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Self Learning Material
Communication-II (BSBC 201)
Course: Bachelors in Computer Applications
Semester-II
Distance Education Programme
I.K. Gujral Punjab Technical University
Jalandhar
Syllabus
I.K. Gujral Punjab Technical University
BSBC 201COMMUNICATION –II Objective & Expected Outcome: The objective of this course is to make students understand
the value of business communication, written & presentation skills in professional life. The
students should be well equipped with business & written communication with effective
presentation skills.
SECTION-A Introduction to Business Communication (09) Meaning
and Definition; process and classification of communication; elements & characteristics
of communication; barriers to effective communication in business organization; Formal
and Informal communication; grapevine, importance of effective communication in business
house; Principals of effective communication
SECTION-B Writing Skills (09) Inter-
office memorandums; faxes; E-mails; writing effective sales letters - to agents; suppliers;
customers; report writing; project writing.
SECTION-C Curriculum Vitae (CV) (09) Drafting
a CV; writing job application and other applications; do‟s and don‟ts while appearing for
an Interview; types of interview.
SECTION-D Presentation Skills (09)
Introduction; need of good presentation skills in professional life; preparing a good
presentations; group discussion; extempore speaking.
Suggested Readings / Books:
1. Effective Business Communication - M.V. RODRIGUEZ 2. Business Communication -Meenakshi Raman, Parkash Singh, Paperback Edition,
Oxford University Press
Table of Contents Chapter No. Title Page No.
1
Business Communication- An Overview
1
2 Communication – An Analysis of Basic Constituents
24
3 Communication- An Extended Exposition
46
4
Essentials of Business Writing Report Writing and Project Writing
64
5
Report Writing and Project Writing
99
6
Effective CVs – An Analysis
138
7
Winning at Interviews—A Perspective
161
8 Presentation Skills
184
9
Effective Group Discussions
203
10
The Art of Extempore Speaking
218
Written by:
Col.D.S.Cheema, Punchkula, Haryana
Reviewed by:
Dr.Rachna Tuli,Associate Professor
G.N.Khalsa College, Daroli Kalan, Jalandhar
© IK Gujral Punjab Technical University Jalandhar
All rights reserved with IK Gujral Punjab Technical University Jalandhar
Lesson Plan –Lesson 1
1.0 Objectives
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Information and its types
1.2.1 External Information
1.2.2 Internal Information
1.2.3 Sources of Information
1.3 Process of Communication
1.3.1 Sender or Transmitter
1.3.2 Message encoding
1.3.3 Channel
1.3.4 Message decoding
1.3.5 Feedback
1.3.6 Noise
1.3.7 Medium of communication
1.4 Shannon and Weaver Model of Communication
1.4.1 Sender
1.4.2 Encoder
1.4.3 Decoder
1.4.4 Receiver
1.4.5 Practical Example of Shannon-Weaver model of Communication
1.4.6 Criticism of Shannon-Weaver model of communication
1.5 Classification of Communication
1.5.1 Based on channel of communication
1.5.2 Based on direction of communication
1.5.3 Based on method of communication
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1.5.3.1 Oral communication
1.5.3.2 Written communication
1.5.3.3 Non-verbal communication
1.6 Summary
1.7 Glossary
1.8 Answers to check your progress/Self assessment questions
1.9 References/Suggested reading
1.10 Model questions
Lesson -1 Business Communication- An Overview
1.0 Objectives
After studying this lesson, student will be able to :
Understand the Importance of Communication
Know the basics of communication
Understand the Process of Communication
Differentiate between various Classifications of Communication
1.1 Introduction
Communication is considered a mother skill which one picks up as a natural process
of physical and mental growth. It is the process of sharing information. It is the
transfer of information and understanding from one person to another person. It is a
way of reaching others with facts, ideas, thoughts and values. Communication of
thoughts, ideas, feelings and emotions is so fundamental that nothing in this world is
possible without it. It is so vital that it is said that all problems of the world are either
because of lack of communication or because of bad communication. What ever may
be the views of different people on communication, one thing is certain and that is
that it is the basic need of mankind and is the foundation of any civilised society. Can
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you imagine any activity taking place in the world if people did not communicate? All
the progress made by human beings has been made possible because of their ability to
communicate. It must be very clearly understood that communication is vital in every
part of life, be it private and personal, social, professional and business.
Effective communication skills are on the priority list for most employers today.
Management and leadership are all about getting things done and showing the way for
innovative approach to work. Without an ability to effectively communicate, tasks can
neither be performed nor the teams can be led. Communication skills have a wide
rang and each of its units is as important as the other. It is important for you to master
your communication skills.
The following standard definitions of communication should help the reader in
understanding the concept of communication.
According to Oxford English Dictionary, Communication is, “the imparting,
conveying or exchange of ideas, knowledge etc, whether by speech, writing or signs”
“The word communication describes the process of conveying message (facts, ideas,
attitudes and opinions) from one person to another so that they are understood” MW
Cummins
“In its every day meaning, communication refers to the transmitting of information in
the form of words, or signals or signs from a source to a receiver” Keith and Gubellini
“Communication is the transfer of information from one person to another, whether or
not it elicits confidence. But the information transferred must be understandable to the
receiver”
There is some difference between general and technical communication. General
communication is as the name implies „general‟ in nature. It takes place when two
friends discuss a hockey match or husband and wife discuss their relationship or when
one buys grocery or share the idiocrancies of your boss with your colleagues. How
ever, technical communication is the transfer of technical or professional information
from one individual or group to another. It is the process of communicating a specific
message to a specific audience with a specific purpose. It is special in nature and has
certain special characteristics which differentiate it from the general communication.
1.2 Information and its types
Since communication is the process of sharing information, let us understand a bit
more about information. Information can be sub-divided in the following two forms:
1.2.1 External Information
It has the following elements:
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Information related with policies of the governments at the Centre or State
level which effect the conduct of business
The type and size of consumers in the area of operation. How the customers
and consumers respond to the quality of goods and services and their prices.
Availability of financial support for setting up and running business activities.
Policies of the governments at Centre and State level to finance business
activities through various means like Industrial Financing, loan from the
banks, other financial institutions, Non Banking Financial Companies
(NBFC) Policies about Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), current equation
between Euro, Dollar, Pound, ADR, GDR etc.
Information about supply and demand of various types of raw materials
required. The quality, price, transportation facilities like containers, rail
wagons etc, credit norms in different industries.
Promotion and advertisement and state/efficacy of print and electronic media.
Information related with gender divide standard of education, quality of
labour, standard of living in various parts of the country
Information about the rural population vs city population, availability of link
routes and other communication channels between cities and rural areas.
Level of basic research and applied research, science and technology levels
which may be used in business.
1.2.2 Internal Information
It has the following elements:
Information of vision, mission, objectives, strategies and policies of the
organization
Information about all members of the organisation, their job responsibilities,
levels at which they are operating, their strengths and weaknesses, their areas
of operation, competencies, experience and potential etc.
Information about rules, regulations and procedures which a company follows
for governance
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Information about the hierarchy of the organisation, like Board of Directors
and other decision- makers
Information about the availability of physical assets like land, storage
capacity, facilities for different level of workers, and existing level of raw
materials
Information about the status of plant, machinery , equipment , their
maintenance schedule, literature like technical and operating manuals
o Information about the existing availability of financial resources, in
cash and bank. cash flows, expansion plans and expected future
availability of finances
1.2.3 Sources of Information
Important sources of information are ,Government repositories, libraries etc, which
are the primary sources of information, Internet search engines, Private libraries,
historians and authors.
1.3 Process of Communication
It is important that a student understands the basic process of communication and
what are the various types of communication. To understanding basic process of
communication in the form of Sender, Receiver and the Media is very important How Noise
can play havoc with communication must also be known to make communication more
effective. Normally, oral/verbal communication is given a lot of importance and non-verbal
communication gets neglected. Non-verbal communication plays very important role in
professional communication as well as in personal relationships. These are discussed in
details in the lesson.
Most of our communication depends on combination of verbal and non-verbal
communication ie the symbols. In many cases, these verbal symbols can be totally
eliminated from certain acts of communication without any loss in the reconstruction of
intended message provided the content of the non-verbal communication is rich enough.
The richer the non-verbal component, the less the need of verbal symbols. The weaker the
non-verbal component, the greater the need for elaborating the verbal symbols. Let us take
an example. If you want to buy a railway platform ticket, you approach the counter clerk and
push through a five-rupee note through the window. The clerk takes the note and hand over
the ticket and any cash to be given back. Here the whole communication act has taken place
without either of the parties exchanging even a single word. How ever , in this process the
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desirable aspect of common courtesy of ,”A plat form ticket please” is lacking. Though this
communication does not add any vital information to the act of buying a ticket. All it does is
to make the transaction a little polite. These words won’t be necessary if you were buying
the ticket from a ticket-vending machine.
The greater the need for elaborating verbal speech, the more abstract , and therefore, the
more difficult the process of communication
Communication involves the following elements .
1.3.1 Sender or Transmitter
The communication process starts with a sender, also called the transmitter or the
source. The sender can be one individual, a group, a machine, in fact, any one who
acts as the source of communication. Before communication takes place, the sender
may or may not have prepared the message ie the thoughts, ideas, feelings or
experiences etc which are to be communicated to others.
1.3.2 Message encoding
The process of encoding takes place after the sender has made up his mind of what
ideas , feelings, thoughts etc he wants to communicate. Encoding simply means
converting ideas and thoughts etc in a language or symbol, which can convey those
exactly to the receiver so that the receiver can understand and act on that.
After the message has been encoded, it is transmitted ie sent to another person, groups
, organizations etc. by different ways and means. Transmission could take place by
face-to –face talk, through telephone, by writing a letter, using fax, internet or by
means of signals, symbols or body language.
1.3.3 Channel
The medium through which the message is transmitted is called channel and it is a
link between the sender and the receiver. The ways of transmission of message can be
many . . How ever, the communication to be as perfect as possible between the sender
and the receiver, an appropriate and suitable channel has to be selected by the sender.
Taste and smell are also channels of communication. Some other examples of
channels are the air that carries the sound waves, telephone system, TV transmission,
internet etc. It is well known that if a vacuum is created in a room, oral
communication is not possible
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1.3.4 Message decoding
Decoding of message takes place when it is received by the receiver. When the
receiver gets the same meaning of the message, which was meant to be converted by
the sender, the communication is successful and useful. Words, symbols and signals
etc are coded back to the thoughts, ideas and feelings. Different words in many
languages have different meaning for different people. Trunk or boot may mean a part
of car for storage in one language and culture but have entirely a different in Indian
languages. Similar is the case with signals used by Armed Forces; like closing fingers
of one hand and keeping the hand on the head, can be interpreted as asking all to
reach the place from where the signal is being given from, by only those who have a
background knowledge of the signal.
1.3.5 Feedback
Communication can become a two way process only if the receiver of the message
decides to response. In such a case, the role of the sender and receiver is reversed. It is
only with the help of feedback that the sender of the message gets to know whether
the message was correctly received by the receiver and interpreted or understood in the
manner it was meant to. The very purpose of communication is to get the desired response
from the receiver and if it is not achieved, the communication fails. If a professor conveys to
the student to be at a particular place, day and time to attend a seminar and if they are nit
there, the desired response, which the message intended, has not been received. Hence,
feedback enables the source to know whether the message has been received and interpreted
correctly.
1.3.6 Noise
Noise is something that reduces the accuracy and effectiveness of communication. Noise can
be in or because of all the elements discussed above and can distort or disturb the message
being sent by interfering in the communication process. Sender or receiver may not be able to
encode or decode the message properly, channel may have physical disturbances and the
feedback may not be accurate and useful.
1.3.7 Medium in communication
Medium used in transmission of message plays a vital role in effective communication. Every
one knows the impact of communication received through a bad telephone line or a mobile
phone with a low battery in a basement, blurred fax message, poor internet connectivity and
so on. Of course, most important media of communication are oral or through spoken or
written words. How ever, there are many other as powerful means of communication. A
landlord with large land holding may step on land of a small farmer and may not give him just
a frown to scare him away and pressurize him to abide by his unfair command. A very senior
man may ignore the greetings of a subordinate to make the junior understand his authority, a
student may turn his face away rather than wishing him when coming in face-to-face
situation with his teacher, and so on
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Different types of media may be chosen by the sender or the source, depending on who is to
receive the message and what action and in what time-frame the sender wants it.
1.4 Shannon and Weaver Model of Communication
Communication literature discusses many theories of communication. Here we discuss the
most basic communication theory of Shannon and Weaver. In 1948, Shannon an American
mathematician and electronic engineer and Weaver a scientist, joined hands to write an
article in “Bell System Technical Journal” called “A Mathematical Theory of
Communication”. The model suggested in the paper is called “Shannon-Weaver model of
communication”.
This model is specially designed to develop an effective communication between sender
and receiver. Also they found factors which affect the communication process and called
it “Noise”. At first the model was developed to improve the technical communication.
Later it‟ was widely applied in the field of all types of communication.
The model deals with various concepts like Information source, transmitter, Noise,
channel, message, receiver, channel, information destination, encoding and decoding
Information source Transmitter Reception Destination
Sender-------------- Encoder-------- Channel--- -Decoder ----------Receiver-
Noise
<-------------------------------- Feedback---------------------------------------------<
Shannon-Weaver Model of Communication
1.4.1 Sender : The originator of message or the information source who selects
the desired message to be sent.
1.4.2 Encoder : The transmitter which converts the message into signals.
The sender‟s messages are converted into signals like waves or Binary data which is
compactable to transmit the messages through cables or satellites. For example, in
telephone the voice is converted into wave signals and is transmitted through cables.
1.4.3 Decoder : The reception of the signal which converts signals into message. A
reverse process of encoding.
Page 8 of 226
The receiver converts those binary data or waves into message which can be interpreted
by the receiver. Otherwise receiver can‟t receive the exact message .
1.4.4 Receiver : The destination of the message from sender.
Based on the decoded message the receiver gives the feed back to sender. If the message
is mutilated by noise it will affect the communication flow between sender and receiver.
The messages are transferred from encoder to decoder through different types of
channels. During this process the messages may distracted or affected by physical noise
like horn sounds, thunder and crowd noise or encoded signals may distract the channel
during the transmission process which affect the communication flow or the receiver.
1.4.5 Practical Example of Shannon-Weaver model of
Communication:
Thomson made call to his assistant “come here I want to see you”. During his call, noise
appeared (transmission error) and his assistant received “I want” only. Again Assistant
asked Thomson (feedback) “what do you want Thomson”.
Here, different elements of the Model are as follows:
Sender : Thomson
Encoder : Telephone (Thomson)
Channel : Cable
Noise : Distraction in voice
Reception : Telephone (Assistant)
Receiver : Assistant.
Due to transmission error or noise, Assistant is not able to understand Thomson‟s
messages.
1.4.6 Criticism of Shannon-Weaver model of
communication:
Page 9 of 226
One of the simplest models and is generally applied in various
communication theories.
The model which attracts both academics of Human communication and
Information theorist to help them in further research in communication.
It‟s more effective in person-to-person communication than in groups or in
mass audience.
The model is based on “Sender and Receiver”. Here sender plays the
primary role and receiver plays the secondary role
Communication is not a one way process. If it were so, it would lose its
strength. For example, an audience or receiver who is listening to a radio, is
reading a book or is watching television is a one way communication
because of the absence of feedback.
Understanding Noise helps to solve various problems in communication.
1.5 Classification of Communication
As far as communication is concerned, it can be in the following forms as shown
below:
Types of Communication
Type of channel Direction Method
Formal Downward Oral
Informal Upward Written
Horizontal/Lateral Use of body language
Page 10 of 226
1.5.1 Based on channels of communication
Formal Communication
In formal communication who will communicate with whom in an organisation is
determined by the policy laid down by the management. The policy takes in to
account the authority, status or position of the persons involved ie the sender and the
receiver. Formal communication, in fact, enforces and establishes a working
relationship between different members of the organisation.
Informal Communication or Grapevine
The other information system which is always there in addition to the formal system
discussed above is the informal communication. It is there whenever two persons or
groups interact with each other. This also comes in to play when the formal system
does not work properly ie there are problems in the formal system and the workers or
juniors cannot express themselves properly.
There are four types of grapevine; they are:
Single stand Here each person communicates with other in order of sequence
Gossip In this type of informal communication one person tells some thing
to others
Probability Here one individual communicates with others on random
according to law of probability
Cluster One person communicates with others on selective basis ; the
person may interact only with such a person whom he trusts‟
Page 11 of 226
Whenever there is some special occasion, informal communication passes freely
between the people who are present in that place. Also grapevine or informal
communication becomes very active when there are any activities in the organisation
that generate insecurity amongst members of any organisation. Grapevine has certain
characteristics, these are:
Grapevine provides feedback to managers which is generally not possible through
formal communication channels.
It travels much faster than the formal communication
Grapevine can penetrate the best of security systems
Grapevine functions as a carrier of rumours
1.5.2 Based on Direction of Communication
Downwards communication
Main purpose of downwards communication is to control all aspects of the
functioning of any organisation. It is essential for any organisation to share
information, give instructions, give proposals and advice etc. Downward
communication must take in to account the feelings and aspirations of the
subordinates before the higher management issues any orders, instructions. If orders
are issued unilaterally, they will have no meaning as they may not be obeyed causing
many other disciplinary problems. Getting feedback through different methods,
considering them carefully before passing any instructions is in the interest of any
organisation. A good manger will always like to know how his juniors feel in place of
work ie the type of work environment, basic facilities like wash rooms, toilets,
medical help, canteen etc. Only then it will be possible for him to motivate workers to
perform well and increase their productivity through their best efforts. Downward
communication is used for the following purposes:
To communicate policies, procedures, practices, rules and regulations
To give specific job instructions
To provide feedback to the employer or the worker
To motivate for improving productivity
Page 12 of 226
To prepare for changes
To discourage rumours and gossip- mongering
Downward communication can be made more effective by the following means:
Plan orders
A superior must always plan his orders which should fit in the overall strategy of the
concerned organisation. Planning involves very clear understanding of the task, the
employee‟s ability, availability of resources and the time required to carry out the
task. Un planned orders can harm the interest of all organisations in addition to
harming the personal reputation of the person giving such orders.
Must know facts, figures and related information and knowledge
The person who issues orders must himself be very clear what he wants to be done..
He must possess sufficient, if not complete knowledge about the job to be done. He
should be able to answer all queries related with the job which any employee or
subordinate will like to be clarified if he has to perform the task to the entire
satisfaction of his superior. Span of knowledge of the superior has to be more than
that of the subordinate, though it is possible, he may not possess the skill of that level
because he does not himself carry out the task.
What media should be used and how communication is to be passed on to the
subordinate ?
There will be any number of situations where the order cannot be passed orally and
has to be given in writing. For example, if an enquiry order is to be given to a General
Manager for bringing out the fact why a particular marketing manger accepted a gift
from a vendor supplying equipment and spare to the company, against the policy of
the company, the matter may be so serious breach of company policy that only a
written order will be issued by MD to the GM
Superior must know the impact of the order on the employees and its far
reaching implications.
A thoughtless order of shifting the scooter or car parking of the junior staff, while
sitting in the office and looking at the blueprint of the plan of the factory, is sure to be
disobeyed causing many discipline related problems. They may resent and even
protest against the order and it may end up in the form of a strike by them. It is a good
idea to take feedback from various sources like informal leaders, union leaders,
Page 13 of 226
supervisors and even some workers at random to know what goes on in their minds. A
good manager or leader will never like his orders disobeyed or not followed in letter
and spirit.
The order-passing style should be appropriate
Any order which is issued with conviction and given in a manner that the receiver
finds acceptable will be followed by him. The choice of words used, whether verbally
or in writing should be such that they are firm yet polite. Certain superiors are in the
habit of being arrogant and authoritative while passing on any instructions. When
giving orders verbally, one must watch out ht e associated body language, while in
writing the choice of the words used should be such that the recipient does not find
them offending.
Keep empathy at the back of the mind while issuing any orders or instructions
Empathy simply means putting oneself in the shoes of the other person. The person
giving orders must place himself at the receiving end and appreciate how will the
order received by the juniors
Upward communication
It refers to the communication from lower levels to the higher levels. This pattern of
communication is, perhaps is the most important aspect of any organisation. It is the
flow of information from lower levels ie workers and other subordinate staff to higher
level ie managerial personnel. This is a method through which any worker can bring
to the knowledge of his superiors his problems related with job performance or even
personal difficulties due to which he cannot give his best. It is a method of feedback
for the superiors about the junior‟s performance level, work environment, the policies
and procedures adopted by the organisation and so on. Feed-back in different areas of
functioning can only be receiver from the workers, supervisors and managers through
a formal hierarchy of flow of information from bottom to upwards. Unless upward
communication methods are mad effective downward communication cannot become
useful, , is it reasonable and fair under the circumstances. When ever in doubt, one
must apply the criteria of reasonability and fairness.
Upward communication is necessary for:
To create a feeling that juniors are also heard by the superiors in the
organisation
This helps in improved work environment and motivation of the employees which
ultimately helps in increase in productivity.
To evaluate the functioning of the communication system
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If there are any concessions and award schemes which are announced as company
policy how many people actually give suggestions will be an indicator of the morale
of the workers. The management may feel the need of modifying the system or
increase the incentives and so on.
To get new ideas
Many a time, the employees working at lower levels , come out with many brilliant
ideas as they are the ones who actually use plant, machinery equipment and perform
other tasks at operational level. It is a good idea to get regular feedback from them
about production quality and processes and suggestions for improving the overall
system.
The organisation may use the following media for upward communication:
Face-to-face
An employee or junior level worker seeks an interview or meets the senior person
informally to share his views, concerns, difficulties and grievances etc. Many
companies encourage their employees to avail of any opportunity to meet the top boss
when he goes around the organisation. This healthy exchange of information can give
excellent real time information to the management which can be used for the benefit
of the employees as well as the organisation.
Group meetings
Management can plan to have department-wise meetings in the company. GMs of
Accounts, HRD, Marketing, Production etc may invite all members of their
departments, once in a month to know them better, find out any such issues which
may have the potential to become a major trouble in due course of time, if not handled
immediately. Such meetings would reveal events, places and happenings which are
trouble spots and if not tackled the smoke can become a disastrous fire.
Grievances Handling Procedures
Committees
There is a statutory requirement that companies employing large number of workers
must have an appropriate grievance handling method in their organisation. Generally,
a committee is formed which is headed by a senior person, usually from HR
department and representatives from different departments are the members.
Counselors
A counselor is like a trained friend expected to have periodical meetings where all
complaints and problems are discussed and remedial actions are recommended to the
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top management for appropriate action. There may be a separate women cell,
depending on the strength of female employees, which can tackle special issues like
gender bias or harassment of women at the hands of male employees.
A counselor is the one who understands the work condition, educational, cultural and
social background of the workers and helps them in tackling their personal and
professional problems. Labour officers, welfare officers can also be used to the
benefit of the organisation. They can give a very useful feedback about the overall
health of the organisation. The top management must listen to such feedback with
patience and take suitable remedial measures.
Horizontal/Lateral communication
This type of information flows between the persons at the same level in any hierarchy,
whether they are from the same department or from other departments. Without
horizontal communication, the coordination and cooperation between the
Staff working at different levels will not be possible. It helps in promoting group
coordination. All this leads to better functioning of any organisation. Basic objectives
of the lateral communication are:
Coordination and cooperation amongst peers or persons working at the same
level in any organisation
There are many persons working at the same hierarchical level, ie there may be
manager grade level persons in HRD department, Accounts, Marketing and
Production. They are all mangers and are treated by the management equal in status
etc. in formal meetings. Some communication which is meant for mangers may be
issued only for their consumption ie the company head may decide that all mangers
at a particular level would adopt a particular dress code and they may also be asked to
wear name tags and so on.
Emotional and social support for motivation, loyalty etc.
When a group of people is given different, only for them treatment they identify with
each other emotionally and socially. Such people associate their position and status as
very special for the organisation, They get treatment from the management based on
the same principle, they face similar problems and become socially close to each other
It should be noted that the need of horizontal communication increases as
organisations become more specialised and departments tend to work in water-tight
compartments. Specialised work procedures leaves hardly any time with the peers to
interact with each other unless there is a meeting or conference or there is a training
session or a social get-together. It is more of an informal meeting than a formal one. If
head of particular department wants particular information relate with the company
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affairs, he may ring up head of another department, who he thinks has that
information. Such an exchange at the same level helps in increase in efficiency and is
a tool in the overall effectiveness of the organisation. A particular level of person does
not have the authority and liberty to ring up his colleague and get information unless
it is related directly with the job responsibility he has been assigned or a specific task
he is performing for the company. But a colleague operating at the same level as his is
easily accessible.
Lateral communication is easier and simpler because hierarchy and authority does not
remain an issue.. Most likely, all of them will have some authority for granting leave,
release of imprest to persons working directly under them, sanctioning or
recommending loans, or authorising people for duty move etc.
In good organisations these systems are managed so that organisation runs like a well
oiled machine
1.5.3 Based on Method of Communication
Method of communication is very important as this is how the message gets delivered
to the recipient. Various methods are discussed below:
1.5.3.1 Oral Communication
Oral Communication consists of the following:
Presentation Techniques
Interviews
Group Discussions
Meetings and Conferences
1.5.3.2 Written Communication
Written communication could be of general nature or it could be technical writing .
The following are the types of written communication:
Basic General Writing
Technical Writing
Précis Writing
Letter Writing
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Memos, Office Circulars, Notices,
Press Release, E-mail and E-mail Etiquette, News Letters
Resume Writing
Technical Proposals, Technical Reports ,Research Papers, Dissertation and
Thesis
Instruction Manuals, Technical Descriptions, Creating Indices, Preparing list
of References and Bibliography
1.5.3.3 Non- verbal Communication
Communication also takes place when not a word is spoken. Communicating without
words can sometimes become a very useful and powerful tool. Non-verbal and non-
written communication sends very powerful signals, which if interpreted correctly can
convey much more than the words, whether spoken or written. Well-known
management consultant Nancy Austin has this to say about this form of
communication, “When people don‟t know whether to believe what they are hearing
or what they are seeing, they go with the body language- it tells the truth. You can
play fast and loose with words, but it is much more difficult to do with gestures.”
Psychologists feel that though human beings speak with their vocal chords, they
communicate with their face expressions, their tone of voice, and their whole body.
Importance of non-verbal communication cannot be over-emphasised as it has
immense practical use. It is the communication without the use of written or spoken
words, like body movements, voice patterns and touch etc. It has immense practical
application in business world. Consider the statement of psychologist Marilyn Maple,
“When you cannot consciously „read‟ what others are saying unconsciously, you can
deal with issues at work and at home-before they become problem” It is well-known
that most of the non-verbal communication at work place revolves around power.
Power is the capacity of a person to influence the actions of others-as perceived by
others. Power gives individual authority and status-consciousness. Those who have
power are seen by others as superior, bigger, larger than life and stronger and this
creates an aura around them. People behave in respectful and fearful manner in their
presence; they fold their hands for greetings and touch their feet spontaneously. In
business world, when the boss arrives every one becomes more attentive to work,
employees move about an orderly and respectful manner, they get worried and
anxious when the boss calls them and so on. On the other hand people who feel
powerless and without any authority or status, their entire lifestyle changes and they
give entirely different kind of body signals. Professor Albert Mehrabian has illustrated
this point by giving an example of an officer-soldier relationship in army. He says,
“Status manifests subtly in a relaxed posture and way of interacting. The classic
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example of a soldier standing at attention in the presence of a superior officer. His
body is extremely tense and in perfect symmetry-signs of subservience” Similar kind
of situation prevails in any organisation when a junior employee is called by a senior
executive. Because of their status and role relationship one is in control of situation,
gives instructions and other notes them down carefully and respectfully and sets to
implement them without raising an enquiry.
A child is less sensitive to changes in expressions of others or their body language
because his interpretation of those signals is not very mature. How ever as human
beings grow to adulthood and develop the ability to analyse, they become highly
sensitive to even very minor changes in gestures, expressions, postures, movement of
others and relate different meaning to them. Frank Trippeti has this to say, “Homo-
sapien as communicator does not seem to have come all that far when grunts and
gesticulations were the main way of getting message across. Both individuals and
groups still send vital messages by gestures, by dramatics- by a dizzy diversity of
what scholars call non-verbal communication. It is felt that total impact of a message
is about 7 percent verbal, 38 percent vocal and 5 percent non-verbal. Roger E. Axtell
highlights the importance of this type of communication by saying, “As the global
village continues to shrink and cultures collide, it is more and more essential for all of
us to become erigarde, figuratively speaking, to the myriad motions, gestures and
body language that surrounds us each day”
There are many types of Non-verbal Communication
Some of the benefits and Limitations of Non-Verbal Communication are :
Body language is the most visible aspect of communication.
It, therefore, helps the receiver of the message in decoding it properly.
It complements verbal communication.
Especially in face-to-face communication, no message can be completely understood
if it is not accompanied by facial expression and gestures.
It adds substantially to the process of communication.
In the absence of any gesture, change of posture, proper eye contact, any
communication will appear bland and insipid.
Just imagine human beings not using any body language gestures while speaking and
you will understand how bland it will appear.
As people care for body language and try to use it for their advantage, it goes a long
way to improve the overall atmosphere and appearance of the organisation.
Facial expression, gestures and postures cannot be wholly relied upon
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Body language may not always be taken serious as compared to the written or spoken
words.
People belonging to different cultural backgrounds send out different body signals.
These can, therefore be misunderstood. Hence, one has to be very careful in using
body language.
Body language is ineffective in a large crowd or when people communicating are at a
far off distance.
1.6 Summary
Communication as a subject has assumed a lot of importance in recent years. It is
often seen that lot of weightage is given to the functional and hard skills but soft skills
get relegated. There were times when soft skills as a whole including the
communication skills were thought of only as poor cousins of hard or functional skills
in the supporting role. Every student and professional spent considerable time in
acquiring the functional skills, but he ignored the soft skills. All type of
communication, are of utmost importance in modern business world.
Functions and types of communication networks and flow of communication have
been discussed in details in this lesson. Important role played by downward and
upward communication has been discussed. It has been seen why informal
communication is equally important for feed back in the interest of any organisation
1.7 Glossary
Formal Communication Formal communication, in fact,
enforces and establishes a working relationship between different members of the
organisation.
Informal Communication or Grapevine. It is there whenever two persons or
groups interact with each other. This also comes in to play when the formal system
does not work properly ie there are problems in the formal system and the workers or
juniors cannot express themselves properly.
Single strand grapevine Here each person communicates with
other in order of sequence
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Downward Communication Where the communication flows
from a higher to lower authority level; it is usually in the form of directives from the
higher management to the subordinates, including the shop floor employees.
Horizontal Communication Communication that takes place
between colleagues at the same level, that is, supervisors in one department
communicating with supervisors in another department.
Diagonal Communication Communication which takes place
between with persons from one department to another but at the same level and who
are not in direct reporting relationship.
Management Communication Communication among
management personnel.
1.8 Answers to check your progress/Self assessment
questions
1. Explain the process of communication in as simple a manner as you can. Give
suitable examples
2. How can you classify the types of communication? Explain various types of
communication
3. Narrate an example of failure of communication in your institution/place of work
and the reasons thereof.
Answers:
1.
Communication is the process of sharing information. It is the transfer of information
and understanding from one person to another person. It is a way of reaching others
with facts, ideas, thoughts and values. Communication of thoughts, ideas, feelings and
emotions is so fundamental that nothing in this world is possible without it. It is so
vital that it is said that all problems of the world are either because of lack of
communication or because of bad communication. What ever may be the views of
different people on communication, one thing is certain and that is that it is the basic
need of mankind and is the foundation of any civilised society. Can you imagine any
activity taking place in the world if people did not communicate? All the progress
made by human beings has been made possible because of their ability to
communicate. It must be very clearly understood that communication is vital in every
part of life, be it private and personal, social, professional and business.
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2.
As far as communication is concerned, it can be classified as shown below:
Types of Communication
Type of channel Direction Method
Formal Downward Oral
Informal Upward Written
Horizontal/Lateral Use of body language
The details can be discussed by the students as given in the text of the lesson.
3.
Hint: The student should take any live situation from daily life in the institution.
He/she will realise that communication fails almost on all situations.
1.9 References/Suggested Reading
1. Business Correspondence and Report Writing by R C Sharma and Krishna
Mohan, Published by Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi
2. Effective Technical Communication by M Ashraf Rizvi Published by Tata
McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi
3. Business Communication by Homai Pradhan, D S Bhende and Vijaya Thakur,
Published by Himalaya Publishing House , Mumbai
4. Business Communication Skills by Col D S Cheema, Published by Laxmi
Publications Pvt Ltd , Delhi
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1.10 Model Questions
1. What is the basic process of communication? Give real life examples in your
answers.
2. What are the different methods of classifying communication. Support your
answer with appropriate examples.
3. Do you think Downward Communication is more important than the Upward
Communication? Why so?
4. Can Informal Communication become more important in certain situations?
How? Give suitable examples
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Lesson Plan-Lesson 2
2.0 Objectives
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Functions or Objectives of Communication
2.2.1 Inform and share
2.2.2 Promote
2.2.3 Educate
2.2.4 Organize
2.2.5 Relate
2.2.6 Entertain
2.2.7 Motivate
2.2.8 Report
2.2.9 Analyse
2.2.10 Orders
2.2.11 Instructions
2.2.12 Advise
2.2.13 Counseling
2.2.14 Persuasion
2.2.15 Suggestions
2.2.16 Warning
2.2.17 Morale-booster
2.4 Levels of Communication
2.4.1 Communication with our self takes place in the form of
2.4.2 Communication with others takes place in the form of
2.5 Result-driven communication framework depends upon:
2.5.1 The basic things to remember are
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2.6 Fundamentals and Principles of an Effective Communication
2.6.1 Is the media used for communication the most appropriate to achieve the
objectives of the communication?
2.6.2 The principle of „need to know‟
2.6.3 Aim of communication
2.6.4 Keep it simple
2.6.3 What is the Knowledge of the receiver, his educational and cultural background,
his attitude, special circumstances in which he operates in personal and professional
life etc.
2.7 7 Cs of effective communication
2.7.1 Candid
2.7.2 Clear
2.7.3 Complete
2.7.4 Concise
2.7.5 Concrete
2.7.6 Correct
2.7.7 Courteous
2.8 Improving the Quality of Communication
2.8.1 Combine written /oral communication with visual display for maximum effect
2.8.2 Writing clearly and concisely
2.8.3 Repeat to ensure message is driven home
2.8.4 Recognise the uniqueness of individual for good communication
2.8.5 Communication and confidence level
2.8.6 Communication by setting a good example
2.9 Effective Listening as a Communication Skill
2.9.1 Some of the factors, which can help in effective listening, are
2.10Summary
2.11 Glossary
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2.12 Answers to check your progress/Self assessment questions
2.13 References/Suggested reading
2.14 Model questions
Lesson -2 Communication – An Analysis of Basic
Constituents
2.0 Objectives
After studying the lesson, student will be able to :
U n d e r s t a n d t h e i mportance of effective communication in business
activities
Understand various principles of communication
Learn about the elements involved in communication process
Know different characteristics o f Communication
2.1 Introduction
Communication is an essential element in any form of human organization, whether
business, political, religious, or other. There is no doubt individuals communicated in
one form or the other even in a primitive society where a simple form of hunting and
agriculture dominated. Otherwise there would not have been any progress.
Business operates in a complex environment, in a society which is advanced in
science and technology. These changes and complex situations call for a better
understanding and use of communication. According to Murphy and Peck, “Effective
communication is the „life blood‟ of every organization and a key to success in your
business as well as in your personal life” Murphy and Peck add that any organization
is composed of people: a business is one type of organization. Thus, the activities of
business require human beings to interact in many ways: to exchange information,
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plans and proposals; to co-ordinate; to make decisions. The necessity of effective
communication is to achieve these objectives need not be over emphasized.
Do industries have an adequate communication flow? Can the existing patterns of
communication be improved? There should be a proper study and and observation of
the existing systems of communication with a view to assess their shortcomings and
improve them.
There is no such thing as „perfect communication‟ in any industry and a systematic
study of communication can be conducted to improve present communication.
Therefore, those involved in running of business organisations patterns must first of
all recognize the need for an effective communication among the various individuals
involved, so that each one can understand what the other is doing, and how it is being
done. Communication among management personnel is vital. Information reaches the
employees through management personnel and unless there exists a proper channel
through which information reaches employees or those at the lower level of
management, appropriate decisions cannot be made.
We need good communication skills to:
Share our thoughts, feelings and ideas and experiences with others
Get things done from others
Know about things of our interest
Put across to others what we want
Develop satisfying relationship with others
It is not possible to have total perfection in communication as human beings are
involved and human beings are bound to commit some mistakes. The sender of
information and the receiver of communication or message are human beings.
Message is framed and sent though a channel or medium by a human being, this is
received and interpreted by another human being. It may be appreciated that many
uncertain and imponderable factors are involved in any human activity. How ever,
every effort must be made to make communication as perfect as possible. T o that
extent, the receiver and the sender should make all out effort to improve the quality of
communication.
To be able to master the most important skill in life, you must remember the
following details.
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2.2 Functions or Objectives of Communication
The purpose, objectives or functions of any communication are:
2.2.1 Inform and Share
Any data, information or knowledge of any kind to be passed to others, is possible
only through communication, whether general or technical. It may be verbal or non-
verbal, written or through gestures or through body language etc. Teacher cannot
teach students , senior business person cannot share the strategies of business, captain
of the aircraft cannot receive or provide information to Air Traffic Control(ATC) Job
–seekers cannot appear in interviews, salesman cannot sell his products and so on ,
without communicating
2.2.2 Promote
If any idea is to be promoted, it has to be shared with others. If any service or goods
are to be advertised or promoted, it can only be done through communication through
print or electronics media
2.3.3 Educate
Communication is necessary for giving lessons to educate others in any discipline
under the Sun, whether it is educating a primary school student, an engineering /
management/ medicine/IT student or teaching nuclear or space technologies or to give
a clear picture of plan of action or selling strategic information. Education can be for
the general public, management or the workers.
2.3.4 Organise
Even if a small birthday party has to be organised, a number of organising activities
have to be performed. One has to call for cake or drinks, a tent may be required to be
pitched, guests have to be invited and so on. Meeting any organising needs is not
possible unless and until verbal or written communication takes place.
2.3.5 Relate
Relationship between different people performing different types of tasks in any
organisation is possible only through communication. Persons at different levels relate
to each other as juniors , colleagues or seniors through some means of
communication. In personal relationship, husband and wife or mother and children
relate with each other through sharing information, ideas , thoughts , emotions and
feelings.
2.3.6 Entertain
Can you imagine how boring the world would be if you could not watch the TV and
movies or other entertainment programs, hear any music or read a magazine?
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Entertainment industry is totally dependent on communication process. There are
people who don‟t leave home to watch a favourite TV show. They communicate with
the characters of the program through letters , telephone calls. letters etc..
2.3.7 Motivate
Motivation is the process of making others want to do what you want them to do. It is
a very slow, cumbersome and difficult process and needs continuous interaction with
persons who have to be motivated. It may be done verbally by addressing such
persons or they may be given written material, case studies may be discussed with
theme and so on. Achievement goals are set before the workers and they are given
monetary and other benefits to achieve them. All this can be done only through
various communication methods.
2.3.8 Report
When ever there is a requirement of submitting ideas in a formal manner, a report has
to be prepared. It may be feasibility study report for a project or one page on the spot
assessment report, a senior may have demanded.
2.3.9 Analyse
Analysis of any situation or problem requires discussions, views of others and inputs
from different sources. It is possible only by telling others what to do, write down the
requirements, record the views of others, organise brain-storming sessions and so on.
All this needs different types of communication.
2.3.10 Orders
Order is a communication which is given by seniors in position of authority to juniors.
Orders are given from top to bottom to do something or not to do something. There
are different types of orders, specific, general, procedural, operational, mandatory,
and discretionary and so on. But all orders can be passed only though some kind of
communication.
2.3.11 Instructions
It is an order which also provides guidance and help to carry out the order. Details of
how a particular job is to be carried out are also provided and person who issues
instructions is always there to help the person, who has to carry out the instruction.
2.3.12 Advice
An important purpose of communication is to give and seek advice. Today‟s business
world is very complex and no single person can have all the knowledge, skill and
expertise required. Seniors, experts, consultants, advisors give advice; similarly,
junior, middle, supervisory and operational levels have to give advice to promote
understanding at the work place.
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2.3.13 Counseling
It is an advice by a professional counselor. Personal problems of the workers have
direct impact on their performance in the work place. Hence, good organisations
appoint counselors to handle such problems; they may be psychologists, doctors,
social workers etc who are suitable trained in counseling.
2.3.14 Persuasion
Persuasion plays an important role in our personal and professional lives. Human
nature acts favourably to a gentle persuasion rather than strict no-nonsense army type
orders. Parents can persuade their children to shun bad habits of smoking, drinking
and indulging in un-protected sex. Similarly, teachers, parents and social workers can
persuade younger generations to develop good habits and value systems.
2.3.15 Suggestions
Getting useful suggestions can be very useful in conducting the affairs of any
organisation, whether it is government or private entities. In business world it is being
taken very seriously and suggestions are invited to improve the functioning of
different departments. Suggestion schemes offering rewards and incentives for good
practical solution to the organisation‟s problems are introduced based on those
suggestions. Good business organisations attend to the complaints of the customers
very seriously and learn from them. It is sais that dissatisfied customers who give the
feed-back are the best friends of any organisation.
2.3.16 Warnings
Workers in any organisation need to be told about their short comings and the
consequences of not improving an undesirable behaviour. There are situations where
the management of any organisation has to issue warnings to the workers or junior
staff to act in a desirable manner. Habitual late-coming, absenteeism, insubordination,
undesirable conduct at work place etc attract warning from the management. It has to
be kept that warnings are fair and not result of any bias or prejudice. Warning or
admonishing must always be done in private. All warnings should have only one
purpose, the well-being of the organisation.
2.3.17 Morale-boosting
Morale is a state of mind and when one has a high morale, one can do or achieve
anything. Similarly, when one has a low morale, nothing is possible. Effectiveness
and efficiency are the direct result of high morale of any worker. Communication
plays a very important role in raising the morale of juniors or followers. Leaders in
various organisations adopt different strategies to improve the morale of workers and
followers.
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2.4 Levels of Communication
Communication takes place at two levels:
Communication we have with our self
Communication we have with others
2.4.1 Communication with our self takes place in the form of
The Thoughts that we have
The Meaning that we give to our thoughts
What we say to ourselves/ Manner in which we talk to ourselves on regular
basis
2.4.2 Communication with others takes place in the form of
The extent to which we Listen to others.
The Meaning that we give to what others say
What we Say to others
The Manner in which we talk to others.
2.5 Result-driven communication framework depends
upon:
Target Who do I want to communicate to?
Motive What do I want to communicate?
Outcome What is the result I want?
Message What is my key message?
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Delivery How do I deliver my message?
Timing When do I want to deliver my message?
2.5.1 The basic things to be remembered are:
Put across the purpose of communication clearly and at an early stage
Learn to empathise with the person you want to communicate with
Try to listen and not hear
Make the other person comfortable to talk
Keep quiet and give other person the opportunity to speak
Arguments and criticism lead nowhere
Understand people and human nature
Read body language
Keep the communication as simple as possible.
Remember what Nelson Mandela said, “If you talk to a man in a language that he
understands, that goes to his head, if you talk to him in his language that goes to
his heart.”
2.6 Fundamentals and Principles of an Effective
Communication
Certain principles, if followed, can help in improving the quality of communication.
These principles cover all areas of communication eg message quality, channels of
communication and conditions relating to receipt of message etc .An effective
communication is very essential
According to Levine and C Rom
“Here are the first steps to successful communication, follow them and you will be
on your way:
Make communication a top priority
Be open to other people
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Create a receptive environment for communication‖
As has been brought out earlier communication is complete only when the receiver
gets exactly the same message as was intended by the source or sender. To make the
communication effective, the following fundamental things must be kept in mind:
2.6.1 Is the media used for communication the most appropriate to
achieve the objectives of the communication?
If it is plain simple exchange of information, may be a word on telephone is good
enough but if information, knowledge or wisdom is ment to be conveyed to a large
group of audience seated far away from the source, a different kind of medis should
be used to make the communication (and resulting impact on the behaviour of the
receiver) as perfect as possible.
2.6.2 The principle of ‗Need to Know‘
This is important in case of organisations etc. where every information cannot be
passed on to every one else and the principle of „need to know‟ assumes great
importance. A circular from the head office increasing the fuel allowance of certain
category of executives need not be communicated to Grade IV employees of the
organisation. Similarly, increase in the EPF rates need not be communicated to those
whom it is not applicable ie employees with pay lesser than Rs 10000/- How ever,
increase in the Diwali bonus, availability of new /two wheeler park, must be made to
every one. This is related with „costliness‟ of the decision to share information, in
case of military secrets, it could result in catastrophic situations.
2.6.3 What is the Knowledge of the receiver, his educational and
cultural background, his attitude, special circumstances in which he
operates in personal and professional life etc.
This is of utmost importance. If a person communicates with the other one without
knowing his level of education, cultural background and attitude a big communication
gap will remain between the two; the sender of the information and receiver.
2.6.4 Aim of the communication
What is to be achieved by a particular communication? It is very important, as unless
there is a specific aim of the communication as a purpose of, it is useless and be
avoided.
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2.6.5 Keep it simple
The acronym KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid), tells it all. We should not expect the
receiver of the communication to labour to get the meaning. Many a good content are
lost because the author has tried to weave the magic of the words, creating confusion
and loosing the essence of simple straight forward communication. Often, a simple
sentence of common words can make more sense than long sentences with number of
commas and semicolons. Clarity of thought is reflected in the clarity of words.
Keeping the communication simple, concise, and clear, whether oral or written, is
easier said than done. Some of the authors are more readable than others, when one
reads them one feels as if what is being read is actually happening in front of the
reader. It should be remembered that ultimately the reason for any communication is
to express the ideas, thoughts and feelings and not to impress the receiver with one‟s
knowledge of words.
2.7 7 C‘s of Effective Communication
According to Francis J. Bergin, communication should be:
2.7.1 Candid
According to Gay Handricks, and Kate Ludeman, “ If you make sure you are telling
the truth, you , you won‟t ever have to worry about people listening to you. When
people do not listen, it is usually because the speaker‟s got some thing else ot he or
she is communicating besides the truth.”
It means that if communication is to be effective the message should be straight
forward without hiding any truth.. The message should not be deceptive or untrue in
nature and what ever is to be conveyed should be done in a frank and honest manner.
The communicator of the message should be very clear about the terminal result he
wants ie, quality of communication should be so good that the designed message is
conveyed faithfully.
2.7.2 Clear
Clarity is the most important factor in communication. Clarity not only means clarity
of expression but also clarity of thought process, What ever be the form of the
message it should be clear and unambiguous. Clear message can only be created by a
clear mind. It is said that everything in the world is created twice; first it is created in
the mind and then the physical expression is given to it. The sender must be very clear
about the message to be conveyed and the level of the receiver, so that when the
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receiver decodes the message, there is no doubt or confusion in the mind of the
receiver. For clarity, one should keep the following in mind:
Clarity in expression, whether in spoken or written words can come if one uses the
most appropriate word. This warrants good vocabulary. Only precise and concrete
words should be used. There is no point in using difficult words when other simple
words conveying the same meaning are available in English language.. For example,
it is better to use „get‟ rather than „procure‟ etc.
2.7.3 Complete
This is the third C. It is obvious that incomplete message has no meaning. It can only
result in ambiguity and any number of inquiries from the receiver; this will result in
wastage of time and inconvenience to all concerned. While designing the message, the
transmitter of the message must keep in mind the entire message, its logic and
sequence so that the receiver gets exactly what he wants him to get. Time spent in
planning the message is worth the while because the receiver will understand it
clearly and suitable action will be taken immediately.
About the completeness of the message, Herta A. Murphy, Herbert W. Hildebrandt
and Jane P.Thomas, have this to say:
“Completeness offers numerous benefits. First, complete messages are more likely to
bring the desired results without the expense. of additional messages. Second, they
can do a better job of building good will. Message that contains the information that
receiver needs show concern for others. Third, complete message can help avert
costly law suits that may result if important information is missing. Last,
communication that seems inconsequential can be surprisingly important if the
information they contain is complete and effective.”
You may keep the following in mind to ensure that message is complete in all
respects:
There are five Ws and one H which if answered, the message will be complete. These
are; Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. Prepare a check list to be sure that
you don‟t miss out on anything.
Put yourself in the place of the receiver and think what could be asked by him.
Include everything that can come up in the mind of the reader.
Don‟t try to be precise at the cost of completeness.
2.7.4 Concise
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Message should be framed by using the most appropriate words. The message should
use as few words as possible. Unnecessary details and beating about the bush is very
annoying for the reader. The receiver is a busy person and has no time to go through
stories which do not contribute to the content of the message. Many people tend to
give detailed background or introduction when none is necessary. Concise does not
mean that essential details are missed out. To be able to do that the person who drafts
the message must have clarity of the subject and what is expected of the receiver. It is
possible to use simple words instead of long phrases. If some information is already
known to him or you have already forwarded to the receiver, there is no point in
repeating it.
2.7.5 Concrete
This C means that the information should not be vague but specific in nature. Some
people purposely tend to be vague as they do not have complete information or do not
want to commit a specific thing to the receiver. Rather than saying that there are lakhs
of unemployed youth in Punjab, it is better if specific number can be given. The
receiver of the message will respect your information more as it will be more useful to
him.
When formal business letters, memos and advertisements have to be given the facts
must be sated rather than giving generalised information which is bound to confuse
the receiver. A developer saying that his project is few minutes away from airport is
incomplete and misleading information and any consumer can take him to the court
of law. It is better to state that the project is 15 minute by road.
In this regard the views of Herta A. Murphy, Herbert W. Hildebrandt and Jane
P.Thomas, are; “……concrete messages are more richly textured than general or
vague messages; then they tend to be more vivid, dynamic and interesting”
2.7.6 Correct
Decisions are taken based on information provided by various sources of information.
If the information is incorrect in language, grammar, facts and figures etc. it will lead
to wrong decisions and may even be disastrous for the organisation. Imagine while
placing the order for some spare parts which are to be imported, an extra zero being
added to the order. Incorrect messages in the form of statement, balance sheets etc can
tarnish the image of the organisation which issues them. Correctness of message
which is transmitted is, hence, of utmost importance.. The following system may be
adopted to make the message correct:
Always cross check facts and figures for correctness and where ever necessary,
mention it in figures and words
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Ensure that the type of and level of language used is the right one.
Check the sentence formation, grammar, spellings and punctuation etc. for its
correctness.
Always read and re-read the message after drafting it.
2.7.7 Courteous
This may be last C , but has very powerful impact on communication. Basic courtesy
and decency cannot be forgotten even if you do not have the best of business relations
and are fighting a law suit. You write “Dear Sir” even in such cases as per the norms
of formal correspondence. The point is that one should try and create a healthy and
friendly environment in business dealings. Adopt the following rules:
Never issue out any communication when you are in foul mood. Relax and think
positive before drafting any communication.
Always adopt a polite and respectful language in all types of correspondence, internal
as well as external
Let there be generous use of words like “thank you” and “please”
Never try to be sarcastic and admonishing and don‟t- undermine
the self respect of the receiver
2.8 Improving the Quality of Communication
The following will help you improve the quality of communication:
2.8.1 Combine written /oral communication with visual display for
maximum effect
Impact of any communication whether written or oral, formal or informal is enhanced
when it is supported by LCD projector/visual presenter displays on the screen.
Anything seen is recorded better and retained better by the human brain. All
presentations should be made with the help of display as facts and figures, diagrams
and sketches, photographs etc. intricate and complex circuits can be understood much
easily with such aids. Many people often keep a white board and markers at hand to
explain their point to seniors/colleagues, juniors, clients, vendors, in fact any one who
is interested in information or knowledge they have. It is good idea to combine the
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effect of one‟s vocabulary, tone, modulation of voice, body language and visual
display for successful expression of what one wants to convey.
2.8.2 Writing clearly and concisely Who are the authors whose books make record sales? Not the ones with the best of
plots and stories but the ones whose writing is concise, clear, simple and readable.
Those who write difficult language to prove their literacy excellence may get awards
but their creations do not get noticed by the common reader. Any ambiguity kills the
very purpose of communication. Writing in a language to express is an art and can be
developed with practice. It involves the following:
(a) What is to be expressed?
(b) Who is the receiver of the written communication
© What kind of language needs to be used?
(d) Any visual support needed?
(e) What else can be done to make the written communication more
readable, better understood and acceptable by the reader?
2.8.3 Repeat to ensure the message is driven home
There would be times when the level of the receiver the message needs to be drilled
over and over again to ensure that it is driven home. It will depend upon the
importance and urgency of the situation and the advantage the sender wants to get by
being absolutely sure that no ambiguity can reduce the impact of the communication,
whether oral or written. In written communication, thee same idea is repeated with
the help of different examples, sketches, diagrams, photographs etc. In verbal
communication, the speaker repeats message by laying extra stress on words and
sentences, lowering and raising the voice, asking questions, providing clues, using
hands and gestures etc. Leaders repeat their vision, mission and goal to the masses on
every available opportunity. CEOs and leaders in business organisations put across
the core values to their workers and clients again and again. In Armed Forces, it is a
drill to repeat the message till it is understood absolutely clearly. A manger tells a
worker, “Well done and keep it up in future as well” and continues to reinforce the
message again whenever the worker does a good job, to ensure that the positive and
good feeling by the worker motivates him to do still better work. A mother or a coach
supporting good conduct and achievements is able to prompt the child or player to
make more effort. Message may be repeated till one gets the desired result.
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2.8.4 Recognise the uniqueness of the individuals for good
communication
It is an every day experience that the receiver does not get exactly what the sender
transmits and there are many reasons for this. The sender and receiver are unique
individuals with different backgrounds, value system etc. as also they are unique in
their personality types, which is decided by factors like their „nature‟ and „nurture‟.
Human beings differ in their psychological types, and this has major influence on the
communication process as encoding, decoding and interpreting the message for
different types of personalities is different. Experts tell us 16 possible types based on
four psychological preferences, like Extroverts and Introverts, Sensors and Intuitive,
Thinkers and Feelers, Judging and Perceiving types. If such psychological preferences
of sender and receiver are taken in to account, the communication can become more
useful. Extroverts and Introverts have different communication styles as compared to
Sensors and Intuitive. For example, introverts tend to remain shy , speak less and
respond less, whereas extroverts talk more, listen less, try to become the centre-stage
of all activities, are quick to pass judgments etc. These two types of individuals are
bound to behave in entirely different manner while sending, receiving and interpreting
the message. The knowledge of the personality type of the sender and the receiver
helps one in understanding and interpreting the communication in a much better
manner.
2.8.5 Communication and confidence level
A confident speaker making a presentation to his clients or a politician insisting the
voters to vote for him or a salesman wanting to clinch an important deal is bound to
be a winner .How ever, he must possess the conviction of his ideas, thoughts, and
feelings, sentiments and emotions etc which must be aligned towards the goal he
wishes to achieve, get elected, win a contract, get purchase order etc. If one is not
convinced about the quality of one‟s product himself, he may try any hard, he cannot
succeed in the absence of his conviction that the product or the service he is selling is
the best
Confidence is also a personality trait and is part of one‟s attitude, some people are
born losers and some others are born winners, they get their attitude in the DNA (no
doubt attitude can be modified, though it is very slow, time-consuming and
cumbersome process). Some people ooze confidence in the way they walk, talk, shake
hands and act on proposals, some others spread the negative aspects of their
personality, anyone who comes across them. One must remember that the negative
emotions are infectious and spread mush faster than the positive ones.
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2.8.6 Communication by setting a good example
This best communication is done through ones own action, which other‟s can follow.
Self example is the best example as preaching anything is much easier than actually
implementing it .A corrupt politician cannot solicit support from generally good
voters, a poor military leader cannot lead troops to victory and a lusterless CEO
cannot take his company to new heights.
There is story about Mahatma Gandhi, which illustrates this point very clearly. It is
said that in pre-independence days, people had so much faith in Gandhi that they their
personal problems also to Bapu for finding a good solution. One lady whose grown up
son was sugar-addict, took him to Mahatma and asked him to do something about it.
Bapu asked the woman to come back after two months. When she went back to him
after two months, he just told her son that too much sugar was bad for health and he
should not consume the „white poison‟. The woman felt very uncomfortable by this
solution and asked Bapu that why could he not this tell this to her son the first time
they had come to him two months back. Mahatma, it is understood told the lady, that
since he did not preach what he did not practice and he was himself eating too much
sugar two months back, he could not have told her son to take sugar. He had left the
consumption of sugar only after the woman approached him and only then he had
realized what it felt like leaving or reducing sugar intake.
2.9 Effective Listening as a Communication Skill
The Chinese sage who made this statement hundreds of years ago, “Speech is
difficult, silence is impossible” , perhaps realised that people find it very difficult to
listen to others. At the same time, active and empathetic listening is the ultimate
complement one can pay another person. Few of us do it because it is very, very hard.
Listening may be considered as the mother of all speaking. That is why one must
understand the anatomy of poor listening and identify the barriers to good listening.
Listening, the process of „hearing with a purpose‟ is the communication skill which
most people lack. .Charter (1974) defines listening as „intellectual and emotional
process that integrates physical, emotional and intellectual inputs in a search meaning
and understanding”. Many problems, personal and professional, may get
automatically resolved if one resorts to listening.
In organisations, people at different levels of positions have different types of
responsibilities and they are so much engrossed in them that they tend to shut
themselves off from the outside world. Routine impose so heavy constraints of time
on most of the executives that they tend to ignore importance of listening and
misunderstand their hearing of the problem as listening.
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2.9.1 Some of the factors, which can help in effective listening, are
One must not get prejudiced about a subject even before it has been discussed
or presented as uninteresting and useless for one‟s needs. One should make an
effort to find interest in the subject of conversation, discussion etc.
Many a time people are more interested about the way a person is talking, his gestures
and body language rather than focusing on the contents of the subject matter. It is
more important to concentrate on „what‟ part rather than the „how‟, as long as the
message has been received correctly.
There is a tendency on the part of many an audience to show their knowledge
about the subject being talked and they tend to pre-empt the speaker, interrupt
him again and again with the aim of passing judgement based on their
personal opinions. This kills any worth while inputs from the speaker and the
communication may even breakdown.
Listening is an art and one has to make special effort to listen. It involves hard
work to be able to focus on everything that is being said. In the
communication model, noise has been shown to intertere in the process.
Distractions like people moving in and out, telephone and cell calls being
answered, drinks and eatables being asked for etc. are all noise and hamper
communication. Controls of these are absolutely essential.
Respect the individuality of the individual. Give it to the speaker that he has
put in effort to explain his point of view, putting him down by ignoring his
point of view without any reason, can create emotional distrust, which is
harmful for effective listening.
One‟s body language speaks a lot about one‟s attitude towards the speaker.
One should be careful not display any emotion through the gestures of hands,
face etc. In fact, one should intentionally adopt a body language, which the
other party finds encouraging and motivating to express his point of view.
Never offer any unsolicited advice or solution and if one does offer one, it has
to be in the best interest of the other person who has come to narrate a
problem to you. Paying attention to the problem for which a solution is being
asked for from you in first place, saves a lot of time and embarrassment to
both the sender and the receiver.
Getting impatient and expecting or even hinting to the speaker to finish can be
disastrous. Let the speaker have his say if you have chosen to listen to him
and have allotted a particular slot of time for that process.
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Listener‟s role is only confined to concentrating on the issue and interpreting
correctly what the speaker says, not distracting him. Listeners must not
become talkers.
2.10 Summary
Effective communication is essential in personal as well as professional life. That is
why organisations lay a lot of emphasis on quality communication skills of their
employees.
There are certain fundamental principles which if followed, the communication can be
very good. 7 Cs of effective communication have been discussed in the lesson. There
are a number of problems because of which quality of communication suffers.
Methods of improving the quality of communication have been discussed at length.
Listening is also communication, but unfortunately this is the least effective. Most of
the people only hear but don‟t listen. This creates a lot of long term problems which
waste a lot of time, energy and effort of individuals and organisations. There is a need
to train people to listen on the same lines as companies train their employees for
developing good quality oral and written communication skills.
2.11 Glossary
Principles of communication Certain fundamental rules which if followed ,
good quality communication is possible
7Cs of communication Effective communication is possible if
one follows the 7 Cs ie Candid, Clear, Complete, Concise, Concrete, Correct and
Courteous
Effective Listening Listening is hearing with a purpose,
effective listening is when the listener gets exactly what the speaker wishes to convey,
words as well as feelings and emotions.
2.12 Answers to check your progress/Self Assessment
Questions
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1. State whether the following statements are true or false. Justify your answer in
at least fifty words each.
(a) Communication basically means “Sharing”
(b) There is hardly any difference in general and technical communication
(c) Communication can be made very impressive if your vocabulary is
powerful
2. What are the fundamental principles of effective communication and give
examples of the importance of feedback
3. Why is listening so important? What can be done to improve quality of
listening?
Answers:
1.
(a) True
(b) False
(c) False
2.
Fundamental principles of effective communication are the 7Cs discussed in the
lesson. Explain them with examples.
Feedback is of utmost importance in the basic process of communication. Unless the
sender knows whether the message he wishes to convey to the receiver is being
received exactly in the same manner as he wanted it, communication will serve no
purpose. As is well known communication suffers because of any number of reasons
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in the sender , the receiver and the medium. The sender must get feedback from the
receiver whether the message has been correctly received by him or not.
3.
Listening may be considered as the mother of all speaking. That is why one must
understand the anatomy of poor listening and identify the barriers to good listening.
Listening, the process of „hearing with a purpose‟ is the communication skill which
most people lack. .Charter (1974) defines listening as „intellectual and emotional
process that integrates physical, emotional and intellectual inputs in a search meaning
and understanding”. Many problems, personal and professional, may get
automatically resolved if one resorts to listening.
In organisations, people at different levels of positions have different types of
responsibilities and they are so much engrossed in them that they tend to shut
themselves off from the outside world. Routine impose so heavy constraints of time
on most of the executives that they tend to ignore importance of listening and
misunderstand their hearing of the problem as listening.
2.13 Reference/ Suggested Reading
1. Business Correspondence and Report Writing by R C Sharma and Krishna
Mohan, Published by Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi
2. Effective Technical Communication by M Ashraf Rizvi Published by Tata 1
McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi
3.. Effective Technical Communication by M Ashraf Rizvi Published by Tata
McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi
4. Business Communication Skills by Col D S Cheema , Published by Laxmi
Publications Pvt Ltd , Delhi
2.14 Model Questions
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1. What does one mean by candid communication? Can it not hurt the other principle
of being courteous?
2. What is the importance of media in communication? Explain with the help of
suitable examples.
3. How does effective listening improve the quality of communication? Give suitable
examples.
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Lesson Plan-Lesson 3
3.0 Objectives
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Classification of barriers
3.2.1Mechanical barriers
3.2.2Status barriers
3.2.3 Inter-personal hostility barriers
3.2.4 Barriers due to complexity and movement of information
3.2.5 Cultural attitudes barriers
3.3 Another method of categorization
3.3.1Interpersonal barriers
3.3.2 Difference in perception
3.3.3 Wrong assumptions
3.3.4 Difference in backgrounds of the sender of the message and the receiver
3.3.5 Physical
3.3.6 Filtering
3.3.7 Organisational structural hierarchy
3.3.7.1 Semmantic barriers
3.3.7.2 Difference in perception barriers
3.3.7.3 Stereotyping
3.3.7.4 Halo effect
3.3.7.5 Cultural background
3.3.7.6 Barriers due to lack of mutual trust
3.4 Psychological barriers
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3.4.1 Self-fulfilling prophecy
3.4.2 Individual factors like emotions and attitudes
3.4.3 Barriers due to casual approach and inadequate attention
3.4.4 Barriers due to difference in knowledge level
3.4.5 Lack of common language
3.4.6 Drawing wrong perceptions
3.4.7 Attitude of “I know all”
3.5 Interpersonal barriers
3.5.1 Ineffective communication skill
3.5.2 Limited vocabulary of sender
3.5.3 Poor listening skills
3.5.4 Noise in channel
3.5.5 Organisational barriers
3.5.6 People with personality that has strong emotions
3.5.7Self-centrednessnd obsession with self
3.5.8 Laziness to make effort for good communication
3.6 Summary
3.7 Glossary
3.8 Answers to check your progress/Self assessment questions
3.9 References/Suggested reading
3.10 Model questions
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Lesson 3- Communication- An Extended
Exposition
3.1 Objectives
After studying this lesson, student will be able to :
Understanding the reasons why communication fails or quality of
communication suffers
Learn various types of barriers
Learning what can be done to ensure barriers do not affect the quality of
communication
3.2 Introduction
Communication is the heart and soul of individuals and organisaions. , how ever there
are a large number of factors which hinder the proper flow of communication and
deliberate has to be made to keep this flow going. One must understand the factors
that affect communication, so that CEOs, managers and even husbands and wives
know what to do and what not to do to maintain an effective of flow of
communication in all directions in the interest of the organisations and human
relationships. Peter F. Drucker, one of the greatest Gurus of management, has
observed, “We have more attempts to communicate today, more attempts to talk to
others, yet communication has proved elusive. The noise level has gone up so fast that
no one can really listen any more to all that babble about communication. But clearly,
there is less and less communication. The communication gap within the institutions
and between groups in society has been widening steadily- to the point where it
threatens to become an unbridgeable gulf of total misunderstanding.
3.2 Classification of Barriers
Following are some of the categories of barriers to communication:
3.2.1 Mechanical Barriers
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Such barriers are like channel noise, channel breakdown, delay in receiving and
sending written communication etc. The control of these barriers is very simple and is
within the hands of sender and receiver.
3.2.2 Status Barriers
These could be between superior and subordinate, between rich and poor, one cast
and religion and the other. Such barriers are more prominent in poor under- developed
and developing counties.
3.2.3 Inter- personal hostility barriers
Such barriers come up when one party does not want the other party to get the
satisfaction of admitting that the other party has a good idea.
3.2.4 Due to complexity and movement of information
Barriers may also due to the type of information and the quality of cannels used.
Communication can be diluted, distorted and delayed.
3.2.5 Cultural attitudes
Like being tough and strict, mild and accommodating, being rational and logical, not
getting emotional in professional matters and so on.
3.3 Another method of categorisation
Another method of categorisation is as follows:
3.3.1 Intrapersonal Barriers
All individuals are created unique. It is so because having two exactly psychologically
similar human beings is against the laws of nature. Hence people have different
idiosyncrasies. This difference is caused because of unique personality each
individual possesses; they are different in their education, economic background,
values and beliefs and experiences. Because of this reason, people tend to interpret the
same event or happening in different ways. The causes of intrapersonal barriers are
discussed in succeeding paragraphs.
3.3.2 Difference in perception
It is discussed elsewhere in detail. How ever, you may recall the story of six blind
men and their description of the elephant. Their description f elephant as a fan, a rope,
a wall, a sword, a snake and a tree were all right as that is what they perceived the
elephant because of their touch. This is how different individuals perceive reality.
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3.3.3 Wrong assumptions
Many a times people assume that the other person understands fully what we are
trying to tell him. This may turn out to be wrong assumption and the communication
gets mutilated. Imagine a doctor telling a poor patient from village background to take
the medicine, “BD” or ”OD” or “SOS”. This will make no sense to him unless the
doctor explains the meaning eg. Once a day, twice a day and as and when required.
The sender must understand the background of the receiver of the message and only
then speak in a particular language, jargon or acronyms etc. A skilled communicator
should never assume that his audience will understand everything he is going to say.
That is why good speakers check up about the level and experience of the audience
before they address them. Political leaders are expert in this aspect; they bring
themselves down to the level of their target audience and even dress themselves
accordingly. Some leaders behave in the manner and style of their audience.
3.3.4 Difference in backgrounds of the sender of the message and the
receiver
Understanding the background of your target audiences is of importance if correct
communication is to take place. An IT professional understands the language of
software very well but if he starts using it while addressing a group of civil engineers
or doctors, they will miss the communication. Imagine a professor explaining his
experience of visiting US and narrating the culture, etiquette and manners and the
type of jargon used by the Americans, to seventh class students of a village school. Or
an army officer giving details of a battle using the typical army language, the students
who have no idea of such situations may not understand much and there will be large
number of gaps in the communication.
Some other common barriers to good communication are discussed here.
3.3.5 Physical barriers
Since communication is a two way process between the sender and the receiver,
sometimes physical distance becomes a barrier. So much so that studies indicate that
if people are more than 10 meters apart, the probability of communicating at least
once a week is only 8-9 percent vs. 25 percent at 5 meters. In certain companies, they
are getting rid of little four-person round tables and replacing them with army mess
tables, long rectangular ones, which are likely to be used by strangers and not just by
four people who already know each other.
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3.3.6 Filtering
It refers to people at different levels manipulating information to please their seniors,
WC Bennis says “communication gets distorted particularly ass it goes up the
hierarchy”. If the number of layers are more, the communication is likely to get
distorted at every level as every as person/level interprets it differently depending
upon their own perceptions, experiences etc. Good and accurate flow of
communication is possible if the organisation structure is simple.
Juniors distort the information to get a favourable response from the boss. It is well
known that many juniors want their seniors to see only that which will please them. In
situations facts and reality become causality. In organisations where the hierarchy is
long, this is a pronounced problem.
3.3.7 Organisation structure hierarchy barriers
3.3.7.1 Semantic barriers
Semantic is the science of meaning. It is a common experience that one word or
symbol may mean different things of different people. Since the meaning or
interpretation attached to a particular word or symbol may be different by the sender
and the receiver, the communication is likely to fail. Words like trunk, boot, toast,
drink, can mean different things to different people depending upon their education
and experiences etc. So, the sender must be careful in choosing the words keeping in
mind the background of the receiver.
3.3.7.2 Difference in perception
There are many factors which contribute to difference in perspective; the social,
economic , cultural and educational background in which one has grown up in, one‟s
personality, temperament, religion and political views , values and beliefs and
personal experiences etc. Every one develops a perspective of the world in which he
lives ie how one looks at the world as a whole Because of the human nature,
heredity, grooming and environment etc., individuals tend to interpret same things in
different manner. What the sender transmits is according to his own understanding,
experience and interpretation and what the receiver interprets is based on his
background and a large number of personality traits. Perception of the receiver about
the sender is also an important factor, if a dishonest politician preaches his voters to
be honest; most of the voters are not likely to take him seriously. Similarly, an
incompetent superior or a poor leader of men will not be taken seriously by hi
subordinates and men.
Steven Covey , of Seven Habits of Effective People fame, narrates a thought-
provoking experience he had on a New York Subway one Sunday. A man and his
children entered the quiet subway car. The children started running up and down,
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yelling back and forth, throwing things and grabbing people‟s papers. The man sat
quietly with his eyes closed, oblivious to what was going on . The other passengers
were irritated and angry that the father wasn‟t doing any thing to control the unruly
kids. So after a while Steven Covey turned to the man and asked him if he couldn‟t
control his children a bit more. The man readily agreed with Covey but added that
they had just come from the hospital when his wife-the children‟s mother- died an
hour before. He didn‟t know what to think; the children didn‟t know how to handle it
either. The new information, says Covey, brought about paradigm shift in his mind.
He started looking differently at the man, the children and their behaviour. The
children‟s behaviour and the father‟s inaction had been inexcusable from Covey‟s
perspective as a passenger. Now their behaviour made sense to him. But for that piece
of information, which he sought and got, he would have gone away with a very
different picture of what had happened there.
When the young children speak of the „generation gap‟, it is because of the difference
in their perspective and that of their parent‟s or grand parent‟s perspective. Is it not
strange that the parents who have raised the children and have intimately seen them
growing during all the stage, should be told by the same children that they (Parents)
don‟t understand them. Parents have also gone through the same stages when they
were as irresponsible as their children are today, but they expect the children to
behave In a more mature manner. The reason is simple; they look at their children
only as parents and miss out on the children‟s point of view.
3.3.7.3 Stereotyping
It refers to the impression about a particular group of people. It is often seen that we
tend to categorise people according to some general and popular belief, which are re-
enforced by our own experiences of life. A man from a particular class is seen with
the same characteristics, which we associate with that category of people. A person
from Bengal may be seen as well-read with understanding of art, music and so on.
How ever, one from Punjab may be seen as tall, handsome, well-built, fun –loving but
not highly educated and lacking manners and etiquette. Such classification of people
makes our assessment biased in relation with gender, caste, community and religion,
status etc.
3.3.7.4 Halo effect
Halo effect is created by one person by the other about him. It basically means
judging the other because of some personality traits, happening, and events etc.
perception. If an executive from military background, who values discipline,
punctuality and integrity as the most important traits of the personality of a
professional, he may rate a subordinate as very good even when he is not competent
and effective in his work. Once an individual frames a particular type of impression
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about the other based on a particular personality trait, he will always see the person in
the same light in all situation.
3.3.7.5 Cultural background
Verbal and non-verbal communication is affected by the cultural differences also.
Whereas people from Lucknow use very courteous and polished language, people
from Punjab are highly energetic and warm in their relationship and this is shown in
their interaction with others. Similarly, people from Japan and Russia have specific
type of greetings symbols and behavioural patterns in formal and informal meetings.
This can create confusion in the minds of the people who are not aware of such
things and they may misunderstand many situations. For example, it is common
practice in Western countries for men and women to kiss each other when they meet,
however, this may be considered highly objectionable in our culture.
3.3.7.6 Barriers due to lack of mutual trust
Lack of mutual trust between the sender and receiver can be the cause of poor
communication. Free exchange of ideas feelings and thoughts is possible only when
two parties believe as true what is being communicated between the two. If one
suspects the other to be hiding information in conveying some thing, the other reacts
in a similar fashion which may create a credibility gap and the quality of
communication suffers.
3.4 Psychological barriers
Individuals suffer in their psychological reactions to a threatening situation because
of a number of reasons. But it is natural for them to resort to a defensive mechanism
or display anxiety- reducing behaviour when they perceive a threat. A junior manager
is known for his competence, when produces a substandard piece of work and is
confronted by his superior, may deny that he did it, as it will affect his self image in a
negative manner. He may come out with any number of arguments to justify hi
position, ass he cannot let the boss go with the feeling that he could also do a shabby
job.
It has been established that behaviour of people is because of their expectations and
outcome from individuals, events etc. It is also called the Pygmalion Effect based on
story of a Greek sculptor who made the statue .of a beautiful woman and fell in love
with it hoping and expecting that it would one day of life. According to mythology,
the statue did come to life after the sculptor waited for a long time. If a father expects
his son to become a doctor, he would start seeing the qualities of a good doctor in him
and will promote and defend him to a doctor to all costs. The father‟s all verbal and
non –verbal communications will convey to his son of his expectations from him.
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3.4.1 Self-fulfilling prophecy
What you think will happen , actually happens. So one must think positive so that
positive only happens.
3.4.2 Individual factors like emotion and attitude etc.
Personality traits of individuals have impact on the quality of communication. One‟s
birth, grooming, the surroundings he has grown up in, in fact, all factors related to
„nature‟ and „nurture‟ effect the way of people communicate. Deeply religious people,
sensitive, and emotional people, people with rigid and fixed predispositions about
various things and issues, communicate in different manner. Similarly, introvert and
extrovert people communicate in different styles. Emotions like joy, anger, jealousy
usually overtake rationality. Inability to find suitable words to express happiness or
sadness, not being able to convey what one wants to when he is angry and hurt are
witnessed by us in our daily routine. A psychologically weak person may see a dead
body and may start crying whereas another person may take it very calmly as a reality
of life. A confident person shows through his enthusiasm, expressions in words and
body language as being on top of the world, another person may feel threatened under
slight pressure of work like meeting deadlines.
3.4.3 Barriers due to casual approach and inadequate attention
All the people do not pay equal attention to all the matters. A hockey player may feel
very happy and may catch the point straightway if examples related with his favourite
game are used by the speaker. A student may not read notice boards of school or
college because of his casual approach towards studies. A busy man may land up on a
wrong day or time in a party he has been invited to. If the receiver of the message is
casual or pays little attention to the message, the communication is bound to be
misunderstood.
3.4.4 Barriers due difference in knowledge levels
About knowledge it is said, “the more you know, the more you realise how little you
know”. There is so much to know that no one can know every thing about every thing.
Different people have different type of knowledge. Some one may know a lot about
space technology but knows nothing about astrology or literature; similarly another
person may be a great writer but does not know much about physics as a subject.
When we communicate the level of knowledge of the parties involved plays a vital
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role. A professor of Thermodynamics from MIT should not speak to a tenth class
student about physics unless he can bring himself down to the level of the student.
Knowledge is not what is learnt in the class room. Most of us actually learn from our
experiences more than what can be learnt from years of school, college or university
teaching. But there is no doubt is knowledge makes us understand the ways of the
world, what is happening around us. The difference in knowledge of people can create
major road blocks in communication between them. A short story, by an unknown
author will help you to understand how difference in levels of knowledge can create
misunderstanding.
“I have learnt some of white man‟s magic,” said the African chief on returning to his
country after a brief stay in England,”
“What?”, asked his brother.
“I know how to make rain. First, you must make a smooth piece ground and get grass
to grow on it. Then you carefully tend the grass. After that you place some sticks in
the grass, and get some men to put on all-white clothes. Two of the men have to carry
pieces of wood called „bats‟ and another man has to carry a red ball. After a bit of
running about between the sticks by two of the men and some throwing of the red
ball, it will rain”
Though two persons with knowledge may be speaking about the same thing but they
will stick to their version to be true and the other person‟s view as wrong. When you
go to different doctors, an allopath , a homeopath or a ayurved , they may explain the
same symptoms of the same disease in different ways, as one does not understand)or
does not want to understand) the other person‟s view either because of lack of
knowledge or his professional ego. In fields of science and technology, variation in
knowledge cause a lot of communication problems.
Every organisation worth its salt has a Vision, Mission, Strategies and Values and
Belief statement prepared and displayed prominently. The top management may be
very clear about what such statement mean, but at operational level such things make
no sense. Similarly, the problems at the worker‟s level are not understood by the top
management in the right perspective. The worker at the operational level may not be
able to make his superiors understand the problem because of the difference in the
knowledge of the two. In a family of 4-5 members there may be vast difference of
knowledge. In olden days when the mothers were generally illiterate, it was very
difficult for the children who were educated, to communicate with her.
In A Doctor’s Odyssey, Victor Heiser says that in the 1930‟s doctors and health
workers in the Philippines found it difficult to persuade the Filipinos to boil their
drinking water. One day took a tour of some houses in a district. In each house he
asked if they used boiled water. He was surprised to get an unhesitant „Yes‟ in each
house. When he got the same answer in the fifth house, he decided to delve a bit
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deeper. “How do you use the boiled ware?” he asked. “We take tea spoonful three
times a day,” back came the reply.
3.4.5 Lack of common language
If some one speaks to my illiterate mother in English language, she will be bewildered
and get nothing out of spoken words. Similarly, if you speak to me in Russian, I will
hardly be able to make sense of it. In India, languages and their dialects change every
few hundred km. As a matter of fact, in Punjab alone there are so many dialects that it
sometimes becomes difficult to understand the complete sentences without clarifying
certain words.
Use of slangs and jargon by different people can also create confusion in the minds of
the people. The words, phrase, shortcuts and electronics and internet jargon used by
the young generation is not understood by their parents and other elderly people. In
fact, many young boys and girls fool their parents and grand parents by speaking in a
particular „lingo‟ in the presence of others. When you tell some one to burn the CD, it
is not that you want him to destroy it with fire but to write it on another CD.
Similarly, words like “trunk”, “boot” and “dicky” have different meaning for different
people. “I will give you a ring the moment I reach home”, is a very commonly used
sentence to convey that telephones call will be made. The word „ring‟ here is for
giving a phone call and does not have a literal meaning.
3.4.6 Drawing wrong inferences
Some times people tend to draw wrong inference from what they have been told by
others or have seen themselves and use that information to take decisions and for a
follow up action. There is a story about the CEO of a company who went abroad to
learn about the concept of MBO (Management By Objectives). He learnt everything
that was to be learnt and was so impressed with concept that he wanted to apply it to
his own organisation. While in the flight back home, he utilised the time to jot down
what tasks should be allotted to whom out of his senior executives. The executives
were shocked when they were allotted the tasks as many a task was not practically
viable. The CEO had forgotten the basics of MBO, “Participation”, which is the blood
that flows in the veins of the concept. Drawing such wrong inferences could be
disastrous for the organisation
3.4.7 Attitude of ―I know all‖
There are people who think they know everything that are to be known. They live in
the cocoon of self-sufficiency and behave with others as if every one else except them
is ignorant. They tend to impose their views on others and don‟t understand the point
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of view of others. They forget that, “The more you know, the more you realise that
how little you know” While negotiating, it is important that you give the other person
to put forward his point of view before you give your point of view. It gives you the
benefit of knowing the other person‟s strategy in negotiating and then forming your
own strategy to convince him about your point.
3.5 Interpersonal Barriers
These barriers are because of an individual‟s knowledge, skill, competency, attitude,
habits, etiquette and manners, type of body language etc.
3.5.1 Ineffective communication skills.
Delivery of the message to the audiences is important. This may happen due to any of
the reasons discussed in succeeding paragraphs.
3.5.2 Limited vocabulary of the sender
Poor vocabulary is one of the important reasons in not being able to make good
communication, whether it is verbal or in writing. The idea is that the sender should
be very clear which word would be most suitable and best understood by the receiver.
Good vocabulary is one thing; ability to use it is another. Good vocabulary and proper
formation of sentences which are delivered confidently can leave very good
impression on others.
Difference in speed of thinking and speed of speech is yet another reason. There are
people who tend to make non-coherent speech due to lack of coordination between
their speed of thought and speed of speech. Overzealousness on the part of the
speaker to speak fast thinking that it will impress others must be curbed.
Inability to analyse and frame the ideas in a logical and sequential manner Some
people have limited intellect and are not able to comprehend and analyse a situation
so that only correct things are spoken or written.
3.5.3 Poor listening skill
Those who want to speak and don‟t have the patience to listen, end up as poor
communicators. Most of us hear; the difference between hearing and listening being
that listening is hearing with purpose. Unless you are very clear about what others
have to say, you cannot answer the queries appropriately. When you hear, the
problems don‟t get solved; they are perhaps put under the carpet for some time. But
when you listen, the problems get solved for ever. Business executives should be
good speakers as they have to interact with large number of people orally, how ever ,
they should be better listeners.
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3.5.4 Noise in channel
Any interference in the sent message not being received by the receiver in the exact
form, is because of many factors; one of them is „noise‟. Noise here refers to
breakdown in communication or poor communication. Noise may occur due to
technological errors or physical reasons, these can be rectified easily. Physical noise
of machines, human words at high pitch, sound of loud music, workers holding union
meetings in which tempers run high and so on.
3.5.5 Organisational barriers
Barriers are not limited only to individuals and groups of people; organisations also
have barriers which result in poor communication. Every small or big organisation
has a culture of its own which has been developed over the years. The good practices
which many companies use may restrict the functioning of a pro-active executive. The
type of hierarchy used in the company can also dilute the quality of communication.
In certain organisations, a worker at the operational level may have access to the MD
in important matters, where as in some others they must follow the upward channel of
communication rigidly and any one violating it may be punished.
In big organisations, people may be shifted from one location to other quite often.
While the transfer of the person may be in the interest of the company, the aspect of
human emotions and inconvenience also must be kept in mind while ordering such
transfers. In certain organisations, the superiors are not respected but are feared by the
juniors. A junior person may postpone giving information or even hold it back
permanently as he is scared of being admonished or punished. Free flow of
information, on the principle of „need to know‟ is very important. For want of correct
and timely feedback, certain opportunities may be missed and the organisation may
loose big profits. Encouraging the juniors to give innovative ideas without any fear
can benefit the organisation hugely.
Some organisations create unhealthy competition because of wrong policies,
procedures, rules and regulations, biases and prejudices etc. Introducing incentives
and awards or policies of punishment must be done very carefully. As a golden
principle, appreciation must be done in public and criticism must be done in private.
The type of media which is used for internal and external communication in the
organisation also plays an important role in improving the quality of communication.
Information processing methods may also cause information over load and result in
poor quality of communication. Organisations must keep in mind type of message,
intended audience, time and cost at the back of their mind while choosing the right
media. Usually, it is a mix of different type of media which is used.. It may be
promotional articles in newspapers, advertisement in print and electronic media or
email/SMS messages.
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3.5.6 People with personality that has strong emotions
Too much of any emotion can make one blind of the actual reality. It is said that love
is blind, how ever , in practice hatred, jealousy, introvertedness, extrovertedness,
anger etc can all make one blind. When one is ceased with rage, no rational decision
can be taken . We read about the example of road rage, where the commuters shoot
each other dead. Similarly father shoots a son or daughter or a son murders his
mother, father and brother. When one commits such heinous crimes, he is in the grip
of anger and rage does not see any logic or reason. When one is angry, his non-verbal
communication in the form of body language conveys a lot of negativity. An angry
person loses coherency of speech, his blood pressure goes up , he clinches his fists in
threatening manner and so on. Management of emotions is the key to mange
relationships and hence stress.
It is known that our feelings and emotions are generated by thinking. There are five
major recognised feelings of happiness, anger, sorrow, fear and anxiety. Other
feelings like guilt, jealousy, resentment, self-pity etc. are variations or combinations
of these. We may go through same incident or happening but each one of us will have
different feelings associated with that happening. Emotions are essential part of our
lives and are aroused to different levels depending upon many complex factors related
to our heredity and bringing up. It is common to see people getting in to different
moods and feelings like, anger, anxiety, love, hate, fear, joy, sadness, happiness and
so on. All emotions have impact on our behaviour.
People who display very strong emotions are not able to community accurately as the
„heat of the moment‟ does not let them act rationally.
In his book Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman writes an experience of 1963
about „emotional hijacking‟. A man called Richard Robes who was a criminal and had
been jailed was granted parole. He had decided to quit the life of crime but he broke
in an apartment to get some money for his girl friend and his three years old daughter.
Out of the two women who lived in the apartment one was at home when Robes
committed the crime. He tied her up and looted the house. While he was about to
leave the other woman also came in. He decided to tie her up as well. One of the
women told him that she will not get him go free as she remembered her face and she
will surely get him jail. Since Robes wanted to lead a life of peace and did not want to
go back jail, he murdered both women in a fit of anger. When he was asked why he
committed the double murder, he said, “I just went bananas. My head just exploded”.
Goleman calls such emotional explosion as neural hijacking.
3.5.7 Self-centeredness or Obsession with Self
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Human nature is being selfish. Every one looks for something for him in everything
that happens. No one looks at world in an objective manner. Being selfish is not bad
as unless people are selfish there would be no progress in the world. As long as the
selfishness and self-centered approach is within the limits , it is not damaging. This
should be checked on the test of being reasonable and fair. Self-centered people
strongly believe in their own logic and decisions. Such people have very short vision
and don‟t look beyond their personal interest. They are not concerned with the
poverty and miseries of the people and are happy too spend crores on their personal
pleasure even when people are dying around them. They believe in “I, Me and
Myself” philosophy and go to any extent to make illegitimate profits at the cost of
others. In recent times, when Uttaranchal was struck with disaster, there were many
who were looking for opportunity to make quick money. Some seniors, who are
bothered only about their own ambitions and promotions, treat their juniors very
badly but bend backwards to meet any demand of their seniors.
3.5.8 Plain Laziness to make effort for good communication
Good communication does not come easy; one has to make special effort to do that.
It is difficult to communicate properly because one has to find most appropriate word
to write or speak, one must be careful about how it is spoken or written. Also, the
body language or the non-verbal aspect has to be kept in mind. Even with good
intentions, one may convey something bad or evil if the language and words are not
chosen carefully.
Laziness leads to mediocrity; it sacrifices excellence .A casual and lazy approach to
anything in life does not help one to move ahead in life. One does not plan any
activity including the activity of communication. Many people find short-cuts yo
anything they do. Rather than doing it himself, an executive may delegate work to a
junior even when it is known that the person does not have the competence to take up
that task. Have you not noticed that while speaking on phone people keep watching
TV or reading a newspaper or a book? When some one wants some information, we
may give it depending on our memory and not make the effort to find the right
information.
3.6 Summary
The importance of quality of communication is realised when you see so many
problems around the world, whether there is a problem between the nations,
organisations or individuals. There are so many reasons because of which
communication is not perfect. The concept of „perfect communication‟ is that the
receiver gets exactly what the sender transmits. There could be intrapersonal barriers,
interpersonal barriers and organisational barriers. Individual personality plays a very
important role in the quality of communication.
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Different types of barriers have been discussed in detail in this lesson.
3.7 Glossary
Intrapersonal Barriers .People with unique personalities tend to interpret the
same event or happening in different ways. Barriers created by uniqueness of
individual interpretation is called intrapersonal barriers
Interpersonal Barriers These barriers are because of an individual‟s knowledge,
skill, competency, attitude, habits, etiquette and manners, type of body language etc.
Physical Barriers These are the barriers because of distance or disturbance in the
media
Stereotyping It refers to the impression about a particular group of people
3.8 Answer to check your progress/Self Assessment
Questions
1. Identify the communication barrier which describes each of the following issues:
(a) Professor: “Students who have not submitted the Project Report within
30 days as instructed will lose points in the assessment.”
Students: „Sir, but you asked to submit the Report within 45 days”
(b)“Senior Executive to the Administrative Officer of the company: “Are
you giving this horrible room as office where one cannot work peacefully?. I will not
use it.”
© Vice-president of the company: “Every time he calls me the boss does
not listen to my point of view”
2. Explain the following terms :
(a) Organisational barriers
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(b) Noise in the channel
(c) Halo Effect
3. Identify the type of communication barrier in the following situation:
“I asked all the middle level managers to meet me in the conference room at 3 PM
on Tuesday. It is already 4PM and none has turned up , I think I have lost my
authority in the organisation.”
Answers:
1
(a) It could be due to difference in perception of the professor. It could also be due to
casual approach or not paying enough attention to the subject.
(b) It is the barrier of obsession with self
© Difference in perception , cultural background or difference in the level of
knowledge/competence
2.
(a) Every small or big organisation has a culture of its own which has been developed
over the years. The good practices which many companies use may restrict the
functioning of a pro-active executive. The type of hierarchy used in the company can
also dilute the quality of communication. In certain organisations, a worker at the
operational level may have access to the MD in important matters, where as in some
others they must follow the upward channel of communication rigidly and any one
violating it may be punished
(b ) Any interference in the sent message not being received by the receiver in the
exact form, is because of many factors; one of them is „noise‟. Noise here refers to
breakdown in communication or poor communication. Noise may occur due to
technological errors or physical reasons, these can be rectified easily. Physical noise
of machines, human words at high pitch, sound of loud music, workers holding union
meetings in which tempers run high.
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© Halo effect is created by one person by the other about him. It basically means
judging the other because of some personality traits, happening, and events etc.
perception. If an executive from military background, who values discipline,
punctuality and integrity as the most important traits of the personality of a
professional, he may rate a subordinate as very good even when he is not competent
and effective in his work. Once an individual frames a particular type of impression
about the other based on a particular personality trait, he will always see the person in
the same light in all situation.
3.
It is a barrier due to a personality with strong emotions.
3.9 References/ Suggested Reading
1. Technical Communication by Meenakshi Raman and Sangeeta Sharma, published by
Oxford University Press , New York
2. Business Correspondence and Report Writing by R C Sharma and Krishna Mohan,
Published by Tata Mcraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi
3. Effective Technical Communication by M Ashraf Rizvi Published by Tata
McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi
3.10 Model Questions
1. What are the types of barriers in communication?
2. Why does communication suffer due to difference in perceptions?. Give
suitable examples.
3. What is the role of Halo effect on the type of communication? How can this be
rectified?
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Lesson Plan-Lesson 4
4.0 Objectives
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Writing skill
4.2.1 Importance of writing skill in business
4.2.2 Types of writing skills
4.2.3 Paragraph writing
4.2.3.1 Types of paragraphs
4.2.3.2 Techniques pf paragraph writing
4.3 Memos, Fax, E-mails
4.3.1 Memos
4.3.2 Fax
4.3.2.1 Fax glossary
4.3.3 E-mails
4.3.3.1 Advantages of E-mails
4.3.3.2 Limitations
4.3.3.3 E-mail etiquette
4.3.3.4 E-mail format
4.4 Formal letters
4.4.1 Functions of business letters
4.4.2 Principles of business writing
4.5 Structure ad layout of business letters
4.6 Specimen business letters
4.7 Summary
4.8 Glossary
4.9 Answers to check your progress/Self assessment questions
4.10 References/Suggested reading
4.11 Model questions
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Lesson 4 Essentials of Business Writing
4- 0 Objectives
After studying this lesson, student will be able to :
Understanding the importance of writing skills
Learning the art of writing
Improving writing skills through understanding and practicing Paragraph
Writing as the basic writing skill
Learning to write Memos, Fax, E-mail
Understanding the need of formal business letters, types of letters and their
formats, the art of writing effective business letters to agents, suppliers and
customers
4.1 Introduction
The significance of writing skills cannot be overemphasized as it is of vital
importance to all professionals in all fields of activities. A student needs to learn the
writing skills to be able to appear in examination, prepare project reports, write class
notes so that they become useful to him at a later stage and he may be required to
write summaries, synopsis, précis, abstracts and so on. Similarly, a working
professional is required to submit a feasibility report, write notes of a seminar,
workshop or a symposium. Professionals are also required to write official and Demi
-Official (DO) letters, memos, e-mails, reports , proposals , summaries etc
No business transaction can take place without successful correspondence at some
point. Enquiries must be answered, quotations given, orders placed, complaints dealt
with, transport and insurance arranged and accounts settled. Letters must be written to
customers, salesmen, agents, suppliers , bankers, and many others, they cover every
conceivable part of business activity. Business letters are a company‟s silent
salesmen, and often enough, represent only contact with the outside world. Hence, the
need to write various types of letters.
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Commercial writing is a skill and like other skills it must be learnt. People need to be
trained so that business communication is effective. Business letters are an important
part of business communication in every organisation whether big or small.
In modern organisations, a number of means of communication are adopted for
correspondence within the organisation and with outside agencies. In big
organisations, there are a number of hierarchical steps and maintaining a good level of
communication with all its employees is a big challenge. Business organisations have
to remain in constant touch with outside agencies like suppliers of materials,
customers, government agencies etc. Manufacturing companies get their raw
materials of components and sub assemblies from a number of vendors: domestic as
well as foreign. Correspondence has to be made with them about the requirements in
terms of numbers required specifications of quality standard, date and time deadlines
to be met etc. Similarly, the company‟s customers must be informed of the time their
requirements have been despatched, the details of means of transportation of the
goods being sent and the terms and conditions of payments to be made
4.2 Writing Skills
All types of communication is important. Writing skill is necessary for professionals
and businessmen.
4.2.1 Importance of writing skills in business
For requesting quotations/soliciting inquiries, forwarding of catalogues
placing orders.
Correspondence regarding delay, wrong dispatch, equipment/machine not
in order.
Payments schedules, payment delays, seeking special concessions,
discounts etc
Purchase of raw materials, components, subassemblies/assemblies from
different vendors
Keeping the customers and potential clients in picture about the new
products.
Maintaining good public relations, extending greetings, etc essentially
remaining in touch with people who can be helpful in business activities
of the company
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.Remain in contact with government agencies in context of many
stationary requirements, like PF, ESI etc
4.2.2 Types of Writing Skills
A list of writing activities which one must learn as a student and as a professional to
be able to excel in their respective areas is given below:
General writing skills
Personal requirements of writing letters, sending e-mails ,letters to newspapers,
articles for publishing in magazines or newspapers, preparing comments or notes etc.
Academic writing skills
Class notes, lab reports , thesis , dissertations, notes for declamation contests, notes
for making presentations , project reports, examination etc.
Professional writing skills
Official /DO letters, memos, reports of different types, formal business letters,
preparing minutes, notes of conferences and meetings, sending official e-mails,
writing resumes and job applications, etc.
4.2.3 Paragraph writing to learn basic writing skills
A paragraph is a short composition which consists of a number of sentences linked
together and all relating to one topic .Writing prose is of utmost importance for
communicating one‟s ideas , feelings, thoughts and emotions. All great authors write
their entire book on any issues, which may consist of a number of paragraphs.
To write a good paragraph, one must keep the following in mind:
The paragraph should be short although there are no rules about the length of a
paragraph
It should deal with one topic or idea. It is a good idea to state the topic
sentence or idea in a single simple sentence eg. it is the mad craze for money
that has made human beings so greedy.
The sentences must be in logical order. The most important ones are the first
and the last. The first sentence is usually the topic sentence. This should be
able to rouse the interest of the reader. The last sentences should sum up the
idea which was developed.
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The sentences that follow the first ones should generally develop the idea in
some kind of logical sequence. These sentences form the main body of the
paragraph.
There should be a variety in construction of sentences. Avoid unnecessary
reptilian of words and you should ensure that all sentences are of different
types and length. It should be clearly understood that a paragraph follows all
the rules of good writing
.
4.2.3.1 Types of paragraphs
Broadly paragraphs may be classified in the following two ways:
Descriptive Paragraph
In these paragraphs, the writer describes a certain situation or event. For example if
the writer has visited a hill station in summer, he may explain the details of journey
and the beautiful scenes of nature which he saw at a particular hill station. It is the
description of something which has actually happened or about a particular person or
event/situation etc. When a student is asked to write a paragraph on how he spent his
summer vacation, he describes the experiences he has actually gone through. Quality
of a good descriptive paragraph is that the reader actually goes through the experience
which the author of the paragraph describes in the paragraph. Autobiographies,
biographies and travelogues are examples in which descriptive paragraphs are used.
Imaginative Paragraph
Here the writer of the paragraph imagines a particular scene or situation and writes
that. There is unlimited scope for the writer to imagine anything and put it in such
words that the reader becomes a part of the story even when he knows that it is purely
fictitious. Here the author of the paragraph takes liberty with thoughts , feelings and
emotions of various characters of the situation. To make the text interesting and
readable, the author may imagine certain things which the reader may not identify
with real life but still likes to read. Such writings are the best friends of the reader.
Novels are composed of such paragraphs
4.2.3.2 Techniques for paragraph development
One can develop the central idea of the paragraph through various techniques. But the
commonly used techniques are :
Illustration Providing examples to explain the main idea
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Comparison and contrast Bringing out similarities and differences to
develop the idea
Cause and effect Explaining the reasons for the end result
Classification Breaking the main idea in to specific
categories
Problem and solution Discussing the solution to the problems posed
Principles of paragraph writing
Strive to follow the given hints of writing to excel at it.
Do not start writing at once. Think of the paragraph in totality. Plan a
framework you can note down the points you want to give in the
paragraph.
Give a brief introduction of the topic. Otherwise the start will be very
abrupt. Follow it with all the relevant information. Conclude the discussion
in the end
.
Be precise and direct. Develop your points into thoughts logically. Ensure
that no significant aspect is left out. Collection of unconnected thoughts
only leads to confusion.
Language is paramount importance in writing an essay. Convey you
thoughts through appropriate words and short sentence. Do not use high
sounding words just to show off your knowledge.
Be careful about grammatical rules. The paragraph should be punctuated
properly. Write in standard English Avoid slang.
Do not break the subject matter into smaller paragraphs
The students will be provided basic outline of paragraph. They can develop it
themselves. Few outlines have been provided for practice paragraphs can be
related to-
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Scientific issues
Educational social issues
Reflective issues
Economic issues
Political and current issues
Based on idioms
Based on technology
4.3 Memos, Fax, E-mails
4.3.1 Memos
A memo is a formal written message written in a conventional form for others to meet
specific needs of the organisation. It is a dialogue where the initiator of the message
conveys something and expects the receivers to take actions as required. Hence ,
memo is an important part of internal communication and every individual must know
the basics of writing a good memo.
Purpose of business memos
The purpose of any communication within the business entity to solve various
problems and business memos play the following role:
To describe and explain the problem
Ask for more information
Ask for additional resources
Share proposals or ask for proposals
Explain various policies and any changes made in the policies
Explain working procedures and methods
Requesting the receiver to take action as asked for
Ask the reader to attend a meeting or conference or be present at a particular
place
Ask for feedback, suggestions, comments, recommendations etc.
Provide feedback and suggestions ,advice etc.
Seek views explanation for not doing some thing or not achieving a target
Issuing polite reminders
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Memos like other communication may be downward, upward or horizontal in nature
depending upon the need to communicate.
Downward memos
They are used for the purpose of:
Convey to the juniors routine information about the company
Share matters relating to personnel, promotions, transfers, incentives,
punishments etc
Give instructions for performing specific tasks
Seek explanations or clarifications
Give feedback about their performance and other related matters
Upward memos
As the name conveys this is the communication from junior levels to the higher
levels, They are generally in the following form:
Grievances, complaint
Feedback regarding implementation of a policy or procedure
Giving suggestions and new ideas to the seniors
Informing the seniors about problems like shortage of manpower, non-
availability of power etc
Horizontal memos
These memos are sent to people who are at the same level in the organisation. The
basic purpose served by these memos is :
Coordinate issues with others
Seek cooperation from peers
Persuade colleagues‟ to support a particular project or be present a t the
presentation etc.
Difference between letters and memos
The broad differences are:
Letters are used for external communication but the memos are for internal
communication
The format used by the two is different
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Letters are more formal than the memos
Memos are not as well structured as the letters
Memos because of their very use need not go into the background or provide
any introduction
How to write effective memos?
Memos are an important part of internal communication. They should generally
follow the rules of good writing . Specifically, they should:
Clarity
Any vague memo may confuse the reader , so , clarity is of utmost
importance.
Conciseness The message while being shared internally should be as
concise as possible
Unity of theme What good is any information which is not coherent?
The memo must be coherent without sacrificing the basic theme.
Informal tone Although a memo is a formal document , yet it is
less formal tan other forms of communication. Since it is an internal
communication, the writer and the receiver are likely to know each other
. In such environment , an informal tone of the message will be much
better. Very formal tone may appear to be intimidating in nature.
Form and Structure of a memo
Like any other communication , writing a memo demands special effort and should
not be taken casually. As far sa possible a standard format should be used.
There are four segments of a memo as shown below:
Heading
It includes the date , the recipient‟s name and designation, the sender‟s name and
designation and the subject. Here is an example:
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15 March ,2014-04-04
To : Mr. Rs Bhatti, Additional Director
From: D S Sandhu, General Manager (HR)
Subject : Promotion, Mr g. Swaminathan as DGM (Marketing)
May I request you to forward suitable recommendation report in respect of Mr.G.
Swaminathan, as it is required to be put up to the CEO before 18 March .
Please treat it as urgent.
Opening
Most memos include a short purpose of writing the memo. The opening sentences
include the central theme of the memo. The opening must answer the following:
(a) What is the problem?
(b) What led to the need of this memo?
(c) What is the purpose of the memo?
An example of an opening for a memo is as follows:
We are conducting a special training program for Grade 3 officers of the company on
20 April, 2014
Our latest product “Wonder Smile” which was launched in Jan 2013, has surpassed all
records of sales. I am enclosing the sales report of the product till 31 March, 2014.
Body
It contains the message of the memo. It includes all these details that support the
central idea of the memo. It may contain some recommendations etc.
Closing
Like all other forms of written communication, memo should also be closed in a
courteous manner. While stating what action is required to be taken by the receiver of
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the memo, do not forget the decency and courtesy. Here are a few examples of a good
„closing‟:
(a) Would you be kind enough to discuss the matter with other senior members
of your staff and send me your views by 10 May , 2014 positively?
(b) I feel that you would appreciate the new policy which is employee-freidly and
will motivate them to perform still better. Kindly forward your comments by
10 April, 2014-04-04
Optional Elements
There may be the need to attach some documents like references to other memos,
circulars , reports etc.
Writing strategies for a good memo
The following steps can help in organising a memo in a systematic manner:
Analyse the problem and purpose of writing the memo
Determine the needs of the reader
Determine the scope of the message
Organise the message
Write the first draft of the message
Revise , review and edit the message
Prepare the final draft
A model memo
Please study the following model memo to be ale to write effective memos:
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Steadfast Consultants Pvt Ltd
SCO 6789, First Floor, Sector 234, Chandigarh- 100166
Interoffice Memorandum
Date: 04 April, 2014
To : Miss Ishy Yadav, Sr Training Manger
From : R C Bhargava, Managing Director
Subject: Training in self-management for senior managers of Punjab National Bank
Please refer to the proposal dated 20 Feb , 2014. I am happy that you are organising
the program in the premises of PNB.
I feel you should include one session on, “Self-management and its contribution to
organisational effectiveness”
R C Bhargava
4.3.2 FAX
In 1843, a man named Alexander Bain first patented the design of a facsimile for
transmission of text or graphics over phone line.
It is the process of making an exact copy of a document made by electyronic scanning
and transmitted as data by telecommunication links. It is a short form of Facsimile
and is also called tel-ecopying or telefacsimile It is the process of transmission of any
message which is in the written typed form, drawings, pictures, graphs etc. in fact any
message on a piece of paper which cannot be sent though, telephone, tele-printer etc.
can be sent through a Fax.
Technology used is the conversion of ink in to electrical impulses which at a distances
are converted back in to the original image. It is one of the fastest means of
communicating written information. In a few minutes large data of any type can be
faithfully received in any part of the world . Hence, any business information is as
good with any one using it in any part of the world. It is most widely used by media
but has tremendous potential in business world.
4.3.2.1 Fax glossary
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Fax Broadcast Sending messages to several people at once
Fax on demand/ Fax Retrieval A system that can be set up to request a fax using
a touch- tone phone
Fax/Modem Device that allows PC to fax to send and receive fax
documents
Fax Mode Mode that allows fax modem to send and receive files in a
fax format
Fax Server A computer dedicated to sending / receiving faxes for a group
of network computers
4.3.3 E-mails
Last decade has seen very rapid growth in the use of internet by Indian companies. E-
mail use has become so wide spread that it has changed the way the companies
communicate today. There are good chances that the reader of this lesson would have
his personal e-mail ID and perhaps one for the position in which he works for in the
organisation. Most of the companies and other organisations encourage us of e-mails
as a means of communication. All internal communication within the company which
may have many branches spread in India and abroad, is though e-mails only. E-mails
offer many advantages over other means of communication.
E-mail has its own language and acronyms, vocabulary etc. And with the help of this
language and vocabulary, you can do so many things instantaneously. While e-mail is
one of the best ways of communication, it also has its limitations. Though modern
technology offers many ways of maintaining the confidentiality of the message being
sent, yet all such methods can be corrupted by a determined trouble-maker and certain
other means may be more suitable
4.3.3.1 Advantages of E-mails
One can communicate instantaneously with any one across the globe. It
reaches the recipient in a matter of seconds and minutes
The message can be sent simultaneously to as many people as you want; you
have to know only the e-mail addresses of the concerned parties. Amailing list
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may be maintained in the computer which allows fast distribution of message
to all.
One can use e-mail to access large amount of data available with any one
anywhere
One can easily save thousands of e-mail messages in small space and search
them electronically as and when one wants
E-mails messages can be picked up from any where and pasted anywhere
else.
One can use the „reply‟ button to include part or all of the original message in
the reply message. Reply to some one‟s e-mail can be sent immediately
without the need of composing the address and the subject
All types of files, pictures, sketches, drawings, sound and video clips can be
attached with e-mail
You don‟t have to disturb the person you are wanting to communicate with.
He can open his mailbox at his convenience and take suitable action.
When you get the e-mail message, you don‟t have to worry about being
disturbed or interrupted if you are already sending or receiving another
message. The message will be received in your mailbox and you can see at
your convenience.
It is the most cost-effective method. In fact , it is so inexpensive that it can be
used by any one. The cost does not depend on the distance between the sender
and the receiver or the size of the message.
4.3.3.2 Limitations
E-mails received by any one can be edited by any of the recipients.
When you receive the message , you are not sure whether it is the
original message or some one has intentionally or inadvertently edited it.
It cannot be retracted or called back. Once the „send‟ button is pressed ,
it is gone.
It is very difficult to track e-mails
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It is possible to forge e-mails
You are subjected to junk mails from all over . If your e-mail ID is
known any one can send you any message whether you like it or not
It can become a habit which can become a disease People start spending
too much of time in collating the e-mails and do not invest time with
their colleagues, and others.
Human touch , empathy and emotions get relegated and mechanical
interaction takes over.
4.3.3.3 E-mail Etiquette
Many organisations have devised their own e-mail guidelines or rules. Some of the
generally accepted e-mail etiquette are as follows:
Answer promptly. The very purpose of this type of communication
will be lost if you don‟t respond quickly.
Do not always as a matter of practice „Reply to all‟
Use proper structure and layout. It is more difficult to read the
message on screen as compared to reading it on a peace of paper.
Hence, use simple language in small sentences and small paragraph,
leave enough space between two paragraphs and number the
different points you wish to make.
It is a good idea to identify yourself . Rather than just giving your e-
mail in „From‟ write your name as well
Try and address all possible queries in your reply. If you don‟t do it ,
the other party will keep raising more and more queries wasting
your time.
Your e-mail should be as concise as possible. It being difficult to
read on screen , a long e-mail would not be welcome.
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Use of correct grammar, spellings and punctuation. These are
important for any written communication but are more so for e-
mails. Use the spell-check option often.
Do not use capital letters. It looks as if you are shouting. This can
be highly annoying and an irritated reader may send you a mail
which you may not like,
As far as possible , use active voice rather than passive voice.
Saying, “We welcome your enquiry” sounds much better than,
“Your enquiry is welcomed by our organisation”
Language should be gender-neutral. Don‟t use „he‟ or „she‟. It is
good to use „the sender‟ or „the user‟
Maintain coherence
Attach only limited files/data
Always read the e-mail before you press the „send‟ button
Do not use abbreviations and acronyms which are not in common
use and the receiver of the mail may not be conversant with them.
Avoid using „high priority‟ option as much as you can . Only really
important messages should be marked such.
Do not reply to „spam‟ as it is not meant for you.
Use it carefully and appropriately as it is not private. Working
people should be very careful in using e-mail, if used
inappropriately they can even be fire
.
4.3.3.4 E-mail Format
Although , the system provides us a ready made format, there is a need to use certain
conventions and use the format effectively. It includes the following:
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Heading It includes the following:
Date Sat, 05 March, 2014 12:42:10
From [email protected]
To ramesh. [email protected]
Subject Book Review for publishing
CC Cc:[email protected]
BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) Bcc: rahul.tanwar2hindustantimes.com
Salutation Rules of salutation are the same as in any written
communication. Examples are as follows:
Dear Dr SP Singh,
Dear Mr S K Vashisht.
Dear Yojana
Body It mentions, describes and explains the
central idea of the purpose of writing the mail.
4.4 Formal Letters
Letter writing is an important business activity.
4.4.1 Functions of business letters
As discussed earlier, business letters perform an important function in business
activities. They are an accurate and an inexpensive way of communicating with
vendors, customers, employees of the company, shareholders, government agencies
and so on. Some of the useful purposes the business letters perform are:
Maintaining good public relations.
For keeping records and maintaining references.
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Record of contracts with different agencies. Maintain contacts where
physical contact is not possible. .
4.4.2 Principles of Business Letter Writing
For writing effective business letters, one should follow certain principles. Some of
them are discussed here.
Courteous and Considerate
All business letters must be courteous and considerate in their language and style.
Though business letters are dictated by the head not by the heart; they are
calculated in every respect, yet there is need to be considerate and courteous, so
that it creates a favourable impact on the person who receives the letter. There
would be many unpleasant and difficult exchanges through letters because of the
business interaction, but that does not mean that either of the parties should forget
the basic courtesy which should be extended to each other. It is important for all
organisations which wish to thrive in business that goodwill amongst those with
whom they have business relationship, is one of the most important elements of
growth. This gets translated to good business at one point of time or either.
Courteous and considerate communications with all concerned can help build
good will for the company. Some common courtesies which may be exchanged
are:
(i) Thank you very much for your letter, dated 10 March, 07.
(ii) We are pleased to receive your enquiry.
(iii)We regret we have not received your letter under reference, can you be
kind enough to forward it again.
(iv) We are sorry to learn that you did not receive the machine on time for the
inauguration. We assure you that this will not happen in our future
dealings.
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(v) I am very pleased to receive D O letter, dated 15 April, 06 from your
honourable Managing Director.
(vi) We are pleased to receive the payment so promptly and thank you for the
same.
It is advisable to avoid the use of following expressions in all business
communications:
(i) It is surprising that you have not received our letter dated 10 January, 07.
(ii) We do not expect you to ………..
(iii) I must very clearly mention that ……
(iv) You can do what you please, however……
(v) It is difficult to believe that----------
(vi) We are not bound to do what you want us to do
(vii) We are unable to meet your unreasonable demand
.
(viii) You can go ahead with whatever actions you wish to take.
(ix) We refute your claim as ……………..
All business correspondence should be made keeping in mind what the reader will
think of the individual signing the letter or the organisation he represents. Courtesy
cost, nothing but creates a very good impression on the recipients of the
communication. Correspondence shows the attitude of the person initiating it. The
person who drafts or signs the letter from a position of authority in his organisation,
often forgets the impact it is going to have it on the person dating it.
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Good organisations are always careful in drafting, typing and following the principles
of good communication. The company cannot afford to forget business interest, which
is very important for it in any case, but not being curt and rude and not forgetting
decency and courtesy of civilised behaviour is also important. It is always helpful to
be human in personal as well as business correspondence.
Direct Approach and Conciseness
Many forge the basic aim of the letter and try to make use of beautiful but
inappropriate words and sentences. They keep beating about the bush and do not
convey the message directly. This must be avoided. You must remember that the
recipient of the letter is a busy person and would like to know the message of the
letter straightway. Avoid unnecessary details and come to the point directly.
While courtesy must not be forgotten, the writer of business letter should focus on
the message.
Avoid Verbosity
. Most of the business correspondence has un- necessary phrases and words which
become an irritant to the reader. It must be remembered that the best communication
is the simple, straight- forward communication, using minimum words.
Participial Ending
Certain sentences at the end of the letter do not convey anything essential, they
just add to the length of the letter. As far as possible, that should be avoided.
a. Hoping you will continue to show your interest in our products in
future as well.
b. We trust that the information provided will meet your requirement;
otherwise you are welcome to revert back to us.
c It goes without saying that we shall be delighted to get a communication from
you in this regard.
Positive and Direct Statements.
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In any correspondence, negative expressions create avoidable
confusion. It is best to make a positive and direct statement. Some examples are
given below:
Please let us know instead of you have failed to inform us
We will be happy to help you if … instead of We are not in a position
to help you unless……..
We will appreciate to hear from you instead of We have not heard from
you for the past six months
Brevity and Clarity.
Through brevity is very important but it must not be at the cost of clarity. A clear,
simple and straight-forward style of writing always achieves more than ambiguous,
beating about the bush style. Clarity is in the attitude of a person who is sure of what
he wants the communication. As started earlier, good and effective business
communication is a skill which needs to be acquired through training.
4.5 Structure and Layout of a business letters
Over a period of time business letter have evolved a definite pattern as far as
structure and pattern is concerned.. Following a logical and commonly used pattern,
following the Do‟s and Don‟t‟s discussed earlier, give the letter a neat , clean and
readable look. Good companies are very careful while sending letters to the outside
agencies as they care for their reputation and good will.
Essential parts of a letter are:
Heading or the head address
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The date
Reference number
The inside address
Attention line
Salutation
Subject
The body of the letter
The complementary close
The signatures
The identification marks
The enclosures
Each of the above parts is discussed here.
Heading or the head address The name and address of the company is placed in
the centre or to the right of the sheet. This contains the complete address along with
telephone number, e-mail, fax , website etc. below the name of the company. Since
companies write large number o letters, letter heads are printed. Good companies get
the design of their company name and logo etc designed from good artists. This may
consume about one-fifth of the total page. An example of the letter head is shown
below:
Goodhealth Medical Systems Ltd
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Manufacturers of X-ray and C-arm machines
Registered Office 999, Sector 32 A , Chandigarh
Works Plot No. Industrial Area Phase II, Chandigarh
Telephone 0172 -2666677 Works 0172-2666678
E-mail good [email protected] Chandigarh 160009
The Date Date is generally written 2-5 spaces below the
head address on the right hand corner of the sheet. It should not be written in numbers
as 12.3.2014 but as follows:
12 March 2014 or March 12, 2014-03-31
Reference No. It is written on the left side of the paper in the same line as date.
Some letters may have two references including the other party‟s also. In that case , it
is written as „your reference‟ and „our reference‟ . It may also be written in the body
of the leatter as , “Thank you for your letter No. dated “ How ever
the method of writing on to should be preferred..
The inside address Complete address of the person or company to which
the letter has to go must be written carefully containing all the details so that letter
reaches the right destination. It may take the following forms:
Generally when writing to a company for the first time, an individual of the company
is not addressed.
Messers or M/s should be written only if the name of the company contains a person‟s
name
Messers or M/s R C Paul and sons
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1234, Okhla, New Delhi Pin code
„M/s All Engineers Company is incorrect”
If the letter is written to an officer by name , the following should be observed:
Mr or Sri or Sri before the name. In case of unmarried women “Kumari or Kum” or
Miss is written, In case of married women, “Shrimati or Smt or Mrs” is written
If a person holds a special title , the title is written before his/her name as follow:
Dr. S P Singh, Dr.( Mrs )Ramandeep Cheema Badwal, Prof. A K Handa, Col (Mrs)
G K Randhawa, Prof (Smt) Neena Singh, Maj P C Sethi
Only suitable observations well recognised and accepted should be used, like „Prof‟
for Professor, and „Col‟ for Colonel
Some times , the degrees and department to which one belongs is also written. Here is
an example.
Prof K N Pathak Ph. D, D. Litt, Vice-Chansellor
Col D S Cheema , M. Tech, (EME)
Attention Line Some times a business letter is marked
for the attention of a particular functionary of the organisation as follows:
Attention: Mr K N Reddy, MD
Salutation Below the attention line if it is there or
below the inside address , the complimentary greetings which is called „,Salutation‟
is written . Common forms of salutations are as follows
In formal business letters, use only “Sir: or “Madam”
If the letter is written to any officer the salutation will be, “Dear Mr. Vipin Bassi”
The salutation is less formal if the writer knows the addressee personally, then the
salutation will be, “My dear Mr. Sandhu”
If the person to whom the letter is going is a close friend, the salutation may be, “My
dear Ramesh”
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The caption line or subject The idea of writing the subject line is
to let the recipient know about the subject matter at the out set; it saves time. Here is
an example.
All Well Medical Corporation
12753 Darya Ganj
Delhi -110002
Attention: The Regional Sales Manager
Subject: Receipt of poor quality raw material
The body of a letter The body of the letter should be
broken in to three parts as follows:
The opening or the introductory part which attracts the attention of the reader and is
only a few lines or a small paragraph.
The main communication which may take the form of many paragraphs
The closing part of the body which is again in the form of a paragraph and refers to
the action the writer expects the receiver to take.
The complementary close It is in the form of saying good bye
or a courteous way of seeking leave of the receiver of the letter.It will take the
following form:
Salutation Line Complementary closing line
Sir Yours faithfully
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Dear Sir/Dear Madam Yours faithfully or Yours truly
Dear Mr Bhatia Yours sincerely
My dear Harsh Yours sincerely or yours ever
Dear Member/Dear Customer/ Dear Reader Yours sincerely
When you write to a teacher or Principal, “Yours respectfully” is used but never in
business letters.
When you write to a high official , this close may be used:
His Excellency, Lt Gen (Retd) A K Mohan Yours respectfully
Governor of -----------
While writing the complementary close, „y‟ has to be capital and no apostrophy in the
word „yours‟ before „s‟
Signatures It is the signed name of the writer of the
letter and is placed 2-3 spaces below the complementary closure. Some examples are
given below:
Yours faithfully,
(R D Singh)
Regional Manager
Yours faithfully,
( M K Nagra)
Managing Director
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Identification marks reference initials These are used for the
identification of the person who has typed the letter. It may take the form as below:
TRC/LP, the letter has been dictated by Mr T R Chadha and Leela Pillai has typed it.
Enclosures Enclosure is the material that has been
enclosed with the letter and is written on the left side below the signature line. See the
example below:
Encls:
1. MOA1 dated 17 Dec 2006
2. Cheque No. 02346 dared 10 Oct , 2014 of SBI, Chandigarh
4.6 Specimen Sales Letters
Sales is perhaps the most important activity of any business organisation. A large
number of goods are manufactured and services are prepared business entities for
making profits; unless the goods are sold and services are offered to people, the very
purpose of business gets defeated. Though no letter is unimportant in business, sales
letters assume a lot of importance and it tests the skill of any writer of the letter at any
level.
The basic purpose of any business letter is to offer the sale of goods and/or services to
perspective customers so that sale is effected. It is commonly observed that business
entities devote a lot of time, energy and effort on sales talks but not that much of
importance is given to sales correspondence. Organisations my loose a number of
customers because they do not draft suitable sales letters. Hence, persons with good
vocabulary and ability to draft good sales letters are an asset to any business
organisation.
Any letter reflects the personality of the writer; it is so in all types of sales letters also.
The receiver of the sales letter should get a good feeling and should be ready to place
an order. The letter should be as convincing to the receiver as he would be when the
salesman makes the sales offer in person. No sales letter can be equally appealing to
all the recipients as it is not possible to tailor-make letters to suit every person‟s
personality. There would be different reactions of the persons receiving the letter but
it should be drafted by keeping all the principles of good written communication in
mind. Generally the companies send a large number of letters to numerous individuals
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and organisations for effecting sale of a product or selling a service. Depending on the
quality and other features of the product and its sales offer price, it may suit one party
and not the other
The following must be kept in mind while drafting sales letters:
The writer of the letter should be very clear of the purpose he or she wishes to
achieve . Some letter are meant for the purpose of creating awareness about
the range and quality of products where as the others are targeted for
finalising the outright sale.
The letter writer should know all the facts like features of the product, its
price , discounts etc.
One should be able to visualise about the personality of the reader, ie how
will he or she react to the type of letter received by him.
Understand what is likely to appeal the maximum to the receiver of the sales
letter
The reader should be able to interpret the logic of argument in a very clear
manner; there should be no ambiguity of any kind.
The writer of the sales letter should follow the principle of drawing
„Attention‟, create „Interest‟ and „Desire‟, and finally help in „Action‟
India Forge Limited
256 Ashiana Road , Mangolepuri
New Delhi-110037
Reference : IFL/218/14 31
March, 2014
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The Managing Director
Amartext Garment store
1012, Industrial Area
Chandigarh-160089
Dear Sir,
We are pleased to introduce ourselves as the largest manufactures of quality garments
for men, women and children since 2002. All reputed garment stores of North India
take pride in being our stockiest. It gives me pleasure to enclose our catalogue which
provides details of the range of our products and the prices. It goes without saying that
if we enter in arrangement to supply you our garments, your esteemed organization
will be entitled to special discounts.
Our North India Sales Manager, Mr Surinder Singh will be happy to visit your office
during the last week of April 2014, after you express your willingness and date and
time convenient to your good self.
I hope you will be kind enough to consider our company as one of your major
suppliers of garments. I assure you , that once you try us out, we will have a long term
association.
Assuring you of our best services.
Yours faithfully,
(P N Mohindra)
Enclosure: General Manager
Catalogue
Girdhari Lal and Sons
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111, Netaji Subhash Chander Road
Jhansi---200856(UP)
M/S Metalwares Pvt Ltd
8 Hazrat Ganj,
Lucknow (UP)
Dear Sir,
May I take this opportunity to introduce our company as leading
manufacturers/suppliers of various types of metal products? We have many reputed
clients the list of which is enclosed for your kind information.
It is my privilege to enclose a catalogue of our well-known products containing
colored actual photographs of our products. The prices quoted are only indicative and
we shall be pleased to offer generous discounts to your esteemed organization. You
are welcome to ask for any other information which you wish to have.
Looking forward to a positive response from you.
Thanking you. Yours faithfully,
(Roshan Lal)
For Girdhari Lal and
Sons
2.
Dear Sir,
Let me avail of this opportunity to introduce my organization as a reputed and well-
known Solar Heating equipment manufacturer. We have created a niche for ourselves
with international standards of quality and after-sales service. I invite your kind
attention to our website which provides details of our manufacturing facilities and
esteemed customers who have imposed faith in us since our establishment in 1986.
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You may appreciate that solar heating is a cost-effective means of keeping your home
warm in extreme winter conditions. Our research team has already tested the heating
systems in northern most parts of UK, and interiors of Leh and Ladakh. Our R and D
department has brought the cost of the equipment as well as its maintenance cost to
half of what it was just three years back
I am enclosing a CD of the details of fixing the equipment, its maintenance process
and other details you may like to know before investing your hard0earned money.
Thanking you.
Yours faithfully,
4.7 Summary
Written communication has certain advantages over other types of communication.
Writing is an art and Paragraph writing is of specific importance in business
communication skills as every correspondence is a group of paragraphs. In this lesson
characteristics of a good paragraph have been discussed. Also, step by step process of
writing a paragraph has been provided. Since a paragraph is the basic unit of written
communication , all professionals as well as students must attach a lot of importance
to be able to write good and effective paragraphs.
Skill of writing internal as well as external documents is important in the business
world. In this lesson writing of Fax, E-mails, have been explained,
Writing formal letters is another important aspect in business. The skill of writing
formal letters has been explained in detail. Sample letters of different types have also
been given.
4.8 Glossary
Personal letters Personal letters are written to our acquaintances or with we
either have or had relationship or we wish to maintain some relationship
Business letters These letters are written purely as a business activity. The
objective of such letters is selling, purchasing, seeking information about products ,
goods and services etc.
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Formal letters These are an accurate and an inexpensive way of communicating
with vendors, customers, employees of the company, shareholders, government
agencies and so on
Sales Letters Letters which are addressed by business entities to potential or
perspective customers for creating awareness or effecting sales of their goods,
products or services.
4.9 Answers to check your progress/Self Assessment
Questions
1. Write important Dos and Don‟t‟s of any business correspondence.
2. What kind of planning should go in to writing a business letter? Explain
Answers
1.
Commercial or business correspondence is a skill which can be acquired through
training and constant practice. Here are some import and Dos and Don‟t‟s for business
correspondence:
DO‘s
Ensure that the paper used for correspondence is of good quality
The letter head must contain the logo if you have one, full and complete
address, telephone , Fax, E-mail and website details
Companies may have many addresses, like registered office, head office,
works, go downs, dealers etc. You must make it very clear to the recipient of
your correspondence, where should they reply to you.
All correspondence should be neatly typed and should look pleasing to the
eyes.
Be courteous, what ever may be the provocation from the other party
Always check letter before it is signed and dispatched
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See physically whether all the enclosures mentioned in the body of the
correspondence are actually attached.
Date in the letter is often forgotten. If you are signing , you may put it in your
own hand.
Stick to the fundamental rules of writing ie accuracy, brevity and clarity
Avoid long sentences, jargons and slangs
Paragraph your writing when ever there is a break in the thought process
Type the envelop of the letter clearly with complete address
Be very clear or sure about the mode of dispatch
Reply all correspondence as promptly as possible.
Don‘t‘s
Do not delay reply to the correspondence unnecessarily
Do not be rude in your language and your attitude
Never forget to remain firm and polite
Do not be unfair as a principle of business dealing
Never make a personal attack on any individual or criticize him/her
Do not write to wrong authority or wrong person
Do not use jargon, slangs, long sentences to convey your thoghts and feelings
Do not violate any of the Do‟s written above
2.
The need of planning in every activity one undertakes, needs no emphasis. It is often
seen that we waste a lot of time and effort while executing a task because no planning
has been carried out before starting to do it. When ever a problem or event is to be
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addressed, planning how to go about it is of utmost importance. Relatively little time
spent in planning can save a lot of precious time while executing the task.
Planning is essential in letter writing too. A letter written without planning and a
serious thought cannot convey the intended message and hence is just waste of time
and effort. Many a times the recipient of the letter comes to know about the letter
writer and his organization only through the means of the letter and the first
impression which he gets by reading that letter. There are different kinds of situations
which have to be handled in business world and hence different type of planning
would be needed.While forwarding a catalogue of products, perhaps a simple letter is
good enough but while forwarding a proposal for undertaking a project, a lot of
thought and planning the presentation of the proposal has to be gone into. Planning
any official business correspondence comes as a habit with good organizations.
Steps in planning a business correspondence
Planning may be the most important activity , yet it is not given its due importance by
most of the business organizations. The following steps can be a help :
Treat business correspondence as an important business activity
Allot appropriate time for handling correspondence
Understand the purpose behind each correspondence you make with any
outsider or within the organization
Collect as much information as is required before you start any action of
writing
Always organize your letter etc in a logical manner
Ensure the use of write language and tone in every correspondence
4.10 Reference/ Suggested Reading
1. Technical Communication by Meenakshi Raman and Sangeeta Sharma, Published
by Oxford University Press
2. Business Correspondence and Report Writing by R C Sharma and Krishna Mohan
published by Tata McGraw- Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi
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3. Effective technical Communication by M.Ashraf Rizvi , published by Tata
McGraw- Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delh
4.. Business Communication by Varinder Kumar and Bodh Raj , published by
Kalyani Publishers
4.11 Model Questions
1. Read the following statements about the business memos and write True or False
against each statement:
(a) The purpose of a memo is to tell others what you want from them
(b) To determine the scope of a memo, one should select what should be included
out a vast range of information
(c) One need not conduct a brain-storming session before writing any memo
(d) The most important aspect of a memo is the format it follows
(e) Reviewing after drafting the memo is the process of finding out whether the
memo will achieve its purpose
2. Write a model memo about anything or matter which you can use as a training aid
for the junior staff of your company
3. What are the limitations of e-mails? Suggest methods to overcome them.
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Lesson Plan-Lesson 5
5.0 Objectives
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Reports
5.2.1 Types of reports
5.2.2 Reporting frequency
5.3 Technical reports
5.3.1 Steps involved in writing a technical report
5.3.2 Styles of writing a technical report
5.5 Sample technical report
5.6 Writing a project report
5.6.1 Characteristics of a research paper
5.6.2 Components of a research paper
5.7 Dissertation
5.7.1 Essential features of a dissertation
5.7.2 Action plan for writing a dissertation
5.7.2.1 Selection of subject for study
5.7.2.2 Process of narrowing down and selection of the topic of dissertation
5.7.2.3 Structure of dissertation
5.8 Thesis
5.9 Summary
45.10 Glossary
5.11 Answers to check your progress/Self assessment questions
5.12 References/Suggested reading
5.13 Model questions
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Lesson 5- Report Writing and Project Writing
5.0 Objectives
After studying the lesson, the student will be able to :
Learn about different types of Reports
Understand how to write a good Report
Learn the skill of good Project Writing
5.1 Introduction
A “Report” which literally means a description or account of an opinion, situation or
happening, is necessary in any business activity fo various reasons. The word „report‟
owes its origin to the Latin word “reportare” which means to „to carry back‟, „re‟
means „back‟ and „portare‟ means „to carry‟ . Hence, report is an account, description
or statement of anything or about anything which is ;carried back‟ to some one who
was not present on the scene of the event or happening.
In business the reports are required for various reasons. In broad sense of the word ,
the news items, memoranda etc are all reports. Reports are required at different levels
of Management which help in designing a suitable Management Information System
(MIS). The top level management needs certain reports like decrease or increase in
levels of production, whether sales targets are being met or not, feasibility of
expansion of business in other unrepresented areas etc. Middle level and operational
level mangers and supervisors need more detailed reports for planning and executing
routine production activities.
Companies need to prepare annual reports to appraise their share-holders of the status
of the health of the company. Companies also are required to submit various reports
to government agencies; these may include the compliance of various statutory
requirements. TDS , Service Tax,, Pf , bonus , minimum wages etc. In ultimate
analysis all the reports help the management to take rational decisions which have far
reaching implications for any organisation.
5.2 Reports
Different types of reports are discussed here.
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5.2.1 Type of Reports
Though it is difficult to list all types of reports used in business, some categories of
reports are provided here.
Oral or written reports
Oral reports are the face-to – face communication from the person who has some
information which has to be given to others who have to use it for business purpose.
Oral reporting is resorted to when there is an emergency or the need to take
immediate action to correct the situation. The receiver of the information has to very
carefully listen and understand what is being said. If the report is not accurate it will
leave the ambiguity because of the poor communication skills of the person
presenting the oral report. No record can be held unless it is taped. To that extent , it
is mere an informal report. Against this, a written report has a lot of advantages as a
record can be maintained and such reports also give the finding and recommendations
to help the decision maker. The reader of the report may read what he thinks is
essential and may leave out the non-essential. It is a forma document which can be
used for legal purpose or can be handed over to some one.
Formal Reports
Formal reports are written communication which is presented in a structured manner
according to certain established rules. Formal reports differ according to the specific
requirement of purpose or content, like technical feasibility report, pollution clearance
report land use report and so on. A written report can be sometimes informal and may
not follow a structured format. An authority from HQ visiting various branches may
give the written report the MD in the form of points along with his comments.
Statutory or non-statutory reports
Statutory reports are the ones which fulfill a legal requirement. .Foe example Section
165 of the Companies Act, a company must hold a meeting within six months of its
incorporation of the company and must submit it to the Registrar of Companies
(ROC). Similarly annual reports and reports like deduction of PF and on payment of
minimum wages or the reports by government appointed inspectors are the statutory
reports. Non-statutory are the reports which the company is not legally bound to
submit to any authority but reports can also be categorised on the frequency of
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preparing the report. Such reports are prepared them from time to time to help them in
effective functioning.
5.2.2 Reporting frequency
Certain reports may be needed on daily basis , for example , the MD of the company
would like to know the payments received against sales Similarly , some reports may
be on the weekly or monthly basis as the need be. A monthly sales report and the
Annual General Meeting (AGM) are the other examples. There may also be special
reports which are not as per any fixed frequency. Such reports are prepared on as
required basis and not on regular basis. The Board Of Directors (BOD) may ask GM
(Administration) to submit a report on the causes of the strike due to which the
company lost crores of rupees. BOD may also ask the MD to recommend action
against a senior employee of the company who has brought disrepute to the company
because of his conduct.
5.2.3 Functional needs reports
Reports can also be classified based on the purpose a report is required to serve. Some
such reports are:
Informational Report
Such reports just present the factual information without analysis, findings and
recommendations etc. Monthly sales reports, spares availability in the store and stock
taking report fall in this category.
Analytical Reports
These reports not only collect data but also analyse it, draw inferences and give
recommendations. Examples are, “Recommendation Report”, “Initial Feasibility
Report‟, “Technical Viability Report” and so on.
Program Reports
These reports, as the name suggests are prepared to report progress of various
activities like production, sales, payments received, new employees joined in the
company etc. These are generally prepared by the juniors for the information of their
seniors. Such reports may be a regular feature and a set frequency, say, monthly or
may be prepared on special occasion. For example, progress of the new project may
be prepared by a junior manger to brief another manger visiting from outside who has
joined the company recently.
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5.3 Technical Reports
There are certain key features which every technical report must have. These are:
Designed for quick and easy communication of information
There are many ways of communicating information, but when it comes to technical
or scientific communication written reports are the best methods. Here, the reader can
quickly glance through the contents, decide what to read and what to omit and
depending upon his background knowledge and experience can get the desired
information.
Designed for selective reading
Technical reports are not meant for every one. These are of no use to the level of
people who cannot understand them as they may contain a lot of technical and
scientific information using terms which are not understood by every one. They are
written for a target reader who can use them for planning activities of the organisation
or taking decisions
Have sections and sub-sections with numbered headings and sub-
headings
Clarity of what is being presented in the report is of utmost importance. A jumbled up
report with no headings and sub-headings will make no sense and confuse the reader.
The content is very important but the way it is presented is of equal importance.
Use figures/diagrams/illustrations and tables etc to convey data and
information.
The very nature of a technical report demands a lot of data and information regarding a
specific subject. For ease of comprehension by the reader, there may be the need of using,
sketches, diagrams, illustrations, photographs, even videos and tables
5.3.1 Steps involved in writing a technical report
Following steps are involved:
Create an outline, complete with headings. An outline blueprint will give you
the overall picture of what all is to be included and serve as a check list also.
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Write your introduction. You should let your readers know right away what to
expect from the report. Highlight the research methods and resources used
and state your findings. Describe the report‟s organisation so the reader can
skip straight to a specific section, if needed.
Develop your evidence. Body of your report will give the reader all the
information he needs to decide, evaluate or assess a business problem
Use the conclusions to remind you readers what the problem was and how
your evidence addresses it. Your report may identify a solution or a problem
or propose a next step.
Present your evidence. Use first hand information wherever possible. If you
are evaluating two products, use information from the manufacturers
themselves or reviews from user within your organisation.
Use charts and visuals when possible and appropriate
Use appendices for related information
Edit out extraneous text
5.3.2 Style of writing a technical report
We generally associate style with human beings when we say, “He is a very stylish
man” But in fact writing also has its own style. You may have heard people saying,
“His style of writing is highly readable” All writers have their own style of writing,
you may call it good, bad, poor personal or impersonal. Style in writing is like the
character of men or like the grain in the wood, it decides the quality of writing
Scientific Attitude
Since a technical report is required to present the facts, it should be able to command
the attention of the reader and clearly convey the message to him. For writing a
technical report the writer has to develop a scientific attitude. You need different kind
of approach for technical writing from the one used for literary writing. The language
used in such reports have to be tense, direct, informative in nature. The reader of the
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report is interested in knowing what you have to say; he is not interested in you.
Hence, you as a report writer must approach the subject with the attitude of a scientist;
you should be detached, do not bring in your personal view point and be totally
truthful. .In general, direct statements in active voice make the reading vigorous and
lively
Readability
Readability of any writing is in true sense the most important quality of writing,
because if the writing is not readable, it will not attract the reader and what ever be the
other qualities, the reader will not read it. Since a report is always written for a
specific readership, the author must keep in mind how the reader will feel when he
reads the document. Many formulae have been developed to check the readability of
any type of writing.
Improving the style of writing
Many things add to the style of writing. Some of these are discussed here:
Choice of words and phrases
It is difficult to choose the most appropriate word in a particular context, because in
English language the same word may have a different meaning in another context.
Precision
Precision comes when you have an excellent vocabulary and use a word which takes
the place of many words and at the same time conveys the exact meaning.
Conciseness
Using too many words for a thought, idea, feeling or emotion may damage the exact
meaning of that thought. Hence, you must save your writing from “wordiness”
Plainness
Plain words are usually short and easily understood. Some people have the tendency
to use difficult words which makes the reading cumbersome. One can catch the
attention of the reader more easily by using such words. Remember, the reader is not
interested in knowing how good your vocabulary is.
Use of clichés
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Indiscriminate use of clichés will make the reading difficult to understand but where
ever it fits in naturally, there is no harm in using one.
Jargon
Every profession whether engineering, medicine or management, has its own jargon.
If jargon is used in the strict sense of being a technical or special word and it conveys
the meaning better, do use it. But don‟t use the jargon to impress others, it will be
counter-productive.
Construction and length of sentences
Sentence having more than 20 words are generally considered difficult reading Long
sentences make it difficult for the reader to read a document
Construction and length of paragraphs
A paragraph is a group of sentences related to one core idea arranged in a particular
manner. Paragraphs should not be unnecessarily long.
5.4 Layout structure
Normally solicited proposals do not follow a straight or rigid layout; solicited
proposals follow a layout plan given by the agency inviting the proposal. What layout
should be followed mainly depends on the practice followed in the organisation
whose member is submitting the proposal as well as practice in vogue in the
oraganisation to which the proposal is being submitted. How ever, following is the
suggested layout of a proposal:
Title Page
It is the cover page of the proposal land must contain the following:
Title of the proposal
Name and designation of the person submitting the proposal
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Nam of the organisation the proposer represents
Date, month and year of the submitted proposal
The above should be bold and suitable separated fro each other. Since it is the first
document which is going to be read it should invite interest of the reader.
Table of Contents
When the proposal is long, say more than 20 pages only then a content table is
required. It should be prepared the way any contents are prepared for a book. The
table should clearly identify different kinds of information by using roman numerals,
italics, and capital letters and so on.
Executive Summary/Abstract
It is the gist of the entire proposal. Many senior and busy people would like yo go
through a page of summary to understand whether the proposal meets their
requirement and should go through the entire details. Many a times a summary may
be sent earlier or circulated to the people who have to evaluate the proposal. It is the
condensed form of the entire proposal.
Introduction
This is an important part of the report as the reader will get an idea of what is the
background, what is the problem and how have you addressed it. The writer of the
report may have to give what work has already been done, how it meets the present
needs partially or does not meet at all and why a fresh look at problem solving was
required.
Main body of the report
As the name suggests, complete details of the report in form of different chapters
having headings and sub-headings are given in the main body of the report
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Conclusion
This may or may not form apart of the report depending on your need to reinforce
certain important aspects. If you wish to once again make it clear what benefits the
organisation will accrue if the project is implemented and any other implications.
Appendices
When there is some information which lends support to the argument but if written
along with main text can hamper the flow of the report, some information is put in the
appendices. Appendices must be suitably marked as “A”, “B” etc and page numbered.
Bibliography/Information sources
This information is very useful for the reader of the report. It also brings transparency
in the report. The reader can refer to any quoted material for further use. Different
methods of referencing are used depending on the type of document. But one thing is
certain that what ever the type of referencing used, the writer must provide the
complete source of information used by him. Bibliography is used generally for
reference to the published books used. It has to include the name of the author, the
title of the book and the publisher details. The following example illustrates the book
reference method:
Rizvi, Ashraf M. Effective
Technical Communication Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited, New
Delhi,2005
It may be noticed in the above example that the name of the author begins with the
last name, the name of the book has been given in italics, followed by the complete
name of the publisher and the place of publishing, last is the year of publishing In
case of multiple authors, names of both the authors are written in the same manner,
with the main author‟s name written first.
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Reference for journals
This includes the name of the author, name of the article/paper, name of the journal,
volume number and issue number, page number and date of issue. An example is
Col D S Cheema, “Knowledge as an intellectual Asset”, The Competition Master 3
(June 2009) 83 , 01 June , 2009
Reference for magazines and newspapers
It includes the name of the author, name of the article, name of the newspaper and date of
publication. Here is an example;
D S Cheema, “Building good character”, The Tribune, 08 Nov, 2011
5.5 Sample Technical Report
A sample technical report is shown here for the student‟s benefit.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Report
On
The Effects of Increased Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide
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Submitted to
Depart of Pollution Control
Government of Punjab
Patiala
Submitted by
M/s Pariyavaran Pvt Ltd
Plot No. 123, Industrial Area, Mohali
The report examines the effects of increased CO2 concentration in the earth surface--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Table of Contents
List of illustrations iii
Abstract iv
1. Introduction 1
2. Natural Weather Patterns 3
3. Mechanism of Greenhouse Effect 11
Natural Greenhouse Effects 11
Radiation Absorption by CO2 and Water Vapours 19
Positive Feedback Mechanism 32
4. Carbon Cycle 42
CO2 from Fossil Fuels 42
CO2 Produced by Different Types of Fuels 59
Future Levels of CO2 78
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5. Climatic Effects of Increased CO2 Concentrations 82
Changes in Local Weather Patterns 82
1930 as Climate Analog 103
Drought 123
Increased Tropical Storm Activity 127
Sea Level Increases 132
6. Ways to Reduce Greenhouse Effects 133
Conventional Methods 133
Latest Developments 142
7. Appendices 159
8. Bibliography/Information Sources 160
List of Figures and Tables
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Figures
1. Combined Effects of the 180-year cycle 4
and increased CO2 Concentration
2. Growth Rate of Fuel Use 78
3.
4.
Tables
1. Estimated CO2 added to the Atmosphere 73
by burning of Fuels
2. Atmospheric CO2 by Region 74
3.
4.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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5.6 Writing Project Reports
Any systematic investigation in to any field of study to increase the available
knowledge may be termed as research. Mankind‟s growth and advances in technology
are directly related to the research work carried out by great inventors and scientists.
Research is also carried out by students at level of higher education. You may carry
out a research to verify the conclusions already drawn and accepted but new
knowledge throws more and different light on the same subject. A research may come
to some inferences in a particular social and cultural environment but the same may
not hold good in another operating environment. Research is generally carried out by
going through already available study material like national and international
journals, knowledge repositories of knowledge in different fields maintained by
government agencies , research libraries etc and experiments carried out by the
research team. Often the research is carried out in a laboratory at a small level and
then it is extended to larger areas. Research may be Basic Research or the Applied
Research, the main purpose of any research is to find solutions to the problems of
mankind
It is a document which contains information regarding the research carried out. It may
be in the form of a formal report which is submitted for a superior to assess and
recommend actions or it may be used for patenting a particular method or process for
finding some solutions to a problem. Research paper can be written in any field or
area, since it is basically an enquiry and analysis which results in drawing some
inferences.. Research paper can help peers to
Assess observations
To repeat experiments
To evaluate intellectual processes
5.6.1 Characteristics of a Research Paper
It is like a formal report in its style, structure and approach and as such most of its
characteristics are the same as that of a formal report. How ever , a report is basically
prepared for the purpose of making rational decisions and the research paper is for
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dissemination of specialised knowledge. Given below are the major characteristics of
a research paper
A research paper is a scholarly document of knowledge based on analysis of
previously available knowledge, observations and experiments. It may be
written on social, technical, cultural, agricultural aspects, science and
technology etc.
It has a specific style and contains definitions, classifications, interpretations
etc related with the area of research.
It is factual and objective in nature and the presentation of information is
accurate , to the point and specific, precise , direct and unambiguous.
It has all the characteristics of a technical report
The research paper contains technical and scientific data presented with the
help of aids like Gantt charts, pie charts, figures, sketches and uses specialise
vocabulary
It is a composite one –peace document which contains information related to
a particular area in which a study has been done after observations and
experimentation.
5.6.2 Components of a Research Paper
It is a highly structured document and has the following components:
Title The name which is given and describes the contents in the
minimum possible words
Names and addresses of the authors It gives the identity of the authors
and the addresses for further use
Abstract This is to identify the basic purpose of research.
Many national and international journals want that before the detailed paper is
submitted for publication. Characteristics of a good abstract are:
(a) It should be as concise as possible and should not exceed 3% of the total
length of the paper
(b) It must be self-contained
(c) It does not contain any bibliography, figures, illustrations or references
(d) It is written after the paper has been prepared
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The steps involved in preparing the text are:
(a) Read the introductory paragraph of the paper to identify the objective
(b) Scan the summary and conclusions at the end for noting the main findings
of the study or paper
(c) Read through the text for information on methodology adopted, new data
and any other information
(d) Prepare a draft arranging the various items in the correct order: objective,
new methodology or equipment employed. Data of fundamental value and
major inferences or correlations drawn
Introduction It gives the background for undertaking the research
work and helps the reader in understanding the entire report.
Materials and Methods It provides the details of experimental techniques
used and the methodology used so that if some one wants to verify or repeat
the research, it should be possible.
Results This is the core of the paper as it represents the data in
different forms, it may be tabular form. In text form or in an illustrative form
Discussion Here the data is interpreted and highlights the significant
features of the data and possible causes of these features
Conclusion All the significant findings are once again written . No
additional data is introduced at this stage.
Acknowledgements
Here the author (s) thank any person or organisation from whom they have received
any significant help. It is a simple courtesy shown to those who have helped you. The
authors would definitely like to acknowledge any previous research material used by
them or data taken from any government or private source etc. It has no financial
implications, but the authors must thank any grants received contract or fellowship
given and so on.
Symbols and abbreviations used
All reports use many symbols , acronyms and abbreviations in the interest of
conciseness of the report. Only standard and commonly used/understood should be
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used. Where ever there is likely hood of any ambiguity or confusion, it must be
clarified.
References and Bibliography
The authors use books, journals, published articles in newspapers, websites, papers
presented in seminars etc for writing their research papers. The purpose of providing
the references and bibliography is to help the reader in looking up the original text
which the authors have quoted. Since any research paper is not copied from any
where, all the information used to support the research paper must be very clearly
acknowledged and reference provided.
5.7 Dissertation
It is the presentation of a candidates research work in a proper format. It should
include the following:
Context of any candidate‟s intellectual or other work and any development
related with that work
The dissertation should include the critical appreciation of the research work
and not only the description of what has been done
It should also include the references of the work ie background about the need
of the paper, how it was undertaken and what are the recommendations etc
5.7.1 Essential features of dissertation
Any dissertation is worth presenting and reading only if it is an original work and
shows the intellect and scholarship of the author. It should have the following
essential features:
It must be an original work done by the author or authors
It must show the following;
(a) Extensive relevant research work in a useful subject or issue of important
nature
(b) The ability of the author to collect, collate data in a logical manner
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(c) Analysis of the above data in a logical manner to draw suitable
conclusions
(d) The ability of the author to present the data and knowledge contained in it
in a suitable manner
(e) The ability to report effectively
Follow the norms and conventions of research
5.7.2 Action Plan for writing the Dissertation
You must prepare an action plan before you set out on writing the dissertation. Follow
the steps given below:
Decide the title /name of the dissertation and discuss it with your guide or
supervisor
Finalise the research methodology
Draw up a schedule which you can conveniently follow
Finalise what equipment , material or access to resources is to be sought
Set up the project and start collecting data
Collate and sort out the data so that it becomes information which can be analysed
Carry out analysis of the data to interpret the inferences
Set up an outline for writing the dissertation
Prepare first draft
Discuss with guide /supervisor and others who can provide genuine criticism for
improvement
Prepare the final draft after including inputs received from others
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Submit it with the guide or the relevant authority
5.7.2.1 Selection of the subject for study
The idea is to find a solution to a problem, so look for a subject which has not been
attempted. Of course, it must interest you. Consider the possibility of attempting the
subject based on the following:
Access to websites
Availability of the guide/supervisors
Other support like literature and library etc. available
Equipment required
Costs involved
Usefulness of the topic
Any ethical or moral consideration involved
Time –frame in which it can be handled
Problems you anticipate in doing this project
The guide /supervisor can help you in selecting the suitable title of the subject you are
interested in.
5.7.2.2 Process of narrowing down and selection of the topic of
dissertation
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Select a broad area of your interest
Out of the above broad areas pick up one which is of your interest
Identify the „Purpose‟ of the study
Ask yourself the five basic questions (who, what , where, why and how of the
study) to be able to narrow down to specific area of study
Repeat the above to refine the specific area
Finalise the title using positive terms like Evaluate, Examine, Measure etc.
5.7.2.3 Structure of dissertation
It is like a formal report and includes the following:
Title Page
Acknowledgements
Contents pages which include the Chapters, Appendices, tables , figures
etc.
Abstract
Summary
Outline of main findings
Recommendations
5.8 Thesis
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It is a long research report and is written in the same manner as we write a research
report. It answers three questions:
What are the problem(s) in your area of research?
What is already known about it ?
What has been your contribution in solving the problem(s)?
What is the interpretation of results achieved?
Thesis should not be understood as an answer to an assigned question. The Person
who sets the problem for a student or some other person to find a solution not already
known is the one who reads what is presented as a thesis to him. When a university
professor sets up a topic of thesis, he expects an original contribution to human
knowledge; the research must discover something new.
5.8.1 What should be the structure of a Thesis?
A thesis should have a structure as follows:
An outline
It is in the form that you know how many Chapters will be there, what Heading and
Sub-headings in each chapter and what would be the length of each chapter. You
should also make separate notes and comments to include what you want in each
chapter.
Organisation
You are advised to open a word processor file system for each Chapter and one for
„Reference‟. Keep putting the text in each chapter and if there is a need to back to the
previous chapter it can be easily done. You must always keep a back up of the file.
Timetable
Your thesis has to be a time-bound document. After consulting your guide /supervisor
, decide the dates on which the First Draft , Second Draft and Final Draft has to be
submitted to him. Keep a cushion of a few days for each draft as there will be many
loose ends to be tied up at the end of each draft.
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Make it a point to write something on each sitting
Most people find it difficult to get started. We find it easy to improve something
already existing rather than writing some thing new. Prepare your draft of what you
are going to present , refine it and show it to the guide /supervisor. Word processors
are great help; you can start from any where, leave empty space etc and come back to
Add up additional information. Always take the help of spell check
Style
Normally, the thesis is written in a passive voice. It should follow all the rules of a
good formal writing ie, the rules of grammar, punctuation. Never try to use any slangs
which are used in some informal writing. Use short, simple words and sentences.
Number the points where ever you wish to highlight some issue.
Presentation
Many students and others preparing the thesis try to make it as a masterpiece of desk
top printing and put in a lot of time to make it extremely good. Though there is no
doubt that your thesis must appear neat in its presentation, you must pay more
attention to the content. Don‟t try to increase the length of your thesis by leaving big
gaps. There is no direct relationship between the length and that of quality of content
Structure
It should have the following structure:
Title Page
This may be in the form “Title, Name of the Author, and A thesis submitted for the
award of Degree of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts by Delhi University”
Certificate or Declaration
Many institutions have a standard format for this purpose. It may be like this, “This is
to certify that the thesis on the topic ------------------------------------------------------------
----------- , submitted by --------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------is an original work supervised by me (Signatures, name , degrees etc.)
Acknowledgements
Here the author of thesis thanks the people who have provided him help ; it may be in
the form of intellectual inputs or by providing boarding and lodging, grant etc.. If
some chapters have been authored by a specific person, has name must be included
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Table of contents
Normally, the pages before the introduction are marked in roman numerals
Abstract
This is the most widely circulated document out of your thesis. So, a concise
description of what is contained in the thesis should be prepare.
Introduction
What is the topic of research and why is it important, is brought out clearly in the
introduction
Conclusion
It briefly brings out what has been achieved
Suggestions for further work
Any scientific research raises new issues which are beyond the scope of present
study. Such area should be brought out by the author.
References
For any work of research, you would have referred to a large amount of literature.
Mention that in the manner it should be done.
Appendices
Appendices are such material which is part of the thesis , but if include along with the
text in the thesis, it will break the flow. These are separately presented in a different
volume.
5.9 Summary
Reports are an essential part of any business activity. Technical reports are important
for the management to take major decisions. A good technical report gives finding
after detailed analysis and can become the basis of management decisions.
Report is different from a proposal since report is prepared on the basis of present
scenario, keeping in mind the future; whereas the proposal gives recommendations for
doing some thing in future. Proposal also can become the basis of decision-making
Dissertation and Thesis are important documents used in the intellectual world.
Unless the knowledge is recorded and presented in a structured manner , it will lose
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etc relevance. Hence, a lot of stress is laid on how to organise, structure and present
research in any areas of human activity. The basic purpose of all these scientific
analysis is to find solution to a problem.
In the above text, you have read about the importance of the three types of research work.
Also, this lesson brings out in detail how to write a good research study
5.10 Glossary
Report It is a business document required for taking specific
decisions
Project Report It is a special report written / required for a specific task
assigned to any one.
Research Paper It is a document which contains information regarding
the research carried out. It may be in the form of a formal report which is submitted
for a superior to assess and recommend actions or it may be used for patenting a
particular method or process for finding some solutions to a problem.
Dissertation It is the presentation of a candidates research work in
a proper format
Thesis It is a long research report and is written in the same
manner as we write a research report. It answers three questions:
5.11 Answers to check your progress /Self Assessment
Questions
1. Keeping in mind the characteristics of a good research paper, write a paper on,
“Sustainable Development for Freedom from Poverty”
2. You are pursuing your Ph D in Management . Your guide/supervisor has advised
you to take the topic, “Benefits of Management Education for the rural poor”,
Describe the structure you will use for writing a thesis on the subject.
Answers
1.
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Sustainable Development for Freedom from Poverty
Introduction
Massive poverty and obscene inequality are such terrible scourges of our times- times
in which the world boasts breathtaking advances in science, technology, industry, and
wealth accumulation- that they have to rank alongside slavery and apartheid as social
evils.
Nelson Mandela
All thinkers since ages have agreed that ending inequality‟s „lottery by birth‟ is
perhaps the greatest global challenge of their times. In 1790, Mary Wollstonecraft and
Thomas Paine while arguing against the inequality amongst the human beings, wrote
„It is justice, not charity, that is wanting in the world.‟ Again more than 200 years ago,
noted English man of letters, Samuel Johnson said, „ Poverty is a great enemy of
human happiness, it certainly destroys liberty and it makes some virtues impracticable
and others extremely difficult.‟ Poverty was there in the past and is among us at
present. It is also clear that human creation with most inhuman and ugly
consequences. Amartya Sen rightly notes that, „Like ours, the world of 1790s was
characterised by enormous inequalities of contemporary living conditions and real
threats to the prospects of human life in future” Again, George Bernard Shaw wrote in
the preface to his 1907 play Major Barbara, more than 100 years ago that, “The
greatest of evils and the worst of crimes is poverty”. These great thinkers may have
chosen very strong words to describe the ill effects of poverty, but underlying such a
choice of words must be their concern for the poor and a wake-up message to those
who govern nations. The poor have been marginalised and disempowered since ages,
the richer classes rob them first of their identity and then of their resources. Poverty is
being fought by different countries by empowerment of the people through many
unique methods; and the helpless deprived people keep hoping for some miracle to
happen. Yet the problem is as old as the mountains and different ways and means of
removing deprivation has still left millions of poor peoples in a badly organised
world. Poverty is still a global phenomenon; there are more than 1.5 billion people
living on less than US dollar 1 per day. Tribal people are the worst effected,
globalisation is continuing to do what colonisation had earlier done for decades,
divesting them of their right to natural resources and making them poorer.
Unfortunately, most of the corrective actions taken by the governments for poverty
removal are in terms of economic growth only when a collaborative social action is
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needed. What needs to be done is to enhance the power of the people, especially of
the afflicted people, to make sure that the facilities are expanded and the deficiencies
removed. The common view that poverty is just a shortage of income is so well
established in our minds that we refuse to understand that poverty ultimately should
be seen as lack of freedom; freedom from lack of minimal living conditions. Amartya
Sen in his book, Development as Freedom , argues that sustainable development
should not see poverty in an economic context alone but also as „capability
deprivation‟
India is a very big and complex country with a great and enviable history. It has been
written off many times and yet it is challenging the great economic powers of the
world. V S Naipaul called it a wounded civilisatrion . The unique thing about India is
that in twenty first century, the same old eternal India seems to just go on. Foreigners
look at the myth of India as a mystical poverty –stricken land and yet view its
progress with popping eyes as skyscrapers exist along with the chawls and jhuggi-
jhoprie where life is at the lowest levels of human existence. Great management guru
Peter F. Drucker felt that even a modest six percent sustainable growth could soon
make India the third biggest economic power after America and China. There is
something which makes India going despite a very poor record of governance
According to Amartya Sen., we are only technically free and not truly free. In his
well acclaimed book, „Development as Freedom‟, he quotes the eighteenth century
poet William Cowper on freedom, “Freedom has a thousand charms to show, that
slaves, however contended never know”. Although the poverty ratio has declined
since the onset of economic reforms, the number of people below the poverty line still
remains high. For sustainable economic development, the quality and quantity of
human capital must be taken in to account by the central and state governments.
India must target the eight Millennium Development Goals set by 2000 UN Summit.
The first goal is the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger. The key target in this
goal was to halve the proportion of the people who suffer from hunger by 2015. It is
unfortunate to note that India is yet no where near the target.
The Science and Art of Governing 125 crore People
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India is also a land of contradictions; we worship goddesses but every minute a
woman is raped somewhere across the country, we are very good in hard or functional
skills but are very poor in soft skills, we add billionaires faster to our count than any
other country in the world but more than 80 percent population does not get clean
drinking water, there are many islands of excellence amongst the vast herds of
mediocre. To every similarity, there is a unique difference.
No doubt, there is a new India rising up the horizon of the world and it has the
potential to change the world. In today‟s India, activities in the manufacturing sector,
in infrastructure, in engineering, medicine and IT, start-ups are mushrooming in the
remotest of areas and innovation is becoming a way of life for many business entities.
Those who are witnesses to the recent extraordinary and unexpected recent history of
the country have no doubt that the sleeping elephant is emerging as a tiger which is on
a fast track from a third world country to a world leader. If any one is interested in
understanding the great enigma that is India will be able to view it only with an open
mind. Many reports on BRICs ( Brazil, Russia, India and China), estimate that Indian
economy will surpass that of US by 2050. This will be possible with India having the
largest population of young people. By 2020 half of the under twenty-five population
will live in India. The new India, where one –sixth of the world population is
dreaming to shape its destiny, is a vibrant, fast-moving, dynamic and innovative
country.
Having seen the brighter side of India story, one cannot ignore the magnitude of
problems it faces. Certainly, the potential and promise of India appears to be
unlimited , yet along with it comes the gigantic task of moving one –third population,
a whooping 40 crore from the below poverty line to a hunger-free life and give them
the right to live a life of dignity and self-respect. To be able to do that India‟s
politicians, bureaucrats and other policy-makers must understand how to make use of
India‟s strengths, which is its people; diverse, open , practical, innovative and service-
oriented. They must relaise that an average Indian‟s creative energy which was lying
trapped under slavery and foreign rule, is ready to be tapped for the good of the
common man. Paradoxes of the personality of an Indian need to be examined and
used for his benefit. Indians are multidimensional, multi-tasking, multi-processing and
highly innovative entrepreneurial minds. The challenge is for the India-mangers to
cash on it and put India in forefront of nations of the world.
In an economy characterised by higher values of the aggregate elasticity of
substitution, a higher level of development with more entrepreneurs and smaller firms
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may be expected. In recent years , economists have come to recognise the input-
completing and gap filling capacities of entrepreneurial activity in innovation and
the significant contribution of innovation and growth to prosperity and economic
welfare, In India there is a dearth of quality personnel and demand for higher level of
entrepreneurship generates new scopes for growth. Results of the 66th
round of
National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) show that unemployment figures in
2009-10 were as high as 8.9 million, one million more Indians joining the ranks of the
unemployed between 2007 and 2010. The rate of employment generation has declined
from 2.7 to 0.8 percent during the period. This slowdown in employment generation is
evident across both rural and urban areas, though it was specially marked in rural
areas. This dismal situation needs special focus by the government.
India has the potential to become home to 30 of Fortune 100 companies, the world‟s
largest pool of technically trained manpower and Nobel Prize winners in arts, science
and literature. All this is possible with good governance. Unfortunately, this is no
priority for governments at Centre as well as in the States. For any development, a
nation needs to adopt the well known principle of common thought which must get
converted in to a national philosophy of development with a vision, mission, purpose,
values and goals which are supported by suitable implementation strategies. Mandela
explained the essence of democracy while delivering the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation
lecture in 1995, “Jawaharlal Nehru taught us that the right to a roof over one‟s head
and affordable services, a job and reasonable income, education and health facilities is
more than just a bonus to democracy. It is the essence of democracy itself”
Meeting the Basic Needs like Water and Sanitation
Access to clean drinking water and sanitation is the basic right, which a large number
of our countrymen are denied and because of this single reason they cannot live a life
of self-respect and dignity. Nearly 4000 children die across the globe due to dirty
water they drink. This has made preventable diarrhoea the biggest killer of children in
Africa. Some figures related with clean drinking water and sanitation are shocking to
read; 890 million people still have inadequate access to drinking water and three
billion lack basic sanitation, across the globe.
In such a scenario as described above the women and children of the poor have to
bear the maximum brunt. They have to resort to back-breaking toil for hours to fetch
water for the household needs. In equality in access to water and sanitation is extreme.
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Most of the poor are affected by these. The case for urgently doing something about
such a pathetic situation is undeniable.
Democracy and Development
Any democracy involves competing ideologies and interests, conflicts, competition
and fierce power struggle. Reforms in such a scenario are a tough and complex issue.
Reform is a continuing process and there can never be a stage where the objectives of
development have been fully achieved. Democracy must ensure that a nation is built
in such a way that it becomes effective and accountable to their citizens. Reforms
should seek human development, quality of life, and a life of dignity for every citizen.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in its report on Human
Development, 1991, underscores the importance of human development in the growth
process, as it is the end and economic growth is the means. So, the purpose of growth
should be to enrich people‟s lives. For sustainable economic development, the quality
and quantity of human capital matters far more than those of physical capital. To
achieve those goals, we have yet to come out with right policy priorities. In ultimate
analysis, improving governance is the only key to any reform.
Education for Sustainable Development
It was Indira Gandhi who said, “Education is a liberating force, and in our age it is
also a democratising force, cutting across the barriers of cast and class, smoothing out
inequalities imposed by birth and other circumstances” It is indeed an indispensable
means to provide all human beings in the world a capacity to own their own lives, to
exercise personal choices throughout life without geographical, political, cultural,
religious, linguistic or gender frontiers. It is unfortunate that since WWII, sustainable
development has been identified with economic progress only, economists and
thinkers talk of economic advancement but are silent on equal distribution of
economic resources. In 2005, the United Nations declared the beginning of the
Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD 2005-14). The website of
UNESCO emphasises, “The overall goal of the DESD is to integrate the principles,
values, and practices of sustainable development in to all aspects of education and
learning. This educational effort will encourage changes in behaviour that will create
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a more sustainable future in terms of environmental integrity, economic viability, and
a just society for present and future generations.” Education and sustainable
development are not merely concepts but are intervening tools as well. Sen shows the
role of education in alleviating poverty and in sustainable development by
foregrounding cast, class, region, gender, and other markers that act as „glass ceiling‟
in the development of the marginalised. Of course, education should have a higher
common goal to nurture the common bonds of all human beings to the planet earth.
Rights for Poverty Alleviation
The feeling of having the right is much more important and powerful than simply
needing or wanting it. Rights are guarantees which poor and the marginalised get
from those who are in power. It means the people in power have to respond to the
demands of the poor. Those in power have the responsibility to respect, protect and
do everything in their authority to fulfil those demands .
How ever, it must be understood that rights alone are not enough. According to
Amartya Sen, individuals need capabilities ie the rights and the ability to exercise
them. This ability is undermined when a person is poor, uneducated, sick, cannot get
required information or is in fear of violence. It is the capability which determines
what a person can do and who that person can be. We already have some very
important rights like RTI, RTE, Food Security, Right to Service and so on given to the
ordinary citizen. But these are not good enough unless the person is empowered to be
able to use them. Hence such rights and many others have little meaning when one in
seven people in the world, about 900 million people, experience discrimination on the
basis of ethnic, linguistic, or religious identities alone. In India this number will be
much higher.
Property Rights and Development
A major problem the poor face is not having secure rights to their houses and land,
something which is taken for granted by the rich. Property rights are not included in
human rights treaties, but the right is acknowledged in Article 17 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights; „Every one has the right to own property alone as well
as in association with others. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property‟
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It should be understood that while talking of property rights for all, the most
important aspect is women‟s property rights. Property rights have been seen as a
means to an end- a way to reduce the vulnerability of the poor as rich have other
means to defend their property. As discussed elsewhere, having a right and not being
able to exercise due to many other reasons does not serve the purpose at all. The
impact of denial of property rights affects every woman.
Access to Information and Knowledge
Francis Bacon said, „Knowledge is power‟. Today every one understands that
knowledge is indeed power. Unless a person has access to information and
knowledge, he/she can never be empowered. This is related with making maximum
number literate by having good primary and secondary schools. Though the private
sector can play a very important role in educating the poor, basic responsibility should
be fulfilled by having quality government run schools. Knowledge alone can expand
horizons and enable people to make informed rational choices. It prepares the poor to
demand their rights and fight for them if they are denied. It enables them to raise their
voice against injustice and inequality. Though rising literacy levels and TV, mobile
telephony etc have improved the situation, a lot more needs to be done.
Access to Justice
It is easy to understand that a strong relationship exists between development and
institutions like law enforcing agencies and the judicial system. The poor suffer the
most at the hands of the police and the courts. A gulf exists between laws and
practice since poor people face difficulties in getting the judicial system to take up
their cause. Nevertheless, access to justice, in the shape of law and courts can be a
vital tool for empowering the poor people.
Corruption and Poverty
It is well known that India ranks very high on the Corruption Perception Index,
according to Transparency International. Corruption is an anti-poor and anti-
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development phenomenon, which can only be tackled by better governance. Apart
from the moral and ethical dimension, corruption is the major cause of poor becoming
poorer and the rich getting converted in to super rich or filthy rich. In a democratic
set-up and in a plural society like ours, every one is guaranteed the right to grow to
one‟s potential and create wealth by legitimate means. How ever, corruption of any
kind deprives the common man and specifically the poor from climbing the next
ladder and they continue either in the same state or slide further down to a more
pathetic condition. Any thin that is anti-poor and hence anti-social must be on top of
the government‟s agenda to rectify the situation but in a country where populism
takes priority over good governance.
Risks and Vulnerability of the Poor and Social Protection
There are multiple risks in the lives of poor men and women. They face risks on daily
basis and also suffer shocks from disasters like draughts and sudden catastrophes such
as earthquakes and even wars. Helping the poor to mitigate such risks is a major
challenge for any government. The poor are vulnerable to all such risks as compared
to those who have money and can handle such situations much better. Here
vulnerability refers to reduced ability of people and households to cope with events
and stress to which they are exposed. Such stress can be „everyday disaster‟ like
sickness, death in the family, loss of a job, robbery, loss of a crop, or death in the
family. These events can tip poor families over the edge in to a downward spiral of
increasing vulnerability and poverty.
Crimes against Women
It is the poor women who are the targets of various types of crimes against women
more than the upper strata women as they are helpless when they approach the law
and order agencies and do not have the will to go through the notorious judicial
system .Domestic violence at the hands of their husbands and other male members,
rapes and throwing of acids etc are the common problems a poor woman faces almost
every day. Such crimes and the threat of violence against women constraints the
hopes and choices of such women. Crimes and violence against children is even more
widely accepted in poor families. The notion that children are individuals with rights,
as enshrined in international law since 1989 under the UN Convention on the Rights
of the Child, has still to permeate to the poor people, leaving the children as the most
powerless. Deadly violent crime is closely associated with poverty and inequality.
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Attitudes and Beliefs
Development is closely associated with the attitudes and beliefs of the people who
govern and the view and values that underpin those who are governed. Unawareness
and insensitivity to issues by those in power is a major reason why they don‟t do
anything to help the poor get out of their misery. One must be sensitive to the
problems of poverty, illiteracy, terrorism, and environment and so on. Insensitivity
leads one to be casual, careless or indifferent. Selfishness is the other reason. Human
beings, by nature are selfish, but being selfish at the cost of others is the worst thing
that can happen to them. All the common resources of nature and wealth generated
out of them must be shared, in all fairness. Faulty reasoning is yet another reason
why the rich and powerful do nothing for the less privileged. Reasoning and logic
should be used to support a fair and reasonable argument. How ever, most people tend
to use their analytical ability to support what they think is right and not what is
actually right.
Role of Active Citizens
Though justice claims to be rule-based and blind, in practice activism is often
essential to force the law enforcing agencies and judicial system to respond.
Information required in the courts is difficult to get, the police is generally hostile or
indifferent and judges are more likely to help the rich and powerful. This problem is
more acute in the case of women and ethnic minorities.
Active citizens use the rights given to the people to improve the quality of life of the;
„have-nots‟ through collective action. Rights and obligations link any individual to its
state; active citizens become crusaders to get these rights to those who are denied such
rights.
Conclusion
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It is unfortunate that poverty and hunger exists in a world of plenty when worldwide
improvements in crop yields have run ahead of population growth. It simply means
that there is enough food for every human being. Yet the hunger and poverty are stark
realities. All human beings dream of living in a utopian world; the Ram Rajya, where
every one is equipped with education, enjoying good health, with rights, dignity and a
voice to be able to change their destiny. Only effective and accountable governments
can ensure a fair distribution of wealth and hence alleviate poverty. It is the
responsibility of the government to reduce the ever-deepening gulf between „haves‟ of
wealth, land, water, technology etc and „have-nots‟ the poor and the destitute. In the
effort to end gross inequality and thus poverty, the most important role can be played
by effective states and active citizenship. For this purpose, the governments must
explore new approaches and analytical tools.
References and Bibliography
1. Development as Freedom, by Amartya Sen
2. From Poverty to Power by Duncan Green, published by Academic Foundation,
New Delhi
3. Education for Sustainable Development, Edited by Anastasia Nikolopoulou, Taisha
Abraham, Farid Mirbagheri. Published by Sage Publications India Pvt Ltd, New Delhi
4. Think India by Vinay Rai and William L. Simon, published byPenguin Group, New
York for Rai Foundation
5. Corruption in India by Bibek Debroy and Laveesh Bhandari, published by Konark
Publishing Pvt Ltd, New Delhi.
6. Entrepreneurship Development in India by Noboru Tabe and Somu Giriappa,
published by Kalpaz Publications, Delhi
2.
A formal document like a thesis should have a proper structure. Suggested structure
for a thesis is as follows:
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An outline should be developed first and foremost It is in the form that you
know how many Chapters will be there, what Heading and Sub-headings in
each chapter and what would be the length of each chapter
.
For proper Organisation of the entire thesis ,you should open a word processor
file system for each Chapter and one for „Reference‟. You must always keep a
back up of the file.
Chalk out a proper Timetable to meet the deadline Your thesis has to be a
time-bound document. After consulting your guide /supervisor , decide the
dates on which the First Draft , Second Draft and Final Draft has to be
submitted to him. Keep a cushion of a few days.
Make it a point to write something on each sitting Since it is easier to improve
something already existing rather than writing some thing new, you should prepare
your draft of what you are going to present , refine it and show it to the guide
/supervisor
Style Write the thesis is in a passive voice. It should follow all the rules of a good
formal writing ie, the rules of grammar, punctuation.
Presentation Though there is no doubt that your thesis must appear neat in its
presentation, you must pay more attention to the content. There is no direct
relationship between the length and that of quality of content
Structure Any thesis should have the following structure:
Title Page
This may be in the form “Title, Name of the Author, and A thesis submitted for the
award of Degree of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts by Delhi University”
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Certificate or Declaration
Many institutions have a standard format for this purpose. It may be like this, “This is
to certify that the thesis on the topic ------------------------------------------------------------
----------- , submitted by --------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------is an original work supervised by me (Signatures, name , degrees etc.)
Acknowledgements
Here the author of thesis thanks the people who have provided him help ; it may be in
the form of intellectual inputs or by providing boarding and lodging, grant etc.. If
some chapters have been authored by a specific person, has name must be included.
Table of contents
Normally, the pages before the introduction are marked in roman numerals
Abstract
This is the most widely circulated document out of your thesis. So, a concise
description of what is contained in the thesis should be prepare.
Introduction
What is the topic of research and why is it important, is brought out clearly in the
introduction
Conclusion
It briefly brings out what has been achieved
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Suggestions for further work
Any scientific research raises new issues which are beyond the scope of present
study. Such area should be brought out by the author,
References
For any work of research, you would have referred to a large amount of literature.
Mention that in the manner it should be done.
Appendices
Appendices are such material which is part of the thesis , but if include along with the
text in the thesis, it will break the flow. These are separately presented in a different
volume.
5.12 Reference/Suggested Reading
1. Technical Communication by Meenakshi Raman and Sangeeta Sharma, Published
by Oxford University Press
2. Effective technical Communication by M.Ashraf Rizvi , published by Tata
McGraw- Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi
5.13 Model Questions
1. What is the difference between Technical Proposal and Technical Report?
2. What are the essentials for writing a good dissertation?
3. How will you prepare your thesis for M Tech in computer science? Explain the
procedure.
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Lesson Plan-Lesson 6 6.0 Objectives
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Resume Design and Parts of a Resume
6.2.1 Any resume must answer the following questions
6.2.2 Parts of Resume
6.2.2.1 Heading
6.2.2.3 Career objectives
6.2.2.4 Professional summary
6.2.2.5 Education
6.2,2.6 Work experience
6.2.2.7 Special Skills, abilities, and aptitudes
6.2.2.8 Activities and interest
6.2.2.9 Achievements/Accomplishments/Honors
6.2.2.10 References
6.3 Tips for Writing Good Resumes
6.3.1 Be factual, correct and complete
6.3.2 Always write specific details
6.3.3 Use a simple , lucid and readable writing style
6.3.4 Resume must have professional look
6.3.5 Be particular about the grammar, vocabulary, punctuations etc.
6.4 Styles of Writing Resumes
6.4.1 Chronological resume
6.4.2 Functional resume
6.4.3 Combination resume
6.4.4 What to avoid in a Resume?
6.5.1Application for
6.5.2 Writing Job Applications
6.5.2 Cover Letter
6.6 Summary
6.7 Glossary
6.8 Answers to check your progress/Self assessment questions
6.9 References/Suggested reading
6.10 Model questions
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Lesson 6- Effective CVs – An Analysis
6.0 Objectives
After reading this lesson, the student will be able to :
Appreciate why Resume writing has assumed such an importance
Learn to write job applications
Understand the essential ingredients of a resume
Learn how to right a good resume and get what the student wants
6.1 Introduction
Resume or the personal data sheet as many call it is an inventory of the applicant‟s
personal details, educational qualifications,, specialised training, experience,
references, and any other relevant information. According to Mary Ellen Guffey, “A
resume packages your assets into a convincing advertisement that sells you for a
specific job”.
A resume is a selective record of an individual‟s background. It is basically a
professional employment-seeking document that presents a summary of an
individual‟s education, professional training, experience, skills, abilities,
achievements, and references. It introduces the individual to a potential employer. A
resume is sent to prospective employers when an applicant is seeking job interviews.
So, the main objective of a resume is winning a job interview by highlighting the
applicant‟s fitness for a particular position.
Writing an effective resume that represents one‟s current skills, abilities, and
background is a challenge faced by all candidates. As a well-written persuasive
resume tailored to a specific job position immediately grabs the attention of an
employer, it should therefore, be made as persuasive as possible. The following
section represents techniques and suggestions for creating persuasive resumes.
6.2 Resume Design and Parts of a Resume
There is no one right design for a resume. The design of a resume largely depends on
a person‟s background, employment needs, career goals, and professional conventions
in the area of specialization. For best results, a resume must be designed to reflect the
candidate‟s personality, employment goals, and his/ her career aspirations. A resume
should be original. Although resume-writing software may be used to design a resume
or it may be written by a professional resume writer/resume-writing service, it should
be designed according to individual needs.
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Resumes may have to be written for every new job application because every job has
its own requirements. Keeping a resume job-specific gives it the required focus and
makes it more effective. The contents of the different resumes prepared by a candidate
might be roughly the same, but the organization, format, structure, and emphases
could be quite different.
6.2.1 Any resume must answer the following questions:
How can the employer contact the candidate?
What are his/her career objectives?
Which institution has been attended?
What courses (academic or professional) has been completed?
What is his/her work experience?
What are his/her career achievements?
What are his/her special skills or capabilities?
What are the/her awards or honors that he/she has received?
What are his/her activities/special interest/hobbies?
Who are his/her references?
Answers to these questions will provide the employer with all the relevant
information needed to assess an applicant‟s suitability for a particular position. These
answers may be integrated to these questions into different parts of as resume.
6.2.2 Parts of Resume
The standard parts of a resume include the heading; position sought, career objective,
education, work experience, specific skills, achievements, activities, interests, and
references.
6.2.2.1 Heading
The heading of a resume includes contact information, which contains the
applicant‟s name, full postal address with pin code, telephone number with area
code, fax number, and e-mail address.
6.2.2.2 Position sought
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If applying for a solicited job position, the position sought should be mentioned
so that the employer is able to distinguish the application from those who might
have applied for other positions available in the company/organization. However,
it is not necessary to include this part in the resume if the application is for an
unsolicited job position.
6.2.2.3 Career objectives
Career objective is a special part in a resume. It occurs just above the main experience
and education parts. If responding to an advertised job position, the resume should
include the applicant‟s career objective, which should be tailored to the position
he/she is seeking. Thus, it should be a specific one-sentence focused statement
expressing his career goals in relation to the targeted position. It should convey
his/her motivation and interest in the job he/she is seeking. The following are some
examples:
To work as a system manger in a leading IT company where I will have
opportunities to use my experience with VB, ASP, NET, XML, and SQL
Server.
To obtain a challenging position in a large software consulting
organization providing business consulting, application development, and
product engineering services, where understanding and experience of
business process modeling and organizational change management to suit
customer needs can be used to achieve set targets.
To contribute to the growth of a high technology engineering enterprise
by working in a position where I will have opportunities to utilize my
exposure and experience in modeling and designing steel structures, and
my hands-on experience in using FEM/FEA software.
To work as a product architect in an innovative software company where I
will be able to use my experience in the areas of product and system
architecture with expertise in enterprise applications.
If you are just exploring a job position by sending an all-purpose resume, you may use
a general statement as your career objective. It would just express your general career
goals and tell the potential employer the sort of work you are hoping to do. Study the
following examples:
Seeking a suitable position in design/project management.
Challenging position in maintenance of computer printers and
peripherals.
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Position in academic administration.
Faculty position in Computer Aided Design.
Sales position in electrical products.
6.2.2.4 Professional summary
Some resumes may include a professional summary in place of career objective. It is
a one-sentence statement listing the applicant‟s most important qualifications, his/her
essential skills, and his/her key work experience. This part should be included in the
resume if the applicant wishes to highlight the relevance of his/her qualifications,
special skills, and key work experience to the position he/she is applying for. The
following are some examples:
Six years experience in providing customer support to users of the
industry‟s leading network routing, switching, security, and VOIP
technology as a CCNA professional at CONVERGYS.
Four years of experience as production engineer with thorough
understanding of weld technology and design and sound knowledge
about trouble-shooting, fool proofing of processes, cost saving
through process improvement, and low cost automation.
Over eight years of training and experience in testing, commissioning
and integrating of the GSM & CMDA nodes like IN, GPRS, EDGE,
MMS with expertise in IP products and networking.
Five years of experience in sales of spare parts for central air
conditioning equipment with extensive knowledge of spare parts of
Carrier for Bahwan Engineering Group, Muscat.
6.2.2.5 Education
In this part of resume, specific details regarding the applicant‟s education and
professional training must be included. The name and location of the
school/college/university/institute attended, dates of attendance, major areas of study,
degrees/certificates received should be mentioned. The applicant‟s grade point
average/class/division if it is on the higher side may also be mentioned. Relevant
training programmes, special courses, seminars and workshops that the applicant
might have completed, attended, or conducted should also be included. Reverse
chronological order is used to list educational information, that is, starting from the
most recent educational information.
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6.2.2.6 Work experience
This part of the resume should provide a brief and specific overview of the applicant‟s
work and professional experience. As prior work experience is a vital part of any
hiring decision, the applicant must draft this part of the resume very carefully. If
he/she has impressive work experience relevant to the position he/she is seeking, it
makes more sense to mention it before providing the educational information.
Work experience should be given in reverse chronological order, by listing the most
recent employment first. Title of the position, employer‟s name or name of the
organization/company, location of work (town, state), dates of employment, and
important Job responsibilities, activities, and accomplishments should be included.
Emphasis should be placed on those aspects of the applicant‟s experience and
employment achievements that illustrate his/her capabilities and positive personality
traits such as motivation, willingness to learn, positive attitude, confidence, ability to
get along with others, and communication and interpersonal skills.
6.2.2.7 Special Skills, abilities, and aptitudes
In this part of the resume, the applicant‟s special skills abilities and aptitudes that are
of significance and of direct relevance to the job applied for are listed. Examples of
learned skills include computer programming, computer processing, data processing,
foreign languages, machinery operating, consulting, drafting, technical writing, and so
on. It is necessary to be selective and specific, highlighting only those skills and
talents that are relevant to the targeted job
6.2.2.8Activities and interests
Extra-curricular, co-curricular, professional activities, and hobbies and interests must
be mentioned. These activities must show that the applicant is a dynamic and
energetic person who can accept challenges. Companies prefer such people.
6.2.2.9 Achievements/Accomplishments/Honors
The applicant‟s achievements, accomplishments, and awards distinguish him from the
rest. They convince employer that he/she is an achiever and therefore worth hiring.
This part should include scholarships, fellowships, awards, distinctions,
commendations, certificates, or anything that shows achievement or recognition.
6.2.2.10 References
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Some employers need references from persons who know the applicant‟s work or
professional competence through formal and professional interaction with him/her.
When applying for a solicited position where the employer wants references, the
names of three persons who can give letters of recommendations or references should
be mentioned. These persons may include the applicant‟s previous employer, teacher,
immediate supervisor, research guide, colleague, subordinate, and so on. The name of
the reference must be mentioned, his or her designation, and full contact address wit
telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address should be given.
6.3 Tips for Writing Good Resumes
A good resume is a treat to look at and joy to read. It is an important document which
can , if properly presented help the job-seeker a lot.
Keep the following in mind, if you want to write a good resume:
6.3.1 Be factual, correct and complete
Many a times, a candidate in his anxiety to impress the interviewer write certain
things which are not factually correct. This the worst thing a candidate can do.
Remember, it is a record which has been authenticated by you and any wrong
statement will amount to cheating and fraud. Qualifications and experience etc.
should be verified for accuracy Also, be very particular to check the facts and figures
like dates, postal or e-mail addresses, addressees and contact Nos. of the references
telephone, mobile and FAX numbers etc. A careless or casual attitude can cost you
very dear.
6.3.2 Always write specific details
Some persons have the tendency to beat about the bush and write generally to increase
the length of their resume. This is a bad habit and you must shun it. Be very specific
in what ever you say. Use appropriate key words to emphasise your skill set or
positive personality traits like belief in ethics and value system etc. While mentioning
the education and experience, be certain to write as per the certificates you possess.
6.3.3 Use a simple , lucid and readable writing style
Basic principles of business writing are applicable to resume writing as well. One
wants to include maximum possible information in the resume but at the same time it
cannot be very long. As a compromise, many tend to use a curt style which is
irritating for the reader. Using “Responsible for marketing operations in J and K” is
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ok in place of, “I was responsible for operations in the entire state of J and K”. But
more precise and curt language may lose the readability of the resume which is very
important. The best test is to put yourself in the place of the reader and judge the
impact.
6.3.4 Resume must have professional look
A suitable resume style should be chosen depending upon what aspects you want to
highlight, what are the employers looking for, the reputation of the organisation for
written standards and their professional approach etc.It should be structured as
headings , sub-headings etc. leaving enough space to differentiate the various parts. It
should be neatly typed on good quality of paper without any decorative borders. The
reader should like to read the entire document in one go.
6.3.5 Be particular about the grammar, vocabulary, punctuations etc.
Simple sentences which use day-to-day vocabulary and are grammatically correct
leave much better impression than long sentences using high-fi words and phrases
but lacking punctuation.
6.4 Styles of Writing Resumes
Many styles of writing the resume are used. It depends upon the personal choice of
the person as also on his/her qualifications, experience and career goals. Here are
some styles for you to consider.
6.4.1 Chronological resume
It is the most common style. In this style the writer focuses on education and
experience. Educational qualifications and work experience is provided in the reverse
chronological order ie. Beginning with the latest and ending with the most recent. An
example of such a resume is given below.
Alok Saxena
O-234/1, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi=135673
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E-mail: [email protected], Mobile No. 09878021341
Position sought General Manger – Project
Career Objectives To contribute extensively to the organisation using
my qualifications, experience and maturity. To accept challenges and prove my
mettle in handling them in the best interest of the company I serve
Experience Project Manager
Worked with distinction with M/s All Well Developers
and Engineers, a reputed construction company of Noida from 2009 till present
Assistant Project Manager
Assisted the Project Manager in the well known construction company, ABC
Promoters of Gurgaon from 2003 to 2009
Qualifications M.Tech (Civil) from Punjab Technical University in
2012
B. Tech(Civil) from BITS , Pilani in 2003
Special skills Computer savvy
Excellent people skills
Very good communication skills in English and
Hindi
Undergoing course in French
Memberships and other activities Member Institution of Engineers
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Member Lucknow Management
Association
Interests and hobbies Writing for professional journals
Playing hockey and badminton
6.4.2 Functional resume
In this type of resume, the resume writer lays emphasis on skills and
accomplishments. Here the writer wants to demonstrate his/her skills in handling the
type of challenge in the job. Some employer are more interested in the problem
solving ability of the candidate rather than the qualifications etc,. Here is an example
of such a resume.
Alok Saxena
O-234/1, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi=135673
E-mail: [email protected], Mobile No. 09878021341
Position sought General Manger – Project
Career Objectives To contribute extensively to the organisation using
my qualifications, experience and maturity. To accept challenges and prove my
mettle in handling them in the best interest of the company I serve
Project Management
Supported the Project Manager in project planning activities
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Coordinated with architects and structure engineers
Helped complete the project before the dead line set by the management
Customer Relations
Was assigned the task of customer relation in the absence of the professional.
My outstanding contribution was recognised by the management
Special Skills
Excellent problem solving skills
Excellent people skills
Experience Project Manager
Worked with distinction with M/s All Well Developers
and Engineers, a reputed construction company of Noida from 2009 till present
Assistant Project Manager
Assisted the Project Manager in the well known construction company, ABC
Promoters of Gurgaon from 2003 to 2009
Qualifications M.Tech (Civil) from Punjab Technical University in
2012
B. Tech(Civil) from BITS , Pilani in 2003
Special skills Computer savvy
Excellent people skills
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Very good communication skills in English and
Hindi
Undergoing course in French
Memberships and other activities Member Institution of Engineers
Member Lucknow Management
Association
Interests and hobbies Writing for professional journals
Playing hockey and badminton
6.4.3 Combination resume
As the name suggests, it is a combination of the Chronological Resume and the
Functional Resume
6.4.4 What to avoid in a Resume
The following must be avoided in a good resume:
Do not write the word „Resume‟ at the top
References, unless asked for
Do not include anything that could be thought to be controversial
Personal information unless asked for
Too much of information regarding past jobs
6.5 Writing Job Applications
First step of applying for a job is to prepare a Curriculam Vitae or a Resume. Most
people think of it as a odious work and go about it with a lack of enthusiasm, little
realizing that that it plays an important role in their acquiring a job. No doubt,
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preparing a Curriculam Vitae or Resume is a laborious task but it can be mastered
with diligence.
When ever a post or job is advertised a large number of resumes are received. The
weeding criterion followed by the company ensures that only a few remain for the
final call letters. Therefore it is important to capture the interest of the perspective
employer by sending only a good resume. Usually, it is accompanied withn a covering
letter. Letter of application can be solicited or unsolicited. A solicited letter is sent in
response to an advertisement. An unsolicited letter is a self-initiated proposal. Either
way , they must be well written , otherwise they will be ignored. Some people merely
mention the degrees acquired, where as if one mentions the skill sets which have been
acquired or work experience, one has a better chance of catching the attention and
interest of the perspective employer.
Job application form is a very important document. A candidate has to very carefully
prepare this document. Here is a sample job application format which a candidate may
use to his advantage.
6.5.1 Application for Employment
Position Applied For Photograph
A. Personal Data
1. Name in full
2. Present Address
3. Permanent Address
4. Date of Birth Place of Birth
5. Marital Status
6. Children No. Age
7. No. of Brothers Sisters Others
( If living in joint family)
8. Nos. of earning members in the family
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9. Contact Nos. for contacting in case of emergency
B. Physical Data
10. Height Weight Blood Group
11. Handicap
(In case there is some physical handicap)
C. Education
12.
Name of school Address Period Attended Courses Taken Degree/Diploma
/university From To
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13. Specific subjects studied /Training undertaken
14. Particulars of scholarships/special merit awards
15. Extra curricular activities during school/college and positions achieved
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16. Subjects/activities that interested you the most in school/college
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17. Games played in school/college and position achieved
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18 Hobbies
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19. Apprenticeship in plant training etc
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D Employment References
20. Contact No. for enquiries from present employers
21. Previous Employment (starting with present employment)
Name of the Duration Description Salary Reason for leaving
Employer and From To Basic Allowances
address
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22. Why you consider yourself suitable for the position applied
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E General Information
23. Languages
Language Speak Read Write
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24 Magazines and newspapers you read
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25. Membership of professional bodies/institutions
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26. Any relatives/ acquaintances working in this organization
27. Consolidated gross salary expected
28. Present salary details
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Present basic DA HRA Conveyance Others Total Bonus LTA Remarks
I hereby certify that above statements are true and correct
Signatures Date
6.5.2 Cover Letter
A resume should be accompanied with a covering letter. Some people believe that
cover letters are not read by the perspective employers, so they need not be sent.
Never the less when the cover letter accompanies the resume, it must be well drafted
and printed on a good quality of paper.
General hint for writing a cover letter
Give your address and contact number at the top right corner of the letter
Modified block form of letter writing is the most suitable for covering
letter
Address the letter as indicated in the advertisement
If a hand-written application is asked, write neatly in dark blue ink.
6.6 Summary
Resume writing has acquired a lot of importance because Indian companies are
becoming more and more professional in their approach towards hiring. They have
realised that they have to be very careful in selecting an employee as a lot of time,
money and effort may be wasted if an unsuitable person gets entry in their
organisation.
For writing a good resume, the applicant must keep many aspects in mind. The lesson
brings out the method of preparing a good resume. A few sample resumes have also
been provided for the reader to learn from them.
6.7 Glossary
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Resume It is the personal data sheet as many call it is an inventory of
the applicant‟s personal details, educational qualifications,, specialised training,
experience, references, and any other relevant information.
Functional Resume In this type of resume, the resume writer lays emphasis on
skills and accomplishments
Career objectives It is a specific one-sentence focused statement expressing his
career goals in relation to the targeted position. It should convey his/her motivation
and interest in the job he/she is seeking
6.8 Answers to check your progress/Self Assessment
Questions
1. You have just passed your MBA(Marketing) from PTU and are looking for a
suitable opening. Prepare a resume highlighting your strengths.
2. You have seen an advertisement in a national daily for a System Analyst for a
reputed company based at Gurgaon. Prepare your resume to meet the specific needs of
this job.
3. Read carefully the resume given below and identify what type is it:
Alok Verma
1234 Sector 88, Noida-201 301
E-mail :[email protected]
Skills Expertise in structural designing of high –rise buildings
Have worked as Project Management Consultant
Good problem solving ability
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Excellent people skills
Good written and oral communication skills
Experience Project Manager of --------------------- for 5 years
PMC for 2 years
Supervised mechanical and civil works for 2 years
Assistant Project Manager
-----------------------------------
---------------------------------------
Education I I T Roorkee, B.Tech in civil engineering ,year-------
Symbisis, Pune, Master in Business Administration, year-
Activities Member Institution of Engineers, Chandigarh
Member, Chandigarh Management Association
Hobbies and interests Play regularly at Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Academy,
Member Golf Club, Chandigarh
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Answers
1.
Alok Saxena
O-234/1, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi=135673
E-mail: [email protected], Mobile No. 09878021341
Position sought General Manger – Marketing
Career Objectives To contribute extensively to the organisation using
my qualifications, experience and maturity. To accept challenges and prove my
mettle in handling them in the best interest of the company I serve
Work Experience
Was awarded the best marketing executive in the first year of joining the
company in 2002
Launched a new product , „You Win‟ in Andhra Pradesh in 2005, which is
now a household name in South
Presented a Paper, „ Rural Marketing-The New Horizons‟ in an international
seminar conducted by CII at Chandigarh in 2013
I have led a team of marketing and sales professional and increased the
market share of a product by 2.2 percent
Customer Relations
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Was assigned the task of customer relation in the absence of the professional.
My outstanding contribution was recognised by the management
Special Skills
Excellent problem- solving skills
Excellent people skills
Qualifications M.B A ( Marketing) from Punjab Technical
University in 2001
Special skills Computer savvy
Excellent people skills
Very good communication skills in English and
Hindi
Memberships and other activities Member Chandigarh Association
Interests and hobbies Writing for professional journals
Playing hockey and badminton
2.
Alok Saxena
O-234/1, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi=135673
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E-mail: [email protected], Mobile No. 09878021341
Position sought System Analyst
Career Objectives To contribute extensively to the organisation using
my qualifications, experience and maturity. To accept challenges and prove my
mettle in handling them in the best interest of the company I serve
Experience Team Member in the System Analysis department of
M/s ABC Software Pvt Ltd , Bangalore from 2004 t0 2007
System Analyst with Genpack Softwares Ltd, Gurgaon
Since 2007
Qualifications MCA from Punjab Technical University in 2004
Special skills Excellent people skills
Very good communication skills in English and
Hindi. Undergoing a course in French
Memberships and other activities Member Institution ofElectronics
Engineers(I)
Member Gurgaon Management Association
Interests and hobbies Writing for professional technical
journals
Playing hockey and badminton
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3.
It is a functional resume
6.9 Reference / Suggested Reading
1. Technical Communication by Meenakshi Raman and Sangeeta Sharma, Published
by Oxford University Press
2. Effective technical Communication by M.Ashraf Rizvi , published by Tata
McGraw- Hill Publishing Company Ltd, New Delhi
3. Business Communication by Varinder Kumar and Bodh Raj published by Kalyani
Publishers
6.10 Model Questions
1. What are the types of resumes and what is the basic difference between them?
2. How do you balance your qualifications and the experience in a good resume?
3. You have acquired special skill of writing for magazines and newspapers . How
will you highlight in your resume?
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Lesson Plan-Lesson 7 7.0 Objectives
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Special advantages of Face –to –face interview
7.2.1 Issues difficult to justify
7.3 Types of interviews
7.3.1 Classification according to the structure
7.3.2 Classification according to the purpose of an interview
7.3.3 Classification according to Content of the Interview 7.4 Steps to be followed in any interview
7.4.1 Introduction or initiation of the interview based on the information of the
candidate available with the interview board
7.4.2 Developing a rapport by asking the candidate questions related with interests
and hobbies
7.4.2.1 Questions related with hobbies
7.5 General personality traits assessed by the interviewers during the interview
7.5.1 Important traits that define you
7.5.2 Correct method of entering the interview room/hall
7.5.3 Right method of sitting in the interview
7.5.4 When you leave the interview room/hall
7.6 Handling Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
7.7 Sample interview
7.7.1 Questions based on general awareness of the candidate 7.7.2 Initiation of the interview through qualifications and academic record of the candidate 7.7.3 Initiating the interview by asking confusing or odd questions
7.7.4 Assessing the candidate‟s attitude and psychological make-up
7.7.5 Assessing candidate‟s hard or functional knowledge and skills relted with it
7.7.6 Winding up of the interview process
7.8 Summary
7.9 Glossary
7.10 Answers to check your progress/Self assessment questions
7.11 References/Suggested reading
7.12 Model questions
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Lesson 7- Winning at Interviews—A Perspective
7.0 Objectives
After reading this lesson, the student will be able to :
Learn about the main purpose of conducting interviews
Understand the basic process of interviews
Know what the interviewing board looks for in a candidate
Understand how to prepare for interviews
7.1 Introduction
An interview is a process followed after the recruitment process has been completed.
The basic purpose of any interview is to get information from the applicant and
provide her the information in a face- to- face physical interaction to assess the
interviewee‟s suitability and potential for a specific purpose. The idea is the
interviewee should fit in the vacancy available in the organization. It is formally
arranged and planned conversation in which the interviewer evaluates the suitability
or otherwise of the candidate for a particular position. According to Pauline V.
Young, “An interview may be regarded as a systematic method by which a person
enters more or less imaginatively in to the inner life of a comparative stranger” In
fact, interview should be seen as an unrehearsed face to face communication between
two or more individuals where both the parties can get immediate feedback and have
the opportunity to change or modify the question asked or response give. According
to Dale Yoder, author of one of the earliest books on personnel management,
Personnel Management and Industrial Relations, Prentice Hall 1942, in interviews
“attention is usually directed to the background and education of the applicant, his
work history his interests and avocations, his family and friends, his personal habits
and his views and attitudes” The basic idea is to have face-to-face free-flow of
information which can help the candidate to know the organization better and the
interviewer is able to assess many personality traits which can help the organization.
Though interview may be conducted only by one person, but in the interest of
objectivity, more than one person who are experts in their relevant fields are involved.
The organizations and the interviewers always try their best to make the interviews as
objective as possible, how ever, the interview remains distrusted as a reliable and
valid means of selection, due to many reasons. Obviously, for good selection, the
information about the applicant should be both valid and reliable. There are many
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methods of ensuring as much objectivity in the process as is possible and these will be
discussed in later chapters. However, expecting any interview to be fool-proof is a
fallacy.
Essential system and method of interview may remain the same but there will be
variations depending upon the level or specific position for which a person is being
interviewed. For example interview for a supervisor‟s job will be relatively simpler as
compared to that of a top level position. How ever, every employee hired or promoted
by any company must go through some type of interview process by one or more
people.
7.2 Special advantages of Face –to –face interview
The organization gets the opportunity to clarify /check certain information in
person which may not be clear from the application form
Applicant gets an opportunity to put across certain points which could not
have been included because of the design of the application format or the
candidate did not want to include them
Certain type of information can be best obtained only in personal meetings.
Enthusiasm, zeal, motivation, commitment, pro-active approach and hopes and
aspirations of the candidate can be best judged in face-to-face meeting.
7.2.1 Issues difficult to justify
No doubt, interview is the most used method of selection because of many
advantages; yet interview throws up some issues which are difficult to justify. These
are:
Any interview is highly susceptible to, subjectivity, distortion and bias. Since
interviews are conducted by human beings, it is impossible to make any
interview bias –free. Companies do make effort to train the interviewers in
various techniques and expect them to be totally objective, but it is easier
said then done.
It can never be an exact job-fit ie in spite of all the efforts made to put the
right man at the right place, inaccuracies, are bound to creep in the system.
All selections are subject to legal attacks and challenges by those who don‟t
make it. To avoid such situations, companies prepare very elaborate HRD
policies. How ever, no policy can ever be fool-proof.
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Personal interviews always tend to infringe on the privacy of an individual.
As the companies don‟t hire only the brain and hands of the employees, they
get them as complete packages; employee‟s own and her relatives‟ physical
and emotional problems also come with her.
Many people feel that there is too much of dependence shown by the employers on
the results of the interview. A candidate can hide her weaknesses and put her best foot
forward during the duration of the interview and as such her true worth may not be
known. That is where the experience, maturity and knowledge and skill of the
interviewer come in to play.
7.3 Types of Interviews
There are different types of interview techniques used in business houses depending
upon the type of interaction the recruiting companies want to have with the candidates
who apply for vacancies in their organisations.
Broadly, the interviews may be classified as follows:
7.3.1 Classification according to the structure
Unstructured Interviews
This type of interview is also called Non-directive Interview. Here, there are no
specific types of questions which are planned to be asked from the candidate. Hence,
the interview may take any direction; that is why it is also called non-directive. There
is no formal board of interviewers to assess specific personality traits of the
candidates who is encouraged to express himself , explain his background,
experiences in general, his strengths and weaknesses, motivation and aspirations etc.
Lack of any formal structure allows the interviewers to relate their questions with the
last statement made by the candidate and develop the interview as it progresses. Same
or similar type of questions may not be asked from candidates appearing for the same
job. No formal time limit is laid and the interview may last for a duration depending
upon the interaction with the candidate
Structured Interviews
Such interviews involve a lot of planning regarding the type of questions to be asked
and responses expected from the candidate. The candidate is assessed and rated on the
basis of correct or appropriate responses. Since such interviews are structured to a
high level of accuracy and precision, these are also called the standardised
interviews. An interview guide is prepared which includes the following:
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Personal Information Name, education, marital status, age , number of
dependents, hobbies and recreation needs, willingness to travel and willingness to
work overtime
Job Interest Position or appointment applied for, expectation from the
work involved, how important the job is for the candidate, salary expected,
knowledge about the company, reasons for applying for job in a particular company
Current Work Status Employed at present or not, if employed how long with the
company, if not employed how long has the candidate been without the job, if already
working, reasons for changing the job, availability for joining the position
Work Experience Details of current or last employer, name of postion held,
duties and responsibilities allotted in the job, who was the immediate superior, what
did you like the most about the job, what did you not like about the job, the reasons
for seeking another job
General Any plans the candidate has for improving himself
during next one year, what do you understand by success and how important is it for
you, what are you mostly criticised for, importance of planning in your life and how
you intend to plan your work, what are the types of situations in which you feel
highly stressed, any high pressure responsibilities handled by you in your previous
employment
Structured vs Unstructured Interviews
Both types of interview techniques have their merits and demerits. In unstructured
interviews different types of questions may be asked from different candidates and to
that extent there is no standardisation in assessment. How ever in structured
interviews same standard question are asked from all the candidates which lends
uniformity to the system. It reduces subjectivity and personal biases of the
interviewers. As such they are more reliable and valid. But such interviews don‟t give
the flexibility to the interviewers to probe more and more to extract the maximum out
of the candidate. Interviewers cannot pursue points of interest as the interview unfolds
and develops.
7.3.2 Classification according to the purpose of an interview
Stress Interviews
Here the main purpose is to assess the suitability of the candidate under stressful
situations. It assesses the behaviour of the candidate when placed in work situation
which are highly stressful. The interviewers purposely simulate the situation by
harassing the candidate, try and annoy him, frustrate him and do everything so that he
looses cool and takes unwanted actions. Different people react in different ways to
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such situations, they show up different type of reactions. Imagine a situation, when
the interviewer keeps silent for unduly long period, interrupt the candidate again and
again, criticise him or say any illogical things. This interview is also very difficult to
conduct as only very mature and experienced person can conduct it.
Appraisal Interviews
Such interview are conducted after performance appraisal has been carried out and the
concerned person has to be given feed back on his rating or any remedial counseling.
Exit Interviews
When any employee leaves a job for what ever reason, the organisation carries out
exit interview to understand any problems for which corrective action can be initiated.
Such interviews are generally conducted by HRD department to get an insight in to
the functioning of the company.
7.3.3 Classification according to Content of the Interview
Situational Interview
In this type of interview, such question are asked from the candidate as to assess his
behaviour in a particular type of situation
Job-related Interview
The idea here is to assess what type of behaviour will the candidate show when he is
actually performing the job. The questions are based on the past behaviour in a
particular job. Job –related question are asked to find out a candidate‟s ability to
handle the problems on actual job.
Behavioural Interviews
Here the candidates are asked how exactly they behaved in a particular situation. In
situational interviews the candidates are asked how they would react to a particular
situation in future where as in behavioural interviews the candidates are asked how
actually they behaved in any specific situation.
Psychological Interviews
Such interviews are conducted by trained psychologists to assess certain special
personality traits like dependability, reliability and ability to withstand stressful
situations.
7.4 Steps to be followed in any interview
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Introduction or initiation of the interview
Getting to know from the candidate some pre –determined information that is
required as per the job responsibility
Assessing the candidates knowledge and hard skills
Assessing the candidate‟s soft skills knowledge
Assessing the candidates certain personality traits; the most important being her
psychological behaviour.
Winding up the interview
Making up the mind about candidate‟s suitability or otherwise for the position
Let us discuss these with the help of suitable examples.
7.4.1 Introduction or initiation of the interview based on the information of the
candidate available with the interview board
Before the candidates comes for the interview she has already responded to either the
recruitment process followed by the company or forwarded the Resume, CV or Bio-
data based on some other information about the requirement of the organization. The
candidate hands over the bio-data to the company either personally or forwards it
through post, e-mail etc. In any case, the bio-data should have a covering letter. Many
a times the candidates approach the organization and fill up a standard application
form available with the company, in anticipation. The interview board, whether
comprising of one person or a number of persons, goes through the bio-data of the
candidate before she is called in the interview room. If there are more than one
interviewer in the board, the senior most person is nominated as the President or
Chairman of the board. It is normal practice that the senior most person calls the
candidate by any of the following ways:
“Please come in, Miss Shalini”
“Welcome, Miss Pooja Agnihotry”
“Miss Shaloo, please come in”
The idea is to put the candidate at ease and develop a rapport with her. It is essential;
otherwise, the board cannot get the best out of the candidate. Members of the board
adopt all kinds of methods to put the candidate at ease. They must not forget the
anxiety and worry of the candidate who is going to see their faces for the first time in
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a strange environment. In any case, the candidate knows that the board members
know a lot more than her and holds them in high esteem. And then, of course there is
this important factor of how desperately the person needs the job, which makes the
candidate nervous. In order to make the candidate comfortable, board members
generally call her by her first name and engage her in conversation such as knowing
the meaning of the name. Since many of names in our culture are related with
historical and mythological persons, every candidate must be clear about the history,
background and meaning of her name. If asked to give out the name, it should be done
with confidence and in loud enough a voice for every member to hear it clearly.
Candidate must love her name and take pride in being addressed as such. Please go
through the following example to understand fine points about how the interview is
initiated.
Example
President/Chairman: Welcome, Miss Ramandeep . It is a very nice name
Candidate: Thank you sir/madam
One of the members: Will you be comfortable if we call you only as Raman?
Candidate: You are welcome sir/ madam. You may call me Raman.
Another member: Please tell us Raman, what is the meaning of your name?
Candidate: Sir/ madam, as you know Raman stands for Sun, the source of tremendous
energy. So, I suppose my parents expected me to turn out to be a brilliant person.
President/Chairman: Thank you Raman. I think yours is a wonderful name and you
will definitely come up to the expectations of your parents.
7.4.2 Developing rapport by asking questions related with candidate‘s interests
and hobbies
Candidates find the part of writing their interests and hobbies as most confusing to
compose. As mentioned earlier, the effort of the interviewing board is to make the
candidate as comfortable as possible so that they are able to find the most suitable
person for the job. So, the interviewers will not purposely try to trick and trap you in a
difficult situation unless you have hidden some vital information or told a lie at
certain places. Be sure with their experience, they will definitely be able to see
through in such a case. So, the best policy is to write the facts without any
manipulation.
7.4.3 Questions related with hobbies
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Gone are the days when the employer was happy with the „hard skills‟ or professional
domain alone of the perspective employee. These days there is much broader
approach to the whole concept of hiring candidates and the employer also looks at the
„soft skills‟ of the candidate in addition to the qualifications, skills and experience of
the candidate. So, it has become important that the candidate mentions her hobbies
and interests in the application form. Many employers specially look at this part of the
resume to understand what kind of interests a candidate has before calling her for the
interview. Hence, suitable hobbies and interests as mentioned in the bio-data may as
well become the first step towards selection of the candidate. Application forms
always have a space where the candidate is expected to write her areas of interest and
hobbies. There can be no person who does not pursue something apart from doing
something for making a living. Many candidates commit the mistake of writing
something to impress the interviewer, even when they are not actually good at it.
Candidates try and find some connection of what they mention as their hobby with the
job they are looking for, in the hope that it will increase their chances of getting
selected. The best thing is to be frank and honest about what ever you love to do.
Your favourite hobby need not be highly intellectual in nature or directly useful to
your job or the society. The point to be understood is that you will be asked questions
related with those hobbies and you cannot pull fast one on the board. For all you
know, one of the members himself may be pursuing the hobby you have mentioned
and may know much more about it than you know.
Here are some of the hobbies which candidates generally mention in their bio-data:
Reading. Reading is a good hobby and a large number of candidates mention
it in their bio-data. It is further amplified by the applicants mentioning
„reading newspapers‟, „reading novels‟ „reading biographies of great men‟,
„reading poetry‟ etc. Reading is a good hobby but it depends upon what you
read and how it contributes to overall personality. Reading good literature can
add to your knowledge which can stand you in good stead sometime. But
reading detective novels can hardly contribute to your potential as a useful
employee in any field of activity. If you have mentioned reading newspapers
as your hobby, you should know everything about that particular newspaper
like, where is it published, when was it established, who owns it, who is the
editor and in how many languages it is published in. In this case, an obvious
question is why you prefer a particular newspaper over the other. If your
hobby is to read the biographies of great men, you will be asked the latest
book you are reading and which famous personality would you like to emulate
and why.
Listening to music. It is good hobby and listening to good music can help a
person to unwind and de-stress herself. Related question are, which type of
music, which is your favourite instrumentalist or singer. This is a very
common hobby with most of the people and it highly likely that some member
of the interviewing board is himself/herself knows a lot about the music. Don‟t
get in to a trap by saying some thing which is not truer.
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Gardening. This again is a useful hobby and caring for plants can help one
distress oneself as well as help environment. No one will expect you to know
as mush about gardening as a maali or a horticulturist, but you should know
simple things like preparation of soil, the season for sowing seeds/bulbs,
watering and manure needs of various types of plants and so on. It is possible
only if you really are actually interested in gardening.
Cooking. This is one hobby about which most of the people, males as well as
females know something. Also. Chances are that the members of the board
also know only that much about cooking as you happen to know. No one
expects you to be master chef; to that extent, it is a safe hobby to be mentioned
in the bio-data.
Watching TV. This cannot be considered a hobby which can contribute much
to your personality as an individual. If you are watching History or Discovery
channels, perhaps it can be of some use. It is best to avoid mentioning this ,
how ever , if you must then remember the names of the programms, their main
characters etc
Surfing Net. The idea is what you are surfing the internet for. Today, internet
is a great source of information and knowledge. If it serves the purpose of
giving you the latest news, discoveries and other current events, may be it is a
good hobby and can help you.
In addition to above few, there can be numerous interests and hobbies different
individuals may have. Photography, fishing, writing books, playing golf , chess ,
cards, travelling to explore new paces, social service etc. can be your hobbies. There
is only one cardinal rule and that is never try to fool the board and be frank and honest
in your assertions.
Please follow the tips below to include your hobbies and interest in the resume:
If you have no hobby (which is highly unlikely) then do develop one. A
hobby is an activity which you would love to do without expecting any
monetary benefits out of it. It is human nature to get involved with some thing
more than what one does for making a living. But if you actually do not have
any particular interest, it is a good idea to be honest and say so. How ever, this
can lead to the interviewer asking you further question about how you spend
your spare time. Be prepared to answer such questions.
Write the interests and hobbies which you actually have. Don‟t get
tempted by writing some thing just to impress the interviewer. You should
have no doubt that some member of the board will definitely ask you pointing
questions related with the hobby you have mentioned. For example, if you
have written „reading‟ as your hobby, you will definitely be asked what you
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are reading currently. It is quite likely that one of the members has also read
the book you mention that you are reading. He may further prod you on about
a particular character in the book and so on. So, by telling a lie, you have tied
yourself in knots you cannot get out of. This is the sure way of getting rejected
even without reaching the stage of being asked questions related with your
functional skills.
Keep this section as simple and short as possible Candidates have a
tendency to brag about things which are only remotely connected with the type
of job they have applied for. For example, if you have applied for the job of a
junior manger, writing about a prize you may have won in „cooking‟
competition may not help you at all. „Cooking‟ can well be a hobby and you
may mention it by all means but elaborate only when asked about it.
Mention only such actual hobbies and interests which can become an
asset to your bio-data. For example, if you have applied for the job of a sales
manger, it is definitely relevant to mention about your communication skills
and achievements, if any, in that field. This compliments your skill set in a
positive manner and is likely to get you additional benefits.
Be fully prepared to answer questions related with your interests and
hobbies. As mentioned earlier, faking and writing something untrue can be
suicidal. For example, if you have mentioned that „playing hockey‟ is your
favourite sport, be sure that you will be asked questions related with hockey
and if you are not aware of the fact who Dhyan Chand is, the board will
outright reject you as being dishonest and lacking integrity.
7.5 General personality traits assessed by the interviewers
during the interview
The following factors may generally be attributed to Nature or heredity:
Values, integrity, honesty, ethics and beliefs
Motivation and passion
Self-esteem
Commitment
Willingness to learn
Empathy
Self-confidence
Responsibility
Attitude
Perseverance
There are certain factors which are learnt; these generally include:
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Communication skills
Discipline
Punctuality
Flexibility
Capacity
Skills
Ability and knowledge
Etiquette and mannerism
7.5.1 Important traits that define you
Since any interview is conducted in only in a limited time-frame, the interviewers
look for only a few of the most important traits that define how the candidate will
perform and fit in their organization. Some of the important ones are:
System of Greetings to be adopted If you are not confident of how to wish
according to the time of the day, follow the rules given here:
Early Morning to 12.00 noon: Good morning and while leaving good day
After 12.00 noon till 5.00 in the evening: Good afternoon and while leaving good
day.
After 5.00 in the evening till late night: Good evening and while leaving good
night
General appearance
Remember, you are going for a formal engagement, it is imperative that you look
your best. A pleasing personality helps one to get the job. So, shave properly,
comb the hair suitably or tie the turban so that it looks neat and clean. Never over
do things.
Dress etiquette for the interview
You are not going to a fashion show, hence dress for the occasion. A full-sleeved
light coloured shirt and a tie with a dark trouser may be good enough, these
should be clean and ironed.
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7.5.2 Correct method of entering the interview room/hall
Normally the companies depute a person who shows you the way to the place of
interview. It may be junior HR executive or even a peon. Who so ever takes you to
the place of interview; don‟t forget to thank him/her. If some one opens the door for
you, you may enter but if you are required to open the door do knock at the door
before entering. And if the door does not close automatically ie it is not fitted with a
door-closer; close the door behind you without showing your back to the members.
Walk confidently looking straight towards the table and wish according to the time of
the day. You must notice if there is lady also in the board and wish accordingly,
“Good morning ladies and gentlemen”. If the President/Chairman or other members
of the Board offer to shake hand, do it firmly with confidence. A lady‟s hand should
not be held too strongly. Remember you cannot offer your hand to shake with the
members, it is entirely their discretion. The moment you come close to the chair
earmarked for you to sit, President/ Chairman will ask you to sit down. But don‟t sit
on your own, wait for some one to ask you to sit down. And after you sit down, do
thank every one.
A lot can be read by the interview board from the way you walk after you enter the
room till you reach the table of the board. Don‟t forget every one is closely watching,
this should not make you nervous rather more confident. Take short smart step with
chest up in the manner a soldier walks. You are not doing „left-right‟ here but your
posture and bearing should be pleasing to the eye. The way you walk can give plenty
of information about your personality. A casual slouch walk will seal your fate there
and then.
Example
A candidate dressed smartly for the occasion is shown the door of the interview hall
by the peon. He knocks the door, opens it, puts forward his right foot ad asks politely,
“May I come in please?”
President/ chairman: Yes, please come in Mr Chaudhary.
(After he gets the permission to get in, the candidate walks smartly and confidently
towards the board members)
Candidate: Good morning (greeting according to the time of the day) sirs (or ladies
and gentlemen) with a pleasant smile on his face.
President/Chairman: Good morning (or greetings according to the time of the daaay)
Mr. Chaudhary, please have your seat.
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Candidate: Thank you sir/madam (The candidate should pull the chair confidently
and sit down while smiling. Any delay in sitting down or awkward way of holding the
chair will be noticed by the members)
As has been seen above, if a candidate walks in with grace and dignity, walks briskly,
holds his head high, smiles and looks in to the eyes of the members of the board, he is
likely to develop an immediate rapport. He will be perceived as a confident young
person who is ambitious and wants o get through the interview. You must rehearse
this in your own time.
7.5.3 Right method of sitting in the interview
The posture of a person, the way she stands, walks or sits reveal lot about the
personality of a person. Hence, it is very important for you to be careful the way you
stand or sit before entering the interview hall, the way you walk in when asked to
come in or the way you sit down in front of the board that is going to interview you.
Here are a few tips about the correct method of sitting in the interview board:
When you enter the hall, a chair would have been placed in front of the
interviewers for you to sit. But do not sit till you are asked to sit.
Pull the chair softly towards you, about a meter, without making a noise. One
meter is a distance from where every one can hear you loudly and clearly.
If you are carrying a file or some other documents, keep them softly on the
table directly in front.
After sitting down, don‟t forget to thank the board.
Sit straight and erect without leaning forward or backwards
Do sit smartly in an alert manner and don‟t slouch or slump in the chair
Occupy the entire chair; do not sit in a corner in awkward manner. Many
candidates think they are being respectful to the board , if they sit in the front
portion of the chair and lean a little forward. This leaves an impression of
inferiority complex and lack of self-confidence.
The best way to let the board know that you are at ease and are confident of
self is to look straight in the eyes of the members smilingly. Look at all the
members and not only President/ Chairman. They are all equally important for
you. Do not stair in the eyes of any particular person.
The chair may or may not have the arms. If the arms are available put your
elbows. If the chair is without the arms, put your hands on sides of the thighs
in a natural manner, without appearing stiff and holding fast to the thighs for
support.
Never put your hand or elbows on the table.
Do not cross your feet either from left to right or from right to left. Keep both
the feet firmly on ground with a gap of approximately 10-12 inches. It will
give you the much required confidence.
Do not fiddle with your pen, shirt-sleeves, hair, nose or turban etc. This is sign
of being shy and insecure. You should sit still without making unnecessary
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movements which will give the impression to others that you are not
comfortable.
If there is glass of water kept for you, don‟ use it
Face the questions being asked without being apologetic about any of your
replies. You must stick to your conviction and not change your stance at the
slightest hint from any member of the Board.
Never forget the purpose of your sitting in the chair. You have come to get
selected and you must do your utmost to achieve that goal.
7.5.4 When you leave the interview room/hall
Interview is not over till you have left the hall and closed the door behind you.
Some candidates have the tendency to become casual and indifferent the moment
they are asked to leave. Keep the following points in your mind while leaving:
When asked to leave, get up smartly without losing the enthusiasm with
which you had entered the hall. Thank all the members with a polite smile
before you turn around.
Don‟t forget that you are being watched when you are leaving. So, walk
back smartly and confidently, without bmaking any gesture with your
hands.
If members wish to shake hands with you before you leave shaker full
hand firmly, but don‟ keep shaking it.
After you get up from the chair, put the chair back in the original position
very carefully.
Now turn around and walk back confidently with a soldier‟s bearing.
Never look back to gauge the impression of the interviewers.
If the door does not close automatically, close it softly without making a sound.
7.6 Handling Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Question 1: Please tell us something about yourself?/ Could you tell us a little about
yourself?
Question 2. Can you tell us something about any significant achievement in your life
till now?
Question 3. What do you think is your greatest strength and why?
Question 4. What is the weakness which you think may hold you back?
Question 5. Do you have any idol in journey of your life? Who is he or she and why?
Question 6. Do you have a Plan „B‟, if you don‟t make in this interview?.
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Question 7. Please give us one good reason why should you be selected for this
appointment./ Please tell us why should you not be rejected for this position./ What
sets you apart from other candidates?
Question 8. Why do you want to work for our organization/company?
Question 9. What are your career plans?/ Where do you see yourself 5/10 years from
now?
Question 10. Why do you want to leave your present job?(in case you are already
employed)
7.7 Sample Interview
President/Chairman: Mr. Roy, I have seen that you have mentioned sports as your
hobby.
Candidate: Yes Sir/Madam. I am a sportsman.
Member: Could you tell us what sport are you interested in?
Candidate: Sir/Madam, I run 100 and 200 meters and I have represented Punjab
University in these two categories.
Member: Please tell us about the fastest man on earth.
Candidate: Sir/Madam, Usain Bolt is the fastest man on earth . He finished 100 meters
in the fastest ever time of 9.63 seconds
President/Chairman: How do you rate Milkha Singh as compared to the world
standards?
Candidate: Sir/ Madam, Milkha Singh was unlucky to have missed a medal in
Olympics, even though he broke the world record. There is no doubt we as a nation
have failed to produce world class athletes because of number of reasons.
Member: Do you see any hope that we will be able to do better in 2016 Olympics?
Candidate: Sir/Madam, I am a perpetually positive person and now that wrestling is
back, I do hope that India will do much better than what we achieved last time
(It should be noticed that the candidates has highlighted his strength by mentioning
that he represented Punjab University. He has also made good impression on the
board by telling them that he has a positive outlook towards life)
7.7.1 Questions based on General Awareness of the candidate
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This type of initiation by the board members is very broad in nature and may include
almost any topic/subject. The interviewers are interested in knowing your interest in
the world around you. Many people who are very good in their domain n skills are
very ignorant about the world they live in. That is why to assess the over all
awareness of the candidate, the member may ask any question. Of course, the level of
the job a candidate has applied for is always kept in mind. This needs regular update
of national/international events. This can best be done by:
You must subscribe to a good national daily. There is a difference in reading a
newspaper in library and reading your own. When you spend money, it is
human tendency to get the best out of the newspaper. Besides, you can
underline, mark or even take out important cuttings for record. It is a good
habit to spent half-an –hour to 45 minutes in reading your favourite
newspaper. The editorial every day deals with important issues; do not skip it.
Become member of a nearby library. Read a few good magazines devoted to
current affairs; some of these are Outlook, India Today and The Week
Discuss the issues concerning India and the world with like-minded persons of
your calibre. Discussions bring out many issues in much lesser time than you
spend in detailed reading. But watch out, authenticate what others say.
Year Books published by different publishing houses are other sources of
consolidated information at one place. Any good year book can become an
excellent reference material
7.7.2 Initiation of the interview through qualifications and academic
record of the candidate
You are expected to be updated with the basic knowledge of your discipline. The
most important thing here would be to know your concepts, even if the intricate
details are not known. Some one who cannot explain the basic concept of her hard or
functional skills leaves a very poor impression on the interviewers. The idea here is to
know something about the basics of the discipline or domain knowledge a candidate
has mentioned in the resume. For example, if the candidate has passed her MBA,
“Could you explain the meaning of management in your own simple words?” A
student of economics looking for a job in the bank, may be asked<” Could you please
tell us the difference between Plan and Non-plan expenditure of Union Government?”
7.7.3 Initiation of the interview through asking odd or confusing
questions
By this the candidate by no means should conclude that the interviewer is trying to
trick or trap the candidate. The board wants to assess the overall personality which
includes a candidate‟s reaction to certain unpredictable and uncertain situations.
Remember, the interviewer is only trying to find out how you will react ia particular
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situation. The board expects fast response to such questions. Some of such odd or
confusing questions could be:
Who was the first person you met when you entered this office? What is
his/her position in this organization?
What is the fair paid for your travel from your location to this office?
What make of lift is it in which traveled to the 5th
floor?
Can you tell us about a very important landmark around this complex?
Who else has come with you for this interview and where have you left that
person?
7.7.4 Assessing the candidate‘s attitude and psychological make-up
Besides the qualification and skills, this is the most important attribute oa candidate‟s
personality and plays most important role in performing the job assigned to her. That
is why companies put a lot of emphasis on the psychological behaviour of the
potential employee. This can be done by the board members by asking questions such
as :
What according to you is the most important in any organization?
(Organisation is the most important entity as it is supreme and above the
Board Of Directors (BOD). In many companies specially the family business
companies , the owners have the misconception that they are above the
company)
As management trainee with whom will you have your loyalty, your Head of
Department or the CMD? ( Every employee’s loyalty must only be to the
organization which is supreme and not to the individuals , how so ever
important that individual may be)
What do you think is the basic reason of conflict between the employer and
employee? (Reason of conflict arises when there is disparity in the goals of the
organization and that of the individual. Management must make every effort to
fill the gap between the their goals and those of the employees)
What motivates an employee the most? Is it the monetary incentives? ( Any
worker is motivated by the work environment and opportunity for growth.
Money plays an important role in every one’s life but it is the of work one
performs and the operating environment, which are more important)
There will be situations when there will be conflict between your personal
requirements and requirements of the job. How will you handle such
situations? ( If in the judgment of the management the work is such where my
contribution will play a vital role, I will definitely give higher priority to my
organizational commitments)
In order to assess your mental toughness, consistency and behaviour related with
courtesy, etiquette and manners etc, the board members may purposely try to fire
many questions . That is where you have to keep your balance and not to lose your
sense of judgment and analytical ability by getting agitated.
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An example of such barrage of questions is given below.
Example
President/ Chairman: What do you think is Balance of Payment deficit between India
and China?
(Before you can answer the question, one of the members interrupts)
Member: What is the biggest challenge India is facing today?
(Before the candidate can answer the question another member puts another
question)
Member: What does BRIC stand for?
In such a situation you must keep your cool and submit to the President/ Chairman
very politely, “Sir/madam, I will come to the other questions later on. May I have
your permission to answer the first question related with Balance of Payment deficit
between India and China?” This will demonstrate your calmness and confidence to
handle difficult situations.
7.7.5 Assessing a candidate‘s hard or functional knowledge and skills
related with it.
There is no doubt that the organizations exist for meeting certain objectives and goals.
And for that purpose they need capable and efficient workers at different levels. The
purpose of spending so much of time, effort and money in the selection process is that
round peg fits in the round hole. You have been invited for the interview because you
possess certain qualifications and experience. These are your hard/functional /domain
skills, those supporting these to get the best out of you are the soft skills. Your
positive e attitude towards your employment will be helpful to the organization only
when you have the basic knowledge and skill required to perform the job allotted to
you. So, it is important that you know the job for which you expect to be hired. The
questions will be related with your qualification and experience in the job.
7.7.6 Winding up of the interview process
This is the last phase of the face –to-face interview as far as the candidate is
concerned. Here a question may be asked just to check- back what ever you have
already stated. So, it is very important that you stay consistent with your view or
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statements already made. Many an interviewers ask the already asked question by
wording in a different manner. Don‟t get in to the trap. If you have the slightest doubt
about the question being asked, request the person very politely to repeat the question.
Even a slight change in your stand knowingly or unknowingly can cost you dear. The
President or Chairman of the board will generally ask other members of the board if
they want to know anything more from the candidate. If no body has any additional
questions, then wait for the permission to leave. Don‟t get up on your own and start
going out assuming that since there are no more questions, you have the liberty to
leave. When permission is granted, get up smartly, thank every on e in the board and
walk out with confidence and grace. You should understand that the members are
looking at your back when you are leaving. So, don‟t slouch out of the room in a
casual manner.
Example
President/Chairman of the board: Is there any thing else any one of you likes to know
more from Miss Shruti?
Member (on behalf of all the members): No , we think there is nothing more to
ask.(During this period, the candidate must not show any eagerness or hurry to get up
and leave. Even making a gesture will be noticed)
President/Chairman: Ok, Miss Shruti, I think that is all. You may leave.
Candidates; Thank you sir/ madam (Picks up the files or papers in a neat manner
without appearing clumsy and leaves the room confidently.
7.8 Summary
The importance of interviews , whether it is a student seeking admission in a good
management institute or a senior manager in corporate world appearing for interview
for the higher promotion, cannot be overemphasized. Hence, the
need of learning the process of interviews and preparing to come out with flying
colors has assumed significance in recent years. It is more so because of the highly
complex jobs which need talent of hard skills as well as good in quality of soft skills.
The lesson above prepares you to appear any interview with confidence.
7.9 Glossary
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Soft Skills These are the skills which define your personality and
how you conduct yourself
Mock interview A simulated interview technique used for the candidates to
understand the process of actual interview
Exit interview An interview conducted by a senior HR manager to get
feedback for improvement from an employee who is leaving the organisation
Appraisal interview It is conducted by the officer/manager to whom the
employee reports to inform him of his short-comings and how to improve them.
7.10 Answers to check your progress/Self Assessment
Questions
1. How can the hard or functional knowledge of a candidate can be assessed? Give
example of such an interview.
2. How will you handle one of the most frequently asked questions, “Please tell us
something about yourself.”?
3. You are appearing for the interview of GM (Project) of a well known real estate
company. The company is known for laying specific emphasis on soft skills. How
will you prepare yourself for the interview?
Answers:
1.
An example of an interview where the board tries to assess the functional skills of a
candidate is given below:
President/Chairman: I see you did M.Com and the cleared your MBA Entrance
examination. Why did you not appear in the MBA entrance examination after B.
Com?
Candidate: Sir/ Madam, I felt my M.com knowledge will stand me in good stead
when I undergo MBA. And it did help me. As you may see, I have topped the
university in MBA
Member: Tell me, Mr Gupta why did you go for MBA?
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Candidate: Sir/madam, India is on the verge of finding its rightful place in the world
as a future super power. I felt this field will open up a lot of opportunities in the
corporate sector.
Member: What was your favourite subject in MBA and why?
Candidate: Sir/madam, I have always been interested in marketing as a subject. There
is so much happening globally that I took up the subject to innovate something in this
field in Indian conditions
President/Chairman: But I see you have scored more marks in Operations Research
(OR) than in Marketing. How is that if your favourite subject is Marketing?
Candidate: You are right; sir/ madam, as you know OR has many mathematical
solutions which helped me score better. But in Marketing I have scored 86 percent
marks.
President/Chairman: A lot of people confuse between marketing and sales. What
cording to you is the basic difference?
Candidate: Sir/ madam, Marketing is a very vast subject and includes research,
consumer behaviour etc. Sales which is getting the money for the sold item is
essentially a part of marketing as a subject.
President/ Chairman: Thank you Mr Gupta, you may leave.
Candidate: Thank you sir/ madam
2. This is one question which every candidate must be able to handle confidently and
smartly. Since it is known that this question will most likely be asked the candidate
should prepare well for it.
You should be able to briefly inform the board of your qualifications, experience,
strengths and any special achievements you have to your credit. Bring out the positive
aspects of your student days, like if you had taken up NCC or achieved distinction in
studies or sports. Similarly, do mention if you have earned any recommendation for
the good work with some other organisation.
Remember, the time is at premium here, so you should come out with everything
positive in not more than a minute or so, without exaggerating any of the
achievements.
1. Knowing that the company lays a lot of emphasis on soft skills, I will pay
special attention to the following:
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(a) The way I greet every one in the waiting area and subsequently in the
interview room
(b) I will be very particular about the dress code expected in a formal interview
© I will use my good communication skills to my advantage
(c) I will be extra cautious about the body language
(d) I will pay special attention to project a pleasing and perpetually positive
personality
(e) I will walk in smartly while going in and walk out of the interview hall
smartly
7.11 References / Suggested Reading
1. Winning at Interviews and Group Discussions by Col D S Cheema, Abhishek
Publications, Chandigarh
2. Technical Communication by Meenakshi Raman and Sangeeta Sharma, published
by Oxford University Press
3. Business Communication by Varinder Kumar and Bodh Raj, published by Kalyani
Publishers, Jalandhar
7.12 Model Questions
1 .What does the interviewing board want to understand from a potential employee?
2. What personality traits are most important for working in corporate sector?
3. What kind of preparation needs to be made a day before the interview and on the
day of the interview?
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Lesson Plan –Lesson 8 8.0 Objectives
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Presentation in abusiness world
8.2.1 Purpose
8.2.2 Strategy for presentation
8.2.3 How to find material for presentation?
8.2.4 Sources of information
8.3 Essentials of a good presentation
8.3.1 How to prepare PPTs?
8.3.2 Use of PPTs as a prop and not as a crutch
8.4 Role of body language
8.4.1. Posture
8.4.2 Eye contact
8.4.3. Voice modulation
8.4.4 Know your audience
8.4.5 Structuring a presentation
8.4.6 Use of visual aids and other supporting material/equipment
8.4.7 Presentation plan or structure of a presentation
8.4.8 Reading a presentation
8.4.9 How to select visual aids?
8.5 Check list for oral presentation
8.5.1 Organisation of matter
8.5.2 Delivery
8.5.3 Pronunciation
8.5.4 Body language
8.5.5 Audience awareness
8.6 Summary
8.7 Glossary
8.8 Answers to check your progress/Self assessment questions
8.9 References/Suggested reading
8.10 Model questions
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Lesson 8- Presentation Skills
8.0 Objectives
After studying the lesson, the student will be able to :
L earn the importance of presentation skills in professional life
Find all the information for making presentations
Learn all about presentations and their structure
Learning how to make an effective presentation
Learn how to make extempore speaking more effectively
Understand role of body language while making presentations
8.1 Introduction
Ability to express one verbally is a very important skill. Today, we are living in the
era of „survival of the fittest‟ and everyone is forced to live by „selling‟ something. In
personal life, one has to put one‟s best foot forward to create the right impression on
others. In business world the ability of a person to express one‟s ideas, feelings and
emotions verbally and present them in a proper fashion, plays a very important role.
This ability plays a more vital in getting and retaining a job than the „hard skills‟ or
functional skills. For overall growth of any individual, his professional or domain
knowledge must be suitably complemented and supplemented by oral presentation
skills.
People in business organisations are often asked to present their reports, explain their
views, conduct training, participate in meetings and discussions, organise and
participate in seminars, sales meets etc. It is a well recognised fact that an effective
speaker with command over the language which he uses, can influence decision-
making in any organisation, he is sought after men, looked up to by everyone and gets
promoted in spite of certain weaknesses in functional ability.
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8.2 Presentations in Business World
8.2.1 Purpose
There are many occasions for presentations in industry and commerce
Launching a new product/service.
Presentation of business plans.
Marketing or sales proposals
Training and development sessions.
Participation in seminars/conferences.
Specific instructions from superiors for presenting any business related
activity.
While negotiating for selling/ buying products, equipment, machines etc.
8.2.2 Strategy for Presentations
It involves the following:
Clarity about general and specific purpose of presentation. The specific
purpose of any presentation must be given due importance during
presentation. If a marketing person is making a presentation about his
company profile, his specific purpose is to influence the buyers about
company so that his products or services or sold better. The general purpose
may be information to many who may be sitting in the presentation.
What is expected from the audience at the end of the presentation? Do you
expect the information booklets of your product or service to be sold? Or do
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you expect the enquiries would be generated about the price of the product or
service.
Sometimes, presentation may be made just to access the types of potential
customers, their buying preferences, gender, age, social and financial
background etc.
Deciding the location i.e., venue, time, and the type of presentation which can
best influence the audience.
8.2.3 How to find material for Presentations?
The most important and most difficult aspect of making presentations is to collect .
collate and organise suitable material required to make a presentation. Here most of
the persons making presentation default which results in poor presentation. It must
be remembered what ever be the method of delivery using PPTs and other audio-
visuals , the basic material or the content will always remain the most important
aspect in any presentation. Hence, gathering and organising information remains an
important aspect.
Once, the purpose , topic, setting , situation and audience have been decided, the
following three steps are involved before a presentation can be made:
Decide the main theme and the objectives of making a presentation
Collect and read as much information about the main theme as possible Make sutable
notes which can be referred to
Select information out of what you have read , for using in the presentation. It will
depend upon how long the presentation is going to be. Obviously, the material and
information required for a one –hour presentation will be different than that for thee
hors.
Now decide the format ie how have you planned to make the presentation
8.2.4 Sources of information
In today‟s world , information is available in such huge quantities that information
gathering has become a major problem. As a matter of fact, there is so much of junk
information that one finds it difficult to decide the genuine or fake information.
Following sources of information may be used:
Internet/on line Information
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This is one source of information which can be used for collection of information on
any subject/topic on earth. Use of search engines for gathering information is the most
common way. Search engines like Google (http://www.google.com) and Yahoo
(http://www.yahoo.com) are very useful to search information provided one knows
how to use them. Any search will provide thousands of website for further search. It
depends how you make your search good by writing the terms and conditions in the
search engines. For example, if you are looking for a a particular person, his/her
name and place of living may give hundreds of persons with same name and place,
but if you add his/her profession, degrees , qualifications, honors and awards , in fact ,
any thing that distinguish them , the search will become well defined.
Search engines have annotated list of links of sites organised topic wise. In addition to
this, there are innumerable sites giving information on general topics
Use of libraries
Many people forget to use this excellent source of handy information in lure of using
websites. A library is a virtual storehouse of knowledge. It has books on all subjects.
Having a large number of books, library is the easiest source of obtaining material for
study and research.
Locating a book in a library
The books in most of the libraries are classified according to different systems. The
system as follows is in use:
000 Generalities ; This category has bibliographies, books on library and
information system, encyclopaedias , journalism, publishing manuscripts and rare
books
100 Philosophy; Books on paranormal phenomenon, psychology , metaphysics,
logic, ethics etc.
200Religion; natural and doctrinal theology
300 Social sciences; Law , Economics, Public Administration, Political Science
etc,
400 Language; Comparitive linguistics, etymology, grammer etc.
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500 Pure Science; Mathematics, Astronomy , Physics, Chemistry, Earth Science
and Zoology etc.
600 Technology (Applied Science); Medical Science, Engineering and allied
operations, Agriculture and related technology, Manufacturing, Buildings etc.
700 Arts , fine and decorative; Architecture, Drawing, Painting , Music and
Sculpture etc.
800 Literature; American, English and other literature
900 Geography ,, History and auxiliary disciplines
Each of these categories is further sub- divided. For example Technology (600) is
sub-divided as follows
610 Medical Sciences, Medicine
620 Engineering and allied operations
Each of these subdivisions are further sub-divided as follows:
621.381 Economics
621.382 Communication Engineering
Request for Information including through questionnaires etc.
The person who wants information can request experts to share information. Some
times a questionnaire can be sent to people to provide information. How ever , many a
time people do not respond , so this source may not be very useful.
8.3 Essentials of a good Presentation
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Spoken word can wield a power far greater than any other persuasive means. It can
usher revolution by inspiring the most timid people. A good speaker can move the
audience with his presentation. A well planned presentation delivered effectively can
have a major impact on any outcome. Some of the characteristics of a good
presentation are as follows:
A good presentation has to be well planned
Content of the presentation is the most important. Enough suitable material
should be collected and put in the presentable formats to make the right
impact
Presentation must be structured suitably, so that all the points can be brought
out and appropriately highlighted.
Suitable audio-visual aids, visual presenters, hand outs, charts, graphics etc.
must be used to make the presentation more effective
The presenter must make the presentation interesting enough for the audience
to show interest and listen to him
What ever is spoken should be brief but clear. If the speaker is clear about the
idea or emotion he expresses the audience will b e able to comprehend it
easily. The speaker should convey his point of view in as few words as
possible. Long presentations become boring.
The person making the presentation must identify his audience before hand .
His must know their age group, educational background, their social and
cultural background etc. A presentation for students of Economics Honour
School will be different from that given to students of economics studying
BCA/BBA course.
The speaker must take care of para linguistics. The nuances of the voice
should be used to an advantage. The pitch and volume can be modulated with
practice. The rate of speaking has to be optimum. Too slow a speech can
become monotonous where as a speaker who speaks too fast may not be
understood by the audience. Particular attention should be paid to articulation
of words and their punctuation.
The presenter should be careful about body language he uses
8.3.1 How to prepare PPTs?
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Use of power point slides is one of the most powerful methods of making a
presentation. It is known that when you are speaking, if you show the salient features
on the screen , it can be absorbed and comprehended by the receiver much better. Sine
the aim of all presentations is to communicate effectively, it is essential that material
for presentation is organised and presented in am manner that it is well received by
the participants.
You should understand the method of preparing PPTs. Follow the steps given below:
Step I When you open the Power Point, a window should open and you will be able
to see two boxes in the middle of the screen. One box is “Click to add title” and the
other box is ,”Click to add sub-titles” In some computers, “Project Gallery” window
should open. Or go to “File “ menu and choose “New Presentation
Step II Click the “File” tab on the left hand top corner
Step III On the vertical tool bar on the left, click the “New” tab
Step IV If you want to use the templates, click on “Sample template” box
Step V Click on a template you want to use. But if you don‟t find a suitable template
then go to Step VI
Step VI Click on “Theme” box on the “New” tab
Step VII Click the Theme template you want to use
Step VIII Click on “Click to add titles” and on “Click to add sub-titles”
Step IX Click on “New Slide”
Step X Continue adding the material as you want
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Step XI Go to “File “ and search “Save as” option and save it for retrieving later on.
8.3.2 Use PPTs as a Prop and not as a Crutch
Many speakers tend to use these slides as a crutch; it must be remembered that these
are the aids and should be used as such . Do not use them as replacement for reading.
Too many slides containing too much of data and information will make a mess of
your presentation. Here are a few guidelines:
Limit the number of slides
Too many slides leave no time for the speaker to have eye-contact and develop a
rapport with the audience. Optimum number for a 90 minutes presentation is 15, bot
never cross 20
Limit information to key issues
If you include the details in the slides . it is bound to cause confusion. Mention only
the key points which must be discussed with the audience.
Keep the slides uncluttered
Write only few words which act as a hint to the key point which you can explain
8.4 Role of Body Language in Presentation
It is a well recognised fact that in face-to-face communication, is not only the words
and sentences which are exchanged, the process involves the total personality of
individuals. Physical disposition i.e., neat dress sense, posture, general bearing, facial
expression, gestures are all important in expression of feeling, ideas, thoughts etc. A
person who is well dressed and has a pleasant mannerism is always able to impress in
the initial stages of meeting. He is able to develop an instant rapport with others,
which is very helpful in presentation.
8.4.1 Posture
When you are asked/invited to walk up to the podium and make a presentation, do not
get tense because of anxiety to impress the audience. It is natural to feel little nervous
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and excited but no one will know this state of your mind unless you let them know
through an awkward walk. Get up from your seat naturally and walk confidently to
the podiun. Remember, all this is being keenly watched by he audience. Stand erect
with your hands on side and if you have notes, these should be kept on the podium
where these can be easily seen and read. Start with wishing the audience, depending
upon the time of the day. Do use your hands to make a point but necessary and too
much movement of hands distracts the attention. Keep yourself at appropriate distance
from the microphone or hold it at a reasonable distance from the face, if a cordless
microphone is being used. Only the first few minutes are the most important, after
which you will settle down and develop a rapport with the audience and then the
going will be much easier than you imagined.
8.4.2 Eye Contact
The purpose of any communication is to get the exact message across to the listeners.
Eye contact is the most effective means of doing so. It is the eye contact through
which you develop the right rapport with them. While presenting your point of view,
look into the pair of eyes of each individual in a planned manner and do not ignore
any person. Looking left, right or up or down, creates very poor impression on the
audience and the communication will not be effective. While speaking, giving small
pauses at appropriate time is very important; it helps you to collect your thought
process and helps the audience in assimilation and absorption of what has been said.
Of course, unnecessary long intervals will cut off from your audience which will
defeat the very purpose of presentation. Eye contact helps you to get a feedback from
the audience, if they look into your eyes and if their expression and movements are
such that you are reassured that what you are saying is being understood, you have
made a good presentation.
8.4.3 Voice Modulation
You may have noticed that effective speakers always modulated their voice to create a
special impact on the audience. Good voice, is, of course, a God‟s gift but any voice
can be trained to create more impact. Only one has to make a special effort. The pitch
and modulation combined can create the desired impact. One raises and lowers the
voice to suit the kind of emphasis that has to be laid, suitable pauses and the body
language combined create a very desirable effect on the audience.
To make a presentation more effective, one must record one‟s speech and listen to it
carefully and modify wherever possible necessary. Voice modulations, pitch, body
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language, go with the kind of language, its pronunciation and vocabulary. Whenever
in doubt, one must consult a dictionary for a meaning as well as for proper of any oral
presentation.
A monotonous and dull delivery without modulation and high and low of voice
have no impact in the audience and they will not be interested in what you are
conveying. This defeats the very purpose of any oral presentation.
Some people think that if they speak fast, they are impressing the audience. Far
from truth. There has to be coherence between thought and speech. Speed of
thought is much more than the speed of speech and one may become a victim of
converting the thought quickly into speech. One should not speak faster than 130-
150 words per minute for the speech to be understood by the audience
One must be clearly heard by all present in the place where presentation is being
made. Before you start, check up with the farthest person whether he or she is able
to hear your loud and clear voice.
Pronounce every word properly with suitable emphasis. Wrong pronunciation will
make you a butt of jokes with the audience
Avoid using unnecessary words which some are in the habit of substituting as
pauses, like „Fact of the matter is‟, „I mean‟, „Do you get what I mean?‟, „Ok‟,
„Alright‟, „Now‟, „Do you understand?‟, should I repeat?” etc. These are jarring
notes in any presentation and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.
8.4.4 Know Your Audience
In business presentations, one would generally know who are going to be the audience
and how long is the presentation. So, one keeps in mind their background, gender,
seniority, status, position, knowledge etc. However, many a times, this may not be
known. In such situations, one should use one‟s commonsense and presence of mind
to size up the audience quickly. It is easy to spot friendly or hostile audience as also
their expectations, their eagerness and anxiety to get involved with the presentation.
The speaker must understand that everyone is important, how-ever, if there is a point
which is specifically applicable to a particular person or position mention may be
made of the. Each listener should get the feeling the the speaker is directly addressing
him. Some speakers unnecessarily dramatise the situation to highlight the point.
Though for inviting attention a special story or a joke or a couplet or a quotation may
be used but the focus must remain on the basic purpose of the presentation. The
subject matter of the presentation cannot always be interesting for every one to
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become keen listener, it is up to the speaker to make it interesting enough for the
audience.
A joke is often a good way of developing a rapport with the audience. But the joke
must be selected carefully and narrated in such a manner that it becomes helpful in
conveying the main purpose of the presentation. Cheap or vulgar jokes, not related
with the subject or issue will make audience to think poor of you and lose respect for
you and perhaps ant interest in what you are going to say after cracking the joke.
A good speaker does not unnecessarily get disturbed or upset by the audience
Assuming that two persons talking while you are speaking must be criticising you,
may only be fig of your imagination. Rather than asking them to stop talking and pay
attention, look in to their eyes to create a better impact and rapport. But ultimate
impact of the presentation depends on the ideas presented and the manner in which
they are presented.
8.4.5 Structuring a Presentation
No cut and dry formulae or magic tips can be given to become an effective speaker.
Good speakers make persistent effort to make their presentation as effective as
possible. A complete plan of action should be prepared under the following heads
What has to be conveyed?
How is it going to be conveyed?
A summary of what has been conveyed
A speech or presentation should never be read from the text as by doing so
one looses the contact with the audience and that is the worst thing that can
happen to a speaker. Short notes on points to be made on 3” x5” on white
thick cards which can be kept in pocket and moved to hand as and when
required. All relevant poits should be noted in the order in which they are
going to be presented. The points may be written in telegraphic language,
acronyms or assembly of letters and words which you can easily decipher
when required. Some speakers make the mistake of reading from the
material that is displayed on the screen. Remember what has been displayed
is for the audience to comprehend clearly along with what is being spoken
and it is not for you to read; you should have your own notes for this
purpose.
8.5.6 Use of visual aids and other supporting material/equipment
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To make the presentation effective, one must use various types of visual aids and
other supporting material and equipment which is available. It has been established
that we learn:
Sight 83%
Hearing 11%
Smell 3.5%
Touch 1.5 %
Taste 1 %
Also we retain information as :
10 % of what we read
20 % of what we hear
30 % of what we see
50 % of what we see and hear
70 % of what we see, hear as we talk
90 % of what see as we do a thing
Another surprising fact is as follows:
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Method Recall three hours later Recall three days later
(percentage) (percentage)
Telling when used alone 70 10
Shoeing when used alone 72 20
When a blend of telling and 85 65
showing is used
It is obvious that while making a presentation if one uses audio-visual aids and shows
what is being said the retention of the audience will be much better It is easier for a
listener to get involved in understanding a fact or figures, if it is shown on the screen
or board when the speaker is talking about the same. No hard and fast rule of for use
of visual or other aids can be laid down, as it will depend on the type of presentation.
8.4.7 Presentation plan or structure of presentation
Like any other anyb planning before execution, the advantages of planning for
presentation are plenty. Presentation will be as good as its planned presentation. A
rough plan for any presentation may be as follows:
Introduction or beginning. It should include:
Introductory remarks including any attention-gaining statement, quotation , couplet ,
remarks etc,
Main theme
Statement of objectives, giving reasons for making the presentation
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Outline of presentation
Middle or body should include:
It should be divided in short and clear sections
Every point must be illustrated with suitable examples
Allot time for each section and point, otherwise the presentation will become
unbalanced. An important point may not be allowed enough time as trivia has been
undue long time. Time limit should be prioritised
Conclusion. It should include:
Summary of what has been said earlier
Emphasise certain points
Final marks
Closing statement
8.4.8 Reading a presentation
Many people have the habit of reading the entire presentation which they have
written down. Major advantage of this kind of presentation is that facts can be
stated with authority and accuracy. Many greats use this method. For example,
Winston Churchill was reputed to have used the written script. But such master
orators keep eye contact with the audience and do not lose rapport with the
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listeners. Reading aloud clearly also needs practice and is by word, it does not
appear fresh and original to the audience. This method definitely has more
disadvantages than advantages and should be avoided.
Memorising presentation.
Many speakers are known to write down and memorise the entire speech or
presentation. Again, it is only some greats gifted with powerful memory who can
remember everything, including the emphasis and pauses and can create a
positive effect. It is not advisable to memorise the entire speech. Face-to-face
communication is most effective when the speaker uses notes or has mugged up
only the important points but presents them in a thinking-and-speaking mode.
Nothing that has been learnt by rote can be convincingly effective. One is likely
forget if one depends entirely on memorised sentences and most important
aspects may be left uncovered.
8.4.9 How to select a visual aid?
A speaker needs different types of visual aids to make his presentation effective.
Prepare a table to list the medium, advantages and disadvantages and the
applications of widely used visual aids and select one out of them depending
upon your requirement.
8.5 Checklists for Oral Presentation
It is always a good idea to prepare a checklist of points that should be kept in
mind while making an oral presentation. If presentation is to be effective, one
should plan to include all these.
8.5.1 Organisation of Matter
This is of utmost importance. All said and done, how material is collected, sifted
and organised for presentation has the ultimate impact.
8.5.2 Delivery
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What ever the material being presented, suitable delivery alone leaves the
audience with conviction.
8.5.3 Pronunciation
Bad or wrong pronunciation puts off the audience badly. Presenter should check
with colleagues or the dictionary so that wrong pronunciation of the words does
not make the otherwise good presentation a but of jokes.
8.5.4 Body language
Present a pleasing personality overall. Be properly dressed. The gesture should be
appropriate and related to what is being spoken. The speaker should also move
from place A to B. The eye contact must be made with the audience.
8.5.5 Audience awareness
Knowing your audience is very important. Try and judge the knowledge and
attention being paid by the listeners. It is easy if you maintain an eye contact.
8.6 Summary
Presentation in the business world is of utmost importance. All executive and
supervisors are expected to make presentations. The idea is to inform any
superior in the simplest and brief manner about a particular issue. As the seniors
are busy in other more important matters, they may not have time to go through
each and every matter, so they expect their juniors to collect required
information, put it in a sequential and logical manner so that they can get the
essential of the matter in minimum possible time.
It is a time –consuming exercise and has to be done effectively so that no non-
essentials are included and no essentials are left out. Presentations may be of
different types but basically these are either written or oral or verbal presentation.
Learning the art of making effective oral presentation can help a professional
climb higher rungs of his career.
Techniques of collecting information, sorting it out in logical and sequential order
, selecting suitable audio- visual aids and developing a suitable rapport with the
audience through body language have been discussed in the lesson.
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8.7 Glossary
Oral or verbal presentation A presentation made by the speaker using
audio-visual aids
Body language Gestures made by the body parts which make a
specific impact on the audience
Voice modulation Using the highs and lows of voice, pauses and
emphasis on particular spoken word to connect with the audience
Developing a rapport Knowing the audience and connecting with
them to make the presentation more effective
8.8 Answers to check your progress/Self Assessment
Questions
1. Give an assessment of audio-visual aids you can use for making presentations more
effective.
Or
2. You have just joined a company which is involved and training and development
activities for the corporate sector. Your boss asks you to put up a list of literature and
training aids required. How will you do that? Discuss the approach in detail.
Answer:
1.
Many types of aids are available to support any presentation. How ever, you have to
select the one which suits your needs the best. Here are some of them:
LCD Projectors It is a compact visual presenter which has many advanced features
It has wide applications as it can display information through your lap top or
computer. The zoom facility makes it convenient to highlight a particular point. Any
type of CD or pen drive can be used. Any video film can be played which can be
shown to the audience.
35 mm slides Portable slides can be used to display any pictures or
written information. Slides add professionalism to a presentation. It is an ideal
equipment for formal training
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Special visual presenters These are used for training purpose. Here, any
complicated wiring or drawings can be displayed in different colours straight from a
book /magazine manual. Zoom facility makes it very useful for understating a
sophisticated circuit etc
White board Different coloured markers can be used to explain a
particular point. It is easy to use and is economical
8.9 References/Suggested Reading
1. Technical Communication by Meenakshi Raman and Sangeeta Sharma, published
by Oxford University Press
2. Effective Technical Communication by M. Ashraf Rizvi, published by Tata Mc
Graw Hill Publishing Company
3.Business Communication by Varinder Kumar and Bodh Raj, published by Kalyani
Publishers, Jalandhar
8.10 Model Questions
1. What is the difference between an oral presentation and a speech?
2 .How can you make presentation more effective? Give examples.
3. What can you do when asked to make an extempore speech? Explain.
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Lesson Plan –Lesson 9
9.0 Objectives
9.1 Introduction
9.2 The importance of GD and the process of GD
9.3 What attributes does the selection penal look for in a candidate during the GD?
9.4 Questions the candidates have in their mind about GD
9.4.1 Should I be the first speaker?
9.4.2. How should I conduct myself in GD?
9.4.3 How should I conduct myself when the discussion becomes very noisy and
directionless where no one listens to no one?
9.4.4 How do I react if some one purposely contradicts my point of view and even
makes personal attacks?
9.4.5 Should I take notes of what is being said by different candidates during GD?
9.4.6 What can I do when the discussion becomes stagnant and every one is stating
similar things in different manner?
9.4.7 How should I go about in GD if I have very little idea about the topic of
discussion?
9.4.8 In GD, what is given more weightage, the content or the presentation?
9.4.9 Should I change my stance during GD or stick to my point of view even though
I know I am wrong?
9.5 Some of the commonly used evaluation parameters for GD and their weightages
9.6 GD topics for practice
9.7 Summary
9.8 Glossary
9.9 Answers to check your progress/Self assessment questions
9.10 References/Suggested reading
9.11 Model questions
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Lesson 9- Effective Group Discussions
9.0 Objectives
After reading this lesson, the student will be able to :
Understand the role of GD in supporting interview
Understand that GD can demonstrate a number of personality traits of a
candidate
Learn how to participate in GDs
9.1 Introduction
Group Discussion (GD) is a part of the recruitment and selection process of any
organization. Candidates, who qualify different type of written examinations, are
required to clear Personal Interview (PI) and GD before they are finally selected. GD
is the last step before selection and is often referred to as „dog eat dog round‟. Many
candidates feel happy and get relaxed once they clear the written entrance test. You
should not forget that getting through PI and GD is much tougher than getting through
the written tests. Though GD is not a must for every type of selection process, still
reputed organizations and institutions use it to make selection as objective as possible.
Like many other tools and techniques, GD has also been borrowed by Service
Selection Board (SSB) of the Armed Forces, Central /State services and
universities/institutions from the British Armed Forces.
9.2 The Importance of GDs and the Process of GD
As has been discussed earlier in the Interview section, PI has large number of
limitations. GD is generally used to know the total personality characteristics of a
group of candidates simultaneously. Certain qualities like leadership, cooperation and
co-ordination etc of an individual can be judged only in a group. How ever, even the
process of GD also provides only a limited time for observation and can thus be
subjective or misleading. The candidates come prepared to demonstrate certain
positive traits of their personality and some of them may be able to hide their
shortcomings by an outwardly manipulated conduct for a short duration of time. The
penal conducting the GD can at best gets some idea of the overall personality of an
individual and unless it is evaluated very carefully, they can go wrong in the selection
of the candidate. A well planned and suitably organized GD needs very detailed
preparation, conduct and administration. In spite of these limitations, it is still used as
a popular tool for selection of candidates
Let us understand how a typical GD is conducted. Generally there are 5-10 candidates
who are invited to discuss a particular issue. This number will, of course depend upon
the number of candidates but also on the fact that it is not possible to objectively
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assess the discussions if the number is more.. The time duration is approximately
between 15-30 minutes. Normally no formal instructions are issued about how the GD
will be conducted and it is left to the candidates to articulate the discussion. The
members of the penal keep observing all the candidates and make their notes
according to the parameters they have set for the selection. Each organization defines
its skills or other parameters which suits them. GD for selection of a prestigious
Management School will be different from the one conducted for selecting a junior
manger in a marketing company.
The topics given for discussion are general in nature and do not need any specific
technical knowledge. The candidates should note that he/she will get one or maximum
two chances to speak and the total time of say not more than 2-3 minutes and that too
not at a stretch. It is in this small period of time that the candidate must leave a lasting
good impression good enough to get selected. The real challenge in GD is to enter in
to the discussion, find time to speak, know when to speak and then how to present
your point of view in a short span of time. The candidate who speaks for the
maximum time may not get selected but some one, who speaks only for a few seconds
only once, may.
9.3 What attributes does the selection penal look for in a
candidate during GD?
For a candidate to prepare for GD, he/she must know what is expected out of him/her.
All organizations definitely look for the following attributes in the candidates:
Good general knowledge and high level of awareness
As mentioned earlier, in GD, the topics given for discussion are of general nature
and do not require specialized technical knowledge. How ever, what ever you
state must be based on some logic and if possible it should be supported with facts
and figures. Since there are no limits, any subject may be given for discussion,
how ever, the likelihood of current issues being thrown is definitely more.
While preparing for general knowledge and awareness aspects, keep the following in
mind:
There are always two sides of the coin.
Some one will speak for the notion and there will be some others who will oppose
it. There is nothing right or wrong about the issues; there are only different points
of view. Some one who can present his/her point of view with logic and some how
support it, will be the winner. This requires large reservoir of knowledge which
can be built over a period of time. Just mugging a few facts and figures cannot
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help you. So, be a consistent reader, record the argument and prepare point of
view to the extent of your conviction. Remember, unless you have the conviction
about an issue your superficial support will be seen through by the members of the
penal, and you will leave a poor impression.
You must support your argument with suitable examples
Suppose the GD topic is “Is freedom a roadblock for development?”, you can
quote excellent examples of certain developing nations whose development has
suffered precisely because the freedom. India is such an example. In developing
economies discipline plays a vital role. Democracies and freedom of anything
without responsibility becomes counter-productive. Amratya Sen‟s book by the
same name is a source of many good examples across the globe.
State facts and figures to support your views.
It is a fact that any one who supports his/her argument with statistics is listened to
very carefully. Such a person is held in high esteem as the facts cannot be denied
by any one. If the GD topic is, “Why is India‟s governance so poor in spite of it
having one of the best governabilty?” The person who quotes figures like the
percentage of people who don‟t get clean drinking water or percentage of the
destitute or number of unemployed youth State wise , you are not likely to be
challenged by others
Analytical Skills
If you want to make a good impression on the penal, you must have a good ability to
analyse the topic of GD and interpret in the correct manner. It is likely that that some
part of the topic has been purposely left vague and ambiguous, to assess whether the
candidates get the ambiguity clarified or not.
Some of the commonly used evaluation parameters for GD and their weightages are
given in Appendix
9.4 Questions the candidates have in their mind about GD
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Most of the candidates have certain doubts in their minds as far as the actual conduct
of GD is concerned. Some of the question the candidates have in their mind and
suitable suggestions are given here:
9.4.1 Should I be the first speaker?
Many candidates have the tendency to speak first fearing that they may not get the
right opportunity to impress the penal later on. No doubt, being the first speaker has
certain advantages, but you should be the first speaker only if you have some original
idea about the topic of GD. Otherwise, it is a good idea to let some one else speak
first. Speaking later does not have any disadvantage as long as you speak sense.
Please remember that speaking first or speaking number of times during the
discussion will not give you any benefit if you are not able to say something sensible
and substantial. In fact, if you let some one speak first and you are third or fourth
speaker, you can get ideas which can be related with the knowledge which you have
and make a very original point. Speaking first or later will also depend upon:
Level of difficulty of the GD topic. Whether you should be the first to speak or
not will also depend on the topic. If the issue is an easy one and you are
confident of handling it well, don‟t miss the opportunity to speak first. So you
should speak later if the subject is tough and you don‟t know much about it.
Behaviour of different candidates in the group. Some times, no one speaks up
after the GD topic has been thrown open. In such a situation, if you can take
an initiative and control the discussion by being the first to speak, it will be
taken as a leadership quality and appreciated. You can give direction to the
way topic is discussed by introducing the topic as you have understood it. The
other speakers after you are likely to toe the line of your thought process,
giving you a clear advantage over others. If you cease the initiative by
introducing the subject with the help of an appropriate quote/ shloka etc, you
will make a great impact. How ever, don‟t forget there will be many others
who also may be adopting the same strategy.
9.4.2 How should I conduct myself in the GD?
Some candidates tend to become aggressive and offensive while giving their
views. They give the impression that they cannot tolerate the views which don‟t
match their own. While being assertive when you have the conviction, being
aggressive will go against you. Be yourself and don‟t try to impress others by
speaking loudly, making unnecessary gestures with your hands, thumping the
table etc. You should appreciate that others may have as much or more knowledge
than you; you should be good listener and what ever point you make should carry
enough weightage. You should not interrupt some when he/she is speaking, but
note the point where you differ. Don‟t speak at any cost just because you have the
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idea and it must be spoken. At the same time you cannot remain a mute spectator,
you must enter the discussion at suitable time. Sometimes the group runs out of
ideas and no body has anything to say; that is the time for you to approach the
topic from an angle which has been missed till then.
9.4.3 How should I conduct myself when the discussion becomes very
noisy and directionless where no one listens to no one?
Such a situation can be converted to your advantage, if you can play the role of a
leader and mediator. Try to bring in some order and discipline by suggesting that the
candidates may speak in rotation, or any one wanting to speak raise his/ her finger and
the other persons respect that. You can even get up and request the person who is
creating maximum commotion by saying, “Excuse me, can you please give a chance
to others also to speak?” But while controlling the situation, you should never become
aggressive yourself. It is likely that the aggressive one‟s soon run out of ideas and
give you chance to have your say. If your efforts don‟t get any result, the best course
open to you is to have patience and don‟t be a part of the commotion yourself.
9.4.4 How do I react if some one purposely contradicts my point of
view and even makes personal attacks?
It does happen that some candidates sensing that some one is taking a lead by making
good points, start purposely contradicting your point of view and may even pass
remarks like, “What do you know about it, you thing to do in such a situation is to
keep your cool and carry on with the point you are convinced about. If you ignore the
person and his/her comments, the person is likely to stop behaving in a nasty manner.
9.4.5 Should I take notes of what is being said by different candidates
during GD?
It is a good idea to carry a small note-pad with you and make notes of key points in
telegraphic language. You should not try to note down everything, otherwise you will
miss important discussion points. Of course, it would be ideal if you can make mental
notes rather than resorting to noting down. The notes can help you in developing
counter-argument or bringing in a new point of view. Making notes also leaves a good
impression of your active involvement in the discussion.
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9.4.6 What can I do when the discussion becomes stagnant and every
one is stating similar things in different manner?
This is a situation where you can prove your original thinking or creativity. There
may be a lull in the discussion and people have nothing new to add. You may like to
summarize the discussion and ask others to think about the practical utility of the
recommendations being made. You can lay emphasis on the fact that any proposal is
useful only if it is doable. For example if the GD topic is, “Should the politicians
retire at the age of 65?”. You may come out with a new angle that let maximum of 10
percent politicians retire at 75, if their performance and contribution, as evaluated by
the Speaker of Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha and the Speakers of the State legislature is
considered outstanding.
9.4.7 How should I go about in GD if I have very little idea about the
topic of discussion?
In this kind of situation the best thing is to wait and listen to the discussion very
keenly before speaking. Plan to restructure the discussion in an intelligent manner and
put across your point in a logical order, even though you have no original point to
make. Every issue can be looked from different angles, depending upon your
qualifications and experience in a particular field. If you are from the Political Science
stream, you can always reshape the discussion from your angle. Also, take notes so
that the penal can see your interest in the discussion.
9.4.8 In GD, what is given more weightage, the content or the
presentation?
Both are important; if your content is of poor quality any amount of stylish
presentation will not make any impact and on the other hand if you have brilliant idea
but you can‟t put it across in a suitable manner, the result will be disastrous.
9.4.9 Should I change my stance during GD or stick to my point of
view even though I know I am wrong?
It is alright to change your stance if you are convinced that your initial argument was
wrong. You can always say, “When we started the discussion I was of this view, how
ever during discussion certain new facts have come to light and I would like to go
with them”
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9.5 Some of the commonly used evaluation parameters for
GD and their weightages
Some parameters and their weightages are given below:
Parameter/Factor Weightage (100)
1. Logic and strength of argument 40
Point not put forward by others 10
Developing an already discussed point 5
Repeating the existing point by rephrasing it 5
Explaining the rationale of putting across a point 5
Providing suitable examples to support the point 5
Initiative by the candidate 5
Team work 5
2. Body Language 20
The way the candidate sits 5
Eye contact when answering questions 5
Listening approach 5
Movement of hands and other parts of body 5
3. Assertiveness 20
4. Communication Skills 20
Fluency and command over language 10
Clarity, loudness and modulation of voice 10
9.6 GD Topics for practice
Some GD topics have been provided here along with „For‟ and „Against‟ arguments.
1. Fixed tenure for bureaucrats
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For:
For the sake of continuity in development and other works
Political bosses cannot play around with bureaucrats at their whims and
fancies
Against:
Can make them complacent
May breed inefficiency
May undermine political authority
2. Soft skills training for police
For:
Police is conceived as anti-people lacking empathy
People educated , have their own aspirations
Police must develop people-skills
Against:
Number of police personnel per thousand is far less
They are under paid
Not motivated due to the type of jobs they are required to do
Interference/patronage from politicians responsible for lack of empathy
3.Education can get rid of mediocrity
For:
We are in knowledge era and India has to find its rightful place in
the world
In twenty first century, the illiterates are not those who cannot read
and write but the ones who cannot learn, unlearn and re-learn
Mediocrity is a way of life
“A man must be what a man can be”
Against:
It is an attitude in a particular operating environment
System of education itself produces mediocre
4. For good governance , corruption must be eradicated
For:
Corruption is in the bone-marrow of an average Indian
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Fundamentals of good governance assume that laid down rules,
regulations and procedures are made applicable to all equally
Politician, bureaucrat and business man are mainly responsible for
corruption
Against:
Good governance depends on the integrity of individual
Professionals should be honest
All must perform their responsibilities to the best of their ability
5 .One can get anything done with a pleasing personality
For:
The word „Personality‟ must be understood correctly
Good looks and a pleasing disposition has major impact on others
Against:
Professional skills cannot be replaced with good looks and expansive
clothes
For sustainable achievements overall pleasing personality must be
supported with knowledge, skills and wisdom
The candidates are advised to write For and Against arguments as given above so that
they can develop them in actual Group Discussion
The need to bring about changes in RTI Act
Poor governance in spite of one of the best „governability‟ systems in
India
Feudal system of addressing the High Court and Supreme Court judges as
“Lordship” or “Sir” should change
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Strategies of battle can be applied to business as well
India‟s industrial growth is on the right course
India‟s manufacturing sector is facing its darkest hour
9.6 Summary
Group discussions are used to support the Personal Interviews and are considered very
important aid in understanding certain important traits of the personality of a
candidate.
Participation in GD requires certain special preparations; the most important being the
knowledge of the topic and the verbal communication skills.
In the lesson above, it has been brought out how to become an effective participant in
G Ds. Weightages for various traits have been provided as an appendix. Many topics
for practice have also been provided. In some topics the argument For and Against
has been given to help the reader.
9.7 Glossary
Group Discussion It is a systematic and purposeful interactive
oral process to determine the suitability of a person for performing a particular task
Non-verbal clues Non-verbal clues like eye contact, body
movements, facial expressions gestures can speak much more than what is said by
speaking
Articulation Articulation and quality of voice play very
important role in oral communication
9.8 Answers to check your progress/Self Assessment
Questions
Prepare the argument For and Against for the following topics:
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1 .Can Information and Communication Technology (ICT) replace class rooms?
2. Do we need the kind of judicial activism the judiciary is now pursuing?
3. India should stop all communication with Pakistan
4. China poses bigger danger than Pakistan
5 .Right to Education (RTE) Act has failed
Answers:
1.
For:
We have moved far ahead of the chalk and talk system of teaching of yester
years
Technology has made learning simple for “any one any where”
Class rooms in colleges and universities may become a thing of the past in
another 10 years in developed countries. India cannot remain untouched by
such developments across the globe.
Against:
Learners are not machines without emotions
Personal contact lets the teacher and taught share their views, thoughts
and ideas in the best possible manner.
As long as people continue learning, class rooms can never be replaced
2.
For:
In our type of democracy, the Legislature, the Executive and the
Judiciary are not permitted to perform their well-defined roles.
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When the society gets degenerated to a level that democratic
systems can no longer correct the wrong, judiciary must step in to
save a nation.
To day , common man has hope only from judiciary which is
perceived by him as non-corrupt
Against:
Activism to the extent of overzealousness can undermine
the role of the Executive
People may lose faith in democracy
3.
For:
Pakistan has been trying since its inception to bleed India
though state sponsored terrorism
Pakistan is a failed garrison state
All leaders of Pakistan spread venom and hatred against
India in the name of Jihad
Against:
All problems of the world arise from no communication
or bad communication
No problem can ever be solved without dialogue as
understanding each other point of view is a
continuous process
In the interest of lasting peace between the two
neighbours, communication must go on.
4
For:
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China‟s aspirations as a world power pushes it to become
Asia‟s biggest power
China‟s history
Against:
Pakistan‟s very existence depends upon hating India
Pakistan wants to take revenge of Bangladesh
Pakistan is certain that it will be supported by all Muslim
countries in case of any conflict with India
India‟s proximity with Afghanistan does not suit Pakistan
5.
For:
The Act has failed to ensure free and compulsory
education for all children between the age of 6 and
14
The provision of the Act are ambitious, how ever ,
the implementation strategies lack political will
Against:
The Act is a good step forward
Every new idea takes time to give the
desired results
There is a need to co-ordinate the activities
between the Centre and the States
9.9 References / Suggested Reading
1. Winning at Interviews and Group Discussions by Col D S Cheema, Abhishek
Publications, Chandigarh
2. Technical Communication by Meenakshi Raman and Sangeeta Sharma, published
by Oxford University Press
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3. Business Communication by Varinder Kumar and Bodh Raj, published by Kalyani
Publishers, Jalandhar
9.10 Model Questions
1. What is the importance of GD in Personal Interview?
Explain with examples.
2. What personality trait can be demonstrated through GD?
3. What should you keep in mind while appearing for GD?
4. You have the aptitude for picking up various languages. How will you use these to
your advantage while preparing the resume?
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Lesson Plan-Lesson 10
10.0 Objectives
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Extempore speeches
10.3 Extempore speeches as apart of selection process
10.4 Planning an extempore speech in a few minutes that one gets
10.5 Never forget the importance of fundamentals of public speaking
10.6 Tips to become an effective extempore speaker
10.7 Summary
10.8 Glossary
10.9 Answers to check your progress/Self assessment questions
10.10 References/Suggested reading
10.11 Model questions
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Lesson 10 The Art of Extempore Speaking
10.0 Objectives
After reading this lesson, student will be able to :
Understand the importance of extempore speaking
Learn how an extempore speech can be prepared
Understand how one can deliver an extempore speech
10.1 Introduction
Speech is what is spoken; a language; the power of speaking; manner of
speaking; a continuous spoken utterance etc. It is largly through speech that
people communicate. A leader or manager has to make a speech on many
occasions. Have you observed how the politicians influence the people? They are
able to motivate their audience and make them do what they want them to do.
They influence the feelings , emotions and thinking process of the audience with
the power of their speech. Through speaking only , a manger, a leader or any one
in any position of authority can get the things done the way they want. It is
unfortunate that most of the people in authority are poor speakers . They find it
difficult to say. “Thank you” on stage in front of many people. Speech-making
skills have to be acquired. Fortunately , there are many institutions which help
people to acquire this ability. Since it is one of the very important area of learning
for any one who wants to occupy a position of authority, it should be acquired at
as early a stage in one‟s career as possible.
10.2 Extempore speeches
The word ,”extempore” was generally used in the context of theatre
performances. Any performance carried out without preparation was called
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„extempore‟ or impromptu. Later on it stated getting used for any speech made
without preparation. On many occasions, a person may be asked to speak to a
large gathering without any notice or warning. That means , one does not get any
time to prepare the speech Formal speeches need a lot of preparation , it involves
research by the speaker keeping the background of the audience in mind. Many a
times, the speech for the seniors is prepared by their juniors, who may be
specially trained in writing speeches. The senior is given the written speech and
he or she goes through the contents before making the speech. Speeches may be
made for welcome or send –off of important dignitaries, or on special occasions
like inauguration etc. It must be understood by the mangers that it is a necessity
for their growth and they must prepare themselves to make formal or informal ie
extempore speeches.
Extempore speech means a stage performance without any type of preparation.
You may be called upon , all of a sudden to speak about some topic and you have
no time to prepare or organize your thoughts. Extempore is also related with
poetry discussions by generally it is understood in relation with speaking only.
Those of us who have had the opportunity and experience of public speaking,
understand that it give creeps to any one. When you are required to walk up to the
stage and the hall is full of people, your confidence is likely to shake.
10.3 Extempore speeches as part of selection process
Many organizations use extempore speeches for testing a candidate‟s ability for a
particular type of employment. The candidates may be given the subject and may
be expected to start speaking immediately as soon as the topic is announced. I
certain other cases, the candidate may be given a minute or so to organize his/her
thoughts before speaking. In any case, the idea is to test certain capabilities and
personality traits of the candidate and match them with the job specifications.
For doing well in such tests, the following tips will be helpful:
Use the few seconds of time that is taken by the speaker to announce the
subject to your advantage. As the person who is testing your ability starts
speaking, you should think and organize yourself immediately.
While thinking instantly, think logically
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You should be able to generate ideas off the feet
Carry out an analysis of the main theme of the topic given to you and use
that for speaking. Don‟t include the frivolous things.
Remember, your communication skills are also being tested when you
are speaking. So speak fluently with pauses and modulation of voice.
Don‟t start speaking too fast the moment topic is announced , take a few
seconds. During those few seconds , there should be a smile on you face
and you should appear confident.
Be careful of your body language , gestures and manners etc as they
speak a lot about your personality
10.4 Planning an extempore speech in a few minutes that
one gets
It must be understood that proper planning like a formal presentation is not
possible as you hardly get any time. How ever, whatever time one gets , one
should put one‟s thoughts together . It should be possible to plan a „Beginning‟,
„Middle‟ and „Conclusion‟ during a couple of minutes available and if possible
one should be able to list them on a small piece of paper
10.5 Never forget the importance of fundamentals of
public speaking
You must keep in mind the basics of good speech whether prepared or
extempore. These are:
Audience awareness
Any good speaker must know who is he talking to. If you don‟t know your audience
you will never be able to create the necessary rapport to leave a positive impact on the
audience. If you can get the details of their age, sex, educational background etc from
the organizers , good enough but if it is not available , you should be able to quickly
gage or measure up your audience. A lot of commonsense is required to judge the
audience and develop a suitable relationship with them. You should speak directly to
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them in the language they understand. In this context, it is relevant to mention
speakers like Lalu Yadav who develop instant rapport with their audience. You must
ensure from time to time that every one in the audience is able to listen to you loud
and clear
Body language
Your body language should be that of a confident person. The gestures and manners
while you are speaking, speak volumes about your personality and self-confidence.
In this context, the eye contact is of utmost importance. When you look in to the eyes
of the audience , you get an instant feedback of the impact of your speech. Also it
helps in understanding and developing a positive rapport with the audience. So try and
look in to the eyes of as many people as possible without staring at them and making
them uncomfortable.
Spoken delivery
How you speak, give pauses and modulate your voice as required by the
words of speech, are very important. Speaking continuously without any
modulation of voice becomes boring and the audience loses interest in the
speaker.
Avoid reference to any controversial issues.
Certain topics like religion and women are best to be left out of your speech.
Many people are allergic to such issues and you should avoid getting in to
any controversy
10.6 Tips to be an effective extempore speaker
The following tips will help you in becoming an extempore speaker:
Have confidence within
This is perhaps the most important personality trait any public speaker mut have.
The key to public speaking is the confidence. Confidence is more within than out
side. You must walk to the podium demonstrating confidence in the way you
walk , and then on reaching the stage, the way you look at the audience
confidently, hold the mike , keep your head slightly high and wish the audience
according to the time of the day.
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Opening and closing statements are very important
You must remember that the first half a minute is the most important. While
starting the speech, it is a good idea to make a famous statement or mention an
appropriate quotation to draw the attention of the audience. Similarly, when you
are winding up the speech, you should make some comment /statement/quote
which once again draws the attention of every one present and also demonstrates
your confidence in your self.
Ensure use of appropriate body language
When you use hand gestures while speaking and emphasizing a point you are
making , it makes positive impact on the listeners. Your body language should be
that you are not shaky.
Do not try to memorize anything
Speak from your knowledge and experience; do not try to memorise anything. If
you forget what you have mugged up , it makes a very poor impression on the
audience. Limit your speech to your knowledge.
Use of humour
A boring extempore speech makes people sleep . It is a good idea to use wit and
humour at appropriate places to make the speech interesting. Remember, humour
or wit cannot take the place of the „meat‟ of your speech but it can definitely help
to leave a good impression on the audience. The value of humour in creating a
positive relationship or a rapport with the audience cannot be over emphasized.
Perhaps a suitable joke in between the speech will do the trick.
Practice is the key to get rid of the fear of extempore speech
It is rightly said that practice makes a man perfect. You should practice speaking
on different subjects of your interest.
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10.7 Summary
It is well known that persons less qualified and with lower level of competence,
do far better than certain others who possess excellent verbal communication
skills. The importance of verbal communication cannot be overemphasized. You
may know lesser details of a particular subject or issue but if you are able to
deliver them in a lucid manner, the audience is likely to be more impressed than a
far better content which is not delivered properly. That is why it is of utmost
importance that all professional s learn the art of oral communication.
Making good presentations is an essential part of the corporate world. It is here
that many careers are made or spoiled. It is important that every student as well as
every professional in any field understands the art of presentations. In this lesson
you have learnt this art , now you should practice it develop suitable expertise.
The importance of extempore speaking in business cannot be overemphasized.
There are many an occasion when a manger or an entrepreneur is required to
explain some thing without any notice or time to prepare. Within a minute or so
one has to put one‟s thoughts together in a logical order and make a speech. It is
very important for a manger to learn the art of public speaking without ant
preparation.
10.8 Glossary
Extempore speech It means speaking on any issue without
any type of preparation
Posture How you stand and conduct yourself
while making a presentation
Voice modulation Giving pauses and raising or lowering
of the pitch of speech to make oral presentation more effective
Visual aids All such aids which help in displaying and
explaining the salient features of an oral presentation
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10.9 Answers to check your progress/Self Assessment
Questions
1. Why are extempore speeches important for a manger?
2. What are the important factors you will keep in mind while delivering an
extempore speech?
Answers
1. There are many situations in business which call for immediate decision-making.
Senior authorities may not have time to get every possible information that is required
for taking a decision. You as a manger may be called upon to explain/brief or speak
on an issue without any notice.
It is important that all mangers develop the ability to grasp and analyse any topic
related with their responsibility to be able to speak extempore or impromptu. This
requires a deep understanding of you job, vertical and horizontal relationship. Your
working relationship should be such that you are made aware of everything happening
in your area of responsibility by your juniors. This can only happen if your juniors
have faith and confidence in you as a manager.
You as a manager may also be called upon, without any notice, to deliver a welcome/
send off speech for a delegation visiting your organization. You must have the ability
to speak to an audience with confidence . Of course, the „meat‟ in the speech remains
very important in all situations.
2. I will keep the following in mind before delivering an extempore speech:
The type of audience I am required to speak to. I will try and get as much
information about the audience as is possible. In an organisition setting, I
would know the background of the people whom I am going to address unless
the audience is from outside the organization.
I will keep my head high and maintain eye contact to develop a good rapport
with the audience.
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I will organise my facts and figures apt and appropriate and in sequential
order so that there is a smooth flow of the speech.
I will not divert from the main theme.
I will keep the mic at appropriate distance.
I will modulate my voice in amanner that it leaves good impact.
I wll keep the speech within the prescribed limit for which I will ensure
proper time management.
I will try to put in a related quote if I can think of one.
If possible, I wiil practice my speech for a minute or so.
10.10 References / Suggested Reading
1. Business Communication, by Homai Pradhan, D S Bhende and Vijaya Thakur,
Himalya Publishing House
2. Technical Communication by Meenakshi Raman and Sangeeta Sharma, published
by Oxford University Press
3. Business Communication by Varinder Kumar and Bodh Raj, published by Kalyani
Publishers, Jalandhar
10.11 Model Questions
1. You are the HR Manager of Limited Company. You have just arrived in your office
when you are called up by MD, who wants you to report to him and brief him on the
new HR Policy. Your promotion is due and you want to make a good impression on
the MD. How will you go about it?
2. You have the aptitude for picking up various languages. How will you use these to
your advantage while delivering an extempore speech?
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