MGMT 1000 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4-6: Business Communication, Microblogging, Railways Act 1921
20 Jun 2018
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CHAPTER 4 – Planning Business Messages
The nature of communication:
- Communication = the transmission of information and meaning from a sender to a receiver
- Meaning – process is successful only when the receiver understands an ideas as the
sender intended it
- Business communication through digital media – to communicate and create content; to
engage customers; to expand business
Communication Process:
1. Sender has idea
- Idea influenced by: mood, frame of reference, background, culture and physical
makeup, situational context
- Successful messages best shaped by purpose and anticipated response to message
2. Sender encodes message
- Encoding – converting the idea into words or gestures that will convey meaning
- Sender should be aware of receiver’s communication skills, attitudes, background,
experiences and culture
3. Sender selects channel, transmits message
- Channel – medium over which the message travels
- Noise – anything that interrupts the transmission of a message in the communication
process
- Ex. weak internet signal, sloppy formatting, typos, annoyance of receiver,
overload of receiver
4. Receiver decodes message
- Receiver – the individual for whom the message is intended
- Decoding – translating the message from its symbol form into meaning
- Decoding can be interrupted, barriers
5. Feedback returns to sender
- Feedback – ital. to communication process
Communication Barriers
- Bypassing – when people miss each other with their meanings
- Meanings are in people, not in words
- Differing frames of reference
- Combination of experiences, education, culture, expectations, personality
- Lack of language skill
- Adequate vocabulary and skill in oral and written expression
- Distractions
- Emotional interference, physical distractions, digital interruptions
Overcoming Communication obstacles
- realize communication is imperfect
- anticipate problems in the encoding, transmitting and decoding of the message
- arrange ideas logically and use precise language
- improve your listening skills
- encourage feedback
Business Writing
- Purposeful – writing to solve problem and convey information, definite strategy to fulfil each
message
- Economical – presenting ideas clearly but concisely, does not waste reader’s time
- Audience oriented – looking at a problem from the perspective of reader, not your own
3-x-3 Writing Process:
1. Prewriting (25% of time)
a. Analyse
- What is the purpose? What do I want the reader to do/believe?
- Which channel to use? (Face-to-face, meeting, e-mail, letter, memo, report etc.)
b. Anticipate
- Profile the audience – What does the receiver already know? How will they
respond?
c. Adapt
- What techniques to use to adapt message to audience? How to promote feedback?
- Using positive, conversational and courteous language
2. Drafting (25% of time)
a. Research
- Find date to provide facts (company files, previous correspondence, internet)
- What do you need to know to write message? How much does audience already
know?
b. Organize
- Direct message: big idea, explanation in body, action request
- Persuasive/negative message: indirect, problem-solving strategy
c. Draft
- Quick draft – short, clear sentences, active voice
- Paragraph coherence – repeat key ideas, use pronouns, transitions
3. Revising (50% of time)
a. Edit
- Message to be clear, concise, conversational, readable
- Remove wordy filler, long lead-ins, redundancies, cliché phrases
- Use headings, bullets/numbered lists for quick reading
b. Proofread
- Take time to read message carefully
- Spelling errors, grammar, punctuation, names, number, consistent format
c. Evaluate
- Will the message achieve your purpose? Is message appealing to audience?
- Is tone pleasant and friendly, not curt? Did you encourage feedback?
Document Summary
Communication = the transmission of information and meaning from a sender to a receiver. Meaning process is successful only when the receiver understands an ideas as the sender intended it. Business communication through digital media to communicate and create content; to engage customers; to expand business. Idea influenced by: mood, frame of reference, background, culture and physical makeup, situational context. Successful messages best shaped by purpose and anticipated response to message: sender encodes message. Encoding converting the idea into words or gestures that will convey meaning. Sender should be aware of receiver"s communication skills, attitudes, background, experiences and culture: sender selects channel, transmits message. Channel medium over which the message travels. Noise anything that interrupts the transmission of a message in the communication process. Ex. weak internet signal, sloppy formatting, typos, annoyance of receiver, overload of receiver: receiver decodes message. Receiver the individual for whom the message is intended. Decoding translating the message from its symbol form into meaning.
