: a) facial expressions

b) eyes’ expressions
c) gestures
d) postures
e) smell
f) touch
B. For written messages
- The envelope’s overall appearance : a) size
b) colour
c) weight
d) postage

- The appearance of the message’s

stationery : a) length
b) format
c) typing
page layout

- The enclosure: a) quantity

(attachment) b) attractiveness (charts, graphs, pictures)

Communication technology nowadays

A. New technological devices:
a) fax
b) photocopier machine
c) computer : 1) personal computer/desktop computer
2) laptop
3) palmtop
d) floppy disk/diskette
e) disk drive
f) printer
g) scanner

I. Personal computers
Here are some words associated with personal computers.
Personal computer/PC/desktop computer: a computer that fits on a
desk, used by individuals at work or at home
Laptop (computer): a lightweight portable computer that usually fits
in a briefcase
Hardware: computer or machinery
Software: programs that you put into a computer to make it run
Floppy (disk)/diskette: a small plastic disk that stores (a limited
amount of) information.
A floppy can be inserted into a computer and taken out.
Hard disk: a device inside a computer that stores large amounts of
information
Disk drive: an apparatus that allows information to be read from a
disk or stored
Modem: a piece of equipment that sends information from one
computer along telephone line to another computer
Scanner: machine for transferring pictures and texts into a computer
To download: to transfer data or software from a large computer to a
smaller one
RAM (random access memory/memory: the memory available on
an computer to store and use information temporarily, usually
measured in megabytes)
Spreadsheet (program): a program or the grid you create with it to
perform mathematical operations
Computer graphics: pictures, images, and symbols that you can form
on a computer
Word processing: writing and storing printed text on a computer
Virus: hidden instructions in a program designed to destroy
information

II. The internet

The internet/ “the net”: a network connecting millions of computer
users worldwide. You can access information on the Internet or send
and receive e-mail (electronic mail) from a computer, through a
modem.
Here are a small sampling of other words and expressions associated
with the Internet.
World Wide Web/ “the Web”: a huge portion of the Internet
containing linked documents, called pages
To surf the net/ the web: to navigate around the Internet, sometimes
aimlessly
Website/ home page: a document on the Web giving information
about a person or institution
Newsgroup: a meeting place on the Internet for discussion of a
particular topic
Chat room/ chat forum: a group of people who have the same
interests who e-mail one another live as a group
 FAQ: “frequently asked questions”, a list of common questions and
helpful answers

Fill in the blanks with appropriate words:

1) It’s so easy to use a …………….. when you want to send
photographs to friends by e-mail.
It’s just like using a photocopier
2) I’ve lost a lot of data. I wonder if my computer has a ………..
3) I’m always impressed by people who carry their……………on
aeroplanes and work on them during the flight.
4) Those………….disks don’t store nearly enough information. You
really need to use your…………..disk for all the data you want to
store.
5) If you want some photos of the USA, you could just try ……………
the Web. You’ll be amazed how many you can find.
6) I belong to a great…………….. There are about ten people who are
all interested in 1960s
music. We e-mail one another almost every day, and can talk live to
one another.
7) I…………….. a good program from the Internet the other day.
Would you like a copy?
8) Do you ever visit any……………for pop stars or film stars? Some
of them have photos and
music too.

B. New technology in business: a) computer conferencing; b) video

conferencing; c) audio conferencing; d) communication satellites; e)
desktop publishing; f) facsimile; g) CD – ROM; h) electronic meeting;
i) electronic mail; j) internet/ on line – access

Read this report about the convergence of mobile phones and

handheld computers. Underline either the adjective or adverb
each time.

It seems (1) strange/strangely, but some people are walking around

with a mobile phone, a handheld computer like a Palm, a pager, and
even a notebook computer with a (2) conventional/conventionally
keyboard as well. These digital devices are converging (3)
rapid/rapidly, but manufacturers are finding it difficult to get all the
parts to integrate (4) proper/properly. Contemporary mobile phones
look (5) good/well, are relatively (6) good/well at sending short text
messages but don’t work (7) as good/well as handheld computers.
They lack memory, synchronise (8) bad/badly with desktop PCs, and
are not (9) easy/easily to use for writing emails. Searching for an
address-book entry or scrolling through a contact list is (10)
slow/slowly, although once you find the name you can call the person
(11) direct/directly by just touching the phone number. Of course the
big issue in the future is Internet access – it needs to be fast, (12)
easy/easily and (13) cheap/cheaply, but still allow phone companies to
make a profit. Things are moving very (4) quick/quickly in this area,
and the manufacturers who succeed in getting everything (15)
right/rightly are going to make (16) huge/hugely profits.

UNIT II CROSS CULTURAL NEGOTIATIONS; MEETINGS

1 Negotiations : formal discussions in which people or groups
try to reach an agreement, especially in business or political
situation. Before the event, it is helpful to plan your
negotiations.
- State your position → win – win position
→ win – lose position
- Make sure of your → goal
→ position
→ interest
 - Figure out → the best resolution you can expect
→ what is a fair and reasonable deal
→ what is a minimally acceptable deal
- Decide → which are your competitive advantages and
disadvantages
→ upon a strategy to follow
2 Behaviour skills in negotiations:
1) learn to be dissatisfied
2) the defend/attack spiral
3) check the temperature
4) pride
5) warm and tough

3 Cross cultural negotiations

MEETINGS

Definitions:
1 A business meeting : a gathering of business persons where
purposive discourse for exchanging information on a common topic or
problem, for its better understanding or for solving a problem.
2 Types of Business Meetings:
→ Informative meetings → are held to disseminate information and
check on the understanding of those who attend
→ Problem – solving meeting
→ A suggested – solution meeting → comments on the options and a
potential final solution is discussed
3 Steps of meetings-arrangements:
a) consider the problem and determine the purpose
b) decide who should participate
c) arrange for meeting date, time and place
d) announce the agenda
e) physical arrangements
4 Procedures during the meeting:
a) the opening statement of the meeting
b) stimulate discussions for solution discovery
c) understand roles of the participants
d) sort, select, interpret data for solution evaluation
 e) state the conclusion and plan the action

to make a statement
to evaluate-to assess-to appraise
evaluation – assessment-appraisal

Meetings:
a) Conference – large meeting often lasting a few days, where people
who are interested in a particular subject come together to discuss
ideas
b) Colloquy – a very formal conversation meeting
Colloquium – a large meeting to discuss something, usually an
academic subject
c) Symposium/symposia – a meeting where experts discuss a
particular subject (a symposium on protecting the environment)
d) Committee – a group of people who represent a large group or
organization and are chosen to do a particular job ( e.g.: to study
something and suggest what action to take)
f) Panel forum – a group of people who discuss subjects on television
or radio programmes
g) Debate – a discussion in which people or groups state different
opinions about a subject

III. INTERNAL DOCUMENTS

- Minute
- Memo
- Report

Report writing:
Types of report: → analysis
→ informative
Main parts:
Introduction → states the terms of reference, the objectives and
the procedure
required, then the authority to do it
The Body → a detailed account of what has been
accomplished, and how much remains to be done.

The terminal section → will mention future plans and

recommendations

Technical aspects: → paragraphs : 1) should not be bigger than

100 words
2) contain just one idea
3) should be separated by larger spaces
4) sentences should be concise and clear

Techniques of report writing:

- focus the first drafting on the ideas
- keep the briefness of phrases and simplicity of
grammatical structure
- use impersonal style and focus on relevant facts
- balance your points of view showing careful
consideration for arguments

Style: → formal, impersonal

→ should be in keeping : a) respectful and polite, with the
target reader with suggestions for the manager to consider
(if written for a senior manager)
b) a direct style, short statements
rather than suggestions (if written for junior staff)

It + passive of reporting verb

We use It + passive of a reporting verb + that to report what people in
general feel or believe. This is a formal use, for example in a
newspaper story, a scientific report or a written summary of a meeting.
It was announced at the conference that Argentina was losing Pesos
$3,000 million per annum on grain prices compared with the average
in the last ten years. It was pointed out that international prices had
not improved in two years, but this stability had allowed an increase
in production.(Latin Trade website)

Verbs are often used in this way are:

Be agreed, be announced, be believed, be claimed, be confirmed, be
considered, be decided, be estimated, be expected, be feared, be felt,
be found, be pointed out, be proposed, be reported, be rumoured, be
said, be shown, be suggested, thought.

Read the extract from a meeting, chaired by Claudia. Then underline

the most appropriate reporting verbs in the written summary below.
Claudia: Oh, hi. Take a seat….Um, I’d like to hear your views on the
talks we’re having with
BCP about the possible merger. Do you think we should go
ahead with the
discussions?
Nigel: Well, no actually. I don’t think we should. Our company
cultures are totally
different, and I can’t see many opportunities to cut costs in a
combined operation.
I’m sorry, but I’m against it.
Tony: But, Nigel, can’t you see that we’re too small to stand alone
in the global economy.
There’s going to be rationalisation in our market and now is
the right time to act.
Claudia: Um, right. How long do you think it would take to integrate
the two companies?
Tony: Probably about six months, maybe more.
Nigel: That’s six months of complete chaos and falling investor
confidence. It’s just too
risky.
Claudia: Well, I don’t think we have enough information at the
moment. Perhaps we could
Set up a force to look into the whole issue in more detail?
Tony: Hmm.
Claudia: Tony – would you be willing to chair it?
Tony: OK, I’ll chair a task force, but I’ll need representatives
from the other.
 departments as well.
Claudia: That shouldn’t be a problem. When do you think you’ll be
able to get the report
done?
Tony: Um, in about six weeks.
Nigel: Six weeks! That’s ridiculous.
Tony: OK, we’ll try to get all the information together in four
weeks.
Claudia: Right, that’s settled. We’ll meet again a month from
today, same time same place.
1 It was estimated/announced that it would take about six
months to integrate the two companies in the event of a merger.
2 It was rumoured/suggested that we could set up a task force
to produce a report on the implications of the merger.
3 It was proposed/claimed that the task force would be chaired
by Tony, with representatives from other departments.
4 It was shown/agreed that the task force should produce its
report in four weeks.
5 It was claimed/decided that the next meeting would be on
th
July 28 at 9 am in the main conference room.
Compound nouns
- a) A compound noun is two nouns together. Compound nouns are
common in English, and are particularly common in business
language.
“ I can also report that manufacturing – despite the ….exchange
rate – grew lat year by 1.6 per cent; manufacturing productivity
grew by 4.4 per cent and manufacturing exports by 11.8 per
cent.” – Chancellor Gordon Brown’s budget speech. (The Times
website)
- b) When we use two nouns together, the first noun is like an
adjective and describes the second noun.
- It was a management decision.
- These research results are very interesting.
- Have you seen this sales report?
- The whole company strategy is wrong.
Transforming traditional ordering and distribution processes into
e-commerce solutions leads to significant cost reductions.
(Connectis website)
 The first noun is usually singular:
Reductions in costs costs reductions
The law relating to companies companies law
- c) We can use more than two nouns. To understand the meaning
start at the end.
an executive search company (a company that searches for
executives)
a government training course (a course of training provided
by the government)
a stock market launch ( a launch in the market for stocks)
- d) In certain fixed phrases we cannot use a compound noun. We
have to use of.
lack of confidence freedom of choice the price of success
the cost of progress
- e) Some compound are written as one word.
Database timescale salesman network workshop
bookshop

Make two compound nouns from the nouns in each group.

1 profits course training company company profit training
course
2 staff forecast meeting sales ……………….
………………
3 card store credit ………………. ………………
4 internet sale summer access ……………….
………………
5 figures price inflation range ………………
………………
6 survey market hour rush ………………
………………
7 technology keys car information ………………
………………
8 assistant shop failure power ………………
………………
9 shopfloor working worker lunch ………………
………………
10 insurance loan contract bank ………………
………………
11 features costs production product ………………
………………
12 market budget leader ………………
………………
Cross out the one word in each group that does not make a common
compound noun with the first word in bold.
1 sales forecast/figures/trade/target
2 market forces/sector/check/share
3 price offer/list/range/rise
4 brand image/leader/loyalty/process
5 tax relief/benefits/output/allowance
6 product manager/range/features/share
7 advertising slogan/campaign/line/agency
8 production market/line/capacity/target
9 working conditions/trend/hours/lunch
10 stock option/decision/market/exchange

Taxes
Fare
Fee tuition fee
Stock Exchange