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Establishing a Framework for Business

Communication

Chapter 1Lecture Slides

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Purposes of Business Communication

To InformTo Persuade To Convey GoodwillTo Establish Credibility

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Communication

The process of exchanging information and meaning between or among individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, and behavior.

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Key Ingredients to Career Success

• IntegrityIntegrity

• Interpersonal skills Interpersonal skills

• CommunicationCommunication

Based on a survey of 500 CEOS: Smith, K. V., and Savoian, R. (1991, December 21). Climbing to the top: Rising through the corporate ladder. Review of Business, St. John’s University.

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Other Career Skills

• Receptive to new ideas and innovative approaches

• Committed to continued career learning

• Have expertise and ability to think in general terms

• Finds humor in work situations

• Can lead others

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Communication Process Model

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Communication Process: The Exchange

The process of selecting and organizing the message

The process of interpreting the message

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Encoding The Message

Decoding The Message

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Communication Channels

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Communication Flow in Organizations

Formal Network Flow

– Follows a company’s formal organization chart created by management.

– Controls individual and group behavior.

– Achieves the organization’s goals.

– Dictated by the cultural, technical, political, and economic environment of the organization.

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Formal Network Flow in an Organization

• Downward Communication– Supervisor to employee

• Upward Communication– Feedback to downward

communication

• Horizontal Communication– Interaction between

organizational units on the same hierarchical level

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Develops as people interact within the formal communication system and certain behavior patterns emerge—patterns that accommodate social and psychological needs.

Communication Flow in Organizations

Informal Network Flow

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Flow of Information Within an Organization

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In your experience, what kind of interference causes the most difficulties?

1. Background noise

2. Movement in your field of vision

3. Your thinking ahead for a response

4. Room temperature

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External Factors Influencing Business Communication

LEGAL & ETHICAL• International Laws• Domestic Laws• Code of Ethics• Stakeholder Interests• Ethical Frameworks• Personal Values

DIVERSITY• Cultural Differences• Language Barriers• Gender Issues• Education Levels• Age Factors• Nonverbal Differences

TEAM ENVIRONMENT• Trust• Team Roles• Shared Goals and Expectations• Synergy• Group Reward• Distributed Leadership

TECHNOLOGY• Accuracy and Security Issues• Telecommunications• Software Applications• “High-touch” Issues• Telecommuting• Databases

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Stakeholders:

Those affected by decisions, including ethical decisions.– Are people inside and outside

an organization.

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Ways to Deal with Pressure to Compromise Your Ethics:

• Consider your personal value system early.

• Become aware of a tendency to rationalize.

• Learn to analyze ethical dilemmas.

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Communicate Ethically & Responsibly

• State information as truthfully and fairly as possible

• Do not exaggerate facts

• Express ideas understandably

• Support viewpoint with facts

• State ideas with consideration that preserves receiver’s self-worth

• Design honest graphics

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Causes of Illegal and Unethical Behavior

• Excessive emphasis on _______• __________ corporate loyalty• Obsession with _________

advancement• Expectation of not getting _______• Unethical _____ set by top management• ___________ about whether an action is

wrong• Unwillingness to take a ______

profits

Misplaced

personal

caught

tone

Confusion

stand

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Four Dimensions of Business Behavior

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Diversity Challenges

• International

• Intercultural

• Intergenerational

• Gender

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Viva la Difference• Learn about the person’s culture

• Have patience with yourself and the other person

• Get help when you need it

• Participate in diversity initiatives that boost morale, creativity, and productivity

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Barriers to Intercultural Communication

• Ethnocentrism

• Stereotypes

• Chronemics - Interpretation of time

• Proxemics - Personal space requirements

• Haptics – Touching

• Kinesics - Body language

• Translation limitations

• Common Sense Approach44

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Team Environment — Organization of the Future

Small group with complementary skills, working together for a

common purpose

A Way to Remain Competitive in a Global Market A Way to Remain Competitive in a Global Market

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Synergy

The whole is greater than

the sum of the parts.

The whole is greater than

the sum of the parts.

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Benefits of Work Teams

• Make workers happier by causing them to feel they are shaping their jobs

• Increase efficiency by eliminating layers of managers passing down orders and monitoring performance

• Enable a company to draw on the skills and imagination of the whole work force

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Communication Patternsfor Successful Teams

• Trust-building changes communication patterns

• Open meetings educate employees

• Shared leadership involves management and employees

• Information flows up to management, down to workers, and horizontally among teams

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Important Team Skills

Problem-solving, goal-setting and Conflict resolution Effective communication skills Ability to deal with barriers Ability to understand needs of

coworkers Distributed leadership skills Commitment to evaluate the group process

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Impact of Technology

• Collect and organize data better

• Craft clearer and more effective messages

• Overcome distance issues

• Raise legal and ethical issues

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Legal and Ethical Implicationsof Technology

• Information ownership

• Information access

• Threats to privacy

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Global Marketing Requires Careful Communication

EuroDisney

Kept English labels on products in the Mexico City Store. Mexican customers prefer the status-symbol of “American” packaging

Presumed U.S. policies would work in Europe

McDonald’s and Coca-Cola

Placed the flags of the 24 nations participating in the World Cup on packaging; Saudi Arabia’s flag contains sacred words from the Koran.

Wal-Mart

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Changing U.S. Work Force Age Demographics

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