Excellence in Business Communication, 12th Edition Class Notes

Name: Excellence in Business Communication, 12th Edition Class Notes
Brand: Academic Documents Platform
Price: 12.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Author: Alexander Wilson

Master key topics with Excellence in Business Communication, 12th Edition Class Notes, your perfect class companion.

Alexander Wilson

Contributor

4.3

4 months ago

Preview (31 of 453)

CONTENTS
Preface ................................................................................................................................... iii
Customer Service ................................................................................................................................ iv
Changes and Improvements in the 12th Edition..................................................................................... 1
Online Communities and Resources for Business Communication Instructors...................................... 6
An Unsurpassed Instructional Resource Package ................................................................................. 9
General Teaching Guides..................................................................................................................... 12
Course Planning Guide.................................................................................................................. 13
Introducing the Course to Students.......................................................................................... 14
Conducting the Class .............................................................................................................. 15
Grading and Evaluating Students ............................................................................................ 17
Cooperative Learning Guide for Groups and Small Teams............................................................. 19
Working with Cooperative Learning Groups ........................................................................... 19
Working in Dyads................................................................................................................... 20
Working with the Jigsaw Process ............................................................................................ 20
Collaborative Writing Guide ......................................................................................................... 22
Preparing Students for Collaborative Writing .......................................................................... 22
Assigning Short-Term Projects................................................................................................ 24
Undertaking a Long-Term Project ........................................................................................... 26
Evaluating Collaborative Projects............................................................................................ 31
Service Learning Guide 1: Use Service Learning to Add Real-World Writing
Experience to Your Course ..................................................................................................... 35
What Is Service Learning? ................................................................................................ 35
Example Project: Grant Research and Writing Assistance ................................................. 35
How to Incorporate Service Learning Into Your Course .................................................... 35
Service Learning Guide 2: Real Clients, Real Management, Real Failure:
The Risks and Rewards of Service Learning .............................................................................. 37
Diagnostic Tests of English Skills ................................................................................................. 40
Answers.................................................................................................................................. 40
English Skills Test A .............................................................................................................. 41
English Skills Test B............................................................................................................... 44
More Practice in Grammar Mechanics, and Usage......................................................................... 47
Chapter Guides (non-sequential, chapter-specific paging)
Part 1: Understanding the Foundations of Business Communication
Chapter 1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World
Chapter 2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette
Chapter 3: Communication Challenges in a Diverse, Global Marketplace
Part 2: Applying the Three-Step Writing Process
Chapter 4: Planning Business Messages
Chapter 5: Writing Business Messages
Chapter 6: Completing Business Messages
Part 3: Crafting Brief Messages
Chapter 7: Crafting Messages for Digital Channels
Chapter 8: Writing Routine and Positive Messages

ii
Chapter 9: Writing Negative Messages
Chapter 10: Writing Persuasive Messages
Part 4: Preparing Reports and Presentations
Chapter 11: Planning Reports and Proposals
Chapter 12: Writing Reports and Proposals
Chapter 13: Completing Reports and Proposals
Chapter 14: Developing and Delivering Business Presentations
Part 5: Writing Employment Messages and Interviewing for Jobs
Chapter 15: Building Careers and Writing Résumés
Chapter 16: Applying and Interviewing for Employment
Appendix A: Format and Layout of Business Documents
Appendix B: Documentation of Report Sources
Appendix C: Correction Symbols

iii
PREFACE
Successful business communicators spend years on the job before they learn to consistently prepare
effective messages. Obviously, you cannot give students that much practice in one school term. But the
more practice you can give them, the closer they will be to achieving success on the job.
To help you tailor a course to the needs of your students, we have designed a comprehensive package of
learning materials. We hope that you take advantage of the complete package. Together, the elements
provide a rich and varied learning experience.
This manual is divided into five parts:
 Changes and Improvements in the 12th Edition lists the major changes in this edition, followed
by specific changes within each chapter.
 Online Communities and Resources for Business Communication Instructors itemizes the
many online resources the authors have created for adopters of Excellence in Business
Communication. We invite you to join one or more of the online communities and interact with
your peers.
 An Unsurpassed Instructional Resource Package acquaints you with the elements available in
our comprehensive package of learning materials.
 The General Teaching Guides provide tools and advice for conducting a course in business
communication.
 The Chapter Guides provide information to supplement the chapters in the textbook, including
comprehensive lecture notes and suggested solutions to student questions and activities.
We wish to thank George Dovel for his efforts in the preparation of this manual.

1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1-1
Chapter Guides
This section provides information about the chapters in the textbook and suggested solutions and answers
for the activities. Each Chapter Guide includes the following items:
 Chapter overview
 Chapter outline
 Lecture notes organized by Learning Objective, with class discussion questions in
selected sections
 Answers to highlight box questions
 Answers to Apply Your Knowledge questions
 Answers to Practice Your Skills activities
 Solutions to cases (complete example solutions for short-message cases; solution
guidelines for long-message cases)
Part 1: Understanding the Foundations of Business Communication
The first three chapters give students a general understanding of why good communication skills are
important in business, how today’s communication is enhanced through technology (particularly the
revolutions in social media and mobile communication), why effective interpersonal communication can
be difficult, how communication is used in teams, and how it can overcome intercultural barriers. As you
present this material, try to stimulate students to personalize basic concepts. Encourage them to think
about their own careers and the communication skills they’ll need to be successful. Ask members of the
class who have work experience to comment on the communication requirements and challenges they
have encountered.
Chapter 1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World
Chapter 1 emphasizes the importance of effective communication, explains what it means to
communicate in a professional context, describes the communication process model and the ways social
media are changing the nature of business communication, outlines the effects of the mobile revolution,
advises students on how to use communication technology effectively, and offers guidance for making
ethical choices as a business communicator.

1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1-2
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Understanding Why Communication Matters
Communication Is Important to Your Career
Communication Is Important to Your Company
What Makes Business Communication Effective?
Communicating as a Professional
Understanding What Employers Expect from You
Communicating in an Organizational Context
Adopting an Audience-Centered Approach
Exploring the Communication Process
The Basic Communication Model
Barriers in the Communication Environment
Inside the Mind of Your Audience
How Audiences Receive Messages
How Audiences Decode Messages
How Audiences Respond to Messages
The Social Communication Model
The Mobile Revolution
The Rise of Mobile as a Communication Platform
How Mobile Technologies Are Changing Business Communication
Using Technology to Improve Business Communication
Keeping Technology in Perspective
Guarding Against Information Overload
Using Technological Tools Productively
Reconnecting with People
Committing to Ethical and Legal Communication
Distinguishing Ethical Dilemmas from Ethical Lapses
Ensuring Ethical Communication
Ensuring Legal Communication
Applying What You’ve Learned
Learning Catalytics is a “bring your own device” student engagement, assessment, and classroom
intelligence system. It allows instructors to engage students in class with real-time diagnostics. Students
can use any modern, web-enabled device (smartphone, tablet, or laptop) to access it. For more
information on using Learning Catalytics in your course, contact your Pearson Representative.

Loading page 6...

1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1-3
LECTURE NOTES
Section 1: Understanding Why Communication Matters
Learning Objective 1: Explain the importance of effective communication to your career and to the
companies where you will work.
Communication is the process of transferring information and meaning between senders and receivers,
using one or more written, oral, visual, or electronic media.
The essence of communication is sharing—data, information, insights, and inspiration.
Communication Is Important to Your Career
Improving your communication skills may be the single most important step you can take in your
career.
Even great ideas won’t go anywhere without great communication.
As you take on leadership and management roles, communication becomes even more important.
If you learn to write well, speak well, listen well, and recognize the most appropriate way to
communicate in any situation, you’ll gain a major advantage that will serve you throughout your
career.
Communication Is Important to Your Company
Effective communication helps businesses in numerous ways:
 Closer ties with important communities in the marketplace
 Opportunities to influence conversations, perceptions, and trends
 Increased productivity and faster problem solving
 Better financial results and higher return for investors
 Earlier warning of potential problems
 Stronger decision making
 More persuasive marketing messages
 Greater employee engagement
What Makes Business Communication Effective?
Stakeholders are groups affected in some way by the company’s actions: customers, employees,
shareholders, suppliers, neighbors, the community, the nation, and the world.
When communication breaks down, the results can range from time wasting to tragic.
To make your communication efforts as effective as possible, focus on making them practical,
factual, concise, clear, and persuasive.

Loading page 7...

1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1-4
Section 2: Communicating as a Professional
Learning Objective 2: Explain what it means to communicate as a professional in a business context.
If you don’t have a lot of work experience yet, meeting the expectations of a professional environment
might require some adjustment.
Professionalism is the quality of performing at a high level and conducting oneself with purpose and
pride.
Professionalism can be broken down into six distinct traits:
 Striving to excel
 Being dependable and accountable
 Being a team player
 Demonstrating a sense of etiquette
 Making ethical decisions
 Maintaining a positive outlook
Understanding What Employers Expect from You
Today’s employers expect you to be competent at a wide range of communication tasks:
 Organizing ideas and information logically and completely
 Expressing ideas and information coherently and persuasively
 Actively listening to others
 Communicating effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences
 Using communication technologies effectively and efficiently
 Following accepted standards of grammar, spelling, and usage
 Communicating in a civilized manner
 Communicating ethically, even when choices aren’t crystal clear
 Managing your time wisely and using resources efficiently
 Using critical thinking, evaluating evidence completely and objectively in order to form
logical conclusions and make sound recommendations
Communicating in an Organizational Context
In the formal communication network, ideas and information flow along the lines of command in
three directions; downward, upward and horizontally.
In the informal communication network, often referred to as the grapevine or the rumor mill,
communication occurs outside the formal network; social media now play a huge role.

Loading page 8...

1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1-5
Adopting an Audience-Centered Approach
An audience-centered approach involves understanding and respecting the members of your audience
and making every effort to get your message across in a way that is meaningful to them.
Also known as adopting the “you” attitude, in contrast to messages that are about “me” (the sender).
Etiquette encompasses the expected norms of behavior in any particular situation.
Section 3: Exploring the Communication Process
Learning Objective 3: Describe the communication process model and the ways social media are
changing the nature of business communication.
Even well-intentioned communication efforts can fail.
By understanding communication as a process with distinct steps, you can improve the odds that your
messages will reach their intended audiences and produce their intended effects.
The Basic Communication Model
By viewing communication as a process, you can identify and improve the skills you need to be more
successful:
 The sender has an idea.
 The sender encodes the idea as a message.
 The sender produces the message in a medium.
 The sender transmits the message through a channel.
 The audience receives the message.
 The audience decodes the message.
 The audience responds to the message.
 The audience provides feedback.
Considering the complexity of this process, it should come as no surprise that communication efforts
often fail to achieve the sender’s objective.
Barriers in the Communication Environment
Messages can be disrupted by a variety of communication barriers:
 Noise and distractions, including multitasking
 Competing messages
 Filters, both human and technological
 Channel breakdowns

Loading page 9...

1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1-6
Class discussion question: Think back to a time you experienced a communication breakdown in a
personal or social setting (something you’re comfortable discussing with the class). Did you figure
out why the breakdown occurred? Was it related to cultural differences, emotional factors,
technology, or some other identifiable cause? How might you avoid similar breakdowns in the
workplace?
Everyone in an organization can help minimize barriers and distractions.
Take steps to insulate yourself from distractions, including disconnecting from constant message
feeds and updates.
Inside the Mind of Your Audience
For an audience member to receive a message, the receiver has to:
 Sense the presence of a message.
 Select it from all the other messages clamoring for attention.
 Perceive it as an actual message.
Five habits to increase the chances that your messages will be sensed, selected, and perceived:
 Consider audience expectations.
 Ensure ease of use.
 Emphasize familiarity.
 Practice empathy.
 Design for compatibility.
A received message doesn’t mean anything until the recipient decodes it and assigns meaning to it.
There is no guarantee that the receiver will assign the same meaning that the sender intended.
Audiences tend to extract the meaning they expect to get from a message.
Culture plays a huge role in how messages are decoded.
Individual beliefs and biases influence the meaning that audiences extract from messages.
Selective perception occurs when people distort threatening or confusing information to make it fit
their perceptions of reality.
Differences in language and usage influence received meaning.
Individual thinking styles affect message decoding.

Loading page 10...

1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1-7
Audience members will respond in the way you’d like them to if:
 They remember the message long enough to act on it.
 They are able to respond as you wish.
 They are motivated to respond.
The Social Communication Model
The basic communication model shows how a single idea moves from one sender to one receiver.
In a larger sense, it also helps represent the traditional nature of much business communication, which
was primarily defined by a publishing or broadcasting mindset.
In contrast to the publishing mindset, this new social communication model is interactive and
conversational.
Customers and other groups are now empowered through social media, which transform passive
audiences into active participants in the communication process by allowing them to share content,
revise content, respond to content, or contribute new content.
The social communication model changes business communication in profound ways:
 Customers and other stakeholders participate in, influence, and often take control of
conversations in the marketplace.
 They rely on each other for information about products, offer technical support, and even
participate in group buying using social tools.
 Social media tools can increase the speed of communication, lower communication costs,
improve access to pockets of expertise, and boost employee satisfaction.
A hybrid approach is emerging in which some communications follow the traditional approach and
others follow the social approach.
Class discussion question: Is it ethical for social media users to “gang up” on a company after a
single customer complains about poor service or a faulty product? What if the company made a rare
mistake, but the social media uproar creates the impression that the company routinely disappoints
customers?
Section 4: The Mobile Revolution
Learning Objective 4: Outline the challenges and opportunities of mobile communication in business.
Some experts predict that mobile communication will change the nature of business and business
communication even more than social media have.
Firms on the leading edge of the mobile revolution are working to integrate mobile technology throughout
their organizations.

Loading page 11...

1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1-8
The Rise of Mobile as a Communication Platform
Mobile is now the primary Internet-access technology for millions of people.
Mobile has become the primary communication tool for many business professionals, including a
majority of executives under age 40.
Continuous, intimate mobile connectivity can start to resemble a continuous stream of conversations
that never quite end, which influences the way businesses need to interact with their stakeholders.
Companies that work to understand and embrace mobile, both internally and externally, stand the best
chance of capitalizing on this monumental shift in the way people communicate.
How Mobile Technologies Are Changing Business Communication
Mobile necessitates some obvious changes in communication practices, such as the need to deal with
smaller screens and different input methods.
Many users expect websites to be mobile friendly, so many companies are adopting a mobile-first
approach, in which they design to fit the needs of mobile users. This typically involves simplifying
screen designs and changing navigation controls to accommodate touch-based swiping maneuvers.
Other changes brought about by mobile are often deeper and sometimes more subtle:
 Mobile users expect to have immediate access to information and the ability to stay
connected to their various social and business networks.
 Constant or radical connectivity is a mixed blessing, as it can prevent people from
healthy disengagement from work.
 Mobile users are often multitasking, which means they are distracted and therefore
getting through to them is more challenging.
 Mobile communication has put pressure on traditional standards of grammar,
punctuation, and writing in general.
 Mobile devices can serve as sensory and cognitive extensions.
 Mobile devices create a host of security and privacy concerns; e.g., employees who want
to use their personal devices for business-network access.
 Mobile tools can enhance productivity and collaboration.
 Mobile apps can assist in a wide variety of business tasks.
 Mobile connectivity can accelerate decision making and problem solving.
 With mobile capabilities such as cameras, accelerometers, and GPS, the communication
experience can be made more engaging.

Loading page 12...

1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1-9
Section 5: Using Technology to Improve Business Communication
Learning Objective 5: List four general guidelines for using communication technology effectively.
Today’s businesses rely heavily on technology to facilitate the communication process.
To use communication technology effectively, you need to:
 Keep technology in perspective.
 Guard against information overload and information addiction.
 Use technological tools productively.
 Disengage from the computer frequently to communicate in person.
Keeping Technology in Perspective
Remember that technology is simply a tool, a means by which you can accomplish certain tasks.
Technology is an aid to interpersonal communication, not a replacement for it.
Technology has business value only if it helps deliver the right information to the right people at the
right time.
Guarding Against Information Overload
The overuse or misuse of communication technology can lead to information overload, in which
people receive more information than they can effectively process.
Information overload makes it difficult to discriminate between useful and useless information,
lowers productivity, and amplifies employee stress both on the job and at home.
As a recipient, use the filtering features of your communication systems to isolate high-priority
messages that deserve your attention; be wary of subscribing to too many feeds; focus on the
information you truly need to do your job.
As a sender, reduce information overload by making sure you don’t send unnecessary messages;
indicate the priority of messages to help receivers know how to react to them.
Using Technological Tools Productively
In the “information technology paradox,” information tools can waste as much time as they save.
Inappropriate web use not only distracts employees from work responsibilities but can also leave
employers open to lawsuits.
Social media can expose confidential information or damage a firm’s reputation in the marketplace.
Employers need clear policies that are enforced evenly for all employees.

Loading page 13...

1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1-10
Knowing how to use tools efficiently can make a big difference in your productivity.
Managers need to guide and train their employees in productive use of information tools.
Reconnecting with People
Even the best technologies cannot truly match the rich experience of person-to-person contact.
Reconnect in person, or at least over the phone, from time to time in order to maintain positive
working relationships.
Section 6: Committing to Ethical and Legal Communication
Learning Objective 6: Define ethics, explain the difference between an ethical dilemma and an ethical
lapse, and list six guidelines for making ethical communication choices.
Ethics are the principles of conduct that govern behavior within a society.
Ethical communication:
 Includes all relevant information
 Is true in every sense
 Is not deceptive in any way
Examples of unethical communication include:
 Plagiarism
 Omitting essential information
 Selective misquoting
 Misrepresenting numbers
 Distorting visuals
 Failing to respect privacy or information security needs
The widespread adoption of social media has increased the attention given to the issue of
transparency.
Class discussion question: Have you ever contributed to “social media outrage” (using your social
media accounts to boost the anger about a contemporary issue by forwarding it, liking it, etc.) without
stopping to think who might’ve originated the message or what the originator’s motives might’ve
been?

Loading page 14...

1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1-11
Distinguishing Ethical Dilemmas from Ethical Lapses
An ethical dilemma involves making a choice when the alternatives aren’t completely wrong or
completely right:
 Two conflicting alternatives that are both ethical and valid
 Two alternatives that lie somewhere in the vast gray area between right and wrong
An ethical lapse is a clearly unethical choice.
Ensuring Ethical Communication
To ensure ethical communication, three elements need to be in place and work in harmony:
 Ethical individuals
 Ethical company leadership
 The appropriate policies and structures to support employees’ efforts to make ethical choices
A code of ethics is an explicit written policy of ethics guidelines that helps employees determine what
is acceptable.
Ethics audits monitor ethical progress and point out any weaknesses that need to be addressed.
Every employee has the responsibility to communicate in an ethical manner.
In the absence of clear guidelines, ask yourself the following questions about your business
communication efforts:
 Have I defined the situation fairly and accurately?
 What is my intention in communicating this message?
 What impact will the message have on those who receive it or who might be affected by it?
 Will the message achieve the greatest possible good while doing the least possible harm?
 Will the assumptions I’ve made change over time? That is, will a decision that seems ethical
now seem unethical in the future?
 Am I comfortable with my decision? Would I be embarrassed if it were printed in tomorrow’s
newspaper or spread across the Internet?
Ensuring Legal Communication
In addition to ethical guidelines, business communication is also bound by a wide variety of laws and
regulations, including the following areas:
 Promotional communication. Marketing specialists need to be aware of the many laws that
govern truth and accuracy in advertising.
 Contracts. A contract is a legally binding promise between two parties, in which one party
makes a specified offer and the other party accepts.

Loading page 15...

1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1-12
 Employment communication. A variety of local, state, and federal laws govern
communication between employers and both potential and current employees.
 Intellectual property. In an age when instant global connectivity makes it effortless to copy
and retransmit electronic files, the protection of intellectual property (IP) has become a
widespread concern.
 Financial reporting. Finance and accounting professionals who work for publicly traded
companies must adhere to stringent reporting laws.
 Defamation. Negative comments about another party raise the possibility of defamation, the
intentional communication of false statements that damage character or reputation. (Written
defamation is called libel; spoken defamation is called slander.)
 Transparency. To help audiences make informed decisions, various laws now require
communicators to disclose financial relationships and other factors that could influence the
presentation of their messages.
Class discussion question: Should companies be allowed to advertise to children who are too young
to make fully-informed choices? If there should be a cutoff age, what should it be and how would it
be enforced?
HIGHLIGHT BOX: THE ART OF PROFESSIONALISM
Maintaining a Confident, Positive Outlook
1. Yes, employees do have an ethical obligation to maintain a positive outlook on the job, because doing
so helps ensure that they perform to expectations—which is what they are being paid for. In addition,
their behavior and attitude on the job affects the performance of other employees. However, they also
have an ethical obligation to keep the company’s best interests in mind, and there are times when
doing so can mean sharing negative news, raising legitimate concerns, confronting problems, and
even whistleblowing if need be.
2. Students should be able to suggest a variety of ways to lift their spirits, including reminding
themselves that a positive frame of mind makes the workday easier and faster, refocusing their minds
on near- or far-term objectives (e.g., simply completing an unwelcome task to get it off their plates or
thinking how completing that task is a step in the direction they want to go), or interacting with
colleagues or customers in a positive way that momentarily takes the focus off work and reminds one
of the human value in business interaction.
HIGHLIGHT BOX: DIGITAL+SOCIAL+MOBILE: TODAY’S COMMUNICATION
ENVIRONMENT
It’s All Fun and Games—and Effective Business Communication
1. Refer students to the coverage of communication ethics in “Committing to Ethical and Legal
Communication.” They should conclude that gamification is ethical if it doesn’t distort or hide
information audiences need in order to make informed decisions. For example, if a personal finance
game app offered by a bank or credit card company minimized the negative consequences of credit
risk in such a way that it prompted consumers to make unwise decisions, this could be considered

Loading page 16...

1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1-13
unethical. This question can also be a good entry point for a larger discussion about the ethics of
persuasive communication.
2. Student answers will vary.
ON THE JOB: SOLVING COMMUNICATION DILEMMAS AT JETBLUE
1. JetBlue emphasizes a friendly, open style of communication with its customers, even those occasional
customers who make unrealistic demands or expect special treatment. Unfortunately, you’ve learned
that some of the company’s customer service representatives have been letting their emotions get in
the way when dealing with these difficult customers. Several customers have complained about rude
treatment. You’re sensitive to the situation because you know customer service can be a difficult job,
particularly in a social media environment where consumers are empowered to broadcast any
disappointment they may feel. However, having a reputation for hostile customer service could spell
doom for the company, so you need to communicate your concerns immediately. Which of the
following sentences would be the best way to begin an email message to the customer service staff?
a. No. This implies that everyone in the customer service department is guilty of providing poor
service.
b. No. Like (a), this implies that everyone is guilty; its tone is also overly harsh and threatening,
particularly when raising this issue for the first time.
c. No. While this option doesn’t blame everyone, its accusatory tone will immediately put
everyone on the defensive.
d. Yes. This positive and sympathetic introductory statement (a buffer, explored in the negative
message chapter) creates a communication environment that is conducive to problem solving,
rather than finger pointing.
2. The culture in your office is conscientious and professional but with a generally informal “vibe.”
However, as with any company, individual employees vary in how closely their own styles and
personalities fit the corporate culture. For example, the new accounting manager in your organization
tends to communicate in a formal, distant style that some company old-timers find off-putting and
impersonal. Several of these people have expressed concerns that the new manager “doesn’t fit in,”
even though she’s doing a great job otherwise. How should you respond?
a. No. These people aren’t just complaining; they’re expressing concern about the future of the
company’s culture. A company is more than just the sum of its various job functions; the
people in those roles also need to work together in some degree of harmony. Therefore, the
people raising this issue believe they have a valid concern.
b. No. Demanding that someone change her personal communication style is only going to
generate confusion and resentment. Moreover, the company might eventually lose a valuable
employee if the manager decides she can’t fit in.
c. Yes. Newcomers can often benefit from a helpful introduction to a company’s culture. The
manager might simply be communicating in a style that was expected in her previous
employment.
d. No. If her style is causing concern, ignoring the situation isn’t going to make it go away.

Loading page 17...

1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1-14
3. A false rumor has begun circulating among JetBlue employees that the company plans to replace its
social media team with an automated “bot” system that will answer tweets and email messages using
artificial intelligence. Members of the social media team are worried about their jobs, and other
employees are worried that customers will miss the human touch if customer service representatives
are replaced by a computer. How should you respond to the rumor?
a. No. What should employees be expected to believe if the only messages they receive are
conflicting rumors coming through the grapevine? Moreover, grapevines are unpredictable;
you can’t be sure that your message would get through undistorted. And finally, the choice of
medium itself would send a message—that the company didn’t care enough to bother sending
out an official message.
b. Yes. This is a potential crisis that requires both immediate attention and careful handling to
calm people’s fears. Face-to-face communication provides the best way to interact with the
audience, answering their questions and addressing their fears.
c. No. A blog posting is too passive for a message of this importance, and it doesn’t offer the
rich nuances of face-to-face contact that are important when audiences are upset.
d. No. Ignoring the rumor would be a huge mistake. Productivity will immediately fall as people
begin worrying more about their jobs than about their work, and some will likely leave the
company as well.
4. A passenger whose luggage didn’t arrive on his flight from Boston to San Francisco is sending a
string of angry tweets from the baggage claim at the San Francisco airport, accusing JetBlue of
everything from lying to stealing his luggage. He is including the @JetBlue handle in every tweet, so
his rants are showing up in the timelines of the company’s followers on Twitter—all 1.9 million of
them. How should you respond?
a. No.
b. No.
c. No. Even if Twitter complied, this is a strong-arm tactic that many would consider unethical
to boot. And even if it were an acceptable response, it would not be a wise response. The
customer would probably set up another Twitter account within minutes and magnify his
original complaint with the justifiable outrage that JetBlue was trying to silence him—a story
angle that would surely resonate across social media and probably get picked up by
conventional media as well.
d. Yes. This approach acknowledges the customer frustration, which is paramount to resolving
any highly-charged situation like this. In addition, it attempts to move the discussion into
private channels so that the problem isn’t on nonstop public display. Lastly, interacting with
the customer in person may help defuse the situation further by putting a human face on the
company and forcing the customer to interact with another human being in person.

Loading page 18...

1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1-15
APPLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE
1.1. Visit MyBCommLab for suggested answers. [LO-1] AACSB: Written and oral
communication
1.2. Visit MyBCommLab for suggested answers. [LO-2] AACSB: Written and oral
communication
1.3. Students will learn more about writing and formatting messages for mobile devices in subsequent
chapters, but they can answer this question by using what they’ve learned in this chapter about
effective communication and the basic communication process. Their answers should address the
needs for concise messages and clear, simple designs that display well on small screens. [LO-4]
AACSB: Information technology
1.4. The answer is a definite yes. Communication technology has three potential shortcomings that
can and do hamper communication. First, technologies such as email and instant messaging are
unable to convey the full richness of human communication, particularly nonverbal signals. For
instance, email messages can come across as blunt or overly harsh simply because the medium
lacks a practical and effective way to convey emotional nuances. Second, technology can’t
replace human planning and oversight. Spellcheckers that correct spelling but “approve” poor
word choices or nonsensical phrases are a common example of this flaw. Third, even the best
technologies are rarely 100 percent reliable, and if people come to depend on technological
channels too heavily, they can be cut off from one another whenever these systems fail. [LO-5]
AACSB: Information technology
1.5. Visit MyBCommLab for suggested answers. [LO-6] AACSB: Written and oral
communication
PRACTICE YOUR SKILLS
Message for Analysis: Analyzing Communication Effectiveness [LO-1] AACSB: Written and oral
communication
Students will recognize this document as ineffective because it presents so many barriers to effective
communication. The blog:
 Creates emotional barriers right from the first sentence (accusing employees of lying and
cheating, later calling them names), preventing readers from perceiving the intended message
 Presents a restrictive and authoritarian attitude, reflecting an environment that discourages open
communication and thus discourages employee candor
 Expresses bias or prejudice (in the slur against women employees)
 Reflects the author’s anger and defensiveness (“I simply have no choice”)
 Assumes bad intentions on the part of the employees, underlining the lack of audience-centered
thinking
 Uses vague, confusing language (More than three times during what period? Will have to answer
to the author for what specific penalties?)

Loading page 19...

1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1-16
 Polarizes workers by inciting conflict between “punctual” employees and others
Exercises
1.6. Look for information about students’ majors, hobbies, likes, dislikes, and future career plans. The
email messages, blog posts, or social networking updates will give you an idea of the level of
your students’ writing, in addition to helping you learn more about your students. [LO-1]
AACSB: Written and oral communication
1.7. This question provides a good opportunity to discuss the advantages and limitations of utilizing
social media for business communication. Students should be encouraged to explain how the
content of their messages reflects the demands of a social communication model and medium.
[LO-1] AACSB: Information technology
1.8. This exercise reveals how well students translate the chapter material into a practical analysis of
business communication—the first step to crafting more effective messages of their own. Look
for descriptions of specific communication elements, such as solid logical argumentation,
persuasive emotional appeals, successful integration of audio and video components, or an
audience-centric message. [LO-1] AACSB: Written and oral communication
1.9. In completing this exercise, students should recognize the often-significant differences between
how they prioritize their own personal and professional qualities and how a prospective employer
might prioritize them. [LO-2]
1.10. This message needs to communicate the importance of the situation without preemptively
offending anyone (since there have been no instances of etiquette mistakes and only a general
concern about them). The first paragraph could provide the general manager with a brief
overview of the situation, describing how customers come in contact with production personnel
and explaining the potential damages to sales that could result from etiquette mistakes. The
second paragraph could then follow with an explanation of how etiquette training would
minimize the risk of lost sales. Depending on the circumstances and the writer's relationship with
the recipient, the message might also propose a solution, such as adapting the sales department's
etiquette training course for re-use in the production department. [LO-2] AACSB: Written and
oral communication
1.11. Before writing the report, the team will want to know:
a. The audience’s culture (so that cultural biases can be avoided)
b. The audience’s level of knowledge about the subject (so that the report’s style, content,
organization, and tone will address that level)
c. The environment in which the report will be received (to compensate for any noise
interference)
d. Whether the report will be read directly by the intended audience or will first pass through
several layers of gatekeepers (so that anticipated distortions can be minimized before the
report is read and summarized by gatekeepers)

Loading page 20...

1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1-17
e. The audience’s gender and family status (because childcare may be viewed from a different
perspective by men, women, parents, and nonparents)
[LO-2] AACSB: Interpersonal relations and teamwork
1.12. Regarding the issue of employee blogs and information that is critical of an employer, a much
stronger case can be made for placing such restrictions than for not doing so. Publicly-aired
criticism of internal company matters is likely to cause harm to the company (by scaring away
potential customers, employees, or investors, for instance) while probably doing little or nothing
to resolve whatever situations a blogger might be upset about. In fact, an argument can be made
that criticizing one’s own employer in public is unethical, since employees are paid to further the
company’s interests, not their own. If they are unhappy in their jobs, they have a responsibility to
either work to improve the situation through appropriate channels or to find other employment.
[LO-2] AACSB: Information technology
1.13. This exercise challenges students to apply their understanding of the communication process. Ask
them to be specific about how they encoded and transmitted the idea they wanted to share; also
ask them to explain exactly how they knew whether the message had been accurately decoded.
Students might identify such barriers as a difference in perception due to differences in age,
background, culture, or language; a lack of credibility, precision, congeniality, or control; a lack
of information about the audience; a misunderstanding caused by unfocused, incoherent, or
sloppy communication; a miscommunication resulting from one party being sidetracked or
constantly bringing up unnecessary information; an inability to relate new information to existing
ideas; or the noise from environmental distractions, from the emotional states of the people
involved, or from a person’s poor listening ability. [LO-3] AACSB: Written and oral
communication
1.14. Students should evaluate the websites using the criteria for effective business communication and
the discussion of the audience-centered approach in the chapter. For example, a website that isn’t
mobile friendly (meaning the presentation isn’t simplified for smaller screens and touch/swipe
controls) doesn’t do a good job of meeting the needs of mobile users. [LO-4] AACSB:
Information technology
1.15. To improve the discussion that this exercise can generate, consider assigning different services to
different students. The wide variety of services students will access can provide powerful
evidence of how widespread the social communication model has become. [LO-5] AACSB:
Information technology
1.16. Students should recognize that the boss’s request itself is potentially unethical, putting the
employee in a situation of policing his or her colleagues—which will surely lead to circumstances
in which the employee is forced to be disingenuous with colleagues (e.g., not saying anything to a
colleague who steals office supplies but then reporting the behavior to the boss). The employee
would want to consider the following in a discussion with the boss: the uncomfortable situation
this request will create for the employee; the effect this informal assignment would have on

Loading page 21...

1: Professional Communication in a Digital, Social, Mobile World 1-18
workplace dynamics; the damage to the employee’s career prospects or ability to work with
others if colleagues find out about such reporting; and last but not least, the fact that asking
employees to spy on one another is a misguided way to solve a problem (e.g., ethics training and
making employees aware of the costs of their decisions would be a much more enlightened
approach). [LO-6] AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning
1.17. The ethics of each situation may be decided as follows:
a. Keeping quiet about the possible environmental hazard would be an ethical lapse that could
possibly affect lives if not wildlife.
b. Stretching the truth, even “a bit,” is never ethical.
c. Helping a friend would be ethical, unless “privileged” information were being conveyed
without permission.
d. Using allocated funding for bogus purchases is unethical. It would be better to justify the need for
next year’s budget than to preserve it by cheating.
[LO-6] AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning
1.18. Students should be able to identify dozens of potential violations of Cisco’s Code of Conduct.
Three examples include entering into or sustaining a business relationship that creates a conflict
of interest with an employee’s professional responsibilities at Cisco, providing financial
information that is not accurate or not objective, and discussing confidential information with an
outside party who is not bound by a nondisclosure agreement. Opportunities to report or discuss
ethical concerns include contacting the company’s Ethics Program Office, the General Counsel,
or the Audit Committee. [LO-6] AACSB: Ethical understanding and reasoning
ASSISTED GRADING QUESTIONS (accessed in MyBCommLab)
1.28. Visit MyBCommLab for suggested answers. [LO-3] AACSB: Written and oral
communication
1.29. Visit MyBCommLab for suggested answers. [LO-4] AACSB: Information technology

Loading page 22...

2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 2-1
Chapter 2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business
Etiquette
Chapter 2 explores multiple aspects of interpersonal communication: communicating in teams,
collaborating on communication efforts, making meetings more productive, using meeting technologies,
and improving the skills involved in listening, nonverbal communication, and business etiquette.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Communicating Effectively in Teams
Advantages and Disadvantages of Teams
Characteristics of Effective Teams
Group Dynamics
Assuming Team Roles
Allowing for Team Evolution
Resolving Conflict
Overcoming Resistance
Collaborating on Communication Efforts
Guidelines for Collaborative Writing
Technologies for Collaborative Writing
Collaboration Systems
Social Networks and Virtual Communities
Collaboration via Mobile Devices
Giving—and Responding to—Constructive Feedback
Making Your Meetings More Productive
Preparing for Meetings
Conducting and Contributing to Efficient Meetings
Putting Meeting Results to Productive Use
Using Meeting Technologies
Improving Your Listening Skills
Recognizing Various Types of Listening
Understanding the Listening Process
Overcoming Barriers to Effective Listening
Improving Your Nonverbal Communication Skills
Recognizing Nonverbal Communication
Using Nonverbal Communication Effectively
Developing Your Business Etiquette
Business Etiquette in the Workplace
Business Etiquette in Social Settings
Business Etiquette Online
Business Etiquette Using Mobile Devices

Loading page 23...

2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 2-2
Learning Catalytics is a “bring your own device” student engagement, assessment, and classroom
intelligence system. It allows instructors to engage students in class with real-time diagnostics. Students
can use any modern, web-enabled device (smartphone, tablet, or laptop) to access it. For more
information on using Learning Catalytics in your course, contact your Pearson Representative.
LECTURE NOTES
Section 1: Communicating Effectively in Teams
Learning Objective 1: List the advantages and disadvantages of working in teams, describe the
characteristics of effective teams, and highlight four key issues of group dynamics.
Collaboration—working together to meet business challenges—has become a core job responsibility for
roughly half the U.S. workforce.
A team is a unit of two or more people who share a mission and the responsibility for working to achieve
a common goal.
Problem-solving teams and task forces assemble to resolve specific issues and then disband when their
goals have been accomplished.
Such teams are often cross-functional, pulling together people from a variety of departments who have
different areas of expertise and responsibility.
Diversity of opinions and experiences can lead to better decisions, but competing interests can create
tension.
Committees are formal teams that can become a permanent part of the organizational structure.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Teams
Teams are often part of participative management, the effort to involve employees in the company’s
decision making.
A successful team can provide advantages, such as:
 Increased information and knowledge
 Increased diversity of views
 Increased acceptance of a solution
 Higher performance levels
Teams can also have disadvantages, such as:
 Groupthink—occurs when peer pressures cause individual team members to withhold
contrary or unpopular opinions
 Hidden agendas—private, counterproductive motives that undermine someone else on the
team

Loading page 24...

2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 2-3
 Cost—aligning schedules, arranging meetings, and coordinating individual parts of a project
can eat up a lot of time and money
Characteristics of Effective Teams
The most effective teams:
 Have a clear objective and a shared sense of purpose
 Communicate openly and honestly
 Reach decisions by consensus
 Think creatively
 Know how to resolve conflict
Ineffective teams:
 Get bogged down in conflict
 Waste time and resources pursuing unclear goals
Two common reasons cited for unsuccessful teamwork are a lack of trust and poor communication.
Group Dynamics
Group dynamics are the interactions and processes that take place among members in a team.
Productive teams tend to develop positive norms—informal standards of conduct that members share
and that guide member behavior.
Group dynamics are influenced by:
 The roles assumed by team members
 The current phase of team development
 The team’s success in resolving conflict
 The team’s success in overcoming resistance
Team members can play various roles:
 Self-oriented roles are played by those motivated mainly to fulfill personal needs; these
individuals tend to be less productive than other members.
 Team-maintenance roles are played by those who help everyone work well together.
 Task-oriented roles are played by those who help the team reach its goals.
As teams grow and evolve, they generally pass through a variety of stages, such as these five:
 Orientation
 Conflict
 Brainstorming

Loading page 25...

2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 2-4
 Emergence
 Reinforcement
Another common model, proposed by Bruce Tuckman:
 Forming
 Storming
 Norming
 Performing
 Adjourning
Conflict in team activities can result from:
 Competition for resources
 Disagreement over goals or responsibilities
 Poor communication
 Power struggles
 Fundamental differences in values, attitudes, and personalities
Conflict is not necessarily bad.
Conflict can be constructive if it:
 Forces important issues into the open
 Increases the involvement of team members
 Generates creative ideas for the solution to a problem
Conflict can be destructive if it:
 Diverts energy from more important issues
 Destroys morale of teams or individual team members
 Polarizes or divides the team
Destructive conflict can lead to win-lose or lose-lose outcomes in which one or both sides lose, to the
detriment of the entire team.
If you approach conflict with the idea that both sides can satisfy their goals to at least some extent (a
win-win strategy), you can minimize losses for everyone.
For the win-win strategy to work, everybody must believe that:
 It’s possible to find a solution that both parties can accept
 Cooperation is better for the organization than competition
 The other party can be trusted
 Greater power or status doesn’t entitle one party to impose a solution

Loading page 26...

2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 2-5
Conflict can be resolved through:
 Proactive management: deal with minor conflict before it becomes major conflict
 Communication: get those involved with the conflict actively involved in resolution
 Openness: get feelings out into the open before dealing with main issues
 Research: get the facts before attempting a resolution
 Flexibility: don’t let anyone lock into a position before considering all possible solutions
 Fair play: insist on a fair outcome that doesn’t hide behind rules
 Alliance: unite the team against an “outside force” instead of each other
When attempting to overcome irrational resistance, try to:
 Express understanding
 Bring resistance out into the open
 Evaluate others’ objections fairly
 Hold your arguments until the other person is ready for them
Class discussion question: Describe a time that you experienced some form of team conflict during a
class project. What were the sources of conflict, and how did the team resolve it? How did the conflict
affect the team’s work output?
Section 2: Collaborating on Communication Efforts
Learning Objective 2: Offer guidelines for collaborative communication, identify major collaboration
technologies, and explain how to give constructive feedback.
When teams collaborate, the collective energy and expertise of the various members can lead to results
that transcend what each individual could do otherwise.
However, collaborating on team messages requires special effort.
Guidelines for Collaborative Writing
In any collaborative effort, team members coming from different backgrounds may have different
work habits or priorities, for example:
 A technical expert, to focus on accuracy and scientific standards
 An editor, to be more concerned about organization and coherence
 A manager, to focus on schedules, cost, and corporate goals
Remember that the ways in which team members differ in writing styles and personality traits can
complicate the creative nature of communication.

Loading page 27...

2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 2-6
To collaborate successfully, follow these guidelines:
 Select collaborators carefully (if you have that option).
 Agree on project goals before you start.
 Give your team time to bond before diving in.
 Clarify individual responsibilities.
 Establish clear processes.
 Avoid composing as a group.
 Make sure tools and techniques are ready and compatible across the team.
 Check to see how things are going along the way.
Technologies for Collaborative Writing
Collaboration technologies range from simple features such as commenting and revision or change
tracking to collaboration solutions such as content management systems that organize and control the
content for many websites (particularly larger corporate sites).
A wiki is a website that allows anyone with access to add new material and edit existing material.
Key benefits of wikis include:
 Simple operation
 Freedom to post new or revised material without prior approval
This approach is quite different from a content management system in which both the organization of
the website and the workflow are tightly controlled.
Chapter 12 addresses wikis in more detail.
Groupware is an umbrella term for systems that let people simultaneously:
 Communicate
 Share files
 Present materials
 Work on documents
Cloud computing expands

Loading page 28...

2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 2-7
The terms intranet (restricted internal website) and extranet (restricted, but with outside access for
selected parties) are still used in some companies.
Social networking technologies are redefining teamwork and team communication by helping erase
the constraints of geographic and organization boundaries.
Virtual communities or communities of practice link employees with similar professional interests
throughout the company and sometimes with customers and suppliers as well.
Social networking can also help a company maintain a sense of community even as it grows beyond
the size that normally permits a lot of daily interaction.
Mobile brings a new dimension to collaboration by connecting employees and business partners who
work part- or full-time outside conventional office environments.
Giving—and Responding to—Constructive Feedback
Constructive feedback, sometimes called constructive criticism, focuses on the process and outcomes
of communication, not on the people involved.
Destructive feedback delivers criticism with no guidance to stimulate improvement.
When you give feedback, try to:
 Avoid personal attacks
 Give the person clear guidelines for improvement
When you receive constructive feedback, try to:
 Resist the urge to defend your work or deny the validity of the feedback
 Disconnect emotionally from the work and see it simply as something that can be made better
 Step back and consider the feedback before diving in to make corrections
 Don’t assume that all constructive feedback is necessarily correct
Section 3: Making Your Meetings More Productive
Learning Objective 3: List the key steps needed to ensure productive team meetings.
Well-run meetings can help you:
 Solve problems
 Develop ideas
 Identify opportunities

Loading page 29...

2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 2-8
Meetings are unproductive when they:
 Wander off the subject
 Lack an agenda
 Run too long
Preparing for Meetings
To increase the productivity of meetings, prepare carefully:
 Identify your purpose—whether you need an informational or a decision-making meeting.
 Select participants whose presence is essential.
 Choose the venue and time and prepare the facility.
 Set the agenda.
 An effective agenda answers three questions:
 What do we need to do in this meeting to accomplish our goals?
 What issues will be of greatest importance to all participants?
 What information must be available in order to discuss these issues?
Conducting and Contributing to Efficient Meetings
Ensure a productive meeting by:
 Keeping the discussion on track
 Following agreed-upon rules, including parliamentary procedure if appropriate
 Encouraging participation
 Participating actively
 Closing effectively
Putting Meeting Results to Productive Use
The value of a meeting’s interaction and discovery usually doesn’t (or at least shouldn’t) end when
the meeting ends.
In formal meetings, one person is appointed to record the minutes.
In small meetings, attendees often make their own notes on their copies of the agenda.
The minutes of a meeting summarize:
 The important information presented
 The decisions made
 The people responsible for follow-up action

Loading page 30...

2: Collaboration, Interpersonal Communication, and Business Etiquette 2-9
Section 4: Using Meeting Technologies
Learning Objective 4: Identify the major technologies used to enhance or replace in-person meetings.
Replacing in-person meetings with long-distance, virtual interaction can:
 Dramatically reduce costs and resource usage
 Reduce wear and tear on employees
 Give teams access to a wider pool of expertise
Virtual teams have members who work in different locations and interact electronically through virtual
meetings.
Basic teleconferencing involves three or more people connected by phone simultaneously.
Videoconferencing combines live audio and video, letting team members see each other, demonstrate
products, and transmit other visual information.
More-advanced telepresence systems create interaction so lifelike that participants can forget that the
person “sitting” on the other side of the table is actually in another city.
Web-based meeting systems combine the best of instant messaging, shared workspaces, and
videoconferencing with other tools, such as virtual whiteboards, that let teams collaborate in real time.
The benefits are compelling, but conducting successful virtual meetings requires extra planning
beforehand and more diligence during the meeting in order to overcome potential communication
barriers.
Section 5: Improving Your Listening Skills
Learning Objective 5: Identify three major modes of listening, describe the listening process, and explain
the problem of selective listening.
Effective listening:
 Strengthens organizational relationships
 Enhances product delivery
 Alerts the organization to opportunities for innovation
 Allows the organization to manage growing diversity
 Gives you a competitive edge
 Enhances your performance and influence within your company and industry

Loading page 31...

30 more pages available. Scroll down to load them.

Preview Mode

100%

Study Now!

XY-Copilot AI

Unlimited Access

Secure Payment

Instant Access

24/7 Support

Document Chat

Document Details

Subject

Business Management

Excellence in Business Communication, 12th Edition Class Notes

Study Now!

Document Details

Related Documents

Test Bank For Management for Griffin's Fundamentals of Management, 9th Edition

Test Bank for Interpersonal Communication, 7th New International Edition

Test Bank For Essentials of Business Communication, 11th Edition

Test Bank for ISE International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace, 14th Edition (Chapters 1-10)

Test Bank for Essentials of Human Communication, 9th Edition

Making the Team: A Guide for Managers, 6th Edition Test Bank

Test Bank for Concepts in Strategic Management and Business Policy: Globalization, Innovation and Sustainability, 15th Edition

Solution Manual for Practice of Public Relations, The, 13th Edition

Test Bank for Communication: Making Connections, 10th Edition

Test Bank for International Business, 15th Edition

Company

Explore

Study Tools