Project of Business Comunication

8/3/2019 Project of Business Comunication

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Project

of

Business

CommunicationBy

Praveen Kumar Joseph.V


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Introduction

Communication is a process an activity that serves to connect

senders and receivers of messages through space and time.Although human beings tend to be interested primarily in thestudy of human communication, the process is present in all living

things and, it can be argued, in all things. From this we mayconclude that communication is a fund-mental, universal process.

How often have you heard statements such as these?

If you want to be promoted, youll have to improve yourcommunication skills.

One of the strengths of our relationship over the years has beenthat we communicate so well - in fact, usually I know what shes

thinking before she tells me!

The lightening storm knocked out our communication systems,and since then we havent handled a single customer call.

Hes really smart, and he knows his stuff, but as a teacher he justdoesnt communicate it very well.

They say they built the product to meet our specifications, but itsnot what we asked for - I think we have a communication problemhere. The word communicate derives from the word common -to share, exchange, send along, transmit, talk, gesture, write, putin use, relate. So an investigation of this subject might begin with

the question: What do all studies of communication have incommon? What are the shared concepts that make the study ofcommunication different from the study of subjects such as

thought or literature or life? When someone says, this is acommunication problem, what does that mean? When a baby

sees his mothers face for the first time, communication happens.When someone steps out onto a beach in Goa and water touches


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his feet communication happens. When the Indian parliamentpasses a new bill to curb monopolies in the market and

the President signs, communication happens. When a computerin Delhi calls up a computer in Tokyo and transmits a message,

communication happens. Communication is a generalphenomenon. It occurs in nature, wherever life exists. Whether

we recognize it or not, we have no choice but to communicate. Ifwe try to avoid communicating by not replying to messages, weare nevertheless sending a message, but it may not be the one wewant or intend. When we dont say yes, we may be saying no by

default and vice versa. The only choice we can make aboutcommunication is whether we are going to attempt to

communicate effectively


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BUSINESS COMMUNICATION ANDEXECUTIVE SKILLS

Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee and just ashard to sleep after. Communication is a process by whichinformation is transmitted and understood between two or morepeople. It should include both transference and the understandingof meaning.

Communication is the life blood of social as well as corporate

world. We exist because we communicate. Even our silencecommunicates a lot. We all have a laymans idea of whatcommunication is , but let us try to understand the concept fullyso that we can use it effectively.Communication is the process by which we exchange meanings ,facts , ideas ,opinions or emotions with other people. It is anessential condition of our existence and the most importantactivity of ours. The word communication has been derived fromLatin word communicare/communis that means to share or

participate . Everybody knows that most of the time , throughspeech or writing or any other means like exchange of a commonset of symbols , we are sharing information with other human

beings. It is , therefore , first and foremost a social activity. Man asa social animal has to communicate.

Communication is an exchange of facts , ideas , opinions oremotions by two or more persons.

General communication is different from businesscommunication / Administrative communication.

According to William Scott in his book organizational theory Administrative communication is a process which involves the


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transmission and accurate replication of ideas ensured byfeedback for the purpose of eliciting actions which will accomplishorganizational goals

Communication is the process of sending and receivingmessages. However it is said to be effective only when themessage is understood and when it stimulates action orencourages the receiver to think in new ways.

OBJECTIVES OF COMMUNICATION1. STRONGER DECISION MAKING

Your ability to communicate effectively increases productivity ,both yours and your organization.2. INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY

With good communication skills , you can anticipate problems ,make decisions , co-ordinate work flow , supervise others ,develop relationships and promote products and services.3. STEADIER WORK FLOW

Communication acts as tool for the effective work related flow ofinformation.4. STRONG BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS & ENHANCEDPROFESSIONAL IMAGE

You can shape the impressions you and your company make oncolleagues , employees ,supervisors , investors ,and customers inaddition to perceiving and responding to the needs of these

stakeholders(the various group you interact with ) withouteffective communication , people misunderstand each other andmisinterpret information. Ideas misfire or fail to gain attentionand people and companies flounder.

5. CLEARER PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS


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Your organizations need for effective reach of company nameand public promotions are based on effective promotionalmaterial such as advertisements , bill boards , online add , postersetc are all communicated for effective message delivery and

meaning.6. PROVIDE ADVICE

Giving advice is based on individual-oriented and work-oriented,advice should not given to the person for pinpointing hismistakes rather it should be helpful for his improvement.Effective advice promotes understanding and it can be a two wayprocess if the subordinate staff given freedom.

7. PROVIDE ORDER

Order is an authoritative communication pattern and it isdirective to somebody always a subordinate to do something.Orders will be written and oral orders , general and specific orders,procedural and operational orders , mandatory and discretionaryorder. Order should be clear and complete ,execution should bepossible and given in a friendly way.

8.SUGGESTION

Suggestion is supposed to be very mild and subtle form ofcommunication. Suggestions are welcomed for it is notobligatory to accept them , it can be voluntary and anonymousand submitted through suggestion boxes.

9. PERSUASION

Persuasion may be defined as an effort to influence the attitudes ,feelings ,or beliefs of others , or to influence actions based onthose attitudes , feelings , or beliefs. Persuasion can be done toothers if you are convinced , you do not impose , you are not rigid


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are prepared to meet half-way and you can look at the situationfrom the other persons angle also.

10. EDUCATION

Education is a very conscious process of communication ,itinvolves both teaching and learning by which organizationsprovide to their employees in the form of training. Education isgiven for management , employees and outside public.12. WARNING

If the employees do not abide by the norms of the organization

warning is a power communication tool and it can be general andspecific. Specific warning should be administered in private andafter thorough investigation. The aim of the warning should bethe organization betterment.

13. RAISING MORALE AND MOTIVATION

Morale stands for mental health and it is a sum of several qualitieslike courage , resolution , confidence .High morale and effective

performance go hand to hand. Motivation is a process thataccount for an individual intensity, direction , and persistence ofeffort towards attaining a goal.

14. TO GIVE AND RECEIVE INFORMATION

Communications main idea is to give and receive informationbecause managers need complete , accurate and precise

information to plan and organize employee need it to translateplanning in to reality. Information will cover all aspects of thebusiness.

15. TO PROVIDE COUNSELLING


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Counseling is given to solve employees mental stress and improvethe employees productivity.

16. TO IMPROVE DISCIPLINE

Finally discipline is the foremost part of any businesscommunication. The various disciplinary codes are effectivelycommunicated to employees through disciplinary codes.

CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE BUSINESSMESSAGES

Effective business messages have a common basiccharacteristics

1. Provide practical information : Business messages usuallydescribe how to do something , explain why a procedure waschanged , highlight the cause of a problem or a possible solution ,discuss the status of a project , or explain why a new piece ofequipment should be purchased.2. Give facts rather than impression : Business messagesuse concrete language and specific details. Information must beclear , convincing , accurate and ethical. You must present hardevidence ( not just opinion ) and present all sides of an argument

before you commit to a conclusion.3. Clarify and condense information : Business messagesfrequently use tables , charts , photos , or diagrams to clarify orcondense information , to explain a process , or to emphasizeimportant information.4. State precise responsibilities : Business messages aredirected to a specific audience. Therefore , you must clearly state

what is expected of , or what you can do for, that particular

audience.5. Persuade others and offer recommendations : Businessmessages frequently persuade employers , customers , or clientsto purchase a product or service or adopt a plan of action. To beeffective , persuasive messages must show readers just how aproduct , service or idea will benefit them specifically.


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COMMUNICATION PROCESS MODEL

PHASE 1

Aperson has an idea or thought which he wants to communicateto the other person. Now the sender sends the message with acarefully selected medium and channel. The sender encodes theidea (i.e) Written or spoken word , facial expression , gesture. The

message length,tone, and style all depends on your audience andyour personal style or mood. The sender transmits the message tothe receiver in a form of channel (i.e) Telephone , letter , memo ,email , report , face to face exchange.

PHASE 2The message will now enter in to the sensory world of the receiver.Sensory world we mean all the noise that surrounds a person thatthe senses sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch can detect.

PHASE 3From this sensory world the receiver picks up the messagesthrough his senses. But receiver senses cannot detect all thatexists in the world around him. Just how much they can detectdepends on a number of factors. One is the ability of his senses. As

you know not all eyes see equally well and not all ears hear equallywell. And so it is with the other senses. Another factor is receivermental alertness. There are times when he is keenly alert to allthat his senses can detect, and there are times when he is dull ina stupor, a daydream, or the like. Then there are the distractionsNOISES that occur around receiver at the moment. They can


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weaken, perhaps even eliminate, the stimuli sent. Furthermore,receiver cultural background has sensitized him more to somestimuli than to others. Yet another limiting factor is the receiver

will. In varying degrees, the mind is able to tune in or tune out

events in the sensory world. In a noisy room full of people forexample, the conversation of a single person can be selected andthe other voices ignored.

PHASE 4When receiver senses pick up sender message, they relay it to hisbrain-that is, as much or as little of the message as they detect.But the sender message may not be all that receiver senses pick

up. In addition to sender message, his sensory world may containoutside sounds, movements of objects, facial expression, and thelike. In fact, this senses are continually picking up messages fromthe world around him. Sender message is just the primary one atthe moment. The others are there, and they might interfere withsenders message.

PHASE 5When sender message gets to receiver brain, it goes through a sort

of filtering or decoding process. Through that process the receiverbrain gives meaning to sender message. In other words, themessage is filtered through the contents of receiver mind. Thosecontents are made up of all receiver knows. It includes all thecultural influences of his family , his organization memberships,his social group, and such. In fact, it includes all receiver haslearned, experienced and thought throughout his life. Obviously ,no two people have precisely identical filters, for no two people

have minds with precisely the same contents. Because peoplefilters differ, the meanings they give to comparable message maydiffer. Thus, the meaning receiver gives sender message may not

be precisely the same as the one that someone else would give it.And it may not be meaning sender intended.


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PHASE 6After his mind has given meaning to sender message, receiver

may react to the message. If the meaning he received issufficiently strong, he may react by communicating some form ofresponse called feedback. This response may be through words,gestures, physical actions or some other means.

PHASE 7When receiver elects to communicate a response, through his

mind he determines the general meaning encoding that theresponse will take. This process involves the most complexworkings of the mind, and we know little about it. There isevidence, however, that ability, here and throughout this stage, isrelated to ones intelligence and the extent that one permits themind to react. Receiver ability to evaluate filtered information andformulate meaning also is related to his stage, is related to onesintelligence and the extent that one permits the mind to react.Receiver ability to evaluate filtered information and formulate

meaning also is related to his ability with language. Ability withlanguage equips one with a variety of symbols, words and other

ways of expressing meaning. And the greater the number ofsymbols one possesses, the better one can be at selecting andusing them. Receiver ends this stage of the communicationprocess by forming a message. That is, he converts meaning in tosymbols decodes mainly in to words, and then he sends thesesymbols to sender. He may send them in a number of ways: as

spoken words, written words, gestures, movements, facialexpression, diagrams on paper etc.

PHASE 8When receiver sends his message to sender, one cycle of thecommunication process ends. Now a second cycle begins.Now


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the sender becomes the receiver and receiver becomesthe sender. The message enters receiver sensory world. Hersenses pick it up and send it through her nervous system to her

brain. There her unique mental filter influences the meaning he

gives to sender message. This filtered meaning also may bringabout a response. If it does, receiver, through her mind, selectsthe symbols for his response. Then he sends them to sender, andanother cycle of communication begins. The process maycontinue, cycle after cycle, as long as both sender and receiver

want to communicate.Although our description of the communication process illustratesface to face, oral communication, it also fits written

communication. But there are some differences. Perhaps the mostsignificant difference is that written communication is more likelyto involve creative effort. It is more likely to be thought out, and itmay even begin in the mind rather than as a reaction to a messagereceived. A second differences is the time between cycles. In faceto face communication, cycles occur fast, often in rapidsuccession. In written communication, some delay occurs. Howlong the delay will be varies. While instant and text messagingmay be read within a few seconds of sending, fax or email

messages may be read within few minutes after they aretransmitted, letters in a few days, reports perhaps in days, weeks,or months. Because they provide a record, written messages maycommunicate over extremely long time periods. A third differenceis that written communication usually involves a limited numberof cycles and oral communication usually involves many. In fact,some written communication is one cycle communication. That isa message is sent and received, but none is returned.

FUNCTIONS OF COMMUNICATIONCommunication serves four major functions within a group ororganization: Control, motivation, emotional expression,and information. Communication acts tocontrolmember

behavior in several ways. Organizations have authority hierarchies


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and formal guidelines that employees are required to follow.When employees, for instance, are required to first communicateany job related grievance to their immediate boss, to follow their

job description, or to comply with company policies,

communication is performing a control function. But informalcommunication also controls behavior. When work groups teaseor harass a member who produces too much and makes the rest ofthe group look bad, they are informally communicating with, andcontrolling, the members behavior. Communicationfosters motivation by clarifying to employees what is to be done,how well they are doing, and what can be done to improveperformance if its subpar. We saw this operating in our review of

goal setting and reinforcement theories. The formation of specificgoals, feedback on progress toward the goals, and reinforcementof desired behavior all stimulate motivation and requirecommunication. For many employees, their work group is aprimary source for social interaction. The communication thattakes place within the group is a fundamental mechanism by

which members show their frustrations and feelings ofsatisfaction. Communication, therefore, provides a release forthe emotional expression of feelings and for fulfillment of social

needs. The final function that communication performs relates toits role in facilitating decision making. It providestheinformation that individuals and groups need to makedecisions by transmitting the data to identify and evaluatealternative choices.Common myths about communication: Words contain meaning . Untrue . In fact people attachmeaning to words.

Information equals communication. Untrue. What matters isthe degree of similarity between the message sent and themessage received.


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Communication is a product you can control. Untrueeverything said or done conveys a message. Ex. Facial expressionor cloths.

Good speakers are good communicators. Untrue . Effectivecommunicators listen to the audience and express their thoughtsclearly in an understandable way.

Taking steps to establish effective communication :

Increasing the awareness of communication

Using and understanding verbal message

Using and understanding non linguistic cues

Listening and responding to other in a thought fuel way.

Attentive listening is crucial to effective listening :

Remember , Do not jump to conclusions before hearing what the

other person has to say.

Do not interrupt

Deep understanding of human interaction is essential.

Since interpersonal communication occurs whenever we interactwith other people. We learn interpersonal skills since birth.

We could enhance them with :

The 10 human relations commands :-


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1. Speak to people2.Smile at people3.Call people by name4.Be friendly and helpful5.Be cordial6.Be genuinely interested in people7.Be generous with praise8.Be considerate9.Be alert10. Have a good sense of humor.

Six rules of effective communication:1) Organize your thoughts

2) Dont think about it, think through it

3) Recognize that actions speak louder than words

4) Be concise

5) Always translate your message in to benefits for the other party

6) Listen carefully to the other party.

Effective communication strategies:

The result of the communication is the responsibility of thecommunicator

If you are not getting the result you want in communication trysomething different. Communicate the message in others viewpoint


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Always focus weather your communication is successful inreaching the receiver. No matter whether the message is right or

wrong.

Communication can change reality and it is a effective tool forcreating trust.

FORMS OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

Whether an organization is large , small or virtual , sharinginformation among its parts and with the outside world is the gluethat binds the organization together. When you join a company ,

you become a link in its information chain. Whether youre a topmanager or an entry-level employee , you have information thatothers need in order to perform their jobs, and others haveinformation that is crucial to you. To succeed organization mustshare information with people both inside and outside thecompany. It includes the internal and external structure through

which messages pass and the way information is presented , aswell as the actual content of the messages themselves. As youexchange information with people inside and outside the

organization you use a variety of formal and informal forms ofcommunication.

COMMUNICATION

FORMAL

INFORMAL

INTERNAL

EXTERNAL

Plannedcommunication

among with

insiders ( letters ,

reports , memos , e-

mail ) that follows

Plannedcommunication with

outsiders ( letters ,

reports , memos ,

speeches , websites and

news release )


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the companys

chain of command

Casual

communicationamong employees (

email , face-to-face

conversations and

phone calls that do

not follow the

companys chain of

command )

Casual communication

with suppliers ,

customers , investors

and other outsiders (

Face- to-face

conversations , email

and phone calls )

INTERNALCOMMUNICATION : It refers to the exchange ofinformation and ideas within an organization. As employee, youare in a position to observe things that your supervisors and co-

workers cannot see: a customers first reaction to a productdisplay , a suppliers brief hesitation before agreeing to a deliverydate or a slowdown in the flow of customers. Managers and co-

workers need these little gems of information in order to do theirjobs. Internal communication helps employees do their jobs ,develop a clear sense of the organizations mission and identifyand react quickly to potential problems. To maintain a healthyflow of information within the organization , effectivecommunicators use both formal and informal channels.Formal internal communication network : The formalflow of information follows the official chain of command. There

are organizational charts in many companys which commandsgood communication flow. In organization information flowsdown , up , and across the formal hierarchy.Downward flow : Organizational decisions are usually made atthe top and then flow down to the people who will carry them out.Most of what filters downward is geared towards helping


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employees do their jobs. From top to bottom , each person mustunderstand each message , apply it , and pass it along.

Upward Flow : To solve problems and make intelligent decisions ,

managers must learn whats going on in the organization. Becausethey cant be everywhere at once, executives depend on lower-level employees to furnish them with accurate , timely reports onproblems , emerging trends , opportunities for improvement ,grievances , and performance.

Horizontal flow : Communication also flows from one departmentto another , either laterally or diagonally. This horizontal

communication helps employees share information andcoordinate tasks , and it is especially useful for solving complexand difficult problems.

Formal organization charts illustrate how information is supposedto flow. In actual practice , however , lines and boxes on a piece ofpaper cannot prevent people from talking with one another.

Informal internal communication : Every organization has

an informal communication network known as grapevine thatsupplements official channels. As people go about their work ,they have casual conversations with their friends in the office.

Although many of these conversations deal with personal matters, about 80 percent of the information that travels along thegrapevine pertains to business. The informal communicationnetwork carries information along the organizations unofficiallines of activity and power. The grapevine is an important source

of information in most organizations.EXTERNALCOMMUNICATION: The externalcommunication network links the organization with the outside

world of customers , suppliers , competitors , and investors ,journalists , and community representatives. Sometimes thisexternal communication is carefully orchestrated especially


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during a crisis. At other times it occurs informally as part ofroutine business operations.Formal external communication : Companies use externalcommunication to create a favorable impression. Whether by

letter , website , phone , fax , internet , or videotape , goodcommunication is the first step in creating a favorable impression.Carefully constructed letters , reports , memos , oral presentation ,and websites convey an important message to outsiders about thequality of your organization. Messages such as statements to thepress , letters to investors , advertisements , price increaseannouncements and litigation updates require special care

because of their delicate nature. Therefore , such documents are

often drafted by a marketing or public relations team a group ofindividuals whose sole job is creating and managing the flow offormal messages to outsiders. The public relations team is alsoresponsible for helping management plan for and respond tocrises which can range from environmental accidents orsabotage situations to strikes , massive product failure , majorlitigation , or even an abrupt change in management. To minimizethe impact of any crisis , expert communicators advise managersto communicate honestly , openly , and often. If handled

improperly , a crises can destroy a companys reputation.Informal external communication :Although companiesusually communicate with outsiders in a formal manner ,informal contacts with outsiders are important for learning aboutcustomer needs. As a member of an organization , you are animportant informal conduit for communicating with the outside

world. Every employee informally accumulates facts andimpressions that contribute to the organizations collective

understanding of the outside world. In the course of your dailyactivity you unconsciously absorb bits and pieces of informationthat add to the collective knowledge of your company. Topmanagers rely heavily on informal contacts with outsiders togather information that might be useful to their companies. Muchof their networking involves interaction with fellow executives.


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Many top level employees recognize the fact that keeping constanttouch with the external real world , front line employees ,customers by making a opportunity to talk to them and gettingfeedback helps in organizational improvement. Receiving

feedback is considered to be the most important aspect ofcommunication.

FUNDAMENTALS OF BUSINESS WRITINGADAPTATION AND THE SELECTION OF WORDS

CONSTRUCTION OF CLEAR SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS

WRITING FOR EFFECT

1.I. ADAPTATIONAND THE SELECTIONOFWORDS

The study of clear business writing logically begins withadaptation. By adaptation we mean fitting the message to thespecific reader. You should form your message to fit that persons

mind. This process of adaptation begins with visualizing what thereader imagine, what he feels, thinks and such. In many businesssituations, adapting to your reader means writing on a level lowerthan the one you would normally use. In writing to less educated

workers, for example you may need to simplification, for highlyeducated people you may write differently. At times adapting tomultiple reader, if you write for one person in the group, you maymiss the others. To communicate with all of them, write for thelowest member of the group. There fore adaptation is a basic rule

which underlines all writing aspects.

SUGGESTIONS FOR SELECTING WORDSelecting the write word is a part of a adaptation. Following aresome suggestions to help you select words. These suggestionsstress simplicity for three reasons (1) Many people tend to write at


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a difficult level (2) The writer usually knows the subject betterthan the readers and (3) The results of research based on writingskills support simplicity.

SUGGESTION FOR WORD SELECTIONUsing familiar words to communicate related to the language thatmost of us use in everyday conversation. Example Instead of usingthe terminate, use end. Instead of using endeavor use try. At thesame time the suggestion to use familiar words does not rule outsome use of more difficult words. Difficult words are not all bad.Use them when they fit your needs and are understood.

USE SLANG AND POPULAR CLICHES WITH CAUTIONAt any given time in any society same slang words and clichs arein vogue. Use popular slang and clichs when meaningful. Thus

you should use such expressions always only in informalcommunication with people who know and appreciate them.

CHOOSE SHORT WORDS: Generally short words communicatebetter than long words. Some times exceptions exist. You should

concentrate on short words and use long words with caution. Usea long word only when you think you reader knows it.USE TECHNICAL WORDS AND ACRONYMS WITH CAUTIONEvery field of business, accounting, information systems, andfinance has its technical language. This language can be socomplex that is some cases specialized dictionaries are compiled.These words are useful when you communicate with people inn

your field. But they do not communicate with outsiders. Use them

with caution. Some examples covered employment, cerebralvascular accident, annuity, bob tail etc. These words are all wellknown to people in special fields, but not to most outsiders.Initials including acronyms should be used with caution too. Spellout and define as needed.


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SELECT WORDS WITH RIGHT STRENGTH AND VIGORIn a way, words are like people, they have personalities some

words are strong and vigorous. Some are weak and dull and somefall between these extremes. Good writers know these differences

and they consider them carefully. They use the words that do thebest job of carrying the intended meaning. As a rule, they makethe stronger words stand out. To select words wisely, you shouldconsider shades of difference in meanings. Example bear marketis stronger than generally declining market; mother is strongerthan female parent. Sometimes weaker words serve your purpose

best. Verbs are the strongest words. Verbs are action words.Nouns are second which are the doers of the action, heroes of the

sentence. Adjectives and adverbs are weak words. They involvejudgment. Use them sparingly.

USE CONCRETE LANGUAGEGood communication is marked by words that form sharp andclear meaning in the mind. These are concrete words and youshould prefer them in your writing. They stand for things thatexist in the real world: deck, chair, and road. Abstract nouns onthe other hand cover broad meanings concepts, ideas and the

like. Their meaning is general, as in their example administration,communication etc. Concreteness also involves how we put wordsto gather. Exact or specific wordings are concrete, vague andgeneral wordings are abstract.

USE ACTIVE VOICEWhile writing prefer the active voice than passive voice. In activethe subject does the action, in passive voice it receives the action.

Active voice is stronger and shorter.

Example: Passive voice: The result were reported in our JULY 9letter

Active voice: we reported the result in our JULY 9 letter.


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At times passive voice is better when the doer of the action is notimportant. Passive voice helps avoid accusing the reader andpassive voice is better when the performer is not known. Yourdecision on whether to use active or passive voice is not simply a

matter of choice. It is also better when the writer prefer not toname the performer.

SELECT WORDS FOR PRECISE MEANING:Writing requires some knowledge of language. In fact, the greateryour knowledge of language, the better you are likely to write. Youshould study language and learn the shades of the difference inmeanings of other words. Use correct idiom. By idiom we mean

the ways things are said in a language you can use idioms forcertain reasons but violations of idiom rule affect the reader.

SUGGESTIONS FOR NON DISCRIMINATORY WRITING:By discrimination (or) discriminatory words we mean words thatdo not treat all people equally and with respect. Avoid words thatdiscriminate against sex, race, nationality, age, sexual orientationor disability. We often use discriminatory words without badintent.

a) Use gender neutral words : Avoid using masculinepronouns for both sexes (he, his,him)

b) You can make the reference plural (their, them , they)

c) You can express neutral by ( he or she , he/she , you, theyetc)

d) Avoid words suggesting male dominance ( Man-made tomanufactured, Businessman to business executive, salesman tosales executive)

e) Dont use words which lower the status of women


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f) Avoid words that stereotype by race, nationality, sexualorientation, old age, disability.

******************************************

How to Write a LetterThe art of writing a letter takes practice, knowledge about properform and the ability to put into words the thoughts and feelings

which are associated with the letter. Learning to write a letter canbe difficult, as there are multiple types of letters which canwritten. To avoid the time that it may take to learn to write eachone of these letters, if you are able to learn to write a basic letter

that will help you to create letters for a variety of occasions.

Parts of the Letter:Your addressAt the top of your letter, you will put your address, so the readerwill know where to send their reply to.DatePut the date on which the letter was written in the format MonthDay Year i.e. June, 15, 2009.

Inside AddressThe inside address is only required for a business letter and willinclude the address of the person you are writing to along with thename of the recipient, their title and company name. If you arenot sure who the letter should be addressed to either leave it blankor try to put in a title, i.e. Director of Human Resources.The GreetingThe greeting will address the individual that the letter is being

sent to. This is usually completed in the form of Dear Anne orHey Anne, for less formal letters.The Introductory ParagraphThe first paragraph and will generally outline the purpose for theletter and the reason that the letter is being sent. This can addressany issues that are outstanding and is used to set the tone for the


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entire rest of the letter. In this first paragraph, the summary of theletter can be found and the intentions which will be displayedthrough the rest of the letter should be outlined. From the firstparagraph of the letter, the introductory paragraph, the individual

should be able to note the tone of the letter.The BodyThe body of the letter will expand upon the introductoryparagraph and the individual can extend their thoughts andfeelings further when it comes to the letter. The body of the lettercan be anywhere from multiple pages for personal letters, to onepage or two pages for most business letters and other types ofproposals.

The ClosingIn the closing of the letter, the individual will close the letter andfinish any thoughts that have been mentioned. The closing of theletter comes in various forms from yours truly, for thoseindividuals that are familiar with one another, to a traditionalsincerely which is a versatile closing that can be used in a varietyof letters detailing many situations.

The Presentation of the Letter

The presentation of the letter can be hand-written for less formalletters that are addressed to friends and family members,especially thank-you letters. In the case that you have illegiblehandwriting, you may want to consider typing the letter in thesecases, although proper etiquette dictates against this type of

behavior.Formal letters which are written on behalf of businesses to orprofessional contacts should remain typewritten and grammatical

and spelling error free. These types of letters should be legible andprofessional and therefore typing the letter is one of the mosteffective ways to ensure that the letter demonstrates aprofessional appearance through the entire course of the letter,thereby creating a positive impression on the recipient of theletter.


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As well as outward presentation, it is important to determine thetone which will be written in the letter, including a professionaltone or a tone that will be taken with friends or family members ina more informal setting. The tone should be established from the

greeting of the letter, into the introductory paragraph, throughoutthe entire body of the letter and even into the closing statementand closing greeting of the letter. Read through the letter once ithas been completed to ensure that the tone remains the same. Thetone can be adjusted based on the language which is used throughthe letter, as well as the greetings (familiar as opposed to formal).

Letter Writing Tips Always proofread your letter after writing it, check for

sentence structure, grammar, spelling mistakes Proof read your letter again (and again) after you have

revised it. Keep the recipient in mind, and write in a way that he/she

can easily understand the letter. Dont use abbreviated dates, i.e. use November 19, 2004,

and not 11/19/04 Be respectful when you write, even if you are writing a letter

of complaint.Business letter writing tips

Be concise and keep to the point, but dont leave out anyimportant information.

Try to keep your letter short enough so that it fits on onepage.

If your letter is more than a page long, use another page,dont use the back of the page.

If you have access to company (or personal) stationary witha letterhead on it, use that instead of regular paper.


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Business Letter WritingPurpose of a Business Letter

A business letter (or formal letter) is a formal way ofcommunicating between two or more parties. There are many

different uses and business letters. Business letters can beinformational, persuasive, motivational, or promotional. Businessletters should be typed and printed out on standard 8.5 x 11

white paper.Elements of a Good LetterThe most important element of writing a good letter is your abilityto identify and write to your audience. If you are addressing yourletter to the department of human resources, avoid using highly

technical terms that only engineers would understand, even ifyour letter is addressed to an engineering company, chances arethat the personnel in human resources does not have anengineering background.The next element is that you make sure your present yourobjective in a clear and concise manner. Dont be vague about

your objective, most people will not have the patience to sit thereand guess at the meaning of your letter or the time to read a long-

winded letter, just get to the point without going into unnecessary

details.

Another important element to remember is to remainprofessional. Even if you are writing a complaint letter, remainpolite and courteous, simply state the problem(s) along with anyother relevant information and be sure to avoid threats andslander.

Business Email WritingThe following are some tips to help you when you are writing

business letters through email.

A heading is not necessary in an email (your return address,their address, and the date).


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Use a descriptive subject line. Avoid using an inappropriate or silly email, register a

professional sounding address if you dont have one. Use simple formatting, keep everything flush with the left

margin; avoid special formatting and tabs. Keep your letter formal, just because its an email instead of

a hard copy is no excuse for informality (dont forget to usespell check and proper grammar).

Try to keep your letter less than 80 characters wide, someemail readers will create line breaks on anything longer andruin the formatting.

If possible avoid attachments unless the recipient hasrequested or is expecting an attachment. If it is a textdocument, simply cut and paste the text below your letterand strip off any special formatting.

If the persons name is unknown, address the persons titlei.e. Dear Director of Human Resources

Business and Workplace Email Etiquette

Email etiquette is often a commonly overlooked part of thebusiness and professional world despite being an important part

of conveying a professional image. Emails written to friends andfamily will be less formal and will not need to follow anyparticular guidelines or rules, but when writing to someone at aprofessional level the following guidelines and rules should betaken into account.

Guidelines and Rules ofEmail Etiquette Use a descriptive subject line, avoid leaving it blank or

putting an irrelevant or general subject. Address the recipient by name to add a personal touch to

your letter. DO NOT USE ALL CAPS! Avoid over using punctuation marks!!!!!!!!!!!!


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Avoid using abbreviations, such as IMHO (in my humbleopinion) or TTYL (talk to you later), not everyone is familiar

with them. Skip a line when starting a new paragraph, avoid using tabs

to signify a new paragraph, different email programs readtabs in different ways.

Avoid using HTML in your e-mails, not everyone can view itand it takes away from the professional image of the letter.

If you are sending an attachment, make note of it anddescribe what the attachment is for in the body, some peopleare very wary of attachments due to the threat of computer

viruses.

Keep your emails as concise as possible without leaving outany important information. Keep usage of quoted text to a minimum. Always leave a signature line, dont assume the person

already knows who you are. Do not keep on sending the same message to the same person

over and over again, if they dont respond after a few days,send them an e-mail enquiring if they received your firstemail.

Use spell check and proof read and revise your letter after itsdone.

Use threads, if you get a message from someone and you aregoing to respond, dont send a new message, simply hit thereply option on your email, this keeps the original subject line

with Re: in front of it. If you are sending out an email to a large private list dont use

CC: (carbon copy) use BCC: (blind carbon copy) to protect

the addresses of the recipients. Remember most emails are never completely private, there is

always a chance of someone else besides the intendedrecipient reading it, so avoid writing any personal attacks

which are unprofesional to begin with.


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When reading emails treat them as if they are privatemessages (unless you know you are allowed to share it withothers).

When you receive a message reply to it as soon as you havetime to

.

Business Letter FormatBlock Format: Business Letter

Return Address Line 1 1

Return Address Line 2Date (Month Day, Year) 2

Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient. 3

Title/Position ofRecipient.Company Name

Address Line 1Address Line 2

Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name: 4

Subject: Title of Subject 5

Body Paragraph 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. .

Body Paragraph 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. .

Body Paragraph 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . 6Closing (Sincerely), 7

Signature 8


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Your Name (Printed) 9

Your TitleEnclosures (2) 10

Typist Initials. 11

The block format is the simplest format; all of the writing is flushagainst the left margin.

Your Address1The return address of the sender of the letter so the recipient caneasily find out where to send a reply to. Skip a line between youraddress and the date. (Not needed if the letter is printed on paper

with the company letterhead already on it.)

Date2Put the date on which the letter was written in the format MonthDay Year i.e. August 30, 2003. Skip a line between the date andthe inside address (some people skip 3 or 4 lines after the date).Inside Address3The address of the person you are writing to along with the nameof the recipient, their title and company name, if you are not sure

who the letter should be addressed to either leave it blank, but try

to put in a title, i.e. Director of Human Resources. Skip a linebetween the date and the salutation.Salutation4Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name:, Dear Director of DepartmentName: or To Whom It May Concern: if recipients name isunknown. Note that there is a colon after the salutation. Skip aline between the salutation and the subject line or body.Subject Line (optional) 5Makes it easier for the recipient to find out what the letter isabout. Skip a line between the subject line and the body.Body6The body is where you write the content of the letter; theparagraphs should be single spaced with a skipped line betweeneach paragraph. Skip a line between the end of the body and theclosing.


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Closing7Lets the reader know that you are finished with your letter;usually ends with Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Thank you, and soon. Note that there is a comma after the end of the closing and

only the first word in the closing is capitalized. Skip 3-4 linesbetween the closing and the printed name, so that there is roomfor the signature.Signature8

Your signature will go in this section, usually signed in black orblue ink with a pen.PrintedName9The printed version of your name, and if desired you can put your

title or position on the line underneath it. Skip a line between theprinted name and the enclosure.Enclosure10If letter contains other document other than the letter itself yourletter will include the word Enclosure. If there is more than one

you would type, Enclosures (#) with the # being the number ofother documents enclosed that doesnt include the letteritself.Reference Initials 11If someone other than yourself typed the letter you will include

your initials in capital letters followed by the typists initials inlower case in the following format; AG/gs or AG:gs.

Modified Block Format: Business Letter

Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. Full name of recipient. 3

Title/Position ofRecipient.Company Name

Address Line 1Address Line 2

Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. Last Name: 4

Return Address Line 1 1

Return Address Line 2Date (Month Day, Year) 2


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Subject: Title of Subject 5

Body Paragraph 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. .

Body Paragraph 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. .

Body Paragraph 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . 6

Enclosures (2) 10

Typist Initials. 11

Closing (Sincerely), 7Signature 8Your Name (Printed) 9

Your Title

In the modified block format, your address, date (the date canactually go on either the left or the right side), the closing,signature, and printed name are all indented to the right half ofthe page (how far you indent in is up to you as long as the headingand closing is lined up, use your own discretion and make sure itlooks presentable).

Addressing an Envelope

Addressing an envelope should be fairly simple.

In the upper-left hand corner should be your name, andunderneath that should be your return address.


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In the upper-right hand corner should be the postage stamp(with the correct postage amount).

In the middle-center should be the recipients name andrecipients address.

Envelope Format

Your Name

Return Address Line 1

Return Address Line 2

Stamp

Recipient Name

Recipient Address Line 1

Recipient Address Line 2

Helpful Tips Print/write all the information on the envelope before

stuffing and sealing it so it will be written/printed on a flatsurface. If you are writing to a different country, make sure

you put it at on the last line of your return address and therecipients address. If you are writing a friendly letter with asmall envelope, you can write the return address on the flapof the envelope if there is no room on the top-left handcorner.

Writing a Complaint Letter

The complaint letter should be written in thebusiness letterformat. When writing a complaint letter you want to keep it shortand to the point to help ensure that your letter will be read in its

entirety, if you write a seven page complaint letter, its highlyunlikely that someone will sit down and read all seven pages.The complaint letter should be addressed to the customerservice/consumer affairs department or the head office if there isno customer service department. The address and contact


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information of the customer service department should beavailable on the companys products or website.

Complaint Letter Writing

In the first paragraph you should identify what the issue is andany relevant information that you believe is important. Be sure toinclude the following information if its applicable to the situation:the date/time of the issue, location, name of person on duty, nameof product, what the problem was, your account number, modelnumber, price, warranty information and reference number. Besure to stick with the facts and avoid putting emotions into yourletter.

The next paragraph should state what you would like done toresolve the situation. If you received poor service, you couldrequest an apology or a coupon. If a product malfunctioned, youcould request that you could exchange the product for a new oneor request a refund.

The last paragraph should thank the reader for the time. You canalso throw in some compliments about something you liked about

their companys product or service.

You should include your telephone number/e-mail address afteryour printed name so that they can contact you ASAP if necessary.

Be sure to keep a copy of the letter for yourself and includephotocopies of any relevant documents and enclose them with

your letter.

Writing a Letter ofInterestThe letter of interest is also called a prospecting letter and withgood reason. Its a type of cover letter you write when youresearching for a golden job opportunity. The letter of interest is


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your first chance to make a good impression on a prospectiveemployer.

Letters of interest are written to express your interest in working

for a particular company in a specific field. Your letter may bewritten either in response to a job opening or just to investigatepossible employment.

Human resource departments receive dozens of letters of interesteach week. However, make your letter stand out from the crowdusing the following tips:

1.Before you write, do your homework. Research thebackground of the company and familiarize yourself withtheir products and/or services.

2.Be sure to find out the name of the individual who does thehiring. Address your letter to his/her attention and useher/his name in the salutation. To Whom It May Concernand Dear Sir or Madam are both outdated and consideredto be lazy or even rude.

3.Start your introductory paragraph with the reason you areinterested in pursuing employment with this company. Trynot to start the first sentence with I. (See sample letter ofinterest.) Also, explain what prompted your inquiry, such as aclassified advertisement, a media article or interview, or areferral from an employee.

4.In the next paragraph(s), give specific examples of yourqualifications. Dont hesitate to indicate the reasons why you

would be an asset to the company. Illustrate your skills,

strengths, and achievements in a professional, yet personableway. Stay away from strings of abbreviated credentials.These, if you have them, should be on the resume youllenclose with the letter. Direct the reader to your resume andany other enclosures.


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5.In your final paragraph, thank the individual for his/her timein considering you as a new employee. Indicate a precise time

when you will contact him/her by phone to follow up on yourletter. Also, be sure to let the individual know how to contact

you.Like any business letter, use 8.5 x 11 paper and follow a businessletter format. Keep your letter short, no more than a single page.Remember to check it thoroughly for errors in spelling, grammarand to be sure it addresses each point you wanted to make.

Cover Letter Writing

What is a cover letter?A cover letter is a brief one page letter sent along with the resumeto potential employers. The purpose of the cover letter is topresent yourself to potential employers and to let them know whatposition you are interested in and why youd be a good fit for theircompany.

Cover Letter Format

The cover letter format should be almost identical to theregularbusiness letter format.Cover Letter WritingGenerally the cover letter will consist of three paragraphs. Thefirst paragraph is an introductory one which introduces yourself.

You want to include information on the position you are lookingfor and how you heard about and why you are interested in theposition and/or company.

The second paragraph should provide information on your skill,strengths, education, qualifications and/or experience. Thisparagraph should be concise and give specific examples of why

you are the ideal candidate and not simply restate your resume.


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The final paragraph should close up the letter by requesting aninterview and possibly suggestion times that are convenient for

you or stating that you can come in at a time thats convenient forthe employer. Also you should let the recipient know what the

best way and/or time to contact you is (you should let them knowboth your contact email and phone number so that they cancontact you in their preferred method). Or you can let them that

youll follow up on this letter with a phone call in several days.You should thank them for their time to close up the letter.

Each cover letter that you send out should be unique and tailoredto the specific company and position you are applying to. Using

one cookie cutter cover letter will lessen your chances for landingan interview. Also be sure to check for grammar and spelling andkeep the letter to one page in length.

Writing an ApologyLetterAn apology letter shows that you are sorry and says that you valueyour relationship with the other party. The sooner an apologyletter is written and sent out the better it is for the relationship.

Depending on the nature of the letter, it can either be written inthe friendlyor thebusiness letter format.Friendly/Personal ApologyLetterIf this is a personal letter you should start the letter by saying that

you are sorry to the recipient. Next you should admit your faultand take responsibility for your actions. Next you should

volunteer or ask if there is any way that you can help out toresolve the situation. Then you should let the recipient that you

will try to make sure that the situation will not happen again. Toclose off the letter you should apologize again. When writing apersonal apology letter it should come from the heart and besincere.

Formal/Business ApologyLetter


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If this is a business letter you should start the letter by saying thatyou are sorry to the recipient. Next you should give an explanationas to what went wrong. Then you should try to rectify theproblem. To close off the letter you should apologize again.

Writing a Letter of AppealIn cases where unfair treatment was committed, a letter of appealcan help to rectify the situation. An appeal letter allows you tostate your side of the story using facts to support your cause toconvince the reader(s) to reconsider your case. The letter should

be written in thebusiness letter format.Appeal Letter Writing

The first paragraph should introduce yourself and explain whyyou are writing the letter. Although it may be difficult, be sure tokeep your tone and emotions in check so that you can show that

you can present an objective viewpoint. Keep the first paragraphas concise and clear as possible so that the reader canimmediately understand its urgency.

The next paragraph(s) should narrate the account of whathappened, and why your appeal should be granted. Include all the

necessary facts in order to legitimize your case. You can start byreferring to your handbook or guidelines as member of thatparticular group or institution. Also, provide specific times anddate when particular events occurred. To make your letter morereader-friendly, use bullet-points every time you need toenumerate. After doing this, refer to testimonials from peoplerelated to your work, transcript of records, and medical certificate,if necessary. Be certain to cover all the bases necessary to

The last part should summarize everything you have stated above.Repeat the necessary points that need to be elucidated. Alsoinclude the contact details and where you can be reached. Closeout the letter by thanking the reader for their time.


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Writing an Invitation Letter

An invitation letter serves the purpose of inviting a guest to aparty, an event or a celebration while conveying more information

than a traditional invitations card. It serves two purposes; one, toinvite the individual to the event and two, to ensure that theperson receiving the letter is going to attend.

There are two tenses used within the invitation letter, the presentand the future. The present tense conveys information about theevent and the future tense ensures the guest is going to attend.

Business Invitation LetterAn invitation letter is a formal way to invite peers and clients toevents which are being hosted by the company and are one of themost popular ways of inviting guests to functions. Theprofessional invitation should be written in a formal tone, even

when being sent to friends and family members, if the letter isalso being sent to professional contacts.The introduction allows the host and sender to introducethemselves, as well as the organization in which they have chosen

to represent. A simple background of the individual or companywill suffice in this section of the letter.

Next, in the body of the letter it is important to outline all of theinformation about the event. The date and time should beincluded as well as the theme and purpose for the event. At thispoint, a date should be mentioned in which guests should providetheir reply by, and it may also contain any information regarding

special roles played at the event, attire and items required for theguest to bring.

Be sure to mention any specifications about dress code in theinvitation letter.


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Next, in one sentence, the appreciation for the guest to attend theparty should be shown. This can be completed with a formal note,stating that you look forward to seeing the individual at the event.Remember, this needs to keep in tone with the rest of the letter.

The conclusion should contain the sign off and a line that ties thecomplete letter together, drawing the end of the invitation, with asalutation and a signature.

FriendlyInvitation LetterA friendly invitation letter is similar to a business letter butcontains less formal speech and can make nuances with memories

that may be shared with the guests whom are being invited to theoccasion.

Friendly invitation letters are used for a variety of reasons fromengagement parties and showers to wedding invitations. They canalso be used for personal parties and showers as well ashousewarming get together. Personal invitation letters should besigned with a less formal sign off, such as; yours sincerely, best, orsincerely.

Invitation letters are used as an alternative to traditionalinvitations. They allow the host to convey different messagesthrough the tone of the letter. Invitation letters allow the host toconvey additional information that what is traditionally shared inan invitation card. Memories can be shared with close friends andfamily members that bring about memories of past events.

When sending an invitation letter, be sure to edit it completely,ensuring there are no punctuation, grammatical or spelling errorsbefore the letter is sent to potential guests. Using thesetechniques, you should be able to create personal and professionalinvitation letters with ease.


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Writing a Resignation LetterBefore sitting down and writing a resignation letter, you should bealmost 100% certain that you want to leave your current job, if notmany complications can arise.

The resignation letter should be written in thebusiness letterformat and be directed towards your supervisor or manager.

At a minimum the letter should state that you are leaving, whenyou are leaving, and thank them for the time that they haveemployed you. It is common courtesy to give at least two weeksnotice before you leave your job, but sometimes youll have nocontrol over it.

It is important that you keep your letter positive, you want tomaintain a good relationship with your employer and co-workers,and they can be potential future references or business associates.If you feel like your reason for leaving is honorable, you caninclude the reason for leaving in your letter, but if you think yourreason for leaving may rub your employer the wrong way, there isno need to put the reason in your letter.

ResignationLetter WritingThe first paragraph of your letter should state that you are leavingand when you are leaving.

The second paragraph should explain your reason for leaving thecompany. (This paragraph is optional.)

In the third paragraph you can offer to make your resignation gosmoothly for the company. For example, you can offer to helptrain a replacement with the time you still have left. (Thisparagraph is also optional.)


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The last paragraph should thank the employer for the opportunityto work for, wish them well and/or express interest in maintaning

your professional relationship.

Requesting a Letter of RecommendationGetting a good recommendation letter can significantly help youout in your application process so it is important to ask someone

who you are in good terms with for a letter. It is also important toask someone that knows you well for a recommendation and askthem for it in person. If you are seeking a letter for college orgraduate schools, then it is recommended that you request lettersfrom your teachers/professors. If you are seeking a letter for a job,

business or professional school then it would be ideal if you gotone from your current company. If you have not been at yourcurrent company long or if you are not currently employed thenasking a previous employer is recommended. If that is notpossible seek recommendations from respected professionals that

you may know, such as doctors, lawyers, politicians, ministers andso on.

Ask for the letters early on, dont wait until the day before the

letter is supposed to be sent in to request the letters ofrecommendation. Instead ask ahead of time. If you are going toapply to school ask your professor at least a month ahead of time.If you are seeking a professional letter, ask for a letter ofrecommendation whenever you leave a job.

Assist the writer with as much material as necessary, providingthe writer with your resume and a list of achievements will make

it easier on the writer. You may also want to give him/her anyinformation that will help with the letter including your plans forthe future, your strengths, experiences and other qualities you

want to be presented in the letter. Be honest about theinformation you give, if you embellish itll catch up with you later.


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You should provide the writer with a stamped and addressedenvelope. Also if there is a guideline that needs to be followed orany other material that needs to be filled out, you should providethat to him/her.

After the letter is sent out, you should send a thank you note tothe writer. You can also thank them in person or over the phoneas well.

Job Interview Thank You LettersYou should write a thank you letter as soon as possible (within 24

hours is recommended) after the job interview, at a minimum thisshould be done through email but is recommended that you dothis through a hard-copy of a letter printed out of your computer

which can be sent in through the postal mail or faxed in. Handwritten notes on thank you cards are also acceptable and good forshort thank you notes.

A hard-copy thank you letter should be written in thebusinessletter format, while an email should be sent in the same format

but without the heading (your return address, their address, andthe date).Thank you letter writingThe first paragraph should consist of thanking the interviewer forthe interviewing you (remind him/her about the position youinterviewed for and the date of your interview). You can alsoinclude information about your impressions about the company.The second paragraph should state your interests in the company

and include any additional information about yourself that wasnot brought up in the interview which would make you a goodcandidate for the position. You can also emphasize yourqualifications that were already discussed during the interview(dont make this paragraph too long, try to keep it between 3-5


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sentences, pick the traits that you think were most important tothe interviewer and emphasize them).

The last paragraph should let the recruiter know that you expect

to hear from them soon. Also let them know that you are availableto come in again and are willing to discuss the job further. Writedown your contact information again and what the best methodand/or time to contact you is. To finish up the letter, thank themagain for the interview.

Notes/Tips A thank you letter shows that you have good business

etiquette, your interest in the company and the position, andreiterates your positive qualifications to the interviewer so itshould not be put off.

If there was more than one interviewer; write individualthank you letters to each of the interviewers (make sure eachletter is unique). If it was a panel of interviewers interviewing

you at the same time, you can send out one letter and addressit to the head interviewer and the interview panel and thankthem as one group.

If you forget the spelling or the names of the interviewers,simply call the company and request the proper spelling andtitle.

Keep the thank you letter brief; make sure the letter does notgo past one page in length.

Check for proper grammar usage and spelling.FriendlyLetter Writing

Purpose of a FriendlyLetter

A friendly letter (or informal letter) is a way of communicatingbetween two people (sometimes more) who are usually wellacquainted. There are many uses and reasons for writing afriendly letter, but usually friendly letters will consist of topics ona personal level. Friendly letters can either be printed or hand-

written.


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What you dont say in a condolence letter is almost moreimportant than what you do say. All the same, even if you only

write a line or two, youll show the family your support.

Condolence Letter Tips/Notes1. Keep condolence letters short. The family may have a mountainof cards and letters to read and answer. Dont add to their burden.2. Never say you know how they feel. Simply put, you dont. Evenif you have endured a similar situation, grief is a very intimateseries of feelings that are unique to each individual. Dont intrudeon them.

3. When my son passed away, a well-meaning friend said, Atleast he didnt leave any children behind. Her well-meaningwords rattled me to the bone. I would have gladly given my life tohold his son in my arms just one time. Especially in cases wheredeath was a long-suffering ordeal, you may be tempted to writethat it was a blessing or relief. Dont. Some words are best leftunsaid.

4. Do share a fond memory of the departed in the body (second

paragraph) of your letter. The passing of a loved one leaves a bighole in our lives. A well-written condolence letter helps fill thehole with friendship and love.

***************************************

PRINCIPLES OF REPORT WRITINGBASICS OF REPORT WRITING:

Business reports are vital to larger organization. You will probablywrite complex &formal reports when you work for largeorganization. A business report is an orderly and objective &communication of factual information that serves a businesspurpose. As key words orderly communication a report isprepared carefully. The objective quality of a report is its unbiased


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approach. Reports seeks truth. They avoid human bias. The wordcommunication is broad in meaning. It covers all ways oftransmitting meaning: Speaking, writing, drawing & such factualinformation is based on events, records, data and the like. Not all

reports are business reports. To be classified as a business reportmust serve a business purpose.

DETERMINING THE REPORT PURPOSE: A) THE PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION:

Getting your problem clearly in mind is largely a matter ofgathering all the information needed to understand it and then

applying your best logic to it. It includes collecting data fromcompany files, talking over the problem with experts, searchingthrough print and electronic sources and discussing the problemthose who authorized the report.

B) NEED FOR A CLEAR STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

The next step is writing the problem statement clearly is a goodpractice. A writing statement of the problem normally takes one of

the three forms: Infinitive phrase, question or declarativestatement.

(i) Infinitive Phrase : To determine the causes ofdecreasing sales at store X

(ii) Question :What are the causes of decreasing sales atstore X

(iii) Declarative statement : store X sales decreasing andmanagement wants to know why

You may describe the statement of the problem in many ways butmeaning should be same.


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1) DETERMINING THE FACTORS:

Next step after stating the problem, you should determine whatneed to be done to solve it. Specifically you look for the factors of

the problem. That is you determine what subject area you mustlook into solve the problem. The problem factors may be threetypes

(i) they may be subtopics of the overall topic about which thereport is concerned.

(ii) They may be hypothesis that must be tested.

iii) In problems that involve comparisons, they may be the baseson which the comparisons are made.

(i) USE OF SUBTOPICS IN INFORMATION REPORTS:

If the problem concerns a need for information, your mental effortshould produce the main areas about which information isneeded. This is an informational report problem-that is, it

requires no analysis, no conclusion, no recommendation. It onlyrequires that information be presented. The mental effort in thiscase is concerned simply with determining which sub-division ofthe overall topic should be covered. After thoroughly evaluatingthe possibilities, you might come up with this analysis:

Problem statement: To review operations of company X fromJanuary 1 through March 31

Sub topics:

1) Production

2) Sales & Promotions


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3) Financial Status

4) Computer Systems

5) Product Development

6) Human Resources

(ii) HYPOTHESIS FOR PROBLEMS REQUIRINGSOLUTION:

Some problems concern why something bad is happening and

perhaps how to correct it in analyzing problems of this kind, youshould seek explanations or solutions. Such explanations orsolutions are termed hypothesis once formulated, hypothesis aretested and their applicability to the problem is either proved ordisproved.

Problem Statement: Sales at the spring field store have declinedand management wants to know why.

Hypothesis:

1) Activities of the competition have caused the decline.

2) Changes in the economy of the area have caused the decline

3) Merchandising deficiencies have caused the decline

4) Changes in the environment (population shifts, politicalactions etc) have caused the decline.

In the investigation that follows, you would test there hypothesis.You might find that one, two or all apply or you might find that


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none is valid. If so, you would have to test advance additionalhypothesis for further evaluation.

(iii) BASIS OF COMPARISON IN EVALUATION STUDIES:

When the problem concerns evaluating something, eithersingularly or in comparison with other thing you should look forthe basis for the evaluation that is you should determine whatcharacteristics you will evaluate. In some causes, the proceduremay concern more than naming the characteristics.

(EX) To determine the location of ABC company at three different

places

City A City B City C

Comparison basis:

1) Availability of skilled workers

2) Tax structure

3) Community attitude

4) Transportation facilities

5) Nearness to market

The factors sometimes have factors of their own. For Example:

The Comparison of transportation facilities can be furthersubdivided into water, rail, truck and air. So they also may bebroken down into sub-factors.

GATHERING THEINFORMATIONNEEDED:


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The next step is to conduct the research needed. For mostbusiness problems, you will need to investigate personally. Somebusiness problems require analysis of primary data based onexperiments or surveys and few of them require secondary data

on library research is used. Most of the data can be gathered frominternet & quality materials. In any event your task is to apply

whatever research techniques are required to get the informationyou need for your problem.

INTERPRETING THE FINDINGS:The next step after collecting the information is interpreting thefindings. Applying and interpreting your findings is obviously a

mental process. When interpreting the findings avoid humanerrors by remembering these fundamentals

1) Maintain a judicial attitude

2) Consult with others

3) Test your interpretations

A) STATISTICAL TOOLS IN INTERPRETATION:

The information you gather is quantitative that is expressed innumbers. Such data in their law form usually are voluminous,consisting of tens, hundreds, even thousands of figures. To usethese figures intelligently you must find ways to simplifying thesedata so that you can present these data to your reader. Variousstatistical tools are available for calculation and interpreting the

data.

ORGANIZING THE REPORT INFORMATION:After finishing the interpreting the results you know the messageof your report. Now your information are presented in a form ofoutline. Outlines should usually be written. They serve as tables of


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contents and captions. In constructing your outline, you probablywill use either the conventional as the decimal symbol system tomark the levels.

Conventional system & decimal system:

THENATURE ANDEXTENDOF OUTLINING:The outline is designed to meet the objective of the report. Youshould build the outline around the objective of the report and theinformation you have gathered to meet that objective with the and

your information in mind, you build the structure of the reportmentally. In this process, you shift facts and ideas about until the

most workable order becomes clear. That order is that presentsthe findings in the clearest and meaningful way. When you reachthe outlining stage, you have probably done some of the work.

A) INTRODUCTORY AND CONCLUDING PARTS:

Outlining is concerned mainly with the part of the reportcommonly called the body. The body is the part of the reportthat analysis and interpretations where needed. It is usually

preceded by an introduction, and an ending section of conclusion,and recommendation.

B) ORGANIZATION BY DIVISION:

You may view organizing as a process of division. First you dividethe whole into parts, then you divide the parts into subparts. Youmay subdivide further.

C) DIVISION BY CONVENTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:

In dividing your information into subparts, you have to find a wayof dividing that will produce approximately equal parts. Time,place, quantity and factor are the general bases for these divisions.


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Time, place, quantity and factor are the bases for the process ofdivision. When the interpretation has a time basis division bytime is possible. When the information is related to geographiclocation, a place division is possible. Division based on the

quantity is possible when the information has a number base. (ForExample).Rs.10000 to 20000 (on) age 18-30 etc.,

Factors are areas to be investigated are the fourth basis fordividing information (For Example) The following organizationalproblem should be treated on the basis of location accessibilities,rent, parking, facilities sometimes combinations of time (ForExample) The period orientation from May-July, Place Place of

Sales: North, South, East, West., quantity and factor aresometimes logical.

D) WORKING OF THE OUTLINE:

The outline in its finished form is the table of contents. Its partserve has headings to the sections of the report (which is why werefer to three parts has headings in the following discussion)

because the outline is an important part of the report, you should

construct the final wording carefully. When outlining you may usetopic or talking headings give only the subject of discussion. Forexample present armar unit a) description & output, b) Cost, c)Deficiencies.

Talking headings identify the subject and tell what is said about it(For example) Operation analysis of armor unit a) Recent log inoverall output, b) Increase in cost of operations. Then every

heading making up a level of division should be parallelgrammatically (i.e) Parallelism of construction. Then wheneveryou are using headings see to that you are maintaining theconciseness in wording. Finally you want to use variety ofexpressions. Repeating words in headings can be monotonous. So

you should not overwork works.


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of the report. Transition means bridging across. Transitional arewords or sentences that show the relationships of succeedingparts. Transitions should be used where there is or need toconnect the parts of the report. They should be made naturally,

not mechanically. For connecting large parts, transition sentencesmay be used and also use of topic sentences also helps improvethought flow. Transitional words show relationships betweenlesser parts.

1) MAINTAINING INTERS :

Report writing should be interesting. Interesting writing is

necessary for good communication. Interesting writing is theresult of careful words choice, rhythm, concreteness- in fact, allthe good writing techniques. But efforts to make writinginteresting can be overdone. The writing style should be neverdraw attention away from the information.

COLLABORATIVE REPORT WRITINGCollaborative report preparation is common for good reasons.Group involvement in report preparation is becoming

increasingly significant for a number of reasons. They are :-

DETERMINATION OF GROUP MAKEUP:

Groups should have five as fewer members and include allpertinent specialization areas. Preferably, the group has a leader,

but there are exceptions.

TECHNIQUES OF PARTICIPATION:

Headers and participants have clear duties to make the procedurework. Groups often experience results that are less than ideal.Consult references on effective group.


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PROCEDURE OF THE WORK:

At least two meetings and a work period are needed. Thefollowing activities activities normally occur, usually in this

sequence

1) First, determine the report purpose

2) Derive the factors involved for analysis

3) Gather the information needed

4) Interpret the information

5) Organize the material

6) Plan the writing

7) Assign the parts to be written

8) Write parts assigned

9) Revise the writing collaboratively

10) Edit the final draft as a synergistic final outcome.

REPORT STRUCTURE: THE SHORTER FORMS

Your decision about report structure will be based on the needs ofyour situation. Those needs are related to report length andformality of the situation. The longer the problem and the moreformal the situation, the more involved the report structure islikely to be. The shorter the problem and the more informal thesituation, the less involved the report structure is likely to be.


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Such adjustments of report structure to length and formality helpmeet the readers needs in each situation.

Generally the reports are classified based on their length and

formality with high end reports to the low end reports. At the topof the stairway are the most formal , full-dress reports. Suchreports have a number of pages that come before the first chapter.These pages serve useful purposes, but they also dress up thereport. Typically, theseprefatory pages as they are called, areincluded when the problem situation is formal and the report islong. The exact makeup of the prefatory pages may vary, but themost common arrangement includes these parts: title fly, title

page, letter of transmittal, table of contents, andexecutive summary. Flyleaves blank pages at the beginningand end that protect the report also may be included. The first twopages title fly and title page contain identification information.The title fly carries only the report title. The title page typicallycontains the title, identification of the writer and reader, andusually the date. As the words imply, the letter of transmittal is aletter that transmits the report. It is a personal message from the

writer to the reader. The table of contents, of course, is a listing of

the report contents. It is the report outline in finished form, withpage numbers to indicate where the parts begin. It also mayinclude a list of illustrations ( tables, figures, diagrams ), whichmay be a separate part. The e

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Project of Business Comunication