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Part Number of questions Time GradePart I 2 out of 3 80 minutes 20Part II 2 out of 3 100 minutes 30Total 4 180 minutes 50

Good Luck

PART I (20 points)

In well written essays of around 150 words, answer two of the following questions.

1. Carry out a STEP analysis on the extract about Mannesmann. (10 points)It was clear to many observers that by hiving off its attractive telecoms activities into a separate company Mannesmann risked becoming vulnerable to an unwelcome take-over. Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister, however, demanded that Germany treat a British attempt to take over one of its firms with the same fairness extended to Germans buying up business in Britain. He rebuked Gerhard Schroeder for fighting the take-over, making it clear that in the new global economy he should not try to block it. There seems to be widespread suspicion in Germany of everything connected with stock markets. Germany does not have a stock exchange culture, as its economy is dominated by medium-sized companies and companies which are not quoted on the stock market.

RB1, Extract 2.10, p.27

ANSWER KEYContentSociological:

There seems to be widespread suspicion in Germany of everything connected with stock markets. Germany does not have a stock exchange culture, as its economy is dominated by medium-sized companies and companies which are not quoted on the stock market.

Economic: It was clear to many observers that by hiving off its attractive telecoms activities

into a separate company Mannesmann risked becoming vulnerable to an unwelcome take-over.

Political: Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister, however, demanded that Germany treat a

British attempt to take over one of its firms with the same fairness extended to Germans buying up business in Britain. He rebuked Gerhard Schroeder for fighting the take-over, making it clear that in the new global economy he should not try to block it

Text 1

MODEL EXAMS PREVIOUS YEARS

Public goods have two important characteristics If I walk along a pavement or enjoy the benefits of street lighting, it does not prevent you or anyone else doing the same. There is thus what we call non-rivalry in the consumption of such goods. These goods tend to have large external benefits relative to private benefits. This makes them socially desirable, but privately unprofitable. No one person on their own would pay to have a pavement built along his or her street. The private benefit would be too small relative to the cost. And yet the social benefit to all the other people using the pavement may far outweigh the cost.

If I spend money erecting a flood control dam to protect my house, my neighbors will also be protected by the dam. I cannot prevent them enjoying the benefits of my expenditure. This feature of non-excludability means that they would get the benefits free, and would therefore have no incentive to pay themselves. This is known as the free-rider problem.

When goods have these two features, the free market will simply not provide them. Thus these public goods can only be provided by the government or by the government subsidizing private firms. (Note that not all goods and services produced by the public sector come into the category of public goods and services: thus education and health are publically provided, but they can be, and indeed are, privately provided.)

RB2, p.35

Text 2Peter’s text

Another source of market failure is the market mechanism’s inability to produce vital public goods. Public goods are items for which you can’t charge according to consumption. No-one can enjoy their benefits exclusively; others are not prevented from doing the same (known as non-rivalry and non-excludability of consumption). Examples of public goods include: national defense, police, street lighting and pavements. As you can enjoy the goods for free, there is no incentive to pay for them and similarly no incentive for organizations to produce them, as they will not be paid by consumers to do so. Consequently, these goods have to be financed by Government (with compulsory taxation revenues) (Sloman and Sutcliffe, 1998, p.151). The Government bureaucracy involved can be complex and costly. Direct provision or overseeing of public services can also be difficult as the Government’s inability to prioritise and provide these goods efficiently can be affected by electoral considerations and private and state employee interests, particularly within developing countries. In an extreme example, high levels of corruption within the Kenyan Government have involved ministers and civil servants paying as much state cash as possible for shoddy goods or services never rendered, in relation to the transport system (The Economist, Jan 2006).

RB2,pp. 36-37

ANSWER KEYContent

Peter’s summary of the source text is a detailed and successful summary. Public goods are defined and examples are given. Key terms (non-excludability and non-rivalry) are explained and the reason why the free market cannot produce these goods is successfully explained.

However, the choice of expressions makes it difficult for the reader to understand the text quickly. For example, the meaning of the second sentence may not be immediately apparent without a brief pause for thought.

3 points


Peter critically discusses the topic by bringing in literature from other sources to expand on the theme of the role of the government in providing public goods. This literature questions the source text’s reference to government providing public goods.

2. Describe the sales figures in Table A comparing the figures for Q1 2006 and Q1 2005 for all regions. Make sure the theme is introduced and a concluding statement is made. (10 points)

Table A: Nokia mobile device volume by geographic area(million units) Q1 2006 Q1 2005 YOY change (%)Europe 20.4 17.4 17Middle East and Africa 11.9 10.0 19China 10.9 7.1 54Asia-Pacific 16.4 10.6 55North America 8.4 4.3 95Latin America 7.1 4.4 61Total 75.1 53.8 40

(Source: www. Nokia.com, 2007) B3, Table 5.1, p. 121 ANSWER KEY

Content1. A sentence that introduces the theme (1.5 points)2. At least 3 sentences that compare the figure for Q1 2006 and Q1 2005 for all

regions. The structures on pp. 122-123 should be used.(5 points)3. A sentence that makes a concluding statement (1.5 points)

PART II (30 points)


3. Specify what is meant by ‘editing’ by explaining the 2 main perspectives it should be done from. (15 points)

ANSWER KEYContentEditing involves the quality control checks that are needed in the final stages of writing. Editing should be done from two main perspectives: grammatical correctness and quality of presentation.


A. When editing for Grammatical correctness, writers make sure Clause structure follows recognisable and appropriate patterns of English Subjects agree with their verbs Consistent and appropriate tense has been used Singular/plural noun agreement are correct

Example: can be run-ons, fragments, subject- verb agreement, or singular/plural noun agreement

B. When editing for Qualities of presentation, writers check for generally correct spelling Make sure appropriate word processing has been used Make sure paragraphing reflects essay structure check for correct punctuation such as capital, italics, etc.

Example can be on punctuation, spelling, paragraphing

5. Define skill evaluation reports. Clarify their organization and justify the appropriate use of tone. (15 points)

ANSWER KEYSkills-evaluation reports often have a problem-solution pattern. The problem is the absence of a skill or a weakness the student has. The solution is the development of the skill. The evaluation is an account of how effective the student’s development has been. As all these are claims made by the writer, or the self-reviewer, they need to be supported by evidence to become persuasive.

Situation: weaknesses or absence of skill? What evidence? Problem: what evidence? What reason? (Cause) Solution: how successful? What evidence? Evaluation: What evidence?

Self-evaluation reports are personal. They are about your experience. However, they are also public documents, written for someone else to read—in this case, a tutor. For that reason, they need to be organised and expresses in ways that will influence the audience. They need to use evidence convincingly.

6. Briefly discuss the usage of each of the following communication modes: meetings, telephone calls, letters, faxes, and e-mails. (15 points)

ANSWER KEYContent

People communicate in the workplace both internally and externally.There are many ways in which they communicate: through having meetings (face to face), by letters, faxes, phone calls, and of course emails.The best way is to use a combination of methods based on what the situation calls for.


Meetings are effective for starting and building relationships. Participants subconsciously use visual and auditory cues (facial expressions, tone of voice, and physical distance) to get feedback on others’ reactions. That’s why, face- to-face meetings are more appropriate when dealing with complex issues (persuading, discussing performance, or raising matters of conflict) because you can adapt your approach as necessary.

The telephone is good when a meeting is not possible. They are good to maintain a good working relationship and to make arrangements.

Letters are good to initiate business contact because they are not immediately intrusive. They can also be used to transmit paper documents which can be filed among the recipient's record. They carry a feeling of sincerity.

Faxes are used in issue of commitment and confidentiality (hand signed document) Emails have become one of the most depended on and effective methods of

communication in the workplace. They are quick, cost effective, flexible, independent of time zones, and a useful way of keeping a record.

PART I (20 points)


4. Carry out a STEP analysis on the extract about Vodafone. (10 points)Although the USA was considered by many to be at least 18 months ahead of the rest of the world in exploiting the internet, Europe had a substantial lead in mobile telephony. However, the US could also move directly to third-generation technology, enabling it to catch up with Europe within the next three to four years, emphasizing the need for Europe to prove as effective in third-generation mobile telephony as in the current generation. In 2000, in the UK alone, Vodafone would have to pay $6 billion to the government for their new 20-year license, on top of an estimated $4 billion of network spending and handset subsidies.

RB1, Extract 2.10, p.26

ANSWER KEYContentTechnological:

Although the USA was considered by many to be at least 18 months ahead of the rest of the world in exploiting the internet, Europe had a substantial lead in mobile telephony.

However, the US could also move directly to third-generation technology, enabling it to catch up with Europe within the next three to four years, emphasizing the need for Europe to prove as effective in third-generation mobile telephony as in the current generation.

Economic: Although the USA was considered by many to be at least 18 months ahead of the

rest of the world in exploiting the internet, Europe had a substantial lead in mobile telephony.

In 2000, in the UK alone, Vodafone would have to pay $6 billion to the government for their new 20-year license, on top of an estimated $4 billion of network spending and handset subsidies.


Political: In 2000, in the UK alone, Vodafone would have to pay $6 billion to the

government for their new 20-year license, on top of an estimated $4 billion of network spending and handset subsidies.

Organization: The essay should include: An introductory section with a thesis statement that clearly expresses the main idea

and tells the reader what to expect The Support should be developed in body paragraphs each of which states a clear idea

in the topic sentence and sufficiently supports it Use of relevant ideas/supporting sentences and vocabulary to support the thesis

statement Transition/linking words Concluding section that clearly restates the main idea and has a clear

concluding/closing signalLanguage: the following linguistic elements should be observed:

Sentence grammatical structure: [verb forms, tenses, s-v-agreement, etc.] Mechanics of writing: punctuation, spelling, and overall paragraph format/layout

5. Study the text below. First, describe the function each sentence has in building an argument in terms of claim, explanation, and evidence. Then, identify the argument language, links, and connectives in each and explain how they develop the argument. (10 points)

Text Firms and social responsibility

[S1]It is often assumed that firms are simply concerned to maximize profits: that they are not concerned with broader issues of social responsibility. [S2]What this assumption means is that firms are only concerned with the interests of shareholders (or managers) and are not concerned for the well-being of the community at large. [S3]It is then argued, however, that competitive forces could result in society benefiting from the self-interested behaviour of firms: i.e. that profit maximization will lead to social efficiency under conditions of perfect competition and the absence of externalities. [S4]But, as we have seen, in the real world, markets are not perfect and there are often externalities. [S5]In such cases, a lack of social responsibility on the part of firms can have profoundly adverse effects on society. [S6]Indeed, many forms of market failure can be attributed directly to business practices that could not be classified as ‘socially responsible’: advertising campaigns that seek to misinform or in some way deceive the consumer; monopoly producers exploiting their monopoly positions through charging excessively high prices; the conscious decision to ignore water and air pollution limits; knowing that the chances of being caught are slim.

RB2, Text 4.3, pp.33-34ANSWER KEY

Content: S1 presents a claim or an assumption, i.e. what many people accept as being the truth

about firms. It is often assumed is argument language which has the effect of presenting the main idea as a general belief.

S2 expands a claim or an assumption by giving more details. This assumption is argument language which refers to the claim in S1 and links the information of S1 and S2.

S3 makes a new and contradictory claim. However is a connective word that reinforces the connection between ideas and shows that the information in S3 is contradictory to


that of S1. S4 presents a contradictory real world data in order to question an initial claim. But is a

connective word showing contradiction. As we have seen is argument language reminding of a previous information that is contradictory to the evidence from the real world that is used to build the argument.

S5 provides basis for a new claim by giving evidence of specific examples from real world. Such cases are linking words that refer back to the information in S4.

S6 presents a second related claim and explains the logic of that claim. Indeed is a connecting word which prepares the reader for further evidence or explanation of the point made in S5.

Organization: The essay should include: An introductory section with a thesis statement that clearly expresses the main idea and

tells the reader what to expect The Support should be developed in body paragraphs each of which states a clear idea

in the topic sentence and sufficiently supports it Use of relevant ideas/supporting sentences and vocabulary to support the thesis

statement Transition/linking words Concluding section that clearly restates the main idea and has a clear

concluding/closing signalLanguage: the following linguistic elements should be observed:

Sentence grammatical structure: [verb forms, tenses, s-v-agreement, etc.] Mechanics of writing: punctuation, spelling, and overall paragraph format/layout

6. Consider the following work-related problem. Suggest 2 solutions for it, choose the more appropriate, and justify your choice. (10 points)

A member of staff in a workplace team is behaving in a way which is alienating other members of the team and disrupting the smooth running of the work on a day-to-day basis. The person is very good at their job (particularly with customers) and achieves their target but there have been many complaints from colleagues about their hostile attitude to fellow members of the team, and inappropriate comments and remarks. The team leader has referred the situation to The Human Resources Department.

RB3,p. 138

ANSWER KEYContent

Solution1 Solution 2 Justification for the choice of appropriate solution


PART II (30 points)


7. Specify what is meant by ‘quality control in essay writing’ by explaining the 5 features that reflect quality. (15 points)

ANSWER KEYContentThe word quality control suggests reflecting on your essay to make sure it is of the highest quality. It means revising or evaluating the essay against the following checklist:

A. Source materials, i.e. references and secondary materials or studies, improve and strengthen claims and give more information to be used as a basis for claims. All is relevant to the topic and the scope of the assignment.

B. Essay is structured and developed:1. the introduction contains the elements it is required to have:

Words linking back to title Words identifying the key concepts The central argument Words saying how the essay will be organized.

2. Body paragraphs move from claims to demonstrating a valid basis for each of them. Arguments move between high-level generalization and low-level details. Evidence is used to support the claims. Information flow in argument is linked and connected.

3. Conclusion flows from argument and relates to title.

C. Control of academic style, i.e. use of appropriate business terms, key concepts, writing in a formal tone, and paraphrasing from sources accurately as well as referencing all your sources.

D. Grammatical correctness clause structure follows recognisable and appropriate patterns of English Correct Subject-verb agreement Consistent and appropriate choice of tense correct singular/plural noun agreement

E. Qualities of presentation generally correct spelling appropriate word processing Paragraphing reflects essay structure capital, italics, etc.


5. Information in reports is organized under section headings. List 4 possible sections of a report and briefly explain what is meant by each. (15 points)

ANSWER KEYContentStudents can choose any 3 of these subheadings to explain:

Covering letter Title page Executive summary or abstract Contents page Terms of reference or Introduction Review of literature Method Measurement Criteria Results or findings Discussion Conclusion(s) Recommendations Bibliography or references Appendices Glossary

6. Explain in details how the subject line, salutation, and introduction of an email should be written to make an email influential. (15 points)

ANSWER KEYContentThe subject line:

It should be short and specify clearly the topic of the email. If the email deals with different topics, all should be mentioned in the subject line. If the email has been going back and forth using ‘Re:’, consider updating the topic.

The salutation: It is a basic courtesy and should not be missed out.

If you are not sure what form or name to use to address the person, use the same style that the recipient used in any previous message to you. If you are the first to initiate contact, it is safest to begin by using the recipient’s surname.

The introduction: it should: Show how the message relates to other contacts with the recipient or the company-

whether these took place by telephone, email, or in person. Be clear about what the topic is. If there are 2 separate topics, mention both in the

introduction. Make clear what your purpose is in sending the message.


SECTION A (20 marks)

Q. 1. Explain how "texts" in case studies are important in the study of professional communication in creating meaning in a situation and how they are organised. Provide examples. (200 – 300 words).

Answer Key:

A text is a collection of words. Usually a word on its own does not mean very much. It only has meaning in a text. The words in a text have meaning because the text is in a situation. Each of these texts is complete and communicates meaning in its situation.

If the words ‘Keep out of the reach of children’ were written on the front of the Christmas card, it would be difficult to understand their meaning. On the side of a medicine bottle, the meaning is obvious. Each of the texts mentioned above has a situation in which it belongs.

If you don’t know the situation, it can be very difficult to understand the text. ‘We Three Kings’ may have a meaning if you are familiar with the story of Christmas but, if not, that three-word text is meaningless. Particular texts can be grouped into types of texts.

As soon as one says what type of text it is, one can probably fit it with his/her own idea of these text types. Even the piece of paper with the telephone number and the name of a company is a type of text. It could be called ‘a note written before telephoning a company’s text.

When visualising the texts part of what the reader reads there are differences in the ways the words are laid out. A letter is organised differently from a book or a medicine bottle instruction. They are organised differently because they are different text types for different situations.

So when a case study is said to be a text, it means that this collection of words has been organised into a particular text-type in order to communicate in a particular situation.

Language

Total


(B1S1, p. 8)

PART B (15 marks)

Answer any one question from the following section.

Q. 2 Compare and elaborate the importance of 'beginning and ending sentences' in an argument essay by discussing their elements as well as various characteristics.

Answer Key:

The beginning paragraph of an essay is important. It tells what the essay is about. Beginnings of sentences are important for the reason: they tell readers what the sentence is about. Endings are important because they tell readers the point of the sentence.

The beginning and the ending of sentences work together to tell what the sentence is about and what the point of the sentence is. What comes at the beginning – of the essay, of a paragraph or of a sentence – is important. It is important because it tells readers what the essay, the paragraph or the sentence is about.

The information at the beginning is called the theme. If it is the beginning of the essay, it is the essay theme: it tells readers what the essay is about. If it is the beginning of the paragraph, it is the paragraph theme: it tells readers what the paragraph is about. If it is the beginning of the sentence, it is the sentence theme: it tells readers what the sentence is about.

Essay themes and paragraph themes contain key concepts. These are usually abstract nouns which are like high-level viewing platforms giving an overview of the text. A paragraph has the key concept in the theme sentence of the paragraph. However, there can also be key concepts in sentences that are not theme sentences. This paragraph has another key concept, multiplier effect, which is not in the theme sentence.

Sentence themes are important for a second reason. They contain information that links the sentence to sentences that have gone before. If a reader cannot link each sentence back to the ones before, they will not understand the point of the writing. Finally, sentence themes must be followed by points.

By the time the reader has finished the essay, they should be clear what the point of the essay is. By processing the essay title in this way, the student creates an essay


which is about the subject of the title and has a point – or several points. This is the added value of an essay.

Language

Total

(B2S3, pp. 84-85)

OR

Q. 3 Describe some factors to consider when assessing the relevance of a particular source text for a business essay.

Answer Key:

One of the factors to consider when assessing the relevance of a particular source text for a business essay is whether the author or publisher is reliable and trustworthy. Universities, government agencies and established charities are likely sources of reliable information (note that their web addresses often incorporate the abbreviation ‘ac’, ‘gov’ or ‘org’), as are company-produced documents, such as reports and accounts.

[Sources like] Wikipedia and The Encyclopaedia Britannica – while providing useful information – are not normally accepted as appropriate for university study because their content is not developed for university purposes.

An important consideration when assessing the relevance of particular source materials is what bias, if any, a particular text might have. [Company] websites may be a good authority for statistics about company performance, for example, but they would probably be considered less appropriate sources of objective information on company influence on developing countries.

What is important is becoming aware that sources may contain a particular bias. One should therefore approach them with that in mind. That is the essence of


critical reading.

The date of publication may also be a factor in deciding whether one source of information is more relevant than another.

More recent publications tend to contain more up-to-date information, but it is important to be cautious here as this is not always the case.

Language

Total

(B2S2, p. 51-52)

PART C (15 marks)

Q. 4 Read the extract provided and then assess based on the components provided in the box below if there is an evaluative element in it and what view is being expressed.

Extract

Thrift Bank began as a tiny Belfast banking company called the Thrift Banking Partnership. From the very beginning Thrift catered to the business market and expanded services in line with this need.

Throughout its history, the bank’s fortunes have been closely linked with the border counties and Dublin. In 1840, the Bank established its first branch in what is now the Republic of Ireland and significantly expanded the branch network during the 1970s. Following a take-over in the late eighties, these outlets were renamed National Thrift Bank.

Today, Thrift remains the bank of choice for the majority of businesses in Northern Ireland. There are 95 Branches and 11 Business centres. A world-wide network of sister banks provides customers with on-the-spot banking and financial assistance in countries where they wish to conduct business.


Thrift has now been bought out by a Dutch company called ‘Utrecht Bank’. The changeover to the new ownership will occur on 18 April 2006. (RB3, p. 32)

COMPONENTS

Focus of the writer’s approach.

The kind of information being articulated.

To whom is the information being addressed?

Is the information an opinion or a fact? Explain.

Identify the type of writing style.

Answer Key:

The text is essentially giving information.

The information is the sort one could find on the bank’s website or in publicity materials. It mainly gives historical facts.

The information could be addressed to potential customers or investors.

It is factual, focusing on the bank as part of a successful organisation and on giving positive information to the reader, for example Thrift remains the bank of choice for the majority of businesses.

Extract 2.3 is written in formal style.

Language

Total

(B3S2, Act. 2.2, p. 39 and Answer Section, p. 56)


OR

Q. 5 Elaborate on how meetings and other different forms of communication are considered effective in starting and building relationships, especially in business. Provide examples.

Answer Key:

When physically in each other’s presence, participants subconsciously use visual and auditory cues – such as facial expression, tone of voice and physical distance – to guide their interaction. These cues can provide participants with valuable feedback on others’ reaction to what is being said – knowledge that is the first step to learning how to work together. The fact that these cues are not available in written communication means that face-to-face meetings tend to be more appropriate when dealing with complex issues. Examples of these include persuading someone to do something, discussing poor performance, or raising matters of potential conflict.

By being in the physical presence of someone, one is in a better position to assess their feelings as they explore issues and can adapt an approach as necessary.

Where it is not possible to meet up physically because of geographical distance, the telephone can be a good substitute and tends to be better than email in circumstances such as those outlined above. Telephone calls are also excellent for maintaining a good working relationship, as they allow for a level of connection that is harder to achieve in writing. They can be invaluable when making arrangements such as a business meeting, as they permit both parties to look up dates in their diaries, suggest alternative options and negotiate the exact time and location.

To use email to make various kinds of arrangements can be a lengthy process, particularly if several people are involved. Letters still have a role to play in business. They are a very useful means of initiating business contact. This is partly


because they are not so immediately intrusive on the recipient’s time as a telephone call or email might be. They can also be used to transmit paper documents, such as proposals or certificates, which are likely to be filed among the recipient’s paper records. Emails have become so commonplace that a letter carries a feeling of sincerity, a sense that the writer has put special effort into composing it. Letters can seem tangible and enduring compared to the ephemeral nature of emails.

At the time of writing, despite a reduction in their use, faxes still retain some functionality in business communication, particularly as regards issues of commitment and confidentiality. If, for example, a hand-signed or confidential document is needed quickly, it can be faxed through in a matter of minutes.

Bearing in mind the advantages and disadvantages of the different forms of communication, the ideal may be to use several in combination with one another. Nevertheless, it is important to recognise that each company will have its own preferences about channels of business communication. These need to be ascertained, particularly when companies are working together. A mix of different channels of communication can be used at various stages of a project, according to their effectiveness.

(B3S4, p. 87)


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