CSEET Business Communication Chalisa PDF

Business Communication Chalisa (As Per ICSI NEW Modules) by CS Parshvi Parekh  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students BUSINESS COMMUNICATION Lesson 1 1....

Business Communication Chalisa (As Per ICSI NEW Modules) by CS Parshvi Parekh  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students BUSINESS COMMUNICATION Lesson 1 1. Essentials of Good English Grammar and its Usage The part of Grammar concerned with changes in the form of words by internal modification or by affixation is known as accidence and the manner in which these words are arranged in the form of a sentence is called syntax. Parts of Speech Words are divided into eight classes according to the work they do in a sentence. They are as follows: Nouns : A noun is “naming word”. It names somebody or something. Kinds of Nouns : Nouns may be divided into (a) common nouns and (b) proper nouns. Common nouns are the names given in common to all persons, places or things of the same class. For example, bank, shop, market, etc. Collective noun : Common nouns include another class known as collective nouns. e.g., batch, company, university, crowd, flock, etc. Proper nouns : are the names of particular persons, places or things. For example, India, Larsen and Tubro, Delhi, January, etc. Pronouns : Pronouns are used in place of nouns. Pronouns may be Personal and Relative. Personal Pronouns : To represent person or things., e.g., I, we, you, she, he, it him, us, them, etc. Relative Pronouns : The most common relative pronouns are whom, which and that. Possessive Pronouns : These show possession, e.g., mine, ours, yours their, its and hers. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 226 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Adjectives : A word used to describe or point out, a person, animal, place or thing which the noun names, or to tell the number and quantity, is called an Adjective. Eg : My CSEET Champs are INTELLIGENT. Verbs : A verb is a word that tells or asserts something about a person or thing. Verb comes from Latin Verbum, meaning a word. It is so called because it is the most important word in the sentence. Eg : You are STUDYING. Adverb : While Adjectives qualify or add to the meaning of nouns, adverbs modify the meaning not only of verbs, but also of adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions, etc. Eg : You are VERY intelligent student. Preposition : A Preposition, by definition is placed before a noun or its equivalent in order to show its relationship in terms of time, place, etc.: Eg : Our class will be held OVER zoom meeting. Conjunction : Conjunctions join words or even sentences conveying related ideas. Two commonly used conjunctions are: and but. Eg : My CSEET Champs are very intelligent BUT also notorious. Interjection : Interjections are words which are used in a sentence to express strong emotion or feeling. Eg : Oh my God ! www.CSCARTINDIA.com 227 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Types of Voices: As a general rule, we should use Active Voice in our sentences. Such sentences are shorter, direct and emphatic. Passive Voice is also found more suitable while drafting legal formulations as no identifiable subject can be mentioned. Eg : Mansi was painting the room. (Active Voice) The room was painted by Mansi. (Passive Voice) Articles : The words a or an and the are called Articles. They come before nouns. A or an is called the Indefinite Article, because it usually leaves indefinite the person or thing spoken of; as, The is called the Definite Article because it normally points out some particular person or thing. The indefinite article is used before singular countable nouns, e.g.,A car, an apple, a table. Tenses : www.CSCARTINDIA.com 228 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Types of Sentences : The clause that makes good sense by itself, and hence could stand by itself, as a separate sentence is called a Principal or Main Clause. A clause which cannot stand by itself and makes good sense but not complete sense are called a Dependent or Subordinate Clause. Loose sentences are suited to simple style of letter writing and are closer to the spoken form. Periodic Sentences are decorous and emphatic but more difficult to write. Shorter Sentences are easier to write as well as understand. Longer Sentences are prone to grammatical errors and need careful thought and planning. Prefixes : An affix “is an addition to the base form or stem of a word in order to modify its meaning or create a new word”. Suffix : It is a morpheme (minimal meaningful language unit) added at the end of a word to form a derivative. In other words an addition to the end of a word to form a derivative of the root word is a suffix. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 229 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Punctuations : The marks, such as full stop, comma, inverted commas, hypen and brackets are used in writing to separate sentences and their elements and to clarify meaning, are called punctuation marks. The various punctuations used in the English language are: – capital letters – colon – underline – space – full stop – dash – quotation marks – italics – hyphens – stroke – bold emphasis – apostrophe – asterisk – ellipsis – question mark – semicolon – paragraph – comma – abbreviations – numbers – brackets – exclamation mark. Space is the most basic form of punctuation which separates words, sentences, paragraphs and chapters. Usually one alphabet space is used between words and punctuation, and also after sentences, unless it is the last sentence of a paragraph, when the rest of the space on that line is left blank. The Full Stop (.) also known as a stop, point or period (in American English) is used to end a declarative sentence, a sentence which is not a question or an exclamation. Comma(,) is easily the most important punctuation mark within a sentence. Commas separate or enclose subordinate clauses and phrases in sentences. Its most typical use is to separate two main clauses that are linked by a conjunction. Hyphen (-) is used between words to clarify meaning. It also links words to form a compound word. The use of hyphen varies in different places; therefore there are no complete set of rules that can be applied to the use of hyphen. Semi colon (;) is used to separate two or more independant clauses that are placed together and which are of equal importance in the sentence. Colon (:) is a punctuation mark that has three major functions: – to introduce some kind of explanation. – To introduce examples. – To introduce quotations or direct speech. An Apostrophe (’) is used (i) to denote possession and other kinds of relationship. (ii) contractions of words. Quotation Marks (“ ”/‘ ’) also known as quotes or inverted commas are used to enclose material that is introduced into a text from outside it, such as quotations or words used by other people. Brackets also known as parentheses are of two kinds:- Crescent shaped ( ) Square shaped [ ]. Brackets are used to enclose certain contents, which the writer sets out apart so that the flow of the sentence is not interrupted. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 230 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Square Brackets are used to enclose words that are not usually intended to be the part of a sentence, but only as an editorial or authorial interjection. They are also used at times to enclose parentheses within another parentheses. Other Brackets : The other types of brackets are: *Brace brackets { } Example: Select your animal {goat, sheep, cow, horse} and come to the market. *Angle brackets Example: I found it on Games.com. These brackets are used only in specialised texts, mathematics and technical works. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 231 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Vocabulary is a person's own knowledge of words. Some of the reasons why it is important to enrich your list of vocabulary words are as follows: Building your vocabulary is important in reading comprehension. Building your vocabulary will improve your communication skills- verbal and written communication skills will improve and you may be able to better understand another individual. Building your vocabulary may help improve your personal life, social life and professional life. Vocabulary topics 1. Choice of Words Range or repertoire Audience Type of communication The message you intend to convey Context and usage Regional or national differences Improving Vocabulary www.CSCARTINDIA.com 232 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Tips for choosing the right words : Simplicity Use familiar words Jargon (Jargon is language that is unique to a particular field of knowledge, e.g., science, technology, art, trade or a profession.) Avoid using superfluous words/Verbosity (uses excessive or superfluous words or using more words than necessary) Choose short words Select words for precise meaning Use Gender-neutral words (Eg : Chairperson instead of Chairman) Synonyms : Synonyms are words that have very nearly the same meaning. Eg : Achieve accomplish, execute, gain. Antonyms : Antonym is a word opposite or contrary in meaning to another word. Eg : Ability Inability, Oral Written Homophone : The word, homo, means “same,” and phone means “sound.” Homophones are two words that sound the same, but have different meanings. Eg : Ate, Eight Ate is the simple past tense of the verb “to eat.” I ate an entire pizza and now I’m really full and tired. Eight is noun, the number after seven and before nine. Homonym : There’s another word that begins with homo-, which speakers often confuse with homophone are known as homonym. Again, the word homo- means “same,” but –nym means “name.” A homonym is a single word (with one spelling) that has more than one meaning. Eg : Bat – Bat I am afraid of bats. It’s his first time at bat in the major leagues. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 233 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Syllable : A syllable is the minimum rhythmic sound of a spoken language. Abbreviations : An abbreviation is a short way of writing a word or a phrase that could also be written out in full. Abbreviations are the shortened form of a word, phrase or text. Abbreviations are very rarely used in formal writing. Eg : Etc. is the widely used abbreviation for ‘etcetera’ P.S. post scriptum. The abbreviation indicates a last-minute addition to a letter or document. Don’t Abbreviate the following : – Words such as through (thru), night (nite). – Days of the week or months of the year (in the normal flow of text). – Words at the beginning of a sentence. – People’s names, unless those abbreviations have come to be accepted as nicknames for those particular individuals. – Courses such as eco (for economics) or pol sc (for political science). Acronyms : Acronyms are words formed from the initial letters of other words. Eg : UNICEF (United Nations International Children Emergency Fund) Phrase: A Phrase is a group of words, a part of sentence which does not make a complete sentence, but has an independent meaning and makes some sense. Eg: on the hill, about town, under the tree, etc. Proverbs: Proverbs contain home truths as well as universal truths. Birds of a feather flock together. (People of like character come together). www.CSCARTINDIA.com 234 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Foreign Words and Phrases ab initio (L) : from the beginning ab origin (L) : from the origin bona fide (L) : genuine sincere (He is a bona fide citizen of India) status quo (L) : the existing condition (status quo on the border should be maintained) ultra vires (L) : beyond one’s authority viva voce (L) : an oral examination www.CSCARTINDIA.com 235 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students COMPREHENSION OF PASSAGE AND ART OF SUMMARISING The word comprehension means the ability to understand what you listen or what you read. Your main task is to answer the questions asked from the passage. Important Strategy to Solve Comprehension Passages: Read the passage as fast as possible. Get thoroughly involved with the paragraph to understand it. Underline important lines or parts of the passage to answer the questions. It will also help to understand the main idea of the passage or the tone or mood of the author. Try to translate a complex line in an easy one in your own words and your own language. This will help you in analyzing the main idea of the paragraph and in seeking the cause and effects of the passage. Underline or mark the keywords. These will help you to discover the logical connections in the passage and help in understanding it better. Try to understand some certain unfamiliar words by reading the line thoroughly. The theme of the line will make you understand the meaning of the words. Determine the main idea, tone or mood, inferential reasoning, and other details from the paragraph. Do not assume anything based on your personal belief. Look back at the paragraph when in doubt. Read the questions and all the alternative provided and choose the most appropriate one. Para Jumbles Para Jumbles are basically jumbled paragraphs. You are provided with a paragraph but the sentences are not in the right sequence. You have to rearrange the sentences so that they turn out into a meaningful paragraph. Key skills required : Understanding the topic of the paragraph www.CSCARTINDIA.com 236 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Understanding the information flow Sentence Correction : Sentence Correction or Error Spotting is the one of the most scoring area of verbal section.A sentence is the basic unit of language. A sentence is a group of words that have a syntax and convey a certain meaning. You are required to check if there is any error in the sentence or in the marked parts of it. Sentence Arrangement : Jumbled Sentences are a must for good English. This is usually known by many names like rearranging of words, rearranging sentences, jumbled words, word order exercises, make a sentence with the word, put the words in the correct order to make sentences, sentence order, sentence formation etc. Rearranging the words in a meaningful sentence is an art. Sentence Completion : In these exercises, students must choose the correct answer to fill in the blank. Some sentences contain a single blank, while others may contain two. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 237 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Lesson 2 COMMUNICATION Concept of Communication : Communication is a process that involves sending and receiving messages through the verbal and non-verbal methods. Communication is a two-way means of communicating information in the form of thoughts, opinions, and ideas between two or more individuals with the purpose of building an understanding. Definitions : According to Newman and Summer, “communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons” According to Leland Brown, “communication is the transmission and interchange of facts, ideas, feelings or course of action”. As per Davis, “communication is a process of passing information and understanding from one another.” Significance of Communication : The following points can illustrate the importance of communication in human resource management: 1. Base for Action : Starting of any activity begins with communication which brings information necessary to begin with. 2. Planning Becomes Easy: Planning is made easy by communication 3. Means of Coordination: Communication is an important tool for coordinating the efforts of various people at work 4. Aids in Decision-Making: The information collected through communication aids in decision-making. 5. Provides Effective Leadership: A communication skill bring manager near to his subordinates and exchange ideas and submits appropriate proposals, knows their opinions, seeks advices and make decisions. 6. Boosts Morale and Motivation: An effective communication system in stills confidence among subordinates and workers ensuring change in their attitude and behaviour. Definition of Business Communication : In the opinion of W. H. Newman and C. F. Summer: “Communication is an exchange of facts, ideas, opinions or emotions by two or more persons.” According to Rosenblatt: “Business communication is a process of exchanging ideas or opinions, information, orders and the like, expressed either personally or not through certain signs or symbols to achieve certain company goals.” Brennan defines business as: “Business communication is the expression, channelling, receiving and interchanging of ideas in commerce and industry.” www.CSCARTINDIA.com 238 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students According to the Oxford Living Dictionary: “The imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing or using some other medium.” Reasons Why Business Communication is Important: Communication… Helps in Enhances Helps in increasing business increasing productivity partnerships customers Facilitates Preparation of Information innovations in plans and exchange business policies Types of Business Communication : There are 4 main types of business communication in any organization or business i.e. 1. Internal Business Communication : Internal Business Communication means communication that occurs within the members of the organization. This communication includes both formal and informal communication. a. Internal (Upward) Communication: This type of internal communication involves the bottom to the top management approach. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 239 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students The characteristics of upward internal business communication include:  It includes bottom to top approach i.e. subordinates to superiors.  Its nature is participative.  The main purpose is to provide timely feedback, suggestions, making requests, escalating any issues or concerns, etc. to superiors.  The flow of the information is from the lower level to the upper level. b. Internal (Downward) Communication: In downward communication, the information flows from the top-level management to the employees in an organization. The characteristics of downward internal business communication include:  It includes top to bottom approach i.e. superiors to subordinates.  Its nature is directive.  Main purpose is to communicate organizational objective, plans and procedures, instructions, etc. to subordinates.  The flow of the information is from the upper level to the lower level. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 240 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students 2. Horizontal/Lateral Business Communication : Lateral or horizontal communication is related to communication among co-workers i.e. either verbal communication or written communication. This may include inter-departmental communication or communication between cross-departments and can be between people of the same or similar rank in a company. 2. External Business Communication : Communication with people who are external to the organization is known as external business communication. External communication facilitates increasing sales volume, effective operations, an increase in profits of organization, etc. Methods of Communication for Business : Verbal communication: Verbal communication is the use of language to transfer information through speaking or sign language, including active listening. Examples of verbal communication in the workplace include virtual meetings, phone calls and in-person conversations. Nonverbal communication: Nonverbal communication is the use of gestures, facial expressions and other nonverbal cues to convey information to others. Nonverbal communication includes smiling or frowning, crossing your arms and nodding. Written communication: Organisations may deliver written communication through print or digital media. Examples include emails, Business letters, memos, reports and other documentation that clients read to learn about a brand or materials that employees share with each other to relay important information. Visual communication: is the use of images and graphics to convey information. Companies typically use visuals alongside verbal or written communication toprovide helpful context and clarification. Visual communication can include charts, maps, infographics and videos. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 241 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Communication Process : There is a total of seven major elements involved in the process of communication; they are: Sender Communication Encoding Message Channel Receiver Decoding Feedback Means of Communication : 1. Verbal Communication Verbal communication is also known as spoken communication. Verbal communication can be done by means of direct face-to-face contact, telephonic conversation, television, FM radio, and any other means of verbal or spoken communication. 2. Non-Verbal Communication The second type of communication category is the opposite of verbal communication, which is non- verbal communication. Non-verbal communication includes the body gestures which a person makes, how a person is dressed up for a particular thing like dance, drama, thriller, etc. The tonal expressions or the mood of a person are also an example of non-verbal communication. 3. Written Communication The other kind of category of communication is the written communication which includes writing letters to someone for conveying the message, sending proposals or postcards to communicate. Internet or web writings is also another kind of written communication. 4. Visualizations Communication can also be established between the sender and the receiver via visuals like pictorial representations and graphs etc. To communicate something related to stats or data and to make some kind of analysis, communication through visuals helps. Modes of Communication : Verbal Communication : Ability to Motivate - Works well to motivate and convince people Personal and/or confidential discussions - Works well for personal discussions like bouncing off an idea. Or can be used well with 1 to few people Suited well for confidential communication Natural & Easy - After non-verbal communication, verbal communication is the next one that is picked up before one learns to write. Hence, it comes more naturally and easily than written communication Transient and not reusable - The whole communication cannot be reused or transferred to another person without additional repetition. Hence, it is not scalable if there is a need that others need to be included into the conversation or even at the least to be informed Unstructured or semi-structured - Provides scope to keep the conversation open ended and evolve as the conversation proceeds Synchronous - It goes without saying that the people involved have to be there at the same time. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 242 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Multi geography teams are becoming the norm rather than the exception. This can be a challenge if relied upon a lot. Visual augmentation - When the communication needs to augmented with visual cues, whether it is empathy or urgency etc., it is possible to do that. Written Communication : 1 to Many - Write once and read multiple times. The cost of incremental communication to new audience is close to nil. This has powered the exponential reach of information whether it be palm leaves, to books, to the internet. Structured - Written communication infuses some amount of structure into the communication. Asynchronous - The communicator and communicated do not have to be online at the same time. This can be a huge differentiator with geographically distributed teams. It enables people to work in parallel. It makes people independent Random Access pattern - It can account for varying levels of interest in the topic. E.g. one person may be interested only in the high level objectives and overall flow, while others are interested in the complete details. Both types of people can efficiently process the document Referenceable - Both verbal and written communication can refer to other written documents. While it is possible to refer to verbal communications to some extent, it is not as efficient and simple Referable - When there is some loss of information from the original state, the written document can be referred again to set the information back to its original state Durable - Similar to the ACID properties of a database, written information is durable. Whatever it is, it will remain the same over time or as it is transferred Lots of details - When there are lots of details, written mode serves the purpose well Combinations of some of these characteristics - As an example, Random Access Pattern and Referenceable can be a combined requirement. Hybrid - Written and Verbal Communication both : This form of hybrid communication will have the combined pros and cons of the individual forms although each at a more subdued level. Hence, it can be used to choose the best of breed approach i.e. written form for its advantages and the verbal form for its advantages. Complex information - With complex information, just verbal or written usually does not suffice. A hybrid mode suits this well Discussion - Discussions are possible in a verbal mode also. The Structured attribute of written communication provides a nice foundation to have an efficient discussion on. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 243 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Types of Communication Internal Communication When people within the organisation communicate with one another, it is said to be an internal communication. People also communicate within the organisation at a personal level. This is known as informal communication. All modes of non-verbal communication may be used in internal communication. Some of the modes of written communication are Memo, Report, Office order, Circulars, Staff Newsletter, Email, Fax, Notice, Agenda, Notes on Agenda, Minutes of Meetings, Manuals, etc. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 244 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Communication Networks : In an organization, members contact each other and the pattern of contacts or flow of information is the communication network. 1. Vertical Network : The communication which passes from one person or process to another person or process in a vertical pattern is called Vertical Network. 2. Circuit Network : When the communication between two people happens simultaneously in a circuit is called Circuit Network. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 245 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students 3. Chain Network : This network is in a hierarchical level and follows a series of commands. Here bottom to top communication does not happen. 4. Wheel Network : The commands or information is from a single superior and subordinates form a wheel in the network. The entire network is highly centralized format and expects immediate feedback once the message is given to the receiver. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 246 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students 5. Star Network : This network enables people to communicate with each other or with people who are involved in the same process. Characteristics of Communication Network : The information to be passed or the message to be shared among the people in the same network should be clear and should be free from any jargon. The message has to be concise which only then the listener be careful to read with full attention and with no loss of concentration. The message passed should be explained well with concrete information. The messages should be passed in relevant order. The transmitter person should be honest, respecting others and open with the listener at the bottom level or end of the conversation. The listener also plays an important role in the communication network. Care should be there from the listener’s side to focus the message when it is sent from the other end. Miscommunication should not happen. Emotions should be controlled while passing information. Digital Communication : What is digital communication? Digital communication is any type of communication that relies on the use of technology. How to choose the right communication channels? Take a look at your budget Consider your message Get familiar with your team Advantages of Digital Communication : In digital signals, the impact of noise interference, distortion is more minor. It facilitates video conferencing that saves time, money, and effort. It is less expensive. It is used in military applications. The correction and detection of errors are easy in digital communication. As compared to analog signals, it is easy to save and retrieve digital signals. In digital signals, the configuring process is easy as compared to analog signals. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 247 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students There is a standard encoding technique in most digital circuits. So for several processes, similar devices can be used. The probability of cross-talk is significantly less in digital communication. The implementation of hardware is more flexible in digital communication. In digital communication, to avoid signal jamming, the spread spectrum technique is used. It also facilitates audio conferencing by which we can talk to someone or a group of people. Thus, it saves time, effort, and money. To maintain the secrecy of information, the signal processing functions like compression and encryption are employed in digital circuits. Digital communication is cheaper and more straightforward compared to analog signals because of the advancement of IC technologies. Disadvantages of digital communication in the workplace : here is high power consumption in digital communication. There is a requirement for synchronization in the case of synchronous modulation. There is a sampling error. The most common limitation of digital communication is that it requires more transmission bandwidth. It is due to the higher data rate because of analog to digital conversion. Digital communication requires analog to digital conversion at a high rate. There can be a possibility of miscommunication if a user doesn’t understand something. Essential Digital Communication Channels for Business : Social Instagram Media Facebook Twitter Email Marketing : Email is the currency of the web, and anybody online has an active email address. Blogs : It is possible to build a cycle of publications with blogs and create new ways of approaching your audience. Websites : Whatever the size of your company, a website can give your business the online presence it needs to communicate and/or sell to prospects. Videos : videos aren’t only used to entertain or promote products and services. They are produced and also used for didactical and educational purposes. External complaint channels : www.CSCARTINDIA.com 248 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Since not everything is a bed of roses, it’s common to have unhappy customers that complain about your product or service on communication channels, which you don’t necessarily control. Phone calls: One of the most common communication channels in business is a phone call. In-person: In-person, verbal conversations are some of the most common and effective communication channels in a business. Customer service: This sector, which is often the gateway for the user, goes beyond customer service to clarify their doubts and solve their problems. Quality care transforms customer pain point solutions and can turn a defender of the brand. Listening Skills : Why are listening skills important? Building relationships Learning new skills Performing effectively Types of listening skills : Deep listening Deep listening occurs when you’re truly committed to understanding the speaker’s perspective and message. Full listening : Full listening includes trying to fully comprehend the practical content of a speaker’s message. Critical listening : Critical listening involves using logic and reasoning to separate opinion and fact when listening to a speaker’s message. Therapeutic listening: Therapeutic listening is a more intimate type of listening that often involves receiving information from a speaker about their challenges or emotional situations. How to practise Effective listening skills : 1. Limit distraction 2. Practice objectivity 3. Reflect 4. Clarify 5. Summarise 6. Use body language 7. Share 8. Give your full attention 9. Pace the conversation 10. Ask meaningful questions 11. Recall previous information www.CSCARTINDIA.com 249 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Barriers in Effective listening : 1. Physical barriers in communication: Physical barriers can be anything that blocks the ability to hear what is being said. This can include noise, obstructions, and distance. External noise can be anything from a construction site next door to people talking loudly in the office or the sound of traffic outside of your window. 2. Emotional barriers: Emotional barriers are emotional factors that get in the way of effective listening. These include both positive and negative emotions, such as being excited, angry, upset, or distracted. It’s difficult to focus on something else when emotions come in the way of concentration. For example, if you’re upset about something that happened earlier in the day, it will be challenging to focus on what the person in front of you is saying. 3. Psychological barriers to effective listening: Psychological barriers are similar to emotional barriers, but they are based on our thoughts rather than feelings. Sometimes, we tend to assume we know what the other person is going to say, think about what we’re going to say next, or judge the person we’re listening to. 4. Cultural barriers: Cultural barriers can be seen in both social and business contexts. These could be caused by differences in ethnicity, religion, traditions, or social status. Business cultural barriers arise when there is a difference in how business is done in different parts of the world. This can be because of different laws, customs, or social norms. 5. Language Barriers: In our global society, a language barrier is probably one of the most common obstacles to effective listening. It can exist when there is a language difference between the two individuals talking or when one person has a poor understanding of the spoken language. It is important to note that a language barrier does not have to be an issue of nationality or ethnicity. It could simply be a difference in dialect. 6. Time Pressure: This barrier is based on the idea that people feel they do not have enough time to listen. 7. Pace of speech: The speed of speech can often be a barrier to effective listening. 8. Tone of voice: The tone of voice can also be a barrier to effective listening. 9. Interruptions: Interruptions can come from either side of the conversation, and they can be physical or verbal. A physical interruption might be someone grabbing your arm to get your attention while you are talking or people trying to talk over each other. 10. Information overload: When there is too much information coming at someone, it can be challenging to focus on one thing. 11. Bias: Bias includes prejudice or assumptions about others based only on their appearance, gender, race, religion, and other factors. Non-verbal signs of ineffective listening at work : Some of these signs include looking at their phone, playing with something on their desk, yawning, drumming their fingers, pacing around the room, or checking things off a list while someone’s talking to them. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 250 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students How to overcome listening barriers : Follow these steps to overcome listening barriers at work: Minimize distractions. Prioritize listening over speaking. Reduce outside noise. Practice reflecting instead of deflecting. Ask questions. Listen fully before giving advice. Communication barriers : Communication barriers are something that prevents us from correctly getting and accepting the messages others use to communicate their information, thoughts and ideas. Types of Communication Barriers : www.CSCARTINDIA.com 251 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Ways to Overcome Barriers to Communication : Be Aware of Communicate Consult Others Language, Tone According to the before and Content of Need of the Communication Message Receiver Convey Things of Ensure Proper Help and Value to Feedback the Listener Consistency of Follow up Receive proper Message Communication feedback www.CSCARTINDIA.com 252 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Lesson 3 BUSINESS CORRESPONDENCE A business letter is usually a letter from one business entity to another, or between such organizations and their customers or clients and other related parties. Letterhead : A letterhead is the printed stationery, which carries the essential information about the company or the organisation. Since the first contact with a company is usually made through its letterhead, companies spend considerable time, effort and money on getting it designed. A letterhead generally carries a company logo, tagline, the name and address of the registered office, corporate office of the company, Corporate Identity Number (CIN) and its contact numbers and website and e-mail addresses of the company. Sample : Reference Number : A reference number helps us in retrieving the letter at a later stage. Date : The date must be written in full without abbreviating the name of the month. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 253 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Special Markings : A few spaces below the date, one may show special markings such as Confidential, Air Mail, through Registered Post/Courier/Speed Post etc. Inside Address : The complete name and address of the recipient is written below the special markings. Attention Line : If the letter is addressed to a company or one of its departments but the sender wishes it to be dealt with by a particular individual, then an attention line may be inserted either above or below the inside address. Salutation : The choice of a salutation depends on the extent of formality one wishes to observe. ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ may be used as a standard salutation Subject Heading : It is useful to provide a subject heading in longer letters. Main Body : The main body of letter may be divided into three parts. Most business letters begin with a brief introduction, which states the purpose of the letter. Complimentary Close : The complimentary close should match the salutation in terms of formality or lack of it. Signatory : After leaving four to five spaces for the signature, the name of the sender may be written in capitals within brackets followed by the designation Enclosures/Copies Circulated : List of enclosures or details of those to whom copies of the letter are being circulated may be given below the designation of the sender. Annexures : If we wish to annex some documents with the letter, then information about these may be listed at the end. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 254 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Type of Business Letters : Type of Business Letters Formal Informal Business Business Letter Letter Layout of Letters : Blocked Format : In the blocked format of letter layout, the date of the letter, all references, subject, salutation, the paragraphs in the body of the letter, conclusion and signature, all commence at the left margin. Semi-Blocked Format : This style is often termed as modified block style letter. In the semi-blocked format of a layout of a letter the date of the letter, conclusion and signature are aligned to the right of the letter. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 255 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Essentials of a Good Business Letter : Positive messages include messages where the audience is expected to react in a neutral to positive manner. Positive messages tend to consist of routine or good Positive news. Messages In this type of message, the audience is expected to need encouragement in Persuasive order to act as the sender desires. Messages Negative messages include messages where the audience is expected to react in a negative manner. Negative Negative messages consist of bad news. Messages Businesses messages include messages from the Chairman of the Company to the shareholder, employees or related to sales and purchases, products, and Business services, confirmation or cancellation of orders, invoices, company Messages announcements and notifications. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 256 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Business Reports : The word ‘Report’ is derived from the Latin “reportare” which means to carry back (re=back+ portare = to carry). A report, therefore, is a description of an event carried back to some who was not present on the scene. Inter and Intra-Departmental Communication : 1. Memorandum : The term Memorandum (Memos) has often been misunderstood as a part of disciplinary proceedings. Nor are salutation and complimentary close used. Informal tone and use of personal pronouns is allowed. Numbering is optional. Titles such as Interoffice Communication, Office www.CSCARTINDIA.com 257 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Memorandum or Interoffice Correspondence may be used in place of more commonly used Memorandum. 2. Office Circulars : Office circulars are for disseminating information to a large number of employees within the organisation. Since it is an internal communication, therefore it has traditionally been brief and business-like formal and devoid of salutation. 3. Office Orders : Office Orders have a format similar to that of memorandums. What makes them different is the purpose and tone employed. They generally deal with matters affecting rights and privileges of employees. The language used is formal and legally common. 4. Office Notes : Office Notes are exchange between two different departments. Companies follow a particular format for ‘notes’ of this type. The actual layout of the ‘Note’ may differ from company to company. Management Information Systems (MIS) Major postulates of Management Information Systems are: Information is provided by extraction and manipulation of operational data. Information formats are pre-specified and fixed Information form of a MIS is periodic, exception and based on demands It provides information about the performance of the organization. It supports the intelligence and implementation stages of decision making. It supports structured decisions for operational and tactical planning and control. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 258 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Elements of MIS : Management : The term “Management” as defined by Marry Follett is “The art of getting things done through people” Information : It is a source for increment in knowledge. In MIS, it is obtained by processing data in to a form meaningful to the users. System : A physical system is a set of components that operate together to achieve a common objective or multiple objectives. Structure of Management Information System : The levels of management consist of top, middle, and first line management (supervisory). The activities in the organizations are of three types: – Strategic planning, – Tactical and – Operational Characteristics of MIS : Transformation of Comprehensiveness Co-ordinated Integration Sub-systems Data into Information Conforms to Enhance Relevant Uses Established Managers’ Styles Feedback Productivity Information Quality Criteria and Characteristics Selective Sharing of Flexibility Modularity Computerized Data www.CSCARTINDIA.com 259 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Basic Requirement of MIS : Operations Hardware Software Database Procedures Personnel Limitations of MIS : 1. The quality of the outputs of MIS is basically governed by the quality of inputs and processes. 2. MIS is not a substitute for effective management. 3. MIS may not have requisite flexibility to quickly update itself with the changing needs of time, especially in the fast changing and complex environment. 4. MIS cannot provide tailor made information packages suitable for the purpose of every type of decisions made by executives. 5. MIS takes into account mainly quantitative factors; thus it ignores non-quantitative factors 6. MIS is less useful for making non-programmed decision-making. Such type of decisions is not of routine type and thus they require information, which may not be available from existing MIS to executives. 7. The effectiveness of MIS is reduced in the organization, where the culture is to hold information and not share with others. 8. MIS effectiveness decreases due to frequent changes in top management organizational structure and operational team. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 260 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students CONCEPT OF E-CORRESPONDENCE World Wide Web : The World Wide Web, or simply Web, is a way of accessing information over the medium of the Internet. It is an information-sharing model that is built on top of the Internet. Browser : A Web browser is software application that enables you to find, retrieve, and display information available on the World Wide Web (WWW). Internet : The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks. E-Correspondence : E-Correspondence is commonly known as ‘email-correspondence’ or ‘electronic correspondence’. It is an electronic method of providing you with important information on your email address. Email : Tomlinson is called the ‘father of email’ and is credited with its invention. Features of Email : Cost-Effective Electronic Packages Interface Attachments Spam Signature Search Changes at the Cloud Storage Workplace www.CSCARTINDIA.com 261 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Features of an Email Accounts : Sent Mail Spam Drafts Trash Email Etiquette : Be Professional Be Concise Mind Your Manners Watch Your Tone Use Correct Spelling and Proper Grammar Wait to Fill in the “TO” Email Address www.CSCARTINDIA.com 262 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Advantages of Email : Disadvantages of Email : Intranet: The word ‘intra’ means within or internal. It is like the internet, except that it contains information specific to the particular organization. External people, who are not on the network cannot access the intranet. Most companies use their intranet in place of paper and emails because it gives information to everyone within the company, regardless of their location. Thus, all employees in an organisation get to know about the carried happenings. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 263 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Benefits of Intranet : Purpose of Intranet : The purpose of the intranet is for internal communication. Increasingly, intranets are being used to deliver tools and applications, e.g., collaboration (to facilitate working in groups and teleconferencing) or sophisticated corporate directories, sales and customer relationship management tools, project management, etc., to advance productivity. Intranet user-experience, editorial, and technology team work together to produce in-house sites. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 264 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Extranet : An extranet is a private network that uses Internet technology and the public telecommunication system to securely share part of a business's information or operations with suppliers, vendors, partners, customers, or other businesses. An extranet can be viewed as part of a company's intranet that is extended to users outside the company. Companies can use an extranet to: (i) Exchange large volumes of data using Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). (ii) Share product catalogues exclusively with wholesalers or those "in the trade" (iii) Team up with other companies on joint development efforts (iv) Jointly develop and use training programs with other companies (v) Provide or access services provided by one company to a group of other companies, such as an online banking application managed by one company on behalf of affiliated banks (vi) Share news of common interest exclusively with partner companies. Difference between Intranet and Extranet : www.CSCARTINDIA.com 265 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Intranet Extranet a tool for sharing tool for sharing information between information throughout the internal members the organization. and external members. owned by either a owned by a single single or a many organization organization security is implemented through a firewall in security is implemented order to separate the through a firewall. extranet and the internet managed by an managed by many organization organizations. connected devices are limited number of comparable with the connected devices intranet. it is also a private network in which public network is used in private network type order to share the information to the suppliers and customers. used in order to get used to check status, employee information, access data, send mail, telephone directory place order etc etc. limited and limited and compromisedversion of compromised version Extranet. of Internet. accessible to only the regulated by multiple members of organizations. organization accessible to members restricted area is upto of organization as well an organization as external members with logins. restricted area is upto an organization and derived from Internet. some of its stakeholders. derived from Intranet. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 266 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students Lesson 4 COMMON BUSINESS TERMINOLOGIES ‘Business Terminology’ is the main vehicle by which facts, opinions and other ‘higher’ units of knowledge are represented and conveyed. Ten Basic but Most Important Terms / Words in Business English : Management : those in charge of running a business Business : the activity of providing goods and services involving financial and commercial and industrial aspects Marketing : the commercial processes involved in promoting and selling and distributing a product or service Profit : the amount of money left over after expenses are taken out Telecommuting : involves working at home usually on a computer Downsizing : a planned reduction in the number of employees needed in a firm in order to reduce costs and make the business more efficient Outsourcing : contracting out selected functions or activities of an organization to other organizations that can do the work more cost efficiently R & D or Research and Development : Business or government activity that is purposely designed to stimulate invention and innovation Headquarters : (usually plural) the office that serves as the administrative center of an enterprise Market : the world of commercial activity where goods and services are bought and sold. ACT OF GOD A term usually used in insurance to denote risks and dangers arising out of natural causes that are beyond human control. ADJOURNMENT Postponement of a court session until another time or place. AGENDA A program listing items of business to be transacted in a meeting. AMALGAMATION The coming together of two or more previously autonomous businesses into a single undertaking. ANNUAL RETURN A statutory document filed by every company annually with the Registrar of Companies, stating the particulars such as status, names of directors, shareholders, indebtness etc. of the company. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 267 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students ASSET Anything to which money value can be attached, owned by a business or individual. BALANCE SHEET The financial statement generally prepared at the end of a period usually the financial year showing the assets, liabilities and net worth of an organisation. BANKRUPTCY A legal condition where a person or a business in which liabilities exceed the assets and the debtor is unable to repay amounts owed. CAVEAT EMPTOR A legal doctrine literally meaning ‘let the buyer beware’ DEED A legal document in writing, signed, sealed and delivered by the person making the deed. DISSOLUTION The legal end of a marriage, also called a divorce. DIVIDEND A return on investment on securities such as shares dependent on the profitability of the company EARNINGS BEFORE INTEREST AND TAXES (EBIT) EBIT refers to earnings before interest and taxes. GAAP Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. GOODWILL An intangible saleable asset, such as reputation or location of a business, which makes the business worth more than its book value. INSIDER TRADING Trading in a company’s shares by a person connected with and having access to its sensitive, unpublished and confidential information. IAS International Accounting Standards. IMF International Monetary Fund. LIBEL Defamatory material in recorded form as opposed from slander which is oral. The victim may file a suit for damages. MCA Ministry of Corporate Affairs. NABARD National Bank for Agricultural & Rural Development. NASDAQ National Association of Security Dealers Automated Quotations. PATENT A right or privilege granted by law to an inventor also called a patentee, to enjoy the fruits of his invention for a specified period. QUORUM The minimum number of members required to be present in order to transact business at a meeting. SEBI Securities and Exchange Board of India. SCAM A fraudulent activity where usually small sums of money is obtained from a large number of persons, so that the activity is not detected. TAKEOVER The acquisition of control of a company by another company achieved by the purchase of the majority of its shares. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 268 | P a g e  CSCARTINDIA One Stop Solution for CS Students TRADEMARK A distinctive mark or sign or symbol protected by law and placed on goods to identify the manufacturer. TRESPASS To enter someone’s land or property without their permission. It is an offence which is punishable in law. VISA It is an endorsement made on the passport of the traveller by the envoy of the country to which he intends to travel. WOLF Speculators who make a kill in the market WINDOW DRESSING A manoeuvre engaged in by companies, banks, mutual funds etc., at the end of the accounting period in order to impress stock holders who will be receiving the report showing that funds are better managed and invested than what might have been drawn up. www.CSCARTINDIA.com 269 | P a g e