Basic Business and Administrative Communication

By Elizabeth C. Annan-Prah

This book, Basic Business and Administrative Communication, is written with the ultimate aim of providing readers with basic business communication and administrative concepts. The book considers communication as a vital tool to the success of every business, and therefore presents in-depth coverage of the following topics:
Overview of communication
Models of communication
Context, levels, media, and barriers to communication
Lines of communication
Oral communication
Non-verbal communication
Listening in business communication
Essentials of effective business writing
Written communication
Job hunting, preparing resumes and interview guidelines
Meetings as an administrative function in organisations
Requisites of valid meetings
Roles of the secretary and chairperson at meetings
Report writing
The role of information communication technology in business communication
The author recognises the importance of skill development and provides practical examples of business documents such as business letters, memos, and itinerary that readers can follow to create their own to maximise their effectiveness and contribute to organisational success. The book is essential reading material for undergraduate and higher national diploma business students.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 25, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503568815

Elizabeth C. Annan-Prah

Elizabeth Cornelia Annan-Prah has a bachelor degree in Arts (Secretaryship) and MBA in Human Resource Management from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. She is a lecturer in the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, where she teaches courses in business communication, law and procedures of meeting, and human resource management. She also teaches on part-time at Archbishop Porter Girls’ Polytechnic and Cape Coast Workers’ College in Ghana. She is an experienced administrator and adept in organising training and short courses in administrative writing and career management for staff and students. She is currently pursuing her PhD in development studies and an editor for International Journal of Human Relations.

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Copyright © 2015 by Elizabeth C. Annan-Prah.

ISBN:       Softcover         978-1-5035-6882-2

                 eBook              978-1-5035-6881-5

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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Rev. date: 07/16/2015

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CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Preface

Part One: Theory of Communication

1.   The Concept of Communication

Learning Objectives

Introduction

Communication Defined

What Is Effective Communication?

Different Viewpoints on Communication

What Is Business Communication?

Importance of Business Communication to Organisations

Review Questions

2.   Models and Process of Communication

Learning Objectives

Introduction

Aristotle’s Model of Communication

Berlo’s Model of Communication

Source

Message

Channel

Receiver

Shannon and Weaver’s Model of Communication

Schramm’s Model of Communication

Helical Model of Communication

The Communication Process

Review Questions

3.   Channels of Communication

Learning Objectives

Introduction

Internal Communication

Types of Internal Communication

Downward Communication

Advantages of Downward Communication

Disadvantages of Downward Communication

Upward Communication

Advantages of Upward Communication

Disadvantages of Upward Communication

Vertical Communication

Horizontal/Lateral Communication

Merits of Horizontal Communication

Demerits of Horizontal Communication

Diagonal/Crosswise Communication

Advantages of Diagonal Communication

Disadvantages of Diagonal Communication

External Communication

Informal Communication

Grapevine Communication

Advantages of Grapevine Communication

Disadvantages of Grapevine Communication

Review Questions

Part Two: Methods and Modes of Communication

4.   Methods and Modes of Communication

Learning Objectives

Introduction

Verbal Communication

Oral Communication

Principles of Effective Oral Communication

Advantages of Oral Communication

Disadvantages of Oral Communication

Written Communication

Disadvantages of Written Communication

Non-Verbal Communication

The Use of Technology in Business Communication

Major Types of Technology used in Businesses

Telephone

How to Make or Receive a Call

Taking Messages

How to Handle Irate Callers

Checking Messages and Returning Calls

Networking

Teleconferencing

The Internet

Email

Advantages of Technology in Business Communication

Disadvantages of Technology in Business Communication

Review Questions

5.   Context, Media, and Barriers of Communication

Learning Objectives

Introduction

Context of Communication

Five Types of Communication Contexts

Media of Communication

Choosing an Appropriate Communication Channel

Barriers to Effective Communication

Cross-Cultural Communication

Barriers to Cross-Cultural Communication

Ethnocentrism

Stereotype

Strategies to Strengthen Cross-Cultural Communication

Review Questions

6.   Listening in Business Communication

Learning Objectives

Introduction

The Importance of Listening Skills in Business Communication

The Listening Process

Styles of Listening

Some Factors That Impede Effective Listening

Listening Strategies

Characteristics of a Good Listener

Developing Your Interpersonal Skills

Review Questions

Part Three: Business Writing and Correspondence

7.   Essentials of Business Writing

Learning Objectives

Introduction

Mechanical Precision

Manuscript and Typescript Correction Signs

Verbal Precision

Guidelines for Dividing Words

Factual Precision

Basic Formats of Business Documents

Shoulder Heading

Paragraph Heading

Side/Marginal Heading

Paragraphing

Indented Paragraph

Hanging Paragraph

Summarising

Review Questions

Choose the right words to fill the sentence.

8.   Business Correspondence

Learning Objectives

Introduction

Use the Six Cs of Communication

Use Special Formatting and Mechanical Techniques

Steps for Effective Written Communication

Writing Business Documents

Format of a Business Letter

Formats of Business Letters

Memorandum

Other Business Documents

Staff Newsletter

Letter of Acknowledgement

Letter of Claim

Letter of Adjustment

Circular Letters

Advertisements

Itinerary

Purpose of an itinerary. An itinerary helps in:

Creating the Itinerary

Review Questions

Part Four: Employment Communication

9.   Job Hunting

Learning Objectives

Introduction

Hunting for Job

Applying for Jobs

Employment Reference Letter

Creating Your Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Résumé

Creating the Sections of Your Résumé

Organising the Résumé

Review Questions

10. Job Interviews

Learning Objectives

Purpose of a Job Interview

Structured or Guided Interviews

Unstructured or Non-directed Interview

Preparing for the Interview as an Interviewee

Investigate the Company

Anticipate Questions and Prepare Your Answers

Making a Good Appearance on the Day of the Interview

Putting Yourself at Ease during the Interview

Helping Control the Dialogue

Answering Questions during the Interview

Evaluating the Interview

Follow-up Letter

Post-Interview Enquiry

Preparing for the Interview—the Interviewer

Questions Interviewers Ask at the Interview

Review Questions

Part Five: Meetings

11. Meetings in Organisations

Learning Objectives

Introduction

Defining Meeting

The Nature of Meetings

Distinction between Good, Bad, and Ugly Meetings

Types of Meetings

A Proxy Form

Informal Meetings

How to Plan a Meeting

Advantages and Disadvantages of Meetings

Advantages of Meetings

Disadvantages of Meetings

Review Questions

12. Conditions of a Valid Meeting

Learning Objectives

Properly Convened Meeting

Properly and Legally Constituted Meeting

A Properly Conducted Meeting

General Classification of Motions

How to Adjourn

Review Questions

13. Roles of Secretary and Chairperson in Meetings

Learning Outcomes

Introduction

The Role of the Secretary/Administrator before the Meeting

Secretary’s Duties during the Meeting

The Secretary’s Role after the Meeting

Demonstrating Etiquette and Good Manners during Meetings

Writing the Minutes of a Meeting

Importance of Minutes

Drafting of Minutes

Formatting the Minutes

Types of Minutes

Resolution Minutes

Narrative Minutes

The Role of the Chairperson in Meetings

Powers of the Chairperson during Meetings

How to Start the Meeting

Running through the Meeting

Review Questions

Part Six: Developing Reporting and Presentation Skills

14. Report Writing

Learning Objectives

Introduction

Forms of Reports

Steps to Follow to Write an Effective Report

Determine the Problem of the Report

The Preliminary Investigation

Gathering the Information—Methodology

Prepare and Plan for the Outline of the Report

Prepare and Review a Draft Report

Deliver Final Report

Structure of a Report

Structure of a Short Formal Report

Structure of an Extended Formal Report

The Prefatory Parts

The Body

Supplementary Parts

Review Questions

15. Developing Presentations Skills

Learning Objective

Informative Presentation

Persuasive Presentation

Entertaining Presentation

Preparing an Effective Presentation

Structuring a Presentation

Introduction

The Body

Use Visual Aids

Conclusion

Using PowerPoint in Preparing Your Presentation

Delivering Your Presentation

Ask Questions

Evaluating Your Presentation

Review Questions

Appendix A

Errors in Business Writing

References

TABLES AND FIGURES

Fig. 2.1. Aristotle’s model of communication

Fig. 2.2. Berlo’s model of communication

Fig. 2.3. Shannon and Weaver’s model of communication

Fig. 2.4. Schramm’s model of communication

Fig. 2.5. Helical model of communication

Fig. 2.6. The communication process

Fig. 4.1. Lines of communication in organisations

Fig. 4.2. Diagonal/crosswise communication

Fig. 7.1. Abbreviation signs

Fig. 7.2. Manuscript signs and their interpretations

Fig. 7.3. Example of a shoulder heading

Fig. 7.4. Example of a paragraph heading

Fig. 7.5. Example of a side/marginal heading

Fig. 7.6. Example of a block paragraph

Fig. 7.7. Example of indented paragraph

Fig. 7.8. Example of a hanging paragraph

Fig. 8.1. Example of full block format

Fig. 8.2. Example of a modified block style

Fig. 8.3. Example of an indented style

Fig. 8.4. Example of a memorandum

Fig. 8.5. An example of a newsletter

Fig. 9.5. Example of a letter of enquiry

Fig. 9.6. Example of a letter of acknowledgement

Fig. 9.7. Example of a letter of claim

Fig. 9.8. Example letter of adjustment

Fig. 8.9. Example of an itinerary

Fig. 10.1. Example of a solicited letter

Fig. 10.2. Example of an unsolicited letter

Fig. 10.3. An example of a reference letter written by an employer

Fig. 10.4. Reverse chronological résumé format

Fig. 10.5. Functional or skill-based résumé format

Fig. 6. Hybrid résumé format

Fig. 10.1: Example of a proxy form

Fig. 11.1. Example of a notice

Fig. 11.2. An example of a skeleton agenda

Fig. 11.3. An example of a detailed agenda

Fig. 13.1. Example of action minutes

Fig. 13.2. Example of minutes of resolution

Fig. 13.3. Example of a narrative minutes

To my lovely grandsons,

Jahim, Jaden, Jason, and Melvin.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This book titled Basic Business and Administrative Communication has become a reality because of input, ideas, and advice from colleague lecturers, past students, and researchers who shared their ideas through published papers and conferences.

I am grateful to God for the strength and wisdom endowed me through my career, and whose divine providence I have written this book. I first of all thank all the authors acknowledged at the end of this book, whose works have guided the writing of this book. I am indebted to Prof. Edward Marfo-Yiadom, Mr. F. O. Boachie-Mensah, Dr. (Mrs.) Gladys E. Ekuban, and Mr. John Kofi Nyan for their encouragement in my academic and writing career. To my colleagues—Mrs. Mavis Benneh Mensah and Mrs. Rebecca Dei Mensah—I say a big thank-you for your advice.

I thank Very Rev. Fr. Bonaventure G. Annan and Ms. Salormey Ofori-Appiah for their initial review of this book. I am most grateful for their attention to detail and the promptness with which they supported me.

My publisher, Xlibris, has provided a strong editorial and support staff to put this book together. I am highly grateful to May Vinece Sienes, the Editor and the Xlibris Copyediting Team in general for their patience, their creativity, and their attention to details. I am thankful for their knowledge towards the appearance of the book.

My sincerest gratitude to you, Mr. Samuel Eduah, Edsam Printing Press, for the professional advice and support from the beginning of my write-up to the final publication. You have been a real brother and encourager. I am grateful.

Finally, I am most grateful to my husband, Prof. Anthony Annan-Prah, for providing a sounding board of ideas, a keen interest in formatting, and his spirit of dedication. To my children—Charlotte, Anastasia, Joseph Christopher, and Sarah Elizabeth Annan-Prah—you have been my source of inspiration for writing this book.

PREFACE

Effective communication is the lifeblood of every organisation. The corporate image of any organisation to the public is directly related to its standard of communication and administrative operations. Communication is needed for exchanging information and ideas, making plans and proposals, reaching agreements, executing decisions, sending and fulfilling orders, and conducting sales, among others. It is communication that strengthens the ties between businesses and political, religious, and social groups. The efficiency with which a service is provided has a great bearing on the efficiency of the whole organisation and on its continued success. Good business communication skill is a fundamental factor for the fulfilment of the office function and in the achievement of corporate objectives. To sustain an organisation, there is the need to read, listen, speak, and write effectively.

The book comprises fifteen chapters under six broad parts.

• Part 1 is on theory of communication, which comprises the concept of communication, models and process, and channels of business communication.

• Part 2 focuses on methods and modes, context, media and barriers, and listening in business communication.

• Part 3 deals with essentials of business writing and business correspondence.

• Part 4 looks at job hunting, résumés, and job interviews in organisations.

• Part 5 covers meetings, conditions of a valid meeting, and the roles played by secretaries and chairpersons during meetings.

• The final part, part 6, dwells on report writing and developing presentation skills.

This Basic Business and Administrative Communication book is designed as a useful teaching material for students pursuing business courses. Students will learn good interpersonal skills while developing writing skills required for success in the workplace. Teachers will find this book easier to use when teaching business communication. It will also serve as a quick reference guide to office administrators. The content is flexible, specific, interesting, and up-to-date. It is the wish of the writer that users will develop the impetus to improve both their oral and written communication skills to meet their professional goals.

PART ONE

Theory of Communication

1

The Concept of Communication

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to

1. clarify the meaning, elements, and viewpoints of communication;

2. distinguish between communication and effective business communication;

3. convey the need and importance of communication;

4. help readers apply the skills of communication.

Introduction

All living things communicate through sound, speech, visible changes, body movements, and gestures or in the best possible way to make others aware of their thoughts, feelings, problems, happiness, or any other information. Plants communicate through the signs they show with respect to their blossoming or withering. For example, in rainy season, the leaves become green and bear fruits, communicating that it is time for reaping. These leaves wither, and they are shed off during the dry season. Animals communicate through the sounds they make and even their movements to show the situation they are in.

Human beings, as social animals, have special qualities that separate them from the animal and inanimate things. Therefore, human communication is different from the others. For example, babies cry to draw the attention of their mothers to a peculiar situation—either being hungry, sick, or just for cuddle. As we grow, we communicate through speeches, sounds, body movements, dressing, and gestures. People use simple gestures, such as a friendly handshake, a smile, or even a hug to communicate in different ways.

Culturally, wall paintings, writings and pictorial messages, symbols, and scribbles have been used to mark down the major events of history. These show that human beings have relied on different forms of communication from time immemorial to relay messages to one another. Hence, principles of communication are founded on a mixture of ancient oral and written traditions.

In organisations, business people communicate to clients, employees, and the public through the exchange of information. The reason is to influence someone to behave in a particular way. For example, a leader wants to influence followers to support a decision made to increase company productivity; people in marketing or sales want to influence customers to purchase a particular commodity; and customers also want to influence organisations to produce goods to meet their interests and needs. To influence people, there is the need to know them, understand them, establish a relationship with them, and maintain a mutual trust. These attributes could be achieved through communication.

The success of any business in today’s turbulent environment depends on the ability of the business person to communicate effectively. Thus, communication is the engine that drives management to perform their basic functions of planning, organising, directing, staffing, coordinating, and controlling in organisations. They do these through the exchanges of opinions, ideas, and information using forms such as dialogues, illustrations, signs, inscriptions, or even behaviour. Also, business transactions, promotion of a service or a product, and the building of goodwill with the outside world are done through communication. Therefore, business communication relates to how information about the business activities and results are shared.

Communication Defined

Many people have defined communication to denote a process that comprises two separate objects. As a word, it is derived from the Latin word communicare, which means ‘to impart, to participate, or to transmit’. The root word of communicare is communis, which means ‘to make common or to share’. Thus, the English word communication is first a process or an activity of sharing information, exchanging thoughts or experience between two or more people or a group. It is also an act of transmitting a message and, finally, the message sent through a certain medium.

Communication theorists view everyday communication different from the views of communication scholars. For example, in businesses, communication is viewed as the same as information. This means that once people within the organisation pass on any kind of data or information, communication has taken place. Axley (1984) views communication in the business world as the flow of information from one person to another. ‘It is any act by which one person gives to, or receives from another person the information about that person’s needs, desires, perceptions, knowledge, or affective states.’ Deetz (1994) sees communication as part of what organisations do to accomplish activities such as planning, controlling, and managing. Therefore, in the business world, communication is the strength of all the activities that go on within the organisation.

Communication scholars also present communication as a process. For example, Conrad and Poole (2005) defines communication as the ‘process by which people interactively create, sustain, and manage meaning’. The two views therefore show that communication starts and ends with the aim of presenting information for action.

Lehman and DuFrene (2002) view communication as the process of exchanging information and meaning between or among individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, and behaviour. McPheat (2010) defines communication as ‘the art and process of creating and sharing ideas, and that effective communication depends on the richness of those ideas’. Keith Davis, in her book Business and Industrial Communication, shows that communication is involved in all human relations. She defines it as ‘the nervous system of an organised group, providing the information and understanding necessary for productivity and morale; and as the transfer of information and understanding from one person to another’. The emphasis is on the sharing, interaction, and understanding of the message being sent between the sender and the receiver.

What Is Effective Communication?

Research indicates that communication competence is most often understood as achieving a successful balance between effectiveness and appropriateness (Spitzberg and Cupach 1984). Effectiveness is the extent to which you achieve your goals in an interaction, or the capability of producing a desired result. When something is deemed effective, it means it has an intended or expected outcome. For example, did you get the promotion? Were you able to convince your manager on the need for a team to work on the project? Appropriateness refers to fulfilling social expectations for a particular situation. When we determine the appropriateness of a situation, we ask, Is it right? Is it suitable? Is it … appropriate? For example, if a job applicant submits a résumé that does not belong to him or her and based on that, the job is offered, although the person has the job, it is not appropriate to use someone else’s résumé. So in situations that people need to take decisions, the competent communicator considers how to be both effective and appropriate.

Effective communication depends on the richness of the idea. It occurs when the intended meaning, with respect to the particular message so communicated, is clearly understood by the recipient. For communication to be effective, there should be deeper understanding. This means that the person sending the message should be able to express him/herself well so that the receiver does